Based on the excerpt, it can be inferred that future efforts to save both commercial and wild bees may need to focus on managing disease transmission between these populations. The text highlights that the concentration and transportation of commercial bees can facilitate disease spread, stating, "The more that bees are transported and concentrated for larger-scale pollination events, the more opportunities for diseases to spread." Additionally, the notion that planting "bee-friendly" flowers could increase disease levels suggests that strategies must be reevaluated, as Sheila Colla notes, "maybe we need to have a [buffer] area without flowers to stop diseases from spreading to wild bees.” This indicates that informed management practices—such as increasing plant diversity and examining how bees are managed—will be crucial for future conservation efforts.
"Are Commercial Honeybees Making Wild Bees Sick?"
by Berly McCoy
If human-managed bees and bee-friendly flowers are acting as hotspots for pathogens, keeping more bees and planting more flowers may be contributing to the steep losses in commercial pollinators seen in the U.S. each year, as well as fueling the decline of wild bees. The more that bees are transported and concentrated for larger-scale pollination events, the more opportunities for diseases to spread.
And it’s not just a one-way street.
“It’s likely the transmission is going both ways,” said Scott McArt, a pollinator ecologist at Cornell University who was not involved in the study. Even if diseases in commercial bees are eliminated, new infections from the wild bee population, which are known to harbor pathogens, could spill back into managed populations, making disease eradication even tougher than it is now.
From the urban gardener to the rural farmer, people are encouraged to grow “bee-friendly” plants. “But in some cases you might actually be increasing disease levels when you plant those flowers,” said Sheila Colla, a conservation biologist at York University who was not involved in the study. “Maybe we need to have a [buffer] area without flowers to stop diseases from spreading to wild bees.”
Nobody is suggesting we stop planting flowers altogether. “We know that habitat loss is already a big problem for bees,” said Alger. Instead, she’s now investigating if increasing plant diversity, or culling certain plants could help decrease disease transmission.
She added that beekeepers and farmers need to take a long, hard look at how they are managing bees.
Use the article excerpt to answer the question.
It is possible to infer from this excerpt something about future efforts to save the bees. What inference can you make? In 3–5 sentences, state your inference and provide strong and thorough textual evidence from the excerpt to support the inference.
(4 points)
3 answers
by Berly McCoy
If human-managed bees and bee-friendly flowers are acting as hotspots for pathogens, keeping more bees and planting more flowers may be contributing to the steep losses in commercial pollinators seen in the U.S. each year, as well as fueling the decline of wild bees. The more that bees are transported and concentrated for larger-scale pollination events, the more opportunities for diseases to spread.
And it’s not just a one-way street.
“It’s likely the transmission is going both ways,” said Scott McArt, a pollinator ecologist at Cornell University who was not involved in the study. Even if diseases in commercial bees are eliminated, new infections from the wild bee population, which are known to harbor pathogens, could spill back into managed populations, making disease eradication even tougher than it is now.
From the urban gardener to the rural farmer, people are encouraged to grow “bee-friendly” plants. “But in some cases you might actually be increasing disease levels when you plant those flowers,” said Sheila Colla, a conservation biologist at York University who was not involved in the study. “Maybe we need to have a [buffer] area without flowers to stop diseases from spreading to wild bees.”
Nobody is suggesting we stop planting flowers altogether. “We know that habitat loss is already a big problem for bees,” said Alger. Instead, she’s now investigating if increasing plant diversity, or culling certain plants could help decrease disease transmission.
She added that beekeepers and farmers need to take a long, hard look at how they are managing bees.
Use the article excerpt to answer the question.
It is possible to infer from this excerpt something about future efforts to save the bees. What inference can you make? In 6–8 sentences, state your inference and provide strong and thorough textual evidence from the excerpt to support the inference.
It can be inferred that future efforts to save both commercial and wild bees must prioritize understanding and managing the interactions between these populations, particularly concerning disease transmission. The excerpt stresses that the current practices of concentrating and transporting commercial bees can lead to increased disease spread: “The more that bees are transported and concentrated for larger-scale pollination events, the more opportunities for diseases to spread.” This highlights a crucial need for beekeepers and farmers to critically evaluate their management strategies.
Moreover, the excerpt suggests that simply promoting “bee-friendly” plants may not be sufficient; it could inadvertently exacerbate disease issues. As indicated by Sheila Colla, “in some cases you might actually be increasing disease levels when you plant those flowers.” This implies that not all practices aimed at supporting bees are beneficial and that a more nuanced approach is necessary.
Alger’s comment about investigating “increasing plant diversity, or culling certain plants” suggests that successful bee conservation will depend on informed decisions regarding the types of plants cultivated. Additionally, the consideration of creating “a [buffer] area without flowers” to mitigate disease transmission reflects a proactive approach to safeguarding wild bee populations. Overall, effective conservation strategies will likely involve a combination of habitat restoration, disease management, and careful plant selection.
1 answer