In June 2007 I first learned about colony collapse disorder, a problem seemingly being experienced by the honeybees of North America and Europe. I noted in a blog entry at the time that it was a problem those given to dining on a regular basis might want to be aware of, since the bee plays a pivotal role in bringing much of our foodstuffs to the table.
I learned then that Jerry Bromenshenk, an entomologist at the University of Montana, was busily studying the phenomenon that leaves puzzled apiarists with a complete absence of adult bees in the hives, and unhatched brood that have been abandoned, contrary to bee norms. Supposed causes ranging from pesticides and GMO's to electromagnetic radiation from the ubiquitous cell phone have been forwarded, but none has yet been identified as the cause absolute.
The naysayers listen to such news and laugh it to scorn. But those of us who really are interested in continuing to feed our faces on a regular basis might do well to listen more closely to those raising an alarm; to rethink our personal behaviour, in terms of climate change. Professor James Thomson, a scientist with U of T’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, is now adding his voice to others raised in concern over the humble little honeybee. Thomson has conducted a 17-year examination of the wild lily in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. His study is one of the longest-term studies of pollination ever conducted, and the results it showed, detailed in September's "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences" are not good news for people who eat.
The remote area in which Thomson conducted his study is pretty much free of the day-to-day presence of people and the pollutants their proximity produces, but it is not free from the effects of climate change. Thomson theorizes that climate change is, indeed, the culprit causing the downward trend in pollination evidenced for the first time by his study. Says Thomson of the evidence he gathered, "This is sobering because it suggests that pollination is vulnerable even in a relatively pristine environment that is free of pesticides and human disturbance but still subject to climate change.”
Sobering evidence, sobering words. When is humankind going to stop playing the denial game and start paying attention?
4 comments:
Greetings,
As usual, there is a great deal of misinformation in this little item. First, Thomson wasn't even studying honey bees but wild bees which hatch on an annual cycle. These bees pollinate alpine flowers, not food crops.
Honey bees are available to pollinate year round and while they do have a cycle, it is routinely altered to encourage buildup as needed for pollination or honey production.
Finally, as important as bees are for pollination, most of our food crops are not pollinated by bees. Further, it is mainly the honey bees of Europe and the US that are declining.
Meanwhile, food continues to be imported into these areas in greater and greater quantities from Australia, South America and China, so we aren't in any danger of not eating.
Peter Borst, Beekeeper
Gotta love you and those of your ilk, Peter. "mainly the bees of Europe and the US". No such problem trouble us 'cause thank heavens our little bees know how to read maps. Oh, and BTW, 'this little item' never said Thomson was studying honeybees. It simply grouped like facts. And Mr. Beekeeper, the step from alpine flowers to food crops just isn't that huge, when something is going amiss.
Bringing in all that food from around the globe sure will solve any problem that might arise, right up to the point where that activity's carbon footprint stomps out its usefulness. Naysayers like you will find yourself lacking the breath needed to say WTF when Bertrand Russell's last whimper from humankind dies on the wind.
Peter, you seem to take an overwhelming interest in being disinterested in any scientific explanation for CCD -- especially any explanation that points to a human origin. I wonder why.
I think that even if bees and humans aren't DIRECTLY related, the message here is clear: we as humans need to try to do all we can to care for every species on earth, and if there are things that we are doing that are destructive to other species; we should each put some effort into living differently. Yes, I know our crops might not be pollinated by bees, but our honey currently is, and if there are no more bees, there's no more honey.
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