RACES COMPOSITION OF THE COLONIES OF HONEY BEE (APIS MELLIFERA L.) IN THE APIARIES OF THE NORTHERN BUKOVINA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31861/biosystems2023.01.070Keywords:
hybridisation, biodiversity, morphometry, genetic polymorphism, Apis mellifera, HymenopteraAbstract
Modern honey bee races have evolved from local natural subspecies. Due to this, native bees are adapted better to local climatic conditions and are less susceptible to the combined effects of negative factors that lead to colony extinction. However, the distribution of honey bee subspecies in Europe over the past century has been heavily influenced by humans. According to the plan of breed zoning of honey bees in Ukraine, Chernivtsi region is defined as the region of the Carpathian bee. However, interbreed hybrids were formed due to the uncontrolled introduction of other breeds to the area and spontaneous hybridisation between them and native bees. Due to the existence of such hybrid forms, the diversity of local bee ecotypes is lost and genetic polymorphism within the population increases dramatically. This increase in polymorphism has led to an increase in biodiversity, the emergence of numerous intermediate variants of morphometric characteristics, and the loss of valuable Carpathian bee traits. Modern phylogenetic studies of bees include the analysis of a set of morphometric external parameters: cubital index, discoidal displacement and proboscis length. An integrated approach to the study of these traits can reflect the evolution of honey bees and, accordingly, their belonging to specific subspecies or breeds. In the region as a whole, the predominant breeds were Carpathian, Ukrainian Steppe, and Grey Mountain Caucasian, which belong to the subspecies A. m. carnica (Carpathian ecotype), A. m. macedonica and A. m. caucasica, respectively. In addition, the hybrid forms contain features of the alpine variant of carnica and dark European bees (A. m. mellifera). It is shown that hybridisation within Northern Bukovina was chaotic, and no localities with preservation of Carpathian lines were found.
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