Breed affiliation features of honey bees (Apis mellifera) in the Novgorod region

The article discusses the problem of biodiversity conservation, on the example of honey bees (Apis mellifera) in the Novgorod region of Russia. The work examines the local bees breed affiliation. The regional population of the Central Russian (Central European) breed has been indigenous to this territory. The author analyzes the natural conditions of the region in which it was formed and to which it is well adapted. Due to the anthropogenic factor and appearance of man-bred new breeds, the local population began to disappear, giving way to crossbred bees. The study finds out the breed genes prevailing in their modern population and whether the aboriginal Central Russian bees survived in the region. We indicate the morphometric breed features of the bees in the region, find the differences between the bees of various regions, analyze the reasons of these differences. It becomes obvious that pure-bred Central Russian bees practically did not survive. The bees of the Carpathian ( Apis mellifera carpathica ), Krainsky ( Apis mellifera carnica ) and local Central Russian ( Apis mellifera mellifera ) breed had the greatest influence on the formation of the modern honeybee population in the region. Unfortunately, this situation can be considered as an example of natural biodiversity reduction, which threatens local biocenoses, especially given the important role of honey bees in them.