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Functional redundancy and niche specialization in honeybee and Varroa microbiomes
Štefánia Skičková1, Myriam Kratou2, Karolína Svobodová3
1Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Department of Animal Physiology, Košice, 04181, Slovakia. stefania.skickova@student.upjs.sk.
Summary
Honeybee and Varroa mite microbiomes show distinct structures but share core features. Functional redundancy exists, but niche specialization offers targeted management strategies for bee health.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Ecology
- Entomology
Background:
- Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are vital pollinators threatened by stressors like Varroa mites (Varroa destructor).
- Shared bacteria exist between honeybees and Varroa mites, but their assembly patterns are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate co-occurrence patterns in honeybee and Varroa mite microbiomes.
- Analyze potential microbial interactions and functional redundancy within this host-parasite system.
Main Methods:
- 16S rRNA sequencing data were used for co-occurrence network analyses.
- Core Association Networks (CAN) and network robustness were assessed.
- Predicted functional profiling identified taxa contributions to metabolic pathways.
Main Results:
- Honeybee and mite microbiomes exhibit structural differences but share core microbial features.
- The Varroa mite microbiome network showed lower robustness compared to honeybees.
- Distinct taxa contribute to common metabolic pathways in honeybees and mites, indicating niche specialization.
Conclusions:
- Functional redundancy in honeybee and mite microbiomes supports ecosystem resilience.
- Niche specialization in microbial taxa offers targeted strategies for Varroa mite microbiome management.
- Findings aid beekeepers in maintaining healthy bee colonies against Varroa mite infestations.
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