Page 3 - WCBM JAC 2020 Proceeding Book

The 8th WCBM Junior Academic Competition, November 7th, 2020

Economic Analysis of CCD and Proposal for a Probiotic Remedy

a
Andrew Jun-Hyeon Cho *, Jaejun Noh b
a Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies, Republic of Korea
b Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies, Republic of Korea
andrew.junh.cho@gmail.com / nasanjj2010@gmail.com

Abstract
Honey bees(Apis mellifera) are the keystone species in many ecosystems, including the agricultural fields. They
are the primary pollinators of major crops, suggesting that they make significant contributions to the agricultural
economy. However, CCD(Colony Collapse Disorder) is causing a decline in the global honey bee population. The
study was thus conducted to evaluate the economic value of honey bee pollination and loss due to CCD.
Employing Morse and Calderone’s method, the economic contribution of honey bees to the U.S agriculture was
evaluated. Honey bees were identified to contribute 13,500 million USD each year, 52% of the total yield of major
insect-pollinated crops. Once including the direct apicultural profits from products such as honey and beeswax, it
can be concluded that honey bees are one of the most significant contributors to the economy. However,
CCD(Colony Collapse Disorder) is causing a decline in the global honey bee population. Through data analysis,
it was shown how 40.5% of colonies suffer from CCD per annum. Using the honey bee population data and the
calculated value of honey bee pollination, the economic loss due to CCD was identified. If CCD trends of the past
4 years(2016-2019) persists, it is calculated that there will be at least 5500 million USD. Honeybees store nectar
in the crop (social stomach) and share it with nestmates. This behavior seems to increase the risk of infections by
colony members sharing contaminated nectar, which could harm the entire colony’s health and lead to CCD. This
research also aimed to determine the role of crop normal flora in protecting the crop from infections and its
potential as a CCD treatment. 17 bacterial strains were identified in the crop of honey bees. 6 strains showed
growth independent to honey. The supernatants of these 6 strains effectively repressed the growth of other crop
bacteria and E. coli and did not alter honey sugar content as much as the others. Honey bee groups fed with the
selected strains and their byproducts showed increased longevity, confirming the hypothesis that the symbiotic
bacteria of the honey bees’ social stomach help maintain the bees’ health. 16s rRNA sequencing showed that the
strains are E. avium, which was identified once to synthesize antibiotic bacteriocin in honeybee larvae. By
evaluating the effectiveness of the E. avium treatment, the economic gain of employing it to the U.S honey bee
population was calculated. Once put into effect, the E. avium treatment would contribute a 5600 million USD
increase in agricultural production. The results were thus able to clearly show the devastating economic impact
of CCD while also proposing an adequate remedy.

Keywords: Honey bee, CCD, Economy, Agriculture, Probiotics

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