Herbivory and Time Since Flowering Shape Floral Rewards and Pollinator-Pathogen Interactions

Aguirre, Luis Alejandro; Davis, Julie; Stevenson, Philip C.; Adler, Lynn S.

doi:10.1007/s10886-020-01213-2

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…Reflecting this foraging preference, bees had lower survival when fed pollen from powdery mildew-inoculated plants grown in conventional compared with organic soil (figures 1 and 5). These results suggest that bees may detect powdery mildew-induced changes to pollen quality in plants grown in conventional soils [5,59–61]. In conventional soils, powdery mildew likely affected unmeasured components of floral reward chemistry, display, or scent that ultimately influenced bee attraction and survival [33,62].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural soil legacy influences multitrophic interactions between crops, their pathogens and pollinators

Davis,

Cohen,

Getman-Pickering

et al. 2023

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Soil legacy influences plant interactions with antagonists and below-ground mutualists. Plant–antagonist interactions can jeopardize plant–pollinator interactions, while soil mutualists can enhance plant–pollinator interactions. This suggests that soil legacy, either directly or mediated through plant symbionts, affects pollinators. Despite the importance of pollinators to natural and managed ecosystems, information on how soil legacy affects plant–pollinator interactions is limited. We assessed effects of soil management legacy (organic versus conventional) on floral rewards and plant interactions with wild pollinators, herbivores, beneficial fungi and pathogens. We used an observational dataset and structural equation models to evaluate hypothesized relationships between soil and pollinators, then tested observed correlations in a manipulative experiment. Organic legacy increased mycorrhizal fungal colonization and improved resistance to powdery mildew, which promoted pollinator visitation. Further, soil legacy and powdery mildew independently and interactively impacted floral traits and floral reward nutrients, which are important to pollinators. Our results indicate that pollination could be an overlooked consequence of soil legacy and suggests opportunity to develop long-term soil management plans that benefit pollinators and pollination.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural soil legacy influences multitrophic interactions between crops, their pathogens and pollinators

Davis,

Cohen,

Getman-Pickering

et al. 2023

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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“…In addition, often laboratory studies that use the gut sampling method use B. impatiens as a host (e.g. Anthony et al ., 2015; Giacomini et al ., 2018; Aguirre et al ., 2020; Fowler et al ., 2022), whereas, studies that use the faecal sampling method often use B. terrestris as a host (e.g. Schmid-Hempel et al ., 1999; Logan et al ., 2005; Yourth and Schmid-Hempel, 2006; Folly et al ., 2020) (see Table S2).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, studies use different methods to count C. bombi cells, which may also affect infection estimates. For example, some studies count ‘live’ or ‘actively moving’ C. bombi cells (LoCascio, Pasquale, et al ., 2019 b ; Aguirre et al ., 2020). The criteria for which cells are being counted are not explicitly specified in these studies, but ‘live’ or ‘actively moving’ likely refers to only 2 of the cell types of this parasite (choanomastigote and promastigote, both of which have flagella and swim actively).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Methods matter: the influence of method on infection estimates of the bumblebee parasite Crithidia bombi

Wolmuth-Gordon,

Sharmin,

Brown

2023

Parasitology

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The bumblebee gut parasite, Crithidia bombi, is widespread and prevalent in the field. Its interaction with Bombus spp. is a well-established epidemiological model. It is spread faecal-orally between colonies via the shared use of flowers when foraging. Accurately measuring the level of infection in bumblebees is important for assessing its distribution in the field, and also when conducting epidemiological experiments. Studies generally use 1 of 2 methods for measuring infection. One approach measures infection in faeces whereas the other method measures infection in guts. We tested whether the method of measuring infection affected the estimation of infection. Bumblebees were inoculated with a standardized inoculum and infection was measured 1 week later using either the faecal or gut method. We found that when the gut method was used to measure infection intensity estimates were significantly different to and approximately double those from the faecal method. These results have implications for the interpretation of previous study results and for the planning of future studies. Given the importance of bumblebees as pollinators, the impact of C. bombi on bumblebee health, and its use as an epidemiological model, we call on researchers to move towards consistent quantification of infections to enable future comparisons and meta-analyses of studies.

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“…For example, secondary metabolites in floral rewards can be detrimental to bees [23,24], but some compounds in nectar can also reduce infections of C. bombi in bumblebees [25]. Studies thus far have found no clear relationships between pollen secondary metabolites and pathogen infections [26][27][28], but further research is needed. Overall, the role of dietary nutrients in bee immune function is key to understanding the influence of bee diet on pathogen infection.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consuming sunflower pollen reduced pathogen infection but did not alter measures of immunity in bumblebees

Fowler

Sadd

Bassingthwaite

et al. 2022

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Certain diets can benefit bee health by reducing pathogens, but the mechanism(s) driving these medicinal effects are largely unexplored. Recent research found that sunflower ( Helianthus annuus ) pollen reduces the gut pathogen Crithidia bombi in the common eastern bumblebee ( Bombus impatiens ). Here, we tested the effects of sunflower pollen and infection on two bee immune metrics to determine whether sunflower pollen diet drives changes in host immunity that can explain this medicinal effect. Bees were infected with C. bombi or not and given either sunflower or wildflower pollen. Subsequently, bees received a benign immune challenge or were left naive to test the induced and constitutive immune responses, respectively. We measured haemolymph phenoloxidase activity, involved in the melanization cascade, and antibacterial activity. Sunflower pollen reduced C. bombi infection, but we found no significant pollen diet effect on either immune measure. Phenoloxidase activity was also not affected by C. bombi infection status; however, uninfected bees were more likely to have measurable constitutive antibacterial activity, while infected bees had higher induced antibacterial activity. Overall, we found that sunflower pollen does not significantly affect the immune responses we measured, suggesting that the mechanisms underlying its medicinal effect do not involve these bee immune parameters. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Natural processes influencing pollinator health: from chemistry to landscapes’.

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Herbivory and Time Since Flowering Shape Floral Rewards and Pollinator-Pathogen Interactions

Abstract: Young for help with data collection and feedback, the UMass Amherst Quantitative Statistics Group for feedback on statistical analyses, Biobest (Ontario, Canada) for donating bumblebee colonies, and J. van Wyk and R. Malfi for providing constructive comments on the manuscript.

Cited by 10 publications

References 88 publications

Agricultural soil legacy influences multitrophic interactions between crops, their pathogens and pollinators

Agricultural soil legacy influences multitrophic interactions between crops, their pathogens and pollinators

Methods matter: the influence of method on infection estimates of the bumblebee parasite Crithidia bombi

Consuming sunflower pollen reduced pathogen infection but did not alter measures of immunity in bumblebees

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