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Bosco L, Yañez O, Schauer A, Maurer C, Cushman SA, Arlettaz R, Jacot A, Seuberlich T, Neumann P, Schläppi D. Landscape structure affects temporal dynamics in the bumble bee virome: Landscape heterogeneity supports colony resilience. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 946:174280. [PMID: 38942311 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174280] [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: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Virus spillovers from managed honey bees, Apis mellifera, are thought to contribute to the decline of wild pollinators, including bumble bees. However, data on the impact of such viruses on wild pollinators remain scarce, and the influence of landscape structure on virus dynamics is poorly understood. In this study, we deployed bumble bee colonies in an agricultural landscape and studied changes in the bumble bee virome during field placement under varying habitat composition and configuration using a multiscale analytical framework. We estimated prevalence of viruses and viral loads (i.e. number of viral genomic equivalent copies) in bumble bees before and after placing them in the field using next generation sequencing and quantitative PCR. The results show that viral loads and number of different viruses present increased during placement in the field and that the virus composition of the colonies shifted from an initial dominance of honey bee associated viruses to a higher number (in both viral loads and number of viruses present) of bumble bee associated viruses. Especially DWV-B, typical for honey bees, drastically decreased after the time in the field. Viral loads prior to placing colonies in the field showed no effect on colony development, suggesting low impacts of these viruses in field settings. Notably, we further demonstrate that increased habitat diversity results in a lower number of different viruses present in Bombus colonies, while colonies in areas with well-connected farmland patches decreased in their total viral load after field placement. Our results emphasize the importance of landscape heterogeneity and connectivity for wild pollinator health and that these influences predominate at fine spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bosco
- LUOMUS - Finnish Museum of Natural History, PL 17 - P.O. Box 17, 00014, University of Helsinki, Finland; Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3003 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Alexandria Schauer
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3003 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Corina Maurer
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Agroecology and Environment, Agroscope, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zürich, Switzerland; Ecosystems Landscape Evolution, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Samuel A Cushman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Raphaël Arlettaz
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Alain Jacot
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Swiss Ornithological Institute, Regional Office Valais, 1950 Sion, Switzerland.
| | - Torsten Seuberlich
- Division of Neurological Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3003 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Daniel Schläppi
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3003 Bern, Switzerland; School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Science Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, BS8 1TQ Bristol, United Kingdom.
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2
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Pugesek G, Müller U, Williams NM, Crone EE. Resurrecting Historical Observations to Characterize Species-Specific Nesting Traits of Bumblebees. Am Nat 2024; 204:165-180. [PMID: 39008838 DOI: 10.1086/730375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
AbstractIn recent years, ecological research has become increasingly synthetic, relying on revolutionary changes in data availability and accessibility. In spite of their strengths, these approaches may cause us to overlook natural history knowledge that is not part of the digitized English-language scientific record. Here, we combine historic and modern documents to quantify species-specific nesting habitat associations of bumblebees (Bombus spp. Latreille, 1802 Apidae). We compiled nest location data from 316 documents, of which 81 were non-English and 93 were published before 1950. We tested whether nesting traits show phylogenetic signal, examined relationships between habitat associations at different scales, and compared methodologies used to locate nests. We found no clear phylogenetic signals, but we found that nesting habitat associations were somewhat generalizable within subgenera. Landcover associations were related to nesting substrate associations; for example, surface-nesting species also tended to be associated with grasslands. Methodology was associated with nest locations; community scientists were most likely and researchers using nest boxes were least likely to report nests in human-dominated environments. These patterns were not apparent in past syntheses based only on the modern digital record. Our findings highlight the tremendous value of historic accounts for quantifying species' traits and other basic biological knowledge needed to interpret global-scale patterns.
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3
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Turo KJ, Reilly JR, Fijen TPM, Magrach A, Winfree R. Insufficient pollinator visitation often limits yield in crop systems worldwide. Nat Ecol Evol 2024:10.1038/s41559-024-02460-2. [PMID: 38961256 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02460-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Declining pollinator populations could threaten global food production, especially if current crop yields are limited by insufficient pollinator visitation to flowers, in a phenomenon referred to as 'pollinator limitation'. Here, we assess the global prevalence of pollinator limitation, explore the risk factors, such as crop type or geographic region, that predict where pollinator limitation is more likely and ask by how much increases in pollinator visitation could improve crop yields. We address these questions using 198,360 plant-pollinator interactions and 2,083 yield measurements from 32 crop species grown in 120 study systems. We find that 28-61% of global crop systems are pollinator limited and that this limitation most frequently occurs in blueberry, coffee and apple crops. For a few datasets, we note that the probability of pollinator limitation decreases with greater forest land cover surrounding a crop field at 1 km, although average effect sizes are small. Finally, we estimate that for those crops we identify as pollinator limited, increasing pollinator visitation at all farms to existing levels observed in the 90th percentile of each study system would close 63% of yield gaps between high- and low-yielding fields. Our findings show variations in sensitivity to pollinator limitation across diverse crop systems and indicate that realistic increases in pollinator visitation could mitigate crop yield shortfalls attributable to pollinator limitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine J Turo
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
| | - James R Reilly
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Thijs P M Fijen
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ainhoa Magrach
- Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), Leioa, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Rachael Winfree
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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4
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Hendrickson EC, Cruzan MB. Effective dispersal patterns in prairie plant species across human-modified landscapes. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17354. [PMID: 38656619 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17354] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Effective dispersal among plant populations is dependent on vector behaviour, landscape features and availability of adequate habitats. To capture landscape feature effects on dispersal, studies must be conducted at scales reflecting single-generation dispersal events (mesoscale). Many studies are conducted at large scales where genetic differentiation is due to dispersal occurring over multiple generations, making it difficult to interpret the effects of specific landscape features on vector behaviour. Genetic structure at the mesoscale may be determined by ecological and evolutionary processes, such as the consequences of vector behaviour on patterns of gene flow. We used chloroplast haplotypes and nuclear genome SNP surveys to identify landscape features influencing seed and pollen dispersal at a mesoscale within the Rogue River Valley in southern Oregon. We evaluated biotic and abiotic vector behaviour by contrasting two annual species with differing dispersal mechanisms; Achyrachaena mollis (Asteraceae) is a self-pollinating and anemochoric species, and Plectritis congesta (Caprifoliaceae) is biotically pollinated with barochoric seeds. Using landscape genetics methods, we identified features of the study region that conduct or restrict dispersal. We found chloroplast haplotypes were indicative of historic patterns of gene flow prior to human modification of landscapes. Seed dispersal of A. mollis was best supported by models of isolation by distance, while seed-driven gene flow of P. congesta was determined by the distribution of preserved natural spaces and quality habitat. Nuclear genetic structure was driven by both pollen and seed dispersal, and both species responded to contemporary landscape changes, such as urban and agricultural conversion, and habitat availability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mitchell B Cruzan
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA
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5
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Robinson JL. Project-specific bumble bee habitat quality assessment. MethodsX 2024; 12:102571. [PMID: 38304394 PMCID: PMC10832483 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2024.102571] [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: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The listing of Bombus affinis Cresson 1863 (Rusty Patched Bumble Bee; RPBB) in 2017 under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) created a regulatory need for assessment methods, in order to limit take of this species by construction and development. As the first social insect listed under the ESA, the listing of RPBB has required new methods for biological assessment. This species has a complex life cycle requiring a mosaic of different habitat types, with each life cycle stage facing unique challenges and threats. I have established a method for separately assessing habitats critical to each vulnerable life history stage, using a combination of aerial photography, GIS maps and target-specific ground survey efforts. This method identifies factors that may potentially limit bumble bee colony success in each stage and provides project planners with facts about physical structures or plant communities that may have elevated importance to bumble bees during certain seasonal windows. Previous efforts to assess bumble bee habitat considered landscape features thought to be linked to bumble bee colony success. This effort extends these methods to estimate project specific impacts of construction and development projects, necessary for Section 7 Consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under the ESA. •Systematic spatial assessment of landscape features linked to critical periods in the life history trajectory of a bumble bee colony across a season•Construction and development project proponents can approach USFWS consultation with quantitative estimates of the area of a project area classified by habitat types and qualities•Factors limiting bumble bee recovery may be inferred from the distribution and abundance of the constituent elements of quality bumble bee habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason L. Robinson
- Illinois Natural History Survey at Prairie Research Institute of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, United States
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6
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Christman ME, Spears LR, Burchfield EK, Pearse WD, Strange JP, Ramirez RA. Bumble bee responses to climate and landscapes: Investigating habitat associations and species assemblages across geographic regions in the United States of America. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17380. [PMID: 38925582 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Bumble bees are integral pollinators of native and cultivated plant communities, but species are undergoing significant changes in range and abundance on a global scale. Climate change and land cover alteration are key drivers in pollinator declines; however, limited research has evaluated the cumulative effects of these factors on bumble bee assemblages. This study tests bumble bee assemblage (calculated as richness and abundance) responses to climate and land use by modeling species-specific habitat requirements, and assemblage-level responses across geographic regions. We integrated species richness, abundance, and distribution data for 18 bumble bee species with site-specific bioclimatic, landscape composition, and landscape configuration data to evaluate the effects of multiple environmental stressors on bumble bee assemblages throughout 433 agricultural fields in Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia from 2018 to 2020. Distinct east versus west groupings emerged when evaluating species-specific habitat associations, prompting a detailed evaluation of bumble bee assemblages by geographic region. Maximum temperature of warmest month and precipitation of driest month had a positive impact on bumble bee assemblages in the Corn Belt/Appalachian/northeast, southeast, and northern plains regions, but a negative impact on the mountain region. Further, forest land cover surrounding agricultural fields was highlighted as supporting more rich and abundant bumble bee assemblages. Overall, climate and land use combine to drive bumble bee assemblages, but how those processes operate is idiosyncratic and spatially contingent across regions. From these findings, we suggested regionally specific management practices to best support rich and abundant bumble bee assemblages in agroecosystems. Results from this study contribute to a better understanding of climate and landscape factors affecting bumble bees and their habitats throughout the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan E Christman
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
- Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Emily K Burchfield
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - William D Pearse
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berkshire, UK
| | - James P Strange
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Ricardo A Ramirez
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
- Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Weed Science, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
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7
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Sevim A, Akpınar R, Öztürk SH, Yılmaz F, Kayaboynu Ü, Sevim E, Ese H, Karataş Ü, Buldağ M, Umur Ş. PCR-Based Screening of Pathogens in Bombus terrestris Populations of Turkey. Acta Parasitol 2024; 69:275-282. [PMID: 38041724 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-023-00743-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Bumblebees are an important group of insects in the pollination of various vegetables, fruits, oilseeds, legumes, and the fodder crops. Compared to honeybees, they have a wider choice of hosts and a longer flight period. These bees are used especially for the pollination of plants in greenhouses and are commercially produced for this purpose. Recently, serious decreases have been occurring in bumblebee populations due to various reasons such as pathogens, and some of species are even threatened with extinction. Due to the worldwide decline in pollinator insects, determining the distribution and prevalence of bumblebee pathogens is of great importance. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the incidence and prevalence of pathogens in Turkish bumblebee populations and how much of each pathogen was in bumblebee samples. METHODS A total of 172 Bombus terrestris (Linnaeus,1758) samples (21 samples from commercial enterprises, 79 samples from greenhouses and 72 samples from nature) were randomly collected from 3 provinces (Antalya, Mersin and İzmir) where greenhouse cultivation is intensively carried out in Turkey. Eighty-nine of these samples were collected in the spring and eighty-three in the autumn. The presence of four pathogens (Nosema bombi, Crithidia bombi, Apicystis bombi, and Locustacarus buchneri) was investigated by PCR using universal primers. RESULTS The overall prevalence of Nosema bombi, Crithidia bombi, Apicystis bombi, and Locustacarus buchneri was determined as 7.55%, 9.3%, 11.62%, and 4.65%, respectively. Co-infections (5.81%) were only detected in wild-caught (nature) samples. C. bombi and A. bombi infections were detected at higher rates in the spring samples than in the autumn samples (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the spring and autumn samples with respect to the presence of N. bombi and L. buchneri (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION The results obtained could be important in determining the prevalence and spread rates of the bumblebee diseases in Turkey and to determine appropriate protection measures. The information gathered should increase our knowledge about the presence of these pathogens in Turkey and could contribute to improve apiarist's practice. More studies are needed to determine the transmission pathways of these pathogens between the populations. Also, complex pathogen interactions in bumblebee populations should be considered in the future to improve bumblebee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Sevim
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, Kırşehir, 40100, Turkey.
| | - Rahşan Akpınar
- Honeybee Diseases Laboratory, T.C Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Samsun Veterinary Control Institute, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Seyit Hasan Öztürk
- T.C Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ordu Apiculture Research Institute, Ordu, Turkey
| | - Fatih Yılmaz
- T.C Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ordu Apiculture Research Institute, Ordu, Turkey
| | - Ümit Kayaboynu
- T.C Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ordu Apiculture Research Institute, Ordu, Turkey
| | - Elif Sevim
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, Kırşehir, 40100, Turkey
| | - Hasan Ese
- T.C Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ordu Apiculture Research Institute, Ordu, Turkey
| | - Ümit Karataş
- T.C Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ordu Apiculture Research Institute, Ordu, Turkey
| | - Mücahit Buldağ
- T.C Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ordu Apiculture Research Institute, Ordu, Turkey
| | - Şinasi Umur
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey
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8
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McCabe LM, Chesshire P, Cobb NS. Forest habitats and plant communities strongly predicts Megachilidae bee biodiversity. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16145. [PMID: 37904844 PMCID: PMC10613436 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Megachilidae is one of the United States' most diverse bee families, with 667 described species in 19 genera. Unlike other bee families, which are primarily ground nesters, most megachilid bees require biotic cavities for nesting (i.e., wood, pithy stems, etc.). For this group, the availability of woody-plant species may be as important as nectar/pollen resources in maintaining populations. We studied Megachilidae biodiversity in the continental United States. We confirmed that the highest species richness of Megachilidae was in the southwestern United States. We examined the relationship between species richness and climate, land cover, tree species richness, and flowering plant diversity. When examining environmental predictors across the conterminous United States, we found that forested habitats, but not tree diversity, strongly predicted Megachilidae richness. Additionally, Megachilidae richness was highest in areas with high temperature and low precipitation, however this was not linearly correlated and strongly positively correlated with flowering plant diversity. Our research suggests that the availability of nesting substrate (forested habitats), and not only flowering plants, is particularly important for these cavity-nesting species. Since trees and forested areas are particularly susceptible to climate change, including effects of drought, fire, and infestations, nesting substrates could become a potential limiting resource for Megachilidae populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsie M. McCabe
- USDA-ARS Pollinating Insects Research Unit, Logan, Utah, United States
- Department of Biological Science, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
| | - Paige Chesshire
- Department of Biological Science, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
| | - Neil S. Cobb
- Biodiversity Outreach Network, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
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9
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Ulyshen M, Urban-Mead KR, Dorey JB, Rivers JW. Forests are critically important to global pollinator diversity and enhance pollination in adjacent crops. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1118-1141. [PMID: 36879466 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12947] [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: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Although the importance of natural habitats to pollinator diversity is widely recognized, the value of forests to pollinating insects has been largely overlooked in many parts of the world. In this review, we (i) establish the importance of forests to global pollinator diversity, (ii) explore the relationship between forest cover and pollinator diversity in mixed-use landscapes, and (iii) highlight the contributions of forest-associated pollinators to pollination in adjacent crops. The literature shows unambiguously that native forests support a large number of forest-dependent species and are thus critically important to global pollinator diversity. Many pollinator taxa require or benefit greatly from resources that are restricted to forests, such as floral resources provided by forest plants (including wind-pollinated trees), dead wood for nesting, tree resins, and various non-floral sugar sources (e.g. honeydew). Although landscape-scale studies generally support the conclusion that forests enhance pollinator diversity, findings are often complicated by spatial scale, focal taxa, landscape context, temporal context, forest type, disturbance history, and external stressors. While some forest loss can be beneficial to pollinators by enhancing habitat complementarity, too much can result in the near-elimination of forest-associated species. There is strong evidence from studies of multiple crop types that forest cover can substantially increase yields in adjacent habitats, at least within the foraging ranges of the pollinators involved. The literature also suggests that forests may have enhanced importance to pollinators in the future given their role in mitigating the negative effects of pesticides and climate change. Many questions remain about the amount and configuration of forest cover required to promote the diversity of forest-associated pollinators and their services within forests and in neighbouring habitats. However, it is clear from the current body of knowledge that any effort to preserve native woody habitats, including the protection of individual trees, will benefit pollinating insects and help maintain the critical services they provide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ulyshen
- USDA Forest Service, 320 Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Katherine R Urban-Mead
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 129 Garden Avenue, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Columbus, NJ, 08022, USA
| | - James B Dorey
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Sturt Road, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - James W Rivers
- Department of Forest Engineering, Resources, and Management, Oregon State University, 3100 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
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Motta EVS, Moran NA. The effects of glyphosate, pure or in herbicide formulation, on bumble bees and their gut microbial communities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 872:162102. [PMID: 36764553 PMCID: PMC11050743 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The widespread use of glyphosate-based formulations to eliminate unwanted vegetation has increased concerns regarding their effects on non-target organisms, such as honey bees and their gut microbial communities. These effects have been associated with both glyphosate and co-formulants, but it is still unknown whether they translate to other bee species. In this study, we tested whether glyphosate, pure or in herbicide formulation, can affect the gut microbiota and survival rates of the eastern bumble bee, Bombus impatiens. We performed mark-recapture experiments with bumble bee workers from four different commercial colonies, which were exposed to field relevant concentrations of glyphosate or a glyphosate-based formulation (0.01 mM to 1 mM). After a 5-day period of exposure, we returned the bees to their original colonies, and they were sampled at days 0, 3 and 7 post-exposure to investigate changes in microbial community and microbiota resilience by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and quantitative PCR. We found that exposure to glyphosate, pure or in herbicide formulation, reduced the relative abundance of a beneficial bee gut bacterium, Snodgrassella, in bees from two of four colonies when compared to control bees at day 0 post-exposure, but this reduction became non-significant at days 3 and 7 post-exposure, suggesting microbiota resilience. We did not find significant changes in total bacteria between control and exposed bees. Moreover, we observed an overall trend in decreased survival rates in bumble bees exposed to 1 mM herbicide formulation during the 7-day post-exposure period, suggesting a potential negative effect of this formulation on bumble bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick V S Motta
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Nancy A Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA.
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11
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Pindar A, Raine NE. Safeguarding pollinators requires specific habitat prescriptions and substantially more land area than suggested by current policy. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1040. [PMID: 36944669 PMCID: PMC10030592 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26872-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss and fragmentation are major drivers of global pollinator declines, yet even after recent unprecedented periods of anthropogenic land-use intensification the amount of habitat needed to support insect pollinators remains unknown. Here we use comprehensive pan trap bee survey datasets from Ontario, Canada, to determine which habitat types are needed and at what spatial scales to support wild bee communities. Safeguarding wild bee communities in a Canadian landscape requires 11.6-16.7% land-cover from a diverse range of habitats (~ 2.6-3.7 times current policy guidelines) to provide targeted habitat prescriptions for different functional guilds over a variety of spatial scales, irrespective of whether conservation aims are enhancing bee species richness or abundance. Sensitive and declining habitats, like tallgrass woodlands and wetlands, were important predictors of bee biodiversity. Conservation strategies that under-estimate the extent of habitat, spatial scale and specific habitat needs of functional guilds are unlikely to protect bee communities and the essential pollination services they provide to both crops and wild plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana Pindar
- School of Science and Techonology, Cape Breton University, Sydney, NS, B1P 6L2, Canada.
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Nigel E Raine
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
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12
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Otto CRV, Schrage AC, Bailey LL, Mola JM, Smith TA, Pearse I, Simanonok S, Grundel R. Addressing Detection Uncertainty in Bombus affinis (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Surveys Can Improve Inferences Made From Monitoring. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 52:108-118. [PMID: 36412052 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvac090] [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: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service developed national guidelines to track species recovery of the endangered rusty patched bumble bee [Bombus affinis Cresson (Hymenoptera: Apidae)] and to investigate changes in species occupancy across space and time. As with other native bee monitoring efforts, managers have specifically acknowledged the need to address species detection uncertainty and determine the sampling effort required to infer species absence within sites. We used single-season, single-species occupancy models fit to field data collected in four states to estimate imperfect detection of B. affinis and to determine the survey effort required to achieve high confidence of species detection. Our analysis revealed a precipitous, seasonal, decline in B. affinis detection probability throughout the July through September sampling window in 2021. We estimated that six, 30-min surveys conducted in early July are required to achieve a 95% cumulative detection probability, whereas >10 surveys would be required in early August to achieve the same level of confidence. Our analysis also showed B. affinis was less likely to be detected during hot and humid days and at patches of reduced habitat quality. Bombus affinis was frequently observed on Monarda fistulosa (Lamiales: Lamiaceae), followed by [Pycnanthemum virginianum Rob. and Fernald (Lamiales: Lamiaceae)], Eutrochium maculatum Lamont (Asterales: Asteraceae), and Veronicastrum virginicum Farw. (Lamiales: Plantaginaceae). Although our research is focused on B. affinis, it is relevant for monitoring other bumble bees of conservation concern, such as B. occidentalis Greene (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and B. terricola Kirby (Hymenoptera: Apidae) for which monitoring efforts have been recently initiated and occupancy is a variable of conservation interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clint R V Otto
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND 58401, USA
| | - Alma C Schrage
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, 1574 N 300E, Chesterton, IN 46304, USA
| | - Larissa L Bailey
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, 1474 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - John M Mola
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Forest & Rangeland Stewardship, Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Tamara A Smith
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Minnesota-Wisconsin Ecological Services Field Office, 3815 American Boulevard East, Bloomington, MN 55425, USA
| | - Ian Pearse
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Stacy Simanonok
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND 58401, USA
| | - Ralph Grundel
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, 1574 N 300E, Chesterton, IN 46304, USA
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Eckerter T, Braunisch V, Buse J, Klein AM. Open forest successional stages and landscape heterogeneity promote wild bee diversity in temperate forests. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Eckerter
- Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany
| | - Veronika Braunisch
- Forest Nature Conservation Forest Research Institute of Baden‐Wuerttemberg FVA Freiburg Germany
- Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Jörn Buse
- Department of Ecological Monitoring Research and Species Conservation, Black Forest National Park Freudenstadt Germany
| | - Alexandra M. Klein
- Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany
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