SECTION 3 The environmental change associated with the decline of the honeybee in America has gained much attention in the past decade as scientists and farmers have come to terms with the seriousness of the issue on hand. The importance of the bee has been emphasised and acknowledged as the human race is now forced to deal with a life threatening issue. Economic It is estimated that in North America around 30% of the food humans consume is produced from bee pollinated plant life. The value of pollination by bees is estimated around $16 billion in the US alone. We would be unable to enjoy most of our favorite fruits, vegetables, or nuts without these pollinators. Bees also pollinate crops such as clover and alfalfa that cattle feed on, …show more content…
They must first determine the precise cause of the problem before developing strategies to reverse the bee decline on a sustainable basis. Social Finding a resolution to the bee pollination industry will impact all human living in America equally. Food supplies to all demographic groups will be threatened if a sustainable solution is not found in the near future. There is reinsurance in the fact the solution will most likely not have an affect on human life. Research from various institutions has provided some management recommendations that beekeepers may begin to adopt. For example, it is now recommended that beekeepers feed honeybees more protein during times of nectar shortage such as during times of drought or in the winter. As part of this, the ARS has developed a new bee diet, now available to beekeepers. The feeding of supplemental nutrients may help to decrease winter colony losses. As the environmental change is not well understood, sustainable strategies to address the rate of bee decline have not been developed yet. Whilst President Obama has recently allocated $50m for research into this matter, significantly more funding may be required to address this issue. If a sustainable solution is not found soon, the value of the $15 billion been pollination industry will be threatened, along with the supply of food to the human
In “Why Bees Are Disappearing,” Marla Spivak, an American entomologist, sheds light on the importance of bees in the pollination process as well as the decline in bee population. Spivak claims that “bees are the most important pollinators” because over one third of crop production across the world depends on bee pollination. However, bee populations have decreased since the end of World War II due to “multiple, interacting causes of death.” These causes are monocultures, pesticides, diseases, and flowerless landscapes, and they all pose a threat to plant diversity and food production. In order to prevent significant consequences and reverse impacts already made, Spivak encourages the audience to plant bee-friendly flowers without pesticide contamination so that bees, and therefore people, have access to better nutrition.
Within the last ten years we have noticed a great loss in honeybees around the United States. Between the years 2010 and 2015 the death of bees has skyrocketed. The decline of the honeybees has become a huge issue that should be taken very seriously because of the fact that they are one of the few reasons why and how our crops are grown. One reasons why our honey bees are going extinct is because of the products used in our home, daily. Another reason why our honey bees are becoming extinct is due to the climate change. Even though this seems irreversible, there are many ways we can make a change in the extinction of the honeybees. It may seem as if the need for bees is not as serious as people might make it, but in reality bees are here because they are needed to help us humans survive. With the support from a large percentage of the U.S as a country we will be able to change the outcome of a dying species of much needed animals.
The honey bee is vital to an estimated $117 billion annual production of crops through pollination within the United States more than a half of the food that humans consume has a correlation with the bee either directly or indirectly. The USDA reports the following food products would be immediately damaged if no bees were available to pollinate:
Since the late 1990s, beekeepers around the world have observed the mysterious and sudden disappearance of bees, and report unusually high rates of decline in honeybee colonies. Bees do more than just make honey! Bee transfer pollen and seeds from one flower to another, fertilizing the plant so it can grow and produce food. Cross-pollination helps at least 30 percent of the world's crops and 90% affects our food. The sweet fruits humans eat such as, strawberries, mangoes, grapes, apples, and bananas would not be the same taste wise as they are now. We simply couldn’t live in the same world if it weren’t for the bees.
It is important that we get our food, but bees also help fertilize different species and make it so we aren’t just eating one plant, but that we have hundreds of different types of produce to choose from.
The colony collapse disorder has been threatening the United States for many years. Reports show excessive numbers of honeybees dying off. According to the Bee Informed Partnership and USDA’s annual survey, during the winter of 2013-2014, the mortality of managed honeybee colonies was 23.2. The previous winter’s report showed a loss of 30.5 percent of the colonies and thus, the winter 2013-2014 results might show some improvement. However, beekeepers persist that the still declining honeybee colonies are becoming too low for colony collapse disorder to be considered a solved issue. Approximately two-thirds of the beekeepers reported losses greater than the acceptable 18.9 percent mortality rate, thus deeming the losses greater than what is economically sustainable. The issue
Bee decline is an increasing issue in the United states of America. An article written by the University of Vermont reveals a map of over 139 troubled zones for the population of bees and why they might be endangered. The University of Vermont is a well-respected establishment when it comes to research and Agriculture.
Bees are the reason we have jelly, fruit, nuts, coffee and so many other vegetation (Lecture 09/27). Without these creatures we would lose so much more of our biodiversity, which is already suffering from other anthropogenic actions. Our society has a habit of finding the most cost efficient methods to produce goods that please the consumers without considering all the consequences of these actions. More importantly, we do not recognize the harm that we have caused until the damage is outrageous and requires a solution. But, this problem cannot follow those footsteps because it is essential for our ecosystem to thrive. These solution would not only save millions of dollars by being proactive, but would allow us to sustain food sources, biodiversity, and the survival of
The economic worth of global food production supported by animal pollination is at a whopping $265 billion dollars. Bee’s themselves are responsible for the harvest of crops such as nuts, melons and berries, and plays varying roles in the production of citrus fruits, apples, onions, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, courgettes, peppers, aubergines, avocados, cucumbers, coconuts, tomatoes and broad beans, as well as coffee and cocoa. ( Yes, that’s right without bee’s you wouldn’t be able to relax to/enjoy the sweet taste of, of a hot cup of chocolate after a long winter day). but with bee’s in consistent decline what does this mean for a growing population. Fewer bee’s would mean most likely result in higher prices for fruits, and vegetables. Less food available for mass consumption. So what can we do? In order to reverse the damage done to our bee populations, it is important that we now as a community make steps to encourage ecologically safe farming practices. That means start grocery shopping regionally, and locally and when the holiday/winter season is over and spring rolls around reduce the everyday use of pesticides, and other stuff while
The oldest known bee fossil is estimated to be over 135 million years old (The Xerces Society). Knowing this, one would certainly realize the importance of the relationship between plants and bees, as they have depended on each other for survival for such an immense period of time. The colossal variety of plant species are around today on behalf of the pollinators that evolved with them. However, this knowledge has not quite convinced society of the dangers the decline in bee populations pose to life as one knows it, as the loss of plants causes a dangerous chain reaction. At the curtains of every winter, a dwindling number of bees are making their debut in the thriving spring. The decrease can be seen in how United States beekeepers have lost 40 percent of their colonies since 2006 (Johnston,
Have you ever thought about a world with little to no food? In a world without bees, this could be a possibility. Today, I’ll be talking about the decline in the bee population and how it will affect every single one of us if it continues. I’ve always been interested in bees. After joining my school’s Future Farmers of America group, I started working on entomology, which is the study of bugs. When my group went to the state competition for entomology, I became even more interested in bees and the cause of the decline in their populations. This speech should inform you of the decline in the bee population and how it will affect all of our lives.
All of society depends of the honey bee to fertilize and pollinate. Without bees pollinating the plants that produce food could not be fertilized. Crops and plants would suffer and stop bearing fruits and vegetables. For example; “watermelon, apples, pears, strawberries, almonds, corn, cucumbers and tomatoes” would stop being produced. These are very popular foods that are part of the average daily diet.
Honeybee populations have been rapidly declining since before the 1990s, disappearing and dying from human causes such as pesticides and climate change. Natural pollinators such as honeybees are a necessity for cultivating finer crops such as fruits and vegetables, and without their help, it will not be economically feasible to maintain such food sources at current consumption rates (D.J.P.). With honeybees working to pollinate over one-third of food eaten by the world, the diminishing bee population presents questions surrounding the new pressure put on the economy to provide for. Similarly, it is uncertain what the cost of reversing this downward trend would amount to,
Between countries, bee population has dropped within the wide range of 1.8% to 53%. This occurrence is highly affective towards food production. Almost $10 billion worth of crops in the United States of America are dependent upon bee pollination. Most likely, the chance of food shortages being overwhelming for the good of the human species is enormous. Inevitably, supporting the human population with a sufficient amount of food without bee pollination is near impossible, even with possibilities of artificial pollination.
Honey bees, feared by the misinformed and admired by the intelligent, are dying. The interest in bees from many environmentalists is not for a sudden cause, as this issue is not new to the world. Honey bees as a population have been in decline for years but have yet to reach the endangered species list anywhere in the United States except for Hawaii. Many people kill bees that buzz around joyfully, simply because they are afraid of being stung by them; however, a vast majority of bees do not sting and the others do not care. This unfortunate commonality is not even one of the top causes of the worldwide epidemic of honey bees. Although bees are jokingly idolized on the internet in pictures and videos as a result of a popular children’s movie, their population decline is in fact quite serious. Honey bees and other pollinators like birds and insects ensure the pollination of flowering plants and crops all around the globe. Not only do honey bees pollinate plants that produce the foods that humans eat, but they also pollinate trees that produce clean oxygen for Earth. Without honey bees, the world as we know it could soon end, due to carbon dioxide pollution and lack of farmable foods. The population of honeybees and other important pollinator-bee species is dwindling due to a dilemma known to scientists as colony collapse disorder (CCD) because of the use of bee-killing pesticides, known as neonicotinoids, the decrease of flower meadows in the world, and the general increase