Final answer:
Honeybees provide crucial pollination services valued at $1.6 billion annually in the U.S., and their decline due to colony collapse disorder threatens California's almond crops and other pollinator-dependent crops. This could lead to major challenges in food production and global food security.
Step-by-step explanation:
Migrant pollinators, particularly honeybees, are crucial for the pollination of many crops, including California's almond trees, which are the state's most valuable horticultural export. The disappearance of bees, referred to as colony collapse disorder (CCD), poses a significant threat to these crops and, by extension, the global food supply, as a large portion of the world's almonds are sourced from California. Honeybee pollination has been valued at $1.6 billion annually in the United States, highlighting their importance to agriculture and food production.
Honeybees perform an essential ecosystem service by pollinating over 150 different types of crops in the U.S., ensuring fruit and seed production. The loss of honeybee populations due to CCD could make it difficult or impossible to grow crops that rely on pollination, which could lead to increased reliance on less nutritious crops and cause issues for global food security. Additionally, the use of pesticides has been both a critical tool in controlling crop pests and a contributing factor to the decline of beneficial insect populations, including pollinators like honeybees.