TY - JOUR

T1 - The potential impacts of insecticides on the life-history traits of bees and the consequences for pollination

AU - Brittain, Claire

AU - Potts, Simon G.

PY - 2011/6

Y1 - 2011/6

N2 - Maintaining the relationships between plants and pollinators is vital to ecosystem stability. Insecticides may disturb these interactions with poorly understood consequences for pollination. Community level research is essential, if we are to understand the wider effects of insecticides on a variety of pollinating taxa and the impacts on the plants they pollinate. In this article we discuss the potential effects of both the lethal and sub-lethal impacts of insecticide use in agro-ecosystems on pollination services by bees. In particular, we consider how particular life-history traits of pollinators, such as sociality and floral specialisation may be differentially affected by insecticides. We discuss how this might translate through to pollination services. We propose that a trait-based approach can give insight into the potential impacts of insecticides on plant–pollinator communities.

AB - Maintaining the relationships between plants and pollinators is vital to ecosystem stability. Insecticides may disturb these interactions with poorly understood consequences for pollination. Community level research is essential, if we are to understand the wider effects of insecticides on a variety of pollinating taxa and the impacts on the plants they pollinate. In this article we discuss the potential effects of both the lethal and sub-lethal impacts of insecticide use in agro-ecosystems on pollination services by bees. In particular, we consider how particular life-history traits of pollinators, such as sociality and floral specialisation may be differentially affected by insecticides. We discuss how this might translate through to pollination services. We propose that a trait-based approach can give insight into the potential impacts of insecticides on plant–pollinator communities.

KW - Ecosystems Research

KW - Biodiversity

KW - Disturbance

KW - Ecosystem service

KW - Environmental chemicals

KW - Pesticide pressure

KW - Pollinator

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79957602299&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.baae.2010.12.004

DO - 10.1016/j.baae.2010.12.004

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 12

SP - 321

EP - 331

JO - Basic and Applied Ecology

JF - Basic and Applied Ecology

SN - 1439-1791

IS - 4

ER -