Bumble bees do not avoid field-realistic but innocuous concentrations of cadmium and copper
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
| Veröffentlicht in: | Ecotoxicology (London, England). - 1992. - 33(2024), 10 vom: 20. Okt., Seite 1123-1134 |
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| 1. Verfasser: | |
| Weitere Verfasser: | , , , , |
| Format: | Online-Aufsatz |
| Sprache: | English |
| Veröffentlicht: |
2024
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| Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk: | Ecotoxicology (London, England) |
| Schlagworte: | Journal Article Bombus terrestris Behaviour Heavy metals Proboscis extension response Sublethal effects Copper 789U1901C5 Cadmium 00BH33GNGH |
| Zusammenfassung: | © 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. Bee populations are facing numerous stressors globally, including environmental pollution by trace metals and metalloids. Understanding whether bees can detect and avoid these pollutants in their food is pivotal, as avoidance abilities may mitigate their exposure to xenobiotics. While these pollutants are known to induce sublethal effects in bees, such as disrupting physiological mechanisms, their potential impacts on locomotive abilities, fat metabolism, and reproductive physiology remain poorly understood. In this study, utilising workers of the buff-tailed bumble bee and two prevalent trace metals, namely cadmium and copper, we aimed to address these knowledge gaps for field-realistic concentrations. Our findings reveal that workers did not reject field-realistic concentrations of cadmium and copper in sucrose solutions. Moreover, they did not reject lethal concentrations of cadmium, although they rejected lethal concentrations of copper. Additionally, we observed no significant effects of field-realistic concentrations of these metals on the walking and flying activities of workers, nor on their fat metabolism and reproductive physiology. Overall, our results suggest that bumble bees may not avoid cadmium and copper at environmental concentrations, but ingestion of these metals in natural settings may not adversely affect locomotive abilities, fat metabolism, or reproductive physiology. However, given the conservative nature of our study, we still recommend future research to employ higher concentrations over longer durations to mimic conditions in heavily polluted areas (i.e., mine surrounding). Furthermore, investigations should ascertain whether field-realistic concentrations of metals exert no impact on bee larvae |
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| Beschreibung: | Date Completed 28.10.2024 Date Revised 28.10.2024 published: Print-Electronic Citation Status MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1573-3017 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10646-024-02802-7 |