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Climate rather than geography separates two E uropean honeybee subspecies
Author(s) -
Coroian Cristian O.,
Muñoz Irene,
Schlüns Ellen A.,
PanitiTeleky Orsolya R.,
Erler Silvio,
Furdui Emilia M.,
Mărghitaş Liviu A.,
Dezmirean Daniel S.,
Schlüns Helge,
Rúa Pilar,
Moritz Robin F. A.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
molecular ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.619
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1365-294X
pISSN - 0962-1083
DOI - 10.1111/mec.12731
Subject(s) - subspecies , biology , biogeography , range (aeronautics) , apiary , phylogeography , ecology , intergenic region , ridge , mountain range (options) , biological dispersal , zoology , honey bee , phylogenetics , genome , population , genetics , paleontology , materials science , demography , sociology , gene , financial economics , economics , composite material
Abstract Both climatic and geographical factors play an important role for the biogeographical distribution of species. The C arpathian mountain ridge has been suggested as a natural geographical divide between the two honeybee subspecies A pis mellifera carnica and A . m. macedonica . We sampled one worker from one colony each at 138 traditional apiaries located across the C arpathians spanning from the H ungarian plains to the D anube delta. All samples were sequenced at the mitochondrial t RNA Leu ‐cox2 intergenic region and genotyped at twelve microsatellite loci. The C arpathians had only limited impact on the biogeography because both subspecies were abundant on either side of the mountain ridge. In contrast, subspecies differentiation strongly correlated with the various temperature zones in R omania. A . m. carnica is more abundant in regions with the mean average temperature below 9 °C, whereas A. m. macedonica honeybees are more frequent in regions with mean temperatures above 9 °C. This range selection may have impact on the future biogeography in the light of anticipated global climatic changes.