Researchers at Stirling University have found that exposure to chronic low-dose radiation, found in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, negatively affects bumblebee energy use by increasing their metabolic rate and food consumption.
Researchers at Stirling University have found that exposure to chronic low-dose radiation, found in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, negatively affects bumblebee energy use by increasing their metabolic rate and food consumption. The preliminary results will be presented on 12 December at the British Ecological Society Annual Meeting in Belfast.
The study simulated Chernobyl-levels of radiation exposure in a laboratory to investigate the impacts it may be having on insects inhabiting the exclusion zone. Although it has been previously found that bumblebees are sensitive to radiation, few studies have investigated the effects on their fitness. The dose rates of radiation in which negative effects occur are also uncertain.
Jessica Burrows, who will be presenting the research at the conference, said: “An increase in nectar consumption for an individual bee could have important ecological consequences, as bees may need to spend more time foraging to collect nectar for their individual needs. As a result, the growth of bumblebee colonies may be impaired if fewer resources are available for the developing brood; this might reduce the number of bees in the ecosystem.”
A reduction in bees in the environment would then impair pollinator ecosystem services, causing wider impacts on the environment.
Read more at British Ecological Society
Photo Credit: Myriams-Fotos via Pixabay
