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The impact of apiculture on the genetic structure of wild honeybee populations (Apis mellifera) in Sudan

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Abstract

Apiculture often relies on the importation of non-native honeybees (Apis mellifera) and large distance migratory beekeeping. These activities can cause biodiversity conflicts with the conservation of wild endemic honeybee subspecies. We studied the impact of large scale honeybee imports on managed and wild honeybee populations in Sudan, a centre of biodiversity of A. mellifera, using as set of linked microsatellite DNA loci and mitochondrial DNA markers. The mitochondrial DNA analyses showed that all wild honey bees exclusively belonged to African haplotypes. However, we revealed non-native haplotypes in managed colonies on apiaries reflecting unambiguous evidence of imports from European stock. Moreover, we found significantly higher linkage disequilibria for microsatellite markers in wild populations in regions with apiculture compared to wild populations which had no contact to beekeeping. Introgression of imported honeybees was only measurable at the population level in close vicinity to apicultural activities but not in wild populations which represent the vast majority of honeybees in Sudan.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support was granted to MAAEN by the National Centre for Research, Khartoum, Sudan and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) fellowship and the Europe Strategic Research Project BEE SHOP (RFAM).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Biologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 4, 06099, Halle a.d. Saale, Germany

    Mogbel A. A. El-Niweiri & Robin F. A. Moritz

  2. Apiculture Research Unit, National Centre for Research, Mohammad Najeeb Street, 6096, Khartoum, Sudan

    Mogbel A. A. El-Niweiri

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  1. Mogbel A. A. El-Niweiri
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  2. Robin F. A. Moritz
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Correspondence to Mogbel A. A. El-Niweiri.

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El-Niweiri, M.A.A., Moritz, R.F.A. The impact of apiculture on the genetic structure of wild honeybee populations (Apis mellifera) in Sudan. J Insect Conserv 14, 115–124 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-009-9231-4

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