Division of Foraging Labor in the Bumble Bee, Bombus Impatiens

Division of Foraging Labor in the Bumble Bee, Bombus Impatiens PDF Author: Jessica Hagbery
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781124720661
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 39

Get Book Here

Book Description
Foraging specialization plays an important role in the ability of social Hymenoptera to efficiently allocate labor and adapt to environmental changes. However, relatively little is known about whether bumble bees, important social pollinators, can flexibly allocate their foraging. I removed pollen specialists at different stages in the life of a Bombus impatiens colony and recorded the pollen and nectar foraging of every forager on each foraging trip over the lifetimes of five established colonies. Adult bumble bee foragers were defined as pollen specialists (>̲90% of all foraging visits on pollen), nectar specialists (>̲90% of all foraging visits on nectar) or generalists (all other foragers). The removal of pollen specialists at early and late phases in colony life led to increased pollen foraging (36% and 14% increase, respectively) by generalist foragers. After pollen specialists were reintroduced, generalists decreased pollen foraging to prior levels. A uniform, proportional extraction of all forager types had no effect on the foraging of generalists remaining in the colony. Thus, the specific removal of pollen specialists caused the foraging compensation by generalists. This shows the importance of pollen specialists and the colony's ability to reallocate their foraging labor in response to pollen foraging labor shortages.

Division of Foraging Labor in the Bumble Bee, Bombus Impatiens

Division of Foraging Labor in the Bumble Bee, Bombus Impatiens PDF Author: Jessica Hagbery
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781124720661
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 39

Get Book Here

Book Description
Foraging specialization plays an important role in the ability of social Hymenoptera to efficiently allocate labor and adapt to environmental changes. However, relatively little is known about whether bumble bees, important social pollinators, can flexibly allocate their foraging. I removed pollen specialists at different stages in the life of a Bombus impatiens colony and recorded the pollen and nectar foraging of every forager on each foraging trip over the lifetimes of five established colonies. Adult bumble bee foragers were defined as pollen specialists (>̲90% of all foraging visits on pollen), nectar specialists (>̲90% of all foraging visits on nectar) or generalists (all other foragers). The removal of pollen specialists at early and late phases in colony life led to increased pollen foraging (36% and 14% increase, respectively) by generalist foragers. After pollen specialists were reintroduced, generalists decreased pollen foraging to prior levels. A uniform, proportional extraction of all forager types had no effect on the foraging of generalists remaining in the colony. Thus, the specific removal of pollen specialists caused the foraging compensation by generalists. This shows the importance of pollen specialists and the colony's ability to reallocate their foraging labor in response to pollen foraging labor shortages.

The Effect of Local Flower Distribution on the Foraging and Communication Behavior of the Common Eastern Bumblebee, Bombus Impatiens

The Effect of Local Flower Distribution on the Foraging and Communication Behavior of the Common Eastern Bumblebee, Bombus Impatiens PDF Author: Anthony P Lange
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bumblebees
Languages : en
Pages : 40

Get Book Here

Book Description


Organization of Insect Societies

Organization of Insect Societies PDF Author: Jürgen Gadau
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 9780674031258
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 638

Get Book Here

Book Description
In this landmark volume, an international group of scientists has synthesized their collective expertise and insight into a newly unified vision of insect societies and what they can reveal about how sociality has arisen as an evolutionary strategy. Jürgen Gadau and Jennifer Fewell have assembled leading researchers from the fields of molecular biology, evolutionary genetics, neurophysiology, behavioral ecology, and evolutionary theory to reexamine the question of sociality in insects. Recent advances in social complexity theory and the sequencing of the honeybee genome ensure that this book will be valued by anyone working on sociality in insects. At the same time, the theoretical ideas presented will be of broad-ranging significance to those interested in social evolution and complex systems.

The Mind of a Bee

The Mind of a Bee PDF Author: Lars Chittka
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691253897
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 344

Get Book Here

Book Description
A rich and surprising exploration of the intelligence of bees Most of us are aware of the hive mind—the power of bees as an amazing collective. But do we know how uniquely intelligent bees are as individuals? In The Mind of a Bee, Lars Chittka draws from decades of research, including his own pioneering work, to argue that bees have remarkable cognitive abilities. He shows that they are profoundly smart, have distinct personalities, can recognize flowers and human faces, exhibit basic emotions, count, use simple tools, solve problems, and learn by observing others. They may even possess consciousness. Taking readers deep into the sensory world of bees, Chittka illustrates how bee brains are unparalleled in the animal kingdom in terms of how much sophisticated material is packed into their tiny nervous systems. He looks at their innate behaviors and the ways their evolution as foragers may have contributed to their keen spatial memory. Chittka also examines the psychological differences between bees and the ethical dilemmas that arise in conservation and laboratory settings because bees feel and think. Throughout, he touches on the fascinating history behind the study of bee behavior. Exploring an insect whose sensory experiences rival those of humans, The Mind of a Bee reveals the singular abilities of some of the world’s most incredible creatures.

The Regulation of Size Related Division of Labor in a Key Pollinator and Its Impact on Crop Pollination Efficacy

The Regulation of Size Related Division of Labor in a Key Pollinator and Its Impact on Crop Pollination Efficacy PDF Author: G. Bloch (Universiṭah ha-ʻIvrit bi-Yerushalayim)
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bumblebees
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
Despite the rapid increase in reliance on bumble bees for food production and security, there are many critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of bumble bee biology that limit their colony production, commercial management, and pollination services. Our project focuses on the social, endocrine, and molecular processes regulating body size in the two bumble bee species most important to agriculture: Bombus terrestris in Israel, and B. impatiens in the USA. Variation in body size underline both caste (queen/worker) differentiation and division of labor among workers (foragers are typically larger than nest bees), two hallmarks of insect sociality which are also crucial for the commercial rearing and crop pollination services of bumble bees. Our project has generated several fundamental new insights into the biology of bumble bees, which can be integrated into science-based management strategies for commercial pollination. Using transcriptomic and behavioral approaches we show that in spite of high flexibility, task performance (brood care or foraging) in bumble bee colonies is associated with physiological variation and differential brain gene expression and RNA editing patterns. We further showed that interactions between the brood, the queen, and the workers determine the developmental program of the larva. We identified two important periods. The first is a critical period during the first few days after hatching. Larvae fed by queens during this period develop over less days, are not likely to develop into gynes, and commonly reach a smaller ultimate body size compared to workers reared mostly or solely by workers. The facial exocrine (mandibular and hypopharangeal) glands are involved in this queen effect on larva development. The second period is important for determining the ultimate body size which is positively regulated by the number of tending workers. The presence of the queen during this stage has little, if at all, influence. We further show that stressors such as agrochemicals that interfere with foraging or brood care specific processes can compromise bumble bee colony development and their pollination performance. We also developed new technology (an RFID system) for automated collection of foraging trip data, for future deployment in agroecosystems. In spite of many similarities, our findings suggest important differences between the Eurasian model species (B. terrestris) and the North American model species (B. impatiens) that impact how management strategies translate across the two species. For example, there is a similar influence of the queen on offspring body size in both species, but this effect does not appear to be mediated by development time in B. impatiens as it is in B. terrestris. Taken together, our collaboration highlights the power of comparative work, to show that considerable differences that exist between these two key pollinator species, and in the organization of young bumble bee nests (wherein queens provide the majority of care and then transition away from brood care) relative to later stages of nest development.

Ecology of Social Evolution

Ecology of Social Evolution PDF Author: Judith Korb
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540759573
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 270

Get Book Here

Book Description
The time is ripe to investigate similarities and differences in the course of social evolution in different animals. This book brings together renowned researchers working on sociality in different animals to deal with the key questions of sociobiology. For the first time, they compile the evidence for the importance of ecological factors in the evolution of social life, ranging from invertebrate to vertebrate social systems, and evaluate its importance versus that of relatedness.

Cognitive Ecology of Pollination

Cognitive Ecology of Pollination PDF Author: Lars Chittka
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139430041
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 362

Get Book Here

Book Description
Important breakthroughs have recently been made in our understanding of the cognitive and sensory abilities of pollinators: how pollinators perceive, memorise and react to floral signals and rewards; how they work flowers, move among inflorescences and transport pollen. These new findings have obvious implications for the evolution of floral display and diversity, but most existing publications are scattered across a wide range of journals in very different research traditions. This book brings together for the first time outstanding scholars from many different fields of pollination biology, integrating the work of neuroethologists and evolutionary ecologists to present a multi-disciplinary approach. Aimed at graduates and researchers of behavioural and pollination ecology, plant evolutionary biology and neuroethology, it will also be a useful source of information for anyone interested in a modern view of cognitive and sensory ecology, pollination and floral evolution.

Status of Pollinators in North America

Status of Pollinators in North America PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309102898
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 327

Get Book Here

Book Description
Pollinators-insects, birds, bats, and other animals that carry pollen from the male to the female parts of flowers for plant reproduction-are an essential part of natural and agricultural ecosystems throughout North America. For example, most fruit, vegetable, and seed crops and some crops that provide fiber, drugs, and fuel depend on animals for pollination. This report provides evidence for the decline of some pollinator species in North America, including America's most important managed pollinator, the honey bee, as well as some butterflies, bats, and hummingbirds. For most managed and wild pollinator species, however, population trends have not been assessed because populations have not been monitored over time. In addition, for wild species with demonstrated declines, it is often difficult to determine the causes or consequences of their decline. This report outlines priorities for research and monitoring that are needed to improve information on the status of pollinators and establishes a framework for conservation and restoration of pollinator species and communities.

Ecology and Behaviour of Free-Ranging Animals Studied by Advanced Data-Logging and Tracking Techniques

Ecology and Behaviour of Free-Ranging Animals Studied by Advanced Data-Logging and Tracking Techniques PDF Author: Thomas Wassmer
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 2889637921
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 290

Get Book Here

Book Description


The Lives of Bees

The Lives of Bees PDF Author: Christina Grozinger
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691247293
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 288

Get Book Here

Book Description
A beautifully illustrated guide to the vibrant and richly diverse world of bees The Lives of Bees provides a one-of-a-kind look at the life and natural history of bees. Blending stunning photographs and illustrations with illuminating profiles of selected species, this incisive guide takes readers inside the world of these marvelous insects, exploring their physiology, behavior, ecology, evolution, and much more. The Lives of Bees is essential reading for nature lovers everywhere. Features a wealth of stunning color images Covers everything from the social lives of bees to their conservation Written by two leading experts in the field Discusses the cultural, ecological, and economic interconnections between humans and bees Highlights strategies to support bee populations in backyards, farms, and natural areas