Remember how selenium ravaged the Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge in Central California nearly 30 years ago? Selenium is a trace element that is a micronutrient but can also be lethal at slightly higher doses than needed for nutritional necessity. It is widespread in the soils of the western San Joaquin Valley but is liberated from the soil by irrigation, which acts as a solvent. Farm drainage water containing poisonous levels of selenium was funnelled to evaporation ponds at Kesterson three decades ago and quickly bio-concentrated as it moved up the food chain, nearly wiping out the Refuge's bird population and triggering grotesque deformities in bird embryos. Now UC Davis researchers think they found a link between declines in bee populations and selenium. You can read about it here: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/chain-reaction-toxic-soil-kills-bees-threatens-food-production-20120416-1x2we.html. Or read the actual report here: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0034137. READ MORE »
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