A5077819336- Plant and animal studies
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Plant Reproductive Biology
- Plant Diversity and Evolution
- Plant Physiology and Cultivation Studies
- Plant responses to elevated CO2
- Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
- Lipid metabolism and biosynthesis
- Bee Products Chemical Analysis
- Metabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Studies
- Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
University of Oxford
2020-2024
University of Southampton
2024
Newcastle University
2013-2019
Plant defense compounds occur in floral nectar, but their ecological role is not well understood. We provide evidence that plant pharmacologically alter pollinator behavior by enhancing memory of reward. Honeybees rewarded with caffeine, which occurs naturally nectar Coffea and Citrus species, were three times as likely to remember a learned scent honeybees sucrose alone. Caffeine potentiated responses mushroom body neurons involved olfactory learning acting an adenosine receptor antagonist....
Dietary sources of essential amino acids (EAAs) are used for growth, somatic maintenance and reproduction. Eusocial insect workers such as honeybees sterile, unlike other animals, their nutritional needs should be largely dictated by demands that arise from role within the colony. Here, we investigated extent to which dietary requirements adult worker EAAs carbohydrates affected behavioural caste using Geometric Framework nutrition. The optimum, or intake target (IT), was determined...
Bee population declines are linked to reduction of nutritional resources due land-use intensification, yet we know little about the specific needs many bee species. Pollen provides bees their primary source protein and lipids, but quality varies widely among host-plant Therefore, may be adapted assess resource adjust foraging behavior balance nutrition from multiple food sources. We tested ability two bumble species, Bombus terrestris B. impatiens, regulate lipid intake. restricted adults...
ABSTRACT Animals carefully regulate the amount of protein that they consume. The quantity individual essential amino acids (EAAs) obtained from dietary depends on source, but how proportion EAAs in diet affects nutrient balancing has rarely been studied. Recent research using Geometric Framework for Nutrition revealed forager honeybees who receive much their floral nectar and not solid have relatively low requirements EAAs. Here, we examined nutritional carbohydrates foragers buff-tailed...
Essential macronutrients are critical to the fitness and survival of animals. Many studies have shown that animals regulate amount protein carbohydrate they eat for optimal performance. Regulation dietary fat is important but less often studied. Honeybees collect consume floral pollen obtain how achieve balance these two presently unknown. Here, using chemically defined diets composed essential amino acids lipids (lecithin), we show adult worker honeybees actively their intake around values...
Abstract Floral nectar is a reward offered by flowering plants to visiting pollinators. Nectar chemistry important for understanding plant nutrient allocation and plant–pollinator interactions. However, many species are difficult sample as their flowers small produce low amounts of nectar. We compared the effects different methods collection on amino acid composition with volumes used five collect from 60 (5 × 12) Calluna vulgaris flowers: microcapillary tubes, low‐volume flower rinse (the...
Complete pipeline for system-level of biological systems, from indivituals to ecosystems, using only metabolite data.
Abstract Pollen provides floral visitors with essential nutrients including proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals. As an important nutrient resource for pollinators, honeybees bumblebees, pollen quality is of growing interest in assessing available nutrition to foraging bees. To date, quantifying the protein‐bound amino acids has been difficult methods rely on large amounts pollen, typically more than 1 g. More usual estimate a crude protein value based nitrogen content however, such...
In addition to sugars, nectar contains multiple nutrient compounds in varying concentrations, yet little is known of their effect on the reward properties and resulting implications for insect behaviour. We examined pre-ingestive responses honeybees sucrose solutions containing a mix pollen compounds, amino acids proline or phenylalanine, distasteful substances, quinine salt. predicted that taste learning assays, bees would respond positively presence solution. However, bees' proboscis...