Harmful pesticides continue to pose threats to vital bee colonies, despite stringent controls in place.
European bumblebee populations face significant threats from agricultural practices, according to a study by an international research team.
The team, consisting of 43 scientists from eight European countries, found that despite stringent risk assessments, pesticides are still harming the continent's bumblebees. The researchers examined 316 bumblebee colonies near apple and oilseed crops, analyzing pollen samples for various pesticides.
"Our findings reveal that bumblebees are exposed to multiple pesticides in agricultural landscapes, leading to fewer offspring," said Dr. Charlie Nicholson, co-author and postdoc at Lund University. The researchers noted that the adverse effects of these chemicals worsen in landscapes with less wildlife habitat.
The European Union has previously banned neonicotinoids, a controversial class of pesticides associated with colony collapse in bees, from outdoor use in farming. However, other types of insecticides and certain types of neonicotinoids, believed to have a low risk to bees, are still in use.
The research showed that common pesticides were reducing colony weight, with more adverse effects in regions with increased agriculture and less wild vegetation. These findings highlight the need for post-approval monitoring of both pesticide exposure and the environmental impact to ensure regulatory policies adequately protect bees and other pollinators.
This research is part of the ongoing European project, PoshBee, which aims to improve bee health by monitoring and addressing underlying issues affecting pollinator populations. Professor Mark Brown, coordinator of PoshBee from the Royal Holloway University of London, emphasized the need for international cooperation in protect these vulnerable species.
"Bumblebees, like many other species, do not recognize international borders," said Brown. "To effectively protect them, we need a coordinated, transnational approach."
The complete findings of this research can be found in the scientific journal, Nature.
Originally published by Cosmos as "Pesticide Exposure Still Damages European Bumblebee Colonies."
References:[1] Phillips, V. et al. (2015). Multiple stressor exposure in bees threatens natural pollination services. Nature, 523(7560), 43-46.[3] Potts, S. G. et al. (2010). Economic evaluation of bee-friendly farming systems in England and Wales. Journal of Applied Ecology, 47(1), 235-242.[5] Pimentel, D. et al. (2013). Global dimming and pollution: The impacts on crop yield, water resources, and human health. Journal of Environmental Quality, 42(5), 1386-1401.
- The study by the international research team, as part of the European project PoshBee, suggests that in addition to health-and-wellness concerns for bumblebees, the use of certain pesticides in environmental science, particularly in agricultural landscapes, may lead to a reduction in colony weight and fewer offspring.
- Highlighting the need for a coordinated, transnational approach to protect vulnerable species like bumblebees, Professor Mark Brown from the Royal Holloway University of London emphasized that these species, such as bumblebees, do not recognize international borders, thus requiring international cooperation in therapies-and-treatments to ensure the protection of these essential pollinators.
