%0 Journal Article
%T ECOLOGICAL IMPACT ON NATIVE BEES BY THE INVASIVE AFRICANIZED HONEY BEE
%A ROUBIK DAVID
%J Acta Biol¨®gica Colombiana
%D 2009
%I Universidad Nacional de Colombia
%X ABSTRACT Very little effort has been made to investigate bee population dynamics among intact wilderness areas. The presence of newly-arrived feral Africanized honey bee (AHB), Apis mellifera (Apidae), populations was studied for 10-17 years in areas previously with few or no escaped European apiary honey bees. Here I describe and interpret the major results from studies in three neotropical forests: French Guiana, Panama and Yucatan, Mexico (5¡ã to 19¡ã N. latitude). The exotic Africanized honey bees did not produce a negative effect on native bees, including species that were solitary or highly eusocial. Major differences over time were found in honey bee abundance on flowers near habitat experiencing the greatest degree of disturbance, compared to deep forest areas. At the population level, sampled at nest blocks, or at flower patches, or at light traps, there was no sudden decline in bees after AHB arrival, and relatively steady or sinusoidal population dynamics. However, the native bees shifted their foraging time or floral species. A principal conclusion is that such competition is silent, in floristically rich habitats, because bees compensate behaviorally for competition. Other factors limit their populations. Key words: Africanized honey bee, native bees, competition, population dynamics, neotropical forests RESUMEN Pocos estudios han considerado la din¨¢mica de poblaciones de abejas en bosques o h¨¢bitats no alterados por el hombre. La presencia de abejas silvestres Africanizadas de Apis mellifera (Apidae) fue estudiado por 10-17 a os en ¨¢reas previamente sin esta especie. Aqu¨ª presento e interpreto resultados de tres bosques neotropicales: Guyana Francesa, Panam¨¢ y Yucat¨¢n, M¨¦xico (5¡ã a 19¡ã N. latitud). La abeja Africanizada ex¨®tica no produjo efecto negativo en las abejas nativas, incluyendo especies altamente sociales y solitarias. Diferencias mayores a trav¨¦s del tiempo fueron encontradas en la abundancia de las abejas de miel en flores cerca de h¨¢bitat con mayor grado de disturbio, comparado con el bosque espeso. Al nivel poblacional, muestreado en bloques de Acta biol. Colomb., Vol. 14 N.o 2, 2009 115 - 124 nidos trampa, en flores o con trampas ultravioletas de insectos, no hubo disminuci¨®n pronta de abejas, y s¨ª hubo una poblaci¨®n relativamente estable o sinusoidal. Sin embargo, las abejas nativas cambiaron su hora de buscar provisiones o su selecci¨®n de especies florales. Una conclusi¨®n principal es que esta competencia por los recursos es ¡®silenciosa¡¯, en las ¨¢reas flor¨ªsticamente ricas estudiadas, porque las mismas abejas compensan con s
%U http://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/actabiol/article/view/10573