This research proposal examines the decimation of bee populations and pesticide resistance in bees. The researcher hypothesizes that pesticides are killing bee colonies worldwide by targeting the insect's nervous system. The proposal outlines aims to study methodology for analyzing pesticide exposure in bees living near agricultural fields and the results' importance.

1. Decimation of bee populations
Research Proposal by Paola Caballero
RISE Program UPR- Cayey
Pesticide resistance in
bees

2. Bees, the major pollinators
Image from:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/feb/28/wild-bees-pollinators-crop-yields

3. Bees, the major pollinators
Image from:
http://www.beesandbeyond.com/bees/news/death-bees-
genetically-modified-crops-and-decline-bee-colonies-north-
america

4. Pesticides killing bee colonies worldwide
*Krupke, C. H., Hunt, G. J., Eitzer, B. D., Andino, G., & Given, K. (2012). Multiple
routes of pesticide exposure for honey bees living near agricultural fields.

5. Widely used
Pesticide:
They target the insect’s nervous
system, binding with its nicotinic
receptors and interrupting the
sending of nerve impulses.
Image from:
http://cynicaljournalist.wordpress.com/2011/01/20/front-pages-
reviewed-at-midnight-thursday-20-january-2011/

6. Normal Impulse Transmission
Image from:
http://www.pctonline.com/pct1011-insecticide-information.aspx

7. Neurological target sites
Image from:
http://www.pctonline.com/pct1011-insecticide-information.aspx
Acetylcholine (Ach Receptor)

8. •N
eonicotinoids are synthetic materials modeled after the natural,
plant-produced insecticide nicotine.
•A
ctive ingredients: imidacloprid, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam,
clothianidin and acetamiprid.
•N
eonicotinoids target the insect nervous system by binding to the
acetylcholine (Ach; a neurotransmitter) receptor on the post-
synapse nerve cell.
•U
nder normal conditions, Ach binds to this receptor for only
milliseconds (1/1,000 of a second) at a time, resulting in short and
Neonicotinoid

9. •D
ecreased effectiveness of a pesticide that was effective on previous
generations of a pest population.
•M
any organisms have resistance to many susbstances in their
environments in order to survive and adapt.
•N
atural selection plays an important role in building resistance.
•E
xamples:
B
acteria creating resistance to hand sanitizers
Pesticide Resistance

10. Research Project

11. Hypothesis

12. Specific aims

13. Methodology

14. Methodology

15. Methodology
Pesticide Pesticide Pesticide

16. Analyzing the Results

17. Importance

19. •http://w
•http://w
•K
rupke, C. H., Hunt, G. J., Eitzer, B. D., Andino, G., & Given, K.
(2012). Multiple routes of pesticide exposure for honey bees living
near agricultural fields. PLoS One, 7(1)
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0029268
References