Spotlight – Native Bees
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When you think of bees, you may first picture the European honey bee. However, at least 4,000 other bee species live in the United States. Unlike social honey bees, many of the native bees are solitary bees and don't build nests in hives. Learn more about native bees, as well as how they coexist with fire, in this spotlight.
Originally published as the welcome essay for "A Flame Changer," this article also provides more information about the Natural Inquirer Pollinators monograph series.
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Glossary
View All GlossaryStandards addressed in this Spotlight:
Next Generation Science Standards
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are a set of K-12 science education standards emphasizing inquiry-based learning, real-world applications, and integrating engineering practices, aiming to deepen understanding of science while promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- ETS1.B-H1When evaluating solutions it is important to take into account a range of constraints including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
- ETS1.B-M1A solution needs to be tested, and then modified on the basis of the test results, in order to improve it.
- ETS1.B-M2There are systematic processes for evaluating solutions with respect to how well they meet criteria and constraints of a problem.
- ETS1.B-M3Sometimes parts of different solutions can be combined to create a solution that is better than any of its predecessors.
- ETS1.C-H1Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed.
- ETS1.C-M1Although one design may not perform the best across all tests, identifying the characteristics of the design that performed the best in each test can provide useful information for the redesign process—that is, some of the characteristics may be incorporated into the new design.
- LS1.B-M1Organisms reproduce, either sexually or asexually, and transfer their genetic information to their offspring.
- LS1.B-M2Animals engage in characteristic behaviors that increase the odds of reproduction.
- LS2.A-M1Organisms, and populations of organisms, are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with nonliving factors.
- LS2.A-M2In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction.
- LS2.C-H1A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions. If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem is resilient), as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem. Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any population, however, can challenge the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability.
- LS2.C-H2Moreover, anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment—including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change—can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species.
- LS2.C-M1Ecosystems are dynamic in nature; their characteristics can vary over time. Disruptions to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations.
- LS2.C-M2Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth’s terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem’s biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health.
- LS4.D-H2Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus, sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value.
Social Studies Standards
Social Studies Standards are educational guidelines outlining the essential knowledge, skills, and concepts students should learn in subjects such as history, geography, civics, and economics, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of societal structures, historical events, and global perspectives.
- People, Places, and Environments
- Science, Technology, and Society
- Time, Continuity, and Change