Skip to main content
SLU publication database (SLUpub)

Research article2020Peer reviewedOpen access

Lethal and sublethal effects of toxicants on bumble bee populations: a modelling approach

Banks, J. E.; Banks, H. T.; Myers, N.; Laubmeier, A. N.; Bommarco, R.

Abstract

Pollinator decline worldwide is well-documented; globally, chemical pesticides (especially the class of pesticides known as neonicotinoids) have been implicated in hymenopteran decline, but the mechanics and drivers of population trends and dynamics of wild bees is poorly understood. Declines and shifts in community composition of bumble bees (Bombus spp.) have been documented in North America and Europe, with a suite of lethal and sub-lethal effects of pesticides on bumble bee populations documented. We employ a mathematical model parameterized with values taken from the literature that uses differential equations to track bumble bee populations through time in order to attain a better understanding of toxicant effects on a developing colony of bumble bees. We use a delay differential equation (DDE) model, which requires fewer parameter estimations than agent-based models while affording us the ability to explicitly describe the effect of larval incubation and colony history on population outcomes. We explore how both lethal and sublethal effects such as reduced foraging ability may combine to affect population outcomes, and discuss the implications for the protection and conservation of ecosystem services.

Keywords

Hymenoptera; Neonicitinoid; Delay differential equation

Published in

Ecotoxicology
2020, Volume: 29, pages: 237-245 Publisher: SPRINGER

    Sustainable Development Goals

    SDG15 Life on land

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Ecology
    Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-020-02162-y

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/104813