Bumble bee decline tied to air pollution's disruption of gut microbiome

A study of bumble bees has uncovered a potential reason for the insects' decline. By studying bumble bee exposure to particulate air pollutants, scientists at the University of Leicester have determined that the diversity and behavior of the bee gut microbial community is altered when exposed to black carbon found in air pollution, disrupting the beneficial bacteria that live there.

Bees are vital to our delicate ecosystem and agriculture because they help pollinate wild trees and flowers and crops that support other insects and mammals in turn going up the food chain. But their populations are declining with many species already wiped out and others in serious danger.

A key component of bee health is their specialized, beneficial gut microbiome, which forms a community of bacteria in their gut to keep them healthy.

The findings by air pollution researchers, led by Professor Julie Morrissey at the University of Leicester's Department of Genetics, Genomics and Cancer Sciences, are published in npj Biofilms and Microbiomes.

Researchers grew Snodgrasella alvi, a beneficial member of the bee gut microbiome, in lab conditions and exposed it to black carbon air pollution. Snodgrassella alvi colonizes bees' large intestine in a structure called a biofilm—a protective matrix that promotes bacterial colonization on surfaces (e.g. like plaque on teeth).

The team found that exposure to black carbon changed the behavior of S. alvi and the structure and formation of the bacteria's biofilm.

Researchers also looked at the effects of black carbon pollution on live bumble bees. They sampled bees before and after pollution exposure and measured the abundance of bacteria in their gut to observe any differences.

To measure the gut microbiome, fecal samples were taken, allowing for multiple sampling of the same individual. They found that there was a significant change in the abundance of beneficial bacteria that are vital to the health of the bee gut microbiome.

Dr. Hannah Sampson, first author of the study, said, "Recent declines in bee populations have put a spotlight on understanding what factors might be driving these. So far, they have been attributed to habitat loss, pesticide use, the spread of bee diseases and climate change.

"The bee gut microbiome is a crucial component of bee health. Our research explored the impact of air pollution on bees' gut microbiome, discovering that air pollution exposure has direct, measurable effects on the beneficial commensal bacteria and microbiome.

"Our data highlights that air pollution is an underexplored risk to insect pollinator health via disruption of bees' beneficial gut microbiome. This not only poses a risk to bee health but to pollination and global food security in the long term."

However, Professor Morrissey added that more research needed to take place.

"This study shows the impact of air pollution directly on bacteria and beneficial microbial communities on essential insect pollinators. However, air pollution can affect microbial communities in all ecosystems, including humans, and the detrimental effects of air pollution on these communities is still not understood."

More information: Hannah R. Sampson et al, Air pollution modifies colonisation factors in beneficial symbiont Snodgrassella and disrupts the bumblebee gut microbiome, npj Biofilms and Microbiomes (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41522-024-00632-3

Journal information: npj Biofilms and Microbiomes

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