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Lopes AR, Low M, Martín-Hernández R, de Miranda JR, Pinto MA. Varroa destructor shapes the unique viral landscapes of the honey bee populations of the Azores archipelago. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012337. [PMID: 38959190 PMCID: PMC11221739 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The worldwide dispersal of the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor from its Asian origins has fundamentally transformed the relationship of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) with several of its viruses, via changes in transmission and/or host immunosuppression. The extent to which honey bee-virus relationships change after Varroa invasion is poorly understood for most viruses, in part because there are few places in the world with several geographically close but completely isolated honey bee populations that either have, or have not, been exposed long-term to Varroa, allowing for separate ecological, epidemiological, and adaptive relationships to develop between honey bees and their viruses, in relation to the mite's presence or absence. The Azores is one such place, as it contains islands with and without the mite. Here, we combined qPCR with meta-amplicon deep sequencing to uncover the relationship between Varroa presence, and the prevalence, load, diversity, and phylogeographic structure of eight honey bee viruses screened across the archipelago. Four viruses were not detected on any island (ABPV-Acute bee paralysis virus, KBV-Kashmir bee virus, IAPV-Israeli acute bee paralysis virus, BeeMLV-Bee macula-like virus); one (SBV-Sacbrood virus) was detected only on mite-infested islands; one (CBPV-Chronic bee paralysis virus) occurred on some islands, and two (BQCV-Black queen cell virus, LSV-Lake Sinai virus,) were present on every single island. This multi-virus screening builds upon a parallel survey of Deformed wing virus (DWV) strains that uncovered a remarkably heterogeneous viral landscape featuring Varroa-infested islands dominated by DWV-A and -B, Varroa-free islands naïve to DWV, and a refuge of the rare DWV-C dominating the easternmost Varroa-free islands. While all four detected viruses investigated here were affected by Varroa for one or two parameters (usually prevalence and/or the Richness component of ASV diversity), the strongest effect was observed for the multi-strain LSV. Varroa unambiguously led to elevated prevalence, load, and diversity (Richness and Shannon Index) of LSV, with these results largely shaped by LSV-2, a major LSV strain. Unprecedented insights into the mite-virus relationship were further gained from implementing a phylogeographic approach. In addition to enabling the identification of a novel LSV strain that dominated the unique viral landscape of the easternmost islands, this approach, in combination with the recovered diversity patterns, strongly suggests that Varroa is driving the evolutionary change of LSV in the Azores. This study greatly advances the current understanding of the effect of Varroa on the epidemiology and adaptive evolution of these less-studied viruses, whose relationship with Varroa has thus far been poorly defined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana R. Lopes
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Bragança, Portugal
- Laboratório Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regiões de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Bragança, Portugal
- REQUIMTE-LAQV, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, Porto, Portugal
| | - Matthew Low
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Raquel Martín-Hernández
- Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), IRIAF, Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Marchamalo, Spain
| | | | - M. Alice Pinto
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Bragança, Portugal
- Laboratório Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regiões de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Bragança, Portugal
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2
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Dobelmann J, Manley R, Wilfert L. Caught in the act: the invasion of a viral vector changes viral prevalence and titre in native honeybees and bumblebees. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20230600. [PMID: 38715462 PMCID: PMC11135380 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0600] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Novel transmission routes change pathogen landscapes and may facilitate disease emergence. The varroa mite is a virus vector that switched to western honeybees at the beginning of the last century, leading to hive mortality, particularly in combination with RNA viruses. A recent invasion of varroa on the French island of Ushant introduced vector-mediated transmission to one of the last varroa-naive native honeybee populations and caused rapid changes in the honeybee viral community. These changes were characterized by a drastic increase in deformed wing virus type B prevalence and titre in honeybees, as well as knock-on effects in bumblebees, particularly in the year following the invasion. Slow bee paralysis virus also appeared in honeybees and bumblebees, with a 1 year delay, while black queen cell virus declined in honeybees. This study highlights the rapid and far-reaching effects of vector-borne transmission that can extend beyond the directly affected host species, and that the direction of the effect depends on the pathogen's virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Dobelmann
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm89081, Germany
| | | | - Lena Wilfert
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm89081, Germany
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3
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Tiritelli R, Flaminio S, Zavatta L, Ranalli R, Giovanetti M, Grasso DA, Leonardi S, Bonforte M, Boni CB, Cargnus E, Catania R, Coppola F, Di Santo M, Pusceddu M, Quaranta M, Bortolotti L, Nanetti A, Cilia G. Ecological and social factors influence interspecific pathogens occurrence among bees. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5136. [PMID: 38429345 PMCID: PMC10907577 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55718-x] [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: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The interspecific transmission of pathogens can occur frequently in the environment. Among wild bees, the main spillover cases are caused by pathogens associated with Apis mellifera, whose colonies can act as reservoirs. Due to the limited availability of data in Italy, it is challenging to accurately assess the impact and implications of this phenomenon on the wild bee populations. In this study, a total of 3372 bees were sampled from 11 Italian regions within the BeeNet project, evaluating the prevalence and the abundance of the major honey bee pathogens (DWV, BQCV, ABPV, CBPV, KBV, Nosema ceranae, Ascosphaera apis, Crithidia mellificae, Lotmaria passim, Crithidia bombi). The 68.4% of samples were positive for at least one pathogen. DWV, BQCV, N. ceranae and CBPV showed the highest prevalence and abundance values, confirming them as the most prevalent pathogens spread in the environment. For these pathogens, Andrena, Bombus, Eucera and Seladonia showed the highest mean prevalence and abundance values. Generally, time trends showed a prevalence and abundance decrease from April to July. In order to predict the risk of infection among wild bees, statistical models were developed. A low influence of apiary density on pathogen occurrence was observed, while meteorological conditions and agricultural management showed a greater impact on pathogen persistence in the environment. Social and biological traits of wild bees also contributed to defining a higher risk of infection for bivoltine, communal, mining and oligolectic bees. Out of all the samples tested, 40.5% were co-infected with two or more pathogens. In some cases, individuals were simultaneously infected with up to five different pathogens. It is essential to increase knowledge about the transmission of pathogens among wild bees to understand dynamics, impact and effects on pollinator populations. Implementing concrete plans for the conservation of wild bee species is important to ensure the health of wild and human-managed bees within a One-Health perspective.
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Grants
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
- project BeeNet (Italian National Fund under FEASR 2014-2020) Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Tiritelli
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - Simone Flaminio
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Av. Champ de Mars 6, 7000, Mons, Belgium
| | - Laura Zavatta
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy.
- Departement of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Fanin 42, 40127, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Rosa Ranalli
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
- ZooPlantLab, Department of Biotecnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Manuela Giovanetti
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
| | - Donato Antonio Grasso
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - Stefano Leonardi
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - Marta Bonforte
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 100, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Chiara Benedetta Boni
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elena Cargnus
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Via Delle Scienze 206, 31000, Udine, Italy
| | - Roberto Catania
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 100, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Francesca Coppola
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Di Santo
- Maiella National Park, Via Badia 28, 67039, Sulmona, Italy
| | - Michelina Pusceddu
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39A, 07100, Sassari, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Piazza Marina 61, 90133, Palermo, Italy
| | - Marino Quaranta
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Bortolotti
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
| | - Antonio Nanetti
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cilia
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Via di Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
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4
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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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5
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Sharpe SR, Morrow JL, Cook JM, Papanicolaou A, Riegler M. Transmission mode predicts coinfection patterns of insect-specific viruses in field populations of the Queensland fruit fly. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17226. [PMID: 38018898 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17226] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Insect-specific viruses (ISVs) can affect insect health and fitness, but can also interact with other insect-associated microorganisms. Despite this, ISVs are often studied in isolation from each other, in laboratory populations. Consequently, their diversity, prevalence and associations with other viruses in field populations are less known, yet these parameters are important to understanding virus epidemiology. To help address this knowledge gap, we assessed the diversity, prevalence and coinfections of three ISVs (horizontally transmitted cripavirus, biparentally transmitted sigmavirus and maternally transmitted iflavirus) in 29 field populations of Queensland fruit fly, Australia's most significant horticultural pest, in the context of their different transmission modes. We detected new virus variant diversity. In contrast to the very high virus prevalence in laboratory populations, 46.8% of 293 field flies carried one virus and 4.8% had two viruses. Cripavirus and sigmavirus occurred in all regions, while iflavirus was restricted to subtropical and tropical regions. Cripavirus was most prevalent (37.5%), followed by sigmavirus (13.7%) and iflavirus (4.4%). Cripavirus coinfected some flies with either one of the two vertically transmitted viruses. However, sigmavirus did not coinfect individuals with iflavirus. Three different modelling approaches detected negative association patterns between sigmavirus and iflavirus, consistent with the absence of such coinfections in laboratory populations. This may be linked with their maternal transmission and the ineffective paternal transmission of sigmavirus. Furthermore, we found that, unlike sigmavirus and iflavirus, cripavirus load was higher in laboratory than field flies. Laboratory and mass-rearing conditions may increase ISV prevalence and load due to increased transmission opportunities. We conclude that a combination of field and laboratory studies is needed to uncover ISV interactions and further our understanding of ISV epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R Sharpe
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jennifer L Morrow
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - James M Cook
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alexie Papanicolaou
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Markus Riegler
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
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6
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Doublet V, Oddie MAY, Mondet F, Forsgren E, Dahle B, Furuseth-Hansen E, Williams GR, De Smet L, Natsopoulou ME, Murray TE, Semberg E, Yañez O, de Graaf DC, Le Conte Y, Neumann P, Rimstad E, Paxton RJ, de Miranda JR. Shift in virus composition in honeybees ( Apis mellifera) following worldwide invasion by the parasitic mite and virus vector Varroa destructor. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231529. [PMID: 38204792 PMCID: PMC10776227 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Invasive vectors can induce dramatic changes in disease epidemiology. While viral emergence following geographical range expansion of a vector is well known, the influence a vector can have at the level of the host's pathobiome is less well understood. Taking advantage of the formerly heterogeneous spatial distribution of the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor that acts as potent virus vector among honeybees Apis mellifera, we investigated the impact of its recent global spread on the viral community of honeybees in a retrospective study of historical samples. We hypothesized that the vector has had an effect on the epidemiology of several bee viruses, potentially altering their transmissibility and/or virulence, and consequently their prevalence, abundance, or both. To test this, we quantified the prevalence and loads of 14 viruses from honeybee samples collected in mite-free and mite-infested populations in four independent geographical regions. The presence of the mite dramatically increased the prevalence and load of deformed wing virus, a cause of unsustainably high colony losses. In addition, several other viruses became more prevalent or were found at higher load in mite-infested areas, including viruses not known to be actively varroa-transmitted, but which may increase opportunistically in varroa-parasitized bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Doublet
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 061200, Germany
| | - Melissa A. Y. Oddie
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
- Norwegian Beekeepers Association, Kløfta 2040, Norway
| | - Fanny Mondet
- INRAE, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon 84914, France
| | - Eva Forsgren
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
| | - Bjørn Dahle
- Norwegian Beekeepers Association, Kløfta 2040, Norway
| | - Elisabeth Furuseth-Hansen
- Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås 1432, Norway
| | - Geoffrey R. Williams
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3097, Switzerland
- Entomology & Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36832, USA
| | - Lina De Smet
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Myrsini E. Natsopoulou
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 061200, Germany
| | - Tomás E. Murray
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 061200, Germany
| | - Emilia Semberg
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
| | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3097, Switzerland
| | - Dirk C. de Graaf
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Yves Le Conte
- INRAE, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon 84914, France
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3097, Switzerland
| | - Espen Rimstad
- Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås 1432, Norway
| | - Robert J. Paxton
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 061200, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Joachim R. de Miranda
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
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7
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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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [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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8
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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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9
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Doublet V, Doyle T, Refoy I, Hedges S, Carvell C, Brown MJF, Wilfert L. Increasing flower species richness in agricultural landscapes alters insect pollinator networks: Implications for bee health and competition. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9442. [PMID: 36311409 PMCID: PMC9608809 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological restoration programs are established to reverse land degradation, mitigate biodiversity loss, and reinstate ecosystem services. Following recent agricultural intensification that led to a decrease in flower diversity and density in rural areas and subsequently to the decline of many insects, conservation measures targeted at pollinators have been established, including sown wildflower strips (WFS) along field margins. Historically successful in establishing a high density of generalist bees and increasing pollinator diversity, the impact of enhanced flower provision on wider ecological interactions and the structure of pollinator networks has been rarely investigated. Here, we tested the effects of increasing flower species richness and flower density in agricultural landscapes on bee‐plant interaction networks. We measured plant species richness and flower density and surveyed honeybee and bumblebee visits on flowers across a range of field margins on 10 UK farms that applied different pollinator conservation measures. We found that both flower species richness and flower density significantly increased bee abundance, in early and late summer, respectively. At the network level, we found that higher flower species richness did not significantly alter bee species' generality indices, but significantly reduced network connectance and marginally reduced niche overlap across honeybees and bumblebee species, a proxy for insect competition. While higher connectance and niche overlap is believed to strengthen network robustness and often is the aim for the restoration of pollinator networks, we argue that carefully designed WFS may benefit bees by partitioning their foraging niche, limiting competition for resources and the potential for disease transmission via shared floral use. We also discuss the need to extend WFS and their positive effects into spring when wild bee populations are established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Doublet
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUniversity of UlmUlmGermany
| | - Toby Doyle
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Isobel Refoy
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Sophie Hedges
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK,Department of Comparative Biomedical SciencesThe Royal Veterinary CollegeHatfieldUK
| | | | - Mark J. F. Brown
- Department of Biological SciencesRoyal Holloway University of LondonEghamUK
| | - Lena Wilfert
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUniversity of UlmUlmGermany
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10
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Straub L, Strobl V, Yañez O, Albrecht M, Brown MJ, Neumann P. Do pesticide and pathogen interactions drive wild bee declines? Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 18:232-243. [PMID: 35800107 PMCID: PMC9253050 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.06.001] [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: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
There is clear evidence for wild insect declines globally. Habitat loss, climate change, pests, pathogens and environmental pollution have all been shown to cause detrimental effects on insects. However, interactive effects between these stressors may be the key to understanding reported declines. Here, we review the literature on pesticide and pathogen interactions for wild bees, identify knowledge gaps, and suggest avenues for future research fostering mitigation of the observed declines. The limited studies available suggest that effects of pesticides most likely override effects of pathogens. Bees feeding on flowers and building sheltered nests, are likely less adapted to toxins compared to other insects, which potential susceptibility is enhanced by the reduced number of genes encoding detoxifying enzymes compared with other insect species. However, to date all 10 studies using a fully-crossed design have been conducted in the laboratory on social bees using Crithidia spp. or Nosema spp., identifying an urgent need to test solitary bees and other pathogens. Similarly, since laboratory studies do not necessarily reflect field conditions, semi-field and field studies are essential if we are to understand these interactions and their potential effects in the real-world. In conclusion, there is a clear need for empirical (semi-)field studies on a range of pesticides, pathogens, and insect species to better understand the pathways and mechanisms underlying their potential interactions, in particular their relevance for insect fitness and population dynamics. Such data are indispensable to drive forward robust modelling of interactive effects in different environmental settings and foster predictive science. This will enable pesticide and pathogen interactions to be put into the context of other stressors more broadly, evaluating their relative importance in driving the observed declines of wild bees and other insects. Ultimately, this will enable the development of more effective mitigation measures to protect bees and the ecosystem services they supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Straub
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Verena Strobl
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Mark J.F. Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Bee Research Centre, Agroscope, Bern, Switzerland
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11
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Zhang ZJ, Zheng H. Bumblebees with the socially transmitted microbiome: A novel model organism for gut microbiota research. INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 29:958-976. [PMID: 35567381 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Eusocial bumble and honey bees are important pollinators for global ecology and the agricultural economy. Although both the bumble and honey bees possess similar and host-restricted gut microbiota, they differ in aspects of morphology, autonomy, physiology, behavior, and life cycle. The social bee gut bacteria exhibit host specificity that is likely a result of long-term co-evolution. The unique life cycle of bumblebees is key for the acquisition and development of their gut microbiota, and affects the strain-level diversity of the core bacterial species. Studies on bumblebee gut bacteria show that they retain less functional capacity for carbohydrate metabolism compared with that of the honeybee. We discuss the potential roles of the bumblebee gut microbiota against pathogenic threats and the application of host-specific probiotics for bumblebees. Given the advantages of the bumblebee microbiome, including the simple structure and host specificity, and the ease of manipulating bumblebee colonies, we propose that bumblebees may provide a valuable system for understanding the general principles of host-microbe interactions, gut-brain axis, and vertical transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Jing Zhang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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12
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Varroa Appears to Drive Persistent Increases in New Zealand Colony Losses. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13070589. [PMID: 35886765 PMCID: PMC9318748 DOI: 10.3390/insects13070589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary New Zealand is a significant exporter of high-value honey, and honey bees are the major pollinator of many important food crops. Bee colonies naturally die over winter due to the pressures of the season, and we have been surveying beekeepers annually since 2015 to record these losses. The percentage of colonies that died over winter increased every year between 2015 and 2021. While problems with queen bees were previously the main issue to which beekeepers attributed losses, 2021 was the first year in which beekeepers identified the parasitic varroa mite as the main cause. The mite invaded New Zealand in 2000; despite being in the country for more than 20 years, New Zealand beekeepers are still struggling to control varroa. Abstract New Zealand’s temperate climate and bountiful flora are well suited to managed honey bees, and its geographic isolation and strict biosecurity laws have made sure that some pests and diseases affecting bees elsewhere are not present. Nevertheless, given the importance of pollination and high-value export honey to the economy, New Zealand began systematically measuring winter colony losses in 2015. The New Zealand Colony Loss Survey is modelled on the COLOSS survey but has been adapted to the New Zealand apicultural context. Some 49% of New Zealand beekeepers completed the winter 2021 survey. Between 2015 and 2021, overall colony loss rates increased monotonically from 8.37% [95% CI: 7.66%, 9.15%] to 13.59% [95% CI: 13.21%, 13.99%]. Whereas beekeepers most commonly attributed losses to queen problems between 2015 and 2020, attributions to varroa have escalated year-on-year to become the largest attributed cause of colony loss. Losses to varroa are perhaps amplified by the 23.4% of respondents who did not monitor mite loads and the 4.4% of beekeepers who did not treat varroa during the 2020/21 season. Indeed, most beekeepers consider their treatment to be effective and note that treating at the wrong time and reinvasion were major drivers of losses to varroa.
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13
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de Miranda JR, Granberg F, Low M, Onorati P, Semberg E, Jansson A, Berggren Å. Virus Diversity and Loads in Crickets Reared for Feed: Implications for Husbandry. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:642085. [PMID: 34095270 PMCID: PMC8173086 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.642085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects generally have high reproductive rates leading to rapid population growth and high local densities; ideal conditions for disease epidemics. The parasites and diseases that naturally regulate wild insect populations can also impact when these insects are produced commercially, on farms. While insects produced for human or animal consumption are often reared under high density conditions, very little is known about the microbes associated with these insects, particularly those with pathogenic potential. In this study we used both target-free and targeted screening approaches to explore the virome of two cricket species commonly reared for feed and food, Acheta domesticus and Gryllus bimaculatus. The target-free screening of DNA and RNA from a single A. domesticus frass sample revealed that only 1% of the nucleic acid reads belonged to viruses, including known cricket, insect, bacterial and plant pathogens, as well as a diverse selection of novel viruses. The targeted screening revealed relatively high levels of Acheta domesticus densovirus, invertebrate iridovirus 6 and a novel iflavirus, as well as low levels of Acheta domesticus volvovirus, in insect and frass samples from several retailers. Our findings highlight the value of multiple screening approaches for a comprehensive and robust cricket disease monitoring and management strategy. This will become particularly relevant as-and-when cricket rearing facilities scale up and transform from producing insects for animal feed to producing insects for human consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim R de Miranda
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Granberg
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Matthew Low
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Piero Onorati
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Emilia Semberg
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Jansson
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Åsa Berggren
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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14
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Pascall DJ, Tinsley MC, Clark BL, Obbard DJ, Wilfert L. Virus Prevalence and Genetic Diversity Across a Wild Bumblebee Community. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:650747. [PMID: 33967987 PMCID: PMC8100031 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.650747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses are key population regulators, but we have limited knowledge of the diversity and ecology of viruses. This is even the case in wild host populations that provide ecosystem services, where small fitness effects may have major ecological impacts in aggregate. One such group of hosts are the bumblebees, which have a major role in the pollination of food crops and have suffered population declines and range contractions in recent decades. In this study, we investigate the diversity of four recently discovered bumblebee viruses (Mayfield virus 1, Mayfield virus 2, River Liunaeg virus, and Loch Morlich virus), and two previously known viruses that infect both wild bumblebees and managed honeybees (Acute bee paralysis virus and Slow bee paralysis virus) from isolates in Scotland. We investigate the ecological and environmental factors that determine viral presence and absence. We show that the recently discovered bumblebee viruses were more genetically diverse than the viruses shared with honeybees. Coinfection is potentially important in shaping prevalence: we found a strong positive association between River Liunaeg virus and Loch Morlich virus presence after controlling for host species, location and other relevant ecological variables. We tested for a relationship between environmental variables (temperature, UV radiation, wind speed, and prevalence), but as we had few sampling sites, and thus low power for site-level analyses, we could not conclude anything regarding these variables. We also describe the relationship between the bumblebee communities at our sampling sites. This study represents a first step in the description of predictors of bumblebee infection in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Pascall
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew C. Tinsley
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
| | - Bethany L. Clark
- BirdLife International, The David Attenborough Building, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Darren J. Obbard
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Lena Wilfert
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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15
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Proesmans W, Albrecht M, Gajda A, Neumann P, Paxton RJ, Pioz M, Polzin C, Schweiger O, Settele J, Szentgyörgyi H, Thulke HH, Vanbergen AJ. Pathways for Novel Epidemiology: Plant-Pollinator-Pathogen Networks and Global Change. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:623-636. [PMID: 33865639 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Multiple global change pressures, and their interplay, cause plant-pollinator extinctions and modify species assemblages and interactions. This may alter the risks of pathogen host shifts, intra- or interspecific pathogen spread, and emergence of novel population or community epidemics. Flowers are hubs for pathogen transmission. Consequently, the structure of plant-pollinator interaction networks may be pivotal in pathogen host shifts and modulating disease dynamics. Traits of plants, pollinators, and pathogens may also govern the interspecific spread of pathogens. Pathogen spillover-spillback between managed and wild pollinators risks driving the evolution of virulence and community epidemics. Understanding this interplay between host-pathogen dynamics and global change will be crucial to predicting impacts on pollinators and pollination underpinning ecosystems and human wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem Proesmans
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000 Dijon, France.
| | | | - Anna Gajda
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Robert J Paxton
- General Zoology, Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Maryline Pioz
- Abeilles et Environnement, INRAE, 84140 Avignon, France
| | - Christine Polzin
- Department of Environmental Politics, UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Oliver Schweiger
- UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Josef Settele
- UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; iDiv, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines, 4031 Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Hajnalka Szentgyörgyi
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Hans-Hermann Thulke
- Department of Ecological Modelling, UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, 04138 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Adam J Vanbergen
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000 Dijon, France.
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16
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Dalmon A, Diévart V, Thomasson M, Fouque R, Vaissière BE, Guilbaud L, Le Conte Y, Henry M. Possible Spillover of Pathogens between Bee Communities Foraging on the Same Floral Resource. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12020122. [PMID: 33573084 PMCID: PMC7911050 DOI: 10.3390/insects12020122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Floral resource availability is one of the keys to preserving the health of bee communities. However, flowers also present a risk of pathogen transmission, as infected pollinators could deposit pathogens while foraging, exposing other pollinators to infection via the consumption of contaminated nectar or pollen. Here, we studied, over time, the prevalence of seven viruses in bee communities that share the same small surface of floral resource in order to assess the risk of virus spillover. In total, 2057 bee specimens from 30 species were caught, identified and checked for the presence of viruses. Specimens from the Halictidae family were the dominant wild bees. The prevalence of viruses was quite high: at least one virus was detected in 78% of the samples, and co-infections were frequent. The genetic diversity of the viruses was also investigated to look for the possible association of geographic origin or host with shared ancestry. Abstract Viruses are known to contribute to bee population decline. Possible spillover is suspected from the co-occurrence of viruses in wild bees and honey bees. In order to study the risk of virus transmission between wild and managed bee species sharing the same floral resource, we tried to maximize the possible cross-infections using Phacelia tanacetifolia, which is highly attractive to honey bees and a broad range of wild bee species. Virus prevalence was compared over two years in Southern France. A total of 1137 wild bees from 29 wild bee species (based on COI barcoding) and 920 honey bees (Apis mellifera) were checked for the seven most common honey bee RNA viruses. Halictid bees were the most abundant. Co-infections were frequent, and Sacbrood virus (SBV), Black queen cell virus (BQCV), Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) and Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) were widespread in the hymenopteran pollinator community. Conversely, Deformed wing virus (DWV) was detected at low levels in wild bees, whereas it was highly prevalent in honey bees (78.3% of the samples). Both wild bee and honey bee virus isolates were sequenced to look for possible host-specificity or geographical structuring. ABPV phylogeny suggested a specific cluster for Eucera bees, while isolates of DWV from bumble bees (Bombus spp.) clustered together with honey bee isolates, suggesting a possible spillover.
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17
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OneHealth implications of infectious diseases of wild and managed bees. J Invertebr Pathol 2020; 186:107506. [PMID: 33249062 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2020.107506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The OneHealth approach aims to further our understanding of the drivers of human, animal and environmental health, and, ultimately, to improve them by combining approaches and knowledge from medicine, biology and fields beyond. Wild and managed bees are essential pollinators of crops and wild flowers. Their health thus directly impacts on human and environmental health. At the same time, these bee species represent highly amenable and relevant model organisms for a OneHealth approach that aims to study fundamental epidemiological questions. In this review, we focus on how infectious diseases of wild and managed bees can be used as a OneHealth model system, informing fundamental questions on ecological immunology and disease transmission, while addressing how this knowledge can be used to tackle the issues facing pollinator health.
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18
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Dobelmann J, Felden A, Lester PJ. Genetic Strain Diversity of Multi-Host RNA Viruses that Infect a Wide Range of Pollinators and Associates is Shaped by Geographic Origins. Viruses 2020; 12:E358. [PMID: 32213950 PMCID: PMC7150836 DOI: 10.3390/v12030358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging viruses have caused concerns about pollinator population declines, as multi-host RNA viruses may pose a health threat to pollinators and associated arthropods. In order to understand the ecology and impact these viruses have, we studied their host range and determined to what extent host and spatial variation affect strain diversity. Firstly, we used RT-PCR to screen pollinators and associates, including honey bees (Apis mellifera) and invasive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), for virus presence and replication. We tested for the black queen cell virus (BQCV), deformed wing virus (DWV), and Kashmir bee virus (KBV) that were initially detected in bees, and the two recently discovered Linepithema humile bunya-like virus 1 (LhuBLV1) and Moku virus (MKV). DWV, KBV, and MKV were detected and replicated in a wide range of hosts and commonly co-infected hymenopterans. Secondly, we placed KBV and DWV in a global phylogeny with sequences from various countries and hosts to determine the association of geographic origin and host with shared ancestry. Both phylogenies showed strong geographic rather than host-specific clustering, suggesting frequent inter-species virus transmission. Transmission routes between hosts are largely unknown. Nonetheless, avoiding the introduction of non-native species and diseased pollinators appears important to limit spill overs and disease emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Dobelmann
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand; (A.F.); (P.J.L.)
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Manley R, Temperton B, Boots M, Wilfert L. Contrasting impacts of a novel specialist vector on multihost viral pathogen epidemiology in wild and managed bees. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:380-393. [PMID: 31834965 PMCID: PMC7003859 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Typically, pathogens infect multiple host species. Such multihost pathogens can show considerable variation in their degree of infection and transmission specificity, which has important implications for potential disease emergence. Transmission of multihost pathogens can be driven by key host species and changes in such transmission networks can lead to disease emergence. We study two viruses that show contrasting patterns of prevalence and specificity in managed honeybees and wild bumblebees, black queen cell virus (BQCV) and slow bee paralysis virus (SBPV), in the context of the novel transmission route provided by the virus‐vectoring Varroa destructor. Our key result is that viral communities and RNA virus genetic variation are structured by location, not host species or V. destructor presence. Interspecific transmission is pervasive with the same viral variants circulating between pollinator hosts in each location; yet, we found virus‐specific host differences in prevalence and viral load. Importantly, V. destructor presence increases the prevalence in honeybees and, indirectly, in wild bumblebees, but in contrast to its impact on deformed wing virus (DWV), BQCV and SBPV viral loads are not increased by Varroa presence, and do not show genetic evidence of recent emergence. Effective control of Varroa in managed honeybee colonies is necessary to mitigate further disease emergence, and alleviate disease pressure on our vital wild bee populations. More generally, our results highlight the over‐riding importance of geographical location to the epidemiological outcome despite the complexity of multihost‐parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn Manley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK.,Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Ben Temperton
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Mike Boots
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Lena Wilfert
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK.,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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