Disentangling Ethiopian Honey Bee (<i>Apis mellifera)</i> Populations Based on Standard Morphometric and Genetic Analyses
The diversity and local differentiation of honey bees are subjects of broad general interest. In particular, the classification of Ethiopian honey bees has been a subject of debate for decades. Here, we conducted an integrated analysis based on classical morphometrics and a putative nuclear marker (...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-02-01
|
| Series: | Insects |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/3/193 |
| _version_ | 1827588355470131200 |
|---|---|
| author | Teweldemedhn Gebretinsae Hailu Paul D'Alvise Martin Hasselmann |
| author_facet | Teweldemedhn Gebretinsae Hailu Paul D'Alvise Martin Hasselmann |
| author_sort | Teweldemedhn Gebretinsae Hailu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The diversity and local differentiation of honey bees are subjects of broad general interest. In particular, the classification of Ethiopian honey bees has been a subject of debate for decades. Here, we conducted an integrated analysis based on classical morphometrics and a putative nuclear marker (denoted r7-<i>frag</i>) for elevational adaptation to classify and characterize these honey bees. Therefore, 660 worker bees were collected out of 66 colonies from highland, midland and lowland agro-ecological zones (AEZs) and were analyzed in reference to populations from neighboring countries. Multivariate morphometric analyses show that our Ethiopian samples are separate from <i>Apis mellifera scutellata</i>, <i>A. m. jemenitica, A. m. litorea</i> and <i>A. m. monticola,</i> but are closely related to <i>A. m. simensis</i> reference. Linear discriminant analysis showed differentiation according to AEZs in the form of highland, midland and lowland ecotypes. Moreover, size was positively correlated with elevation. Similarly, our Ethiopian samples were differentiated from <i>A. m. monticola</i> and <i>A. m. scutellata</i> based on r7-<i>frag</i>. There was a low tendency towards genetic differentiation between the Ethiopian samples, likely impacted by increased gene flow. However, the differentiation slightly increased with increasing elevational differences, demonstrated by the highland bees that showed higher differentiation from the lowland bees (F<sub>ST</sub> = 0.024) compared to the midland bees (F<sub>ST</sub> = 0.015). An allelic length polymorphism was detected (denoted as <i>d</i>) within r7-<i>frag</i>, showing a patterned distribution strongly associated with AEZ (<i>X<sup>2</sup></i> = 11.84, <i>p</i> < 0.01) and found predominantly in highland and midland bees of some pocket areas. In conclusion, the Ethiopian honey bees represented in this study are characterized by high gene flow that suppresses differentiation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:33:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2fac6b0df03941c586d8a37eb3e3b3fd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:33:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-2fac6b0df03941c586d8a37eb3e3b3fd2023-12-11T18:19:30ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502021-02-0112319310.3390/insects12030193Disentangling Ethiopian Honey Bee (<i>Apis mellifera)</i> Populations Based on Standard Morphometric and Genetic AnalysesTeweldemedhn Gebretinsae Hailu0Paul D'Alvise1Martin Hasselmann2Department of Livestock Population Genomics, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße17, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyDepartment of Livestock Population Genomics, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße17, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyDepartment of Livestock Population Genomics, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße17, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyThe diversity and local differentiation of honey bees are subjects of broad general interest. In particular, the classification of Ethiopian honey bees has been a subject of debate for decades. Here, we conducted an integrated analysis based on classical morphometrics and a putative nuclear marker (denoted r7-<i>frag</i>) for elevational adaptation to classify and characterize these honey bees. Therefore, 660 worker bees were collected out of 66 colonies from highland, midland and lowland agro-ecological zones (AEZs) and were analyzed in reference to populations from neighboring countries. Multivariate morphometric analyses show that our Ethiopian samples are separate from <i>Apis mellifera scutellata</i>, <i>A. m. jemenitica, A. m. litorea</i> and <i>A. m. monticola,</i> but are closely related to <i>A. m. simensis</i> reference. Linear discriminant analysis showed differentiation according to AEZs in the form of highland, midland and lowland ecotypes. Moreover, size was positively correlated with elevation. Similarly, our Ethiopian samples were differentiated from <i>A. m. monticola</i> and <i>A. m. scutellata</i> based on r7-<i>frag</i>. There was a low tendency towards genetic differentiation between the Ethiopian samples, likely impacted by increased gene flow. However, the differentiation slightly increased with increasing elevational differences, demonstrated by the highland bees that showed higher differentiation from the lowland bees (F<sub>ST</sub> = 0.024) compared to the midland bees (F<sub>ST</sub> = 0.015). An allelic length polymorphism was detected (denoted as <i>d</i>) within r7-<i>frag</i>, showing a patterned distribution strongly associated with AEZ (<i>X<sup>2</sup></i> = 11.84, <i>p</i> < 0.01) and found predominantly in highland and midland bees of some pocket areas. In conclusion, the Ethiopian honey bees represented in this study are characterized by high gene flow that suppresses differentiation.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/3/193EthiopiaTigraymorphometricshoney bee subspeciesclassificationdiversity |
| spellingShingle | Teweldemedhn Gebretinsae Hailu Paul D'Alvise Martin Hasselmann Disentangling Ethiopian Honey Bee (<i>Apis mellifera)</i> Populations Based on Standard Morphometric and Genetic Analyses Insects Ethiopia Tigray morphometrics honey bee subspecies classification diversity |
| title | Disentangling Ethiopian Honey Bee (<i>Apis mellifera)</i> Populations Based on Standard Morphometric and Genetic Analyses |
| title_full | Disentangling Ethiopian Honey Bee (<i>Apis mellifera)</i> Populations Based on Standard Morphometric and Genetic Analyses |
| title_fullStr | Disentangling Ethiopian Honey Bee (<i>Apis mellifera)</i> Populations Based on Standard Morphometric and Genetic Analyses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Disentangling Ethiopian Honey Bee (<i>Apis mellifera)</i> Populations Based on Standard Morphometric and Genetic Analyses |
| title_short | Disentangling Ethiopian Honey Bee (<i>Apis mellifera)</i> Populations Based on Standard Morphometric and Genetic Analyses |
| title_sort | disentangling ethiopian honey bee i apis mellifera i populations based on standard morphometric and genetic analyses |
| topic | Ethiopia Tigray morphometrics honey bee subspecies classification diversity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/3/193 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT teweldemedhngebretinsaehailu disentanglingethiopianhoneybeeiapismelliferaipopulationsbasedonstandardmorphometricandgeneticanalyses AT pauldalvise disentanglingethiopianhoneybeeiapismelliferaipopulationsbasedonstandardmorphometricandgeneticanalyses AT martinhasselmann disentanglingethiopianhoneybeeiapismelliferaipopulationsbasedonstandardmorphometricandgeneticanalyses |