CCD hives infected Non-CCD hives infected (n = 30) Potential pathogen (n = 21) Israeli acute paralysis virus Kashmir bee virus 83.3% 4.8% 100% 76.2% Nosema apis 90% 47.6% Nosema cernae 100% 80.8%
In recent years, honeybee colonies throughout North America have been decimated by colony collapse disorder (CCD), which results in the rapid deaths of worker bees. First noticed by beekeepers in 2004, the disorder has been responsible for the loss of 50% to 90% of beekeeping operations in the United States. Evidence suggests that CCD is caused by a pathogen. Diana Cox-Foster and her colleagues (D. Cox-Foster et al. 2007. Science 318:283–287) used a metagenomic approach to try to identify the causative agent of CCD by isolating DNA from normal honeybee hives and from hives that had experienced CCD. A number of different bacteria,
non-CCD hives that tested positive for four potential pathogens identified in the metagenomic analysis. On the basis of these data, which potential pathogen appears most likely to be responsible for CCD? Explain your reasoning. Do these data prove that this pathogen is the cause of CCD? Explain.
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