Effect of plant secondary metabolites on the microbiome, foraging behavior and health of pollinators

Our densely populated planet strongly depends on pollination services to ensure the production of a sufficient and varied amount of food for human consumption. However, many insect pollinators are currently endangered due to habitat loss, excessive use of pesticides, low quality diets, and pathogens. Plants themselves are continuously exposed to plant pests and microbial infections and therefore have developed multiple defensive strategies, including the production of antimicrobial plant chemicals, to protect themselves against these pathogens. Pollinators are in turn exposed to these plant chemicals because they are part of their major food sources (i.e. pollen and nectar). Recent research has suggested that infected pollinators might actively seek for these secondary compounds to cure themselves. However, at present, little is known about the impact of plant secondary metabolites on pollinator behaviour, fitness and overall health. The major aim of this research is to investigate the effect of plant defensive compounds on foraging behaviour, symbiont establishment and bee health using social bees as study system.