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Maurer C, Schauer A, Yañez O, Neumann P, Gajda A, Paxton RJ, Pellissier L, Schweiger O, Szentgyörgyi H, Vanbergen AJ, Albrecht M. Species traits, landscape quality and floral resource overlap with honeybees determine virus transmission in plant-pollinator networks. Nat Ecol Evol 2024:10.1038/s41559-024-02555-w. [PMID: 39367259 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02555-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 10/06/2024]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases pose a threat to pollinators. Virus transmission among pollinators via flowers may be reinforced by anthropogenic land-use change and concomitant alteration of plant-pollinator interactions. Here, we examine how species' traits and roles in flower-visitation networks and landscape-scale factors drive key honeybee viruses-black queen cell virus (BQCV) and deformed wing virus-in 19 wild bee and hoverfly species, across 12 landscapes varying in pollinator-friendly (flower-rich) habitat. Viral loads were on average more than ten times higher in managed honeybees than in wild pollinators. Viral loads in wild pollinators were higher when floral resource use overlapped with honeybees, suggesting these as reservoir hosts, and increased with pollinator abundance and viral loads in honeybees. Viral prevalence decreased with the amount of pollinator-friendly habitat in a landscape, which was partly driven by reduced floral resource overlap with honeybees. Black queen cell virus loads decreased with a wild pollinator's centrality in the network and the proportion of visited dish-shaped flowers. Our findings highlight the complex interplay of resource overlap with honeybees, species traits and roles in flower-visitation networks and flower-rich pollinator habitat shaping virus transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Maurer
- Agroecology and Environment, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Ecosystems Landscape Evolution, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Alexandria Schauer
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anna Gajda
- Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Bee Diseases, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Robert J Paxton
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Loïc Pellissier
- Ecosystems Landscape Evolution, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Schweiger
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Department of Community Ecology, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | | | - Adam J Vanbergen
- Agroécologie, INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ. Bourgogne, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
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2
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McNeil DJ, Goslee SC, Kammerer M, Lower SE, Tooker JF, Grozinger CM. Illuminating patterns of firefly abundance using citizen science data and machine learning models. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 929:172329. [PMID: 38608892 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
As insect populations decline in many regions, conservation biologists are increasingly tasked with identifying factors that threaten insect species and developing effective strategies for their conservation. One insect group of global conservation concern are fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). Although quantitative data on firefly populations are lacking for most species, anecdotal reports suggest that some firefly populations have declined in recent decades. Researchers have hypothesized that North American firefly populations are most threatened by habitat loss, pesticide use, and light pollution, but the importance of these factors in shaping firefly populations has not been rigorously examined at broad spatial scales. Using data from >24,000 surveys (spanning 2008-16) from the citizen science program Firefly Watch, we trained machine learning models to evaluate the relative importance of a variety of factors on bioluminescent firefly populations: pesticides, artificial lights at night, land cover, soil/topography, short-term weather, and long-term climate. Our analyses revealed that firefly abundance was driven by complex interactions among soil conditions (e.g., percent sand composition), climate/weather (e.g., growing degree days), and land cover characteristics (e.g., percent agriculture and impervious cover). Given the significant impact that climactic and weather conditions have on firefly abundance, there is a strong likelihood that firefly populations will be influenced by climate change, with some regions becoming higher quality and supporting larger firefly populations, and others potentially losing populations altogether. Collectively, our results support hypotheses related to factors threatening firefly populations, especially habitat loss, and suggest that climate change may pose a greater threat than appreciated in previous assessments. Thus, future conservation of North American firefly populations will depend upon 1) consistent and continued monitoring of populations via programs like Firefly Watch, 2) efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change, and 3) insect-friendly conservation practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darin J McNeil
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Sarah C Goslee
- United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service, Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Melanie Kammerer
- United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service, Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Sarah E Lower
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - John F Tooker
- Department of Entomology, Insect Biodiversity Center, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Christina M Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Insect Biodiversity Center, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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3
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Babin A, Schurr F, Delannoy S, Fach P, Huyen Ton Nu Nguyet M, Bougeard S, de Miranda JR, Rundlöf M, Wintermantel D, Albrecht M, Attridge E, Bottero I, Cini E, Costa C, De la Rúa P, Di Prisco G, Dominik C, Dzul D, Hodge S, Klein AM, Knapp J, Knauer AC, Mänd M, Martínez-López V, Medrzycki P, Pereira-Peixoto MH, Potts SG, Raimets R, Schweiger O, Senapathi D, Serrano J, Stout JC, Tamburini G, Brown MJF, Laurent M, Rivière MP, Chauzat MP, Dubois E. Distribution of infectious and parasitic agents among three sentinel bee species across European agricultural landscapes. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3524. [PMID: 38347035 PMCID: PMC10861508 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53357-w] [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: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Infectious and parasitic agents (IPAs) and their associated diseases are major environmental stressors that jeopardize bee health, both alone and in interaction with other stressors. Their impact on pollinator communities can be assessed by studying multiple sentinel bee species. Here, we analysed the field exposure of three sentinel managed bee species (Apis mellifera, Bombus terrestris and Osmia bicornis) to 11 IPAs (six RNA viruses, two bacteria, three microsporidia). The sentinel bees were deployed at 128 sites in eight European countries adjacent to either oilseed rape fields or apple orchards during crop bloom. Adult bees of each species were sampled before their placement and after crop bloom. The IPAs were detected and quantified using a harmonised, high-throughput and semi-automatized qPCR workflow. We describe differences among bee species in IPA profiles (richness, diversity, detection frequencies, loads and their change upon field exposure, and exposure risk), with no clear patterns related to the country or focal crop. Our results suggest that the most frequent IPAs in adult bees are more appropriate for assessing the bees' IPA exposure risk. We also report positive correlations of IPA loads supporting the potential IPA transmission among sentinels, suggesting careful consideration should be taken when introducing managed pollinators in ecologically sensitive environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Babin
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey bee Pathology, 06902, Sophia Antipolis, France.
| | - Frank Schurr
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey bee Pathology, 06902, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Sabine Delannoy
- IdentyPath Genomics Platform, Food Safety Laboratory, ANSES, 94701, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Patrick Fach
- IdentyPath Genomics Platform, Food Safety Laboratory, ANSES, 94701, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Stéphanie Bougeard
- ANSES, Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory, Epidemiology and Welfare, France
| | - Joachim R de Miranda
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maj Rundlöf
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Dimitry Wintermantel
- Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straße 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Albrecht
- Agroecology and Environment, Agroscope, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eleanor Attridge
- Federation of Irish Beekeepers' Associations, Tullamore, Ireland
| | - Irene Bottero
- Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Elena Cini
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Cecilia Costa
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
| | - Pilar De la Rúa
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Gennaro Di Prisco
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, The Italian National Research Council, Piazzale E. Ferni 1, 80055, Portici, Napoli, Italy
| | - Christophe Dominik
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Community Ecology, 06120, Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Dzul
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Simon Hodge
- Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Alexandra-Maria Klein
- Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straße 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jessica Knapp
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anina C Knauer
- Agroecology and Environment, Agroscope, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marika Mänd
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Vicente Martínez-López
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Bioscience Building, L69 7ZB, Liverpool, UK
| | - Piotr Medrzycki
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Helena Pereira-Peixoto
- Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straße 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Simon G Potts
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Risto Raimets
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Oliver Schweiger
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Community Ecology, 06120, Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Deepa Senapathi
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - José Serrano
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Jane C Stout
- Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Giovanni Tamburini
- Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straße 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- University of Bari, Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (DiSSPA-Entomology and Zoology), Bari, Italy
| | - Mark J F Brown
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution & Behaviour, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Sciences and the Environment, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Marion Laurent
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey bee Pathology, 06902, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Marie-Pierre Rivière
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey bee Pathology, 06902, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Marie-Pierre Chauzat
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey bee Pathology, 06902, Sophia Antipolis, France
- Paris-Est University, ANSES, Laboratory for Animal Health, 94701, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Eric Dubois
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey bee Pathology, 06902, Sophia Antipolis, France.
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4
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Ray AM, Gordon EC, Seeley TD, Rasgon JL, Grozinger CM. Signatures of adaptive decreased virulence of deformed wing virus in an isolated population of wild honeybees ( Apis mellifera). Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231965. [PMID: 37876196 PMCID: PMC10598435 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the ecological and evolutionary processes that drive host-pathogen interactions is critical for combating epidemics and conserving species. The Varroa destructor mite and deformed wing virus (DWV) are two synergistic threats to Western honeybee (Apis mellifera) populations across the globe. Distinct honeybee populations have been found to self-sustain despite Varroa infestations, including colonies within the Arnot Forest outside Ithaca, NY, USA. We hypothesized that in these bee populations, DWV has been selected to produce an avirulent infection phenotype, allowing for the persistence of both host and disease-causing agents. To investigate this, we assessed the titre of viruses in bees from the Arnot Forest and managed apiaries, and assessed genomic variation and virulence differences between DWV isolates. Across groups, we found viral abundance was similar, but DWV genotypes were distinct. We also found that infections with isolates from the Arnot Forest resulted in higher survival and lower rates of symptomatic deformed wings, compared to analogous isolates from managed colonies, providing preliminary evidence to support the hypothesis of adaptive decreased viral virulence. Overall, this multi-level investigation of virus genotype and phenotype indicates that host ecological context can be a significant driver of viral evolution and host-pathogen interactions in honeybees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allyson M. Ray
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-1503, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240-0002, USA
| | - Emma C. Gordon
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-1503, USA
| | - Thomas D. Seeley
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Jason L. Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-1503, USA
| | - Christina M. Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-1503, USA
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5
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Straub F, Birkenbach M, Leonhardt SD, Ruedenauer FA, Kuppler J, Wilfert L, Ayasse M. Land-use-associated stressors interact to reduce bumblebee health at the individual and colony level. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231322. [PMID: 37817596 PMCID: PMC10565366 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1322] [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: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In agricultural landscapes, bees face a variety of stressors, including insecticides and poor-quality food. Although both stressors individually have been shown to affect bumblebee health negatively, few studies have focused on stressor interactions, a scenario expected in intensively used agricultural landscapes. Using the bumblebee Bombus terrestris, a key pollinator in agricultural landscapes, we conducted a fully factorial laboratory experiment starting at nest initiation. We assessed the effects of food quality and insecticides, alone and in interaction, on health traits at various levels, some of which have been rarely studied. Pollen with a diluted nutrient content (low quality) reduced ovary size and delayed colony development. Wing asymmetry, indicating developmental stress, was increased during insecticide exposure and interactions with poor food, whereas both stressors reduced body size. Both stressors and their interaction changed the workers' chemical profile and reduced worker interactions and the immune response. Our findings suggest that insecticides combined with nutritional stress reduce bumblebee health at the individual and colony levels, thus possibly affecting colony performance, such as development and reproduction, and the stability of plant-pollinator networks. The synergistic effects highlight the need of combining stressors in risk assessments and when studying the complex effects of anthropogenic stressors on health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Straub
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus Birkenbach
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Sara D. Leonhardt
- Plant-Insect-Interactions, Research Department Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Fabian A. Ruedenauer
- Plant-Insect-Interactions, Research Department Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Jonas Kuppler
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Lena Wilfert
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Manfred Ayasse
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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6
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McCormick EC, Cohen OR, Dolezal AG, Sadd BM. Consequences of microsporidian prior exposure for virus infection outcomes and bumble bee host health. Oecologia 2023:10.1007/s00442-023-05394-x. [PMID: 37284861 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05394-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Host-parasite interactions do not occur in a vacuum, but in connected multi-parasite networks that can result in co-exposures and coinfections of individual hosts. These can affect host health and disease ecology, including disease outbreaks. However, many host-parasite studies examine pairwise interactions, meaning we still lack a general understanding of the influence of co-exposures and coinfections. Using the bumble bee Bombus impatiens, we study the effects of larval exposure to a microsporidian Nosema bombi, implicated in bumble bee declines, and adult exposure to Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV), an emerging infectious disease from honey bee parasite spillover. We hypothesize that infection outcomes will be modified by co-exposure or coinfection. Nosema bombi is a potentially severe, larval-infecting parasite, and we predict that prior exposure will result in decreased host resistance to adult IAPV infection. We predict double parasite exposure will also reduce host tolerance of infection, as measured by host survival. Although our larval Nosema exposure mostly did not result in viable infections, it partially reduced resistance to adult IAPV infection. Nosema exposure also negatively affected survival, potentially due to a cost of immunity in resisting the exposure. There was a significant negative effect of IAPV exposure on survivorship, but prior Nosema exposure did not alter this survival outcome, suggesting increased tolerance given the higher IAPV infections in the bees previously exposed to Nosema. These results again demonstrate that infection outcomes can be non-independent when multiple parasites are present, even when exposure to one parasite does not result in a substantial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elyse C McCormick
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 61790, USA
| | - Olivia R Cohen
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 61790, USA
| | - Adam G Dolezal
- School of Integrated Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Ben M Sadd
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 61790, USA.
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7
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Gratton EM, McNeil DJ, Grozinger CM, Hines HM. Local habitat type influences bumble bee pathogen loads and bee species distributions. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023:7150786. [PMID: 37133965 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvad027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombus Latreille) perform important ecological services in both managed and natural ecosystems. Anthropogenically induced change has altered floral resources, climate, and insecticide exposure, factors that impact health and disease levels in these bees. Habitat management presents a solution for improving bee health and biodiversity, but this requires better understanding of how different pathogens and bee species respond to habitat conditions. We take advantage of the washboard of repeated ridges (forested) and valleys (mostly developed) in central Pennsylvania to examine whether local variation in habitat type and other landscape factors influence bumble bee community composition and levels of 4 leading pathogens in the common eastern bumble bee, Bombus impatiens Cresson. Loads of viruses (DWV and BQCV) were found to be lowest in forest habitats, whereas loads of a gut parasite, Crithidia bombi, were highest in forests. Ridgetop forests hosted the most diverse bumble bee communities, including several habitat specialists. B. impatiens was most abundant in valleys, and showed higher incidence in areas of greater disturbance, including more developed, unforested, and lower floral resource sites, a pattern which mirrors its success in the face of anthropogenic change. Additionally, DNA barcoding revealed that B. sandersoni is much more common than is apparent from databases. Our results provide evidence that habitat type can play a large role in pathogen load dynamics, but in ways that differ by pathogen type, and point to a need for consideration of habitat at both macro-ecological and local spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena M Gratton
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Darin J McNeil
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Christina M Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Heather M Hines
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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8
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Malfi RL, McFrederick QS, Lozano G, Irwin RE, Adler LS. Sunflower plantings reduce a common gut pathogen and increase queen production in common eastern bumblebee colonies. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230055. [PMID: 37015273 PMCID: PMC10072944 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0055] [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: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Community diversity can reduce the prevalence and spread of disease, but certain species may play a disproportionate role in diluting or amplifying pathogens. Flowers act as both sources of nutrition and sites of pathogen transmission, but the effects of specific plant species in shaping bee disease dynamics are not well understood. We evaluated whether plantings of sunflower (Helianthus annuus), whose pollen reduces infection by some pathogens when fed to bees in captivity, lowered pathogen levels and increased reproduction in free-foraging bumblebee colonies (Bombus impatiens). Sunflower abundance reduced the prevalence of a common gut pathogen, Crithidia bombi, and reduced infection intensity, with an order of magnitude lower infection intensity at high sunflower sites compared with sites with little to no sunflower. Sunflower abundance was also positively associated with greater queen production in colonies. Sunflower did not affect prevalence of other detected pathogens. This work demonstrates that a single plant species can drive disease dynamics in foraging B. impatiens, and that sunflower plantings can be used as a tool for mitigating a prevalent pathogen while also increasing reproduction of an agriculturally important bee species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary L. Malfi
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | | | - Giselle Lozano
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Rebecca E. Irwin
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Lynn S. Adler
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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9
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Ivers NA, Jha S. Biogeography, climate, and land use create a mosaic of parasite risk in native bumble bees. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 868:161545. [PMID: 36649773 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Host-parasite interactions are crucial to the regulation of host population growth, as they often impact both long-term population stability and ecological functioning. Animal hosts navigate a number of environmental conditions, including local climate, anthropogenic land use, and varying degrees of spatial isolation, all of which can mediate parasitism exposure. Despite this, we know little about the potential for these environmental conditions to impact pathogen prevalence at biogeographic scales, especially for key ecosystem service-providing animals. Bees are essential pollination providers that may be particularly sensitive to biogeography, climate, and land-use as these factors are known to limit bee dispersal and contribute to underlying population genetic variation, which may also impact host-parasite interactions. Importantly, many native bumble bee species have recently shown geographic range contractions, reduced genetic diversity, and increased parasitism rates, highlighting the potential importance of interacting and synergistic stressors. In this study, we incorporate spatially explicit environmental, biogeographic, and land-use data in combination with genetically derived host population data to conduct a large-scale epidemiological assessment of the drivers of pathogen prevalence across >1000 km for a keystone western US pollinator, the bumble bee Bombus vosnesenskii. We found high rates of infection from Crithidia bombi and C. expoekii, which show strong spatial autocorrelation and which were more prevalent in northern latitudes. We also show that land use barriers best explained differences in parasite prevalence and parasite community composition, while precipitation, elevation, and B. vosnesenskii nesting density were important drivers of parasite prevalence. Overall, our results demonstrate that human land use can impact critical host-parasite interactions for native bees at massive spatial scales. Further, our work indicates that disease-related survey and conservation measures should take into account the independent and interacting influences of climate, biogeography, land use, and local population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas A Ivers
- University of Texas at Austin, Dept. Integrative Biology, United States of America.
| | - Shalene Jha
- University of Texas at Austin, Dept. Integrative Biology, United States of America
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10
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Manley R, Doublet V, Wright ON, Doyle T, Refoy I, Hedges S, Pascall D, Carvell C, Brown MJF, Wilfert L. Conservation measures or hotspots of disease transmission? Agri-environment schemes can reduce disease prevalence in pollinator communities. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220004. [PMID: 36744563 PMCID: PMC9900712 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Insects are under pressure from agricultural intensification. To protect pollinators, conservation measures such as the EU agri-environment schemes (AES) promote planting wildflowers along fields. However, this can potentially alter disease ecology by serving as transmission hubs or by diluting infections. We tested this by measuring plant-pollinator interactions and virus infections (DWV-A, DWV-B and ABPV) across pollinator communities in agricultural landscapes over a year. AES had a direct effect on DWV-B, reducing prevalence and load in honeybees, with a tentative general dilution effect on load in early summer. DWV-A prevalence was reduced both under AES and with increasing niche overlap between competent hosts, likely via a dilution effect. By contrast, AES had no impact on ABPV, its prevalence driven by the proportion of bumblebees in the community. Epidemiological differences were also reflected in the virus phylogenies, with DWV-B showing recent rapid expansion, while DWV-A and ABPV showed slower growth rates and geographical population structure. Phylogenies indicate that all three viruses freely circulate across their host populations. Our study illustrates how complex interactions between environmental, ecological and evolutionary factors may influence wildlife disease dynamics. Supporting pollinator nutrition can mitigate the transmission of important bee diseases, providing an unexpected boost to pollinator conservation. This article is part of the theme issue 'Infectious disease ecology and evolution in a changing world'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn Manley
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Vincent Doublet
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Owen N. Wright
- Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Toby Doyle
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Isobel Refoy
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Sophie Hedges
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - David Pascall
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SR, UK
| | - Claire Carvell
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Mark J. F. Brown
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Lena Wilfert
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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11
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Fearon ML, Wood CL, Tibbetts EA. Habitat quality influences pollinator pathogen prevalence through both habitat-disease and biodiversity-disease pathways. Ecology 2023; 104:e3933. [PMID: 36448518 PMCID: PMC10078577 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The dilution effect hypothesis posits that increasing biodiversity reduces infectious disease transmission. Here, we propose that habitat quality might modulate this negative biodiversity-disease relationship. Habitat may influence pathogen prevalence directly by affecting host traits like nutrition and immune response (we coined the term "habitat-disease relationship" to describe this phenomenon) or indirectly by changing host biodiversity (biodiversity-disease relationship). We used a path model to test the relative strength of links between habitat, biodiversity, and pathogen prevalence in a pollinator-virus system. High-quality habitat metrics were directly associated with viral prevalence, providing evidence for a habitat-disease relationship. However, the strength and direction of specific habitat effects on viral prevalence varied based on the characteristics of the habitat, host, and pathogen. In general, more natural area and richness of land-cover types were directly associated with increased viral prevalence, whereas greater floral density was associated with reduced viral prevalence. More natural habitat was also indirectly associated with reduced prevalence of two key viruses (black queen cell virus and deformed wing virus) via increased pollinator species richness, providing evidence for a habitat-mediated dilution effect on viral prevalence. Biodiversity-disease relationships varied across viruses, with the prevalence of sacbrood virus not being associated with any habitat quality or pollinator community metrics. Across all viruses and hosts, habitat-disease and biodiversity-disease paths had effects of similar magnitude on viral prevalence. Therefore, habitat quality is a key driver of variation in pathogen prevalence among communities via both direct habitat-disease and indirect biodiversity-disease pathways, though the specific patterns varied among different viruses and host species. Critically, habitat-disease relationships could either contribute to or obscure dilution effects in natural systems depending on the relative strength and direction of the habitat-disease and biodiversity-disease pathways in that host-pathogen system. Therefore, habitat may be an important driver in the complex interactions between hosts and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L Fearon
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Chelsea L Wood
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Tibbetts
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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12
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Prestby TJ, Robinson AC, McLaughlin D, Dudas PM, Grozinger CM. Characterizing user needs for Beescape: A spatial decision support tool focused on pollinator health. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 325:116416. [PMID: 36244287 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Interactive maps can serve as powerful environmental decision-support tools. However, designing an interactive map that meets the needs of diverse constituencies is a challenge. In this article, we evaluate and characterize user needs for an interactive map and spatial decision-support tool called Beescape. Beescape is designed to visualize resources and environmental risks to bees and other pollinators (such as availability of nutritional resources from flowering plants and exposure to pesticides) in order to help users make informed decisions about managing bee populations and associated landscapes. We conducted a needs assessment workshop with twenty stakeholders from four user groups including beekeepers, growers, conservationists, and pollinator scientists to elicit their knowledge to guide future Beescape development. The results of the workshop identify current analytical gaps with the existing Beescape prototype, including the need for predictive and historical tools, more actionable data layers, finer-grain spatial data, and better explanations on what data represent and how they were created. Our findings on user's analytical, informational, and interface needs can be utilized to guide the future development of spatial decision support tools like Beescape, and our methodological approach may apply to other environmental informatics tools where it is important to design for multiple constituent user groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Prestby
- The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Geography, Walker Building, 302 N Burrowes Street, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Anthony C Robinson
- The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Geography, Walker Building, 302 N Burrowes Street, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Dave McLaughlin
- The Pennsylvania State University, Center for Immersive Experiences, 401 Old Main, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Patrick M Dudas
- The Pennsylvania State University, Center for Immersive Experiences, 401 Old Main, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Christina M Grozinger
- The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Entomology, 501 ASI Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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13
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Manlik O, Mundra S, Schmid‐Hempel R, Schmid‐Hempel P. Impact of climate change on parasite infection of an important pollinator depends on host genotypes. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:69-80. [PMID: 36176231 PMCID: PMC10092497 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is predicted to affect host-parasite interactions, and for some hosts, parasite infection is expected to increase with rising temperatures. Global population declines of important pollinators already have been attributed to climate change and parasitism. However, the role of climate in driving parasite infection and the genetic basis for pollinator hosts to respond often remain obscure. Based on decade-long field data, we investigated the association between climate and Nosema bombi (Microsporidia) infection of buffed-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), and whether host genotypes play a role. For this, we genotyped 876 wild bumblebee queens and screened for N. bombi infection of those queens between 2000 and 2010. We recorded seven climate parameters during those 11 years and tested for correlations between climate and infection prevalence. Here we show that climatic factors drive N. bombi infection and that the impact of climate depends on mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I (COI) haplotypes of the host. Infection prevalence was correlated with climatic variables during the time when queens emerge from hibernation. Remarkably, COI haplotypes best predict this association between climatic factors and infection. In particular, two host haplotypes ("A" and "B") displayed phenotypic plasticity in response to climatic variation: Temperature was positively correlated with infection of host haplotype B, but not haplotype A. The likelihood of infection of haplotype A was associated with moisture, conferring greater resistance to parasite infection during wetter years. In contrast, infection of haplotype B was unrelated to moisture. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that identifies specific host genotypes that confer differential parasite resistance under variable climatic conditions. Our results underscore the importance of mitochondrial haplotypes to ward off parasites in a changing climate. More broadly, this also suggests that COI may play a pertinent role in climate change adaptations of insect pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Manlik
- Biology Department, College of ScienceUnited Arab Emirates UniversityAl AinUnited Arab Emirates
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological Earth and Environmental ScienceUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Sunil Mundra
- Biology Department, College of ScienceUnited Arab Emirates UniversityAl AinUnited Arab Emirates
- Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyUnited Arab Emirates UniversityAl AinUnited Arab Emirates
| | - Regula Schmid‐Hempel
- Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyUnited Arab Emirates UniversityAl AinUnited Arab Emirates
| | - Paul Schmid‐Hempel
- ETH Zurich, Institute of Integrative Biology (IBZ), ETH‐Zentrum CHNZurichSwitzerland
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14
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Votavová A, Trněný O, Staveníková J, Dybová M, Brus J, Komzáková O. Prevalence and Distribution of Three Bumblebee Pathogens from the Czech Republic. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13121121. [PMID: 36555033 PMCID: PMC9785318 DOI: 10.3390/insects13121121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Bumblebees are significant pollinators for both wild plants and economically important crops. Due to the worldwide decrease in pollinators, it is crucial to monitor the prevalence and distribution of bumblebee pathogens. Field-caught bumblebee workers and males were examined for the presence of three pathogens during the summer months of the years 2015-2020 (Bombus terrestris/lucorum) and 2015-2017 (Bombus lapidarius). The greatest prevalence was in the case of Crithidia bombi, where significantly more workers (57%) of B. terrestris/lucorum were infected than males (41%). Infection was also confirmed in 37% of B. lapidarius workers. The average prevalence was very similar in the case of Nosema bombi in workers (25%) and males (22%) of B. terrestris/lucorum. In the case of B. lapidarius, 17% of the workers were infected. The lowest number of infected individuals was for Apicystis bombi and the prevalence of infection was significantly higher for males (22%) than workers (8%) of B. terrestris/lucorum. Only 3% of workers and 4% of males of B. terrestris/lucorum were simultaneously infected with three types of pathogens, but no worker was infected with only a combination of N. bombi and A. bombi. The greatest prevalence of C. bombi was found in urban or woodland areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Votavová
- Agricultural Research Ltd., Troubsko, Zahradní 1, 664 41 Troubsko, Czech Republic
- Correspondence:
| | - Oldřich Trněný
- Agricultural Research Ltd., Troubsko, Zahradní 1, 664 41 Troubsko, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Staveníková
- Agricultural Research Ltd., Troubsko, Zahradní 1, 664 41 Troubsko, Czech Republic
| | - Magdaléna Dybová
- Agricultural Research Ltd., Troubsko, Zahradní 1, 664 41 Troubsko, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Brus
- Department of Geoinformatics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, 17. Listopadu 50, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Olga Komzáková
- Agricultural Research Ltd., Troubsko, Zahradní 1, 664 41 Troubsko, Czech Republic
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15
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Pislak Ocepek M, Glavan G, Verovnik R, Šimenc L, Toplak I. First Detection of Honeybee Pathogenic Viruses in Butterflies. INSECTS 2022; 13:925. [PMID: 36292873 PMCID: PMC9604290 DOI: 10.3390/insects13100925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Several pathogens are important causes of the observed pollinator decline, some of which could be transmitted between different pollinator species. To determine whether honeybee viruses can be transmitted to butterflies, a total of 120 butterflies were sampled at four locations in Slovenia. At each location, butterflies from three families (Pieridae, Nymphalidae, Hesperiidae/Lycenidae) and Carniolan honeybees (Apis mellifera carnica) were collected. The RNA of six honeybee viruses, i.e., acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), deformed wing virus A (DWV-A), Sacbrood bee virus (SBV), and Lake Sinai virus 3 (LSV3), was detected by a specific quantitative method (RT-PCR). The presence of ABPV, BQCV, LSV3, and SBV was detected in both butterflies and honeybees. All butterfly and bee samples were negative for CBPV, while DWV-A was detected only in honeybees. The viral load in the positive butterfly samples was much lower than in the positive bee samples, which could indicate that butterflies are passive carriers of bee viruses. The percentage of positive butterfly samples was higher when the butterflies were collected at sampling sites with a higher density of apiaries. Therefore, we believe that infected bees are a necessary condition for the presence of viruses in cohabiting butterflies. This is the first study on the presence of pathogenic bee viruses in butterflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Metka Pislak Ocepek
- Institute of Pathology, Wild Animals, Fish and Bees, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gordana Glavan
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Rudi Verovnik
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Laura Šimenc
- Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Toplak
- Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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16
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Hart AF, Verbeeck J, Ariza D, Cejas D, Ghisbain G, Honchar H, Radchenko VG, Straka J, Ljubomirov T, Lecocq T, Dániel-Ferreira J, Flaminio S, Bortolotti L, Karise R, Meeus I, Smagghe G, Vereecken N, Vandamme P, Michez D, Maebe K. Signals of adaptation to agricultural stress in the genomes of two European bumblebees. Front Genet 2022; 13:993416. [PMID: 36276969 PMCID: PMC9579324 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.993416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-induced environmental impacts on wildlife are widespread, causing major biodiversity losses. One major threat is agricultural intensification, typically characterised by large areas of monoculture, mechanical tillage, and the use of agrochemicals. Intensification leads to the fragmentation and loss of natural habitats, native vegetation, and nesting and breeding sites. Understanding the adaptability of insects to these changing environmental conditions is critical to predicting their survival. Bumblebees, key pollinators of wild and cultivated plants, are used as model species to assess insect adaptation to anthropogenic stressors. We investigated the effects of agricultural pressures on two common European bumblebees, Bombus pascuorum and B. lapidarius. Restriction-site Associated DNA Sequencing was used to identify loci under selective pressure across agricultural-natural gradients over 97 locations in Europe. 191 unique loci in B. pascuorum and 260 in B. lapidarius were identified as under selective pressure, and associated with agricultural stressors. Further investigation suggested several candidate proteins including several neurodevelopment, muscle, and detoxification proteins, but these have yet to be validated. These results provide insights into agriculture as a stressor for bumblebees, and signal for conservation action in light of ongoing anthropogenic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex F. Hart
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Lab of Agrozoology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jaro Verbeeck
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Lab of Agrozoology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Daniel Ariza
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Lab of Agrozoology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Diego Cejas
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Guillaume Ghisbain
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa, Panama
| | - Hanna Honchar
- Institute for Evolutionary Ecology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Vladimir G. Radchenko
- Institute for Evolutionary Ecology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Jakub Straka
- Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Toshko Ljubomirov
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research—Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Thomas Lecocq
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, URAFPA, Nancy, France
| | | | - Simone Flaminio
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Bortolotti
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Bologna, Italy
| | - Reet Karise
- Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ivan Meeus
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Lab of Agrozoology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Lab of Agrozoology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Vereecken
- Agroecology Lab, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Peter Vandamme
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Denis Michez
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Kevin Maebe
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Lab of Agrozoology, Ghent, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Kevin Maebe,
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17
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Tuerlings T, Buydens L, Smagghe G, Piot N. The impact of mass-flowering crops on bee pathogen dynamics. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 18:135-147. [PMID: 35586790 PMCID: PMC9108762 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Nearly two fifths of the Earth's land area is currently used for agriculture, substantially impacting the environment and ecosystems. Besides the direct impact through land use change, intensive agriculture can also have an indirect impact, for example by changing wildlife epidemiology. We review here the potential effects of mass-flowering crops (MFCs), which are rapidly expanding in global cropping area, on the epidemiology of known pathogens in bee pollinators. We bring together the fifty MFCs with largest global area harvested and give an overview of their pollination dependency as well as their impact on bee pollinators. When in bloom these crops provide an abundance of flowers, which can provide nutrition for bees and increase bee reproduction. After their short bloom peak, however, the fields turn into green deserts. These big changes in floral availability strongly affect the plant-pollinator network, which in turn affects the pathogen transmission network, mediated by shared flowers. We address this dual role of flowers provided by MFCs, serving as nutritional resources as well as pathogen transmission spots, and bring together the current knowledge to assess how MFCs could affect pathogen prevalence in bee pollinator communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Guy Smagghe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Coupure links 653, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Niels Piot
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Coupure links 653, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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18
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Gillespie MAK, Baude M, Biesmeijer J, Boatman N, Budge GE, Crowe A, Davies N, Evans R, Memmott J, Morton RD, Moss E, Murphy M, Pietravalle S, Potts SG, Roberts SPM, Rowland C, Senapathi D, Smart SM, Wood C, Kunin WE. Landscape-scale drivers of pollinator communities may depend on land-use configuration. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210172. [PMID: 35491602 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Research into pollinators in managed landscapes has recently combined approaches of pollination ecology and landscape ecology, because key stressors are likely to interact across wide areas. While laboratory and field experiments are valuable for furthering understanding, studies are required to investigate the interacting drivers of pollinator health and diversity across a broader range of landscapes and a wider array of taxa. Here, we use a network of 96 study landscapes in six topographically diverse regions of Britain, to test the combined importance of honeybee density, insecticide loadings, floral resource availability and habitat diversity to pollinator communities. We also explore the interactions between these drivers and the cover and proximity of semi-natural habitat. We found that among our four drivers, only honeybee density was positively related to wild pollinator abundance and diversity, and the positive association between abundance and floral resources depended on insecticide loadings and habitat diversity. By contrast, our exploratory models including habitat composition metrics revealed a complex suite of interactive effects. These results demonstrate that improving pollinator community composition and health is unlikely to be achieved with general resource enhancements only. Rather, local land-use context should be considered in fine-tuning pollinator management and conservation. This article is part of the theme issue 'Natural processes influencing pollinator health: from chemistry to landscapes'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A K Gillespie
- School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.,Department of Science and Engineering, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, PB 133, 6851 Sogndal, Norway
| | - Mathilde Baude
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK.,INRAE USC1328, LBLGC EA1207, University of Orléans, rue de Chartres, BP 6759, 45067 Orléans Cedex 2, France
| | - Jacobus Biesmeijer
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands.,Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nigel Boatman
- Fera Science Ltd (previously Food and Environment Research Agency), Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK
| | - Giles E Budge
- Fera Science Ltd (previously Food and Environment Research Agency), Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK.,School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Andrew Crowe
- Fera Science Ltd (previously Food and Environment Research Agency), Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK
| | - Nancy Davies
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK
| | - Rebecca Evans
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
| | - Jane Memmott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK
| | - R Daniel Morton
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - Ellen Moss
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.,Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
| | - Mark Murphy
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Stephane Pietravalle
- Fera Science Ltd (previously Food and Environment Research Agency), Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK
| | - Simon G Potts
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
| | - Stuart P M Roberts
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
| | - Clare Rowland
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - Deepa Senapathi
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
| | - Simon M Smart
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - Claire Wood
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - William E Kunin
- School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.,Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Wallenberg Research Centre at Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
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19
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Effects of planted pollinator habitat on pathogen prevalence and interspecific detection between bee species. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7806. [PMID: 35551218 PMCID: PMC9098541 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11734-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Shared resources can instigate pathogen spread due to large congregations of individuals in both natural and human modified resources. Of current concern is the addition of pollinator habitat in conservation efforts as it attracts bees of various species, potentially instigating interspecific sharing of pathogens. Common pathogens have been documented across a wide variety of pollinators with shared floral resources instigating their spread in some, but not all, cases. To evaluate the impact of augmented pollinator habitat on pathogen prevalence, we extracted RNA from samples of eight bee species across three families and screened these samples for nine pathogens using RT-qPCR. We found that some habitat characteristics influenced pathogen detection; however, we found no evidence that pathogen detection in one bee species was correlated with pathogen detection in another. In fact, pathogen detection was rare in wild bees. While gut parasites were detected in 6 out of the 8 species included in this study, viruses were only detected in honey bees. Further, virus detection in honey bees was low with a maximum 21% of samples testing positive for BQCV, for example. These findings suggest factors other than the habitat itself may be more critical in the dissemination of pathogens among bee species. However, we found high relative prevalence and copy number of gut parasites in some bee species which may be of concern, such as Bombus pensylvanicus. Long-term monitoring of pathogens in different bee species at augmented pollinator habitat is needed to evaluate if these patterns will change over time.
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20
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Fitch G, Figueroa LL, Koch H, Stevenson PC, Adler LS. Understanding effects of floral products on bee parasites: Mechanisms, synergism, and ecological complexity. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 17:244-256. [PMID: 35299588 PMCID: PMC8920997 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Floral nectar and pollen commonly contain diverse secondary metabolites. While these compounds are classically thought to play a role in plant defense, recent research indicates that they may also reduce disease in pollinators. Given that parasites have been implicated in ongoing bee declines, this discovery has spurred interest in the potential for 'medicinal' floral products to aid in pollinator conservation efforts. We review the evidence for antiparasitic effects of floral products on bee diseases, emphasizing the importance of investigating the mechanism underlying antiparasitic effects, including direct or host-mediated effects. We discuss the high specificity of antiparasitic effects of even very similar compounds, and highlight the need to consider how nonadditive effects of multiple compounds, and the post-ingestion transformation of metabolites, mediate the disease-reducing capacity of floral products. While the bulk of research on antiparasitic effects of floral products on bee parasites has been conducted in the lab, we review evidence for the impact of such effects in the field, and highlight areas for future research at the floral product-bee disease interface. Such research has great potential both to enhance our understanding of the role of parasites in shaping plant-bee interactions, and the role of plants in determining bee-parasite dynamics. This understanding may in turn reveal new avenues for pollinator conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon Fitch
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Laura L. Figueroa
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Hauke Koch
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Green, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Philip C. Stevenson
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Green, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Lynn S. Adler
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
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21
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Schoenfeldt A, Whitney KS. Bumble Bee (Bombus spp.) Abundance in New York Highway Roadsides across Levels of Roadside Mowing and Road Traffic. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2022. [DOI: 10.1656/045.029.0105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Schoenfeldt
- Environmental Science Program, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester NY 14623
| | - Kaitlin Stack Whitney
- Environmental Science Program, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester NY 14623
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22
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Parreño MA, Alaux C, Brunet JL, Buydens L, Filipiak M, Henry M, Keller A, Klein AM, Kuhlmann M, Leroy C, Meeus I, Palmer-Young E, Piot N, Requier F, Ruedenauer F, Smagghe G, Stevenson PC, Leonhardt SD. Critical links between biodiversity and health in wild bee conservation. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 37:309-321. [PMID: 34955328 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Wild bee populations are declining due to human activities, such as land use change, which strongly affect the composition and diversity of available plants and food sources. The chemical composition of food (i.e., nutrition) in turn determines the health, resilience, and fitness of bees. For pollinators, however, the term 'health' is recent and is subject to debate, as is the interaction between nutrition and wild bee health. We define bee health as a multidimensional concept in a novel integrative framework linking bee biological traits (physiology, stoichiometry, and disease) and environmental factors (floral diversity and nutritional landscapes). Linking information on tolerated nutritional niches and health in different bee species will allow us to better predict their distribution and responses to environmental change, and thus support wild pollinator conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Parreño
- Plant-Insect Interactions, TUM School of Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Freising, Germany.
| | - C Alaux
- INRAE, Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - J-L Brunet
- INRAE, Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - L Buydens
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - M Filipiak
- Faculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
| | - M Henry
- INRAE, Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - A Keller
- Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, and Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - A-M Klein
- Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - M Kuhlmann
- Zoological Museum of Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - C Leroy
- INRAE, Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - I Meeus
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - E Palmer-Young
- US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, USA
| | - N Piot
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - F Requier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement, et Écologie, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - F Ruedenauer
- Plant-Insect Interactions, TUM School of Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Freising, Germany
| | - G Smagghe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - P C Stevenson
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK; University of Greenwich, London, UK
| | - S D Leonhardt
- Plant-Insect Interactions, TUM School of Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Freising, Germany.
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23
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Butler RG, Lage C, Dobrin SE, Staples JK, Venturini E, Frank J, Drummond FA. Maine's Bumble Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)-Part 2: Comparisons of a Common (Bombus ternarius) and a Rare (Bombus terricola) Species. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 50:1358-1369. [PMID: 34532731 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvab100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As part of a quantitative survey of Maine's bumble bee fauna (Butler et al. 2021), we compared and contrasted genetic diversity, parasite and pathogen burdens, and pesticide exposure of the relatively common Bombus ternarius Say, 1937 and the spatially rare Bombus terricola Kirby, 1837. We recorded 11 Bombus species at 40 survey sites across three Maine ecoregions, and B. ternarius was the most common species, while B. terricola was spatially rare. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling indicated that B. terricola was associated with higher elevation sites in Maine, while B. ternarius was more broadly distributed in the state. Pollinator networks constructed for each bee indicated B. ternarius foraged on more plant species than B. terricola, but that there was considerable overlap (73%) in plant species visited. Genetic diversity was greater in the spatially restricted B. terricola, whereas the widely distributed B. ternarius was characterized by greater genetic differentiation among regions. Bombus terricola had higher molecular marker levels of the microsporidian fungi Nosema spp. and the trypanosome Crithidia spp., and both species had high levels of Trypanosoma spp. exposure. No Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera, Linnaeus, 1758) viruses were detected in either species. Pesticides were not detected in pollen samples collected from workers of either species, and B. ternarius worker tissue samples exhibited only trace levels of diflubenzuron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald G Butler
- Department of Biology, University of Maine, Farmington, ME, USA
| | - Christopher Lage
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of Maine Augusta, Augusta, ME, USA
| | - Scott E Dobrin
- Collegium of Natural Sciences, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Joseph K Staples
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Southern Maine, Gorham, ME, USA
| | - Eric Venturini
- Maine Wild Blueberry Commission, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
| | - Jereme Frank
- Maine Forest Service, Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry, Old Town, ME, USA
| | - Francis A Drummond
- Professor Emeritus, School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
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24
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Mola JM, Hemberger J, Kochanski J, Richardson LL, Pearse IS. The Importance of Forests in Bumble Bee Biology and Conservation. Bioscience 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biab121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Declines of many bumble bee species have raised concerns because of their importance as pollinators and potential harbingers of declines among other insect taxa. At present, bumble bee conservation is predominantly focused on midsummer flower restoration in open habitats. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that forests may play an important role in bumble bee life history. Compared with open habitats, forests and woody edges provide food resources during phenologically distinct periods, are often preferred nesting and overwintering habitats, and can offer favorable abiotic conditions in a changing climate. Future research efforts are needed in order to anticipate how ongoing changes in forests, such as overbrowsing by deer, plant invasions, and shifting canopy demographics, affect the suitability of these habitats for bumble bees. Forested habitats are increasingly appreciated in the life cycles of many bumble bees, and they deserve greater attention from those who wish to understand bumble bee populations and aid in their conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Mola
- Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | - Jeremy Hemberger
- University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States
| | - Jade Kochanski
- University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Leif L Richardson
- Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Ian S Pearse
- Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
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25
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Cohen H, Smith GP, Sardiñas H, Zorn JF, McFrederick QS, Woodard SH, Ponisio LC. Mass-flowering monoculture attracts bees, amplifying parasite prevalence. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211369. [PMID: 34641730 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
As the global agricultural footprint expands, it is increasingly important to address the link between the resource pulses characteristic of monoculture farming and wildlife epidemiology. To understand how mass-flowering crops impact host communities and subsequently amplify or dilute parasitism, we surveyed wild and managed bees in a monoculture landscape with varying degrees of floral diversification. We screened 1509 bees from 16 genera in sunflower fields and in non-crop flowering habitat across 200 km2 of the California Central Valley. We found that mass-flowering crops increase bee abundance. Wild bee abundance was subsequently associated with higher parasite presence, but only in sites with a low abundance of non-crop flowers. Bee traits related to higher dispersal ability (body size) and diet breadth (pollen lecty) were also positively related to parasite presence. Our results highlight the importance of non-crop flowering habitat for supporting bee communities. We suggest monoculture alone cannot support healthy bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamutahl Cohen
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Collier County Extension Service, 14700 Immokalee Road, Naples, FL 34120, USA.,Institute for Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, 272 Onyx Bridge, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.,Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, 417 Entomology Building, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Gordon P Smith
- Institute for Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, 272 Onyx Bridge, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.,Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, 417 Entomology Building, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Hillary Sardiñas
- California Association of Resource Conservation Districts, 801 K Street, MS 14-15, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA
| | - Jocelyn F Zorn
- Institute for Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, 272 Onyx Bridge, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.,Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, 417 Entomology Building, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Quinn S McFrederick
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, 417 Entomology Building, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - S Hollis Woodard
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, 417 Entomology Building, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Lauren C Ponisio
- Institute for Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, 272 Onyx Bridge, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.,Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, 417 Entomology Building, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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26
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The Pathogens Spillover and Incidence Correlation in Bumblebees and Honeybees in Slovenia. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10070884. [PMID: 34358034 PMCID: PMC8308815 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10070884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Slovenia has a long tradition of beekeeping and a high density of honeybee colonies, but less is known about bumblebees and their pathogens. Therefore, a study was conducted to define the incidence and prevalence of pathogens in bumblebees and to determine whether there are links between infections in bumblebees and honeybees. In 2017 and 2018, clinically healthy workers of bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and honeybees (Apis mellifera) were collected on flowers at four different locations in Slovenia. In addition, bumblebee queens were also collected in 2018. Several pathogens were detected in the bumblebee workers using PCR and RT-PCR methods: 8.8% on acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), 58.5% on black queen cell virus (BQCV), 6.8% on deformed wing virus (DWV), 24.5% on sacbrood bee virus (SBV), 15.6% on Lake Sinai virus (LSV), 16.3% on Nosema bombi, 8.2% on Nosema ceranae, 15.0% on Apicystis bombi and 17.0% on Crithidia bombi. In bumblebee queens, only the presence of BQCV, A. bombi and C. bombi was detected with 73.3, 26.3 and 33.3% positive samples, respectively. This study confirmed that several pathogens are regularly detected in both bumblebees and honeybees. Further studies on the pathogen transmission routes are required.
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27
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Mola JM, Richardson LL, Spyreas G, Zaya DN, Pearse IS. Long‐term surveys support declines in early season forest plants used by bumblebees. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John M. Mola
- U.S. Geological SurveyFort Collins Science Center Fort Collins CO USA
| | | | - Greg Spyreas
- Illinois Natural History SurveyUniversity of Illinois Champaign IL USA
| | - David N. Zaya
- Illinois Natural History SurveyUniversity of Illinois Champaign IL USA
| | - Ian S. Pearse
- U.S. Geological SurveyFort Collins Science Center Fort Collins CO USA
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28
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Figueroa LL, Compton S, Grab H, McArt SH. Functional traits linked to pathogen prevalence in wild bee communities. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7529. [PMID: 33824396 PMCID: PMC8024325 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87103-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Reports of pollinator declines have prompted efforts to understand contributing factors and protect vulnerable species. While pathogens can be widespread in bee communities, less is known about factors shaping pathogen prevalence among species. Functional traits are often used to predict susceptibility to stressors, including pathogens, in other species-rich communities. Here, we evaluated the relationship between bee functional traits (body size, phenology, nesting location, sociality, and foraging choice) and prevalence of trypanosomes, neogregarines, and the microsporidian Nosema ceranae in wild bee communities. For the most abundant bee species in our system, Bombus impatiens, we also evaluated the relationship between intra-specific size variation and pathogen prevalence. A trait-based model fit the neogregarine prevalence data better than a taxa-based model, while the taxonomic model provided a better model fit for N. ceranae prevalence, and there was no marked difference between the models for trypanosome prevalence. We found that Augochlorella aurata was more likely to harbor trypanosomes than many other bee taxa. Similarly, we found that bigger bees and those with peak activity later in the season were less likely to harbor trypanosomes, though the effect of size was largely driven by A. aurata. We found no clear intra-specific size patterns for pathogen prevalence in B. impatiens. These results indicate that functional traits are not always better than taxonomic affinity in predicting pathogen prevalence, but can help to explain prevalence depending on the pathogen in species-rich bee communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura L Figueroa
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
| | - Sally Compton
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Heather Grab
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Scott H McArt
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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29
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Ptaszyńska AA, Latoch P, Hurd PJ, Polaszek A, Michalska-Madej J, Grochowalski Ł, Strapagiel D, Gnat S, Załuski D, Gancarz M, Rusinek R, Krutmuang P, Martín Hernández R, Higes Pascual M, Starosta AL. Amplicon Sequencing of Variable 16S rRNA from Bacteria and ITS2 Regions from Fungi and Plants, Reveals Honeybee Susceptibility to Diseases Results from Their Forage Availability under Anthropogenic Landscapes. Pathogens 2021; 10:381. [PMID: 33810160 PMCID: PMC8004708 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
European Apis mellifera and Asian Apis cerana honeybees are essential crop pollinators. Microbiome studies can provide complex information on health and fitness of these insects in relation to environmental changes, and plant availability. Amplicon sequencing of variable regions of the 16S rRNA from bacteria and the internally transcribed spacer (ITS) regions from fungi and plants allow identification of the metabiome. These methods provide a tool for monitoring otherwise uncultured microbes isolated from the gut of the honeybees. They also help monitor the composition of the gut fungi and, intriguingly, pollen collected by the insect. Here, we present data from amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA from bacteria and ITS2 regions from fungi and plants derived from honeybees collected at various time points from anthropogenic landscapes such as urban areas in Poland, UK, Spain, Greece, and Thailand. We have analysed microbial content of honeybee intestine as well as fungi and pollens. Furthermore, isolated DNA was used as the template for screening pathogens: Nosema apis, N. ceranae, N. bombi, tracheal mite (Acarapis woodi), any organism in the parasitic order Trypanosomatida, including Crithidia spp. (i.e., Crithidia mellificae), neogregarines including Mattesia and Apicystis spp. (i.e., Apicistis bombi). We conclude that differences between samples were mainly influenced by the bacteria, plant pollen and fungi, respectively. Moreover, honeybees feeding on a sugar based diet were more prone to fungal pathogens (Nosema ceranae) and neogregarines. In most samples Nosema sp. and neogregarines parasitized the host bee at the same time. A higher load of fungi, and bacteria groups such as Firmicutes (Lactobacillus); γ-proteobacteria, Neisseriaceae, and other unidentified bacteria was observed for Nosema ceranae and neogregarine infected honeybees. Healthy honeybees had a higher load of plant pollen, and bacteria groups such as: Orbales, Gilliamella, Snodgrassella, and Enterobacteriaceae. Finally, the period when honeybees switch to the winter generation (longer-lived forager honeybees) is the most sensitive to diet perturbations, and hence pathogen attack, for the whole beekeeping season. It is possible that evolutionary adaptation of bees fails to benefit them in the modern anthropomorphised environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneta A. Ptaszyńska
- Department of Immunobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 Str., 20-033 Lublin, Poland
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK;
| | - Przemyslaw Latoch
- Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology, Koszykowa 86 Str., 02-008 Warsaw, Poland;
- Laboratory of Gene Expression, ECOTECH-Complex, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, ul. Gleboka 39, 20-612 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Paul J. Hurd
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK;
| | - Andrew Polaszek
- Department of Life Sciences, Insects Division, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK;
| | - Joanna Michalska-Madej
- Biobank Lab, Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Pilarskiego 14/16, 90-231 Łódź, Poland; (J.M.-M.); (Ł.G.); (D.S.)
| | - Łukasz Grochowalski
- Biobank Lab, Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Pilarskiego 14/16, 90-231 Łódź, Poland; (J.M.-M.); (Ł.G.); (D.S.)
| | - Dominik Strapagiel
- Biobank Lab, Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Pilarskiego 14/16, 90-231 Łódź, Poland; (J.M.-M.); (Ł.G.); (D.S.)
| | - Sebastian Gnat
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Preclinical Veterinary Sciences, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka 12, 20-033 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Daniel Załuski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany and Pharmacognosy, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Marie Curie-Skłodowska 9, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
| | - Marek Gancarz
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4 Str., 20-290 Lublin, Poland; (M.G.); (R.R.)
- Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Balicka 116B, 30-149 Kraków, Poland
| | - Robert Rusinek
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4 Str., 20-290 Lublin, Poland; (M.G.); (R.R.)
| | - Patcharin Krutmuang
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand;
- Research Center of Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Raquel Martín Hernández
- Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, IRIAF Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (R.M.H.); (M.H.P.)
- Instituto de Recursos Humanos para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (INCRECYT-FEDER), Fundación Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Castilla—La Mancha, 02006 Albacete, Spain
| | - Mariano Higes Pascual
- Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, IRIAF Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (R.M.H.); (M.H.P.)
| | - Agata L. Starosta
- Laboratory of Gene Expression, ECOTECH-Complex, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, ul. Gleboka 39, 20-612 Lublin, Poland;
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19 Str., 20-033 Lublin, Poland
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30
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Daughenbaugh KF, Kahnonitch I, Carey CC, McMenamin AJ, Wiegand T, Erez T, Arkin N, Ross B, Wiedenheft B, Sadeh A, Chejanovsky N, Mandelik Y, Flenniken ML. Metatranscriptome Analysis of Sympatric Bee Species Identifies Bee Virus Variants and a New Virus, Andrena-Associated Bee Virus-1. Viruses 2021; 13:291. [PMID: 33673324 PMCID: PMC7917660 DOI: 10.3390/v13020291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Bees are important plant pollinators in agricultural and natural ecosystems. High average annual losses of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in some parts of the world, and regional population declines of some mining bee species (Andrena spp.), are attributed to multiple factors including habitat loss, lack of quality forage, insecticide exposure, and pathogens, including viruses. While research has primarily focused on viruses in honey bees, many of these viruses have a broad host range. It is therefore important to apply a community level approach in studying the epidemiology of bee viruses. We utilized high-throughput sequencing to evaluate viral diversity and viral sharing in sympatric, co-foraging bees in the context of habitat type. Variants of four common viruses (i.e., black queen cell virus, deformed wing virus, Lake Sinai virus 2, and Lake Sinai virus NE) were identified in honey bee and mining bee samples, and the high degree of nucleotide identity in the virus consensus sequences obtained from both taxa indicates virus sharing. We discovered a unique bipartite + ssRNA Tombo-like virus, Andrena-associated bee virus-1 (AnBV-1). AnBV-1 infects mining bees, honey bees, and primary honey bee pupal cells maintained in culture. AnBV-1 prevalence and abundance was greater in mining bees than in honey bees. Statistical modeling that examined the roles of ecological factors, including floral diversity and abundance, indicated that AnBV-1 infection prevalence in honey bees was greater in habitats with low floral diversity and abundance, and that interspecific virus transmission is strongly modulated by the floral community in the habitat. These results suggest that land management strategies that aim to enhance floral diversity and abundance may reduce AnBV-1 spread between co-foraging bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie F. Daughenbaugh
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (K.F.D.); (B.R.)
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (C.C.C.); (A.J.M.); (T.W.)
| | - Idan Kahnonitch
- The Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 5290002, Israel; (I.K.); (Y.M.)
- Agroecology Lab, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, ARO, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel; (N.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Charles C. Carey
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (C.C.C.); (A.J.M.); (T.W.)
| | - Alexander J. McMenamin
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (C.C.C.); (A.J.M.); (T.W.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA;
| | - Tanner Wiegand
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (C.C.C.); (A.J.M.); (T.W.)
| | - Tal Erez
- Entomology Department, ARO, The Volcani Center, Rishon Lezion 7528809, Israel; (T.E.); (N.C.)
| | - Naama Arkin
- Agroecology Lab, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, ARO, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel; (N.A.); (A.S.)
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Brian Ross
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (K.F.D.); (B.R.)
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (C.C.C.); (A.J.M.); (T.W.)
| | - Blake Wiedenheft
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA;
| | - Asaf Sadeh
- Agroecology Lab, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, ARO, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel; (N.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Nor Chejanovsky
- Entomology Department, ARO, The Volcani Center, Rishon Lezion 7528809, Israel; (T.E.); (N.C.)
| | - Yael Mandelik
- The Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 5290002, Israel; (I.K.); (Y.M.)
| | - Michelle L. Flenniken
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (K.F.D.); (B.R.)
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (C.C.C.); (A.J.M.); (T.W.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA;
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