Glyphosate impairs collective thermoregulation in bumblebees

Insects are facing a multitude of anthropogenic stressors, and the recent decline in their biodiversity is threatening ecosystems and economies across the globe. We investigated the impact of glyphosate, the most commonly used herbicide worldwide, on bumblebees. Bumblebee colonies maintain their bro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2022-06, Vol.376 (6597), p.1122-1126
Main Authors: Weidenmüller, Anja, Meltzer, Andrea, Neupert, Stefanie, Schwarz, Alica, Kleineidam, Christoph
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Bees - drug effects
Bees - physiology
Body Temperature Regulation
Bombus
Bumblebees
Ecosystem
Environmental Exposure
Glycine - analogs & derivatives
Glycine - toxicity
Glyphosate
Herbicides
Herbicides - toxicity
Insects
Nontarget organisms
Pollinators
Thermoregulation
Vertebrates
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Summary:Insects are facing a multitude of anthropogenic stressors, and the recent decline in their biodiversity is threatening ecosystems and economies across the globe. We investigated the impact of glyphosate, the most commonly used herbicide worldwide, on bumblebees. Bumblebee colonies maintain their brood at high temperatures via active thermogenesis, a prerequisite for colony growth and reproduction. Using a within-colony comparative approach to examine the effects of long-term glyphosate exposure on both individual and collective thermoregulation, we found that whereas effects are weak at the level of the individual, the collective ability to maintain the necessary high brood temperatures is decreased by more than 25% during periods of resource limitation. For pollinators in our heavily stressed ecosystems, glyphosate exposure carries hidden costs that have so far been largely overlooked.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.abf7482