Air pollution also causes problems for bees
Particulate matter is not only a burden on human health: A study from India shows that honey bees may also suffer from heart and immune system problems.
When the health consequences of air pollution are debated, the focus is usually on humans, but animals also suffer when large amounts of particulate matter or nitrogen oxides accumulate in the air. And this can ultimately have unpleasant consequences for humanity. This is indicated by a study on honey bees carried out by scientists led by Geetha G. Thimmegowda from the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bengaluru, India, and now published in the scientific journal "PNAS".
In India, there are now many of the cities with the highest levels of particulate matter in the world. Thimmegowda and her colleagues investigated the effect this has on the giant honeybee (Apis dorsata), which is native to Asia. To do this, they collected a total of 1,800 wild bees from various corners of Bengaluru over the course of four years and then subjected them to a detailed health check-up.
Problems with the heart and immune system
Bees that lived in regions with high levels of particulate matter (in this case measured by the concentration of PM10, i.e. particles with a maximum size of 10 micrometres) were also more frequently sprinkled with corresponding particles containing toxic heavy metals. They often had an irregular heartbeat and a lower concentration of cells in their blood, which indicates a weakened immune system, among other things. In addition, certain genes that are also associated with the immune system and stress were more active in them. The scientists discovered similar phenomena in fruit flies, which they bred in the laboratory and also exposed to increased air pollution.
In addition, Thimmegowda and her team found that the bees from the heavily polluted areas of Bengaluru also visited fewer flowers than their conspecifics from areas with less air pollution. In addition, more than 80 per cent of the bees died within 24 hours of being collected by the scientists.
The giant honeybee is of enormous importance for India's ecosystem and food industry. The bees produce around 80 per cent of the honey produced in India and pollinate more than 680 different plants in the state of Karnataka in the southwest of the country alone. As India is one of the largest exporters of fruit and vegetables in the world, a weakening bee population would also cause serious harm to humans. The researchers are therefore calling for more studies to focus on the effects of air pollution on animals and the environment. Efforts to reduce the concentration of particulate matter should not only use human health as a yardstick.
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