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Glyphosate impairs collective thermoregulation in bumblebees.
Anja Weidenmüller1,2, Andrea Meltzer2,3, Stefanie Neupert2,4
1Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|June 2, 2022
Summary
Glyphosate herbicide exposure significantly impairs bumblebee colonies' ability to regulate brood temperature, especially when resources are scarce. This hidden cost threatens vital pollinators in stressed ecosystems.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Entomology
Background:
- Insect biodiversity is declining globally due to anthropogenic stressors.
- Bumblebees are crucial pollinators, essential for ecosystem health and economies.
- Glyphosate is the world's most widely used herbicide, posing a potential threat to non-target organisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of long-term glyphosate exposure on bumblebee thermoregulation.
- To assess both individual and collective thermoregulatory responses in bumblebee colonies.
- To understand the consequences of glyphosate exposure on colony growth and reproduction prerequisites.
Main Methods:
- A within-colony comparative approach was employed to study glyphosate exposure effects.
- Long-term exposure to glyphosate was administered to bumblebee colonies.
- Thermoregulation was monitored at both individual and collective colony levels.
- Resource limitation scenarios were simulated to assess impact under stress.
Main Results:
- Individual bumblebees showed weak responses to glyphosate exposure.
- Collective thermoregulation in colonies was significantly impaired, decreasing by over 25%.
- The ability to maintain high brood temperatures was compromised, particularly during resource scarcity.
Conclusions:
- Glyphosate exposure has substantial, previously overlooked negative impacts on bumblebee colony function.
- Impaired thermoregulation due to glyphosate poses a hidden cost to pollinators in stressed environments.
- This research highlights the ecological risks associated with widespread herbicide use for essential insect populations.
