One possible inference from the excerpt is that future efforts to save bee populations may need to reconsider the strategies currently employed to enhance bee health and diversity. The text suggests that simply increasing the number of managed bees and planting more bee-friendly flowers may unintentionally exacerbate the spread of pathogens among both commercial and wild bee populations. For instance, the phrase "the more that bees are transported and concentrated for larger-scale pollination events, the more opportunities for diseases to spread" indicates that concentration and transportation can facilitate disease transmission. Additionally, the statement about the bidirectional nature of disease transmission, where "new infections from the wild bee population" could infect managed bees, implies that comprehensive strategies will need to address the interconnectedness of different bee populations and their health risks rather than focusing on increasing numbers alone.
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.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.
3 answers
One possible inference from the excerpt is that future strategies aimed at saving bee populations may need to rethink current practices intended to promote bee health and diversity. The text implies that merely increasing the number of managed bees and planting more bee-friendly flowers might inadvertently worsen the transmission of pathogens among both commercial and wild bee populations. For example, the line stating "the more that bees are transported and concentrated for larger-scale pollination events, the more opportunities for diseases to spread" highlights how concentration and movement can facilitate the spread of disease. Furthermore, the mention of the interchange of disease transmission—where "new infections from the wild bee population" could affect managed bees—suggests that future efforts should focus on the interrelated health risks between different bee populations instead of just boosting their numbers.
3 answers