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Aguilar‐Aguilar MDJ, Lobo J, Cristóbal‐Pérez EJ, Balvino‐Olvera FJ, Ruiz‐Guzmán G, Quezada‐Euán JJG, Quesada M. Dominance of African racial ancestry in honey bee colonies of Mexico 30 years after the migration of hybrids from South America. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13738. [PMID: 38919879 PMCID: PMC11196837 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The Africanized honey bee, a hybrid of Apis mellifera scutellata from Africa with European subspecies, has been considered an invasive species and a problem for beekeeping. Africanized bees arrived in Mexico in 1986, 30 years after their accidental release in Brazil. Although government programs were implemented for its eradication, Africanized populations persist in Mexico, but precise information on the patterns of genetic introgression and racial ancestry is scarce. We determined maternal and parental racial ancestry of managed and feral honey bees across the five beekeeping regions of Mexico, using mitochondrial (mtDNA, COI-COII intergenic region) and nuclear markers (94 ancestrally informative SNPs), to assess the relationship between beekeeping management, beekeeping region, altitude, and latitude with the distribution of maternal and parental racial ancestry. Results revealed a predominantly African ancestry in the Mexican honey bees, but the proportion varied according to management, beekeeping regions, and latitude. The Mexican honey bees showed 31 haplotypes of four evolutionary lineages (A, M, C, and O). Managed honey bees had mitochondrial and nuclear higher proportions of European ancestry than feral honey bees, which had a higher proportion of African ancestry. Beekeeping regions of lower latitudes had higher proportions of African nuclear ancestry. Managed and feral honey bees showed differences in the proportion of maternal and nuclear racial ancestry. Managed honey bees from the Yucatan Peninsula and feral honey bees had a higher mtDNA than nuclear proportions of African ancestry. Managed honey bees, except those on the Yucatan Peninsula, had a higher nuclear than mtDNA proportion of African ancestry. Our study demonstrates that Africanized honey bee populations are genetically diverse and well established in Mexico, which highlights the limitations of management and government programs to contain the Africanization process and demands the incorporation of this lineage in any breeding program for sustainable beekeeping.
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Affiliation(s)
- María de Jesús Aguilar‐Aguilar
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis EcológicaEscuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Edificio D, 1° Piso, Circuito de PosgradosCiudad UniversitariaCoyoacánMexico
- Laboratorio Binacional UNAM‐UCRUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Jorge Lobo
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis EcológicaEscuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Laboratorio Binacional UNAM‐UCRUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Escuela de BiologíaUniversidad de Costa RicaSan PedroCosta Rica
| | - E. Jacob Cristóbal‐Pérez
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis EcológicaEscuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Laboratorio Binacional UNAM‐UCRUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Francisco J. Balvino‐Olvera
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis EcológicaEscuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Laboratorio Binacional UNAM‐UCRUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Gloria Ruiz‐Guzmán
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis EcológicaEscuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Laboratorio Binacional UNAM‐UCRUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - José Javier G. Quezada‐Euán
- Departamento de Apicultura Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y AgropecuariasUniversidad Autónoma de YucatánMéridaMexico
| | - Mauricio Quesada
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis EcológicaEscuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Laboratorio Binacional UNAM‐UCRUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
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Balvino‐Olvera FJ, Olivares‐Pinto U, González‐Rodríguez A, Aguilar‐Aguilar MJ, Ruiz‐Guzmán G, Lobo‐Segura J, Cortés‐Flores J, Cristobal‐Perez EJ, Martén‐Rodríguez S, Patiño‐Conde V, Quesada M. Effects of floral resources on honey bee populations in Mexico: Using dietary metabarcoding to examine landscape quality in agroecosystems. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11456. [PMID: 38895569 PMCID: PMC11183941 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The decline of honey bee populations significantly impacts the human food supply due to poor pollination and yield decreases of essential crop species. Given the reduction of pollinators, research into critical landscape components, such as floral resource availability and land use change, might provide valuable information about the nutritional status and health of honey bee colonies. To address this issue, we examine the effects of landscape factors like agricultural area, urban area, and climatic factors, including maximum temperature, minimum temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation, on honey bee hive populations and nutritional health of 326 honey bee colonies across varying landscapes in Mexico. DNA metabarcoding facilitated the precise identification of pollen from 267 plant species, encompassing 243 genera and 80 families, revealing a primary herb-based diet. Areas characterized by high landscape diversity exhibited greater pollen diversity within the colony. Conversely, colonies situated in regions with higher proportions of agricultural and urban landscapes demonstrated lower bee density. The maximum ambient temperature outside hives positively correlated with pollen diversity, aligning with a simultaneous decrease in bee density. Conversely, higher relative humidity positively influenced both the bee density of the colony and the diversity of foraged pollen. Our national-level study investigated pollen dietary availability and colony size in different habitat types, latitudes, climatic conditions, and varied levels and types of disturbances. This effort was taken to gain a better insight into the mechanisms driving declines in honey bee populations. This study illustrates the need for more biodiverse agricultural landscapes, the preservation of diverse habitats, and the conservation of natural and semi-natural spaces. These measures can help to improve the habitat quality of other bee species, as well as restore essential ecosystem processes, such as pollination and pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J. Balvino‐Olvera
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Edificio D, 1° Piso, Circuito de PosgradosCiudad UniversitariaCDMXMexico
| | - Ulises Olivares‐Pinto
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad JuriquillaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoJuriquillaQuerétaroMexico
| | - Antonio González‐Rodríguez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y SustentabilidadUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - María J. Aguilar‐Aguilar
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Gloria Ruiz‐Guzmán
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Jorge Lobo‐Segura
- Escuela de BiologíaUniversidad de Costa RicaSan PedroCosta Rica
- Laboratorio Binacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela de BiologíaUniversidad de Costa RicaSan PedroCosta Rica
| | - Jorge Cortés‐Flores
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Jardín Botánico, Instituto de Biología, Sede TlaxcalaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoSanta Cruz TlaxcalaMexico
| | - E. Jacob Cristobal‐Perez
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Laboratorio Binacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela de BiologíaUniversidad de Costa RicaSan PedroCosta Rica
| | - Silvana Martén‐Rodríguez
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Violeta Patiño‐Conde
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
| | - Mauricio Quesada
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela Nacional de Estudios SuperioresUnidad MoreliaMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y SustentabilidadUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMoreliaMichoacánMexico
- Laboratorio Binacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, Escuela de BiologíaUniversidad de Costa RicaSan PedroCosta Rica
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Oliveira Orsi R, Zaluski R, de Barros LC, Barraviera B, Pimenta DC, Ferreira Junior RS. Standardized guidelines for Africanized honeybee venom production needed for development of new apilic antivenom. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2024; 27:73-90. [PMID: 38247328 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2023.2300786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Africanized bees have spread across the Americas since 1956 and consequently resulted in human and animal deaths attributed to massive attacks related to exposure from Argentina to the USA. In Brazil, more than 100,000 accidents were registered in the last 5 years with a total of 303 deaths. To treat such massive attacks, Brazilian researchers developed the first specific antivenom against Africanized honey bee sting exposure. This unique product, the first of its kind in the world, has been safely tested in 20 patients during a Phase 2 clinical trial. To develop the antivenom, a standardized process was undertaken to extract primary venom antigens from the Africanized bees for immunization of serum-producing horses. This process involved extracting, purifying, fractionating, characterizing, and identifying the venom (apitoxin) employing mass spectrometry to generate standardized antigen for hyperimmunization of horses using the major toxins (melittin and its isoforms and phospholipase A2). The current guide describes standardization of the entire production chain of venom antigens in compliance with good manufacturing practices (GMP) required by regulatory agencies. Emphasis is placed upon the welfare of bees and horses during this process, as well as the development of a new biopharmaceutical to ultimately save lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Oliveira Orsi
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Animal Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, and Animal Sciences (FMVZ), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Zaluski
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Luciana Curtolo de Barros
- Center for the Study of Venoms and Venomous Animals (CEVAP), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Benedito Barraviera
- Center for the Study of Venoms and Venomous Animals (CEVAP), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Tropical Diseases, Botucatu Medical School (FMB), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Clinical Research, Botucatu Medical School (FMB) and CEVAP, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Daniel Carvalho Pimenta
- Graduate Program in Tropical Diseases, Botucatu Medical School (FMB), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Butantan Institute (BI), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rui Seabra Ferreira Junior
- Center for the Study of Venoms and Venomous Animals (CEVAP), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Tropical Diseases, Botucatu Medical School (FMB), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Clinical Research, Botucatu Medical School (FMB) and CEVAP, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
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Porretta D, Canestrelli D. The ecological importance of hybridization. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:1097-1108. [PMID: 37620217 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Hybridization as an evolutionary process has been studied in depth over the past few decades. Research has focused on its role in shaping reproductive barriers, its adaptive value, and its genomic consequences. In contrast, our knowledge of ecological dimensions of hybridization is still in its infancy, despite hybridization being an inherently ecological interaction. Using examples from various organisms, we show that hybridization can affect and be affected by non-reproductive interactions, including predation, competition, parasitism, mutualism, commensalism, and organism-environment interactions, with significant implications for community structure and ecosystem functioning. However, since these dimensions of hybridization have mostly been revealed from studies designed to decipher other evolutionary processes, we argue that much of the eco-evolutionary importance of hybridization is yet to be discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Porretta
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
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Bianchi EM, Ferrari C, Aguirre NC, Filippi CV, Vera PA, Puebla AF, Gennari GP, Rodríguez GA, Scannapieco AC, Acuña CV, Lanzavecchia SB. Phenotypic and genetic characterization of Africanized Apis mellifera colonies with natural tolerance to Varroa destructor and contrasting defensive behavior. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 3:1175760. [PMID: 38469487 PMCID: PMC10926445 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1175760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Africanized Apis mellifera colonies with promising characteristics for beekeeping have been detected in northern Argentina (subtropical climate) and are considered of interest for breeding programs. Integral evaluation of this feral material revealed high colony strength and resistance/tolerance to brood diseases. However, these Africanized honeybees (AHB) also showed variable negative behavioral traits for beekeeping, such as defensiveness, tendency to swarm and avoidance behavior. We developed a protocol for the selection of AHB stocks based on defensive behavior and characterized contrasting colonies for this trait using NGS technologies. For this purpose, population and behavioral parameters were surveyed throughout a beekeeping season in nine daughter colonies obtained from a mother colony (A1 mitochondrial haplotype) with valuable characteristics (tolerance to the mite Varroa destructor, high colony strength and low defensiveness). A Defensive Behavior Index was developed and tested in the colonies under study. Mother and two daughter colonies displaying contrasting defensive behavior were analyzed by ddRADseq. High-quality DNA samples were obtained from 16 workers of each colony. Six pooled samples, including two replicates of each of the three colonies, were processed. A total of 12,971 SNPs were detected against the reference genome of A. mellifera, 142 of which showed significant differences between colonies. We detected SNPs in coding regions, lncRNA, miRNA, rRNA, tRNA, among others. From the original data set, we also identified 647 SNPs located in protein-coding regions, 128 of which are related to 21 genes previously associated with defensive behavior, such as dop3 and dopR2, CaMKII and ADAR, obp9 and obp10, and members of the 5-HT family. We discuss the obtained results by considering the influence of polyandry and paternal lineages on the defensive behavior in AHB and provide baseline information to use this innovative molecular approach, ddRADseq, to assist in the selection and evaluation of honey bee stocks showing low defensive behavior for commercial uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Mariel Bianchi
- Área Animal, Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco-Semiárido (IIACS) - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Santa Rosa de Leales, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Carolina Ferrari
- Escuela de Ciencias Agrarias, Naturales y Ambientales (ECANA), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (UNNOBA), Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Natalia C. Aguirre
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carla V. Filippi
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica, Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Pablo A. Vera
- Unidad de Genómica, Instituto de Biotecnología-Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas (CICVyA), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrea Fabiana Puebla
- Unidad de Genómica, Instituto de Biotecnología-Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas (CICVyA), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gerardo P. Gennari
- Estación Experimental Agropecuaria (EEA) Famaillá, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Famaillá, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Graciela A. Rodríguez
- Estación Experimental Agropecuaria (EEA) Ascasubi, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Hilario Ascasubi, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandra Carla Scannapieco
- Instituto de Genética, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO) Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cintia V. Acuña
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Silvia B. Lanzavecchia
- Instituto de Genética, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO) Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Long-term spatiotemporal patterns in the number of colonies and honey production in Mexico. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1017. [PMID: 36653357 PMCID: PMC9849204 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25469-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey bee decline is currently one of the world's most serious environmental issues, and scientists, governments, and producers have generated interest in understanding its causes and consequences in honey production and food supply. Mexico is one of the world's top honey producers, however, the honey bee population's status has not been documented to date. Based on 32 years of data from beekeeping, we make a country-level assessment of honey bee colony trends in Mexico. We use generalized additive mixed models to measure the associations between the percent change in honey bee hives and the percent change in honey yield per hive in relation to land-use, climate, and socioeconomic conditions. Despite the fact that the average annual yield per hive increased from 1980 to 2012, we detected a significant decline in the percent change in the number of honey bee hives across the time period studied. We also found a relationship between climatic conditions and agricultural land use, with agriculture increases and high temperatures producing a decrease in the percent change in honey yield. We found a relationship between a reduction in the temperature range (the difference between maximum and minimum temperatures) and a decrease in the percent change in the number of hives, while socioeconomic factors related to poverty levels have an impact on the number of hives and honey yields. Although long-term declines in hive numbers are not correlated with poverty levels, socioeconomic factors in states with high and medium poverty levels limit the increase in honey yield per hive. These results provide evidence that land-use changes, unfavorable climatic conditions, political, and socioeconomic factors are partially responsible for the reductions in the percent change in honey bee hives in Mexico.
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Rocha FH, Peraza DN, Medina S, Quezada-Euán JJG. Pollination service provided by honey bees to buzz-pollinated crops in the Neotropics. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280875. [PMID: 36696409 PMCID: PMC9876385 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Generalist honey bees grant significant pollination services worldwide. Although honey bees can provide compensatory pollination services, their service to buzz-pollinated crops, compared to specialized pollinators, is not clear. In this study, we assessed the contribution of Africanized honey bees (AHB) and native sonicating bees (NBZ) to the pollination of eggplant (Solanum melongena) and annatto (Bixa orellana) in Yucatan, Mexico, one of the largest producers of these crops in the Americas and a region with one of the largest densities of honey bees in the world. We first compared the relative frequency and abundance of both bee types on flowers of both crops. Secondly, we controlled access to flowers to compare the number and weight of fruit and number of seed produced after single visits of AHB and native bees. For a better assessment of pollination services, we evaluated the productivity of individual flowers multiply visited by AHB. The results were compared against treatments using pollinator-excluded flowers and flowers that were supplied with additional pollen, which allowed an overall measure of pollination service provision (PSP). Our results showed that AHB were the predominant flower visitors in both crops and that were poorly efficient on individual visits. Notably, fruit quantity and seed number increased concomitantly with the number of AHB visits per flower on eggplant, but not on annatto. Estimation of PSP revealed no pollination deficit on eggplant but that a deficit existed on the pollination services to annatto. We found that AHB numerical predominance compensates their poor individual performance and can complement the services of native bees on eggplant, but not on annatto. We discuss possible explanations and implications of these results for buzz-pollinated crops in the neotropics an area with little assessment of pollination services and a high density of honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franklin H. Rocha
- Departamento de Apicultura Tropical, Campus Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias- Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida-Xmatkuil, México
| | - Daniel N. Peraza
- Departamento de Apicultura Tropical, Campus Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias- Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida-Xmatkuil, México
| | - Salvador Medina
- Facultad de Matemáticas-Campus de Ingenierías y Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Anillo Periférico, Mérida, México
| | - José Javier G. Quezada-Euán
- Departamento de Apicultura Tropical, Campus Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias- Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida-Xmatkuil, México
- * E-mail:
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Honey compositional convergence and the parallel domestication of social bees. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18280. [PMID: 36316374 PMCID: PMC9622900 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23310-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey collection evolved from simple honey hunting to the parallel and independent domestication of different species of bees in various parts of the world. In this study, we investigate the extent to which the composition of Apis and stingless bee honeys has been a driver in the selection of different bee species for domestication in Mesoamerica (Mexico) and Asia (Thailand) using a sampling design that combines peak honey profiling by H1 NMR spectroscopy with the collection of honeys from domesticated and undomesticated bee species. Our results show that, independently of the region of the world considered, domesticated stingless bees produce honey whose compositional profiles differ from those of the non-domesticated species and exhibit more similarities towards honeys produced by the domesticated Apis species. Our results provide evidence for the first time that the search for natural sweeteners in the environment by our ancestors led to the parallel and independent domestication of social bees producing honeys with similar compositional profiles.
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Boltovskoy D, Guiaşu R, Burlakova L, Karatayev A, Schlaepfer MA, Correa N. Misleading estimates of economic impacts of biological invasions: Including the costs but not the benefits. AMBIO 2022; 51:1786-1799. [PMID: 35191001 PMCID: PMC9200917 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01707-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The economic costs of non-indigenous species (NIS) are a key factor for the allocation of efforts and resources to eradicate or control baneful invasions. Their assessments are challenging, but most suffer from major flaws. Among the most important are the following: (1) the inclusion of actual damage costs together with various ancillary expenditures which may or may not be indicative of the real economic damage due to NIS; (2) the inclusion of the costs of unnecessary or counterproductive control initiatives; (3) the inclusion of controversial NIS-related costs whose economic impacts are questionable; (4) the assessment of the negative impacts only, ignoring the positive ones that most NIS have on the economy, either directly or through their ecosystem services. Such estimates necessarily arrive at negative and often highly inflated values, do not reflect the net damage and economic losses due to NIS, and can significantly misguide management and resource allocation decisions. We recommend an approach based on holistic costs and benefits that are assessed using likely scenarios and their counter-factual.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demetrio Boltovskoy
- IEGEBA, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Radu Guiaşu
- Biology Program, Glendon College, York University, 2275 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M6 Canada
| | - Lyubov Burlakova
- Great Lakes Center, SUNY Buffalo State, 1300 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222 USA
| | - Alexander Karatayev
- Great Lakes Center, SUNY Buffalo State, 1300 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222 USA
| | - Martin A. Schlaepfer
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 66, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nancy Correa
- Servicio de Hidrografía Naval y Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Sede Educativa Universitaria, Facultad de la Armada, UNDEF, Av. Montes de Oca 2124, 1271 Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Ramos-Cuellar AK, De la Mora A, Contreras-Escareño F, Morfin N, Tapia-González JM, Macías-Macías JO, Petukhova T, Correa-Benítez A, Guzman-Novoa E. Genotype, but Not Climate, Affects the Resistance of Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera) to Viral Infections and to the Mite Varroa destructor. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9070358. [PMID: 35878375 PMCID: PMC9320602 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9070358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was conducted to analyze the effect of genotype and climate on the resistance of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies to parasitic and viral diseases. The prevalence and intensity of parasitism by Varroa destructor, or infection by Nosema spp., and four honey bee viruses were determined in 365 colonies of predominantly European or African ancestry (descendants of A. m. scutellata) in subtropical and temperate regions of Mexico. Varroa destructor was the most prevalent parasite (95%), whilst N. ceranae was the least prevalent parasite (15%). Deformed wing virus (DWV) and black queen cell virus (BQCV) were the only viruses detected, at frequencies of 38% and 66%, respectively. Varroa destructor was significantly more prevalent in colonies of European ancestry (p < 0.05), and the intensity of parasitism by V. destructor or infection by DWV and BQCV was also significantly higher in colonies of European descent than in African descent colonies (p < 0.01), although no genotype−parasite associations were found for N. ceranae. Additionally, significant and positive correlations were found between V. destructor and DWV levels, and the abundance of these pathogens was negatively correlated with the African ancestry of colonies (p < 0.01). However, there were no significant effects of environment on parasitism or infection intensity for the colonies of both genotypes. Therefore, it is concluded that the genotype of honey bee colonies, but not climate, influences their resistance to DWV, BQCV, and V. destructor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana K. Ramos-Cuellar
- Departamento de Medicina y Zootecnia de Abejas, FMVZ, UNAM, Cd. Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (A.K.R.-C.); (A.C.-B.)
| | - Alvaro De la Mora
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (A.D.l.M.); (N.M.)
| | - Francisca Contreras-Escareño
- Departamento de Producción Agrícola, CUCSUR, Universidad de Guadalajara, Independencia Nal. 161, Autlan 48900, Mexico;
| | - Nuria Morfin
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (A.D.l.M.); (N.M.)
| | - José M. Tapia-González
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Naturaleza, CUSUR, Universidad de Guadalajara, Enrique Arreola Silva 883, Ciudad Guzman 49000, Mexico; (J.M.T.-G.); (J.O.M.-M.)
| | - José O. Macías-Macías
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Naturaleza, CUSUR, Universidad de Guadalajara, Enrique Arreola Silva 883, Ciudad Guzman 49000, Mexico; (J.M.T.-G.); (J.O.M.-M.)
| | - Tatiana Petukhova
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
| | - Adriana Correa-Benítez
- Departamento de Medicina y Zootecnia de Abejas, FMVZ, UNAM, Cd. Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (A.K.R.-C.); (A.C.-B.)
| | - Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (A.D.l.M.); (N.M.)
- Correspondence:
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Marcelino J, Braese C, Christmon K, Evans JD, Gilligan T, Giray T, Nearman A, Niño EL, Rose R, Sheppard WS, vanEngelsdorp D, Ellis JD. The Movement of Western Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.) Among United States and Territories: History, Benefits, Risks, and Mitigation Strategies. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.850600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Beekeeping is a cornerstone activity that has led to the human-mediated, global spread of western honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) outside their native range of Europe, western Asia, and Africa. The exportation/importation of honey bees (i.e., transfer of honey bees or germplasm between countries) is regulated at the national level in many countries. Honey bees were first imported into the United States in the early 1600’s. Today, honey bee movement (i.e., transport of honey bees among states and territories) is regulated within the United States at the state, territory, and federal levels. At the federal level, honey bees present in the country (in any state or territory) can be moved among states and territories without federal restriction, with the exception of movement to Hawaii. In contrast, regulations at the state and territory levels vary substantially, ranging from no additional regulations beyond those stipulated at the federal level, to strict regulations for the introduction of live colonies, packaged bees, or queens. This variability can lead to inconsistencies in the application of regulations regarding the movement of honey bees among states and territories. In November 2020, we convened a technical working group (TWG), composed of academic and USDA personnel, to review and summarize the (1) history of honey bee importation into/movement within the United States, (2) current regulations regarding honey bee movement and case studies on the application of those regulations, (3) benefits associated with moving honey bees within the United States, (4) risks associated with moving honey bees within the United States, and (5) risk mitigation strategies. This review will be helpful for developing standardized best practices for the safe movement of honey bees between the 48 contiguous states and other states/territories within the United States.
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Porrini LP, Brasesco C, Maggi M, Eguaras MJ, Quintana S. High-resolution (mtDNA) melting analysis for simple and efficient characterization of Africanized honey bee Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera:Apidae). Genetica 2021; 149:343-350. [PMID: 34698977 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-021-00139-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of the mtDNA variation in Apis mellifera L. has allowed distinguishing subspecies and evolutionary lineages by means of different molecular methods; from RFLP, to PCR-RFLP and direct sequencing. Likewise, geometric morphometrics (GM) has been used to distinguish Africanized honey bees with a high degree of consistency with studies using molecular information. High-resolution fusion analysis (HRM) allows one to quickly identify sequence polymorphisms by comparing DNA melting curves in short amplicons generated by real-time PCR (qPCR). The objective of this work was to implement the HRM technique in the diagnosis of Africanization of colonies of A. mellifera from Argentina, using GM as a validation method. DNA was extracted from 60 A. mellifera colonies for mitotype identification. Samples were initially analyzed by HRM, through qPCRs of two regions (485 bp/385 bp) of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cytb). This technique was then optimizing to amplify a smaller PCR product (207 bp) for the HRM diagnosis for the Africanization of colonies. Of the 60 colony samples analyzed, 41 were classified as colonies of European origin whereas 19 revealed African origin. All the samples classified by HRM were correctly validated by GM, demonstrating that this technique could be implemented for a rapid identification of African mitotypes in Apis mellifera samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo P Porrini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), CONICET-UNMdP, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
| | - Constanza Brasesco
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), CONICET-UNMdP, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Matias Maggi
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), CONICET-UNMdP, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Martín J Eguaras
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), CONICET-UNMdP, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Silvina Quintana
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), CONICET-UNMdP, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Área Biología Molecular Instituto de Análisis Fares Taie, Mar del Plata, Argentina
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