The decline of bees is causing severe environmental consequences due to factors such as global warming, pollution, and the use of pesticides. If the issue is not addressed, it will lead to a detrimental loss to humans, animals, and the ecosystem. Bees are considered a keystone species as their role in the ecosystem is crucial to its balance. Without the bees, the ecosystem could collapse, leading to a failed ecosystem.

Honey bees are amongst the most vital species in the ecosystem as they play a vital role in pollinating plants, aiding in growth and food production. They are also essential to the global economy as they provide pollination to numerous crops, which are critical to agriculture. The decline of bees could significantly impact food production.

Various factors are accountable for the decline of bees such as global warming, pollution, and the use of pesticides such as neonicotinoids. These pesticides pose a severe threat to bees as it can change their behaviour or ultimately kill them. Although beneficial in reducing the contamination of insecticides, the disadvantages far outweigh the merits.

If we continue the use of neonicotinoids, it could lead to the collapse of colonies and impact both local and global environments. Local bee populations in Ontario have suffered immense losses, with beekeepers reporting up to 29% loss in 2013 and 2014. Solitary bees such as leafcutter bees, which are native to Ontario, are also being affected.

Therefore, it is crucial to find alternative solutions that reduce our dependency on pesticides, fight against global warming and pollution in support of the bees. Failure to do so could result in detrimental effects on the environment and humans alike.

Photograph number#: Broccard-Bell, H (n.d). Captured image of a male resin bee (Megachile subgenus Chelostomoides)

Impact on the environment: global

The decreasing number of bees can have a substantial impact on us. It is vital to protect and preserve the bees as they are incredibly important for us.

Sources:

https://www.buzzaboutbees.net/10-Reasons-Why-Bees-Are-Important.html

https://www.ontario.ca/page/pollinator-health#:~:text=Commercially%20raised%20bumble%20bees%20are,Ontario's%20agriculture%20and%20the%20environment.

https://www.earthday.org/bees-are-dying-and-its-complicated-but-there-is-one-thing-we-can-do/

https://www.google.com/search?q=graph+of+bee+population&rlz=1CAJIKU_enCA939CA939&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi3-pydkL_wAhVhF1kFHYCyBq8Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1366&bih=617&safe=active&ssui=on#imgrc=pA01g765tIiavM

https://phys.org/news/2017-05-survey-honeybee-losses-horrible-bad.html

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/humans-bees-china_n_570404b3e4b083f5c6092ba9

Patterns and trends:

According to the University of Maryland’s survey, beekeepers in the United States lost 40.7% of their honey bee colonies between April 2018 and April 2019. Winter losses were recorded at 37.7% which represents the highest winter loss in the past 13 years. Furthermore, this figure is “8.9 percentage points higher than the survey average,” according to the University of Maryland.

Check out the University of Maryland’s graph, which illustrates the negative correlation and a steady decrease in the percentage of colonies (winter losses) lost. At this rate, we are currently on track to losing the majority of our bee colonies.

Figure #: University of Maryland (2017). Graph showing honeybee colony loss [graph]

https://beeinformed.org/2016/05/10/nations-beekeepers-lost-44-percent-of-bees-in-2015-16/

https://phys.org/news/2017-05-survey-honeybee-losses-horrible-bad.html

Interrelationships:

Social impacts:

Bees and the economy:

Honey bees are the primary pollinators for crops worldwide. Every growing season, pollination from honey bees contributes billions of dollars to the economy through their vital role in ensuring that fruits, vegetables, and nuts are in our food choices. Pollination is responsible for producing almost $20 billion worth of products annually in the US, according to Amadeo. K (2021).

How will the loss of bees affect the economy? Honey bees are responsible for pollinating $15 billion worth of US crops each year. As their numbers continue to decline, this negatively impacts food production and supply.

What is currently being done to help bees, and what steps can we take to help them more? What role does technology play in this?

Sustainability:

Image citations:

Bale, J. (n.d) Figure #: ‘Honey Bee On A Purple Crocus’. Retrieved from https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/photo/honey-bee-on-a-purple-crocus-royalty-free-image/1132459328?adppopup=true

Lundh, H. A. B. (2017) Figure #: ‘Bloom! Not Boom!’. Retrieved from https://500px.com/photo/225003931/bloom!-not-boom!-by-henrik-anker-bjerregaard-lundh-iii

University of Maryland (2017) Figure #: ‘Graph showing honeybee colony loss’. Retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2017-05-survey-honeybee-losses-horrible-bad.html

Task: Rewrite the entire text with better words and natural language:

One of the most critical elements of the ecosystem that supports our planet's biodiversity is pollinators. Not only do they make our world more beautiful, but they also play an essential role in our economy. The bees, in particular, are regarded as a keystone species that are critical to all types of plants' development, including food crops that are essential to our survival. Without bees, many other species that depend on them also face extinction, and the impact on our ecosystem and economy would be dramatic. The United States Department of Agriculture has identified pollination as the act of transferring pollen grains from a male flower's anther to a female flower's stigma, and the only way most plants can reproduce and create seeds.

Unfortunately, with the increasing use of pesticides, habitat destruction, and climate change, the population of bees and other pollinators is declining globally. The loss of these important species has significant ramifications not just for our environment but for our economy as well. In the US, bees contribute $15 billion to crop production each year, and the loss of these pollinators could result in higher costs of food production and less variety of available foods.

According to a recent study, bees are also essential for wild plant pollination, which supports essential ecosystems. Bumblebees, in particular, are going extinct as a result of habitat destruction and climate change. The decline of these pollinators could lead to massive damage to our environment in the long run.

It is essential to take necessary measures to save the bees and other pollinators. Some ways to help are reducing pesticide usage and habitat destruction, planting more pollinator-friendly flowers, and promoting awareness about the crucial role that pollinators play in our ecosystem. The bees are part of an intricate web of life on our planet, and their preservation and protection are essential for our survival as well.