From diversity to conservation: insights for a national genetic monitoring program for honey bees in the face of climate change

Date

2024-3

Author

Kükrer, Mert

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Understanding the population genetics and ecological dynamics of honey bees (Apis mellifera) is crucial for their conservation and sustainable management. In this study, we collected 460 honey bee samples from 392 localities across Anatolia and Thrace, representing five subspecies: A. m. syriaca, A. m. caucasica, A. m. anatoliaca, A. m. meda, and the C lineage ecotype from Thrace. Additionally, we acquired samples from other regions in Europe and the Caucasus, bringing the total number of samples to 691. We genotyped these samples at 30 microsatellite loci and used various statistical analyses to explore the genetic diversity and population structure of honey bees in the region. Our analyses revealed distinct genetic clusters corresponding to the subspecies' distribution and identified transition zones. We further investigated the environmental drivers of genetic variation using Gradient Forests and Generalized Dissimilarity Modeling. Our results indicate that climatic and geographic factors are essential in shaping honey bee population structure. Additionally, we analyzed temporal changes in genetic diversity under future climate scenarios, predicting potential shifts in the distribution of ancestral groups. Moreover, we assessed protected area resemblance and proposed new conservation sites, considering representation and complementarity in ecological similarity. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the population genetics and ecological patterns of honey bees, highlighting the importance of considering environmental factors for their conservation and management. These findings have implications for honey bee biodiversity conservation, management practices, and sustainable apiculture in the region and beyond.

Subject Keywords

Honey bee, Genetic diversity, Population structure, Climate change, Conservation

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/109500

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis