Honeybees are among the most common and efficient pollinators in the world (NRDC, 2011). They generate over $15 billion per year worth of crops, along with an annual supply of honey estimated at $150 million in the US alone (NRDC, 2011). In recent decades, they have been devastated by the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), which accounts for the loss of one third of the population (NRDC, 2011). Unfortunately, the circumstances surrounding this global syndrome remain elusive (NRDC, 2011). Nonetheless, multiple potential causes and factors have been proposed (NRDC, 2011). Some of the top candidates include any or a combination of global warming, pesticide use, habitat loss, and parasitism (NRDC, 2011). It is also worthwhile to examine any regular
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This stimulant is not only found in plant leaves and stems, but also in small traces within floral nectar (Wright et al., 2013). Previous laboratory findings have suggested that caffeinated nectar may improve associative learning and the perception of reward (Wright et al., 2013). However, with no field experiments, the ecological implications of caffeinated forage remain ambiguous ((Couvillon et al., 2015). Accordingly, Couivllon and colleagues sought to examine the effects of caffeine on honeybee behavior. They hence employed a large-scale experimental design involving approximately 15,000 worker honeybees (Couvillon et al., 2015). Primarily, the bees were trained to forage at one of two feeding locations. The control feeder comprised a sucrose solution, while the experimental included sucrose and a concentration of naturally-occurring caffeine (Couvillon et al., 2015). The bees were then individually labelled and housed in a glass-walled hive to facilitate observation (Couvillon et al., 2015). Interestingly, the authors found that exposure to caffeine significantly increased feeding frequency (Couvillon et al., 2015). …show more content…
However, the methodology could be improved in some aspect to present a stronger link. While the authors incorporated a large sample size, they did not conduct any neurophysiological or neurochemical analysis. Honeybees are considered ideal model organisms and are frequently used to study learning and memory in invertebrates (Eisenhardt, 2014). The mushroom-like population of neurons have been previously characterized to include Kenyon cells (KC), which resemble hippocampal neurons (Wright et al., 2013). These neurons display plasticity and are involved in learning and memory (Wright et al., 2013). In addition, they integrate and relay sensory information to facilitate the perception of reward (Wright et al., 2013). The authors could have used any variation of the patch clamp technique to support each of their findings. A change in KC membrane potential and activity can further validate an altered state of perception in caffeine-exposed bees (Wright et al., 2013). Moreover, while caffeine’s effect on calcium-mediated ryanodine receptors has been elucidated, its interactions with adenosine receptors remain elusive (Mustard, 2014). Caffeine is thought to antagonize adenosine receptors and influence the firing rate of neurons (Mustard, 2014). This can have an impact on the summation of
This stimulant is not only found in plant leaves and stems, but also in small traces within floral nectar (Wright et al., 2013). Previous laboratory findings have suggested that caffeinated nectar may improve associative learning and the perception of reward (Wright et al., 2013). However, with no field experiments, the ecological implications of caffeinated forage remain ambiguous ((Couvillon et al., 2015). Accordingly, Couivllon and colleagues sought to examine the effects of caffeine on honeybee behavior. They hence employed a large-scale experimental design involving approximately 15,000 worker honeybees (Couvillon et al., 2015). Primarily, the bees were trained to forage at one of two feeding locations. The control feeder comprised a sucrose solution, while the experimental included sucrose and a concentration of naturally-occurring caffeine (Couvillon et al., 2015). The bees were then individually labelled and housed in a glass-walled hive to facilitate observation (Couvillon et al., 2015). Interestingly, the authors found that exposure to caffeine significantly increased feeding frequency (Couvillon et al., 2015). …show more content…
However, the methodology could be improved in some aspect to present a stronger link. While the authors incorporated a large sample size, they did not conduct any neurophysiological or neurochemical analysis. Honeybees are considered ideal model organisms and are frequently used to study learning and memory in invertebrates (Eisenhardt, 2014). The mushroom-like population of neurons have been previously characterized to include Kenyon cells (KC), which resemble hippocampal neurons (Wright et al., 2013). These neurons display plasticity and are involved in learning and memory (Wright et al., 2013). In addition, they integrate and relay sensory information to facilitate the perception of reward (Wright et al., 2013). The authors could have used any variation of the patch clamp technique to support each of their findings. A change in KC membrane potential and activity can further validate an altered state of perception in caffeine-exposed bees (Wright et al., 2013). Moreover, while caffeine’s effect on calcium-mediated ryanodine receptors has been elucidated, its interactions with adenosine receptors remain elusive (Mustard, 2014). Caffeine is thought to antagonize adenosine receptors and influence the firing rate of neurons (Mustard, 2014). This can have an impact on the summation of