Bees as bioindicators of environmental quality

Authors

  • Byanca de Fátima Gomes Bezerra Student of veterinary medicine at Faculdade Rebouças de Campina Grande-FRCG
  • J´ulio César Andrade de Espíndola Student of veterinary medicine at Faculdade Rebouças de Campina Grande-FRCG
  • Bruna Costa Furtado Student of veterinary medicine at Faculdade Rebouças de Campina Grande-FRCG
  • Enzo Gabriel Farias do Nascimento Student of veterinary medicine at Faculdade Rebouças de Campina Grande-FRCG
  • Razurick Shenia dos Santos Pessoa Student of agronomy at Faculdade Rebouças de Campina Grande-FRCG
  • João Anderson Oliveira Nunes Student of agronomy at Faculdade Rebouças de Campina Grande-FRCG
  • Paula Karolynny Souto Leite Student of agronomy at Faculdade Rebouças de Campina Grande-FRCG
  • Philipe Mendes de Andrade Student of agronomy at Faculdade Rebouças de Campina Grande-FRCG
  • Francisco de Assys Romero da Mota Sousa Professor of veterinary medicine at Faculdade Rebouças de Campina Grande-FRCG
  • Larissa Silva Nelo Oliveira Professor of veterinary medicine at Faculdade Rebouças de Campina Grande-FRCG
  • Nágela Maria Henrique Mascarenhas Professor of veterinary medicine at Faculdade Rebouças de Campina Grande-FRCG
  • Thyago Araújo Gurjão Professor of veterinary medicine at Faculdade Rebouças de Campina Grande-FRCG

Keywords:

beekeeping; bioindicators; pollution; biodiversity; sustainability.

Abstract

Bees have been widely used as bioindicators due to their sensitivity to environmental changes and their broad interaction with different ecosystems. The exposure of these insects to contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, and air pollutants directly affects the quality of bee products and colony health. Furthermore, the analysis of residues in honey, pollen, and wax, as well as the monitoring of bee behavior, has proven to be an effective tool for assessing environmental quality in urban, agricultural, and conservation areas. The use of bees as environmental sentinels contributes to the formulation of public policies, sustainable resource management, and social awareness about the importance of biodiversity preservation. It is concluded that the application of this bioindicator strengthens the integration between beekeeping, environmental science, and sustainable development.

References

Bargańska, Ż., Ślebioda, M., & Namieśnik, J. (2016). Honey bees and their products: Bioindicators of environmental contamination. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 46(2), 235–248.

Baltz, A., & Kaftanoglu, O. (2022). Honey bees as bioindicators of pesticides and heavy metals in agricultural landscapes. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(25), 37268–37280.

Zoccali, M., Pappalardo, S. E., & Giuffrida, A. (2023). Bees as sentinels of environmental quality: Linking apiculture and sustainability. Ecological Indicators, 147, 109947.

Published

2025-09-19

How to Cite

Bezerra, B. de F. G., Andrade de Espíndola, J. C., Costa Furtado , B., Farias do Nascimento, E. G., dos Santos Pessoa, R. S., Oliveira Nunes, J. A., … Araújo Gurjão, T. (2025). Bees as bioindicators of environmental quality. Caderno Verde De Agroecologia E Desenvolvimento Sustentável, 14(3). Retrieved from https://www.gvaa.com.br/revista/index.php/CVADS/article/view/11624

Issue

Section

XV Festival do Mel de Sao Jose dos Cordeiros (18,19 e 20 de Setembro de 2025)

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 3 4 5 > >> 

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.