Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of ecological zones and honey bee morphometric characteristics on the physicochemical properties of honey produced in different regions of Kazakhstan. A total of 103 honey samples were collected and analyzed for key quality parameters, including moisture content, sugars, acidity, pH, and diastase activity. Multivariate statistical approaches, including principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), were applied to assess variability and underlying patterns. Geometric morphometric analysis of wing shape (MorphoJ) revealed a high degree of morphological homogeneity across all samples, with no distinct clustering in PCA space. This was further supported by canonical variate analysis (CVA) using IdentiFly, which assigned the majority of samples to the C lineage (Apis mellifera carnica) with high classification probability, indicating a uniform population structure. MANOVA results demonstrated that neither ecological zone nor morphometric traits exerted a significant global effect on honey physicochemical properties (p > 0.05). However, significant interaction effects were identified between ecological zone and specific morphometric variables, particularly sternite length and cubital index (p < 0.05), suggesting a context-dependent influence.

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