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Agrochemical-induced stress in stingless bees: peculiarities, underlying basis, and challenges

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Abstract

The toxicological stress induced by pesticides, particularly neonicotinoid insecticides, and its consequences in bees has been the focus of much recent attention, particularly for honey bees. However, the emphasis on honey bees and neonicotinoids has led to neglect of the relevance of stingless bees, the prevailing pollinators of natural and agricultural tropical ecosystems, and of other agrochemicals, including other pesticides and even leaf fertilizers. Consequently, studies focusing on agrochemical effects on stingless bees are sparse, usually limited to histopathological studies, and lack a holistic assessment of the effects of these compounds on physiology and behavior. Such effects have consequences for individual and colony fitness and are likely to affect both the stingless bee populations and the associated community, thereby producing a hierarchy of consequences thus far overlooked. Herein, we review the current literature on stingless bee-agrochemical interactions and discuss the underlying mechanisms involved in reported stress symptoms, as well as the potential consequences based on the peculiarities of these pollinators.

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Acknowledgments

We express our gratitude to Profs. Michael Hrncir, Stefan Jarau, and Friedrich G. Barth for the invitation to prepare this review, and to Profs. Lucio A. O. Campos, Stefan Jarau, and two anonymous reviewers for valuable suggestions that improved this manuscript. We also acknowledge the financial support provided by the Minas Gerais State Foundation for Research Aid (FAPEMIG), National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq; Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology), and the CAPES Foundation (Brazilian Ministry of Education).

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  1. Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil

    M. A. P. Lima

  2. Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil

    G. F. Martins

  3. Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil

    E. E. Oliveira & R. N. C. Guedes

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  1. M. A. P. Lima
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  2. G. F. Martins
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  3. E. E. Oliveira
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Correspondence to M. A. P. Lima.

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Lima, M.A.P., Martins, G.F., Oliveira, E.E. et al. Agrochemical-induced stress in stingless bees: peculiarities, underlying basis, and challenges. J Comp Physiol A 202, 733–747 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-016-1110-3

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