Why bees are so vulnerable to environmental stressors

Simon Klein, Amélie Cabirol, Jean-Marc Devaud, Andrew B. Barron, Mathieu Lihoreau*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    181 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Bee populations are declining in the industrialized world, raising concerns for the sustainable pollination of crops. Pesticides, pollutants, parasites, diseases, and malnutrition have all been linked to this problem. We consider here neurobiological, ecological, and evolutionary reasons why bees are particularly vulnerable to these environmental stressors. Central-place foraging on flowers demands advanced capacities of learning, memory, and navigation. However, even at low intensity levels, many stressors damage the bee brain, disrupting key cognitive functions needed for effective foraging, with dramatic consequences for brood development and colony survival. We discuss how understanding the relationships between the actions of stressors on the nervous system, individual cognitive impairments, and colony decline can inform constructive interventions to sustain bee populations.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)268-278
    Number of pages11
    JournalTrends in Ecology and Evolution
    Volume32
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Apr 2017

    Keywords

    • brain functions
    • central-place foraging
    • cognition
    • environmental stressors
    • pesticides
    • pollinators

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