I see an economic diasater coming...

[ATT]

Bees have been disappearing from their hives.  If they continue doing that, those crops that depend on them will eventually die out.

Lee, bees are the premier pollinator, it's true, but they aren't the sole pollinator by any stretch.
http://www.pollinator.org/pollinationequation.htm

Regardless, the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) continues to pose a significant threat to agriculture.
http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/05/31/the-mysterious-disappearing-honey-bee/

The numbers for CCD are a little better this year, but not by much.

EDIT: Just to add: When I was 'living off the land' about 38 years ago, I had two hives and supers (which I didn't 'work') that were just for pollination.

You can provide the same 'pollination insurance' today with a strain of bees that is smaller than the familiar honey bee and is less likely to experience CCD to the same degree:
http://www.groworganic.com/item_PBE2000_Orchard_Mason_Bees_Unit_Of_20.html
http://www.groworganic.com/item_PBE2005_Canned_Bees_Kit.html

Tony

[the_big_m_in_ok]

@ATT
With respect to your Post #105:
You're correct.  Flies, butterflies, beetles and hummingbirds are just 4 types of animals that pollinate plants.

But, it may be that some species of butterflies and hummingbirds are suffering from habitat destruction by human encroachment?  If so, even without economic collapse, the overall ecological future doesn't look good.

--Lee

[ATT]

But, it may be that some species of butterflies and hummingbirds are suffering from habitat destruction by human encroachment?  If so, even without economic collapse, the overall ecological future doesn't look good.

Excellent point, Monarchs (which are the largest migratory species of butterfly in the northern hemisphere), appear to be in decline (or at least experiencing a change in migration habits), although hummingbirds seem to be holding their own, at least in rural areas like mine.

Which begs the question: Is economic collapse symptomatic of societal self-correction?

When presented with evidence of threat to the underlying foundation of food-chain based existence does that threat subliminally trigger a chain of events that will lead to the eventual reversal of the conditions that threaten?

Do conditions become intolerable to the point that it spurs an undoing of the causal factors and an eventual reversal of mindset?

Time will tell.

Tony
.

[onthecuttingedge2005]

Bumble bees have the highest immune system of the Bee family, I have not seen a decline in Bumble Bees on the coast or in the mountains nor in the farm land areas.

I live in the High Sierras, there are many types of bees here, other than Honey or Bumble and I really don't see a decline in the bee population nor in the fruiting of tree's or bushes unless winter is setting in of course.

we also have a very high population of humming birds, Humming birds don't pollinate much because they tend to cheat the flower when licking nectar, their tongue is used not so much their beak thus bypassing the pollen introduction to another plant.

Man kind will have to hybrid food plants to be single sexed so the plant pollenates itself. it would neither be male or female but both. Genetics can already do this so if bee's were to die off completely there would be a means of saving plants for food purposes.

mankind is the most adaptable species on this planet, even more so than the Cockroach! now if a Cockroach had the mind of a man, it would be dangerous! lol.

[the_big_m_in_ok]

ATT said:

Which begs the question: Is economic collapse symptomatic of societal self-correction? ... Do conditions become intolerable to the point that it spurs an undoing of the causal factors and an eventual reversal of mindset? ... Time will tell.

Yes, indeed.  Up to this point, I've never seen it happen in recorded history.

And, don't forget the fish.  Sea life is declining in many areas.  Some oceanic countries depend on fish.  I'm Scandinavian, and I know the sea was always important to my ancestors.
Then there's the Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, South American, Carribean and Mediterranean countries.

--Lee