What nutritional issue can arise from monoculture in bee foraging?

Monoculture in bee foraging refers to the agricultural practice of growing a single crop over a wide area for many consecutive years. When bees forage primarily on a single type of flower, they can encounter significant nutritional deficiencies.

This happens because different plants produce varying types of pollen and nectar, which contain essential nutrients necessary for the health and development of bees. A diet restricted to a single crop lacks this diversity, leading to a limited range of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that bees require to thrive. For instance, while one crop might offer abundant carbohydrates in the form of nectar, it might not provide sufficient proteins and lipids found in other flower types. This lack of nutritional variety can hinder larval development, immune function, and overall colony health, ultimately impacting bee populations and their ability to pollinate other plants effectively.

Other choices, such as excess sugar intake, vitamin excess, and low water availability, do not directly relate to the primary concern of nutritional deficiencies caused by a singular dietary source. Instead, they focus on specific issues that may arise in varied contexts, but they do not capture the core implications of how monoculture impacts bee health through limited foraging options.