Ecological niche modeling for stingless bees (genus Melipona) in Waghemira and North Wollo zones of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia has excellent potential for the existence of different stingless bee species. However, these species are wild and are facing extinction danger due to destructive harvesting and environmental degradations. To support the domestication and protection of these species, we developed a habitat suitability model for Waghemira and Lasta area (North Wollo Zone). A survey of stingless bees was carried out in Sekota, Dehana, Ziquala, Abergelle, Sehala seyemt, Tsagbji and Gazgibla from the Waghemira zone; and Gidan, Lalibela and Bugna from North Wollo zone (Lasta area) between 2016 and 2017. Environmental variables that are known to determine the site selection habit of stingless bees were used to develop the model. Multicollinearity between environmental variables was checked and maximum entropy model was used with maxent software. The accuracy of the model was assessed with the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and was found to be 0.91. Variables like Water vapor pressure (35%), precipitation seasonality (25.1%), elevation (12.3%), temperature annual range (11.7%), wind speed (7.4%) contributed the highest share in the model. The predicted suitable areas are located in mid and higher altitudes of the Waghemira and North Wollo zone (Lasta area). Sekota district was very suitable. Besides, Lalibela, Gazgibla, Bugna, and Dehana were also reasonably suitable districts for stingless bees. However, the lowlands of the Waghemira zone, i.e., districts of Abergele, Ziquala and Sehala Seyemt, were found unsuitable for stingless bees. This study can be used as a basis for future intervention activities related to bee collection, domestication and commercialization in the study area and similar agroecology in Ethiopia.