Urban ecosystem drives genetic diversity in feral honey bee

Abstract

Urbanization can change biodiversity in both directions, positive and negative, and despite the rising global trend of urban beekeeping, little is known about the impact of urbanization on the genetic diversity of honey bees. We investigate how urbanization affects the genetic variability of feral and managed honey bee colonies that are spread throughout the entire city, even in highly urban areas, through genetic analysis of 82 worker bees. We found convincing evidence of high genetic differentiation between these two groups. Additionally, by comparing city samples with 241 samples from 46 apiaries in rural parts of the country, variations in mitochondrial tRNAleu-cox2 intergenic region and microsatellite loci indicated that feral colonies have distinct patterns of genetic diversity. These results, with evidence that feral honey bees find niches within highly modified and human-dominated urban landscapes, lead us to conclude that urbanization is a driver of the genetic diversity of feral honey bees in the city.

Toxicity and Risk of Biopesticides to Insect Pollinators in Urban and Agricultural Landscapes

“…These areas are typically composed of intermittent gardens, parks, green areas, and pockets of natural land giving insects an abundance of floral resources and nesting areas in comparison to agricultural land [123]. In contrast, urban areas with >50% or more IS do not foster biodiversity and are composed of abiotic, non-flowering surfaces such as sidewalks, car parks, buildings, etc., reducing overall floral resources and nesting habitats while increasing risk factors such as pollution, noise, and artificial light [120]. This is supported by Baldock et al's.…”

“…Specifically, hymenopteran richness and abundance increase whilst those of dipterans, lepidopterans, and coleopterans typically see a small decrease [121]. The increase in hymenopteran richness and abundance is supported by (1) Patenković et al [120], who noticed significant survivorship and genetic variation amongst honey bees in urban settings; and (2) Samuelson et al [122], who observed an increase in colony size and food storage with a decrease in parasite load in Bombus terrestris [Hymenoptera: Apidae]. This is due to initial urban sprawl, the first step in urbanization, which creates areas with impervious surfaces (IS) of 50% or less [119].…”

“…Approximately 15-20% of food production takes place in urban settings or closely surrounding areas [119]. Depending on the level of urbanization intensification, urbanization may foster pollinator biodiversity [120]. Specifically, hymenopteran richness and abundance increase whilst those of dipterans, lepidopterans, and coleopterans typically see a small decrease [121].…”

“…The increase in dipterans is partly due to nitrogen saturation, animal manure, and their generalist characteristics. Agricultural land sees greater risks for the comparatively fewer pollinator taxa due to the consistent use of pesticides targeting crops, the main floral resource for pollinators in the area [120].…”

Influence of honey bee (Apis mellifera) breeding on wing venation in Serbia and neighbouring countries

“…This is challenging, though, because there aren’t many locations in Europe that are more than 15 km apart from an apiary ( Jensen et al, 2005 ). Even if in a particular area there are no colonies maintained by beekeepers in hives, a small feral population can still be present ( Kohl & Rutschmann, 2018 ; Patenković et al, 2022 ). In this situation, many breeders use instrumental insemination, which requires sophisticated equipment and qualified personnel.…”