The Decline in Pollinators Populations is a Reflection of Human Impact

http://www.honeycolony.com/article/mass-honeybee-
deaths-trigger-rise-in-almond-prices/

Insects, specifically bees, are essential pollinator to plants around the world.  As they collect nectar, they spread pollen from one plant to another helping the reproductive success of plants while producing fruits, vegetables, and nuts that we all consume.  Nearly 75 percent of all crops are pollinated by insects, but as pollinator populations decline there will be a reduction in the amount of crops produced (Farah, 2018).  This change in food stability alters our reliance on insects as pollinators, making them vital to sustaining food networks.

Around the globe, pesticides are used to help increases yields of produce although, these pesticides cause detrimental effects on pollinators.  Neonicotinoids are a class of pesticides that have a large impact on pollinators by affecting their reproduction, memory, homing skills, and immune system (Samuel, 2018).  When bees come in contact with neonicotinoids, it can affect them the same as nicotine by targeting the nerve receptors which may cause the bees to become addicted to these pesticides (Gabbatiss, 2018). When exposed to neonicotinoids for an extended length of time, it is known to kill bees. 

Although the European Union has banned the use of some types of neonicotinoids from being used on crops, they are still allowed to be used in greenhouses (Farah, 2018).  When these plants are moved the pesticides are still within their tissues where they can be taken up by bees through their nectar.  Also, neonicotinoids can leach out into surrounding soil or be dissolved in water and travel downstream to infect other plants (Dengler, 2017).  On the contrary, France has banned all forms of neonicotinoids from being used on fields or in greenhouses (Samuel, 2018).

Figure 1: Yearly winter losses of Honeybee colonies substantially
increased as CCD spread throughout colonies.
 https://www.planetbee.org/colony-collapse-disorder

 

Neonicotinoids are not the only thing harming pollinator populations.  Diseases such as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) within the Honeybee populations has affected the quantity of pollinators.  CCD lowers the honeybees immune defense system leaving many worker bees to be found dead outside of their nest, with few remaining inside besides the queen (Holland, 2013).  Most beehives that experienced CCD were unable to survive throughout the winter months due to lower nest temperatures and less stored food (Figure 1).  This disease can be spread through parasites, which can travel on non-native bees that are transported to different regions and countries in order to pollinate crops in areas that contain low numbers of pollinator populations.  In the United Kingdom there is approximately 65,000 non-native bees that are imported each year to pollinate crops (Farah, 2018). These bees can then become invasive and cause harm to the native bee populations. Reducing the amount of pollinator transportation that occurs within and between the U.S. and the E.U. can help reduce the spread of infectious diseases and parasites to improve the overall health of bee communities.

To ensure for pollinator security, proper habitats need to be provided where bees can nest and have an abundance of food resources.  These habitats include non-impervious surfaces where burrowing bees are able to build nests underground and provide areas where other bees can create hives to live in (Offord, 2017).  Also increasing the number of gardens in urban and rural landscapes, with limited pesticide usage would provide a variety of plants for pollinators to consume.  As native bee populations increase, the need to transport pollinators will decrease resulting in fewer diseases being transmitted from one colony to the next with a decrease in competition between native and non-native bees.  

Dengler, Roni. (June 29, 2017). Neonicotinoid pesticides are slowly killing bees. PBS News Hour. Retrieved from: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/neonicotinoid-pesticides-slowly-killing-bees

Farah, Troy. (August 3, 2018). While We Worry About Honeybees, Other Pollinators Are Disappearing. Discover Magazine. Retrieved from: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/2018/08/03/honeybees-pollinator-really-going-extinct/#.XKtoMfZFwaF

Gabbatiss, Josh. (August 29, 2018).  Bees are becoming ‘addicted’ to the pesticides blamed for wiping them out, study finds. Independent. Retrieved from: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/bees-pesticides-addiction-neonics-nicotine-bumblebees-smoking-a8511806.html

Holland, Jennifer. (May 10, 2013). The Plight of the Honeybee. National Geographic. Retrieved from: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130510-honeybee-bee-science-european-union-pesticides-colony-collapse-epa-science/

Offord, Catherine. (September 1, 2017). Bees Live the City Life in Detroit. The Scientist. Retrieved from: https://www.the-scientist.com/notebook/bees-live-the-city-life-in-detroit-30234

Samuel, Henry. (August 31, 2018). France becomes first country in Europe to ban all five pesticides killing bees. The Telegraph. Retrieved from: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/31/france-first-ban-five-pesticides-killing-bees/