气质联用结合多变量分析研究蜂蜜的挥发性成分

为探究不同蜜源蜂蜜中的挥发性标记物并籍以对这些蜂蜜进行有效区分,本研究优化了静态顶空气相色谱-质谱联用技术(SHS-GC-MS)检测蜂蜜中挥发性化合物的方法,采用此方法分析了油菜蜜、椴树蜜、荆条蜜和洋槐蜜等4种蜂蜜总计38份样品的挥发性成分,并结合主成分分析(PCA)和聚类分析(CA)等对蜂蜜进行区分。研究结果表明,采用SHS-GC-MS共检测到23种化合物。4种蜂蜜的挥发性成分在物质种类或含量上存在明显差异,其中3-苯丙酸乙酯可作为油菜蜜的典型挥发性代谢物质;1-异丙烯基-3-甲基苯和反式玫瑰醚可作为椴树蜜的典型挥发性代谢物质;在荆条蜜和洋槐蜜中均未发现典型挥发性代谢物质。PCA可以将4种蜂蜜进行很好地区分,PC1、PC2和PC3累计贡献率达到77.3%,表明模型有效;当临界值取10时,CA可以将同种蜂蜜聚为一类。SHS-GC-MS检测的蜂蜜挥发性成分结果结合多变量分析,可用于区分不同蜜源蜂蜜。研究结果为蜂蜜溯源和鉴别提供了理论依据。     

Strikingly high levels of heterozygosity despite 20 years of inbreeding in a clonal honey bee

Inbreeding (the mating between closely related individuals) often has detrimental effects that are associated with loss of heterozygosity at overdominant loci, and the expression of deleterious recessive alleles. However, determining which loci are detrimental when homozygous, and the extent of their phenotypic effects, remains poorly understood. Here, we utilize a unique inbred population of clonal (thelytokous) honey bees, Apis mellifera capensis, to determine which loci reduce individual fitness when homozygous. This asexual population arose from a single worker ancestor approximately 20 years ago and has persisted for at least 100 generations. Thelytokous parthenogenesis results in a 1/3 of loss of heterozygosity with each generation. Yet, this population retains heterozygosity throughout its genome due to selection against homozygotes. Deep sequencing of one bee from each of the three known sub‐lineages of the population revealed that 3,766 of 10,884 genes (34%) have retained heterozygosity across all sub‐lineages, suggesting that these genes have heterozygote advantage. The maintenance of heterozygosity in the same genes and genomic regions in all three sub‐lineages suggests that nearly every chromosome carries genes that show sufficient heterozygote advantage to be selectively detrimental when homozygous.     

Male mate‐seeking and mating behaviors of Eucera nipponensis (Hymenoptera: Apidae) at a nectarless orchid habitat: Are empty flower patches a profitable rendezvous site?

Male solitary bees typically use emergence‐nesting areas and/or flower patches of food plants, where receptive females are relatively numerous, as rendezvous sites. However, mate‐seeking males have been also observed at food‐deceptive orchid patches, where numerous encounters with foraging females can hardly be expected, owing to the lack of floral rewards. Here, we describe the male mate‐seeking and mating behaviors of the Japanese long‐horned bee Eucera nipponensis at habitats of the food‐deceptive orchid Cymbidium goeringii. On the basis of the results, we report empty flower patches are not necessarily fruitless sites for mate‐seeking males because naive female bees, which are highly likely to be recently emerged and unmated, can be attracted to non‐rewarding orchids. We also suggest a possibility that a small number of the males could receive a “sexual reward” (i.e. mating opportunities), owing to the food‐deceptive orchid, in return for their pollination work. This occasional interaction could represent the initial stage in the evolution of sexually deceptive orchids from food‐deceptive orchids.     

Global warming promotes biological invasion of a honey bee pest

Climate change and biological invasions are two major global environmental challenges. Both may interact, e.g. via altered impact and distribution of invasive alien species. Even though invasive species play a key role for compromising the health of honey bees, the impact of climate change on the severity of such species is still unknown. The small hive beetle (SHB, Aethina tumida, Murray) is a parasite of honey bee colonies. It is endemic to sub‐Saharan Africa and has established populations on all continents except Antarctica. Since SHBs pupate in soil, pupation performance is governed foremost by two abiotic factors, soil temperature and moisture, which will be affected by climate change. Here, we investigated SHB invasion risk globally under current and future climate scenarios. We modelled survival and development time during pupation (=pupal performance) in response to soil temperature and soil moisture using published and novel experimental data. Presence data on SHB distribution were used for model validation. We then linked the model with global soil data in order to classify areas (resolution: 10 arcmin; i.e. 18.6 km at the equator) as unsuitable, marginal and suitable for SHB pupation performance. Under the current climate, the results show that many areas globally yet uninvaded are actually suitable, suggesting considerable SHB invasion risk. Future scenarios of global warming project a vehement increase in climatic suitability for SHB and corresponding potential for invasion, especially in the temperate regions of the Northern hemisphere, thereby creating demand for enhanced and adapted mitigation and management. Our analysis shows, for the first time, effects of global warming on a honey bee pest and will help areas at risk to prepare adequately. In conclusion, this is a clear case for global warming promoting biological invasion of a pest species with severe potential to harm important pollinator species globally.     

云南红河和保山两地区小蜜蜂巢房结构比较研究

【目的】本研究旨在对自然环境条件明显不同的云南红河和保山两地区小蜜蜂Apis florea巢房结构进行量化分析,以期揭示这两个地区间小蜜蜂巢房结构的差异性。【方法】测量小蜜蜂子脾厚度、小蜜蜂巢脾上连续10个工蜂巢房的宽度;利用环氧树脂填充巢房,制作巢房模型,基于巢房模型比较两地区小蜜蜂工蜂和雄蜂单个巢房直径、口部边长、棱长、深度和容积及巢房倾斜角的差异。【结果】云南 红河地区小蜜蜂工蜂、雄蜂子脾厚度均极显著小于保山地区的。两地区小蜜蜂连续10个工蜂巢房的宽度在0°方向均显著大于60°和120°方向的宽度,60°和120°方向的宽度之间差异均不显著,两地区小蜜蜂工蜂单个巢房直径在3个方向上也表现出显著差异, 而两地区雄蜂单个巢房的直径在3个方向上均没有显著性差异。红河地区小蜜蜂工蜂巢房直径在3个方向上均显著小于保山地区的,而两地区小蜜蜂雄蜂巢房直径在3个方向上均差异不显著。红河地区小蜜蜂工蜂、雄蜂单个巢房口部边长、棱长、深度和容积均极显著小于保山地区的;两地区工蜂巢房的倾斜角差异不显著。【结论】小蜜蜂巢房的结构存在地区性差异,海拔高、温度低的地区小蜜蜂巢房结构尺寸明显大于海拔低、温度高地区的。本研究结果不仅丰富了小蜜蜂的生物学知识,也为后续研究小蜜蜂巢房结构指标与形态学指标关联性研究提供了思路。     

Successful cryopreservation of honey bee drone spermatozoa with royal jelly supplemented extenders

The aim of the present study was to evaluate different concentrations of royal jelly (RJ) supplemented extenders for post-thawing quality of drone sperm. Semen samples were collected from sexually mature drones. Pooled semen was diluted with extender without RJ (control) or supplemented with different concentrations of RJ (1, 2, 4 or 8%). Sperm motility, plasma membrane functional integrity, and acrosomal integrity were evaluated. At post thaw, the highest sperm motility and acrosomal integrity rates were obtained in the RJ1 group. Functional integrity of sperm membrane was better preserved in the RJ1 and RJ2 groups compare to the other groups. The study shows that RJ supplemented extenders have beneficial effects on drone semen parameters. The results of the present study demonstrated advantage of using 1% RJ supplemented extender.     

Antimicrobial activities of Saudi honey against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Five types of imported and local honey were screened for both their bacteriocidal/bacteriostatic activities against both Imipenem resistant and sensitive Pseudomonas aeruginosa in both Brain Heart infusion broth and Mueller–Hinton agar. The results indicated that the effect was concentration and type of honey dependant. All types of honey tested exerted a full inhibition of bacterial growth at the highest concentration tested of 50% at 24 h of contact. The inhibitory effect of honey on bacterial growth was clear with concentrations of 20% and 10% and this effect was most evident in the case of Manuka honey as compared to Nigella sativa honey and Seder honey. Manuka honey UMF +20 showed a bacteriocidal activity on both Imipenem resistant and sensitive P. aeruginosa, while Seder honey and N. sativa honey exerted only a bacteriostatic effect. Manuka honey UMF +10 showed most effect on antimicrobial resistance. Manuka honey UMF +10 had an effect on modulation of Imipenem resistant P. aeruginosa. Conclusion: The results indicated that various types of honey affected the test organisms differently. Modulation of antimicrobial resistance was seen in the case Manuka honey UMF +10.     

澜沧江流域北部中华蜜蜂有毒蜂蜜孢粉学和营养生态位分析

为分析澜沧江流域北部人食用蜂蜜中毒的原因,于2013年6—9月份,对该区域蜜蜂和蜜源植物的分布情况进行了调查,观察蜜蜂采集有毒蜜源植物的行为,并进一步调查了蜜蜂巢内蜂蜜、蜂花粉的储存情况,采集了中华蜜蜂蜂蜜样品,进行蜂蜜孢粉学与营养生态位分析。该区域有大量采用传统方式进行人工饲养的中华蜜蜂(Apis cerana cerana),及少量野生中华蜜蜂、黑色小蜜蜂(Apis audreniformis)、黑色大蜜蜂(Apis laboriosa smith)群体分布;人工饲养的中华蜜蜂蜂巢内部结构与野生中华蜜蜂蜂巢相似,为自然蜂巢,内有充足的蜜粉储存,部分蜂群蜂巢内虫害严重。该区域内主要蜜源植物为荞麦(Fagopyrum esculentum Moench),其他零星辅助蜜源较多,部分地点南烛(Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb)、昆明山海棠(Tripterygium hypoglaucum(Levl.)Hutch)连片集中分布。对中华蜜蜂蜂蜜进行孢粉学和营养生态位分析,结果表明:中华蜜蜂蜂蜜标本中含有有毒蜜源植物南烛、昆明山海棠花粉,部分样品中南烛、昆明山海棠的花粉含所占比例较高;中华蜜蜂的营养生态位宽度为0.22,比其他地区中华蜜蜂生态位指数小,推测澜沧江水电枢纽的修建等人为原因已对蜜蜂种类、蜜源植物的物种组成、群落结构造成了较大影响。     

Reduced‐risk insecticides in Neotropical stingless bee species: impact on survival and activity

As honeybees are the main pollinator subject to an intense research regarding effects of pesticides, other ecologically important native bee pollinators have received little attention in ecotoxicology and risk assessment of pesticides in general, and insecticides in particular, some of which are perceived as reduced‐risk compounds. Here, the impact of three reduced‐risk insecticides – azadirachtin, spinosad and chlorantraniliprole – was assessed in two species of stingless bees, Partamona helleri and Scaptotrigona xanthotrica, which are important native pollinators in Neotropical America. The neonicotinoid imidacloprid was used as a positive control. Spinosad exhibited high oral and contact toxicities in adult workers of both species at the recommended label rates, with median survival times (LT₅₀s) ranging from 1 to 4 h, whereas these estimates were below 15 min for imidacloprid. Azadirachtin and chlorantraniliprole exhibited low toxicity at the recommended label rates, with negligible mortality that did not allow LT₅₀ estimation. Sublethal behavioural assessments of these two insecticides indicated that neither one of them affected the overall group activity of workers of the two species. However, both azadirachtin and chlorantraniliprole impaired individual flight take‐off of P. helleri and S. xanthotrica worker bees, which may compromise foraging activity, potentially leading to reduced colony survival. These findings challenge the common perception of non‐target safety of reduced‐risk insecticides and bioinsecticides, particularly regarding native pollinator species.