Study On Population Genetics Of Apis Cerana Cerana In Fujian Province And Adjacent Regions

Population genetic structure and genetic differentiation of Apis cerana cerana adult workers from seven hundred and ninety seven colonies collected from Fujian and adjacent regions were studied by thirty morphometric characters and polymorphism of five microsatellite DNA markers and tRNAleu ~COII sequence of mitochondrial DNA. The objectives of this study were to explore the phylogenetic laws and to explore the mechanism of population formation and differentiation.The results showed that population genetic differentiation had occurred between honeybees from Fujian and adjacent regions with different genetic structures.1 Morphometric genetic characteristicsHoneybee from high latitude had larger body size than those from low latitude. Honeybee from high altitude had larger body size than those from low altitude. Honeybee from sea island had shorter wing than those on the mainland. There were some certain differences in morphometric genetic markers between every sampling site.2 Diversity of mitochondrial haplotypesForty-four mitochondrial haplotypes were discovered in the honeybee from nineteen sampling site of Fujian and adjacent regions. In addition to two sampling sites with small sample size (3 each), honeybees from most sampling sites had more than one mitochondrial haplotype, and the biggest capacity was 10 mitochondrial haplotypes.3 Longxi Mountain populationMost of the colony nested in barns and wood cabinets, and still were in the wild state because of bee keeping unskilled in Longxi Mountain, which located in the south-west of Fujian province. The results showed that there was differentiation between the wild honeybees in Longxi Mountain and those artificial reared in surrounding area. 4 Sea island populationThere were significant genetic differentiation between island and adjacent land honeybee populations based on morphometric analysis, microsatellite DNA and mitochondrial DNA data. Under the 7 km minimum straight-line distance between island and adjacent land, honeybee of island population had shorter wing, smaller wax plate and distance between wax plate, smaller wing angle O26 and wing angle N23, larger wing angle J10 and wing angle E9(P<0.05), less mitochondrial haplotypes, simple genetic structure. The FST values were larger than 0.1.5 Ecological isolationHuanggang Mountain is the highest peak in Wuyi Mountain nature reserve, in which there are thirty four mountain peaks above 1800 m. Huanggang Mountain is a natural barricade for honeybee population, in which species and environment change significantly in vertical direction and west of which is steep, east is gentle.The results showed that there was significant honeybee population genetic differentiation between the two sides of the peak and between the peak and the west foot of mountain, but not with east foot. Honeybee in col surrounded by high mountains could differentiate from surrounding population forming an independent population with special morphological traits and genetic structure. The gene flow interrupted by surrounding high mountains.The study of this paper was an important part of population genetics of honeybee. It had not only promoted the establishment of honeybee population genetics, but also enriched the basic population genetics, evolutionary ecology, conservation genetics and other disciplines. At the same time, the research of the honeybee population genetics was indispensable for breeding efficiently, and provided more theory support for effectively preserving indigenous Apis cerana cerana as a genetic resource for the future utilization in honeybee breeding programs.