Sublethal neonicotinoid exposure attenuates the effects of electromagnetic fields on honey bee flight and learning
Many environmental stressors are currently implicated in the decline of flying insects in general, and important pollinator species such as the honey bee. Recent studies have shown that extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMFs) affect many aspects of insect behaviour and cognition wh...
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doaj-25d29ffb4ec14a70b5aca9bfec10bc9d2021-06-19T04:56:52ZengElsevierEnvironmental Advances2666-76572021-07-014100051Sublethal neonicotinoid exposure attenuates the effects of electromagnetic fields on honey bee flight and learningS. Shepherd0M.A.P. Lima1E.E. Oliveira2S.M. Sharkh3H. Aonuma4C.W. Jackson5P.L. Newland6Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, UK; Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; Corresponding author at: Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, BrazilDepartamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, BrazilMechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, UKResearch Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, JapanBiological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, UKBiological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, UKMany environmental stressors are currently implicated in the decline of flying insects in general, and important pollinator species such as the honey bee. Recent studies have shown that extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMFs) affect many aspects of insect behaviour and cognition which raises the potential that ELF EMFs could interact with other environmental stressors such as neonicotinoid insecticides to have even greater impact on the decline of flying insects. Here we analysed the effects of individual and combined exposure of the honey bee to 50 Hz EMFs and sublethal exposure to clothianidin, in a tethered flight assay and an olfactory appetitive learning assay.Clothianidin was significantly toxic to bees and exposure to field-realistic levels (2.00 ng/bee) led to 25% mortality. Exposure to ELF EMFs alone led to a significant increase in wingbeat frequency at levels above 100 µT. Prior exposure to clothianidin attenuated the effects of EMFs on wingbeat frequency. Exposure to EMFs alone reduced learning of a proboscis extension reflex (PER). Prior exposure to low doses of clothianidin attenuated the effects of EMFs on PER.These results indicate no evidence of synergy between clothianidin and ELF EMFs as environmental stressors but suggest the potential for EMFs to affect the same susceptible fraction of the bee population that have been affected by clothianidin. Results lay the foundation to further explore the interactions of ELF EMFs with other environmental stressors and consider the key factors that may make bees susceptible to ELF EMFs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765721000223Apis melliferaAssociative learningFlightClothianidinEMF |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
S. Shepherd M.A.P. Lima E.E. Oliveira S.M. Sharkh H. Aonuma C.W. Jackson P.L. Newland |
spellingShingle |
S. Shepherd M.A.P. Lima E.E. Oliveira S.M. Sharkh H. Aonuma C.W. Jackson P.L. Newland Sublethal neonicotinoid exposure attenuates the effects of electromagnetic fields on honey bee flight and learning Environmental Advances Apis mellifera Associative learning Flight Clothianidin EMF |
author_facet |
S. Shepherd M.A.P. Lima E.E. Oliveira S.M. Sharkh H. Aonuma C.W. Jackson P.L. Newland |
author_sort |
S. Shepherd |
title |
Sublethal neonicotinoid exposure attenuates the effects of electromagnetic fields on honey bee flight and learning |
title_short |
Sublethal neonicotinoid exposure attenuates the effects of electromagnetic fields on honey bee flight and learning |
title_full |
Sublethal neonicotinoid exposure attenuates the effects of electromagnetic fields on honey bee flight and learning |
title_fullStr |
Sublethal neonicotinoid exposure attenuates the effects of electromagnetic fields on honey bee flight and learning |
title_full_unstemmed |
Sublethal neonicotinoid exposure attenuates the effects of electromagnetic fields on honey bee flight and learning |
title_sort |
sublethal neonicotinoid exposure attenuates the effects of electromagnetic fields on honey bee flight and learning |
publisher |
Elsevier |
series |
Environmental Advances |
issn |
2666-7657 |
publishDate |
2021-07-01 |
description |
Many environmental stressors are currently implicated in the decline of flying insects in general, and important pollinator species such as the honey bee. Recent studies have shown that extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMFs) affect many aspects of insect behaviour and cognition which raises the potential that ELF EMFs could interact with other environmental stressors such as neonicotinoid insecticides to have even greater impact on the decline of flying insects. Here we analysed the effects of individual and combined exposure of the honey bee to 50 Hz EMFs and sublethal exposure to clothianidin, in a tethered flight assay and an olfactory appetitive learning assay.Clothianidin was significantly toxic to bees and exposure to field-realistic levels (2.00 ng/bee) led to 25% mortality. Exposure to ELF EMFs alone led to a significant increase in wingbeat frequency at levels above 100 µT. Prior exposure to clothianidin attenuated the effects of EMFs on wingbeat frequency. Exposure to EMFs alone reduced learning of a proboscis extension reflex (PER). Prior exposure to low doses of clothianidin attenuated the effects of EMFs on PER.These results indicate no evidence of synergy between clothianidin and ELF EMFs as environmental stressors but suggest the potential for EMFs to affect the same susceptible fraction of the bee population that have been affected by clothianidin. Results lay the foundation to further explore the interactions of ELF EMFs with other environmental stressors and consider the key factors that may make bees susceptible to ELF EMFs. |
topic |
Apis mellifera Associative learning Flight Clothianidin EMF |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765721000223 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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