Extrapolating acute bee sensitivity to insecticides using a phylogenetically informed interspecies scaling framework

Abstract

Plant protection products, including insecticides, are important for global food production. Historically, research of the adverse effects of insecticides on bees has focused on the honeybee (Apis mellifera), while non-Apis bee species remained understudied. Consequently, sensitivity assessment of insecticides for the majority of bees is lacking, which in turn hinders accurate risk characterization and consequently bee protection. Interspecies sensitivity extrapolation based on body weight offers a potential solution to this problem, but in the past such approaches have often ignored the phylogenetic background and consequently non independence of species used in such models. Using published data on the sensitivity of different bee species to commonly used insecticides, their body weight and phylogenetic background I build interspecies scaling models (ISMs) applying a phylogenetically informed framework. In addition, I compared, the relative sensitivity of the standard test species Apis mellifera to other bee species to evaluate their protectiveness when used as standards screening bee species in the risk assessment process. I found that overall 1) body weight is a predictor of bee sensitivity to insecticides for a range of insecticide classes and 2) A. mellifera is the most sensitive standard test species currently available and consequently a suitable surrogate species for ecotoxicological risk assessment.

How much pollen do solitary bee larvae consume? : Or establishing realistic exposure estimates of solitary bee larvae via pollen for the use in risk assessment

“…Scaling approaches based on body weight can be used to estimate both hazard and exposure parameters in a range of organisms and some are currently utilized in ecological risk assessment schemes (Davidson, Parker et al 1986, Urban and Urban 1986, Mineau, Collins et al 1996, Mineau, Baril et al 2001, EFSA 2009, Pamminger 2021). Such methods offer a clear alternative to experimental investigations in cases where such approaches are not feasible (e g. number of species) or desirable (e.g vertebrate testing).…”