Melittopalynology and Trophic niche analysis of Apis cerana and Apis mellifera in Yunnan Province of Southwest China
2013
Yu-Jia Liu | Tian-Rui Zhao | Xue-Wen Zhang | Cheng Liang | Feng-Yun Zhao
<p class="a">The present study reports results of qualitative melittopalynological analyses of 34 honey samples of <em>Apis cerana</em> and <em>Apis mellifera</em> between 2011 and 2012 in Mengzi (China Yunnan) and the trophic niche analysis of two bee species on pollen food resources. A diverse spectrum of 17 pollen types from 14 families was identified with the Asteraceae and Myrtaceae being most frequent at non-nectar flow and the Lythraceae being most frequent at main nectar flow of pomegranate. The results of trophic niche analysis to <em>Apis cerana</em> and <em>Apis mellifera</em> are these, at non-nectar flow, the Niche breadth are 0.65 and 0.57, respectively; at nectar flow, the values are 0.41 and 0.24, respectively. Trophic niche overlap index, the value of nectar flow(0.68) is greater than non-nectar flow(0.61). Interspecific competition index, the value of nectar flow(0.92) is also greater than non-nectar flow(0.77). These results may promote the development of local beekeeping and help scholars assessing the impact of introduced bees on native bees in China.</p>
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