Trophic Transfer of Arsenic from an Aquatic Insect to Terrestrial Insect Predators.

The movement of energy and nutrients from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems can be substantial, and emergent aquatic insects can serve as biovectors not only for nutrients, but also for contaminants present in the aquatic environment. The terrestrial predators Tenodera aridifolia sinensis (Mantodea: Mantidae) and Tidarren haemorrhoidale (Araneae: Theridiidae) and the aquatic predator Buenoa scimitra (Hemiptera: Notonectidae) were chosen to evaluate the efficacy of arsenic transfer between aquatic and terrestrial environments. Culex tarsalis larvae were reared in either control water or water containing 1000 µg l(-1) arsenic. Adults that emerged from the control and arsenic treatments were fed to the terrestrial predators, and fourth instar larvae were fed to the aquatic predator reared in control or arsenic contaminated water. Tenodera a. sinensis fed arsenic-treated Cx. tarsalis accumulated 658±130 ng g(-1) of arsenic. There was no significant difference between control and arsenic-fed T. haemorrhoidale (range 142-290 ng g(-1)). Buenoa scimitra accumulated 5120±406 ng g(-1) of arsenic when exposed to arsenic-fed Cx. tarsalis and reared in water containing 1000 µg l(-1) arsenic. There was no significant difference between controls or arsenic-fed B. scimitra that were not exposed to water-borne arsenic, indicating that for this species environmental exposure was more important in accumulation than strictly dietary arsenic. These results indicate that transfer to terrestrial predators may play an important role in arsenic cycling, which would be particularly true during periods of mass emergence of potential insect biovectors. Trophic transfer within the aquatic environment may still occur with secondary predation, or in predators with different feeding strategies

Emerging Themes from the ESA Symposium Entitled “Pollinator Nutrition: Lessons from Bees at Individual to Landscape Levels”

Pollinator populations are declining (Biesmeijer et al., 2006; Brodschneider et al., 2018; Cameron et al., 2011; Goulson, Lye, & Darvill, 2008; Kulhanek et al., 2017; National Research Council, 2007; Oldroyd, 2007), and both anecdotal and experimental evidence suggest that limited access to high quality forage might play a role (Carvell, Meek, Pywell, Goulson, & Nowakowski, 2007; Deepa et al., 2017; Goulson, Nicholls, Botias, & Rotheray, 2015; Potts et al., 2003, 2010; Vanbergen & The Insect Pollinators Initiative, 2013; Vaudo, Tooker, Grozinger, & Patch, 2015; Woodard, 2017). Multiple researchers are earnestly addressing this topic in a diverse array of insect-pollinator systems. As research continues to be published, increased communication among scientists studying the topic of nutrition is essential for improving pollinator health

In silico identification of off-target pesticidal dsRNA binding in honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Background Pesticidal RNAs that silence critical gene function have great potential in pest management, but the benefits of this technology must be weighed against non-target organism risks. Methods Published studies that developed pesticidal double stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) were collated into a database. The target gene sequences for these pesticidal RNAs were determined, and the degree of similarity with sequences in the honey bee genome were evaluated statistically. Results We identified 101 insecticidal RNAs sharing high sequence similarity with genomic regions in honey bees. The likelihood that off-target sequences were similar increased with the number of nucleotides in the dsRNA molecule. The similarities of non-target genes to the pesticidal RNA was unaffected by taxonomic relatedness of the target insect to honey bees, contrary to previous assertions. Gene groups active during honey bee development had disproportionately high sequence similarity with pesticidal RNAs relative to other areas of the genome. Discussion Although sequence similarity does not itself guarantee a significant phenotypic effect in honey bees by the primary dsRNA, in silico screening may help to identify appropriate experimental endpoints within a risk assessment framework for pesticidal RNAi

Larval Pollen Stress Increases Adult Susceptibility to Clothianidin in Honey Bees

Neonicotinoid insecticides have come under scrutiny for their potential role in honey bee declines. Additionally, reduced access to forage in agricultural areas creates the potential for risk interactions with these pesticides in regions critical for honey production. In this study, we sought to determine whether sufficient access to pollen during larval development could mitigate stress associated with oral clothianidin exposure in honey bee adults. An apiary was established where pollen traps deprived half of the colonies of pollen, which was then supplemented to the others. Adults were fed 0, 10, 40, 200, or 400 µg/L clothianidin in the laboratory, and larval and adult lipids and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were compared between feeding treatments. Survival at sublethal concentrations of clothianidin was significantly reduced for adult bees reared in pollen deprived colonies. Adult SOD activity was affected by clothianidin dose but not larval feeding treatment, though within the pollen-deprived cohort, SOD was greater in controls than those fed clothianidin. Larval SOD differed between field replicates, with supplemented colonies having slightly higher activity levels during a period of pollen dearth, indicating that supplementation during these periods is particularly important for mitigating oxidative stress within the hive. Larval lipids were significantly higher in supplemented colonies during a substantial pollen flow, though adult lipids were unaffected by feeding treatment. These results suggest that during periods of pollen dearth, oxidative stress and adult worker longevity will be improved by supplementing colonies with locally collected pollen

Tolerance to individual and joint effects of arsenic and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis or Lysinibacillus sphaericus in Culex mosquitoes.

Arsenic contamination of global water supplies has come to the forefront in policy decisions in recent decades. However, the effects of arsenic on lower trophic levels of insects inhabiting contaminated ecosystems are not well understood. One approach to document both acute and sublethal effects of toxicants like arsenic is to assay them in combination with microbial pathogens to evaluate shifts in survival curves of the test organisms. Larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex tarsalis were reared in water containing 0 or 1 000 μg/L of arsenate or arsenite. Fourth instars were then exposed to a range of doses of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) or Lysinibacillus sphaericus (Ls), with shifts in lethal concentrations determined. Arsenic accumulation in 4th instars was also quantified, and a relative growth index (RGI) calculated for the treatments and compared to controls. Larvae of both species accumulated between 4 447 ± 169 ng As/g and 6 983 ± 367 ng As/g, though RGI values indicated accumulation did not affect growth and development. In all cases, the LC50 's and LC90 's of Cx. quinquefasciatus exposed jointly with arsenic and Bti/Ls were higher than Cx. tarsalis. Cx. tarsalis reared in arsenite showed a significant reduction in their Bti LC90 values compared to the control, indicating a sublethal effect of Bti. When exposed jointly with Ls, arsenite was more toxic than arsenate in Cx. tarsalis. Overall, these results indicate tolerance of these Culex species to arsenic exposures, and why this may occur is discussed

Tolerance to individual and joint effects of arsenic and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis or Lysinibacillus sphaericus in Culex mosquitoes.

Arsenic contamination of global water supplies has come to the forefront in policy decisions in recent decades. However, the effects of arsenic on lower trophic levels of insects inhabiting contaminated ecosystems are not well understood. One approach to document both acute and sublethal effects of toxicants like arsenic is to assay them in combination with microbial pathogens to evaluate shifts in survival curves of the test organisms. Larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex tarsalis were reared in water containing 0 or 1 000 μg/L of arsenate or arsenite. Fourth instars were then exposed to a range of doses of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) or Lysinibacillus sphaericus (Ls), with shifts in lethal concentrations determined. Arsenic accumulation in 4th instars was also quantified, and a relative growth index (RGI) calculated for the treatments and compared to controls. Larvae of both species accumulated between 4 447 ± 169 ng As/g and 6 983 ± 367 ng As/g, though RGI values indicated accumulation did not affect growth and development. In all cases, the LC50 's and LC90 's of Cx. quinquefasciatus exposed jointly with arsenic and Bti/Ls were higher than Cx. tarsalis. Cx. tarsalis reared in arsenite showed a significant reduction in their Bti LC90 values compared to the control, indicating a sublethal effect of Bti. When exposed jointly with Ls, arsenite was more toxic than arsenate in Cx. tarsalis. Overall, these results indicate tolerance of these Culex species to arsenic exposures, and why this may occur is discussed

Arsenic accumulation in the terrestrial predators.

<p>Units are ng g⁻¹ dry weight. The arsenic treatments were fed <i>Cx. tarsalis</i> adults that retained 2450±242 ng g⁻¹.</p