I recall reading an article sometime last year, which was in a second-hand
source (Wall Street Journal?), discussing how genetic drift studies indicated
that % of African genes seemed to be determined by the climate.  Studies
in Central America showed almost pure strains of African honeybee genetics,
but the more temperate areas showed more drift to European genes.  It was
cited as being something of a surprise to the researchers, who expected more
dilution in areas with large numbers of European colonies, which were
expected to dilute the gene base with European traits.  The next step
was going to be trying to determine why the drift sorted out this way---if
there was an unknown selective pressure, if drones in the tropics were somehow
more drawn to queens with more African traits for some reason, or if some
as-yet-unknown mechanism was causing genetic stability of African traits. I
don't know what primary source this was pulled from, but the secondary citation
was very rational, scientific, and level headed.  (If it was, indeed, as I
recall, in the WSJ, I would expect such from them.)  Has anyone else seen
anything from this study?  (With any secondary rework, I always wonder if
the writer is confusing genomes and phenomes, etc.)
 
Seeing as selective pressures work toward a genetic model that works best in
a specified niche, I don't see this as any real surprise.  We may be watching
the beginnings of a diversification that will give as many hybrid strains as
Galapagos finches...
 
  --Jane Beckman  [[log in to unmask]]