The Qinling Mountains, known for their rich vegetation and diverse pollinating insects, have seen a significant decline in bee species richness and abundance over recent decades, largely due to the introduction and sp...The Qinling Mountains, known for their rich vegetation and diverse pollinating insects, have seen a significant decline in bee species richness and abundance over recent decades, largely due to the introduction and spread of Apis mellifera. This decline has caused cascading effects on the region's community structure and ecosystem stability. To improve the protection of native bees in the natural and agricultural landscape of the Qinling Mountains and its surrounding areas, we investigated 33 sampling sites within three habitats: forest, forest-agriculture ecotones, and farmland. Using a generalized linear mixing model, t-test, and other data analysis methods, we explored the impact of Apis mellifera on local pollinator bee richness, abundance, and the pollination network in different habitats in these regional areas. The results show that(1)Apis mellifera significantly negatively affects the abundance and richness of wild pollinator bees,while Apis cerana abundance is also affected by beekeeping conditions.(2)There are significant negative effects of Apis mellifera on the community structure of pollinator bees in the Qinling Mountains and its surrounding areas: the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Pielou evenness index, and Margalef richness index of bee communities at sites with Apis mellifera influence were significantly lower than those at sites without Apis mellifera influence.(3)The underlying driver of this effect is the monopolization of flowering resources by Apis mellifera. This species tends to visit flowering plants with large nectar sources, which constitute a significant portion of the local plant community. By maintaining a dominant role in the bee-plant pollination network, Apis mellifera competitively displaces native pollinator bees, reducing their access to floral resources. This ultimately leads to a reduction in local bee-plant interactions, decreasing the complexity and stability of the pollination network. These findings highlight the need for targeted conservation efforts to protect native pollinator species and maintain the ecological balance in the Qinling Mountains.展开更多
The Cap Pushing Response (CPR) is a free-flying technique used to study learning and memory in honey bees (Apis mellifera). The series of experiments outlined in this paper aimed to test whether honey bees exhibit the...The Cap Pushing Response (CPR) is a free-flying technique used to study learning and memory in honey bees (Apis mellifera). The series of experiments outlined in this paper aimed to test whether honey bees exhibit the cognitive concept of “expectancy” utilizing the CPR in a weight differentiation paradigm. Five previous experiments in our laboratory have explored whether the concept of expectancy can account for honey bee performance and have all failed to support the cognitive interpretation. The first experiment examined if bees could differentiate between the two caps in the amount of force they used to push the cap and the distance the cap was pushed when the caps were presented one at a time. The second experiment explored cap weight preference by presenting bees with a choice between the two caps. The third and fourth experiments tested the bee’s ability to expect reward or punishment based on cap weight. Results revealed that bees were found to have a strong preference for the light cap and therefore were not able to expect reward or punishment based on cap weight. These experiments contribute to the debate on whether bees have “cognitive” representations and continue to support the behaviorist interpretation.展开更多
[Objective] This study aimed to clarify the correlation between changes of Apis mel ifera and the nectar secretion characteristics of nectariferous plants. [Method] Considering the nectar secretion characteristics of ...[Objective] This study aimed to clarify the correlation between changes of Apis mel ifera and the nectar secretion characteristics of nectariferous plants. [Method] Considering the nectar secretion characteristics of major and auxiliary nec-tariferous plants, six Apis mel ifera colonies were selected for measure the number of eggs, larvae, pupae and adult bees from Jan. to Dec. in 2012; based on that, their annual change curves were also plotted. [Result] The results showed that there were three peaks of the total number of A. mel ifera workers throughout the year：the first occurred on May 15th, with bees developed into an ideal population for col-lecting pomegranate nectar, and the second and third peaks occurred on July 15th and Oct. 15th, respectively, with bees developed into an ideal population for col ect-ing E. ciliate （Thuab） Hyland. [Conclusion] Prevention of Varroa jacobsoni should be carried out with two or more types of acaricides at the late nectar flow stages of the two nectariferous plants（pomegranate and E. ciliate （Thuab） Hyland） when there was a nectar deficiency. Prevention of Tropilaelaps clareae should be timely per-formed with sublimed sulfur in conjunction with acaricides. This study provides a theoretical basis for the high-quality and high-yielding production of honey, as wel as for the product safety.展开更多
[Objective] The aim was to clone triosephosphate isomerase （TPI） gene from Apis mellifera, and predict the properties of TPI protein with bioinformatic meth- ods. [Method] The TPI gene was firstly cloned by in silic...[Objective] The aim was to clone triosephosphate isomerase （TPI） gene from Apis mellifera, and predict the properties of TPI protein with bioinformatic meth- ods. [Method] The TPI gene was firstly cloned by in silico cloning based on the ex- pressed sequence tags （ESTs） from Unigene of NCBI. Some characters of the TPI protein including hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity, isoelectric point （pl） and secondary structure were analyzed and predicted by the tools of bioinformatics. [Result] The TPI gene from A. mellifera was 1 768 bp in full length and it contained a complete ORF which encoded 247 amino acids; the pl of TPI protein was 8.515; the TPI protein was a member of ~13-fold family. [Conclusion] The in silico cloning based on the expressed sequence tags is a efficient method in practice, and this study will provide more references for further study on A. mellifera at molecular level.展开更多
“浙农大 1号”意蜂 (A .m .ligusticaEa)分别与喀尼鄂拉蜂 (A .m .carnica)、卡尔巴阡蜂 (A .m .carpati ca)、高加索蜂 (A .m .caucasica)、乌克兰蜂 (A .m .acervorum)、东北黑蜂 (A .m .spp .)进行正反杂交组配。在山东玉米花期 ,...“浙农大 1号”意蜂 (A .m .ligusticaEa)分别与喀尼鄂拉蜂 (A .m .carnica)、卡尔巴阡蜂 (A .m .carpati ca)、高加索蜂 (A .m .caucasica)、乌克兰蜂 (A .m .acervorum)、东北黑蜂 (A .m .spp .)进行正反杂交组配。在山东玉米花期 ,考察这 6个西方蜜蜂蜂种及 10个正反杂交组合的 95个试验蜂群的蜂花粉生产性能 ,分析杂交一代的杂种优势。结果表明 ,K是 6个纯种中蜂花粉产量最高的蜂种 ,Ea位居第二 ,Ea×D是所有纯种和杂交组合中蜂花粉产量最高的蜂种 ,是培育蜂花粉高产组合的蜂种。杂交组合Ea×D和W×Ea的蜂花粉生产性能具有明显的杂种优势 ,其杂种优势率分别达到 49.5 %和 2 1.1%,其他展开更多
To evaluate Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille impact on fruit and seed yields of Gossypium hirsutum L., its foraging and pollinating activities were studied in Ngaoundere for two seasons. Observations were made on 34...To evaluate Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille impact on fruit and seed yields of Gossypium hirsutum L., its foraging and pollinating activities were studied in Ngaoundere for two seasons. Observations were made on 340 flowers each year and divided in three treatments. The treatments included unlimited flowers access by all visitors; bagged flowers to deny all visits and limited visits by Apis mellifera adansonii only. The worker bees seasonal rhythm of activity, its foraging behaviour, its pollination efficiency, the fruiting rate, the number of seeds per fruit and the percentage of normal seeds were evaluated. Results show that this bee foraged G. hirsutum flowers throughout the whole blooming period. This bee species intensely harvested pollen and nectar. The mean foraging speed was 9.41 flowers per rain in 2009 and 8.41 flowers per min in 2010. The fruiting rate, the number of seeds per fruit and the percentage of normal seeds of unprotected flowers were significantly higher than those of flowers protected from insects. Through its pollination efficiency, Apis mellifera adansonii provoked a significant increment of the fruiting rate by 60.84% in 2009 and 36.48% in 2010, as well as the number of seeds per fruit by 94.16% in 2009 and 31.41% in 2010, and the percentage of normal seeds by 94.23% in 2009 and 33.49% in 2010. The installation ofA. m. adansonii colonies close to G. hirsutum fields could be recommended to increase fruit, seed and honey yields, and pollen production as a hive product in the region.展开更多
Intra-abdominal injection of amitraz(0.25 nmol per honeybee,i.e.,approx 2.3 nmol/g)to emerging worker bees,in vivo,led to a significant hypertrehalosemia(300-400%)followed by a hyperglucosemia(≈600%).Maxima were reac...Intra-abdominal injection of amitraz(0.25 nmol per honeybee,i.e.,approx 2.3 nmol/g)to emerging worker bees,in vivo,led to a significant hypertrehalosemia(300-400%)followed by a hyperglucosemia(≈600%).Maxima were reached at 0.5 and 2h,respectively.A strong negative correlation between glucosemia and trehalosemia appeared after injection of pure phentolamine (1 nmol per bee),suggesting stimulation of trehalase activities.Simultaneous administration of the α-blocker at≥0.25 nmol per individual suppressed the hyperglycemic response of amitraz. The formamidine pesticide thus likely acts on the honeybee α-aminergic system.1989 Academic Press,Inc.展开更多
The stinging response thresholds of individual European and Africanized worker honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) were analyzed. Workers of each genotype performing defense (guard and soldier bees) and non-defense (nest an...The stinging response thresholds of individual European and Africanized worker honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) were analyzed. Workers of each genotype performing defense (guard and soldier bees) and non-defense (nest and forager bees) associated tasks were collected and exposed to an electric stimulus of 0.5 mA, and the time they took to sting a leather substrate was recorded. Africanized bees had significant lower thresholds of response than European bees. Guards and soldiers were faster to sting than nest and forager bees for the Africanized genotype, whereas for the European genotype, guards stung significantly faster than bees of the other three task groups. This is the first study that shows that individual bees specialized in two defensive tasks also have a lower response threshold for stinging. Our results fit a model of division of labor based on differences in response thresholds to stimuli among workers of different genotypes and task groups.展开更多
基金funded by the National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFE0115200)the Biodiversity Survey and the Assessment Project of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China (2019HJ2096001006)the National Animal Collection Resource Center, China。
文摘The Qinling Mountains, known for their rich vegetation and diverse pollinating insects, have seen a significant decline in bee species richness and abundance over recent decades, largely due to the introduction and spread of Apis mellifera. This decline has caused cascading effects on the region's community structure and ecosystem stability. To improve the protection of native bees in the natural and agricultural landscape of the Qinling Mountains and its surrounding areas, we investigated 33 sampling sites within three habitats: forest, forest-agriculture ecotones, and farmland. Using a generalized linear mixing model, t-test, and other data analysis methods, we explored the impact of Apis mellifera on local pollinator bee richness, abundance, and the pollination network in different habitats in these regional areas. The results show that(1)Apis mellifera significantly negatively affects the abundance and richness of wild pollinator bees,while Apis cerana abundance is also affected by beekeeping conditions.(2)There are significant negative effects of Apis mellifera on the community structure of pollinator bees in the Qinling Mountains and its surrounding areas: the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Pielou evenness index, and Margalef richness index of bee communities at sites with Apis mellifera influence were significantly lower than those at sites without Apis mellifera influence.(3)The underlying driver of this effect is the monopolization of flowering resources by Apis mellifera. This species tends to visit flowering plants with large nectar sources, which constitute a significant portion of the local plant community. By maintaining a dominant role in the bee-plant pollination network, Apis mellifera competitively displaces native pollinator bees, reducing their access to floral resources. This ultimately leads to a reduction in local bee-plant interactions, decreasing the complexity and stability of the pollination network. These findings highlight the need for targeted conservation efforts to protect native pollinator species and maintain the ecological balance in the Qinling Mountains.
文摘The Cap Pushing Response (CPR) is a free-flying technique used to study learning and memory in honey bees (Apis mellifera). The series of experiments outlined in this paper aimed to test whether honey bees exhibit the cognitive concept of “expectancy” utilizing the CPR in a weight differentiation paradigm. Five previous experiments in our laboratory have explored whether the concept of expectancy can account for honey bee performance and have all failed to support the cognitive interpretation. The first experiment examined if bees could differentiate between the two caps in the amount of force they used to push the cap and the distance the cap was pushed when the caps were presented one at a time. The second experiment explored cap weight preference by presenting bees with a choice between the two caps. The third and fourth experiments tested the bee’s ability to expect reward or punishment based on cap weight. Results revealed that bees were found to have a strong preference for the light cap and therefore were not able to expect reward or punishment based on cap weight. These experiments contribute to the debate on whether bees have “cognitive” representations and continue to support the behaviorist interpretation.
基金Supported by the Key New Products Development Program of Science and Technology Agency of Yunnan Province(2011BB012)~~
文摘[Objective] This study aimed to clarify the correlation between changes of Apis mel ifera and the nectar secretion characteristics of nectariferous plants. [Method] Considering the nectar secretion characteristics of major and auxiliary nec-tariferous plants, six Apis mel ifera colonies were selected for measure the number of eggs, larvae, pupae and adult bees from Jan. to Dec. in 2012; based on that, their annual change curves were also plotted. [Result] The results showed that there were three peaks of the total number of A. mel ifera workers throughout the year：the first occurred on May 15th, with bees developed into an ideal population for col-lecting pomegranate nectar, and the second and third peaks occurred on July 15th and Oct. 15th, respectively, with bees developed into an ideal population for col ect-ing E. ciliate （Thuab） Hyland. [Conclusion] Prevention of Varroa jacobsoni should be carried out with two or more types of acaricides at the late nectar flow stages of the two nectariferous plants（pomegranate and E. ciliate （Thuab） Hyland） when there was a nectar deficiency. Prevention of Tropilaelaps clareae should be timely per-formed with sublimed sulfur in conjunction with acaricides. This study provides a theoretical basis for the high-quality and high-yielding production of honey, as wel as for the product safety.
基金Supported by Scientific Research Fund of Changzhi University (2010111)~~
文摘[Objective] The aim was to clone triosephosphate isomerase （TPI） gene from Apis mellifera, and predict the properties of TPI protein with bioinformatic meth- ods. [Method] The TPI gene was firstly cloned by in silico cloning based on the ex- pressed sequence tags （ESTs） from Unigene of NCBI. Some characters of the TPI protein including hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity, isoelectric point （pl） and secondary structure were analyzed and predicted by the tools of bioinformatics. [Result] The TPI gene from A. mellifera was 1 768 bp in full length and it contained a complete ORF which encoded 247 amino acids; the pl of TPI protein was 8.515; the TPI protein was a member of ~13-fold family. [Conclusion] The in silico cloning based on the expressed sequence tags is a efficient method in practice, and this study will provide more references for further study on A. mellifera at molecular level.
文摘To evaluate Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille impact on fruit and seed yields of Gossypium hirsutum L., its foraging and pollinating activities were studied in Ngaoundere for two seasons. Observations were made on 340 flowers each year and divided in three treatments. The treatments included unlimited flowers access by all visitors; bagged flowers to deny all visits and limited visits by Apis mellifera adansonii only. The worker bees seasonal rhythm of activity, its foraging behaviour, its pollination efficiency, the fruiting rate, the number of seeds per fruit and the percentage of normal seeds were evaluated. Results show that this bee foraged G. hirsutum flowers throughout the whole blooming period. This bee species intensely harvested pollen and nectar. The mean foraging speed was 9.41 flowers per rain in 2009 and 8.41 flowers per min in 2010. The fruiting rate, the number of seeds per fruit and the percentage of normal seeds of unprotected flowers were significantly higher than those of flowers protected from insects. Through its pollination efficiency, Apis mellifera adansonii provoked a significant increment of the fruiting rate by 60.84% in 2009 and 36.48% in 2010, as well as the number of seeds per fruit by 94.16% in 2009 and 31.41% in 2010, and the percentage of normal seeds by 94.23% in 2009 and 33.49% in 2010. The installation ofA. m. adansonii colonies close to G. hirsutum fields could be recommended to increase fruit, seed and honey yields, and pollen production as a hive product in the region.
文摘Intra-abdominal injection of amitraz(0.25 nmol per honeybee,i.e.,approx 2.3 nmol/g)to emerging worker bees,in vivo,led to a significant hypertrehalosemia(300-400%)followed by a hyperglucosemia(≈600%).Maxima were reached at 0.5 and 2h,respectively.A strong negative correlation between glucosemia and trehalosemia appeared after injection of pure phentolamine (1 nmol per bee),suggesting stimulation of trehalase activities.Simultaneous administration of the α-blocker at≥0.25 nmol per individual suppressed the hyperglycemic response of amitraz. The formamidine pesticide thus likely acts on the honeybee α-aminergic system.1989 Academic Press,Inc.
文摘The stinging response thresholds of individual European and Africanized worker honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) were analyzed. Workers of each genotype performing defense (guard and soldier bees) and non-defense (nest and forager bees) associated tasks were collected and exposed to an electric stimulus of 0.5 mA, and the time they took to sting a leather substrate was recorded. Africanized bees had significant lower thresholds of response than European bees. Guards and soldiers were faster to sting than nest and forager bees for the Africanized genotype, whereas for the European genotype, guards stung significantly faster than bees of the other three task groups. This is the first study that shows that individual bees specialized in two defensive tasks also have a lower response threshold for stinging. Our results fit a model of division of labor based on differences in response thresholds to stimuli among workers of different genotypes and task groups.
