Open AccessA field-based quantitative analysis of sublethal effects of air pollution on pollinators
Author(s) -
Geetha G. Thimmegowda,
Susan Mullen,
Katie Sottilare,
Ankit Sharma,
Rishika Mohanta,
Axel Brockmann,
Perundurai S. Dhandapany,
Shan B. Olsson
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2009074117
Subject(s) - pollution , air pollution , pollinator , particulates , biology , human health , ecology , ecosystem , toxicology , environmental science , pollination , environmental health , pollen , medicine
Significance India is the world’s largest fruit producer and second most populous country. Pollinators are therefore important for India’s food security. India also contains 9 of the world’s 10 most polluted cities, but the impact of air pollution on plant and animal systems is largely unknown. We performed a multiyear study in the megacity of Bangalore to correlate the mechanistic effects of air pollution on a major Indian pollinator, the Giant Asian honey bee,Apis dorsata . Wild honey bees and lab-rearedDrosophila exposed to air pollution exhibited differences in survival, behavior, heart rate, blood cell count, and/or the expression of genes related to stress, immunity, and metabolism. Our study indicates the urgency for more studies on wild systems to better inform international air quality guidelines.