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Volume 18
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10.3390/ijerph18041863
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Review

Review on Sublethal Effects of Environmental Contaminants in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Knowledge Gaps and Future Perspectives

by
Agata Di Noi
1,
Silvia Casini
2,*,
Tommaso Campani
2,
Giampiero Cai
1 and
Ilaria Caliani
2
1
Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
2
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 1863; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041863
Submission received: 31 December 2020 / Revised: 3 February 2021 / Accepted: 10 February 2021 / Published: 14 February 2021
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Health)
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Abstract

Honey bees and the pollination services they provide are fundamental for agriculture and biodiversity. Agrochemical products and other classes of contaminants, such as trace elements and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, contribute to the general decline of bees’ populations. For this reason, effects, and particularly sublethal effects of contaminants need to be investigated. We conducted a review of the existing literature regarding the type of effects evaluated in Apis mellifera, collecting information about regions, methodological approaches, the type of contaminants, and honey bees’ life stages. Europe and North America are the regions in which A. mellifera biological responses were mostly studied and the most investigated compounds are insecticides. A. mellifera was studied more in the laboratory than in field conditions. Through the observation of the different responses examined, we found that there were several knowledge gaps that should be addressed, particularly within enzymatic and molecular responses, such as those regarding the immune system and genotoxicity. The importance of developing an integrated approach that combines responses at different levels, from molecular to organism and population, needs to be highlighted in order to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic contamination on this pollinator species.
Keywords: honey bees; sublethal effects; plant protection products; bees decline; monitoring strategies; methodological approach honey bees; sublethal effects; plant protection products; bees decline; monitoring strategies; methodological approach

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MDPI and ACS Style

Di Noi, A.; Casini, S.; Campani, T.; Cai, G.; Caliani, I. Review on Sublethal Effects of Environmental Contaminants in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Knowledge Gaps and Future Perspectives. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 1863. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041863

AMA Style

Di Noi A, Casini S, Campani T, Cai G, Caliani I. Review on Sublethal Effects of Environmental Contaminants in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Knowledge Gaps and Future Perspectives. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(4):1863. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041863

Chicago/Turabian Style

Di Noi, Agata, Silvia Casini, Tommaso Campani, Giampiero Cai, and Ilaria Caliani. 2021. "Review on Sublethal Effects of Environmental Contaminants in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Knowledge Gaps and Future Perspectives" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 4: 1863. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041863

APA Style

Di Noi, A., Casini, S., Campani, T., Cai, G., & Caliani, I. (2021). Review on Sublethal Effects of Environmental Contaminants in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Knowledge Gaps and Future Perspectives. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1863. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041863

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