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Agrochemicals interact synergistically to increase bee mortality

Author

Listed:
  • Harry Siviter

    (Royal Holloway University of London
    University of Texas at Austin)

  • Emily J. Bailes

    (Royal Holloway University of London
    University of Sheffield
    School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University)

  • Callum D. Martin

    (Royal Holloway University of London)

  • Thomas R. Oliver

    (Royal Holloway University of London
    School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University
    Rothamsted Research)

  • Julia Koricheva

    (Royal Holloway University of London)

  • Ellouise Leadbeater

    (Royal Holloway University of London)

  • Mark J. F. Brown

    (Royal Holloway University of London)

Abstract

Global concern over widely documented declines in pollinators1–3 has led to the identification of anthropogenic stressors that, individually, are detrimental to bee populations4–7. Synergistic interactions between these stressors could substantially amplify the environmental effect of these stressors and could therefore have important implications for policy decisions that aim to improve the health of pollinators3,8,9. Here, to quantitatively assess the scale of this threat, we conducted a meta-analysis of 356 interaction effect sizes from 90 studies in which bees were exposed to combinations of agrochemicals, nutritional stressors and/or parasites. We found an overall synergistic effect between multiple stressors on bee mortality. Subgroup analysis of bee mortality revealed strong evidence for synergy when bees were exposed to multiple agrochemicals at field-realistic levels, but interactions were not greater than additive expectations when bees were exposed to parasites and/or nutritional stressors. All interactive effects on proxies of fitness, behaviour, parasite load and immune responses were either additive or antagonistic; therefore, the potential mechanisms that drive the observed synergistic interactions for bee mortality remain unclear. Environmental risk assessment schemes that assume additive effects of the risk of agrochemical exposure may underestimate the interactive effect of anthropogenic stressors on bee mortality and will fail to protect the pollinators that provide a key ecosystem service that underpins sustainable agriculture.

Suggested Citation

  • Harry Siviter & Emily J. Bailes & Callum D. Martin & Thomas R. Oliver & Julia Koricheva & Ellouise Leadbeater & Mark J. F. Brown, 2021. "Agrochemicals interact synergistically to increase bee mortality," Nature, Nature, vol. 596(7872), pages 389-392, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:596:y:2021:i:7872:d:10.1038_s41586-021-03787-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03787-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Ramona Cech & Friedrich Leisch & Johann G. Zaller, 2022. "Pesticide Use and Associated Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Sugar Beet, Apples, and Viticulture in Austria from 2000 to 2019," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-16, June.
    2. Samuel Fuhrimann & Chenjie Wan & Elodie Blouzard & Adriana Veludo & Zelda Holtman & Shala Chetty-Mhlanga & Mohamed Aqiel Dalvie & Aggrey Atuhaire & Hans Kromhout & Martin Röösli & Hanna-Andrea Rother, 2021. "Pesticide Research on Environmental and Human Exposure and Risks in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-18, December.
    3. Simon Hodge & Oliver Schweiger & Alexandra-Maria Klein & Simon G. Potts & Cecilia Costa & Matthias Albrecht & Joachim R. de Miranda & Marika Mand & Pilar De la Rúa & Maj Rundlöf & Eleanor Attridge & R, 2022. "Design and Planning of a Transdisciplinary Investigation into Farmland Pollinators: Rationale, Co-Design, and Lessons Learned," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-30, August.
    4. Nian-Feng Wan & Liwan Fu & Matteo Dainese & Yue-Qing Hu & Lars Pødenphant Kiær & Forest Isbell & Christoph Scherber, 2022. "Plant genetic diversity affects multiple trophic levels and trophic interactions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Yinying Yang & Yuzheng Wu & Hexuan Long & Xuelin Ma & Kaavian Shariati & James Webb & Liang Guo & Yang Pan & Minglin Ma & Chao Deng & Peng Cao & Jing Chen, 2023. "Global honeybee health decline factors and potential conservation techniques," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(4), pages 855-875, August.
    6. Bin Han & Jiangli Wu & Qiaohong Wei & Fengying Liu & Lihong Cui & Olav Rueppell & Shufa Xu, 2024. "Life-history stage determines the diet of ectoparasitic mites on their honey bee hosts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.

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