中国分布黑大蜜蜂的种群遗传结构及黑大蜜蜂与大蜜蜂的遗传分化

Apis laboriosa Smith is an important honey-producing and pollinating insect in high altitude mountainous areas and plays an important role in maintaining the plant diversity in Himalayas regions. Many factors are threatening A. laboriosa, such as brutal hunting (nest is destroyed), loss of nest sites, global and regional climate change and so on. A. laboriosa needs urgently to be studied and protected. Furthermore, the genetic relationships among A. laboriosa and the subspecies of A. dorsata, the genetic differentiation between A. laboriosa and A. dorsata and the relative geological and climate factors need to be further studied. These issues are not only helpful for understanding the environmental adaptation of A. laboriosa and the protection of A. laboriosa, but also important to the comprehension of origin and adaptive evolution of honeybees. In this project, the population genetic structure of A. laboriosa from China will be analyzed based on microsatellite markers firstly. And then, the genetic relationship between A. laboriosa and A. dorsata will be analyzed based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences. Lastly, combining the estimation of differentiation time and the historical population dynamic analysis, the effects of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau uplift and/or Quaternary glaciation on the genetic differentiation of A. dorsata and A. laboriosa will be revealed. The project is expected to be helpful for establishing appropriate conservation strategies about A. laboriosa and for improving our understanding of honeybee microevolution.

黑大蜜蜂是高海拔山区重要的产蜜昆虫和授粉昆虫，在维持喜马拉雅地区的植物多样性方面也发挥着重要作用。由于毁巢式的取蜜方式、栖息地的破坏和丧失，以及全球和区域气候变化影响等，黑大蜜蜂亟待研究和保护。此外，黑大蜜蜂与其姐妹种大蜜蜂各个亚种间的遗传关系究竟怎样？黑大蜜蜂与大蜜蜂是如何形成分化的？相关的地理气候历史因素又是什么？相关问题的阐明不仅有助于认识黑大蜜蜂的环境适应机制进而加强保护，而且对于深入理解蜜蜂的起源进化和适应性进化等也具有重要意义。本项目首先基于微卫星标记进行中国不同分布地区黑大蜜蜂的种群遗传结构分析；进一步基于线粒体DNA和核基因序列对黑大蜜蜂和大蜜蜂的遗传关系进行系统深入研究；最后综合分歧时间估算、群体历史动态分析等，揭示青藏高原隆升和（或）第四纪冰期在黑大蜜蜂和大蜜蜂遗传分化中的作用。本项目不仅有助于制订合适的黑大蜜蜂保护策略，而且可以促进对蜜蜂微观进化的认识。

黑大蜜蜂在我国分布于西藏南部、横断山区以及云南部分地区，不仅是高海拔山区重要的产蜜昆虫和授粉昆虫，而且在维持喜马拉雅地区植物多样性方面也发挥着重要作用。近些年，由于毁巢式的取蜜方式、森林的过度砍伐、栖息地的破坏和丧失，以及全球和区域气候变化的影响等，黑大蜜蜂的种群数量已大量减少，资源亟待保护。本研究全面采集中国分布的黑大蜜蜂样本，基于线粒体和核基因序列分析发现中国西藏和云南之间的黑大蜜蜂发生了明显的遗传分化，从而为中国分布黑大蜜蜂的资源保护提供了科学依据；进一步基于线粒体基因序列进行世界分布黑大蜜蜂和大蜜蜂的联合分析，结果显示黑大蜜蜂和大蜜蜂明确分开，同时大蜜蜂内部存在丰富的遗传多样性，尤其是东南亚地区的大蜜蜂遗传多样性较为丰富，从而加深了对黑大蜜蜂和大蜜蜂遗传分化的认识。