“I disagree with the notion that local ferals, even to the extent that they exist, are inherently superior. They demonstrate only the ability to survive unmanaged. Most of their characteristics, small colony size, frequent swarming, strong defense, are not what most beekeepers are looking for.”

This is a particularly narrow view. Meanwhile, serious investigators are trying to quantify genetic diversity and identify reservoirs of genetic material that has not experienced introgression from other geographic types. I have mentioned on many occasions Jamie Strange's work with the indigenous French bees (Landes ecotype) and the concerns about admixture from migratory beekeeper stock. 

A new study looks at indigenous bees of the Iberian peninsula and underscores the concern of conservation biologists to maintain these stocks. To do so requires far more understanding of genomics than has been demonstrated in prior studies. You might say, we are just beginning to really grasp computational biology, which is a complex statistical enterprise. All the same, you have to remember there is no such thing as a significant data set: we assign the significance of it. 

SEE:
Henriques, D., et al. "Developing reduced SNP assays from whole‐genome sequence data to estimate introgression in an organism with complex genetic patterns, the Iberian honeybee (Apis mellifera iberiensis)." Evolutionary Applications.

¶

Indeed, Darwin had no use for the empiricist claim that a scientist should not have a preconception or hypothesis that would guide his work. Other- wise, as he wrote, one ‘‘might as well go into a gravel pit and count the pebbles and describe the colors. How odd it is that anyone should not see that observation must be for or against some view if it is to be of any service.’’

Francisco J. Ayala. Darwin and the scientific method. PNAS 􏰀 June 16, 2009 􏰀 vol. 106

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