[Effect of habitat and interspecific competition on Apis cerana cerana colony distribution].
Habitat change and interspecific competition were the main factors affecting, Apis cerana cerana colony distribution among Wannan and Wanxi Dabie mountainous areas, Jianghuai area and Huaibei plain. Wannan and Wanxi Dabie mountainous areas were the ideal places for Apis cerana cerana' habitation and propogation, in which, there were integrated natural vegetation, fine ecological condition, abundant nectariferous plants, and Apis cerana cerana had large colony size, wide distribution, high density, no disturbances of natural mating, and was dominant interspecific competition. In Jianghuai area and Huaibei plain, there were small covering of natural vegetation, different degree of degradation of ecological balance, few kinds of nectariferous plants with almost the same blooming periods, natural mating perturbed by Apis mellifera ligustica for Apis cerana cerana, and which was inferior in interspecific competition, colony size sharply decreased, distribution area reduced, and density cut down to a great extent. In Huaibei plain, the negative factors were more conspicuous.
Yu
Linsheng
L
Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China. yulinsheng@yahoo.com.cn
Han
Shengming
S
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000254:growth & development*; D003710:Demography; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal