Browsing by Author "Wilson, Michael"

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    Propolis counteracts some threats to honey bee health
    (MDPI, 2017) Simone-Finstrom, Michael; Borba, Renata S.; Wilson, Michael; Spivak, Marla
    Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are constantly dealing with threats from pathogens, pests, pesticides and poor nutrition. It is critically important to understand how honey bees’ natural immune responses (individual immunity) and collective behavioral defenses (social immunity) can improve bee health and productivity. One form of social immunity in honey bee colonies is the collection of antimicrobial plant resins and their use in the nest architecture as propolis. We review research on the constitutive benefits of propolis on the honey bee immune system, and its known therapeutic, colony-level effects against the pathogens Paenibacillus larvae and Ascosphaera apis. We also review the limited research on the effects of propolis against other pathogens, parasites and pests (Nosema, viruses, Varroa destructor, and hive beetles) and how propolis may enhance bee products such as royal jelly and honey. Although propolis may be a source of pesticide contamination, it also has the potential to be a detoxifying agent or primer of detoxification pathways, as well as increasing bee longevity via antioxidant-related pathways. Throughout this paper, we discuss opportunities for future research goals and present ways in which the beekeeping community can promote propolis use in standard colonies, as one way to improve and maintain colony health and resiliency.
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    Standard methods for Apis mellifera propolis research
    (Taylor and Francis, 2016) Bankova, Vassya; Bertelli, Davide; Borba, Renata; Conti, Bruno José; Barbosa da Silva Cunha, Ildenize; Danert, Carolina; Eberlin, Marcos Nogueira; Falcão, Soraia I; Isla, María Inés; Nieva Moreno, María Inés; Papotti, Giulia; Popova, Milena; Santiago, Karina Basso; Salas, Ana; Sawaya, Alexandra Christine Helena Frankland; Schwab, Nicolas Vilczaki; Sforcin, José Maurício; Simone-Finstrom, Michael; Spivak, Marla; Trusheva, Boryana; Vilas-Boas, Miguel; Wilson, Michael; Zampini, Catiana
    Propolis is one of the most fascinating honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) products. It is a plant derived product that bees produce from resins that they collect from different plant organs and with which they mix beeswax. Propolis is a building material and a protective agent in the bee hive. It also plays an important role in honey bee social immunity, and is widely used by humans as an ingredient of nutraceuticals, over-the-counter preparations and cosmetics. Its chemical composition varies by geographic location, climatic zone and local flora. The understanding of the chemical diversity of propolis is very important in propolis research. In this manuscript, we give an overview of the available methods for studying propolis in different aspects: propolis in the bee colony; chemical composition and plant sources of propolis; biological activity of propolis with respect to bees and humans; and approaches for standardization and quality control for the purposes of industrial application.
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    Testing the Frequency and Location of Chimpanzee Intergroup Interactions in Gombe National Park
    (2023) Dunn, Sarah; Massaro, Tony; Gilby, Ian; Deus, Mjungu; Wilson, Michael
    The study of intergroup interactions between chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) is complex and integral in our understanding of certain human behaviors. For example, we can see how chimpanzees’ social behaviors impact reproductive success. We can also gain insights from their territorial behavior about humans and the evolution of warfare. In 1960, Jane Goodall began the long-term study of chimpanzees in Gombe National Park, which has become the longest-running long-term field study of chimpanzees (Wilson 2012). Research by Goodall and her team has provided many significant insights into chimpanzees’ individual and social behavior. For most of the study’s duration, there were three chimpanzee communities in the park: the main study community, Kasekela, in the center, the Mitumba community in the north, and Kalande in the south (Wilson 2012). However, in the 2000s, the Kalande community declined precipitously (Rudicell et al., 2010) and by 2020 had only 5 members (Wilson et al., 2020). In contrast, the recent numbers show that the Mitumba and Kasekela communities have grown in numbers (Wilson et al. 2020). The Gombe study provided some of the earliest detailed accounts of intergroup interactions in chimpanzees, including the first observations of intergroup killings (Goodall 1986). Because intergroup aggression is a leading cause of mortality for chimpanzees at Gombe (Williams et al., 2008), it is important to investigate factors that influence intergroup relations. Data from these intergroup events have been extracted from the long-term record from approximately 1974 to 2007 (Massaro et al., 2021). In my research I updated this dataset by extracting intergroup events from recent monthly reports (2011-2023), to examine how the frequency and locations of intergroup interactions between the Kasekela and Mitumba communities has changed over time.