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Verrier E, Bretagnolle V, Aupinel P, Decourtye A, Henry M, Rebaudo F, Requier F. Semi-natural habitats mitigate the impact of food shortage on honey bees in farmlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 950:175309. [PMID: 39111415 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Landscape simplification and the loss of semi-natural habitats are identified as important drivers of insect pollinator decline in farmlands, by disrupting the availability of floral resources and facilitating the occurrence of food shortages. Food shortages can lead to accelerated behavioral maturation in honey bees, with potential consequences for colony survival. However, little is known about the magnitude of behavioral maturation mediated by to food shortage under real field conditions, and whether it could be mitigated by the presence of semi-natural habitats. Here, we monitored the lifespan (LSP), age at first exit (AFE), foraging tenure, and foraging intensity of 1035 honey bees along a landscape gradient of semi-natural habitats in farmlands. We found a clear acceleration of behavioral maturation of bees during the food shortage season, with precocity in AFE between 6 and 10 days earlier and reduced LSP by 5 to 9 days, with no effect on foraging tenure or foraging intensity. We also found that higher proportions of semi-natural habitats mitigated behavioral maturation of bees by up to 6 days. Beyond the direct effects on adult bees, we found no delayed effect of larval feeding status on adult life-history traits or foraging behavior. Nevertheless, our results strongly advocate the implementation of policies aimed at increasing the coverage of semi-natural environments (e.g., grasslands, forests, hedgerows) in intensive agricultural landscapes to support honey bee survival and pollinator conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Verrier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Vincent Bretagnolle
- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS & La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France; LTSER Zone Atelier Plaine & Val de Sèvre, Villiers-en-Bois 79360, France; UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Pierrick Aupinel
- UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, 84914 Avignon, France; UE 1255 APIS 'Abeilles paysages interactions et systèmes de culture', INRAE, 17700 Surgères, France
| | - Axel Decourtye
- UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, 84914 Avignon, France; ITSAP-Institut de l'abeille, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Mickaël Henry
- UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, 84914 Avignon, France; INRAE, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - François Rebaudo
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Fabrice Requier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
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2
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Hsieh EM, Dolezal AG. Nutrition, pesticide exposure, and virus infection interact to produce context-dependent effects in honey bees (Apis mellifera). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:175125. [PMID: 39084359 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Declines in pollinator health are frequently hypothesized to be the combined result of multiple interacting biotic and abiotic stressors; namely, nutritional limitations, pesticide exposure, and infection with pathogens and parasites. Despite this hypothesis, most studies examining stressor interactions have been constrained to two concurrent factors, limiting our understanding of multi-stressor dynamics. Using honey bees as a model, we addressed this gap by studying how variable diet, field-realistic levels of multiple pesticides, and virus infection interact to affect survival, infection intensity, and immune and detoxification gene expression. Although we found evidence that agrochemical exposure (a field-derived mixture of chlorpyrifos and two fungicides) can exacerbate infection and increase virus-induced mortality, this result was nutritionally-dependent, only occurring when bees were provided artificial pollen. Provisioning with naturally-collected polyfloral pollen inverted the effect, reducing virus-induced mortality and suggesting a hormetic response. To test if the response was pesticide specific, we repeated our experiment with a pyrethroid (lambda-cyhalothrin) and a neonicotinoid (thiamethoxam), finding variable results. Finally, to understand the underpinnings of these effects, we measured viral load and expression of important immune and detoxification genes. Together, our results show that multi-stressor interactions are complex and highly context-dependent, but have great potential to affect bee health and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward M Hsieh
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 505 S. Goodwin, Urbana, IL 61801-3795, USA.
| | - Adam G Dolezal
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 505 S. Goodwin, Urbana, IL 61801-3795, USA
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3
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Wueppenhorst K, Alkassab AT, Beims H, Ernst U, Friedrich E, Illies I, Janke M, Kirchner WH, Seidel K, Steinert M, Yurkov A, Erler S, Odemer R. Honey bee colonies can buffer short-term stressor effects of pollen restriction and fungicide exposure on colony development and the microbiome. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 282:116723. [PMID: 39024947 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116723] [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: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Honey bees (Apis mellifera) have to withstand various environmental stressors alone or in combination in agriculture settings. Plant protection products are applied to achieve high crop yield, but residues of their active substances are frequently detected in bee matrices and could affect honey bee colonies. In addition, intensified agriculture could lead to resource limitation for honey bees. This study aimed to compare the response of full-sized and nucleus colonies to the combined stressors of fungicide exposure and resource limitation. A large-scale field study was conducted simultaneously at five different locations across Germany, starting in spring 2022 and continuing through spring 2023. The fungicide formulation Pictor® Active (active ingredients boscalid and pyraclostrobin) was applied according to label instructions at the maximum recommended rate on oil seed rape crops. Resource limitation was ensured by pollen restriction using a pollen trap and stressor responses were evaluated by assessing colony development, brood development, and core gut microbiome alterations. Furthermore, effects on the plant nectar microbiome were assessed since nectar inhabiting yeast are beneficial for pollination. We showed, that honey bee colonies were able to compensate for the combined stressor effects within six weeks. Nucleus colonies exposed to the combined stressors showed a short-term response with a less favorable brood to bee ratio and reduced colony development in May. No further impacts were observed in either the nucleus colonies or the full-sized colonies from July until the following spring. In addition, no fungicide-dependent differences were found in core gut and nectar microbiomes, and these differences were not distinguishable from local or environmental effects. Therefore, the provision of sufficient resources is important to increase the resilience of honey bees to a combination of stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karoline Wueppenhorst
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kuehn-Institute, Messeweg 11-12, Braunschweig 38104, Germany; Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelsohnstraße 4, Braunschweig 38106, Germany.
| | - Abdulrahim T Alkassab
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kuehn-Institute, Messeweg 11-12, Braunschweig 38104, Germany
| | - Hannes Beims
- Fachberatung für Imkerei, Bezirk Oberbayern, Prinzregentenstraße 14, München 80538, Germany; Institute for Apicuture, Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Herzogin-Eleonore-Allee 5, Celle 29221, Germany
| | - Ulrich Ernst
- State Institute of Bee Research, University of Hohenheim, Erna-Hruschka-Weg 6, Stuttgart 70599, Germany; KomBioTa - Center for Biodiversity and Integrative Taxonomy, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Elsa Friedrich
- State Institute of Bee Research, University of Hohenheim, Erna-Hruschka-Weg 6, Stuttgart 70599, Germany
| | - Ingrid Illies
- Institute for Bee Research and Beekeeping, Bavarian State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture, An der Steige 15, Veitshöchheim 97209, Germany
| | - Martina Janke
- Institute for Apicuture, Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Herzogin-Eleonore-Allee 5, Celle 29221, Germany
| | - Wolfgang H Kirchner
- Behavioral Biology and Biology Education, Ruhr-University-Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Kim Seidel
- Institute for Apicuture, Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Herzogin-Eleonore-Allee 5, Celle 29221, Germany
| | - Michael Steinert
- Institute for Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, Braunschweig 38106, Germany
| | - Andrey Yurkov
- DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Leibnitz Institute, Inhoffenstraße 7b, Braunschweig 38124, Germany
| | - Silvio Erler
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kuehn-Institute, Messeweg 11-12, Braunschweig 38104, Germany; Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelsohnstraße 4, Braunschweig 38106, Germany
| | - Richard Odemer
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kuehn-Institute, Messeweg 11-12, Braunschweig 38104, Germany
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Straub L, Sittisorn T, Butdee J, Promsart W, Rueangwong A, Camenzind D, Maitip J. Age-dependent hypopharyngeal gland size and protein content of stingless bee workers, Tetragonula pagdeni. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0308950. [PMID: 39150928 PMCID: PMC11329107 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Eusocial insects, such as stingless bees (Meliponini), depend on division of labour, overlapping generations, and collaborative brood care to ensure the functionality and success of their colony. Female workers transition through a range of age-specific tasks during their lifespan (i.e., age-polyethism) and play a central role in the success of a colony. These age-specific tasks (e.g., brood care or foraging) often closely coincide with key physiological changes necessary to ensure optimal performance. However, our understanding of how nutrition, age, and polyethism may affect the development of such physiological traits in stingless bees remains limited. Here we show that pollen consumption and age-polyethism govern hypopharyngeal gland (HPG) acini size and protein content in Tetragonula pagdeni. By conducting a controlled laboratory experiment we monitored the effect of pollen consumption on worker bee survival as well as assessed how a pollen diet and age affected their HPG acini width and protein content. Further, we sampled nurses and foragers from field colonies to measure the effect of age-polyethism on HPG acini width. We found that pollen consumption enhanced survival and led to increased HPG acini width and protein content and that HPG acini were as expected largest in nurse bees. Our findings highlight the beneficial effects of an adequate diet for physiological development and health in stingless bees and reveal that age-polyethism is the key factor governing HPG size in worker bees. As HPGs are imperative for collaborative brood care-an essential component of eusociality-the data provide a foundation for future studies to investigate the impact of potential environmental stressors on a critical physiological trait in stingless bees which may serve as a proxy to understand the effects at the colony level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Straub
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Rayong, Thailand
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
| | - Tanatip Sittisorn
- Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Rayong, Thailand
| | - Jinatchaya Butdee
- Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Rayong, Thailand
| | - Woranika Promsart
- Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Rayong, Thailand
| | - Athitta Rueangwong
- Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Rayong, Thailand
| | - Domenic Camenzind
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jakkrawut Maitip
- Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Rayong, Thailand
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5
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Braglia C, Alberoni D, Di Gioia D, Giacomelli A, Bocquet M, Bulet P. Application of a robust MALDI mass spectrometry approach for bee pollen investigation. Anal Bioanal Chem 2024; 416:4315-4324. [PMID: 38879687 PMCID: PMC11271380 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-024-05368-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Pollen collected by pollinators can be used as a marker of the foraging behavior as well as indicate the botanical species present in each environment. Pollen intake is essential for pollinators' health and survival. During the foraging activity, some pollinators, such as honeybees, manipulate the collected pollen mixing it with salivary secretions and nectar (corbicular pollen) changing the pollen chemical profile. Different tools have been developed for the identification of the botanical origin of pollen, based on microscopy, spectrometry, or molecular markers. However, up to date, corbicular pollen has never been investigated. In our work, corbicular pollen from 5 regions with different climate conditions was collected during spring. Pollens were identified with microscopy-based techniques, and then analyzed in MALDI-MS. Four different chemical extraction solutions and two physical disruption methods were tested to achieve a MALDI-MS effective protocol. The best performance was obtained using a sonication disruption method after extraction with acetic acid or trifluoroacetic acid. Therefore, we propose a new rapid and reliable methodology for the identification of the botanical origin of the corbicular pollens using MALDI-MS. This new approach opens to a wide range of environmental studies spanning from plant biodiversity to ecosystem trophic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Braglia
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari (DISTAL), Università di Bologna, Viale Fanin 42, 40127, Bologna, Italia
| | - Daniele Alberoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari (DISTAL), Università di Bologna, Viale Fanin 42, 40127, Bologna, Italia.
| | - Diana Di Gioia
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari (DISTAL), Università di Bologna, Viale Fanin 42, 40127, Bologna, Italia
| | - Alessandra Giacomelli
- Unione Nazionale Associazioni Apicoltori Italiani (UNA API), Via Pietro Boselli 2, Firenze, Italia
| | - Michel Bocquet
- Apimedia, 82 Route de Proméry, Pringy, 74370, Annecy, France
| | - Philippe Bulet
- CR, University Grenoble Alpes, IAB Inserm 1209, CNRS UMR5309, 38000, Grenoble, France
- Plateforme BioPark of Archamps, 74160, Archamps, France
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6
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Hassan AAM, Elenany YE. Influence of Probiotics Feed Supplementation on Hypopharyngeal Glands Morphometric Measurements of Honeybee Workers Apis mellifera L. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2024; 16:1214-1220. [PMID: 37335521 PMCID: PMC11322241 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-023-10107-0] [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] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
More scientific study and methods that are compatible with the honeybee-specific probiotic bacteria are needed in modern beekeeping to increase the productivity and well-being of honeybees. The goal of the current study set out to investigate the possible effects of probiotics previously isolated from the honeybee intestinal tract and soybean patties on nurse worker bee hypopharyngeal gland (HPG) development. The experimentation was carried out in four different treatment groups in which probiotics and soybean patties were provided in different proportions, with control colonies. Results showed that there was a significant increase in HPG morphometric parameters of bees in all experimental groups. Control nurse worker fed with sugar syrup for only 2 weeks had the smallest HPG morphometric parameters. The highest HPG diameter 14.89 ± 0.097 µm and surface area 0.065 ± 0.001µm2 were observed in the bees group fed with both probiotic and soya patty. Additionally, the same trend was observed in all morphometric parameters with the bees group fed with probiotic bacteria and soya patty. More royal jelly can be produced by larger HPGs than by smaller ones. Thus, the use of probiotics as a natural alternative tool boosted the development of Apis mellifera nurse workers' HPG that will positively affect the beekeepers' economy by providing a higher yield of royal jelly production. Overall, the study's findings show that probiotics are a useful feed supplement for honeybees.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yasser Essam Elenany
- Department of Economic Entomology and Pesticides, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
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7
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Xu H, Li Y, Fang H, Liu X, Zhang S, Chen Q, Li Z. Supplementary sugars enhance the production efficiency and parasitism performance of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma dendrolimi (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2024:toae168. [PMID: 39074171 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toae168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Trichogramma spp. wasps are egg parasitoids with a long history of mass rearing for augmentation biocontrol programs in field crop and orchard landscapes. Supplementary nutrition can improve the longevity, fecundity, and biocontrol efficacy of parasitoids. To improve the production efficiency and parasitism performance of Trichogramma dendrolimi Matsumura (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), the present study screened and examined the potential supplementary nutrients for this biological control agent. Dietary supplementation with a 10% sucrose solution significantly increased wasp longevity and parasitism potential of T. dendrolimi on host eggs, but provision of pollen did not provide additional benefits. Laboratory and greenhouse cage tests demonstrated that wasp access to soybean aphid Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae) honeydew, comprised primarily of melezitose and trehalose, improved T. dendrolimi longevity and parasitism. In conclusion, provision of a 10% sucrose solution to adult wasps will enhance the mass-rearing efficiency of T. dendrolimi; furthermore, field release of T. dendrolimi by plant vectors bearing honeydew-producing aphids holds promise for improving the biocontrol efficacy of T. dendrolimi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyang Xu
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yisong Li
- The College of Agronomy, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang, China
| | - Haibo Fang
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxia Liu
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Songdou Zhang
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiuming Chen
- Harbin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Rudelli C, Galuppi R, Cabbri R, Dalmonte T, Fontanesi L, Andreani G, Isani G. Field Application of an Innovative Approach to Assess Honeybee Health and Nutritional Status. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2183. [PMID: 39123709 PMCID: PMC11311059 DOI: 10.3390/ani14152183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Environment, forage quality, management practices, pathogens, and pesticides influence honeybee responses to stressors. This study proposes an innovative approach to assess colony health and performance using molecular diagnostic tools by correlating hemolymph proteins with common measures of colony strength, prevalent honeybee pathogens (Varroa destructor and Nosema spp.), and essential trace elements (iron, zinc and copper). Colonies were selected from four apiaries located in different environmental and foraging conditions in the province of Bologna (Italy). Hemolymph samples were taken from June to October 2019. The Varroa infestation of the colonies was estimated by assessing the natural mortality of the mites, while the bees were tested for Nosema spp. spores using a microscopic method. Hemolymph proteins were quantified and separated using SDS-PAGE, and colony performance was assessed by determining adult bees, total brood, honey, and pollen reserves. The biomarkers measured proved to be useful for monitoring changes in performance and trophic conditions during summer and early autumn. Significant correlations were found between hemolymph proteins and colony performance measures. A positive correlation between pollen reserves, vitellogenin, and hexamerin 70a highlights the importance of these proteins for successful overwintering. In October, Varroa infestation was negatively correlated with total proteins, vitellogenin, apolipophorin II, transferrin, and hexamerin 70a, with negative implications for overwintering; furthermore, Varroa infestation was also negatively correlated with iron content, potentially affecting iron homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Rudelli
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell’Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy; (C.R.); (R.G.); (R.C.); (T.D.); (G.A.)
| | - Roberta Galuppi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell’Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy; (C.R.); (R.G.); (R.C.); (T.D.); (G.A.)
| | - Riccardo Cabbri
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell’Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy; (C.R.); (R.G.); (R.C.); (T.D.); (G.A.)
| | - Thomas Dalmonte
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell’Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy; (C.R.); (R.G.); (R.C.); (T.D.); (G.A.)
| | - Luca Fontanesi
- Animal and Food Genomics Group, Division of Animal Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Giulia Andreani
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell’Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy; (C.R.); (R.G.); (R.C.); (T.D.); (G.A.)
| | - Gloria Isani
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell’Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy; (C.R.); (R.G.); (R.C.); (T.D.); (G.A.)
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9
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Gonzalez FN, Raticelli F, Ferrufino C, Fagúndez G, Rodriguez G, Miño S, Dus Santos MJ. Detection and characterization of Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) in apiaries with stationary and migratory management in the province of Entre Ríos, Argentina. Sci Rep 2024; 14:16747. [PMID: 39033233 PMCID: PMC11271310 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67264-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
In Argentina, migratory activity in search of floral diversity has become a common approach to maximizing honey production. The Entre Ríos province possesses a floral diversity that allows beekeepers to perform migratory or stationary management. Beyond the impact caused by transhumance, migratory colonies in this province start and end the season in monoculture areas. To study the effect of these practices on viral infection, we assayed for the presence, abundance and genetic characterization of the Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) in honey bees from apiaries with both types of management. In migratory apiaries, DWV was detectable in 86.2% of the colonies at the beginning of the season (September 2018), and 66% at the end of the season (March 2019). On the other hand, DWV was detected in 44.11% and 53.12% of stationary samples, at the beginning and the end of the season, respectively. Sequence analysis from migratory and stationary colonies revealed that all samples belonged to DWV-A type. The highest viral loads were detected in migratory samples collected in September. Higher DWV presence and abundance were associated with migratory management and the sampling time. Based on our findings we propose that the benefit of migration to wild flowering areas can be dissipated when the bee colonies end the season with monoculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- F N Gonzalez
- Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas (IVIT), CICVyA, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. De las Cabañas y De los Reseros s/n, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - F Raticelli
- Laboratorio de Especialidades Productivas de Maciá (LEPMA), Ecología y Medio Ambiente, Secretaría de Producción, Municipio de Gobernador Maciá, Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | - C Ferrufino
- Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas (IVIT), CICVyA, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. De las Cabañas y De los Reseros s/n, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - G Fagúndez
- Laboratorio de Actuopalinología, CICYTTP (CONICET - UADER), Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | - G Rodriguez
- EEA Hilario Ascasubi, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Ruta Nacional 3, Km 794, Hilario Ascasubi, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - S Miño
- EEA Cerro Azul, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Ruta Nacional 14, Km 836, Cerro Azul, Misiones, Argentina
| | - M J Dus Santos
- Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas (IVIT), CICVyA, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. De las Cabañas y De los Reseros s/n, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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10
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Kato AY, Freitas TAL, Gomes CRA, Alves TRR, Ferraz YMM, Trivellato MF, De Jong D, Biller JD, Nicodemo D. Bixafen, Prothioconazole, and Trifloxystrobin Alone or in Combination Have a Greater Effect on Health Related Gene Expression in Honey Bees from Nutritionally Deprived than from Protein Supplemented Colonies. INSECTS 2024; 15:523. [PMID: 39057256 PMCID: PMC11277445 DOI: 10.3390/insects15070523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether alterations in food availability compromise the metabolic homeostasis of honey bees exposed to three fungicides alone or together. Ten honey bee colonies were used, with half receiving carbohydrate-protein supplementation for 15 weeks while another five colonies had their protein supply reduced with pollen traps. Subsequently, forager bees were collected and exposed by contact to 1 or 7 µg of bixafen, prothioconazole, or trifloxystrobin, either individually or in combination. After 48 h, bee abdomens without the intestine were used for the analysis of expression of antioxidant genes (SOD-1, CAT, and GPX-1), detoxification genes (GST-1 and CYP306A1), the storage protein gene vitellogenin, and immune system antimicrobial peptide genes (defensin-1, abaecin, hymenoptaecin, and apidaecin), through real-time PCR. All fungicide treatments induced changes in gene expression, with bixafen showing the most prominent upregulation. Exposure to 1 µg of each of the three pesticides resulted in upregulation of genes associated with detoxification and nutrition processes, and downregulation of immune system genes. When the three pesticides were combined at a dose of 7 µg each, there was a pronounced downregulation of all genes. Food availability in the colonies affected the impact of fungicides on the expression of the studied genes in forager bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Y. Kato
- Post Graduate Program in Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Tainá A. L. Freitas
- Post Graduate Program in Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Cássia R. A. Gomes
- Post Graduate Program in Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Thais R. R. Alves
- Post Graduate Program in Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Yara M. M. Ferraz
- Post Graduate Program in Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Matheus F. Trivellato
- Post Graduate Program in Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - David De Jong
- Genetics Department, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline D. Biller
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agricultural and Technology Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Dracena 17915-899, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniel Nicodemo
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
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11
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Bryś MS, Staniec B, Strachecka A. The effect of pollen monodiets on fat body morphology parameters and energy substrate levels in the fat body and hemolymph of Apis mellifera L. workers. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15177. [PMID: 38956174 PMCID: PMC11219722 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64598-0] [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: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Human activities associated with large-scale farms and the monocultures expose honey bees to one type of food. Moreover, there is an ongoing decline of plant species producing pollen and nectar in Europe. A poorly balanced diet affects a number of processes occurring in a bee's body. The fat body and hemolymph are the tissues that participate in all of them. Therefore, the aim of our study was to determine the effect of hazel, pine, rapeseed, buckwheat, phacelia and goldenrod pollen on the morphological parameters of fat body trophocytes, the diameters of cell nuclei in oenocytes and the concentrations of compounds involved in energy metabolism (glucose, glycogen, triglycerides and protein). In the cage tests, the bees were fed from the first day of life with sugar candy (control group) or candy with a 10% addition of one of the 6 pollen types. Hemolymph and fat body from various locations were collected from 1-, 7- and 14-day-old workers. Pollen produced by plant species such as hazel and pine increased glucose concentrations in the bee tissues, especially in the hemolymph. It can therefore be concluded that they are valuable sources of energy (in the form of simple carbohydrates) which are quickly used by bees. Pollen from plants blooming in the summer and autumn increased the concentrations of proteins, glycogen and triglycerides in the fat body, especially that from the third tergite. The accumulation of these compounds was associated with an increased the length and width of trophocytes as well as with enhanced metabolic activity, which was evidenced in the increasing diameter of oenocyte cell nuclei. It seems a balanced multi-pollen diet is more valuable for bees, but it is important to understand the effects of the particular pollen types in the context of a mono-diet. In the future, this will make it possible to produce mixtures that can ensure homeostasis in the apian body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Sylwester Bryś
- Department of Invertebrate Ecophysiology and Experimental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Bernard Staniec
- Departament of Zoology and Nature Protection, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Aneta Strachecka
- Department of Invertebrate Ecophysiology and Experimental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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12
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Grüter C, Segers FHID, Hayes L. Extensive loss of forage diversity in social bees owing to flower constancy in simulated environments. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20241036. [PMID: 39082242 PMCID: PMC11289734 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.1036] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Many bees visit just one flower species during a foraging trip, i.e. they show flower constancy. Flower constancy is important for plant reproduction but it could lead to an unbalanced diet, especially in biodiversity-depleted landscapes. It is assumed that flower constancy does not reduce dietary diversity in social bees, such as honeybees or bumblebees, but this has not yet been tested. We used computer simulations to investigate the effects of flower constancy on colony diet in plant species-rich and species-poor landscapes. We also explored if communication about food sources, which is used by many social bees, further reduces forage diversity. Our simulations reveal an extensive loss of forage diversity owing to flower constancy in both species-rich and species-poor environments. Small flower-constant colonies often discovered only 30-50% of all available plant species, thereby increasing the risk of nutritional deficiencies. Communication often interacted with flower constancy to reduce forage diversity further. Finally, we found that food source clustering, but not habitat fragmentation impaired dietary diversity. These findings highlight the nutritional challenges flower-constant bees face in different landscapes and they can aid in the design of measures to increase forage diversity and improve bee nutrition in human-modified landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Grüter
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, BristolBS8 1TQ, UK
| | | | - Lucy Hayes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, BristolBS8 1TQ, UK
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13
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AlNadhari S, Abbasova G, Al-Qahtani WH, Zengin G, Islamov S, Mammadova AO, Azad AK, Mammadova S, Jaradat N, Babayeva U, Humbatov M, Ganbarov D, Beylerli O, Beilerli A, Toker ÖS, Biturku J, Kiren I. Assessment of the botanical origin of Saudi Arabian honey samples to identify pollen with chromatographic tools and packing and storage. Biomed Chromatogr 2024; 38:e5869. [PMID: 38599336 DOI: 10.1002/bmc.5869] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The increasing demand for honey purification and authentication necessitates the global utilization of advanced processing tools. Common honey processing techniques, such as chromatography, are commonly used to assess the quality and quantity of valuable honey. In this study, 15 honey samples were authenticated using HPLC and GC-MS chromatographic methods to analyze their pollen spectrum. Various monofloral honey samples were collected, including Acacia, Hypoestes, Lavandula, Tamarix, Trifolium, and Ziziphus species, based on accurate identification by apiarists in 2023 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Honey analysis revealed the extraction of pollen from 20 different honeybee floral species. Pollen identified from honey samples using advanced chromatographic tools revealed dominant vegetation resources: Ziziphus species (23%), Acacia species (25%), Tamarix species (34%), Lavandula species (26%), Hypoestes species (34%), and Trifolium species (31%). This study uses HPLC to extract phenolic compounds, revealing dominant protocatechuic acid (4.71 mg g-1), and GC-MS to analyze organic compounds in honey pollen. Specifically, 2-dodecanone was detected with a retention time of 7.34 min. The utilization of chromatographic tools in assessing honey samples for pollen identification provides a reliable and efficient method for determining their botanical origins, thereby contributing to the quality control and authentication of honey products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleh AlNadhari
- College of Agriculture, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Wahidah H Al-Qahtani
- Department of Food Sciences & Nutrition, College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gokhan Zengin
- Department of Biology, University of Selcuk, Konya, Turkey
| | - Sokhib Islamov
- Department of Technology of Storage and Processing of Agricultural Products, Tashkent State Agrarian University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | - Afat O Mammadova
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Baku State University, Baku, Azerbaijan
| | - Abul Kalam Azad
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University College of MAIWP International, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Nidal Jaradat
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
| | | | | | - Dashgin Ganbarov
- Doctor of Biological Sciences, Nakhchivan State University, Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan
| | - Ozal Beylerli
- entral Research Laboratory, Bashkir State Medical University, Ufa, Russia
| | - Aferin Beilerli
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tyumen State Medical University, Tyumen, Russia
| | - Ömer Said Toker
- Food Engineering Department, Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering Faculty, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Jonida Biturku
- Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Department of Agronomy Sciences, Agriculture University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
| | - Ifrah Kiren
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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14
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Bernauer OM, Jain A, de Bivort B, Holbrook NM, Myers SS, Ziska LH, Crall JD. Elevated atmospheric CO 2 has small, species-specific effects on pollen chemistry and plant growth across flowering plant species. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13760. [PMID: 38877021 PMCID: PMC11178917 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63967-z] [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: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (eCO2) can affect plant growth and physiology, which can, in turn, impact herbivorous insects, including by altering pollen or plant tissue nutrition. Previous research suggests that eCO2 can reduce pollen nutrition in some species, but it is unknown whether this effect is consistent across flowering plant species. We experimentally quantified the effects of eCO2 across multiple flowering plant species on plant growth in 9 species and pollen chemistry (%N an estimate for protein content and nutrition in 12 species; secondary chemistry in 5 species) in greenhouses. For pollen nutrition, only buckwheat significantly responded to eCO2, with %N increasing in eCO2; CO2 treatment did not affect pollen amino acid composition but altered secondary metabolites in buckwheat and sunflower. Plant growth under eCO2 exhibited two trends across species: plant height was taller in 44% of species and flower number was affected for 63% of species (3 species with fewer and 2 species with more flowers). The remaining growth metrics (leaf number, above-ground biomass, flower size, and flowering initiation) showed divergent, species-specific responses, if any. Our results indicate that future eCO2 is unlikely to uniformly change pollen chemistry or plant growth across flowering species but may have the potential to alter ecological interactions, or have particularly important effects on specialized pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia M Bernauer
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - Anupreksha Jain
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Benjamin de Bivort
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - N Michele Holbrook
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Samuel S Myers
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Lewis H Ziska
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168Th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - James D Crall
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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15
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Balvino‐Olvera FJ, Olivares‐Pinto U, González‐Rodríguez A, Aguilar‐Aguilar MJ, Ruiz‐Guzmán G, Lobo‐Segura J, Cortés‐Flores J, Cristobal‐Perez EJ, Martén‐Rodríguez S, Patiño‐Conde V, Quesada M. Effects of floral resources on honey bee populations in Mexico: Using dietary metabarcoding to examine landscape quality in agroecosystems. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11456. [PMID: 38895569 PMCID: PMC11183941 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The decline of honey bee populations significantly impacts the human food supply due to poor pollination and yield decreases of essential crop species. Given the reduction of pollinators, research into critical landscape components, such as floral resource availability and land use change, might provide valuable information about the nutritional status and health of honey bee colonies. To address this issue, we examine the effects of landscape factors like agricultural area, urban area, and climatic factors, including maximum temperature, minimum temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation, on honey bee hive populations and nutritional health of 326 honey bee colonies across varying landscapes in Mexico. DNA metabarcoding facilitated the precise identification of pollen from 267 plant species, encompassing 243 genera and 80 families, revealing a primary herb-based diet. Areas characterized by high landscape diversity exhibited greater pollen diversity within the colony. Conversely, colonies situated in regions with higher proportions of agricultural and urban landscapes demonstrated lower bee density. The maximum ambient temperature outside hives positively correlated with pollen diversity, aligning with a simultaneous decrease in bee density. Conversely, higher relative humidity positively influenced both the bee density of the colony and the diversity of foraged pollen. Our national-level study investigated pollen dietary availability and colony size in different habitat types, latitudes, climatic conditions, and varied levels and types of disturbances. This effort was taken to gain a better insight into the mechanisms driving declines in honey bee populations. This study illustrates the need for more biodiverse agricultural landscapes, the preservation of diverse habitats, and the conservation of natural and semi-natural spaces. These measures can help to improve the habitat quality of other bee species, as well as restore essential ecosystem processes, such as pollination and pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J. Balvino‐Olvera
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Edificio D, 1° Piso, Circuito de PosgradosCiudad UniversitariaCDMXMexico
| | - Ulises Olivares‐Pinto
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad JuriquillaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoJuriquillaQuerétaroMexico
| | - Antonio González‐Rodríguez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y SustentabilidadUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - María J. Aguilar‐Aguilar
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Gloria Ruiz‐Guzmán
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Jorge Lobo‐Segura
- Escuela de BiologíaUniversidad de Costa RicaSan PedroCosta Rica
- Laboratorio Binacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela de BiologíaUniversidad de Costa RicaSan PedroCosta Rica
| | - Jorge Cortés‐Flores
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Jardín Botánico, Instituto de Biología, Sede TlaxcalaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoSanta Cruz TlaxcalaMexico
| | - E. Jacob Cristobal‐Perez
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Laboratorio Binacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela de BiologíaUniversidad de Costa RicaSan PedroCosta Rica
| | - Silvana Martén‐Rodríguez
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Violeta Patiño‐Conde
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Mauricio Quesada
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y SustentabilidadUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Laboratorio Binacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela de BiologíaUniversidad de Costa RicaSan PedroCosta Rica
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16
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Jobart B, Delatte H, Lebreton G, Cazanove N, Esnault O, Clémencet J, Blot N. Parasite and virus dynamics in the honeybee Apis mellifera unicolor on a tropical island recently invaded by Varroa destructor. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 204:108125. [PMID: 38705353 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108125] [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: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
In La Réunion, the established honeybee subspecies Apis mellifera unicolor, an endemic subspecies of African lineage, is facing considerable challenges. Since the introduction of the Varroa destructor mite in 2017 high colony losses have been recorded. We investigated the dynamics of V. destructor and two viruses, the Deformed Wing Virus (DWV), known to be transmitted by the mite, and the Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV), in A. m. unicolor. Colonies from two apiaries located at 300 and 900 m a.s.l were monitored twice for one year without any acaricide treatment. The brood area, V. destructor infestation rates, DWV and CBPV prevalence and load were recorded monthly. A. m. unicolor maintained brood rearing throughout the year. Varroa destructor infestation resulted in high colony mortality (up to 85 %) and high phoretic mite rates (up to 52 mites per hundred bees). The establishment of DWV in colonies occurred after that of V. destructor and the mite infestation rate had a significant effect on the virus prevalence and load. CBPV appeared only transiently throughout the surveys. The data showed that, in tropical colonies with permanent brood rearing, V. destructor and DWV can reach high levels, but are still subject to seasonal variations that appear to be influenced by environmental conditions. This suggests that beekeeping practices could be adapted by favouring sites and periods for transhumance or acaricide treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Jobart
- CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, F-97410 Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France; Université de La Réunion, UMR PVBMT, F-97400 Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
| | - Hélène Delatte
- CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, F-97410 Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France
| | | | | | - Olivier Esnault
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PVBMT, F-97400 Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
| | - Johanna Clémencet
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PVBMT, F-97400 Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
| | - Nicolas Blot
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Laboratoire "Microorganismes: Génome Et Environnement, Clermont-Ferrand, France; UMR PVBMT, F-97410 Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France.
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17
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Bryś MS, Strachecka A. The Key Role of Amino Acids in Pollen Quality and Honey Bee Physiology-A Review. Molecules 2024; 29:2605. [PMID: 38893480 PMCID: PMC11173770 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
When studying honey bee nutrition, it is important to pay attention not only to the quantity but also to the quality of pollen for floral visitors. The recommended way to determine the value of pollen is to determine both the protein concentration and the amino acid composition in the insect's hemolymph. In addition, the composition of pollen also includes lipids, sterols and biogenic elements such as carbon, nitrogen, etc. Very high protein concentration is observed in aloe pollen, averaging 51%. Plants with a high protein content, at the level of 27% in Europe, are rapeseed and phacelia. In turn, a plant that is poor in protein (at the level of 11%) is buckwheat. The aforementioned plants are sown over very large areas. Vast acreages in Central and Eastern Europe are occupied by pollen- and nectar-providing invasive plants, such as goldenrod. Therefore, bees are forced to use one food source-a mono diet-which results in their malnutrition. In the absence of natural pollen, beekeepers use other foods for bees; including soy protein, powdered milk, egg yolks, fish meal, etc. However, the colony is the strongest when bees are fed with pollen, as opposed to artificial protein diets. More research is needed on the relationship between bee pollen composition and nutrition, as measured by protein concentration and amino acid composition in apian hemolymph, colony strength, honey yield and good overwintering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Sylwester Bryś
- Department of Invertebrate Ecophysiology and Experimental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Doświadczalna 50a, 20-280 Lublin, Poland;
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18
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Zufriategui C, Porrini MP, Eguaras MJ, Garrido PM. Detrimental effects of amitraz exposure in honey bees (Apis mellifera) infected with Nosema ceranae. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:204. [PMID: 38709330 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08225-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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been growing concern on the potential weakening of honey bees and their increased susceptibility to pathogens due to chronic exposure to xenobiotics. The present work aimed to study the effects on bees undergoing an infection by Nosema ceranae and being exposed to a frequently used in-hive acaricide, amitraz. To achieve this, newly emerged bees were individually infected with N. ceranae spores and/or received a sublethal concentration of amitraz in their diets under laboratory conditions. Mortality, food intake, total volume excrement, body appearance, and parasite development were registered. Bees exposed to both stressors jointly had higher mortality rates compared to bees exposed separately, with no difference in the parasite development. An increase in sugar syrup consumption was observed for all treated bees while infected bees fed with amitraz also showed a diminishment in pollen intake. These results coupled with an increase in the total number of excretion events, alterations in behavior and body surface on individuals that received amitraz could evidence the detrimental action of this molecule. To corroborate these findings under semi-field conditions, worker bees were artificially infected, marked, and released into colonies. Then, they were exposed to a commercial amitraz-based product by contact. The recovered bees showed no differences in the parasite development due to amitraz exposure. This study provides evidence to which extent a honey bee infected with N. ceranae could potentially be weakened by chronic exposure to amitraz treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Zufriategui
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM)-CONICET-UNMdP; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata-CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Martín Pablo Porrini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM)-CONICET-UNMdP; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata-CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Martín Javier Eguaras
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM)-CONICET-UNMdP; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata-CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Paula Melisa Garrido
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM)-CONICET-UNMdP; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata-CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
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Harris C, Balfour NJ, Ratnieks FLW. Floral resource wastage: Most nectar produced by the mass-flowering crop oilseed rape ( Brassica napus) is uncollected by flower-visiting insects. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11453. [PMID: 38774143 PMCID: PMC11106685 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cultivation of the mass-flowering crop oilseed rape (OSR), Brassica napus, can provide insects with super-abundant nectar and pollen while in bloom. Several authors have suggested breeding cultivars to produce more abundant nectar and pollen to help mitigate insect decline. However, in Britain most, 95%, OSR blooms in spring (March-May), which has been suggested to be a period of nectar surplus and reduced exploitative competition. Therefore, a large proportion of floral resources produced by OSR during this period may be uncollected. Although there has been extensive work examining OSR nectar and pollen production, no study, to our knowledge, has measured this in relation to the demand by the flower-visiting insects. Here we quantified the percentage of nectar produced by spring blooming OSR which was uncollected in four OSR fields per year over 2 years. This was achieved by measuring the nectar in both insect accessible and inaccessible (i.e. mesh-covered) flowers. We also quantified uncollected pollen in flowers at the beginning and the end of anthesis using a haemocytometer. Most of the nectar (69%) and a fifth of pollen (19%) was uncollected in spring blooming OSR. Based on the estimates of nectar production and observed number of insects, nectar supply per insect was estimated at 2204 μL nectar insect-1 h-1, which exceeds potential collection rates by flower-visiting insects. Given the majority of B. napus is spring blooming, breeding cultivars of OSR which produce more nectar, while not being detrimental to flower-visiting insects, may be of little conservation benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciaran Harris
- Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects (LASI), School of Life SciencesUniversity of SussexBrightonUK
| | - Nicholas J. Balfour
- Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects (LASI), School of Life SciencesUniversity of SussexBrightonUK
| | - Francis L. W. Ratnieks
- Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects (LASI), School of Life SciencesUniversity of SussexBrightonUK
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20
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Pavlović R, Brodschneider R, Goessler W, Stanisavljević L, Vujčić Z, Zarić NM. Micronutrient Deficiency May Be Associated with the Onset of Chalkbrood Disease in Honey Bees. INSECTS 2024; 15:269. [PMID: 38667399 PMCID: PMC11050715 DOI: 10.3390/insects15040269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Chalkbrood is a disease of honey bee brood caused by the fungal parasite Ascosphaera apis. Many factors such as genetics, temperature, humidity and nutrition influence the appearance of clinical symptoms. Poor nutrition impairs the immune system, which favors the manifestation of symptoms of many honey bee diseases. However, a direct link between dietary ingredients and the symptoms of chalkbrood disease has not yet been established. We show here that the elemental composition of chalkbrood mummies and healthy larvae from the same infected hives differ, as well as that mummies differ from larvae from healthy hives. Chalkbrood mummies had the highest concentration of macroelements such as Na, Mg, P, S, K and Ca and some microelements such as Rb and Sn, and at the same time the lowest concentration of B, As, Sr, Ag, Cd, Sb, Ba and Pb. Larvae from infected hives contained less Pb, Ba, Cs, Sb, Cd, Sr, As, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr, V and Al in contrast to healthy larvae from a disease-free apiary. This is the first study to demonstrate such differences, suggesting that an infection alters the larval nutrition or that nutrition is a predisposition for the outbreak of a chalkbrood infection. Though, based on results obtained from a case study, rather than from a controlled experiment, our findings stress the differences in elements of healthy versus diseased honey bee larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratko Pavlović
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (R.P.); (Z.V.)
| | - Robert Brodschneider
- Department of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Walter Goessler
- Analytical Chemistry for Health and Environment, Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 1, 8010 Graz, Austria;
| | - Ljubiša Stanisavljević
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Zoran Vujčić
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (R.P.); (Z.V.)
| | - Nenad M. Zarić
- Analytical Chemistry for Health and Environment, Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 1, 8010 Graz, Austria;
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
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21
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da Silva RNA, Magalhães-Guedes KT, de Oliveira Alves RM, Souza AC, Schwan RF, Umsza-Guez MA. Yeast Diversity in Honey and Pollen Samples from Stingless Bees in the State of Bahia, Brazil: Use of the MALDI-TOF MS/Genbank Proteomic Technique. Microorganisms 2024; 12:678. [PMID: 38674622 PMCID: PMC11052259 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The identification of microorganisms includes traditional biochemical methods, molecular biology methods evaluating the conserved regions of rRNA, and the molecular biology of proteins (proteomics), such as MALDI-TOF MS mass spectrometry. This work aimed to identify the biodiversity of yeasts associated with stingless bee species' honey and pollen, Melipona scutellaris, Nannotrigona testaceicornes, and Tetragonisca angustula, from the region of São Gonçalo dos Campos-Bahia (BA) state, Brazil. (2) Methods: Cellular proteins were extracted from 2837 microbial isolates (pollen and honey) and identified via MALDI-TOF MS. The identified yeast species were also compared to the mass spectra of taxonomically well-characterized reference strains, available from the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. (3) Results: Nine yeast species were identified: Candida maltosa, Candida norvegica, Kazachstania telluris, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Scheffersomyces insectosus, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Kazachstania exigua, and Starmerella lactis-condensi. Nannotrigona testaceicornes pollen had the highest number of yeast colonies. The yeasts Brettanomyces bruxellensis and Kazachstania telluris showed high populations in the samples of Nannotrigona testaceicornes and Melipona scutellaris, respectively. This work shows that there is some sharing of the same species of yeast between honey and pollen from the same beehive. (4) Conclusions: A total of 71.84% of the identified species present a high level of confidence at the species level. Eight yeast species (Candida maltosa, Candida norvegica, Kazachstania telluris, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Scheffersomyces insectosus, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Kazachstania exigua, and Starmerella lactis-condensi) were found for the first time in the samples that the authors inspected. This contributes to the construction of new knowledge about the diversity of yeasts associated with stingless bee products, as well as to the possibility of the biotechnological application of some yeast species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Angélica Cristina Souza
- Department of Biology, Microbiology Sector, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras 37200-900, Brazil; (A.C.S.); (R.F.S.)
| | - Rosane Freitas Schwan
- Department of Biology, Microbiology Sector, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras 37200-900, Brazil; (A.C.S.); (R.F.S.)
| | - Marcelo Andrés Umsza-Guez
- Food Science Postgraduate Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40170-100, Brazil;
- Biotechnology Department, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40110-902, Brazil
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22
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Güneşdoğdu M, Sarıoğlu-Bozkurt A, Şekeroğlu A, Abacı SH. Changes in Vitellogenin, Abdominal Lipid Content, and Hypopharyngeal Gland Development in Honey Bees Fed Diets with Different Protein Sources. INSECTS 2024; 15:215. [PMID: 38667345 PMCID: PMC11050231 DOI: 10.3390/insects15040215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Honey bees play an important role in the pollination of flowering plants. When honey bee colonies are deficient in pollen, one of their main nutrients, protein supplements are required. In this study, the effects of diets with six different protein sources on the physiological characteristics of worker bees (vitellogenin (Vg), abdominal lipid content (ALC), hypopharyngeal gland (HPG)) and consumption were investigated. The protein sources of the diets (diet I, …, diet VI) included pollen, spirulina dust (Arthrospira platensis Gomont), fresh egg yolk, lyophilized lactose-free skimmed milk powder, active fresh yeast, and ApiProtein. It was identified that consumption by worker bees was highest in the diet group supplemented with spirulina (diet II). Although there was no statistical difference regarding the Vg content in the hemolymph, numerically, the highest content was found in diet group IV (lyophilized lactose-free skimmed milk powder) (4.73 ± 0.03 ng/mL). ALC and HPG were highest in the group fed diet II. These results suggest that offering honey bees diets with certain protein sources can support their physiological traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Güneşdoğdu
- Department of Animal Production and Technologies, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Muş Alparslan University, 49250 Muş, Türkiye
| | - Aybike Sarıoğlu-Bozkurt
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Veterinary Medicine, Bursa Uludag University, 16059 Bursa, Türkiye;
| | - Ahmet Şekeroğlu
- Department of Animal Production and Technologies, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, 51240 Niğde, Türkiye;
| | - Samet Hasan Abacı
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ondokuz Mayıs University, 55139 Samsun, Türkiye;
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23
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Feng HH, Lv XW, Yang XC, Huang SQ. High toxin concentration in pollen may deter collection by bees in butterfly-pollinated Rhododendron molle. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024:mcae047. [PMID: 38507570 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcae047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS The hypothesis that plants evolve features that protect accessible pollen from consumption by flower visitors remains poorly understood. METHODS To explore potential chemical defenses against pollen consumption, we examined the pollinator assemblage, foraging behaviour, visitation frequency and pollen transfer efficiency in Rhododendron molle, a highly toxic shrub containing Rhodojaponin III. Nutrient (protein and lipid) and toxic components in pollen and other tissues were measured. KEY RESULTS Overall in the five populations, floral visits by butterflies and bumblebees were relatively more frequent than visits by honeybees. All foraged for nectar but not pollen. Butterflies did not differ from bumblebees in the amount of pollen removed per visit, but deposited more pollen per visit. Pollination experiments indicated that R. molle was self-compatible, but both fruit and seed production were pollen limited. Our analysis indicated that the pollen was not protein-poor and had a higher concentration of the toxic compound Rhodojaponin III than petals and leaves, which compound was undetectable in nectar. CONCLUSION Pollen toxicity in Rhododendron flowers may discourage pollen robbers (bees) from taking the freely accessible pollen grains, while the toxin-free nectar rewards effective pollinators, promoting pollen transfer. This preliminary study supports the hypothesis that chemical defense in pollen would be likely to evolve in species without physical protection from pollinivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Hui Feng
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Xiao-Wen Lv
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Xiao-Chen Yang
- College of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, Hunan Province, China
| | - Shuang-Quan Huang
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
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24
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Conradie TA, Lawson K, Allsopp M, Jacobs K. Exploring the impact of fungicide exposure and nutritional stress on the microbiota and immune response of the Cape honey bee (Apis mellifera capensis). Microbiol Res 2024; 280:127587. [PMID: 38142516 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127587] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Honey bees (Apis mellifera) harbour a stable core microbial community within their gut, that is suggested to play a role in metabolic functioning, immune regulation, and host homeostasis. This microbiota presents a unique opportunity to observe the effects of stressors on honey bee health. We examined the effects of two common honey bee stressors: indirect fungicide contamination and nutrient limitation. These effects were observed through changes in their hind- and midgut microbiota using Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (ARISA), alongside high-throughput amplicon sequencing. Expression of the honey bees' immune response was examined through the expression of three immune-related genes, namely, immune deficiency (imd), proPhenolOxidase (proPO), and spaetzle (spz). Additionally, longevity of the honey bees was monitored through observation of the expression levels of Vitellogenin (Vg). Both treatment groups were compared to a negative control, and a diseased positive control. There was no effect on the hindgut microbiota due to the stressors, while significant changes in the midgut was observed. This was also observed in the expression of the immune-related genes within the treatment groups. The Imd pathway was substantially downregulated, with upregulation in the prophenoloxidase pathway. However, no significant effect was observed in the expression of spz, and only the pollen treatment group showed reduced longevity through a downregulation of Vg. Overall, the effect of these two common stressors indicate a compromise in honey bee immunity, and potential vulnerabilities within the immune defence mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tersia A Conradie
- Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Kayla Lawson
- Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Mike Allsopp
- Agricultural Research Council - Plant, Health & Protection, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Karin Jacobs
- Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.
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25
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Schwarz JM, Knauer AC, Alaux C, Barascou L, Barraud A, Dievart V, Ghazoul J, Michez D, Albrecht M. Diverse pollen nutrition can improve the development of solitary bees but does not mitigate negative pesticide impacts. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169494. [PMID: 38142004 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Floral resource loss and pesticide exposure are major threats to bees in intensively managed agroecosystems, but interactions among these drivers remain poorly understood. Altered composition and lowered diversity of pollen nutrition may reinforce negative pesticide impacts on bees. Here we investigated the development and survival of the solitary bee Osmia bicornis provisioned with three different pollen types, as well as a mixture of these types representing a higher pollen diversity. We exposed bees of each nutritional treatment to five pesticides at different concentrations in the laboratory. Two field-realistic concentrations of three nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) modulating insecticides (thiacloprid, sulfoxaflor and flupyradifurone), as well as of two fungicides (azoxystrobin and tebuconazole) were examined. We further measured the expression of two detoxification genes (CYP9BU1, CYP9BU2) under exposure to thiacloprid across different nutrition treatments as a potential mechanistic pathway driving pesticide-nutrition interactions. We found that more diverse pollen nutrition reduced development time, enhanced pollen efficacy (cocoon weight divided by consumed pollen weight) and pollen consumption, and increased weight of O. bicornis after larval development (cocoon weight). Contrary to fungicides, high field-realistic concentrations of all three insecticides negatively affected O. bicornis by extending development times. Moreover, sulfoxaflor and flupyradifurone also reduced pollen efficacy and cocoon weight, and sulfoxaflor reduced pollen consumption and increased mortality. The expression of detoxification genes differed across pollen nutrition types, but was not enhanced after exposure to thiacloprid. Our findings highlight that lowered diversity of pollen nutrition and high field-realistic exposure to nAChR modulating insecticides negatively affected the development of O. bicornis, but we found no mitigation of negative pesticide impacts through increased pollen diversity. These results have important implications for risk assessment for bee pollinators, indicating that negative effects of nAChR modulating insecticides to developing solitary bees are currently underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine M Schwarz
- Agroscope, Agroecology and Environment, Zurich, Switzerland; ETH Zurich, Institute for Terrestrial Ecosystems, Ecosystem Management, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Anina C Knauer
- Agroscope, Agroecology and Environment, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Cedric Alaux
- INRAE, Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France
| | | | - Alexandre Barraud
- Research Institute for Biosciences, Laboratory of Zoology, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | | | - Jaboury Ghazoul
- ETH Zurich, Institute for Terrestrial Ecosystems, Ecosystem Management, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Denis Michez
- Research Institute for Biosciences, Laboratory of Zoology, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
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26
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Inês da Silva C, Victorino Nicolosi Arena M, Cristina Mathias da Silva E, Roberto Martines M, Malaspina O, Chiovatto G, de Melo Nascimento JE, Tadei R, Hartung Toppa R. Landscape and land use affect composition and nutritional values of bees' food. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 352:120031. [PMID: 38232587 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Bees are primary pollinators across various terrestrial biomes and rely heavily on floral resources for sustenance. The composition of landscapes can influence bee foraging behavior, while human activities can directly affect both the composition and nutritional value of bee food. We aimed to assess how landscape structure and land use practices can impact the composition and nutritional value of food sources for two generalist social bee species, Apis mellifera and Scaptotrigona postica. Food samples were collected from twenty-five colonies of A. mellifera and thirteen of S. postica to examine how food composition and nutritional value may vary based on the extent of human land use and the composition of landscapes surrounding beekeeping sites. The pollen composition and nutritional value of A. mellifera were influenced by both land use practices and landscape heterogeneity. The number of patches determined total sugar and lipid content. Landscape heterogeneity affected pollen composition in S. postica, primarily due to the number of patches, while total sugar was affected by landscape diversity. Pollen nutritional value in S. postica was linked to land use, mainly meadow and vegetation, which influenced total sugar and dry matter. S. postica showed a higher sensitivity to land use changes compared to A. mellifera, which was more affected by landscape heterogeneity. Assuring landscape heterogeneity by preserving remaining forest patches around apiaries and meliponaries is crucial. Thoughtful land use planning is essential to support beekeeping activities and ensure an adequate quantity and quality of bee food resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Inês da Silva
- Campus de Pesquisa do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Prédio Paulo Cavalcante, Sala 1, Avenida Perimetral, Nº 1901, Bairro Terra Firme, Cep: 66.077-530, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
| | - Mariana Victorino Nicolosi Arena
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Ecologia, Rua do Matão, 321, Travessa 14, Cidade Universitária, 05508-900, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Elaine Cristina Mathias da Silva
- Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Campus de Sorocaba, Centro de Ciências Humanas e Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia, Rodovia João Leme dos Santos, SP-264) Km 110, Itinga, 18052780, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Marcos Roberto Martines
- Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Campus de Sorocaba, Centro de Ciências Humanas e Biológicas, Departamento de Geografia, Turismo e Humanidades, Rodovia João Leme dos Santos Km 110, Itinga, 18052780, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Osmar Malaspina
- Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Campus de Rio Claro, Instituto de Biociências, Avenida 24-A, 1515, Bela Vista, 13506-900, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Giovani Chiovatto
- Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Campus de Rio Claro, Instituto de Biociências, Avenida 24-A, 1515, Bela Vista, 13506-900, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | | | - Rafaela Tadei
- Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Campus de Rio Claro, Instituto de Biociências, Avenida 24-A, 1515, Bela Vista, 13506-900, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Rogério Hartung Toppa
- Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Campus de Sorocaba, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias para a Sustentabilidade, Departamento de Ciências Ambientais, Rodovia João Leme dos Santos, SP-264) Km 110, Itinga, 18052780, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
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27
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Garrido PM, Porrini MP, Alberoni D, Baffoni L, Scott D, Mifsud D, Eguaras MJ, Di Gioia D. Beneficial Bacteria and Plant Extracts Promote Honey Bee Health and Reduce Nosema ceranae Infection. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2024; 16:259-274. [PMID: 36637793 PMCID: PMC10850026 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-022-10025-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The research aims to give new insights on the effect of administering selected bacterial strains, isolated from honey bee gut, and/or a commercial plant extract blend (HiveAlive®) on Nosema ceranae. Analyses were first performed under laboratory conditions such as different infective doses of N. ceranae, the effect of single strains and their mixture and the influence of pollen administration. Daily survival and feed consumption rate were recorded and pathogen development was analysed using qPCR and microscope counts. Biomarkers of immunity and physiological status were also evaluated for the different treatments tested using one bacterial strain, a mixture of all the bacteria and/or a plant extract blend as treatments. The results showed an increase of abaecin transcript levels in the midgut of the honey bees treated with the bacterial mixture and an increased expression of the protein vitellogenin in the haemolymph of honey bees treated with two separate bacterial strains (Bifidobacterium coryneforme and Apilactobacillus kunkeei). A significant effectiveness in reducing N. ceranae was shown by the bacterial mixture and the plant extract blend regardless of the composition of the diet. This bioactivity was seasonally linked. Quantitative PCR and microscope counts showed the reduction of N. ceranae under different experimental conditions. The antiparasitic efficacy of the treatments at field conditions was studied using a semi-field approach which was adapted from research on insecticides for the first time, to analyse antiparasitic activity against N. ceranae. The approach proved to be reliable and effective in validating data obtained in the laboratory. Both the mixture of beneficial bacteria and its association with Hive Alive® are effective in controlling the natural infection of N. ceranae in honey bee colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Melisa Garrido
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), CONICET, UNMdP, Centro Asoc. Simple CIC PBA, Funes 3350, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, 7600, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), FCEyN, UNMdP, Funes 3350, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, 7600, Argentina
| | - Martín Pablo Porrini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), CONICET, UNMdP, Centro Asoc. Simple CIC PBA, Funes 3350, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, 7600, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), FCEyN, UNMdP, Funes 3350, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, 7600, Argentina
| | - Daniele Alberoni
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, Bologna, 40127, Italy.
| | - Loredana Baffoni
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, Bologna, 40127, Italy
| | - Dara Scott
- ADVANCE SCIENCE Ltd, Knocknacarra Rd, Galway, H91 XV84, Ireland
| | - David Mifsud
- Institute of Earth Systems, L-Università ta' Malta, University Ring Rd, Msida, MSD2080, Malta
| | - Matín Javier Eguaras
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), CONICET, UNMdP, Centro Asoc. Simple CIC PBA, Funes 3350, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, 7600, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), FCEyN, UNMdP, Funes 3350, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, 7600, Argentina
| | - Diana Di Gioia
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, Bologna, 40127, Italy
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28
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Lajad R, Arenas A. Honey bee colonies change their foraging decisions after in-hive experiences with unsuitable pollen. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246233. [PMID: 38044836 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246233] [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: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Pollen is the protein resource for Apis mellifera and its selection affects colony development and productivity. Honey bee foragers mainly lose their capacity to digest pollen, so we expect that those pollen constituents that can only be evaluated after ingestion will not influence their initial foraging preferences at food sources. We predicted that pollen composition may be evaluated in a delayed manner within the nest, for example, through the effects that the pollen causes on the colony according to its suitability after being used by in-hive bees. To address whether pollen foraging is mediated by in-hive experiences, we conducted dual-choice experiments to test the avoidance of pollen adulterated with amygdalin, a deterrent that causes post-ingestion malaise. In addition, we recorded pollen selection in colonies foraging in the field after being supplied or not with amygdalin-adulterated pollen from one of the dominant flowering plants (Diplotaxis tenuifolia). Dual-choice experiments revealed that foragers did not avoid adulterated pollens at the foraging site; however, they avoided pollen that had been offered adulterated within the nest on the previous days. In field experiments, pollen samples from colonies supplied with amygdalin-adulterated pollen were more diverse than controls, suggesting that pollen foraging was biased towards novel sources. Our findings support the hypothesis that pollen assessment relies on in-hive experiences mediated by pollen that causes post-ingestive malaise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Lajad
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrés Arenas
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Favaro R, Garrido PM, Bruno D, Braglia C, Alberoni D, Baffoni L, Tettamanti G, Porrini MP, Di Gioia D, Angeli S. Combined effect of a neonicotinoid insecticide and a fungicide on honeybee gut epithelium and microbiota, adult survival, colony strength and foraging preferences. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167277. [PMID: 37741399 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Fungicides, insecticides and herbicides are widely used in agriculture to counteract pathogens and pests. Several of these molecules are toxic to non-target organisms such as pollinators and their lethal dose can be lowered if applied as a mixture. They can cause large and unpredictable problems, spanning from behavioural changes to alterations in the gut. The present work aimed at understanding the synergistic effects on honeybees of a combined in-hive exposure to sub-lethal doses of the insecticide thiacloprid and the fungicide penconazole. A multidisciplinary approach was used: honeybee mortality upon exposure was initially tested in cage, and the colonies development monitored. Morphological and ultrastructural analyses via light and transmission electron microscopy were carried out on the gut of larvae and forager honeybees. Moreover, the main pollen foraging sources and the fungal gut microbiota were studied using Next Generation Sequencing; the gut core bacterial taxa were quantified via qPCR. The mortality test showed a negative effect on honeybee survival when exposed to agrochemicals and their mixture in cage but not confirmed at colony level. Microscopy analyses on the gut epithelium indicated no appreciable morphological changes in larvae, newly emerged and forager honeybees exposed in field to the agrochemicals. Nevertheless, the gut microbial profile showed a reduction of Bombilactobacillus and an increase of Lactobacillus and total fungi upon mixture application. Finally, we highlighted for the first time a significant honeybee diet change after pesticide exposure: penconazole, alone or in mixture, significantly altered the pollen foraging preference, with honeybees preferring Hedera pollen. Overall, our in-hive results showed no severe effects upon administration of sublethal doses of thiacloprid and penconazole but indicate a change in honeybees foraging preference. A possible explanation can be that the different nutritional profile of the pollen may offer better recovery chances to honeybees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Favaro
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Paula Melisa Garrido
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Daniele Bruno
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Chiara Braglia
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Daniele Alberoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Loredana Baffoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Gianluca Tettamanti
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy; Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-environmental Technology (BAT Center), University of Napoli Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Martin Pablo Porrini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Diana Di Gioia
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sergio Angeli
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
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MacInnis CI, Luong LT, Pernal SF. A tale of two parasites: Responses of honey bees infected with Nosema ceranae and Lotmaria passim. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22515. [PMID: 38110440 PMCID: PMC10728187 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49189-9] [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: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Nosema ceranae and Lotmaria passim are two commonly encountered digestive tract parasites of the honey bee that have been associated with colony losses in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Though honey bees can be co-infected with these parasites, we still lack basic information regarding how they impact bee health at the individual and colony level. Using locally-isolated parasite strains, we investigated the effect of single and co-infections of these parasites on individual honey bee survival, and their responsiveness to sucrose. Results showed that a single N. ceranae infection is more virulent than both single L. passim infections and co-infections. Honey bees singly infected with N. ceranae reached < 50% survival eight days earlier than those inoculated with L. passim alone, and four days earlier than those inoculated with both parasites. Honey bees infected with either one, or both, parasites had increased responsiveness to sucrose compared to uninfected bees, which could correspond to higher levels of hunger and increased energetic stress. Together, these findings suggest that N. ceranae and L. passim pose threats to bee health, and that the beekeeping industry should monitor for both parasites in an effort correlate pathogen status with changes in colony-level productivity and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney I MacInnis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada.
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Beaverlodge Research Farm, P.O. Box 29, Beaverlodge, AB, T0H 0C0, Canada.
| | - Lien T Luong
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Stephen F Pernal
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Beaverlodge Research Farm, P.O. Box 29, Beaverlodge, AB, T0H 0C0, Canada.
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Bava R, Castagna F, Lupia C, Ruga S, Musella V, Conforti F, Marrelli M, Argentieri MP, Britti D, Statti G, Palma E. Chemical Profile of Essential Oils of Selected Lamiaceae Plants and In Vitro Activity for Varroosis Control in Honeybees (Apis mellifera). Vet Sci 2023; 10:701. [PMID: 38133253 PMCID: PMC10747025 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10120701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The most significant ectoparasitic mite of honeybees, Varroa destructor, has a detrimental effect on bee health and honey output. The principal strategy used by the control programs is the application of synthetic acaricides. All of this has resulted in drug resistance, which is now a major worry for beekeeping. As a result, research on alternate products and techniques for mite management is now required. The aim of this study was to determine whether essential oils (EOs) extracted from botanical species of Lamiacae, typical of the Calabria region of Southern Italy, could reduce the population of the mite V. destructor. Among the best-known genera of the Lamiaceae family are oregano, rosemary and thyme, whose EOs were employed in this study. By steam distillation, the EOs were extracted from Origanum vulgare subsp. viridulum (Martrin-Donos) Nyman, Thymus capitatus Hoffmanns. and Link, Thymus longicaulis C.Presl and Salvia rosmarinus Schleid. plant species harvested directly on the Calabrian territory in their balsamic time. Each EO went to the test in vitro (contact toxicity) against V. destructor. Fifty adult female mites, five for each EO and the positive and negative control, were used in each experimental replicate. The positive controls comprised five individuals treated to Amitraz dilute in acetone, and the negative controls included five individuals exposed to acetone alone. To create the working solution to be tested (50 μL/tube), the EOs were diluted (0.5 mg/mL, 1 mg/mL, 2 mg/mL and 4 mg/mL) in HPLC-grade acetone. After 1 h of exposure, mite mortality was manually assessed. Origanum vulgare subsp. viridulum, Thymus capitatus and Thymus longicaulis were the EOs with the highest levels of efficiency at 2 mg/mL, neutralizing (dead + inactivated), 94%, 92% and 94% of parasites, respectively. Salvia rosmarinus EO gave a lower efficacy, resulting in a percentage of 38%. Interestingly, no adverse effects were highlighted in toxicity tests on honeybees. These results show that these OEs of the Lamiaceae family have antiparasitic action on V. destructor. Therefore, they could be used, individually or combined, to exploit the synergistic effect for a more sustainable control of this parasite mite in honeybee farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Bava
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Græcia, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (R.B.); (C.L.); (S.R.); (V.M.); (D.B.); (E.P.)
| | - Fabio Castagna
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Græcia, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (R.B.); (C.L.); (S.R.); (V.M.); (D.B.); (E.P.)
- Mediterranean Ethnobotanical Conservatory, 88054 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Carmine Lupia
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Græcia, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (R.B.); (C.L.); (S.R.); (V.M.); (D.B.); (E.P.)
- Mediterranean Ethnobotanical Conservatory, 88054 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Stefano Ruga
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Græcia, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (R.B.); (C.L.); (S.R.); (V.M.); (D.B.); (E.P.)
| | - Vincenzo Musella
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Græcia, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (R.B.); (C.L.); (S.R.); (V.M.); (D.B.); (E.P.)
| | - Filomena Conforti
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Cosenza, Italy; (F.C.); (M.M.); (G.S.)
| | - Mariangela Marrelli
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Cosenza, Italy; (F.C.); (M.M.); (G.S.)
| | - Maria Pia Argentieri
- Department of Pharmacy-Drug Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, Italy;
| | - Domenico Britti
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Græcia, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (R.B.); (C.L.); (S.R.); (V.M.); (D.B.); (E.P.)
| | - Giancarlo Statti
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Cosenza, Italy; (F.C.); (M.M.); (G.S.)
| | - Ernesto Palma
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro Magna Græcia, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (R.B.); (C.L.); (S.R.); (V.M.); (D.B.); (E.P.)
- Department of Health Sciences, Institute of Research for Food Safety & Health (IRC-FISH), University of Catanzaro Magna Græcia, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
- Nutramed S.c.a.r.l., Complesso Ninì Barbieri, 88021 Catanzaro, Italy
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Schmarsow R, Moliné MDLP, Damiani N, Domínguez E, Medici SK, Churio MS, Gende LB. Toxicity and sublethal effects of lead (Pb) intake on honey bees (Apis mellifera). CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 344:140345. [PMID: 37793549 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metal pollution is becoming a worldwide problem affecting pollinators. The massive use of lead (Pb), the most harmful metal for the biosphere, in industries has increased the risk for honey bees. Pb exerts toxicity on living organisms inducing mainly oxidative stress. We assessed the toxicity and sublethal effects of Pb ingestion on protein content, catalase (CAT) activity, fat content and fatty acid (FA) profile of honey bee workers (Apis mellifera L.) under different nutritional conditions during chronic exposure tests. The LD50 was 15.13 ± 6.11 μg Pb2+/bee, similar to other reports. A single oral sublethal dose of 15 μg of Pb2+ affected the survival of bees fed with sugary food for ten days after Pb ingestion while supplementing the diet with bee bread improved Pb tolerance. The highest protein content was found in bees fed with the sugar paste and bee bread diet without Pb. CAT activity tended to decrease in bees of Pb groups independently of diet. Fat content was not affected by the diet type received by bees or Pb ingestion, but the FAs profile varied according to the nutritional quality of the diet. The results highlight that a single sublethal dose of Pb negatively affected the body proteins of bees despite the nutritional condition but did not disturb the FAs profile of workers. Nutrition plays an important role in preventing Pb-induced toxicity in honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Schmarsow
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CCT Mar del Plata, Moreno 3527 Piso 3, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - María de la Paz Moliné
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CCT Mar del Plata, Moreno 3527 Piso 3, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM). CONICET-UNMDP. Centro de Asociación Simple Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC PBA), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Natalia Damiani
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CCT Mar del Plata, Moreno 3527 Piso 3, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM). CONICET-UNMDP. Centro de Asociación Simple Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC PBA), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
| | - Enzo Domínguez
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CCT Mar del Plata, Moreno 3527 Piso 3, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM). CONICET-UNMDP. Centro de Asociación Simple Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC PBA), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Sandra Karina Medici
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CCT Mar del Plata, Moreno 3527 Piso 3, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM). CONICET-UNMDP. Centro de Asociación Simple Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC PBA), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - María Sandra Churio
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CCT Mar del Plata, Moreno 3527 Piso 3, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Instituto de Investigaciones Físicas de Mar del Plata (IFIMAR). CONICET-UNMDP, Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Liesel Brenda Gende
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CCT Mar del Plata, Moreno 3527 Piso 3, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM). CONICET-UNMDP. Centro de Asociación Simple Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC PBA), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
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Jovanovic NM, Glavinic U, Ristanic M, Vejnovic B, Ilic T, Stevanovic J, Stanimirovic Z. Effects of Plant-Based Supplement on Oxidative Stress of Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera) Infected with Nosema ceranae. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3543. [PMID: 38003159 PMCID: PMC10668651 DOI: 10.3390/ani13223543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most important approaches in the prevention and treatment of nosemosis is the use of herbal preparations as food supplements for bees. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a plant-based supplement branded as "B+" on honeybees in a laboratory experiment. Four experimental groups were established: treated group (T), N. ceranae-infected and treated group (IT), N. ceranae-infected group (I) and non-infected group (NI). Survival, N. ceranae spore load and oxidative stress parameters together with expression levels of antioxidant enzyme genes and vitellogenin gene were monitored. The mortality in the T, IT and NI groups was significantly (p < 0.001) lower than in than in the I group. Within Nosema-infected groups, the IT group had a significantly lower (p < 0.001) number of N. ceranae spores than the I group. In addition, expression levels of genes for antioxidant enzymes were lower (p < 0.001) in the IT group compared to the I group. The concentration of malondialdehyde and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione S-transferase) were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the IT group compared to the I group. No negative effects of the tested supplement were observed. All these findings indicate that the tested supplement exerted beneficial effects manifested in better bee survival, reduced N. ceranae spore number and reduced oxidative stress of bees (lower expression of genes for antioxidant enzymes and oxidative stress parameters).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nemanja M. Jovanovic
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (N.M.J.); (T.I.)
| | - Uros Glavinic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (U.G.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
| | - Marko Ristanic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (U.G.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
| | - Branislav Vejnovic
- Department of Economics and Statistics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Tamara Ilic
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (N.M.J.); (T.I.)
| | - Jevrosima Stevanovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (U.G.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
| | - Zoran Stanimirovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (U.G.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
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Tokach R, Smart A, Wu-Smart J. Re-using food resources from failed honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies and their impact on colony queen rearing capacity. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18127. [PMID: 37872271 PMCID: PMC10593847 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44037-2] [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: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
For over a decade, beekeepers have experienced high losses of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies due to a variety of stressors including pesticide exposure. Some of these chemical stressors may residually remain in the colony comb and food resources (pollen and nectar) of failed colonies and be later re-used by beekeepers when splitting and building back new colonies. The practice of re-using comb from previously perished colonies (termed "deadout") is common in beekeeping practice, but its role in affecting colony health is not well understood. Here, we evaluate the impact of reused, pesticide-contaminated "deadout" combs on colony function during the process of replacing a queen bee. Queenless microcolonies were established to monitor queen rearing capacity in two treatment groups: (1) colonies given frames containing food resources from deadout colonies in control "clean" apiaries and, (2) colonies given frames containing "contaminated" resources from deadout colonies originating from apiaries experiencing chronic pesticide exposure from widespread systemic pesticide pollution (including neonicotinoid insecticides: clothianidin and thiamethoxam). Results indicate that colonies given pesticide-contaminated resources produced fewer queen cells per colony and had a lower proportion of colonies successfully raising a functional, diploid egg-laying queen. This research highlights the deleterious effects of re-using deadout combs from colonies previously lost due to pesticide contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rogan Tokach
- Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
| | - Autumn Smart
- Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
| | - Judy Wu-Smart
- Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA.
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Graham KK, Milbrath MO, Killewald M, Soehnlen A, Zhang Y, Isaacs R. Identity and diversity of pollens collected by two managed bee species while in blueberry fields for pollination. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 52:907-917. [PMID: 37498984 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvad072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The nutritional needs and foraging behavior of managed bees often lead to pollen collection from flowers other than the focal crop during crop pollination. To understand the pollen needs and preferences of managed bees during blueberry pollination, we identified pollen collected by Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and Bombus impatiens Cresson, 1863 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies across two years. Bumble bees collected a wider diversity of pollens compared to honey bees, whereas honey bees were more focused on abundant resources. Despite blueberries being the most abundant resource in the landscape, it was not the most collected pollen by either bee species in 2018. However, it was the most collected pollen by bumble bees in 2019 and they collected substantially more blueberry pollen than honey bees in both years. In 2018, buckthorn, Rhamnus L. (Rosales: Rhamnaceae) or Frangula Mill. (Rosales: Rhamnaceae), and willow, Salix L. (Malpighiales: Salicaceae), pollens were abundantly collected by both bee species. In 2019, cherry, Prunus L. (Rosales: Rosaceae), and willow (Salix) pollens were collected at high proportions by both species. Brambles, Rubus L. (Rosales: Rosaceae), and white clover, Trifolium repens L. (Fabales: Fabaceae), were also common pollen sources for honey bees, whereas oak, Quercus L. (Fagales: Fagaceae), was collected by bumble bees. Landscape analyses also revealed that certain land cover types were positively correlated with the collection of preferred pollen types. Herbaceous wetlands were associated with collection of buckthorn (Rhamnus/Frangula), willow (Salix), and cherry (Prunus) pollen, which were primary pollen resources for both bee species. There was no correlation between landscape diversity and pollen diversity, suggesting that colonies forage based on nutritional requirements rather than resource availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey K Graham
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 202 CIPS, 578 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Present Affiliation: U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service, Pollinating Insect - Biology, Management, Systematics Research Unit, 1410 N. 800 E., Logan, UT 84341, USA
| | - Meghan O Milbrath
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 202 CIPS, 578 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Michael Killewald
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 202 CIPS, 578 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Manitoba, 12 Dafoe Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Annuet Soehnlen
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 202 CIPS, 578 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Yajun Zhang
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 202 CIPS, 578 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Rufus Isaacs
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 202 CIPS, 578 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Leponiemi M, Freitak D, Moreno-Torres M, Pferschy-Wenzig EM, Becker-Scarpitta A, Tiusanen M, Vesterinen EJ, Wirta H. Honeybees' foraging choices for nectar and pollen revealed by DNA metabarcoding. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14753. [PMID: 37679501 PMCID: PMC10484984 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42102-4] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Honeybees are the most widespread managed pollinators of our food crops, and a crucial part of their well-being is a suitable diet. Yet, we do not know how they choose flowers to collect nectar or pollen from. Here we studied forty-three honeybee colonies in six apiaries over a summer, identifying the floral origins of honey and hive-stored pollen samples by DNA-metabarcoding. We recorded the available flowering plants and analyzed the specialized metabolites in honey. Overall, we find that honeybees use mostly the same plants for both nectar and pollen, yet per colony less than half of the plant genera are used for both nectar and pollen at a time. Across samples, on average fewer plant genera were used for pollen, but the composition was more variable among samples, suggesting higher selectivity for pollen sources. Of the available flowering plants, honeybees used only a fraction for either nectar or pollen foraging. The time of summer guided the plant choices the most, and the location impacted both the plants selected and the specialized metabolite composition in honey. Thus, honeybees are selective for both nectar and pollen, implicating a need of a wide variety of floral resources to choose an optimal diet from.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matti Leponiemi
- Institute of Biology, Karl-Franzen University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Dalial Freitak
- Institute of Biology, Karl-Franzen University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Miguel Moreno-Torres
- Institute of Environmental Systems Science, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Merangasse 18/I, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Eva-Maria Pferschy-Wenzig
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacognosy, University of Graz, Beethovenstraße 8, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Mikko Tiusanen
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 5, P.O. Box 27, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eero J Vesterinen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, Turku, Finland
| | - Helena Wirta
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 5, P.O. Box 27, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
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Pons DG, Herrera C, Torrens-Mas M, Leza M, Sastre-Serra J. Sublethal doses of glyphosate modulates mitochondria and oxidative stress in honeybees by direct feeding. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 114:e22028. [PMID: 37259187 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22028] [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: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Honeybees are essential for the ecosystem maintenance and for plant production in agriculture. Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide widely used in crops to control weeds and could affect honeybees' health in sublethal doses. Our aim was to study how sublethal doses of glyphosate affects to oxidative stress and mitochondrial homeostasis in honeybees. We exposed honeybees to glyphosate at 5 and 10 mg·l-1 for 2 and 10 h for the gene expression analysis by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and for 48 and 72 h for the antioxidant enzymes activity and lipid peroxidation determination. We observed a general increase in antioxidant- and mitochondrial-related genes expression in honeybees after 2 h of exposition to glyphosate, as well as a rise in catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymatic activity after 48 h and an increment in lipid peroxidation adducts generation after 72 h. These results suggest a direct effect of glyphosate on honeybees' health, with an insufficient response of the antioxidant system to the generated oxidative stress, resulting in an increase in lipid peroxidation and, therefore, oxidative damage. Altogether, results obtained in this work demonstrate that sublethal treatments of glyphosate could directly affect honeybee individuals under laboratory conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate alternatives to glyphosate to determine if they are less harmful to non-target organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gabriel Pons
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d´Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares (IdISBa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Cayetano Herrera
- Department of Biology (Zoology), University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Margalida Torrens-Mas
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d´Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares (IdISBa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain
- Translational Research In Aging and Longevity (TRIAL) Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Mar Leza
- Department of Biology (Zoology), University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Jorge Sastre-Serra
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d´Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares (IdISBa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain
- Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03) Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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38
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Page ML, Williams NM. Evidence of exploitative competition between honey bees and native bees in two California landscapes. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:1802-1814. [PMID: 37386764 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Human-mediated species introductions provide real-time experiments in how communities respond to interspecific competition. For example, managed honey bees Apis mellifera (L.) have been widely introduced outside their native range and may compete with native bees for pollen and nectar. Indeed, multiple studies suggest that honey bees and native bees overlap in their use of floral resources. However, for resource overlap to negatively impact resource collection by native bees, resource availability must also decline, and few studies investigate impacts of honey bee competition on native bee floral visits and floral resource availability simultaneously. In this study, we investigate impacts of increasing honey bee abundance on native bee visitation patterns, pollen diets, and nectar and pollen resource availability in two Californian landscapes: wildflower plantings in the Central Valley and montane meadows in the Sierra. We collected data on bee visits to flowers, pollen and nectar availability, and pollen carried on bee bodies across multiple sites in the Sierra and Central Valley. We then constructed plant-pollinator visitation networks to assess how increasing honey bee abundance impacted perceived apparent competition (PAC), a measure of niche overlap, and pollinator specialization (d'). We also compared PAC values against null expectations to address whether observed changes in niche overlap were greater or less than what we would expect given the relative abundances of interacting partners. We find clear evidence of exploitative competition in both ecosystems based on the following results: (1) honey bee competition increased niche overlap between honey bees and native bees, (2) increased honey bee abundance led to decreased pollen and nectar availability in flowers, and (3) native bee communities responded to competition by shifting their floral visits, with some becoming more specialized and others becoming more generalized depending on the ecosystem and bee taxon considered. Although native bees can adapt to honey bee competition by shifting their floral visits, the coexistence of honey bees and native bees is tenuous and will depend on floral resource availability. Preserving and augmenting floral resources is therefore essential in mitigating negative impacts of honey bee competition. In two California ecosystems, honey bee competition decreases pollen and nectar resource availability in flowers and alters native bee diets with potential implications for bee conservation and wildlands management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen L Page
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Neal M Williams
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
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Hu X, Wang Y, Chi X, Wang H, Liu Z, Ma L, Xu B. Oleic Acid Promotes the Biosynthesis of 10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic Acid via Species-Selective Remodeling of TAGs in Apis mellifera ligustica. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13361. [PMID: 37686166 PMCID: PMC10487919 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713361] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the impact of oleic acid (OA) supplementation on the biosynthesis of 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) in Apis mellifera ligustica. In experiment 1, varying concentrations of OA (2%, 4%, 6% and 8%) were added to an artificial diet for newly emerged bees reared in cages. Analysis of 10-HDA content and gene expression in the mandibular gland (MG) revealed that the 8% OA treatment had the greatest impact on promoting the synthesis of 10-HDA. Subsequent investigations utilized RNA-seq and lipidomics to characterize the molecular signature in the MG after feeding the 8% OA diet. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and triacylglycerol (TAG) were found to be the predominant lipids in the MG of worker bees. A total of 154 TAGs were identified, with TAG (18:1-18:1-18:1) exhibiting the highest abundance, which increased by 1.5 times. The major TAG species contained palmitic acid (16:0) and oleic acid (18:1) in their structure, which was associated with fatty acid composition of diet. The increase in abundance of main TAGs may be attributed to the upregulation of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (Gpat) and glycerol kinase (GK) gene expression at the transcriptional level. The upregulation of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to carbohydrate metabolism may contribute to meeting the heightened metabolic demands of the MGs in worker bees. Royal jelly (RJ) samples from bee colonies fed with the 8% OA diet exhibited higher 10-HDA level than RJ collected from bee colonies fed with the artificial diet. These results indicate that 8% OA addition in the diet enhanced biosynthesis of 10-HDA in the mandibular gland, which was accompanied by significant and highly species-selective remodeling of TAGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiyi Hu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China; (X.H.); (Y.W.); (X.C.); (H.W.); (Z.L.); (L.M.)
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China; (X.H.); (Y.W.); (X.C.); (H.W.); (Z.L.); (L.M.)
| | - Xuepeng Chi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China; (X.H.); (Y.W.); (X.C.); (H.W.); (Z.L.); (L.M.)
| | - Hongfang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China; (X.H.); (Y.W.); (X.C.); (H.W.); (Z.L.); (L.M.)
| | - Zhenguo Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China; (X.H.); (Y.W.); (X.C.); (H.W.); (Z.L.); (L.M.)
| | - Lanting Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China; (X.H.); (Y.W.); (X.C.); (H.W.); (Z.L.); (L.M.)
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China; (X.H.); (Y.W.); (X.C.); (H.W.); (Z.L.); (L.M.)
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Martinez A, Calhoun AC, Sadd BM. Investigating the influence of diet diversity on infection outcomes in a bumble bee ( Bombus impatiens) and microsporidian ( Nosema bombi) host-pathogen system. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 3:1207058. [PMID: 38469464 PMCID: PMC10926413 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1207058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Diet can have an array of both direct and indirect effects on an organism's health and fitness, which can influence the outcomes of host-pathogen interactions. Land use changes, which could impact diet quantity and quality, have imposed foraging stress on important natural and agricultural pollinators. Diet related stress could exacerbate existing negative impacts of pathogen infection. Accounting for most of its nutritional intake in terms of protein and many micronutrients, pollen can influence bee health through changes in immunity, infection, and various aspects of individual and colony fitness. We investigate how adult pollen consumption, pollen type, and pollen diversity influence bumble bee Bombus impatiens survival and infection outcomes for a microsporidian pathogen Nosema (Vairimorpha) bombi. Experimental pathogen exposures of larvae occurred in microcolonies and newly emerged adult workers were given one of three predominantly monofloral, polyfloral, or no pollen diets. Workers were assessed for size, pollen consumption, infection 8-days following adult-eclosion, survival, and the presence of extracellular microsporidian spores at death. Pollen diet treatment, specifically absence of pollen, and infection independently reduced survival, but we saw no effects of pollen, pollen type, or pollen diet diversity on infection outcomes. The latter suggests infection outcomes were likely already set, prior to differential diets. Although infection outcomes were not altered by pollen diet in our study, it highlights both pathogen infection and pollen availability as important for bumble bee health, and these factors may interact at different stages of bumble bee development, at the colony level, or under different dietary regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ben M. Sadd
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, United States
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41
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Bernklau E, Arathi HS. Seasonal patterns of beneficial phytochemical availability in honey and stored pollen from honey bee colonies in large apiaries. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 116:1069-1077. [PMID: 37247384 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad096] [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: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.; Hymenoptera, Apidae) are the most efficient pollinators in agroecosystems, responsible for the successful production of fruits, nuts, and vegetables, but they continue to face debilitating challenges. One of the major factors leading to these challenges could be linked to poor nutrition that results in weakening the colony, increasing susceptibility to pests and pathogens, and reducing the ability of bees to adapt to other abiotic stresses. Extensively used for commercial pollination, honey bee colonies regularly face exposure to limited diversity in their pollen diet as they are placed in flowering monocrops. Lack of access to diverse plant species compromises the availability of plant secondary compounds (phytochemicals), which, in small amounts, provide significant benefits to honey bee health. We analyzed the beneficial phytochemical content of honey and stored pollen (bee bread) samples from colonies in large apiaries through the active bee season. Samples were evaluated for 4 beneficial phytochemicals (caffeine, kaempferol, gallic acid, and p-coumaric acid), which have previously been shown to improve honey bee health. Our results, as relevant to the apiary locations in the study, indicated that p-coumaric acid is uniformly available throughout the season. Caffeine is completely absent, and gallic acid and kaempferol are not regularly available. Our results suggest the need to explore the potential to deliver beneficial phytochemicals as nutritional supplements to improve bee health. It may be vital for the pollination industry to consider such targeted dietary supplementation as beekeepers strive to meet the increasing demand for crop pollination services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Bernklau
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA
| | - H S Arathi
- Invasive Species and Pollinator Health Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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42
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Gaubert J, Giovenazzo P, Derome N. Individual and social defenses in Apis mellifera: a playground to fight against synergistic stressor interactions. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1172859. [PMID: 37485064 PMCID: PMC10360197 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1172859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The honeybee is an important species for the agri-food and pharmaceutical industries through bee products and crop pollination services. However, honeybee health is a major concern, because beekeepers in many countries are experiencing significant colony losses. This phenomenon has been linked to the exposure of bees to multiple stresses in their environment. Indeed, several biotic and abiotic stressors interact with bees in a synergistic or antagonistic way. Synergistic stressors often act through a disruption of their defense systems (immune response or detoxification). Antagonistic interactions are most often caused by interactions between biotic stressors or disruptive activation of bee defenses. Honeybees have developed behavioral defense strategies and produce antimicrobial compounds to prevent exposure to various pathogens and chemicals. Expanding our knowledge about these processes could be used to develop strategies to shield bees from exposure. This review aims to describe current knowledge about the exposure of honeybees to multiple stresses and the defense mechanisms they have developed to protect themselves. The effect of multi-stress exposure is mainly due to a disruption of the immune response, detoxification, or an excessive defense response by the bee itself. In addition, bees have developed defenses against stressors, some behavioral, others involving the production of antimicrobials, or exploiting beneficial external factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy Gaubert
- Laboratoire Derome, Département de Biologie, Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Laboratoire Giovenazzo, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Pierre Giovenazzo
- Laboratoire Derome, Département de Biologie, Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Nicolas Derome
- Laboratoire Derome, Département de Biologie, Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Laboratoire Giovenazzo, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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Russo L, Ruedenauer F, Gronert A, Van de Vreken I, Vanderplanck M, Michez D, Klein A, Leonhardt S, Stout JC. Fertilizer and herbicide alter nectar and pollen quality with consequences for pollinator floral choices. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15452. [PMID: 37334137 PMCID: PMC10269573 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pollinating insects provide economically and ecologically valuable services, but are threatened by a variety of anthropogenic changes. The availability and quality of floral resources may be affected by anthropogenic land use. For example, flower-visiting insects in agroecosystems rely on weeds on field edges for foraging resources, but these weeds are often exposed to agrochemicals that may compromise the quality of their floral resources. Methods We conducted complementary field and greenhouse experiments to evaluate the: (1) effect of low concentrations of agrochemical exposure on nectar and pollen quality and (2) relationship between floral resource quality and insect visitation. We applied the same agrochemcial treatments (low concentrations of fertilizer, low concentrations of herbicide, a combination of both, and a control of just water) to seven plant species in the field and greenhouse. We collected data on floral visitation by insects in the field experiment for two field seasons and collected pollen and nectar from focal plants in the greenhouse to avoid interfering with insect visitation in the field. Results We found pollen amino acid concentrations were lower in plants exposed to low concentrations of herbicide, and pollen fatty acid concentrations were lower in plants exposed to low concentrations of fertilizer, while nectar amino acids were higher in plants exposed to low concentrations of either fertilizer or herbicide. Exposure to low fertilizer concentrations also increased the quantity of pollen and nectar produced per flower. The responses of plants exposed to the experimental treatments in the greenhouse helped explain insect visitation in the field study. The insect visitation rate correlated with nectar amino acids, pollen amino acids, and pollen fatty acids. An interaction between pollen protein and floral display suggested pollen amino acid concentrations drove insect preference among plant species when floral display sizes were large. We show that floral resource quality is sensitive to agrochemical exposure and that flower-visiting insects are sensitive to variation in floral resource quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Russo
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States of America
- Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Angela Gronert
- Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Alexandra Klein
- Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Durand T, Bonjour-Dalmon A, Dubois E. Viral Co-Infections and Antiviral Immunity in Honey Bees. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051217. [PMID: 37243302 DOI: 10.3390/v15051217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past few decades, honey bees have been facing an increasing number of stressors. Beyond individual stress factors, the synergies between them have been identified as a key factor in the observed increase in colony mortality. However, these interactions are numerous and complex and call for further research. Here, in line with our need for a systemic understanding of the threats that they pose to bee health, we review the interactions between honey bee viruses. As viruses are obligate parasites, the interactions between them not only depend on the viruses themselves but also on the immune responses of honey bees. Thus, we first summarise our current knowledge of the antiviral immunity of honey bees. We then review the interactions between specific pathogenic viruses and their interactions with their host. Finally, we draw hypotheses from the current literature and suggest directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Durand
- National Research Institute for Agriculture Food and Environement, INRAE, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement, Site Agroparc, 84914 Avignon, France
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, ANSES, 06902 Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Anne Bonjour-Dalmon
- National Research Institute for Agriculture Food and Environement, INRAE, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement, Site Agroparc, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Eric Dubois
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, ANSES, 06902 Sophia Antipolis, France
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Chantaphanwattana T, Houdelet C, Sinpoo C, Voisin SN, Bocquet M, Disayathanoowat T, Chantawannakul P, Bulet P. Proteomics and Immune Response Differences in Apis mellifera and Apis cerana Inoculated with Three Nosema ceranae Isolates. J Proteome Res 2023. [PMID: 37163710 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Nosema ceranae infects midgut epithelial cells of the Apis species and has jumped from its original host A. cerana to A. mellifera worldwide, raising questions about the response of the new host. We compared the responses of these two species to N. ceranae isolates from A. cerana, A. mellifera from Thailand and A. mellifera from France. Proteomics and transcriptomics results were combined to better understand the impact on the immunity of the two species. This is the first combination of omics analyses to evaluate the impact of N. ceranae spores from different origins and provides new insights into the differential immune responses in honeybees inoculated with N. ceranae from original A. cerana. No difference in the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) was observed in A. mellifera, whereas these peptides were altered in A. cerana compared to controls. Inoculation of A. mellifera or A. cerana with N. ceranae upregulated AMP genes and cellular-mediated immune genes but did not significantly alter apoptosis-related gene expression. A. cerana showed a stronger immune response than A. mellifera after inoculation with different N. ceranae isolates. N. ceranae from A. cerana had a strong negative impact on the health of A. mellifera and A. cerana compared to other Nosema isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thunyarat Chantaphanwattana
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 50200 Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, 50200 Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Camille Houdelet
- CR University Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France
- UMR1419 Nutrition, Métabolisme, Aquaculture (NuMéA), Aquapôle INRAE, 64310 Saint Pée sur Nivelle, France
| | - Chainarong Sinpoo
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 50200 Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Sébastien N Voisin
- Plateforme BioPark d'Archamps, 218 Avenue Marie Curie, 74160 Archamps, France
- Phylogen S.A., 62 RN113, 30620 Bernis, France
| | - Michel Bocquet
- APIMEDIA, 82 Route de Proméry, Pringy, 74370 Annecy, France
| | - Terd Disayathanoowat
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 50200 Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Research Center in Deep Technology Associated with Beekeeping and Bee Products for Sustainable Development Goals, Chiang Mai University, 50200 Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Panuwan Chantawannakul
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, 50200 Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Philippe Bulet
- CR University Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France
- Plateforme BioPark d'Archamps, 218 Avenue Marie Curie, 74160 Archamps, France
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Perkins JA, Kim K, Gut LJ, Sundin GW, Wilson JK. Fungicide Exposure in Honey Bee Hives Varies By Time, Worker Role, and Proximity to Orchards in Spring. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 116:435-446. [PMID: 36708024 PMCID: PMC10148177 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Fungicides are commonly applied to prevent diseases in eastern North American cherry orchards at the same time that honey bees (Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) are rented for pollination services. Fungicide exposure in honey bees can cause negative health effects. To measure fungicide exposure, we sampled commercial honey bee colonies during orchard bloom at two commercial tart cherry orchards and one holding yard in northern Michigan over two seasons. Nurse bees, foragers, larvae, pollen, bee bread, and wax were screened for captan, chlorothalonil, and thiophanate-methyl. We also looked at the composition of pollens collected by foragers during spring bloom. We found differences in fungicide residue levels between nurse bees and foragers, with higher captan levels in nurse bees. We also found that residue levels of chlorothalonil in workers were significantly increased during tart cherry bloom, and that nurse bees from hives adjacent to orchards had significantly higher chlorothalonil residues than nurse bees from hives kept in a holding yard. Our results suggest that fungicide exposure of individual honey bees depends greatly on hive location in relation to mass-flowering crops, and worker role (life stage) at the time of collection. In some pollen samples, captan and chlorothalonil were detected at levels known to cause negative health effects for honey bees. This study increases our understanding of exposure risk for bees under current bloom time orchard management in this region. Further research is needed to balance crop disease management requirements with necessary pollination services and long-term pollinator health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyungmin Kim
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | | | - George W Sundin
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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Malfi RL, McFrederick QS, Lozano G, Irwin RE, Adler LS. Sunflower plantings reduce a common gut pathogen and increase queen production in common eastern bumblebee colonies. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230055. [PMID: 37015273 PMCID: PMC10072944 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Community diversity can reduce the prevalence and spread of disease, but certain species may play a disproportionate role in diluting or amplifying pathogens. Flowers act as both sources of nutrition and sites of pathogen transmission, but the effects of specific plant species in shaping bee disease dynamics are not well understood. We evaluated whether plantings of sunflower (Helianthus annuus), whose pollen reduces infection by some pathogens when fed to bees in captivity, lowered pathogen levels and increased reproduction in free-foraging bumblebee colonies (Bombus impatiens). Sunflower abundance reduced the prevalence of a common gut pathogen, Crithidia bombi, and reduced infection intensity, with an order of magnitude lower infection intensity at high sunflower sites compared with sites with little to no sunflower. Sunflower abundance was also positively associated with greater queen production in colonies. Sunflower did not affect prevalence of other detected pathogens. This work demonstrates that a single plant species can drive disease dynamics in foraging B. impatiens, and that sunflower plantings can be used as a tool for mitigating a prevalent pathogen while also increasing reproduction of an agriculturally important bee species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary L. Malfi
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | | | - Giselle Lozano
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Rebecca E. Irwin
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Lynn S. Adler
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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Van Wyk JI, Lynch AM, Adler LS. Manipulation of multiple floral traits demonstrates role in pollinator disease transmission. Ecology 2023; 104:e3866. [PMID: 36056578 PMCID: PMC9978041 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Plants modulate multitrophic ecological interactions, and variation in plant traits can affect these interactions. Pollinators are exposed to pathogens at flowers and acquire or transmit pathogens at different rates on different plant species, but the traits mediating those interactions are almost entirely unknown. We experimentally manipulated five plant traits that span scales including flower, inflorescence, and plant, to determine their effects on pathogen transmission between foraging bees. Specifically, we manipulated two morphological traits (corolla lip length and flower orientation within an inflorescence) and three resource distribution traits (inflorescence nectar, plant patch nectar, and plant aggregation) in tents to test how plant traits affect bee pathogen transmission. We also quantified foraging behavior and fecal deposition patterns as potential mechanisms driving differences in transmission, and assessed trait manipulation consequences for bee reproduction. We found that pathogen transmission was reduced when we trimmed the corolla lip, evenly dispersed nectar distribution within an inflorescence, or aggregated plants in space. Some traits also affected bee reproduction; tents with trimmed corollas had more larval production than control tents, and tents with evenly distributed nectar across plant patches had more larval production than tents with clumped resources. Thus, some trait manipulations both reduced transmission and increased bee microcolony reproduction, although our design does not allow us to discern whether these are related or separate effects. Taken together, our results demonstrate causal effects of several floral traits on pathogen transmission and pollinator reproduction, indicating the importance of intraspecific plant trait variation for pollinator health and population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer I. Van Wyk
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | - Amy-Mei Lynch
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | - Lynn S. Adler
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
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49
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Giacomini JJ, Adler LS, Reading BJ, Irwin RE. Differential bumble bee gene expression associated with pathogen infection and pollen diet. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:157. [PMID: 36991318 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09143-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diet and parasitism can have powerful effects on host gene expression. However, how specific dietary components affect host gene expression that could feed back to affect parasitism is relatively unexplored in many wild species. Recently, it was discovered that consumption of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) pollen reduced severity of gut protozoan pathogen Crithidia bombi infection in Bombus impatiens bumble bees. Despite the dramatic and consistent medicinal effect of sunflower pollen, very little is known about the mechanism(s) underlying this effect. However, sunflower pollen extract increases rather than suppresses C. bombi growth in vitro, suggesting that sunflower pollen reduces C. bombi infection indirectly via changes in the host. Here, we analyzed whole transcriptomes of B. impatiens workers to characterize the physiological response to sunflower pollen consumption and C. bombi infection to isolate the mechanisms underlying the medicinal effect. B. impatiens workers were inoculated with either C. bombi cells (infected) or a sham control (un-infected) and fed either sunflower or wildflower pollen ad libitum. Whole abdominal gene expression profiles were then sequenced with Illumina NextSeq 500 technology. RESULTS Among infected bees, sunflower pollen upregulated immune transcripts, including the anti-microbial peptide hymenoptaecin, Toll receptors and serine proteases. In both infected and un-infected bees, sunflower pollen upregulated putative detoxification transcripts and transcripts associated with the repair and maintenance of gut epithelial cells. Among wildflower-fed bees, infected bees downregulated immune transcripts associated with phagocytosis and the phenoloxidase cascade. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these results indicate dissimilar immune responses between sunflower- and wildflower-fed bumble bees infected with C. bombi, a response to physical damage to gut epithelial cells caused by sunflower pollen, and a strong detoxification response to sunflower pollen consumption. Identifying host responses that drive the medicinal effect of sunflower pollen in infected bumble bees may broaden our understanding of plant-pollinator interactions and provide opportunities for effective management of bee pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J Giacomini
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
| | - Lynn S Adler
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Benjamin J Reading
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Rebecca E Irwin
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
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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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