Genetic variability in captive populations of the stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula.
Low genetic variability has normally been considered a consequence of animal husbandry and a major contributing factor to declining bee populations. Here, we performed a molecular analysis of captive and wild populations of the stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula, one of the most commonly kept species across South America. Microsatellite analyses showed similar genetic variability between wild and captive populations However, captive populations showed lower mitochondrial genetic variability. Male-mediated gene flow, transport and division of nests are suggested as the most probable explanations for the observed patterns of genetic structure. We conclude that increasing the number of colonies kept through nest divisions does not negatively affect nuclear genetic variability, which seems to be maintained by small-scale male dispersal and human-mediated nest transport. However, the transport of nests from distant localities should be practiced with caution given the high genetic differentiation observed between samples from western and eastern areas. The high genetic structure verified is the result of a long-term evolutionary process, and bees from distant localities may represent unique evolutionary lineages.
Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 277, São Paulo, SP, 05508-090, Brazil. l.santiago@qmul.ac.uk.|School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK. l.santiago@qmul.ac.uk.
Leandro R
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7884-2847
LR
Santiago
Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 277, São Paulo, SP, 05508-090, Brazil.
Flávio O
FO
Francisco
Vale Institute of Technology, Sustainable Development, Rua Boaventura da Silva, n. 995, Belém, PA, 66055-090, Brazil.|Department of Ecology, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 321, São Paulo, SP, 05508-090, Brazil.
Rodolfo
R
Jaffé
Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 277, São Paulo, SP, 05508-090, Brazil.
Maria C
MC
Arias
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
Captive populations; Genetic variability; Molecular markers; Tetragonisca angustula