Bees have an important role to play in food production, as they are the main pollinators of most flowering plants. However, since 2006, bee populations have been rapidly declining in many countries, causing much concern over the potential repercussions of such losses.
Some speculate that cell phone towers could be interfering with the bees’ navigation, while others think that poison from herbicides is to blame. Whatever the cause, it is clear that the loss of bees could have detrimental effects on mankind.
Clothing and Fuel
Without bees, we would be in trouble when it comes to producing biofuel and other important materials. Rapeseed, or canola, is grown to produce fuel and is also used for cooking oil and food. Without pollination, there would be less of these products, causing us to have to rely more on fossil fuels, which would deplete our resources much faster.
Cotton, too, is pollinated by bees and other insects, so without them, there wouldn’t be as much of this material available. This would lead to an increased reliance on man-made fabrics, which would also deplete our fossil fuels.
Plants
Insects play a crucial role in pollinating plants; many species of beetles and butterflies take part in this process, but bees are the most efficient pollinators. Without bees, we would lose many of the plants that we use for food, such as fruits and vegetables.
Even though some crops, such as wheat and rice, do not need insect pollination, around 30 percent of the world’s food crops and 90 percent of wild plants require insect involvement. If we did not have bees, our food choices would be greatly reduced or we would need to find another method for pollinating plants.
Medicines
If bees become extinct, we would lose a valuable source of some medicines since many pharmaceuticals are plant-based. Morphine, the basis of most pain-killers, is derived from opium poppies, which can self-pollinate, but research has shown cross-pollinating cultivars yield a better result. Insects are necessary for the pollination of many other plants used in medicinal products.
Without bees, we would also lose a crucial link in the food chain, as they are responsible for pollinating many of the fruits and vegetables we eat. Pollination by bees yields higher quality crops and increased yields, so their extinction would lead to a decrease in the amount of food available to us.
Additionally, bees are important contributors to biodiversity, so their disappearance could lead to an imbalance within our ecosystems. Finally, bees are a vital part of the economy, with honey and wax products being produced and sold around the world.
Animals
If certain plants were to disappear, the animals that rely on them would become extinct, leading to a dramatic shift in our ecosystems and a decrease in biodiversity. An example of this is the impact it would have on cattle, which are often fed alfalfa and lupins, both of which require insect pollination. If there was less food available for these animals, it would lead to a decrease in milk and meat production, resulting in a major change to the human diet.
Conclusion
The world would be a much different place if bees became extinct. Without pollination from bees, agricultural production would be drastically reduced, leading to widespread food insecurity. The extinction of bees would also cause environmental disruptions, such as reduced biodiversity, decreased soil fertility, and increased soil erosion.
In addition, the global economy would be impacted, as the food industry, farming, and related industries depend on the production of food from bees. In short, the world would be drastically changed if bees became extinct, impacting both the environment and the economy.
