Where have the Bees gone?

Over the last two decades, pollination levels have dropped by 50%. Why is this significant? Pollination from bees results in feeding 1/3 mouthfuls as well as being a large contribution to the economy. Bees are known as a "keystone species." Keystone species are especially important because they "hold up" the rest of the ecosystem. If bees were to become extinct, a chain of economic events will occur which may result in more species becoming extinct. The extinction of bees may even lead to the end of humans. It is possible to increase bee population through economic projects. Maybe if factories would be replaced with parks instead of the opposite, the bees may have a chance in living. In conclusion, the bees are only a warning sign for us. We may not appreciate bees now, but in the future, we may regret our past attitudes toward the bees.

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1.03.01

Food and Trophic Levels Comparison

Food I have eaten for the last five days (with Trophic Levels):
Friday
-French Toast-level 1
-Orange Juice-level 1
-Grilled Cheese Sandwich-level 2
- Steak-level 3
- Iced Tea-level 1
-Cereal with Milk-level 2
Saturday
-Waffles-level 1
-Milk-level 2
-Granola bar-level 1
-Pasta-level 1
-Bread-level 1
-cookies (with milk)-level 1
-popcorn-level 1
Sunday
-cereal with milk-level 1 and 2
-ham and cheese sandwich-level 2 and 3
-Chinese food (fried rice, soup, beef)-level 1,2, and 3
-juice-level 1
Monday
-Milk-level 2
-Peanut butter and Jelly Sandwich-level 1
-Pizza w/mushroom, sausage-level 2
Tuesday
-PB&J-level 1
-Gatorade-level 1

First and Second trophic level percentage: ≈ 90%
percent of diet from higher trophic levels: ≈10%

Eating at a Lower Trophic Level

1. Would it be ideal to for humans to eat at a lower trophic level? A trophic level can best be described as an organism occupying a position in the food chain. Generally, this includes producers (plants) and small animals.


Pros to practicing this method (Eating at lower trohpic levels):
1. More people would be supported on Earth if adopted.
2. The organisms at the top of the food chain will have a sharp decrease in extinction rate.
3. Lower level groups of the food chain usually have less energy in them so therefore less calories and a healthier lifestyle.

Disadvantages:
1. The sharp increase in other organism may bring a surplus of organisms which can provide problems (lack of space for a mass amount of large animals, accidents, etc.)
2. Eating at a lower trophic level can bring an unbalanced diet since lower level groups such as producers lack protein.
3. There may be a great increase in farming and the mass amount of farming may eventually exhaust the soil.

People in less-developed countries tend to eat from lower trophic levels because their country is not fully functioned to produce higher quality energy (food). Those who live in less-developed areas tend to eat soy since it is easier to harvest and it also produces 200 kg of protein per acre per year. Those who live in developed countries tend to eat to their liking. Cows usually provide Americans the essentials for creating an American meal. Although cows only produce 19 kg of protein per acre per year, since America is a developed country, cows are a resource that is easier to renew. Compared to a least developed country, cows are most likely more expensive to breed and raise. Since money is a huge factor on developing a country, it would be efficient to choose a cheaper resource to use rather than an expensive resource with better quality.