Stress-mediated Allee effects can cause the sudden collapse of honey bee colonies

摘要: The recent rapid decline in global honey bee populations could have significant implications for ecological systems, economics and food security. No single cause of collapse has yet to be identified, although pesticides, mites other pathogens all been shown a sublethal effect. We present model functioning hive introduce external stress investigate the impact on regulatory processes recruitment forager class, social inhibition laying rate queen. predicts that constant density-dependent acting through an Allee effect can result sudden catastrophic switches dynamical behaviour eventual hive. proposes around critical point undergoes saddle-node bifurcation, small increase parameters irreversible consequences entire predict increased levels counteracted by higher queen, lower or natural mortality foragers, increasing not maintain colony under high stress. lay theoretical foundation order facilitate further experimental consideration.