BEEHOPE: um projeto de conservação das subespécies nativas de abelha da Europa Ocidental (linhagem M) à escala Europeia

O projeto BEEHOPE, com o título original “Honeybee conservation centres in western Europe - an innovative strategy using sustainable beekeeping to reduce honeybee decline”, foi um dos 10 aprovados na área da biodiversidade do 5º concurso transnacional (2013-2014) BiodivErsA/FACCE-JPI (http://www.biodiversa.org/766), subordinado ao tema “Promover sinergias e reduzir o compromisso entre o abastecimento de alimentos, biodiversidade e serviços dos ecossistemas”. A diversidade nativa das populações de abelha melífera (Apis mellifera) da linhagem da Europa ocidental (M) tem vindo a ser crescentemente ameaçada pela introdução massiva de colónias da linhagem da Europa oriental (C, onde se incluem as subespécies A. m. ligustica, A. m. carnica, A. m. macedónica etc.), e também por outros fatores bióticos (Varroa e vírus associados, Nosema etc.) e abióticos (pesticidas, perda e fragmentação de habitat, alterações climáticas etc.). É neste contexto que surge o projeto BEEHOPE, o qual tem por objetivo último contribuir para a conservação da diversidade genética das populações de abelha melífera da linhagem M.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Genetic assessment of Algerian honeybee populations by microsatellite markers

International audienceAbstractThe genetic diversity and structure of 414 honeybee workers from eight different populations in Algeria were analyzed using 14 polymorphic DNA microsatellite loci. The results showed that the honeybee populations were characterized by substantial genetic variation in terms of the average number of alleles and the degree of heterozygosity. Most populations were at Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. Phylogenetic and population structure analyses confirmed the African origin of the studied Algerian populations and clustered them in a group distinct from evolutionary lineages West Mediterranean (M), North Mediterranean (C), and Oriental (O). Structure analyses revealed weak allelic introgression from both lineages M and C. High genetic variability was found within the Algerian populations. Two honeybee subspecies, Apis mellifera intermissa and Apis mellifera sahariensis, were present. However, to delimit the natural spread area of A. mellifera sahariensis, more samples from southern Algerian are needed

Evaluation économique de deux pratiques en faveur du bois mort : Ilots de vieillissement et maintien de rémanents d’exploitation

National audienceEvaluation économique de deux pratiques en faveur du bois mort Ilots de vieillissement et maintien de rémanents d’exploitatio

Design and field-test of an operational low-cost and open-source system for river water quality monitoring

International audienc

Design and field-test of an operational low-cost and open-source system for river water quality monitoring

International audienc

The genome of the blind bee louse fly reveals deep convergences with its social host and illuminates Drosophila origins

International audienceSocial insects nests harbor intruders known as inquilines,1 which are usually related to their host.2,3 However, distant non-social inquilines may also show convergences with their hosts,4,5 though the underlying genomic changes remain unclear. We analyzed the genome of the wingless and blind bee louse fly Braula coeca, an inquiline kleptoparasite of the Western honey bee Apis mellifera.6,7 Using large phylogenomic data, we confirmed recent accounts that the bee louse fly is a drosophilid,8,9 and showed that it had likely evolved from a sap-breeder ancestor associated with honeydew and scale insects wax. Unlike many parasites, the bee louse fly genome did not show significant erosion or strict reliance on an endosymbiont, likely due to a relatively recent age of inquilinism. However, we observed a horizontal transfer of a transposon and a striking parallel evolution in a set of gene families between the honey bee and the bee louse fly. Convergences included genes potentially involved in metabolism and immunity and the loss of nearly all bitter-tasting gustatory receptors in agreement with life in a protective nest and a diet of honey, pollen, and beeswax. Vision and odorant receptor genes also exhibited rapid losses. Only genes whose orthologs in the closely related Drosophila melanogaster respond to honey bee pheromones components or floral aroma were retained, whereas the losses included orthologous receptors responsive to the anti-ovarian honey bee queen pheromones. Hence, deep genomic convergences can underlie major phenotypic transitions during the evolution of inquilinism between non-social parasites and their social hosts

Tree age-related effects on sun acclimated leaves in a chonosequence of beech (Fagus sylvatica) stands

Abstract. The assessment of the effect of tree age on leaves is usually limited by the difficulty of sampling sun leaves from tall ageing trees. In this study, we investigated tree age-related effects on sun leaves in a chronosequence of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stands. The effects of stand age on leaf mass to area ratio (LMA), chlorophyll (Chl), epidermal polyphenols (EPhen), nitrogen and carbon contents in sun leaves were investigated in 17 even-aged stands distributed into six age classes (14-175 years old). Chl and EPhen were assessed in vivo with SPAD and Dualex portable leaf-clips respectively. Leaves were sampled by shooting and sun leaves were identified based on criteria obtained from a vertical profile of the ratio abaxial vs adaxial EPhen across the canopy. Sun leaves were characterised by a high and similar adaxial and abaxial EPhen contents, high LMA value and low mass-based Chl content. These sun leaf characteristics, together with leaf nitrogen and carbon contents, were not significantly affected by stand age. Along the chronosequence, beech trees invested a stable fraction of leaf mass into nitrogen, carbon, Chl and EPhen with decreasing leaf size, i.e. dry mass and area

Apis mellifera gut and head virome/microbiome survey: a spatio-temporal approach

This study aims to characterize and monitor the pathogens and commensals associated to honeybee gut and head by combining classical and NGS methods. A two-year prospective investigation of the spatio-temporal dynamics of viruses, fungi and bacteria will be conducted at 6 honeybee conservation centers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio