The Honey Bee Body Surface as a Microbial Hub: Connectivity Shaped by Monoculture vs. Polyculture Farming.

ABSTRACT: Honey bees, as vital pollinators and essential contributors to terrestrial ecosystems, play a critical role in maintaining biodiversity and ecological stability. Beyond their role as pollinators, honey bees are increasingly recognized as bioindicators of environmental health, with their microbiomes reflecting habitat quality, agricultural practices, and broader ecological conditions. This study examines the impact of monoculture and polyculture systems on bee-associated microbiomes, focusing on microbial diversity, composition, and functional roles. Microbial communities from floral surfaces, pollen, nectar, foraging bees, hive matrices, and bioaerosols were analyzed across three agricultural plots: a rape monoculture, a pear monoculture, and a polyculture plot. Using 16S rRNA amplicon seq

SUBMITTER: Guo B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12842557 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature