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Impacts of neonicotinoid use on long-term population changes in wild bees in England

Author

Listed:
  • Ben A. Woodcock

    (NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology)

  • Nicholas J. B. Isaac

    (NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology)

  • James M. Bullock

    (NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology)

  • David B. Roy

    (NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology)

  • David G. Garthwaite

    (FERA Science Ltd.)

  • Andrew Crowe

    (FERA Science Ltd.)

  • Richard F. Pywell

    (NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology)

Abstract

Wild bee declines have been ascribed in part to neonicotinoid insecticides. While short-term laboratory studies on commercially bred species (principally honeybees and bumblebees) have identified sub-lethal effects, there is no strong evidence linking these insecticides to losses of the majority of wild bee species. We relate 18 years of UK national wild bee distribution data for 62 species to amounts of neonicotinoid use in oilseed rape. Using a multi-species dynamic Bayesian occupancy analysis, we find evidence of increased population extinction rates in response to neonicotinoid seed treatment use on oilseed rape. Species foraging on oilseed rape benefit from the cover of this crop, but were on average three times more negatively affected by exposure to neonicotinoids than non-crop foragers. Our results suggest that sub-lethal effects of neonicotinoids could scale up to cause losses of bee biodiversity. Restrictions on neonicotinoid use may reduce population declines.

Suggested Citation

  • Ben A. Woodcock & Nicholas J. B. Isaac & James M. Bullock & David B. Roy & David G. Garthwaite & Andrew Crowe & Richard F. Pywell, 2016. "Impacts of neonicotinoid use on long-term population changes in wild bees in England," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-8, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms12459
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12459
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    Cited by:

    1. Eleni Matechou & Stephen N. Freeman & Richard Comont, 2018. "Caste-Specific Demography and Phenology in Bumblebees: Modelling BeeWalk Data," Journal of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statistics, Springer;The International Biometric Society;American Statistical Association, vol. 23(4), pages 427-445, December.
    2. Hannah Romanowski & Lauren Blake, 2023. "Neonicotinoid seed treatment on sugar beet in England: a qualitative analysis of the controversy, existing policy and viability of alternatives," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 13(3), pages 453-472, September.
    3. Stephen Jess & David I. Matthews & Archie K. Murchie & Michael K. Lavery, 2018. "Pesticide Use in Northern Ireland’s Arable Crops from 1992–2016 and Implications for Future Policy Development," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-16, August.
    4. Kleftodimos, Georgios & Gallai, Nicola & Rozakis, Stelios & Képhaliacos, Charilaos, 2021. "A farm-level ecological-economic approach of the inclusion of pollination services in arable crop farms," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    5. Alexander Wezel & Margriet Goris & Janneke Bruil & Georges F. Félix & Alain Peeters & Paolo Bàrberi & Stéphane Bellon & Paola Migliorini, 2018. "Challenges and Action Points to Amplify Agroecology in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-12, May.
    6. Nicholas Copeland, 2022. "Liberation extension: building capacities for civilizational transition," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(3), pages 859-870, September.
    7. Emily B Dennis & Byron J T Morgan & Stephen N Freeman & Martin S Ridout & Tom M Brereton & Richard Fox & Gary D Powney & David B Roy, 2017. "Efficient occupancy model-fitting for extensive citizen-science data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(3), pages 1-17, March.
    8. Blaydes, H. & Potts, S.G. & Whyatt, J.D. & Armstrong, A., 2021. "Opportunities to enhance pollinator biodiversity in solar parks," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    9. Patricia P.A. Henríquez‐piskulich & Constanza Schapheer & Nicolas Vereecken & Cristian Villagra, 2021. "Agroecological strategies to safeguard insect pollinators in biodiversity hotspots: Chile as a case study," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/328659, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    10. Patricia A. Henríquez-Piskulich & Constanza Schapheer & Nicolas J. Vereecken & Cristian Villagra, 2021. "Agroecological Strategies to Safeguard Insect Pollinators in Biodiversity Hotspots: Chile as a Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-31, June.
    11. Centner, Terence J. & Brewer, Brady & Leal, Isaac, 2018. "Reducing damages from sulfoxaflor use through mitigation measures to increase the protection of pollinator species," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 70-76.
    12. Alexander Wezel & Sibylle Stöckli & Erich Tasser & Heike Nitsch & Audrey Vincent, 2021. "Good Pastures, Good Meadows: Mountain Farmers’ Assessment, Perceptions on Ecosystem Services, and Proposals for Biodiversity Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-15, May.
    13. G. Kleftodimos & N. Gallai & Ch. Kephaliacos, 2021. "Ecological-economic modeling of pollination complexity and pesticide use in agricultural crops," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 297-323, October.

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