Open AccessImproved mitochondrial function corrects immunodeficiency and impaired respiration in neonicotinoid exposed bumblebees
Author(s) -
Michael B. Powner,
G. C. Priestley,
Chris Hogg,
Glen Jeffery
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0256581
Subject(s) - neonicotinoid , respiration , toxicology , imidacloprid , in vivo , biology , pesticide , ecology , botany , microbiology and biotechnology
Neonicotinoid pesticides undermine pollinating insects including bumblebees. However, we have previously shown that mitochondrial damage induced by neonicotinoids can be corrected by 670nm light exposure. But we do not know if this protection extends to immunity or what the minimum effective level of 670nm light exposure is necessary for protection. We use whole body bee respiration in vivo as a metric of neonicotinoid damage and assess the amount of light exposure needed to correct it. We reveal that only 1 min of 670nm exposure is sufficient to correct respiratory deficits induced by pesticide and that this also completely repairs damaged immunocompetence measured by haemocyte counts and the antibacterial action of hemolymph. Further, this single 1 min exposure remains effective for 3–6 days. Longer exposures were not more effective. Such data are key for development of protective light strategies that can be delivered by relatively small economic devices placed in hives.