内罗毕发展研究所的科学家报告说，蜜蜂可能成为转基因作物向几千米之外的野生亲缘种逃逸的媒介。该研究小组利用昆虫传粉豇豆和无线电跟踪的木蜂Xylocopa flavorufa确定传粉行为及长途的花粉流动所蕴涵的意义。根据美国科学院院报（PNAS）发表的论文，研究起因是非洲即将释放的抗虫遗传修饰豇豆。
结果表明，木蜂的飞行范围是7.2公里左右。科学家们还发现，木蜂通常在一次觅食往返过程中（从出巢到返巢）访问两片野生豇豆枝叶和豇豆地。然而，结果表明花粉的运动超过几百米的概率很低。文章的共同作者Remy S. Pasquet说，由于无法保证试验田周围没有野生豇豆或杂草植物，通过地理距离严格隔离转基因植物可能是行不通的。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
PNAS September 9, 2008 vol. 105 no. 36 13456-13461 doi: 10.1073/pnas.0806040105
Long-distance pollen flow assessment through evaluation of pollinator foraging range suggests transgene escape distances
Rémy S. Pasquet*,?,?,§, Alexis Peltier?, Matthew B. Hufford?, Emeline Oudin‖, Jonathan Saulnier‖, Lénaic Paul‖, Jette T. Knudsen**, Hans R. Herren*,??,§, and Paul Gepts?
*International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya;
?Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Département Ressources Vivantes, 213 Rue La Fayette, 75480 Paris Cedex 10, France;
?University of California, Department of Plant Sciences/MS1, Section of Crop and Ecosystem Sciences, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616-8780;
?Maisha Trust, PO Box 34304 (00100), Nairobi, Kenya;
‖Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon, Ecologie des Populations et Communautés, 16 Rue Claude Bernard, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France;
**Lund University, Department of Ecology, Chemical Ecology and Ecotoxicology, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden; and
??Millenium Institute, 2200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201-3357
Abstract
Foraging range, an important component of bee ecology, is of considerable interest for insect-pollinated plants because it determines the potential for outcrossing among individuals. However, long-distance pollen flow is difficult to assess, especially when the plant also relies on self-pollination. Pollen movement can be estimated indirectly through population genetic data, but complementary data on pollinator flight distances is necessary to validate such estimates. By using radio-tracking of cowpea pollinator return flights, we found that carpenter bees visiting cowpea flowers can forage up to 6 km from their nest. Foraging distances were found to be shorter than the maximum flight range, especially under adverse weather conditions or poor reward levels. From complete flight records in which bees visited wild and domesticated populations, we conclude that bees can mediate gene flow and, in some instances, allow transgene (genetically engineered material) escape over several kilometers. However, most between-flower flights occur within plant patches, while very few occur between plant patches.
