Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, Switzerland.
Sci Rep. 2019 Jul 23;9(1):10665. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-47107-6.
International trade can facilitate biological invasions, but the possible role of beeswax trade for small hive beetles (SHBs), Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) is poorly understood. SHBs are parasites of social bee colonies native to sub-Saharan Africa and have become an invasive species. Since 1996, SHBs have established in all continents except Antarctica. Here, we combine mitochondrial DNA analyses (COI gene, N = 296 SHBs, 98 locations) with previously published beeswax trade data (FAO) for 12 confirmed SHB invasions. Our genetic data confirm previous findings and suggest novel SHB African origins. In nine out of 12 invasion cases, the genetic and beeswax trade data match. When excluding one confirmed pathway (bee imports) and two cases, for which no FAO data were available, the genetics and beeswax trade data consistently predict the same source. This strongly suggests that beeswax imports from Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania and the USA, respectively, have mainly been responsible for the past invasion success of this beetle species. Adequate mitigation measures should be applied to limit this key role of beeswax imports for the further spread of SHBs. Combining genetics with trade data appears to be a powerful tool to better understand and eventually mitigate biological invasions.
国际贸易可能会促进生物入侵，但蜜蜂蜡贸易在小蜂螨（SHBs）、Aethina tumida Murray（鞘翅目：Nitidulidae）中的作用尚不清楚。SHBs 是撒哈拉以南非洲本地群居蜜蜂的寄生虫，已成为入侵物种。自 1996 年以来，SHBs 已在除南极洲以外的所有大陆建立了种群。在这里，我们将线粒体 DNA 分析（COI 基因，N = 296 只 SHBs，98 个地点）与之前发表的蜜蜂蜡贸易数据（粮农组织）相结合，用于 12 次确认的 SHB 入侵。我们的遗传数据证实了之前的发现，并提出了新的 SHB 非洲起源。在 12 次入侵案例中的 9 次中，遗传和蜜蜂蜡贸易数据相匹配。当排除一条已确认的途径（蜜蜂进口）和两个没有粮农组织数据的案例时，遗传和蜜蜂蜡贸易数据始终预测相同的来源。这强烈表明，分别来自埃塞俄比亚、南非、坦桑尼亚和美国的蜜蜂蜡进口，主要是导致这种甲虫过去入侵成功的原因。应采取适当的缓解措施，限制蜜蜂蜡进口在 SHBs 进一步传播中的关键作用。将遗传学与贸易数据相结合，似乎是更好地理解并最终缓解生物入侵的有力工具。
