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Gut microbiota protects honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) against polystyrene microplastics exposure risks
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Researchers found that honey bees with intact gut microbiota were significantly more resilient to polystyrene microplastic exposure than bees with disrupted gut communities. The gut microbiota helped reduce oxidative stress and maintained immune function in bees exposed to microplastics. The study suggests that a healthy gut microbiome may serve as a natural defense mechanism against the harmful effects of microplastic ingestion in pollinators.
Microplastic contamination is not only a pressing environmental concern in oceans, but also terrestrial ecosystems. However, little is known about its potential impacts on pollinators. Here, we reported the effects of 25 μm-diameter spherical polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) alone or in combination with the antibiotic tetracycline on honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) in the laboratory. We noticed that PS-MPs exposure for 14 d had sublethal effects, with low mortalities (up to 1.6 %) across three different treatments (0.5, 5, and 50 mg/L) and no changes to the body weight gains compared to the control bees. Nevertheless, PS-MPs exposure led to significant decreases in the α-diversity of bees' gut microbiota accompanied by changes to the core microbial population structure. Additionally, PS-MPs lead to alterations in the expression of antioxidative (Cat), detoxification (CypQ1 and GstS3), and immune system-related genes (Domeless, Hopscotch, and Symplekin) in guts. More interestingly, we observed that PS-MPs accumulated and degraded inside of the hindgut and interacted with gut bacteria. The depletion of the normal gut microbiota using tetracycline dramatically increased the lethality of microplastics. These results provide a resource for future research on microplastic-microbiome interactions in other insects and also shed light on understanding the potential effects of microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems.
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Polystyrene microplastics reduce honeybee survival by disrupting gut microbiota and metabolism
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Honeybees exposed to polystyrene microplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations showed reduced survival rates, damaged gut walls, and disrupted gut bacteria and metabolism. The microplastics accumulated in the bees' guts, causing oxidative stress and shifting the microbial community toward harmful species. Since honeybees are essential pollinators for many food crops, microplastic threats to bee health could have indirect consequences for agriculture and human food security.
Nano- and micro-polystyrene plastics disturb gut microbiota and intestinal immune system in honeybee.
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Honeybees orally exposed to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics showed disrupted gut microbiota and impaired intestinal immune function, with nanoplastics causing greater effects than microplastics. Since honeybees are critical pollinators for food production, microplastic contamination in their environment could affect both bee health and agricultural systems.
Association of specific gut microbiota with polyethylene microplastics caused gut dysbiosis and increased susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens in honeybees
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Honeybees fed polyethylene microplastics (the type used in food packaging) showed disrupted gut bacteria and became more vulnerable to disease-causing pathogens. The larger 100-micrometer particles caused the most harm, physically damaging the gut lining and displacing beneficial bacteria. This research demonstrates how microplastic contamination in the environment can weaken important pollinator species by compromising their gut health and immune defenses.
Effects of different microplastic types and co-exposure on the survival of Apis mellifera ligustica (Spinola, 1806) and its associated microbial communities
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Researchers fed honey bees three types of microplastics (polystyrene, polyethylene, and polymethyl methacrylate) individually and in combination, and found that all treatments significantly reduced bee survival compared to controls. The combination of all three microplastic types had the strongest negative effect, and the gut microbial community showed time- and treatment-specific shifts that may represent an initial compensatory response to maintain functional stability.
Chronic Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastic Fragments Has No Effect on Honey Bee Survival, but Reduces Feeding Rate and Body Weight
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Researchers chronically exposed honey bees with established gut microbiomes to polystyrene microplastic fragments over 15 days and found no effect on survival. However, bees exposed to higher concentrations showed reduced feeding rates and lower body weight. The study suggests that while microplastics may not directly kill bees, they could affect bee nutrition and energy balance over time.
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