>What are the implications for our breeding efforts if in fact there's a
lack of genetic diversity in our domestic stock?

Good question, Bill, and one that is heavily debated.  There is one school
of thought (such as the example that you cited) that feels that there is
not enough genetic diversity in North America, whereas another school
(Oldroyd, Harpur, Page) suggests that there is plenty of diversity (as
evidenced by the mitotype analyses by Magnus and Szalanski).  See:

Oldroyd (2012) Domestication of honey bees was associated with expansion of
genetic diversity. Molecular Ecology  21, 4409–4411.

Also:

"Reduced genetic diversity is a common feature of domesticated animal and
plant populations... that has been implicated as a cause of col-
ony declines in honey bees... However, we observe an opposite pattern:
managed populations have more
genetic diversity when compared with their progenitors in E. and W. Europe."

Harpur  (2012) Management increases genetic diversity of honey bees via
admixture. Molecular Ecology, 21, 4414–4421.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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