Key points:
•Millions of bees worldwide have mysteriously disappeared, which threatens vegetation that grow through pollination
•Researchers are scrambling to find the reason behind the sudden disappearance of the honeybees; even looking into disease related problems.
•The European honeybee pollinates 1/3 of the world’s agricultural production and has raised concerns
•The honeybees have a unique part in the ecosystem, they can perform tasks no other species are able to; some detrimental to agriculture.
•Bee suffering from CCD tends to be infested with multiple pathogens, including a newly discovered virus, but these infections seem secondary much the way pneumonia kills a patient with AIDS.
• Honeybees suffered from a number of ailments that have decimated their population.
•Although honeybee CCD will not cause the extinction of the honeybee, it could cause keepers to eventually be driven out of business.
•Mites feed on the honeybee's blood; these mites potentially carry a virus and actively inhibit the host's immune responses.
•There are an estimated 900 to 1,000 commercial honeybee keepers in the United States that manages about 2.5 million colonies
• Approximately 100 varying types of crops require the honeybee’s pollination.
•Every February virtually all movable U.S. hives are taken to California to pollinate almond trees. In certain regions of China bees had completely disappeared, due to pesticide use, forcing orchard owners to pollinate pear trees by hand.
•Bee keepers successfully reduce the rate of death of their bees by enforcing safer diets.
Summary:
Researchers are blaming a complex disease web of disease that have been linked from, insufficient farming practices, unhealthy diets, and mites which lead to the bee’s weakened immune systems. Only 800 of the original of the 3,000 colonies of bees had survived from the sudden decrease of populations. The bee death has raised concerns due to the fact that one third of the world's agricultural production relies largely on the European honeybee. Many bees that have died suffered from CCD; and those that are infected tend to be infested with multiple pathogens, which weaken the immune system of bees. There is no easy way to cure CCD; it takes time and effort of taking better care of the environment and making long-term changes to our beekeeping industries. The number of managed honeybee colonies in 2006 was about 2.4 million, less than what it was in 1949.
Although the honeybee's population is very low, CCD will not cause the extinction of the honeybee. In the spring of 2007 the task force began detailed, countrywide surveys of all aspects of all colony management. Many people were eager to share their concerns, as the media went on investigating the situation theories started to erupt about the reason behind the decline of the populations. One theory favored by many citizens would be that bees could have poisoned the pollen from genetic modified crops. Soon the community started to notice that the large commercial honeybee keepers were more likely to suffer from higher losses as well as lower operations.
Reflection:
It is worrying that bee populations are declining due to their significant role in the ecosystem. They are not only one of the keystone species due to the various ways they uplift the environment, but they are also crucial to the survival of agricultural economies. Without bees, there will be significantly less natural pollinators, and ultimately lead to less vegetation. Furthermore, these bees provide honey, which can be used through some natural medicine or a healthier sweetener. The CCD is threatening more than just one species; it is putting several crops and other species in danger. The keepers are doing their best to reduce the death rates of these bees; there should be regulation laws that can help the recovery of the populations
•Millions of bees worldwide have mysteriously disappeared, which threatens vegetation that grow through pollination
•Researchers are scrambling to find the reason behind the sudden disappearance of the honeybees; even looking into disease related problems.
•The European honeybee pollinates 1/3 of the world’s agricultural production and has raised concerns
•The honeybees have a unique part in the ecosystem, they can perform tasks no other species are able to; some detrimental to agriculture.
•Bee suffering from CCD tends to be infested with multiple pathogens, including a newly discovered virus, but these infections seem secondary much the way pneumonia kills a patient with AIDS.
• Honeybees suffered from a number of ailments that have decimated their population.
•Although honeybee CCD will not cause the extinction of the honeybee, it could cause keepers to eventually be driven out of business.
•Mites feed on the honeybee's blood; these mites potentially carry a virus and actively inhibit the host's immune responses.
•There are an estimated 900 to 1,000 commercial honeybee keepers in the United States that manages about 2.5 million colonies
• Approximately 100 varying types of crops require the honeybee’s pollination.
•Every February virtually all movable U.S. hives are taken to California to pollinate almond trees. In certain regions of China bees had completely disappeared, due to pesticide use, forcing orchard owners to pollinate pear trees by hand.
•Bee keepers successfully reduce the rate of death of their bees by enforcing safer diets.
Summary:
Researchers are blaming a complex disease web of disease that have been linked from, insufficient farming practices, unhealthy diets, and mites which lead to the bee’s weakened immune systems. Only 800 of the original of the 3,000 colonies of bees had survived from the sudden decrease of populations. The bee death has raised concerns due to the fact that one third of the world's agricultural production relies largely on the European honeybee. Many bees that have died suffered from CCD; and those that are infected tend to be infested with multiple pathogens, which weaken the immune system of bees. There is no easy way to cure CCD; it takes time and effort of taking better care of the environment and making long-term changes to our beekeeping industries. The number of managed honeybee colonies in 2006 was about 2.4 million, less than what it was in 1949.
Although the honeybee's population is very low, CCD will not cause the extinction of the honeybee. In the spring of 2007 the task force began detailed, countrywide surveys of all aspects of all colony management. Many people were eager to share their concerns, as the media went on investigating the situation theories started to erupt about the reason behind the decline of the populations. One theory favored by many citizens would be that bees could have poisoned the pollen from genetic modified crops. Soon the community started to notice that the large commercial honeybee keepers were more likely to suffer from higher losses as well as lower operations.
Reflection:
It is worrying that bee populations are declining due to their significant role in the ecosystem. They are not only one of the keystone species due to the various ways they uplift the environment, but they are also crucial to the survival of agricultural economies. Without bees, there will be significantly less natural pollinators, and ultimately lead to less vegetation. Furthermore, these bees provide honey, which can be used through some natural medicine or a healthier sweetener. The CCD is threatening more than just one species; it is putting several crops and other species in danger. The keepers are doing their best to reduce the death rates of these bees; there should be regulation laws that can help the recovery of the populations