| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120.44 KB | Adobe PDF |
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Due to past and present imports of Apis mellifera ligustica (Italian bees), Apis mellifera
carnica (Carniolan bees) and the Buckfast bee (a hybrid strain) across its entire natural
range, the European Dark Honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) is currently threatened with
extinction by genetic pollution through hybridization. In the past, genomic research has
shown the European Dark Honey bee was still present in the Belgian Chimay area and on
the Dutch North Sea Isle of Texel. However, as the risk of beekeepers importing non-native
honey bees into the area remains, which could rapidly threaten the genetic integrity of the
endemic honey bee population, monitoring hybridization is a key element in conservation
and breeding. Within the framework of the Flemish Beekeeping Programme, 246 honey
bee colonies originating from the Belgian population of Chimay (108) and the Dutch North
Sea island populations of Texel (6) and Terschelling (132) were sampled in autumn 2021 to
identify pure European Dark Honey bee colonies with which to support the Flemish A. m.
mellifera breeding activities. The population of Terschelling, which has not been studied
before, was included because local beekeepers claimed their colonies looked and behaved
like European Dark Honey bees. Of each sampled honey bee colony 10 worker bees were
used for this study, including measuring wing morphometrics (based on cubital index,
discoidal shift angle and hantal index) and estimating the extent of C-lineage introgression
in the ncDNA by applying a custom-tailored SNP genotype assay. Q-values for most sampled
honey bee colonies were above 90% for M-lineage: 85 out of 108 colonies for Chimay; 106
out of 132 colonies for Terschelling and all 6 colonies for Texel. Both the populations of
Chimay and Texel seem to be spared from intense hybridization over the past decades,
whilst a novel remnant population of the European Dark Honey bee was found on the Isle
of Terschelling. The correlation between wing morphometrics and molecular data was
significant but very weak (Spearman r = 0.20, p = 0.002), indicating the SNP genotype assay
is a more valuable tool for assisting in breeding and conservation activities.
Description
Keywords
Apis mellifera mellifera SNP Wing Morphometrics honey bee conservation
Citation
Elen, Dylan; Malhotra, Anita; Henriques, Dora; Herremans, Mathijs; Pinto, M. Alice; Cross, Paul (2022). Conservation status of the endemic European Dark Honey Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) in Belgium & Netherlands. In Eurbee 9: 9th European Conference of Apidology. Belgrade
Publisher
Estonian University of Life Science