Genomic Landscape of High-Altitude Adaptation in East African Mountain Honey Bees (<i>Apis mellifera</i>).

ABSTRACT: Understanding the evolutionary processes leading to differentiation within species is a central goal in population biology. A key process is local adaptation, for which organisms evolve traits enhancing the survival and reproduction in specific environments. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) in East Africa are well adapted to highland environments, showing different phenotypes, including behavior, compared to lowland bees. Despite these differences, highland and lowland honey bees show very low genetic differentiation, with the exception of two segments on chromosome 7 (r7) and chromosome 9 (r9), which were previously identified as chromosomal inversions. These inversions are rare in lowland populations, suggesting a key role in adaptation to high-elevation habitats. In this study, we obt

SUBMITTER: Mazzoni M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12367272 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature