Friday, August 1, 2025
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
Environmental Magazine
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home Air

Bumblebee decline connected with particulate pollutant exposure in microbiome study

April 16, 2025
in Air
A A

A study of bumblebees has uncovered a potential reason for the insects’ decline.

By studying bumblebee exposure to particulate air pollutants researchers say they have determined that the diversity and behaviour of the bee gut microbial community is altered when exposed to black carbon found in air pollution, disrupting the beneficial bacteria that live there.

Bees are vital to our delicate eco-system and agriculture because they help pollinate wild trees and flowers and crops which support other insects and mammals in turn going up the food chain. But their populations are declining with many species already wiped out and others in serious danger.

A key component of bee health is their specialized, beneficial gut microbiome which form a community of bacteria in their gut to keep them healthy.

The findings by air pollution researchers, led by Professor Julie Morrissey at the University of Leicester’s Department of Genetics, Genomics and Cancer Sciences, have now been published in NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes.

Researchers, grew Snodgrasella alvi, a beneficial member of the bee gut microbiome, in lab conditions and exposed it to black carbon air pollution.

Snodgrassella alvi colonises bees’ large intestine in a structure called a biofilm – a protective matrix that promotes bacterial colonisation on surfaces (e.g. like plaque on teeth).

The team found that exposure to black carbon changed the behaviour of S. alvi and the structure and formation of the bacteria’s biofilm.

Researchers also looked at the effects of black carbon pollution on live bumblebees. They sampled bees before and after pollution exposure and measured the abundance of bacteria in their gut to observe any differences.

To measure the gut microbiome, faecal samples were taken, allowing for multiple sampling of the same individual. They found that there was a significant change in the abundance of beneficial bacteria that are vital to the health of the bee gut microbiome.

Dr Hannah Sampson, first author on the study, said: “Recent declines in bee populations have put a spotlight on understanding what factors might be driving these. So far, they have been attributed to habitat loss, pesticide use, the spread of bee diseases and climate change.

“The bee gut microbiome is a crucial component of bee health. Our research explored the impact of air pollution on bees’ gut microbiome, discovering that air pollution exposure has direct, measurable effects on the beneficial commensal bacteria and microbiome.

“Our data highlights that air pollution is an underexplored risk to insect pollinator health via disruption of bees beneficial gut microbiome. This not only poses a risk to bee health but to pollination and global food security in the long term.”

However, Dr Sampson added that more research needed to take place.

“Air pollution affects microbial communities. Changes to these important communities could have detrimental effects on lots of different ecosystems that affect bees and also directly affect humans.”

ShareTweetSharePinSendShare

Related Articles

Air

Air filter mimics mucus-coated nasal hair

July 30, 2025
Air

Non-road machinery decarbonisation – operators share perspectives

July 23, 2025
Air

Ceremony opens the construction phase of Port Talbot EAF

July 16, 2025
Air

Report calls for ‘urgent, coordinated action’ by the Government to tackle air pollution

July 4, 2025
Air

Ships trigger high and unexpected emissions of methane

July 3, 2025
Air

Net zero planning platform to unlock investment in the West of England

June 25, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Government must act now to close green skills gap, warns new report

November 27, 2024

Federal Appeals Court Upholds $14.25 Million Fine Against Exxon for Pollution in Texas

December 14, 2024

Don't miss it

News

Landfill Tax reforms could trigger shortage of aggregates, says trade group

August 1, 2025
Fossil Fuels

EPA Delays Compliance with Methane Rule, Fulfilling Oil and Gas Industry’s Request

July 31, 2025
Energy

Solar and Batteries Lead US Power Plant Additions by a Lot. How Does This Square With the Trump Administration’s Agenda?

July 31, 2025
Fossil Fuels

The Biggest US LNG Exporter Is Claiming a Massive Tax Credit for Using Its Cargo as an ‘Alternative’ Fuel

July 31, 2025
Activism

New York Climate Activists Are a Key Part of Zohran Mamdani’s Mayoral Campaign

July 31, 2025
Energy

Hundreds of Old EV Batteries Have New Jobs in Texas: Stabilizing the Grid

July 30, 2025
Environmental Magazine

Environmental Magazine, Latest News, Opinions, Analysis Environmental Magazine. Follow us for more news about Enviroment and climate change from all around the world.

Learn more

Sections

  • Activism
  • Air
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Fossil Fuels
  • News
  • Uncategorized
  • Water

Topics

Activism Air Climate Change Energy Fossil Fuels News Uncategorized Water

Recent News

Landfill Tax reforms could trigger shortage of aggregates, says trade group

August 1, 2025

EPA Delays Compliance with Methane Rule, Fulfilling Oil and Gas Industry’s Request

July 31, 2025

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.