Bees are one of the most hard working creatures on the planet as they are essential for the ecosystems. Due to the rapid decline in bee population in recent years, ecosystems and food supplies have been at great risk. What part of the ecosystem will face the majority of the consequences if bees were to be an endangered species?
This is kind of answered in previous Qs but it’s important to know not all bees are in decline, only a portion of them. And the European honeybee is not at-risk of extinction either. There are some management issues with loss to to parasites but beekeepers can order more colonies, so it’s a financial loss, not a biodiversity loss.
The Sheila Colla’s Native Pollinator Research Lab takes an interdisciplinary approach to research and policy development. Why is this approach necessary to better the future of these tiny insects?
Humans are the ones who make the decisions, shape policy, manage landscapes, contribute to climate change, design agricultural production systems, etc. If we want to conserve bees, we need to incorporate socio-cultural context, not just ecological studies, otherwise we won’t be able to change the drivers causing declines.