Selenium toxicity to honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) pollinators: effects on behaviors and survival

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 7; no. 4; p. e34137
• Main Authors: Hladun, Kristen R, Smith, Brian H, Mustard, Julie A, Morton, Ray R, Trumble, John T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 13.04.2012; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Accumulation; Agricultural ecosystems; Amino acids; Animal behavior; Animals; Antennae; Apidae; Apis mellifera; Bees; Bees - drug effects; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Bioassays; Biology; Brassicaceae; Chemistry; European honeybee; Food chains; Food resources; Food webs; Forage; Guilds; Heliothis virescens; Herbivores; Honey; Hymenoptera; Insects; Larvae; Life sciences; Methionine; Methionine - pharmacology; Mortality; Nectar; Organic farming; Pesticides; Plant nectar; Plant reproduction; Plant tissues; Plants (botany); Podisus maculiventris; Poisoning; Pollination; Pollinators; Pollutants; Proboscis; Sediment pollution; Selenium; Selenium (Chemical element); Selenium - toxicity; Selenomethionine; Selenomethionine - toxicity; Soil contamination; Soil pollution; Stimulation; Sucrose; Sucrose - pharmacology; Sugar; Sulfur; Survival; Taste perception; Taste stimuli; Tenebrio molitor; Tenebrionidae; Toxicity; United States > US; Arizona; California

We know very little about how soil-borne pollutants such as selenium (Se) can impact pollinators, even though Se has contaminated soils and plants in areas where insect pollination can be critical to the functioning of both agricultural and natural ecosystems. Se can be biotransferred throughout the...