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Svoboda J, Pech P, Heneberg P. Low concentrations of acetamiprid, deltamethrin, and sulfoxaflor, three commonly used insecticides, adversely affect ant queen survival and egg laying. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14893. [PMID: 37689830 PMCID: PMC10492783 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42129-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Ants are key ecosystem service providers and can serve as important biological control agents in pest management. However, the effects of insecticides on common farmland ant species are poorly understood. We tested the effects of three commonly used insecticides on ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). The tested insecticides were acetamiprid (neonicotinoid; formulated as Mospilan 20 SP), deltamethrin (pyrethroid; formulated as Sanium Ultra), and sulfoxaflor (sulfilimine; formulated as Gondola). We tested two ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) species with different colony founding strategies, Lasius niger (Linnaeus, 1758) and Myrmica rubra (Linnaeus, 1758). We sprayed their queens with insecticides at concentrations recommended for use in foliar applications in agriculture, i.e., at 1.25 g L-1 (acetamiprid), 0.6 g L-1 (sulfoxaflor), and 0.875 g L-1 (deltamethrin). Further, we diluted the compounds in distilled water and tested them at 10%, 1%, and 0.1% of the field-recommended concentrations, and used distilled water as a control. We monitored the survival of the queens and the number of eggs laid. All three tested insecticides caused severe lethal and sublethal concentration-dependent effects. Even at concentrations three orders of magnitudes lower than recommended for field applications, significantly lower numbers of eggs were found in the queens' nests. The extent of the sublethal effects of acetamiprid and sulfoxaflor was concentration-dependent and differed between the two ant species. Besides bees and bumblebees, ants represent an important group of hymenopterans that are severely affected even by low concentrations of the tested compounds and therefore should be included in risk assessment schemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Svoboda
- Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Pech
- Research and Breeding Institute of Pomology Holovousy Ltd., 508 01, Holovousy 129, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Heneberg
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 87, 100 00, Prague, Czech Republic.
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Chang G, Xue H, Ji J, Wang L, Zhu X, Zhang K, Li D, Gao X, Niu L, Gao M, Luo J, Cui J. Risk assessment of predatory lady beetle Propylea japonica's multi-generational exposure to three non-insecticidal agrochemicals. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 886:163931. [PMID: 37156379 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The effects of non-insecticidal agrochemicals on pest natural predators remain largely unexplored except bees and silkworm. The herbicide quizalofop-p-ethyl (QpE), fungicide thiophanate-methyl (TM), and plant growth regulator mepiquat chloride (MC) have been extensively applied as non-insecticidal agrochemicals. Here, we systematically evaluated multiple effects of these 3 non-insecticidal agrochemicals on three generations of Propylea japonica, an important agroforestry predatory beetle, including the effects on its development, reproduction, enterobacteria, and transcriptomic response. The results showed that QpE exhibited a hormetic effect on P. japonica, thus significantly increasing the survival rate of generation 2 (F2) females, generation 3 (F3) females, and F3 males and body weight of F3 males. However, three successive generations exposed to TM and MC had no significant effect on longevity, body weight, survival rate, pre-oviposition period, and fecundity of P. japonica. Additionally, we investigated the effects of MC, TM, and QpE exposure on gene expression and gut bacterial community of F3 P. japonica. Under MC, TM, and QpE exposure, the overwhelming genes of P. japonica (99.90 %, 99.45 %, and 99.7 %) remained unaffected, respectively. Under TM and MC exposure, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were not significantly enriched in any KEGG pathway, indicating TM and MC did not significantly affect functions of P. japonica, but under QpE exposure, the expression levels of drug metabolism-related genes were down-regulated. Although QpE treatment did not affect gut dominant bacterial community composition, it significantly increased relative abundances of detoxification metabolism-related bacteria such as Wolbachia, Pseudomonas and Burkholderia in P. japonica. However, TM and MC had no significant effect on the gut bacterial community composition and relative abundance in P. japonica. This study revealed for the first time the mechanism by which P. japonica might compensate for gene downregulation-induced detoxification metabolism decline through altering symbiotic bacteria under QpE exposure. Our findings provide reference for the rational application of non-insecticidal agrochemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guofeng Chang
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China; Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Hui Xue
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China; Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Jichao Ji
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China; State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, Henan, China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, Henan, China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China
| | - Xiangzhen Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, Henan, China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China
| | - Kaixin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, Henan, China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China
| | - Dongyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, Henan, China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China
| | - Xueke Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, Henan, China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China
| | - Lin Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, Henan, China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China
| | - Mengxue Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, Henan, China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China
| | - Junyu Luo
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China; State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, Henan, China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China
| | - Jinjie Cui
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China; State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, Henan, China; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China.
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Kaur G, Singh A, Sharma R, Thakur A, Tuteja S, Shyamli, Singh R. Effect of fungicidal contamination on survival, morphology, and cellular immunity of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Front Physiol 2023; 14:1099806. [PMID: 37179823 PMCID: PMC10167026 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1099806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Pesticide residues have been reported in hive-stored products for long periods. Larvae of honey bees experience oral or contact exposure to these products during their normal growth and development inside the cells. We analyzed various toxicological, morphogenic, and immunological effects of residue-based concentrations of two fungicides, captan and difenoconazole, on the larvae of worker honey bees, Apis mellifera. Selected concentrations (0.08, 0.4, 2, 10, and 50 ppm) of both fungicides were applied topically at a volume of 1 µL/larva/cell as single and multiple exposures. Our results revealed a continuous, concentration-dependent decrease in brood survival after 24 h of treatment to the capping and emergence stages. Compared to larvae with a single exposure, the multiply exposed youngest larvae were most sensitive to fungicidal toxicity. The larvae that survived higher concentrations, especially multiple exposures, showed several morphological defects at the adult stage. Moreover, difenoconazole-treated larvae showed a significantly decreased number of granulocytes after 1 h of treatment followed by an increase after 24 h of treatment. Thus, fungicidal contamination poses a great risk as the tested concentrations showed adverse effects on the survival, morphology, and immunity of larval honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurleen Kaur
- PG Department of Agriculture, Khalsa College Amritsar, Amritsar, India
| | - Amandeep Singh
- Department of Agriculture, Khalsa College Garhdiwala, Hoshiarpur, India
| | - Rohit Sharma
- Department of Rasa Shastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | | | - Shushant Tuteja
- PG Department of Agriculture, Khalsa College Amritsar, Amritsar, India
| | - Shyamli
- PG Department of Agriculture, Khalsa College Amritsar, Amritsar, India
| | - Randeep Singh
- PG Department of Agriculture, Khalsa College Amritsar, Amritsar, India
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Seidenath D, Holzinger A, Kemnitz K, Langhof N, Lücker D, Opel T, Otti O, Feldhaar H. Individual vs. Combined Short-Term Effects of Soil Pollutants on Colony Founding in a Common Ant Species. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 1:761881. [PMID: 38468894 PMCID: PMC10926528 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2021.761881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Insects are integral to terrestrial life and provide essential ecosystem functions such as pollination and nutrient cycling. Due to massive declines in insect biomass, abundance, or species richness in recent years, the focus has turned to find their causes. Anthropogenic pollution is among the main drivers of insect declines. Research addressing the effects of pollutants concentrates on aquatic insects and pollinators, despite the apparent risk of contaminated soils. Pollutants accumulating in the soil might pose a significant threat because concentrations tend to be high and different pollutants are present simultaneously. Here, we exposed queens of the black garden ant Lasius niger at the colony founding stage to different concentrations and combinations of pollutants (brake dust, soot, microplastic particles and fibers, manure) to determine dose-dependent effects and interactions between stressors. As proxies for colony founding success, we measured queen survival, the development time of the different life stages, the brood weight, and the number of offspring. Over the course of the experiment queen mortality was very low and similar across treatments. Only high manure concentrations affected the colony founding success. Eggs from queens exposed to high manure concentrations took longer to hatch, which resulted in a delayed emergence of workers. Also, fewer pupae and workers were raised by those queens. Brake dust, soot and plastic particles did not visibly affect colony founding success, neither as single nor as multiple stressors. The application of manure, however, affected colony founding in L. niger negatively underlining the issue of excessive manure application to our environment. Even though anthropogenic soil pollutants seem to have little short-term effects on ant colony founding, studies will have to elucidate potential long-term effects as a colony grows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Seidenath
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Anja Holzinger
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Klara Kemnitz
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Nico Langhof
- Department of Ceramic Materials Engineering, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Darleen Lücker
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Thorsten Opel
- Department of Ceramic Materials Engineering, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Oliver Otti
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Heike Feldhaar
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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Sitko J, Heneberg P. Long-term dynamics of trematode infections in common birds that use farmlands as their feeding habitats. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:383. [PMID: 34353362 PMCID: PMC8344216 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04876-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The biodiversity of farmland habitats is witnessing unprecedented change, mostly in declines and simplification of assemblages that were established during centuries of the use of traditional agricultural techniques. In Central Europe, conspicuous changes are evident in populations of common farmland birds, in strong contrast to forest birds in the same region. However, there is a lack of information on longitudinal changes in trematodes that are associated with common farmland birds, despite the fact that diversity of trematodes is directly linked to the preservation of long-established food webs and habitat use adaptations of their hosts. Methods We analyzed the population trends of trematodes for the period 1963–2020 in six bird species that use Central European farmlands as their predominant feeding habitats. Namely, we examined Falco tinnunculus, Vanellus vanellus, winter populations of Buteo buteo, Ciconia ciconia, extravilan population of Pica pica, and Asio otus, all originating from the Czech Republic. Results We observed dramatic population losses of all trematode species in C. ciconia and V. vanellus; the changes were less prominent in the other examined hosts. Importantly, the declines in prevalence and intensity of infection affected all previously dominant species. These included Tylodelphys excavata and Chaunocephalus ferox in C. ciconia, Lyperosomum petiolatum in P. pica, Strigea strigis in A. otus, Neodiplostomum attenuatum and Strigea falconis in B. buteo (χ2 test P < 0.001 each), and Echinoparyphium agnatum and Uvitellina adelpha in V. vanellus (completely absent in 2011–2000). In contrast, the frequency and spectrum of isolated records of trematode species did not change to any large extent except those in V. vanellus. Conclusions The analysis of six unrelated common bird species that use farmlands as their feeding habitats revealed a previously unreported collapse of previously dominant trematode species. The previously dominant trematode species declined in terms of both prevalence and intensity of infection. The causes of the observed declines are unclear; of note is, however, that some of the broadly used agrochemicals, such as azole fungicides, are well known for their antihelminthic activity. Further research is needed to provide direct evidence for effects of field-realistic concentrations of azole fungicides on the survival and fitness of trematodes. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-04876-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiljí Sitko
- Comenius Museum, Moravian Ornithological Station, Přerov, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Heneberg
- Charles University, Third Faculty of Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
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