School students present a research paper in Dindigul

What would happen if honeybees went extinct? “We will face slump in crop yield and snap in food chain,” cautioned a group of students of a matriculation school in Natham, who presented a research paper at the District Science Forum meet held here on Sunday.
The team, led by Anusaya, researched the flora and fauna of Karanthaimalai Hill, which was once an ideal home for honeybees, but disturbed much by man-made disasters.
They compared the natural wealth of the hill that existed in the past and the present. Anusaya said the presence of honeybees was good on the hill and nearby areas a decade ago as the hill had plenty of flowering species like Kurinji, Veppalai and Palai. These plants had been feeding the honeybees well.
Change in climate and increase in atmospheric temperature owing to failure of monsoons and use of chemical-based fertilizers changed its eco system and it had started destroying these flowering species. Now, a majority of these species had been facing the threat of extinction. Local people too disturbed the bees by destroying its habitat, she added. The bees pollinate crop species in the region. Honey bees are responsible for crop production,” she said.
“In the future, we may lose all the plants that bees pollinate and animals that eat those plants. Ultimately, such extinction will destroy food chain,” the team worried.
Mango would face slump in yield in the years to come owing to the absence of honeybees, the team members said.
“The bees pollinate crop species in the region and they are responsible for
crop production”

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/absence-of-honeybees-will-lead-to-slump-in-crop-yield/article6628738.ece