A mathematical model for the interplay of Nosema infection and forager losses in honey bee colonies

Autor: Alex Petric, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa, Hermann J. Eberl
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2017
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Biological Dynamics, Vol 11, Iss 0, Pp 348-378 (2017)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1751-3758
1751-3766
17513758
30691516
DOI: 10.1080/17513758.2016.1237682
Popis: We present a mathematical model (a) for the infection of a honey bee colony with Nosema ceranae. This is a system of five ordinary differential equations for the dependent variables healthy and infected worker bees in the hive, healthy and infected forager bees, and disease potential deposited in the hive. The model is then (b) extended to account for increased forager losses, e.g. caused by exposure to external stressors. The model is non-autonomous with periodic coefficient functions. Algebraic complexity prevents a rigorous mathematical analysis. Therefore, we resort to computer simulations in addition to some analytical results in the constant coefficient case. We investigate each of the two stressors (a) and (b) individually and jointly. Our results indicate that the combined effect of two stressors, both of which can be tolerated by the colony individually, might lead to colony failure, suggesting multi-factorial causes behind losses of honey bee colonies.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals