Honeybee Agrobiodiversity: A Project in Conservation of Apis Mellifera Syriaca in Jordan

Year 2004, Volume: 04 Issue: 3, 116 - 120, 26.08.2004

N. Haddad S. Fuchs

Abstract

The existence of the autochthonous honey bees of Syria, Lebanon, Palestinian Authority, Israel and Jordan, Apis mellifera syriaca, is endangered by persistent honey bee imports of commercial breeder lines into the region. We investigated 26 colonies from 12 locations in Jordan by morphometric methods in comparison to reference samples of 7 relevant subspecies. Results showed, that samples from Jordan were, on average, not identical but more similar to reference samples of A. m. syriaca collected in 1952 than to any of the other subspecies. We determined sample locations of highest similarity to serve as source populations for a project in agrobiodiversity conservation.

Keywords

A. m. syriaca, Jordan, morphometry, agrobiodiversity, conservation

Balarısı Tarımsal-Biyoçeşitliliği: Ürdün’de Apis mellifera syriaca Arısının Korunması Projesi

Abstract

Suriye, Lübnan, Filistin Yönetimi, Đsrail, Ürdün yerli arısı Apis mellifera syriaca ithal edilen ticari damızlık arıların sürekli olarak bölgeye getirilmesi ile yok olma tehlikesi ile karşı karşıyadır. Biz Ürdün’de 12 istasyondan 26 koloniyi 7 referans ile karşılaştırarak moporfometrik analiz yöntemleri ile araştırdık. Sonuçlara bakıldığında Ürdün’den alınan numuneler ortalama olarak diğer ırklara değilde 1952 yılında toplanan referans numunelerine tam aynısı olmasa bile daha çok benzerlik göstermiştir. En fazla benzerlik gösteren numuneleri kaynak populasyonu olarak saptayıp tarımsal biyo-çeşitliliğin korunması projesi için belirledik.

Keywords

A. m. syriaca, Ürdün, morfometri, tarımsal biyo-çeşitlilik, koruma

References

• Al Ghzawi, A.M., Zaitoun, S.T. and Shannag, H.K. 2001 a. Seasonal cycles of Apis mellifera syriaca under Jordanian desert conditions. Journal of Apicultural Research 40: 45-51
• Al Ghzawi, A.M., Zaitoun, S.T. and Shannag, H.K. 2001b. Ontogenesis of the parasitic mite Varroa jacobsoni on Syrian Honey Bees, Apis mellifera syriaca. Zoology in the Middle East 22: 101-106.
• Al Ghzawi, A.M., Zaitoun, S.T. and Shannag, H.K. 2001 c. Damaged Varroa mites in the debris of different honey bee subspecies under semiarid mediterranean conditions. Bulletin de la Soci÷t÷ entomologique de France 106: 193-198.
• Blum, R. 1956. The bees in the Near East. Proc. Int. Beekeep. Congr. 16: 28.
• Bodenheimer, F.S. and Ben-Nerya 1937. One year of research on the biology of the honeybee in Palestine. Ann. Applied Biol. 24: 385-403.
• Brother Adam 1954. In Search of the Best Strains of Bee: Second Journey. Bee World 35: 193-203. Buttel-Reepen, H. 1906. Apistica. Beiträge zur Systematik, Biologie, sowie zur geschichtlichen und geographischen Verbreitung der Honigbiene (Apis mellifica L), ihrer Varietäten und der übrigen Apis-Arten. Veröff. Zool. Mus. Berlin. 118-120. Ftayeh, M.A., Meixner, M. and Fuchs, S. 1994. Morphometrical investigations in Syrian honeybees. Apidologie 25: 396-401.
• Haddad, N.J., Namer, F. and Haddaden, J. 2002. Guide For Seasonal Honey Bee Keeping. NCARTT. 30p.
• Hussein, M.H. 2000. A review of beekeeping in Arab countries. Bee World 81: 56-71. Kalman, Ch. 1973. Our formerly very aggressive bee. Proc. Int. Beekeep Congr. 24: 306-307
• Meixner, M. 1994. Analyse polymorpher Subspecies von A. mellifera L.: Morphometrische und molekulare Untersuchungen an den europäischen Rassen A. mellifera carnica und ligustica und den afrikanischen Rassen A. m. monticola und A. m. scutellata, PhD thesis, Fachbereich Biologie der J. W. GoetheUniversität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
• Ministry of Agriculture of Jordan. 2003. Department of statistics reports. Beekeeping statistics of Jordan.
• Robinson, W.S. 1981 Beekeeping in Jordan. Bee World 62: 91-97.
• Ruttner, F. 1988. Biogeography and Taxonomy of Honeybees. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York
• Slabezski, Y., Ephrat, H., Dag, A., Kamer, Y., Yakobson, B.A., Mozes-Koch, R. and Gerson, U. 2000. The effect of honey bee tracheal mite infestation on colony development and honey yield of Buckfast and Italian honey bee strains in Israel. American Bee Journal 140: 231-234.
• Zaitoun, S.T., Al Ghzawi, A.M. and Shannag, H.K. 2000. Population dynamics of the Syrian Honeybee, Apis mellifera syriaca, under semi-arid Mediterranean conditions. Zoology in the Middle East 21: 129-132.
• Zaitoun, S.T., Al Ghzawi, A.M. and Shannag, H.K. 2001. Grooming behavior of Apis mellifera syriaca towards Varroa jacobsoni in Jordan. J. appl. Ent. 125: 85-87.