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Barahona NA, Vergara PM, Alaniz AJ, Carvajal MA, Castro SA, Quiroz M, Hidalgo-Corrotea CM, Fierro A. Understanding how environmental degradation, microclimate, and management shape honey production across different spatial scales. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:12257-12270. [PMID: 38227262 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-31913-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Although the abundance, survival, and pollination performance of honeybees are sensitive to changes in habitat and climate conditions, the processes by which these effects are transmitted to honey production and interact with beekeeping management are not completely understood. Climate change, habitat degradation, and beekeeping management affect honey yields, and may also interact among themselves resulting in indirect effects across spatial scales. We conducted a 2-year, multi-scale study on Chiloe Island (northern Patagonia), where we evaluated the most relevant environmental and management drivers of honey produced by stationary beekeepers. We found that the effects of microclimate, habitat, and management variables changed with the spatial scale. Among the environmental variables, minimum temperature, and cover of the invasive shrub, gorse (Ulex europaeus) had the strongest detrimental impacts on honey production at spatial scales finer than 4 km. Specialized beekeepers who adopted conventional beekeeping and had more mother colonies were more productive. Mean and minimum temperatures interacted with the percentage of mother colonies, urban cover, and beekeeping income. The gorse cover increased by the combination of high temperatures and the expansion of urban lands, while landscape attributes, such as Eucalyptus plantation cover, influenced beekeeping management. Results suggest that higher temperatures change the available forage or cause thermal stress to honeybees, while invasive shrubs are indicators of degraded habitats. Climate change and habitat degradation are two interrelated environmental phenomena whose effects on beekeeping can be mitigated through adaptive management and habitat restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás A Barahona
- Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Facultad Tecnológica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo M Vergara
- Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Facultad Tecnológica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile.
| | - Alberto J Alaniz
- Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Facultad Tecnológica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Ingeniería Geoespacial y Ambiental, Facultad Tecnológica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Mario A Carvajal
- Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Facultad Tecnológica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Sergio A Castro
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Madelaine Quiroz
- Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Facultad Tecnológica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudia M Hidalgo-Corrotea
- Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Facultad Tecnológica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrés Fierro
- Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Facultad Tecnológica, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago, Chile
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Lin L, Deng WD, Li JT, Kang B. Whether including exotic species alters conservation prioritization: a case study in the Min River in southeastern China. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024; 104:450-462. [PMID: 36843140 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Conservation practices from the perspective of functional diversity (FD) and conservation prioritization need to account for the impacts of exotic species in freshwater ecosystems. This work first simulated the influence of exotic species on the values of FD in a schemed mechanistic model, and then a practical case study of conservation prioritization was performed in the Min River, the largest river in southeastern China, to discuss whether including exotic species alters prioritization. The mechanistic model revealed that exotic species significantly altered the expected FD if the number of exotic species occupied 2% of the community. Joint species distribution modelling indicated that the highest FD occurred in the west, northwest and north upstreams of the Min River. Values of FD in 64.69% of the basin decreased after the exotic species were removed from calculation. Conservation prioritization with the Zonation software proved that if first the habitats of exotic species were removed during prioritization, 62.75% of the highest prioritized areas were shifted, average species representation of the endemic species was improved and mean conservation efficiency was increased by 7.53%. Existence of exotic species will significantly alter the metrics of biodiversity and the solution for conservation prioritization, and negatively weighting exotic species in the scope of conservation prioritization is suggested to better protect endemic species. This work advocates a thorough estimate of the impacts of exotic species on FD and conservation prioritization, providing complementary evidence for conservation biology and valuable implications for local freshwater fish conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Lin
- College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei-De Deng
- Department of Oceanography, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Henry Fok College of Biology and Agriculture, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, China
| | - Jin-Tao Li
- College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, China
| | - Bin Kang
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, China
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Ren CS, Chang ZM, Zu ZY, Han L, Chen XS, Long JK. Comparison of Morphological Characteristics of Antennae and Antennal Sensilla among Four Species of Bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). INSECTS 2023; 14:232. [PMID: 36975917 PMCID: PMC10058816 DOI: 10.3390/insects14030232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bumblebees, as pollinators, play an important role in maintaining natural and agricultural ecosystems. Antennae with sensilla of bumblebees as social insects have essential effects in foraging, nest searching, courting, and mating, and are different in species and sexes. Previous studies on the morphology of antennae and sensilla in bumblebees have been limited to a few species and a single caste. To better understand how bumblebees detect and receive the chemical signal from nectariferous plants and foraging behavior, the morphology of antennae with sensilla, including the antennal length, and type, distribution, and number of antennal sensilla in four species, Bombus atripes, Bombus breviceps, Bombus flavescens, and Bombus terrestris was compared by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) herein. The total antennal length of queens are the longest and workers are the shortest in three castes, and in four species the longest of the total antennal length among three castes all are in B. flavescens, which is significantly longer than other species (p < 0.05) and the length of the scape in queens and workers are both longer than males, significantly different in queens (p < 0.05), and not significantly different in workers (p > 0.05), and the length of flagellums in females are not always shorter than males, of which the length of flagellms in queens of B. flavescens are significantly longer than males (p < 0.05), and the length of pedicel and all flagellomeres varies among species and castes. A total of 13 major types of sensilla in total were observed, including trichodea sensilla (TS A-E), placodea sensilla (PS A-B), basiconica sensilla (BaS), coeloconica sensilla (COS A-B), chaetic sensilla (CS A-B), and Böhm sensilla (BS), of which chaetic sensilla B (CS B), only observed in females of B. atripes, was firstly reported in Apidae. Moreover, the number of all sensilla was the most in males, the least was in workers, the number of sensilla varies within castes and species. Furthermore, the morphological characteristics of antennae and the potential functions of sensilla are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Shi Ren
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education/Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction/College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Zhi-Min Chang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education/Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction/College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Institute of Entomology/Special Key Laboratory for Developing and Utilizing of Insect Resources, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Zhi-Yun Zu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education/Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction/College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Lei Han
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education/Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction/College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Xiang-Sheng Chen
- Institute of Entomology/Special Key Laboratory for Developing and Utilizing of Insect Resources, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Jian-Kun Long
- Institute of Entomology/Special Key Laboratory for Developing and Utilizing of Insect Resources, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
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Ren CS, Chang ZM, Han L, Chen XS, Long JK. Higher Essential Amino Acid and Crude Protein Contents in Pollen Accelerate the Oviposition and Colony Foundation of Bombus breviceps (Hymenoptera: Apidae). INSECTS 2023; 14:203. [PMID: 36835772 PMCID: PMC9965574 DOI: 10.3390/insects14020203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Pollen is an important source of nutrition for bumblebees to survive, reproduce, and raise their offspring. To explore the nutritional requirements for the egg laying and hatching of queenright Bombus breviceps colonies, camellia pollen, oilseed rape pollen, apricot pollen, and mixtures of two or three types of pollen in equal proportions were used to feed the queens in this study. The results showed that the camellia pollen with a higher essential amino acid content was superior to the pollen with a lower essential amino acid content in the initial egg-laying time (p < 0.05), egg number (p < 0.05), larval ejection (p < 0.01), time of first worker emergence (p < 0.05), and the average weight of workers in the first batch (p < 0.01). It took less time for colonies under the camellia pollen and camellia-oilseed rape-apricot pollen mix treatments, both with a higher crude protein content, to reach ten workers in the colony (p < 0.01). On the contrary, the queens fed apricot pollen never laid an egg, and larvae fed oilseed rape pollen were all ejected-both pollens with a lower essential amino acid content. The results emphasize that the diet should be rationally allocated to meet the nutritional needs of local bumblebees at various stages when guiding them to lay eggs, hatch, and develop a colony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Shi Ren
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education/College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Zhi-Min Chang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education/College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Institute of Entomology/Special Key Laboratory for Developing and Utilizing of Insect Resources, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Lei Han
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education/College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Xiang-Sheng Chen
- Institute of Entomology/Special Key Laboratory for Developing and Utilizing of Insect Resources, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Jian-Kun Long
- Institute of Entomology/Special Key Laboratory for Developing and Utilizing of Insect Resources, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
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Bar-Shai N, Motro U, Shmida A, Bloch G. Earlier Morning Arrival to Pollen-Rewarding Flowers May Enable Feral Bumble Bees to Successfully Compete with Local Bee Species and Expand Their Distribution Range in a Mediterranean Habitat. INSECTS 2022; 13:816. [PMID: 36135517 PMCID: PMC9503872 DOI: 10.3390/insects13090816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
During recent decades, bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) have continuously expanded their range in the Mediterranean climate regions of Israel. To assess their potential effects on local bee communities, we monitored their diurnal and seasonal activity patterns, as well as those of native bee species in the Judean Hills. We found that all bee species tend to visit pollen-providing flowers at earlier times compared to nectar-providing flowers. Bumble bees and honey bees start foraging at earlier times and colder temperatures compared to other species of bees. This means that the two species of commercially managed social bees are potentially depleting much of the pollen, which is typically non-replenished, before most local species arrive to gather it. Taking into consideration the long activity season of bumble bees in the Judean hills, their ability to forage at the low temperatures of the early morning, and their capacity to collect pollen at early hours in the dry Mediterranean climate, feral and range-expanding bumble bees potentially pose a significant competitive pressure on native bee fauna. Their effects on local bees can further modify pollination networks, and lead to changes in the local flora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noam Bar-Shai
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The A. Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
- Jerusalem Botanical Garden, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Uzi Motro
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The A. Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
- Department of Statistics, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91905, Israel
- The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Avishai Shmida
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The A. Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
- The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Guy Bloch
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The A. Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
- The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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7
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Raiol RL, Gastauer M, Campbell AJ, Borges RC, Awade M, Giannini TC. Specialist Bee Species Are Larger and Less Phylogenetically Distinct Than Generalists in Tropical Plant–Bee Interaction Networks. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.699649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bee pollinators are key components of terrestrial ecosystems. Evidence is mounting that bees are globally in decline, and species with a higher degree of specialization are the most vulnerable to local extinction. However, ecological features that could explain bee specialization remain poorly tested, especially in tropical species. Here, we aim to determine the most specialized bee species and their associated ecological traits in tropical plant–bee interaction networks, answering three questions: (1) Which bees in the interaction networks are specialists? (2) Is body size related to their role as specialists in interaction networks? (3) Are there phylogenetic relationships between the bee species identified as specialists? We used fifteen quantitative plant–bee interaction networks from different Brazilian biomes covering 1,702 interactions (386 bee and 717 plant species). We used the normalized degree (standardized number of partners) as a metric to determine trophic specialization of bee species. Body size was estimated by measuring intertegular distance (ITD), i.e., the distance between the bases of the wings on the thorax. Evolutionary distinctiveness (ED) was used to quantify species uniqueness, i.e., the singularity of species in the phylogenetic tree. Relationships between dietary specialism, ITD and ED were assessed using generalized linear models. We detected 34 specialist bee species (9% of total species), distributed in 13 genera, and four families. ITD and ED were important variables explaining the specialization of tropical bee species. Specialists were larger and less phylogenetically distinct than expected by chance. Based on a large data set covering some of the main tropical biomes, our results suggest that loss of specialist bees from Brazilian plant–bee networks could have deleterious consequences for native plant species preferentially pollinated by large-bodied bees. Moreover, by affecting more evolutionarily distinct species, i.e., those with fewer extant relatives, the loss of specialist bees will likely affect few clades but can result on considerable loss of evolutionary history and phylogenetic diversity in the Brazilian bee communities. The results are important for decision-making concerning conservation measures for these species and may also encourage the development of sustainable management techniques for bees.
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Invasion dynamics of the European bumblebee Bombus terrestris in the southern part of South America. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15306. [PMID: 34316010 PMCID: PMC8316498 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94898-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species are one of the main biodiversity loss drivers. Some species can establish and thrive in novel habitats, impacting local communities, as is the case of managed pollinators. In this regard, an invasive species' expansion process over time is critical for its control and management. A good example is the European bumblebee Bombus terrestris, which has rapidly invaded the southern part of South America after being repeatedly introduced in Chile for crop pollination since 1997. We assessed the temporal dynamics of B. terrestris invasion in Argentina and Chile by compiling 562 occurrence points from 2000 to 2019. We used two estimators (minimum convex polygon and 95% fixed kernel) to estimate the increase of the invaded area over time. We found that the area invaded by B. terrestris in the southern part of South America presents a linear increase over time, which was consistent for both estimators. In this scenario, species traits, environmental characteristics, and introduction dynamics facilitate a rapid invasion process that will continue to expand, reaching other South American countries in the near future. As this bumblebee is a super-generalist, it probably will expand across South America, as climate niche modelling predicts, if no actions were taken.
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Ghisbain G, Gérard M, Wood TJ, Hines HM, Michez D. Expanding insect pollinators in the Anthropocene. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:2755-2770. [PMID: 34288353 PMCID: PMC9292488 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Global changes are severely affecting pollinator insect communities worldwide, resulting in repeated patterns of species extirpations and extinctions. Whilst negative population trends within this functional group have understandably received much attention in recent decades, another facet of global changes has been overshadowed: species undergoing expansion. Here, we review the factors and traits that have allowed a fraction of the pollinating entomofauna to take advantage of global environmental change. Sufficient mobility, high resistance to acute heat stress, and inherent adaptation to warmer climates appear to be key traits that allow pollinators to persist and even expand in the face of climate change. An overall flexibility in dietary and nesting requirements is common in expanding species, although niche specialization can also drive expansion under specific contexts. The numerous consequences of wild and domesticated pollinator expansions, including competition for resources, pathogen spread, and hybridization with native wildlife, are also discussed. Overall, we show that the traits and factors involved in the success stories of expanding pollinators are mostly species specific and context dependent, rendering generalizations of 'winning traits' complicated. This work illustrates the increasing need to consider expansion and its numerous consequences as significant facets of global changes and encourages efforts to monitor the impacts of expanding insect pollinators, particularly exotic species, on natural ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Ghisbain
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 20, Mons, 7000, Belgium
| | - Maxence Gérard
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 20, Mons, 7000, Belgium.,Department of Zoology, Division of Functional Morphology, INSECT Lab, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18b, Stockholm, 11418, Sweden
| | - Thomas J Wood
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 20, Mons, 7000, Belgium
| | - Heather M Hines
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, U.S.A.,Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, U.S.A
| | - Denis Michez
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 20, Mons, 7000, Belgium
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Rojas‐Nossa SV, Sánchez JM, Navarro L. Nectar robbing and plant reproduction: an interplay of positive and negative effects. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luis Navarro
- Dept of Plant Biology and Soil Sciences, Univ. of Vigo Vigo Spain
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11
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Wignall VR, Brolly M, Uthoff C, Norton KE, Chipperfield HM, Balfour NJ, Ratnieks FLW. Exploitative competition and displacement mediated by eusocial bees: experimental evidence in a wild pollinator community. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02924-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Eusocial bees are likely to be ecologically important competitors for floral resources, although competitive effects can be difficult to quantify in wild pollinator communities. To investigate this, we excluded honeybees (HBE treatment), bumblebees (BBE) or both (HB&BBE) from wild-growing patches of bramble, Rubus fruticosus L. agg., flowers in two eight-day field trials at separate locations, with complementary mapping of per-site local floral resource availability. Exclusions increased per-flower volume of nectar and visitation rates of non-excluded bees, compared to control patches with no bee exclusions (CON). There was a large increase in average nectar standing crop volume both at Site 1 (+ 172%) and Site 2 (+ 137%) in HB&BBE patch flowers, and no significant change in HBE or BBE, compared to CON patches. Foraging bee responses to exclusion treatments were more pronounced at Site 2, which may be due to lower local floral resource availability, since this is likely to increase the degree of exploitative competition present. Notably, at Site 2, there was a 447% increase in larger-bodied solitary (non-Apis/Bombus) bees visiting HB&BBE patches, suggesting ecological release from competition. Hoverflies showed no response to bee removals. Numbers of other non-bee insect groups were very small and also showed no clear response to exclusions. Our findings reveal patterns of competitive exclusion between pollinator groups, mediated by resource depletion by eusocial bees. Possible long-term implications of displacement from preferred flowers, particularly where alternative forage is reduced, are discussed.
Significance statement
Understanding patterns of exploitative competition and displacement is necessary for pollinator conservation, particularly for vulnerable or threatened species. In this research, experimental methods reveal underlying patterns of resource competition exerted by eusocial bees in a wild pollinator community. We show that honeybees and bumblebees competitively displace each other and particularly solitary (non-Apis/Bombus) bees from bramble, an important native nectar and pollen source. Effects were stronger where local floral resource availability was identified to be limited. Notably, following experimental exclusion of both honey- and bumblebees from flowers, visitation by solitary bees increased by up to 447%, strongly suggesting ecological release from competition. These results highlight the need for informed landscape management for pollinator wellbeing, including appropriate honeybee stocking densities and improved floral resource availability.
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Le Provost G, Badenhausser I, Violle C, Requier F, D’Ottavio M, Roncoroni M, Gross L, Gross N. Grassland-to-crop conversion in agricultural landscapes has lasting impact on the trait diversity of bees. LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY 2020; 36:281-295. [PMID: 33505122 PMCID: PMC7810634 DOI: 10.1007/s10980-020-01141-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Global pollinator decline has motivated much research to understand the underlying mechanisms. Among the multiple pressures threatening pollinators, habitat loss has been suggested as a key-contributing factor. While habitat destruction is often associated with immediate negative impacts, pollinators can also exhibit delayed responses over time. OBJECTIVES We used a trait-based approach to investigate how past and current land use at both local and landscape levels impact plant and wild bee communities in grasslands through a functional lens. METHODS We measured flower and bee morphological traits that mediate plant-bee trophic linkage in 66 grasslands. Using an extensive database of 20 years of land-use records, we tested the legacy effects of the landscape-level conversion of grassland to crop on flower and bee trait diversity. RESULTS Land-use history was a strong driver of flower and bee trait diversity in grasslands. Particularly, bee trait diversity was lower in landscapes where much of the land was converted from grassland to crop long ago. Bee trait diversity was also strongly driven by plant trait diversity computed with flower traits. However, this relationship was not observed in landscapes with a long history of grassland-to-crop conversion. The effects of land-use history on bee communities were as strong as those of current land use, such as grassland or mass-flowering crop cover in the landscape. CONCLUSIONS Habitat loss that occurred long ago in agricultural landscapes alters the relationship between plants and bees over time. The retention of permanent grassland sanctuaries within intensive agricultural landscapes can offset bee decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëtane Le Provost
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- INRAE, USC 1339, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- LTSER « Zone Atelier Plaine & Val de Sèvre », Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre SBIK-F, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Isabelle Badenhausser
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- INRAE, USC 1339, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- LTSER « Zone Atelier Plaine & Val de Sèvre », Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- INRAE, Unité de Recherche Pluridisciplinaire Prairies Plantes Fourragères, 86600 Lusignan, France
| | - Cyrille Violle
- UMR 5175 CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry 3, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Fabrice Requier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Marie D’Ottavio
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- INRAE, USC 1339, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- LTSER « Zone Atelier Plaine & Val de Sèvre », Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- Laboratoire de Lutte Biologique, Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC C.P. 8888 Canada
| | - Marilyn Roncoroni
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- INRAE, USC 1339, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- LTSER « Zone Atelier Plaine & Val de Sèvre », Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Ecosystème Prairial, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Louis Gross
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- INRAE, USC 1339, Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- LTSER « Zone Atelier Plaine & Val de Sèvre », Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372, CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
- INRAE, UR 0633, URZF Unité de Recherche Zoologie Forestière, 45075 Orléans, France
| | - Nicolas Gross
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Ecosystème Prairial, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
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Liang C, Ding G, Huang J, Zhang X, Miao C, An J. Characteristics of the Two Asian Bumblebee Species Bombus friseanus and Bombus breviceps (Hymenoptera: Apidae). INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11030163. [PMID: 32138226 PMCID: PMC7143170 DOI: 10.3390/insects11030163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study compared the food plants, life cycle, colony development, and mating behaviour of the two Asian bumblebee species Bombus friseanus and B. breviceps, which are very important pollinators for many wild flowers and crops in local ecosystems. Both species were shown to be highly polylectic. Differences were observed in their life cycles and colony development patterns. The colony foundation rate of the field-collected queens was high in both species, 95.5% in B. friseanus and 86.5% in B. breviceps. The intervals from colony initiation to colony sizes of 30, 60, and 80 workers and to the first male and gyne emergence were significantly shorter in B. friseanus than in B. breviceps (p < 0.01). The development period of the first batch of workers showed no significant difference between the two species (p > 0.05). Compared with B. friseanus, B. breviceps produced remarkably higher numbers of workers (135 ± 30 workers/colony in B. friseanus and 318 ± 123 workers/colony in B. breviceps) and males (199 ± 46 males/colony in B. friseanus and 355 ± 166 males/colony in B. breviceps) (p < 0.01), with notable variation was found among the colonies in both species. With no significant difference in the mating rate between these two species, the copulation duration of B. breviceps (1.54 ± 0.63 min) was strikingly shorter than that of B. friseanus (27.44 ± 11.16 min) (p < 0.001). This study highlights the characteristics of the two Asian bumblebee species and will aid further studies on their conservation and agricultural pollination use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Liang
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (C.L.); (J.H.)
- Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Mengzi 661101, Yunnan, China; (X.Z.); (C.M.)
| | - Guiling Ding
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (C.L.); (J.H.)
- Correspondence: (G.D.); (J.A.)
| | - Jiaxing Huang
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (C.L.); (J.H.)
| | - Xuewen Zhang
- Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Mengzi 661101, Yunnan, China; (X.Z.); (C.M.)
| | - Chunhui Miao
- Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Mengzi 661101, Yunnan, China; (X.Z.); (C.M.)
| | - Jiandong An
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (C.L.); (J.H.)
- Correspondence: (G.D.); (J.A.)
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14
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Aizen MA, Arbetman MP, Chacoff NP, Chalcoff VR, Feinsinger P, Garibaldi LA, Harder LD, Morales CL, Sáez A, Vanbergen AJ. Invasive bees and their impact on agriculture. ADV ECOL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2020.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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15
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Wignall VR, Campbell Harry I, Davies NL, Kenny SD, McMinn JK, Ratnieks FLW. Seasonal variation in exploitative competition between honeybees and bumblebees. Oecologia 2019; 192:351-361. [PMID: 31840190 PMCID: PMC7002462 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04576-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Honeybees (Apis mellifera) and bumblebees (Bombus spp.) often undergo exploitative competition for shared floral resources, which can alter their foraging behaviour and flower choice, even causing competitive exclusion. This may be strongest in summer, when foraging conditions are most challenging for bees, compared to other times of the year. However, the seasonal dynamics of competition between these major pollinator groups are not well understood. Here, we investigate whether the strength of exploitative competition for nectar between honeybees and bumblebees varies seasonally, and whether competitive pressure is greatest in summer months. We carried out experimental bee exclusion trials from May to late September, using experimental patches of lavender, variety Grosso, in full bloom. In each trial, we compared the numbers of honeybees (HB) foraging on patches from which bumblebees had been manually excluded (bumblebee excluded, BBE) versus control (CON) patches, HB(BBE-CON). This measure of exploitative competition varied significantly with season. As expected, mean HB(BBE-CON) was significantly greater in summer trials than in spring or autumn trials. This was despite high nectar standing crop volumes in BBE patch flowers in spring and autumn trials. Mean HB(BBE-CON) was not different between spring and autumn trials. Our results show that nectar competition between honeybees and bumblebees varies seasonally and is stronger in summer than spring or autumn, adding to current understanding of the seasonality of resource demand and competition between bee species. This information may also help to inform conservation programs aiming to increase floral resources for bees by showing when these resources are most needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica R Wignall
- Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK.
| | - Isabella Campbell Harry
- Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Natasha L Davies
- Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Stephen D Kenny
- Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Jack K McMinn
- Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK.,Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Francis L W Ratnieks
- Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
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16
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Assessing the resilience of biodiversity-driven functions in agroecosystems under environmental change. ADV ECOL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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17
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Abstract
Resumo Recursos florais constituem o elemento de mediação nas interações mutualísticas entre plantas e polinizadores. Em um sistema ótimo, o investimento das flores na produção de recursos é recompensado pelo adequado transporte de pólen entre indivíduos coespecíficos, realizado por cada visitante floral. Porém visitantes podem obter recursos de diferentes modos, com diferentes implicações no processo de polinização e na integridade das flores. A literatura internacional apresenta uma série de termos e conceitos para a diversidade de comportamentos envolvidos em visitas florais impróprias, mas o uso dos termos principais está bem consolidado desde o artigo seminal de David W. Inouye de 1980. Muitos estudos em biologia da polinização no Brasil tratam adequadamente destes conceitos, porém o uso dos termos em língua portuguesa, tais como ladrão e pilhador de néctar, é inconsistente. Aqui são sugeridos termos e definições para uso impróprio de recursos florais, a partir do conceito de visitas legítimas e ilegítimas.
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18
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Sáez A, Morales JM, Morales CL, Harder LD, Aizen MA. The costs and benefits of pollinator dependence: empirically based simulations predict raspberry fruit quality. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 28:1215-1222. [PMID: 29575300 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Globally, agriculture increasingly depends on pollinators to produce many seed and fruit crops. However, what constitutes optimal pollination service for pollinator-dependent crops remains unanswered. We developed a simulation model to identify the optimal pollination service that maximizes fruit quality in crops. The model depicts the pollination (i.e., autonomous self-fertilization, pollen deposition) and post-pollination (i.e., pollen germination, and time from germination to ovule fertilization) processes leading to fruit and seed set and allows for negative flower-pollinator interactions, specifically pistil damage. We parameterized and validated the model based on empirical observations of commercial raspberry in western Argentina. To assess the effects of pollination intensity for fruit production, we conducted simulations over a range of visit number per flower by the two primary managed pollinators worldwide, Apis mellifera and Bombus terrestris. Simulations identified that ~15-35 visits per flower by A. mellifera or ~10-20 visits by B. terrestris provide adequate pollination and maximize raspberry fruit quality (i.e., estimated as the proportion of ovules that develop into drupelets). Visits in excess of these optima reduce simulated fruit quality, and flowers receiving >670 honey bee visits or >470 bumble bee visits would produce fruits of poorer quality than those receiving no bee visits. The simulations generated consistent, unbiased predictions of fruit quality for 12 raspberry fields. This model could be adapted easily to other animal-pollinated crops and used to guide efficient pollinator management in any agro-ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Sáez
- Grupo de Ecología de la Polinización, INIBIOMA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue), San Carlos de Bariloche (CP8400), Rio Negro, Argentina
| | - Juan M Morales
- Grupo de Ecología Cuantitativa, INIBIOMA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue), San Carlos de Bariloche (CP8400), Rio Negro, Argentina
| | - Carolina L Morales
- Grupo de Ecología de la Polinización, INIBIOMA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue), San Carlos de Bariloche (CP8400), Rio Negro, Argentina
| | - Lawrence D Harder
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Marcelo A Aizen
- Grupo de Ecología de la Polinización, INIBIOMA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue), San Carlos de Bariloche (CP8400), Rio Negro, Argentina
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19
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Aizen MA, Smith‐Ramírez C, Morales CL, Vieli L, Sáez A, Barahona‐Segovia RM, Arbetman MP, Montalva J, Garibaldi LA, Inouye DW, Harder LD. Coordinated species importation policies are needed to reduce serious invasions globally: The case of alien bumblebees in South America. J Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo A. Aizen
- Grupo de Ecología de la PolinizaciónINIBIOMACONICET‐Universidad Nacional del Comahue San Carlos de Bariloche Rio Negro Argentina
| | - Cecilia Smith‐Ramírez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y BiodiversidadUniversidad de Los Lagos (ULA) Osorno Chile
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad – Chile (IEB) Santiago Chile
- Facultad de Ciencias ForestalesUniversidad Austral de Chile Valdivia Chile
| | - Carolina L. Morales
- Grupo de Ecología de la PolinizaciónINIBIOMACONICET‐Universidad Nacional del Comahue San Carlos de Bariloche Rio Negro Argentina
| | - Lorena Vieli
- Departamento de Ciencias ForestalesUniversidad de La Frontera Temuco Chile
| | - Agustín Sáez
- Grupo de Ecología de la PolinizaciónINIBIOMACONICET‐Universidad Nacional del Comahue San Carlos de Bariloche Rio Negro Argentina
| | - Rodrigo M. Barahona‐Segovia
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Ambientes FragmentadosFacultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y PecuariasUniversidad de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Marina P. Arbetman
- Grupo de Ecología de la PolinizaciónINIBIOMACONICET‐Universidad Nacional del Comahue San Carlos de Bariloche Rio Negro Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos NaturalesAgroecología y Desarrollo Rural (IRNAD)Sede AndinaUniversidad Nacional de Río Negro (UNRN) San Carlos de Bariloche Río Negro Argentina
| | | | - Lucas A. Garibaldi
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos NaturalesAgroecología y Desarrollo Rural (IRNAD)Sede AndinaUniversidad Nacional de Río Negro (UNRN) San Carlos de Bariloche Río Negro Argentina
| | - David W. Inouye
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Crested Butte CO USA
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Maryland College Park MD USA
| | - Lawrence D. Harder
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Calgary Calgary Alberta Canada
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