Nicholls et al. 2018.pdf (590.14 kB)
Monitoring neonicotinoid exposure for bees in rural and peri-urban areas of the UK during the transition from pre- to post-moratorium
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 14:04 authored by Beth NichollsBeth Nicholls, Cristina Botias, Ellen L Rotheray, Penelope Whitehorn, Arthur David, Robert Fowler, Thomas David, Hannah Feltham, Jennifer L Swain, Patricia Wells, Elizabeth M Hill, Juliet L Osborne, Dave GoulsonDave GoulsonConcerns regarding the impact of neonicotinoid exposure on bee populations recently led to an EU-wide moratorium on the use of certain neonicotinoids on flowering crops. Currently evidence regarding the impact, if any, the moratorium has had on bees’ exposure is limited. We sampled pollen and nectar from bumblebee colonies in rural and peri-urban habitats in three UK regions; Stirlingshire, Hertfordshire and Sussex. Colonies were sampled over three years; prior to the ban (2013), during the initial implementation when some seed-treated winter-sown oilseed rape was still grown (2014), and following the ban (2015). To compare species-level differences, in 2014 only, honeybee colonies in rural habitats were also sampled. Over half of all samples were found to be contaminated (n=408), with thiamethoxam being the compound detected at the highest concentrations in honeybee- (up to 2.29 ng/g in nectar in 2014, median=0.1 ng/g, n=79) and bumblebee-collected pollen and nectar (up to 38.77 ng/g in pollen in 2013, median =0.12 ng/g, n=76). Honeybees were exposed to higher concentrations of neonicotinoids than bumblebees in 2014. While neonicotinoid exposure for rural bumblebees declined post-ban (2015), suggesting a positive impact of the moratorium, the risk of neonicotinoid exposure for bumblebees in peri-urban habitats remained largely the same between 2013 and 2015.
Funding
An Integrated Model for Predicting Bumblebee Population Success and Pollination Services in Agro-ecosystems; G1136; BBSRC-BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL; BB/J014753/2
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
Environmental Science and TechnologyISSN
0013-936XPublisher
American Chemical SocietyExternal DOI
Issue
16Volume
52Page range
9391-9402Department affiliated with
- Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2018-07-05First Open Access (FOA) Date
2019-06-28First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2018-07-05Usage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedKeywords
Licence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC