Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as Indicators of Radionuclide Contamination: Investigating Contaminant Redistribution Using Concentrations in Water, Flowers, and Honey Bees

Haarmann, Timothy K.

doi:10.1093/jee/91.5.1072

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Ecotoxicological properties of ionizing radiation have not been extensively studied for nonhuman species, particularly for terrestrial invertebrates such as bees. Information regarding exposure to ionizing radiation in bees is limited to bioaccumulation data (Fresquez et al, 1997;Haarmann, 1997Haarmann, , 1998aHakonson and Bostick, 1976). Further, information on mechanisms of toxicity, early and/or sublethal effects of exposure to ionizing radiation are scarce, despite the importance of bees for ecosystem sustainability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological effects of gamma irradiation in the honeybee, Apis mellifera

Gagnaire

Bonnet²,

Tchamitchian³

et al. 2019

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

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Terrestrial ecosystems are exposed to various kinds of pollutants, including radionuclides. The honeybee, Apis mellifera, is commonly used in ecotoxicology as a model species for evaluating the effects of pollutants. In the present study, honeybees were irradiated right after birth for 14 days with gamma rays at dose rates ranging between 4.38x10-3 and 588 mGy/d. Biological tissues (head, intestine and abdomen) were sampled at D3, D10 and D14. Ten different physiological markers involved in nervous (acetylcholinesterase (AChE)), antioxidative (catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST)), immune system (phenoloxidase (PO)) and metabolism (carboxylesterases (CaEs) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)) were measured. Univariate analyses were conducted to determine whether each individual biomarker response was positively or negatively correlated with the dose rate. Then, multivariate analyses were applied to investigate the relationships between all the biomarker responses. Although no mortality occurred during the experiment, several biomarkers varied significantly in relation to the dose rate. Globally, the biomarkers of antioxidant and immune systems decreased as the dose rate increased. Reversible effects on the indicator of the neural system were found. Concerning indicators of metabolism (carboxylesterases), variations occurred but no clear pattern was found. Taken altogether, these results help better understand the effects of ionizing radiation on bees by identifying relevant physiological markers of effects. These results could improve the assessment of the environmental risk due to ionizing radiation in terrestrial ecosystems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological effects of gamma irradiation in the honeybee, Apis mellifera

Gagnaire

Bonnet²,

Tchamitchian³

et al. 2019

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

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“…Results indicated an upward trend in the accumulation of radionuclides within the bees (Haarmann 1998). The levels of contaminant in a honey bee is likely directly related to the duration of the exposure.…”

Section: Analytical Uncertaintymentioning

confidence: 91%

Honey Bees as Indicators of Radionuclide Contamination: Comparative Studies of Contaminant Levels in Forager and Nurse Bees and in the Flowers of Three Plant Species

Haarmann

1998

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

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Two separate field experiments were conducted as part of ongoing research concerning the use of honey bees (Apis mellifera) as indicators of environmental radionuclide contamination. The experiments were conducted in a study site containing radionuclide contamination above background levels. The first experiment compared levels of radionuclides found in forager bees to levels found in nurse bees. Bees were collected from colonies, analyzed for concentrations of radionuclides, and the results were compared using statistical methods. Results indicated that there is no significant difference between the contaminant levels in forager and nurse bees. A second experiment compared the levels of radionuclides found in the flowers of three plant species growing in the study site: salt cedar (Tamarix ramosissima), white sweet clover (Melilotus albus), and rabbit brush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus). Results indicated that there is no significant difference in the amounts of radionuclides found in the flowers of these three plants.

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“…These exposure risks are further amplified in insect pollinators, which seem to be highly sensitive to metals ( Ben-Shahar et al, 2004 ; Moroń et al, 2012 ; Vanbergen and Initiative, 2013 ; Søvik et al, 2015 ), most likely via the consumption of nectar and pollen by adult insects ( Behmer et al, 2005 ), as well as throughout development in bee species that provision their larvae with pollen and nectar ( Somerville and Nicol, 2002 ; Moroń et al, 2014 ). Because metals can accumulate in the nectar of flowering plants, insect pollinators seem to be especially sensitive to environmental metals, including Mn ( Haarmann, 1998 ; Meindl and Ashman, 2013 ; Søvik et al, 2015 ). This particular concern is alarming because of the increase in global pollinator duress due to the negative pressure of various pathogens ( Cox-Foster et al, 2007 ; Naug, 2014 ), parasites ( Martin et al, 2012 ), and possibly insecticides ( Woodcock et al, 2016 ; McArt et al, 2017 ), which together lead to major costs in pollinator fitness, which could carry major economic and ecological consequences ( Khoury et al, 2011 ).…”

Section: Manganese and Insect Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Environmental Mn Exposure on Insect Biology

Ben‐Shahar

2018

Front. Genet.

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Manganese (Mn) is an essential trace element that acts as a metal co-factor in diverse biochemical and cellular functions. However, chronic environmental exposure to high levels of Mn is a well-established risk factor for the etiology of severe, atypical parkinsonian syndrome (manganism) via its accumulation in the basal ganglia, pallidum, and striatum brain regions, which is often associated with abnormal dopamine, GABA, and glutamate neural signaling. Recent studies have indicated that chronic Mn exposure at levels that are below the risk for manganism can still cause behavioral, cognitive, and motor dysfunctions via poorly understood mechanisms at the molecular and cellular levels. Furthermore, in spite of significant advances in understanding Mn-induced behavioral and neuronal pathologies, available data are primarily for human and rodents. In contrast, the possible impact of environmental Mn exposure on brain functions and behavior of other animal species, especially insects and other invertebrates, remains mostly unknown both in the laboratory and natural habitats. Yet, the effects of environmental exposure to metals such as Mn on insect development, physiology, and behavior could also have major indirect impacts on human health via the long-term disruptions of food webs, as well as direct impact on the economy because of the important role insects play in crop pollination. Indeed, laboratory and field studies indicate that chronic exposures to metals such as Mn, even at levels that are below what is currently considered toxic, affect the dopaminergic signaling pathway in the insect brain, and have a major impact on the behavior of insects, including foraging activity of important pollinators such as the honey bee. Together, these studies highlight the need for a better understanding of the neuronal, molecular, and genetic processes that underlie the toxicity of Mn and other metal pollutants in diverse animal species, including insects.

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Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as Indicators of Radionuclide Contamination: Investigating Contaminant Redistribution Using Concentrations in Water, Flowers, and Honey Bees

Cited by 7 publications

References 7 publications

Physiological effects of gamma irradiation in the honeybee, Apis mellifera

Physiological effects of gamma irradiation in the honeybee, Apis mellifera

Honey Bees as Indicators of Radionuclide Contamination: Comparative Studies of Contaminant Levels in Forager and Nurse Bees and in the Flowers of Three Plant Species

The Impact of Environmental Mn Exposure on Insect Biology

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