Veterinarska stanica, Vol. 51 No. 4, 2020.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.46419/vs.51.4.5
Honey bee (Apis mellifera) in biomonitoring of environmental pollution
Saša Zavrtnik
; Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering University of Zagreb, Varaždin, Croatia
Jelena Loborec
; Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering University of Zagreb, Varaždin, Croatia
Ivana Grčić
; Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering University of Zagreb, Varaždin, Croatia
Damir Žubčić
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The role of bees in nature as plant pollinators and producers of certain irreplaceable natural products is indisputably crucial. However, recently, bees are increasingly being referred to as victims of environmental contamination, which poses a real threat to their survival. Bees are insects of the order Hymenoptera, with around 20,000 known species. The most common in this region is the honey bee or grey honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica). Bees are responsible for 87.5% pollination of flowering plants, which is especially important in agricultural production, while direct benefits of honey bees are seen in bee products, such as honey, bees wax, propolis, pollen, bee poison, and royal jelly. It is crucial to identify how and to what extent contaminants, such as heavy metals and pesticides from water, soil and air, reach plants and their products, and the bees and their products, since this can affect both bee health and human health. The overall links between inanimate nature, such as substances in water, soil and air, with external conditions, such as changes in habitats and climate changes should be considered, and their impacts on bee populations determined, as they are invaluable bio-indicators for biomonitoring of environmental contamination.
Keywords
Apis mellifera; honey bee; environmental contamination; honey; heavy metals and pesticides; climate change
Hrčak ID:
238084
URI
Publication date:
12.6.2020.
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