Assessing the impact of pesticides on pollinators

Maus, Christian; Alix, Anne; Schmehl, Daniel R.

doi:10.19103/as.2022.0111.14

Burleigh Dodds Series in Agricultural Science

2022

DOI: 10.19103/as.2022.0111.14

|View full text |Cite

Assessing the impact of pesticides on pollinators

Christian Maus¹,

Anne Alix²,

Daniel R. Schmehl³

Abstract: This chapter provides an overview of the history of pollination biology, it begins by discussing the basics of pollination and goes on to discuss pollinators and their diversity. Sections also cover the ecology and evolution of floral traits, domestication and its impact on plant-pollinator relationships and how pollinators can impact agriculture. A section on modern agriculture and pollinators is also provided.

Help me understand this report

Search citation statements

Order By: Relevance

Paper Sections

Select...

Citation Types

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Year Published

2024

Publication Types

Select...

Article3

Relationship

Self Cite0

Independent3

Authors

Journals

Cited by 3 publications

References 39 publications

(43 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

Honey bee larval toxicity study designs: Applicability of the current study protocols and endpoints as a predictor of pesticide hazard for pollinators

De Souza,

Feken,

Tomé

et al. 2024

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The assessment of pesticide risks to bees in North America currently relies in part on Tier 1 honey bee laboratory toxicity studies to support the registration and registration review processes for crop protection chemicals. For immature stages, the studies follow two standardized test designs recommended by the Organization for Economic Cooperation (OECD), evaluating acute (seven‐day single‐dose, TG OECD 237) and chronic (22‐day repeated‐dose, GD OECD 239) toxicity in bee larvae. In this article, we aim to evaluate the current approach for generating and interpreting honey bee larval toxicity data, enhancing pesticide risk assessment for pollinators. First, by considering that the repeated‐dose larval study covers all stages of honey bee brood development up to adult emergence, we compared endpoints (larval LD/ED50 and LC/EC50 values) from seven‐day acute exposure studies with the 22‐day chronic exposure studies. Our goal was to identify the study design offering greater sensitivity in assessing pesticide toxicity to immature bees. Our second objective involved analyzing available weight data from emerged adults and comparing it to survival endpoints (e.g., NOEL and LD50) to determine if the weight after adult emergence would accurately represent a sensitive indicator of pesticide effects on developing honey bees. Our analysis determined that the use of a single 22‐day chronic exposure study adequately covers all immature stages and that the toxicity values based on cumulative dose are more accurate and representative measures of exposure for immature bees than using endpoints based on estimated daily doses. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that measuring the weight of emerged adults was a more sensitive indicator than mortality of treatment‐related effects in 22% of the compounds included in our analysis. Here we also discuss the importance of standardized protocols for proper collection of weight after emergence and the need for further discussion on the relevance of this parameter at risk assessment scheme. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;00:1–11. © 2024 SETAC

show abstract

Honey bee larval toxicity study designs: Applicability of the current study protocols and endpoints as a predictor of pesticide hazard for pollinators

De Souza,

Feken,

Tomé

et al. 2024

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Enhancing knowledge of chemical exposures and fate in honey bee hives: Insights from colony structure and interactions

Encerrado-Manriquez,

Pouv,

Fine

et al. 2024

Science of The Total Environment

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Acute toxicity of the fungicide captan to honey bees and mixed evidence for synergism with the insecticide thiamethoxam

De Souza,

Urbanowicz,

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Honey bees are commonly co-exposed to pesticides during crop pollination, including the fungicide captan and neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam. We assessed the impact of exposure to these two pesticides individually and in combination, at a range of field-realistic doses. In laboratory assays, mortality of larvae treated with captan was 80–90% greater than controls, dose-independent, and similar to mortality from the lowest dose of thiamethoxam. There was evidence of synergism (i.e., a non-additive response) from captan-thiamethoxam co-exposure at the highest dose of thiamethoxam, but not at lower doses. In the field, we exposed whole colonies to the lowest doses used in the laboratory. Exposure to captan and thiamethoxam individually and in combination resulted in minimal impacts on population growth or colony mortality, and there was no evidence of synergism or antagonism. These results suggest captan and thiamethoxam are each acutely toxic to immature honey bees, but whole colonies can potentially compensate for detrimental effects, at least at the low doses used in our field trial, or that methodological differences of the field experiment impacted results (e.g., dilution of treatments with natural pollen). If compensation occurred, further work is needed to assess how it occurred, potentially via increased queen egg laying, and whether short-term compensation leads to long-term costs. Further work is also needed for other crop pollinators that lack the social detoxification capabilities of honey bee colonies and may be less resilient to pesticides.

show abstract

scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.

Contact Info

hi@scite.ai

10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614

Henderson, NV 89052, USA

Blog Terms and Conditions API Terms Privacy Policy Contact Cookie Preferences Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

Made with 💙 for researchers

Part of the Research Solutions Family.

Assessing the impact of pesticides on pollinators

Cited by 3 publications

References 39 publications

Honey bee larval toxicity study designs: Applicability of the current study protocols and endpoints as a predictor of pesticide hazard for pollinators

Honey bee larval toxicity study designs: Applicability of the current study protocols and endpoints as a predictor of pesticide hazard for pollinators

Enhancing knowledge of chemical exposures and fate in honey bee hives: Insights from colony structure and interactions

Acute toxicity of the fungicide captan to honey bees and mixed evidence for synergism with the insecticide thiamethoxam

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About