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Plant Biology (Stuttgart, Germany) Mar 2024Crop-pollinator interactions are essential for world food security. Studying crop pollination from a network approach allows identification of target pollinators for...
Crop-pollinator interactions are essential for world food security. Studying crop pollination from a network approach allows identification of target pollinators for conservation and management, and gaps in our knowledge. Solanaceae represents the third highest ranked family based on economic value, and its production is highly improved by animal pollination. This study aimed to integrate global data on solanaceous crop pollination and analyse the interaction patterns using a meta-network approach. Our questions were: (i) how are interactions structured and what are the structuring roles of species; and (ii) what are the main gaps in our knowledge? Data were obtained through a systematic review of the main scientific databases. The network structure was described using connectivity and modularity calculations, and the role of species using centrality metrics. The 251 pollinator species reported were in seven orders, mainly Hymenoptera (84.9%). The generalists Bombus and Apis species were the most common pollinators. The meta-network was modular, and all modules mostly included bees. Most species were peripherals, around 12% were connectors, and there were no module hubs. Apis mellifera was the only network hub (supergeneralist). The most important pollinators are the most managed pollinators worldwide; however, many native species play a role in structuring the meta-network. Main gaps include species of importance to pepper pollination, lack of species-specific identification, and the need for more robust experimental studies evaluating the pollination efficiency of native, manageable bees.
Topics: Bees; Animals; Solanaceae; Crops, Agricultural; Pollination; Species Specificity
PubMed: 38192089
DOI: 10.1111/plb.13616 -
The Science of the Total Environment Sep 2023In this paper, a systematic review approach was used to evaluate how environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been applied in agroforestry in the context of food... (Review)
Review
In this paper, a systematic review approach was used to evaluate how environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been applied in agroforestry in the context of food systems. This review was used as the basis for discussing methodological issues in the LCA framework for agroforestry systems (AFS) and relevant environmental outcomes in the agroforestry literature. A total of 32 LCAs in 17 countries identified in four databases and spanning a decade form the basis for this paper. Studies were selected based on pre-defined inclusion criteria and followed established guidelines and a review protocol. Qualitative data were extracted and categorized into multiple themes. Results were quantitatively synthesized for the four phases of the LCA for each individual agroforestry practice (i.e., based on its structural composition). Results showed that around half of the selected studies are located in tropical climates, the rest being in temperate climates, predominantly in Southern Europe. Studies primarily used a mass functional unit and rarely included post-farm gate system boundaries. Almost half of the studies account for multifunctionality, and most allocation methods were based on physical properties. Climate change had the greatest coverage from all impact categories with some variations within milk, meat, and crop production systems. Methodological issues were related to limited system boundaries, few impact categories, and differing functional units and multifunctionality approaches. The identified effects of AFS on biodiversity, climate change mitigation, water, soil, pollination, and pest and disease were only partially documented or not analyzed in the LCA studies or the LCA framework. Gaps in knowledge and limitations of the present review were discussed. Further methodological improvements remain necessary to determine the net environmental effects of food products resulting from individual AFS, especially within the area of multifunctionality, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity.
Topics: Animals; Environment; Soil; Farms; Europe; Life Cycle Stages
PubMed: 37207768
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164094 -
Planta Nov 2023Environmental DNA-based monitoring provides critical insights for enhancing our understanding of plant-animal interactions in the context of worldwide biodiversity... (Review)
Review
Environmental DNA-based monitoring provides critical insights for enhancing our understanding of plant-animal interactions in the context of worldwide biodiversity decrease for developing a global framework for effective plant biodiversity conservation. To understand the ecology and evolutionary patterns of plant-animal interactions (PAI) and their pivotal roles in ecosystem functioning advances in molecular ecology tools such as Environmental DNA (eDNA) provide unprecedented research avenues. These methods being non-destructive in comparison to traditional biodiversity monitoring methods, enhance the discernment of ecosystem health, integrity, and complex interactions. This review intends to offer a systematic and critical appraisal of the prospective of eDNA for investigating PAI. The review thoroughly discusses and analyzes the recent reports (2015-2022) employing preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) to outline the recent progression in eDNA approaches for elucidating PAI. The current review envisages that eDNA has a significant potential to monitor both plants and associated cohort of prospective pollinators (avian species and flowering plants, bees and plants, arthropods and plants, bats and plants, etc.). Furthermore, a brief description of the factors that influence the utility and interpretation of PAI eDNA is also presented. The review establishes that factors such as biotic and abiotic, primer selection and taxonomic resolution, and indeterminate spatio-temporal scales impact the availability and longevity of eDNA. The study also identified the limitations that influence PAI detection and suggested possible solutions for better execution of these molecular approaches. Overcoming these research caveats will augment the assortment of PAI analysis through eDNA that could be vital for ecosystem health and integrity. This review forms a critical guide and offers prominent insights for ecologists, environmental managers and researchers to assess and evaluate plant-animal interaction through environmental DNA.
Topics: Animals; Biodiversity; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; DNA, Environmental; Ecology; Ecosystem; Environmental Monitoring; Plants
PubMed: 37957258
DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04267-0 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2022spp. are cacti with high ecological, economic and conservation interest in semiarid environments, particularly in Mexico. We conducted a systematic search of the... (Review)
Review
spp. are cacti with high ecological, economic and conservation interest in semiarid environments, particularly in Mexico. We conducted a systematic search of the existing peer-reviewed literature about the state of knowledge of pollination ecology on these plants. We documented the most studied species worldwide with an emphasis on Mexico. We found that only 15% of species described have been investigated so far, and studies were mainly focused on comprehension of the biology of a single species. Despite the economic and cultural importance of , there is a significant lack of knowledge about the flower-visiting insects and their taxonomic identity. We provide a checklist of the insect species associated with spp. Through a circular network, we visualize the complex flower-visiting insect relationship, and we detected a set of key species constituting the generalist core of the networks constructed. Since pollination is crucial for crop production, a better understanding of ecological interactions would inform management measures to strengthen biodiversity and agriculture sustainability as well as productivity in arid and marginal lands. Further research on pollination ecology is needed to improve the conservation status of the insects associated with species.
PubMed: 35009134
DOI: 10.3390/plants11010131 -
Journal of Economic Entomology Apr 2021Buzz-pollinated plants require visitation from vibration producing bee species to elicit full pollen release. Several important food crops are buzz-pollinated including... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Buzz-pollinated plants require visitation from vibration producing bee species to elicit full pollen release. Several important food crops are buzz-pollinated including tomato, eggplant, kiwi, and blueberry. Although more than half of all bee species can buzz pollinate, the most commonly deployed supplemental pollinator, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae; honey bees), cannot produce vibrations to remove pollen. Here, we provide a list of buzz-pollinated food crops and discuss the extent to which they rely on pollination by vibration-producing bees. We then use the most commonly cultivated of these crops, the tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L. (Solanales: Solanaceae), as a case study to investigate the effect of different pollination treatments on aspects of fruit quality. Following a systematic review of the literature, we statistically analyzed 71 experiments from 24 studies across different geopolitical regions and conducted a meta-analysis on a subset of 21 of these experiments. Our results show that both supplemental pollination by buzz-pollinating bees and open pollination by assemblages of bees, which include buzz pollinators, significantly increase tomato fruit weight compared to a no-pollination control. In contrast, auxin treatment, artificial mechanical vibrations, or supplemental pollination by non-buzz-pollinating bees (including Apis spp.), do not significantly increase fruit weight. Finally, we compare strategies for providing bee pollination in tomato cultivation around the globe and highlight how using buzz-pollinating bees might improve tomato yield, particularly in some geographic regions. We conclude that employing native, wild buzz pollinators can deliver important economic benefits with reduced environmental risks and increased advantages for both developed and emerging economies.
Topics: Animals; Bees; Blueberry Plants; Crops, Agricultural; Solanum lycopersicum; Pollen; Pollination
PubMed: 33615362
DOI: 10.1093/jee/toab009 -
The Science of the Total Environment Jan 2024Arguably the most ecologically and economically valuable pollinators worldwide, honey bees play a significant role in food production and enrich biodiversity through... (Review)
Review
Arguably the most ecologically and economically valuable pollinators worldwide, honey bees play a significant role in food production and enrich biodiversity through pollination. Varroa destructor is an invasive ectoparasitic mite that attacks and feeds on European honey bee, Apis mellifera. Because literature on the effectiveness and sustainability of various treatment modalities available for Varroa mite control in honey bee colonies are scattered, this scoping review was conducted to serve as a guiding document with a focus on: (1) identifying the detrimental impact Varroa mites have on the European honey bee; (2) determining current methods for Varroa mite control and their limitations; (3) examining current market landscape and key players in the pesticide market; and (4) identifying opportunities for more sustainable Varroa mite control methods. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, 397 articles published between 1998 and 2022 were screened; of which 65 articles were retained using inclusion/exclusion criteria, which were systematically analyzed in-depth, information extracted, and included in this scoping review. The results suggest that Varroa mites are one of the predominant causes of global honey bee decline as they lack natural resistance to Varroa mites, thereby negatively affecting honey bee reproduction and immunity, killing broods, and transmitting pathogenic viruses to colonies. Further, our findings suggest that: apiarists have many options for Varroa control, but no method has proven to be effective, safe and nonpersistent in the environment; adoption of nano-pesticides and development of sustainable alternatives to traditional pesticides are key drivers for growing pesticide market; and nano-pesticides may have potential to serve as an effective, safe and non-ecopersistent pesticide for Varroa mite and associated virus control. In conclusion, this review highlights an unmet need for effective and sustainable control strategies and tools for Varroa mite and virus control.
Topics: Bees; Animals; Varroidae; Pesticides; Immunity, Innate; Host-Parasite Interactions
PubMed: 37778563
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167492 -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... Sep 2023The phenomenon of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasingly real and relevant health problem. It is essential to verify the spread of this phenomenon in the... (Review)
Review
The phenomenon of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasingly real and relevant health problem. It is essential to verify the spread of this phenomenon in the environment. The European honey bee, Apis mellifera L., is a globally managed pollinator continuously used for biomonitoring thanks to its morphological and behavioural characteristics. During their foraging activities, a large number of honey bees move in the area surrounding the hive within a 1.5 km of radius. Besides, their body covered with hair and bristles are able to intercept pollen and minute particles, such as atmospheric particles, contaminants and microorganisms. For these reasons, A. mellifera L. is widely used as an environmental sentinel, especially for detecting pollutants, pesticides, microorganisms, and AMR. This systematic review aimed to collect and summarize the role of honey bee colonies as a biological monitor of AMR pathogenic bacteria and the environmental spread of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). From honey bees were isolated a wide range of pathogenic and environmental bacteria strains, harbouring AMR and ARGs. However, AMR and ARGs were detected not only in environmental bacteria but also in symbiotic bacteria colonizing the bee gut. This systematic review highlights the employment of potential use of honey bees as AMR sentinel helpful for ecosystem health to implement possible control measures for humans, animals and plants, in the context of the "One-Health" approach.
PubMed: 37385360
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122120 -
Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance Sep 2020Numerous issues in mental health benefit from technological innovation. An example involves the mental health challenges of long-duration spaceflight (such as a Mars...
Numerous issues in mental health benefit from technological innovation. An example involves the mental health challenges of long-duration spaceflight (such as a Mars mission), including prolonged confinement, microgravity, and different sunlight exposure lengths. Persisting on Earth are global mental health challenges stemming from disease burdens, limited interview-based diagnostic systems, trial-and-error treatment approaches, and suboptimal access. There is potential for cross-pollinating solutions between these seemingly disparate challenges using a range of emerging technologies such as sensors, omics, and big data. In this review, we highlight the bidirectional value of mental health technology transfer aimed to address issues both on Earth and in space. We prepared a systematic review of studies pertaining to mental health technological innovation and space medicine. For Earth mental health technologies translatable to long-duration space missions, we cite several example technologies, including device-based psychotherapy and social support, conversational agents aka chatbots, and nutritional and physical activity focused mental health. Space technologies translatable to Earth mental health include remote sensing devices, global navigation satellite systems, satellite communications, chronotherapies, and nutritional advances. There is a rich history of space technologies informing Earth technological trends, including general health care on Earth, and vice versa. To avoid the traditional happenstance approach that results in delays, missed opportunities, and increased cost, and to improve outcomes for both Earth and space utilization of these technologies, we propose increased dialogue and training opportunities to enhance innovation and outcomes.
Topics: Aerospace Medicine; Humans; Mental Health; Space Flight; Technology; Weightlessness
PubMed: 32867906
DOI: 10.3357/AMHP.5589.2020 -
Global Change Biology Mar 2024The Western honey bee Apis mellifera is a managed species that provides diverse hive products and contributing to wild plant pollination, as well as being a critical...
The Western honey bee Apis mellifera is a managed species that provides diverse hive products and contributing to wild plant pollination, as well as being a critical component of crop pollination systems worldwide. High mortality rates have been reported in different continents attributed to different factors, including pesticides, pests, diseases, and lack of floral resources. Furthermore, climate change has been identified as a potential driver negatively impacting pollinators, but it is still unclear how it could affect honey bee populations. In this context, we carried out a systematic review to synthesize the effects of climate change on honey bees and beekeeping activities. A total of 90 articles were identified, providing insight into potential impacts (negative, neutral, and positive) on honey bees and beekeeping. Interest in climate change's impact on honey bees has increased in the last decade, with studies mainly focusing on honey bee individuals, using empirical and experimental approaches, and performed at short-spatial (<10 km) and temporal (<5 years) scales. Moreover, environmental analyses were mainly based on short-term data (weather) and concentrated on only a few countries. Environmental variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind were widely studied and had generalized negative effects on different biological and ecological aspects of honey bees. Food reserves, plant-pollinator networks, mortality, gene expression, and metabolism were negatively impacted. Knowledge gaps included a lack of studies at the apiary and beekeeper level, a limited number of predictive and perception studies, poor representation of large-spatial and mid-term scales, a lack of climate analysis, and a poor understanding of the potential impacts of pests and diseases. Finally, climate change's impacts on global beekeeping are still an emergent issue. This is mainly due to their diverse effects on honey bees and the potential necessity of implementing adaptation measures to sustain this activity under complex environmental scenarios.
Topics: Animals; Beekeeping; Bees; Climate Change; Food; Pesticides; Pollination
PubMed: 38450832
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17219 -
PloS One 2021Pollination services provided by solitary bees, the largest group of bees worldwide, are critical to the vitality of ecosystems and agricultural systems alike....
BACKGROUND
Pollination services provided by solitary bees, the largest group of bees worldwide, are critical to the vitality of ecosystems and agricultural systems alike. Disconcertingly, bee populations are in decline, and while no single causative factor has been identified, pesticides are believed to play a role in downward population trends. The effects of pesticides on solitary bee species have not been previously systematically cataloged and reviewed.
OBJECTIVES
This systematic scoping review examines available evidence for effects of pesticide exposure on solitary bees to identify data gaps and priority research needs.
METHODS
A systematic literature search strategy was developed to identify and document reports on solitary bee pesticide exposure-effects investigations. Literature was subsequently screened for relevance using a Population, Exposures, Comparators, and Outcomes (PECO) statement and organized into a systematic evidence map. Investigations were organized by effect category (lethal effects on immatures, lethal effects on adults, sublethal effects on immatures, and sublethal effects on adults), species, pesticide class, and publication year.
RESULTS
A comprehensive literature search of Web of Science and ProQuest Agricultural & Environmental Science supplemented by targeted internet searching and reference mining yielded 176 reports and publications for title and abstract screening and 65 that met PECO criteria (22 included lethal and 43 included sublethal effects endpoints). Relevant design details (pesticide, test compound configuration, study type, species, sex, exposure duration) were extracted into literature inventory tables to reveal the extent endpoints have been investigated and areas in need of additional research.
CONCLUSIONS
Evidence mapping revealed diversity in the pesticides and endpoints studied across the database. However, dilution across bee species, lack of complementary laboratory work and paucity of replicated investigations complicate efforts to interpret and apply available data to support pesticide risk assessment.
Topics: Animals; Bees; Environmental Exposure; Feeding Behavior; Female; Male; Nesting Behavior; Pesticides; Pollination; Population Dynamics; Sexual Behavior, Animal
PubMed: 33989308
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251197