What'll happen if bees goes extinct?
An ecosystem requires all its components, flora and fauna, to maintain a balance and continue the cycle of life. Each species plays some important role that influences the ecological balance in environment. If we were to build a list of key species of the environment, bees would certainly feature in the top slot. Bees are insects with wings closely related to wasps and ants, commonly known for the honey they produce and the sweet delicacies that are produced with this by-product. So, how are they relevant to the environment? The answer lies in their role as pollinators.
What is pollination and why is it important?
Pollination is transfer of pollen from the anther (the male reproductive part of the flower) to the stigma (the female reproductive part of the flower). Some plants can pollinate themselves while others need pollen to be transferred between different flowers. This is cross-pollination which requires outside influences. These outside influences include wind, water, insects, humans, or animals. Pollination's value in the ecosystem is enormous. The reproductive success of plants, and consequently their survival and evolution depend on it. In agriculture and plant breeding, most crops require wind or insect pollination, either to set any seed at all, or to improve the quality, size, or quantity of seed and fruit. Pollination is often, therefore, an essential component of yield, and the majority of insect-pollinated crops needs bees.
Role of bees in pollination
These insects play an important, but little recognized role in most terrestrial ecosystems. Many species of plants and animals would not survive if bees were missing. This is because bees are the major pollinators. Bees and most flowering plants have developed a complex interdependence during millions of years. An estimated 80 per cent of flowering plants are entomophilous i.e., depending more or less on insect pollination to be able to reproduce. It is also estimated that half of the pollinators of tropical plants are bees. Some species of plants and bees have developed a close interdependence in connection with pollination. This mutual adaptation and interdependence between a plant and pollinator is the result of a long and intimate co-evolutionary relationship. An example of this would be the Brazil nut tree and its only pollinating bee species Bertholletia excelsa.
What are the causes of bee extinction?
Unfortunately, bees of all kinds, as well as many other insects, are in decline all through the world. Colony collapse disorder is caused by the rapid loss of adult members. Bumblebee and solitary bee populations are steadily diminishing as a result of global warming and rapid urbanisation. Some species have even been designated as endangered. If bees perish, we risk losing all of the plants that bees pollinate, as well as the creatures that eat those plants, resulting in a huge food chain imbalance. Einstein said if all the bees disappeared the mankind will survive till next four years only. Human existence will come to an end.