Pollen nutrition structures bee and plant community interactions

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 121(3)

Published: Jan. 8, 2024

As bees’ main source of protein and lipids, pollen is critical for their development, reproduction, health. Plant species vary considerably in the macronutrient content pollen, research bee model systems has established that this variation both modulates performance guides floral choice. Yet, how chemistry shapes interactions between plants bees natural communities an open question, essential understanding nutritional dynamics plant–pollinator mutualisms informing conservation. To fill gap, we asked nutrition (relative lipid content) sampled from 109 co-flowering plant structured visitation patterns observed among 75 subgenera pollen-collecting Great Basin/Eastern Sierra region (USA). We found degree similarity species’ predicted visitor communities, even after accounting morphology phylogeny. Consideration also shed light on structure interaction network: Bee genera were arranged into distinct, interconnected groups, delineated by differences values, revealing potential niches. Importantly, alone (high protein, high lipid, or balanced) did not predict diversity visitors, indicating offering complementary may be equally valuable supporting diversity. Nutritional should thus a key consideration when selecting habitat restoration, nutritionally explicit perspective needed considering reward involved community ecology pollination.

Language: Английский

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Pesticide impacts on insect pollinators: Current knowledge and future research challenges

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 954, P. 176656 - 176656

Published: Oct. 2, 2024

Language: Английский

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The nutritional landscape in agroecosystems: a review on how resources and management practices can shape pollinator health in agricultural environments

Annals of the Entomological Society of America, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 116(5), P. 261 - 275

Published: July 25, 2023

Abstract Pollinator nutrition is a highly complex subject that we are just starting to unravel, from the multidimensional nature of bee forage (pollen and nectar) how abiotic environment can affect resources available bees. Doing so utmost importance, as improving pollinator resource availability one proposed mechanisms improve populations health. However, landscape change has changed naturally for pollinators. Farmland cropping systems create unique nutritional pollinators, with agroecosystems typically containing few crops dominating along natural corridors noncrop plants. The types planted surrounding will ultimately bees have access to. Even management practices in agriculture pests controlled will, directly indirectly, health nutrition. Hence, better understanding agricultural ecosystems warranted. This review synthesizes research on ecology landscapes advance our agriculture.

Language: Английский

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The effect of meteorological and environmental variables on food collection by honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Ecological Indicators, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 156, P. 111140 - 111140

Published: Oct. 27, 2023

Bees are strongly dependent on environmental and climatic conditions. Anthropogenic climate changes mainly responsible for restricted access of bees to food resources. Therefore, this study aimed evaluate the effect most important meteorological variables affecting collection by honey bees. Using electronic beehive scales, remote monitoring daily hive weight 60 colonies from apiaries was performed during three beekeeping seasons. The depended variables, particularly sunshine duration air temperature. topographic (e.g. landscape structure, forest habitat type, share area with plant species attractive bees) spatial proportion forest, arable land, green area) contributed a much lesser extent. Monitoring revealed that conditions affected strongly. In conclusion, long-term bee colony large scale can be source substantial data about impact their resources in order restore conserve environment will meet nutritional needs different

Language: Английский

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Differential Bacterial Community of Bee Bread and Bee Pollen Revealed by 16s rRNA High-Throughput Sequencing

Insects, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 13(10), P. 863 - 863

Published: Sept. 23, 2022

We investigated the bacterial community of bee bread and pollen samples using an approach through 16 s rRNA high-throughput sequencing. The results revealed a higher diversity in than as depicted taxonomic profiling, well indices such Shannon index (3.7 to 4.8 for 1.1 1.7 samples) Simpson’s (>0.9 0.4−0.5 pollen). Principal component analysis showed distinct difference communities. could presumably be due factors storage period, processing food, fermentation, high sugar environment. However, no effect feed (rapeseed or oak patties even natural inflow) was indicated on composition bread, because lack restriction foraged inflow hive. diverse profile contribute nutritional provisioning enhance detoxification process; however, thorough investigation functional role individual bacteria genera remains task future studies.

Language: Английский

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Dietary foundations for pollinators: nutritional profiling of plants for bee health

Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8

Published: June 26, 2024

Human activities, including urban expansion, intensive farming practices, and the application of pesticides have significantly reshaped bee habitats. Understanding nutritional content pollen, primary source bees’ proteins lipids, is important for maintaining their diet health. In this study, we set out to determine composition pollen from various plant families genera. Our objectives were analyze levels non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), amino (AAs), protein-to-lipid (P:L) ratios, omega-6:3 ratios 57 species native North America. These data suggest a potential trade-off between NEFA AA within suggesting that diverse floral may benefit bees more than single source. The profiles showed considerable diversity, with all providing essential (EAAs) required health, except methionine which was lacking in Rhus glabra pollen. family Asteraceae especially abundant EAAs. P:L varied widely further emphasizing need access array profiles. There no overall differences introduced species. This study highlights significance resources meet comprehensive needs bees, contributing support pollinator populations broader ecological system.

Language: Английский

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Extreme heat affects blueberry pollen nutrition, bee health, and plant reproduction

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: Feb. 20, 2025

Extreme heat events are increasingly common, and if these align with pollen development, they can alter nutrient composition. However, no studies have examined how the timing of relative to bud development affects role in plant pollination bee health. To explore this, we exposed highbush blueberry plants extreme (37.5 °C) or normal (25 conditions for 4 h across several floral stages. Pollen was analyzed protein, carbohydrate, amino acid content. We found that buds vary their sensitivity heat, swell being most heat-sensitive developmental stage significant reductions total individual acids. When from same fed Osmia lignaria larvae, individuals heat-stressed were 7 times more likely die compared those non-stressed pollen. Blueberry flowers used a hand study, where observed 39% reduction fruit set following stress at swell. This study reveals disrupt both survival through changes nutritional

Language: Английский

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Flowering Plant Microbiomes and Network Interactions Across an Urban Gradient

Environmental Microbiology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 27(4)

Published: March 28, 2025

ABSTRACT We used flowers to explore how ephemeral anthosphere microbiomes differ among flowering plant species and along an urban gradient. Here, we sequenced 16S rRNA for bacteria, ITS1 fungi rbcL DNA from 10 different sampled characterise gradient identify important network interactions. Bacterial fungal flower significantly differed in diversity across species, especially Asteraceae Fabaceae. Across all analyses, four taxa, the bacteria Pantoea Rosenbergiella Alternaria Cladosporium were highly prevalent contributed majority of microbiome composition differences observed between species. These taxa harbour strains or that may be either pathogenic beneficial plants. a land use gradient, community bacterial was stable consistent. Flower‐plant networks confirmed focal families abundance on each flower, with addition Paulowniaceae, suggesting pollinators visiting also visit this family. Our findings reveal are diverse at level encouragingly remain robust against urbanisation.

Language: Английский

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Preventative medicine? Examining prophylactic effects of a sunflower pollen diet in Bombus impatiens ([Hymenoptera]: [Apidae])

Journal of Economic Entomology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 3, 2025

Abstract Widespread decline of pollinator populations is concern for both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Pathogens have been identified as a major contributor to the some bee species, making understanding host–pathogen dynamics crucial area research. Sunflower pollen (Helianthus annuus L.; Asterales: Asteraceae) dramatically consistently reduces infection by prevalent gut pathogen, Crithidia bombi Lipa & Triggiani 1988 (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), in common eastern bumble (Bombus impatiens Cresson 1863; Hymenoptera: Apidae), when consumed bees post-infection, but we do not know if sunflower can confer protection before exposure. We asked whether feeding diets prior pathogen exposure decreases compared buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench; Polygonales: Polygonaceae). Buckwheat was used comparison since it has similar protein concentration pollen, results higher counts more comparable typical wildflower post-infection. Bumble were fed or 7 d, inoculated with Crithidia, then control diet seven days assessing infection. found that consuming inoculation did reduce cell pollen. Furthermore, survival consumption sucrose solution differ between these diets. The show no evidence providing prophylactic resistance against infection, indicating timing at which relative important consequences

Language: Английский

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Honey bee nutritional ecology: From physiology to landscapes

Advances in insect physiology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 289 - 345

Published: Jan. 1, 2023

Language: Английский

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