Abstract:  【Aim】 Global climate change, land-use change, and intensifying human activities are threatening the biodiversity and distribution of wild pollinating insects. Bees are the important pollinator group in the ecosystem, and they are sensitive to climate and environmental changes. In this study, using Apis dorsata, an important pollinator, as a target, we explored the changes of its potential suitable distribution areas under the global change pattern, and analyzed the key factors that influence its distribution. 【Methods】 The distribution data of A. dorsata worldwide were collected through literatures, specimens and field survey, and 13 environmental variables were used to model the potential suitable distribution areas of A. dorsata in the present by MaxEnt. The potential suitable distribution areas of A. dorsata in the past, present and future were also modeled by using nine climate variables and Community Climate System Model version 4 (CCSM4). 【Results】 The AUC ratio shows that MaxEnt model had high accuracy in modeling the potential distribution areas of A. dorsata. The model results show that the medium and high suitable distribution areas of A. dorsata are mainly in the moist tropical rainforests, tropical seasonal forests and lowland forests in South and Southeast Asia. Human influence, temperature seasonality, isothermality, mean temperature of the coldest quarter and elevation are the most important top five factors that influence the potential suitable distribution areas of A. dorsata. The distribution areas of A. dorsata are shrinking to mountains and continuous evergreen forests under human disturbance, and the medium and high suitable distribution areas of A. dorsata are significantly reduced and show the fragmented trend. The past, present and future results of global climate models based on nine climate variables and global climate models CCSM4 show that Southeast Asia region could be the refuge of A. dorsata in the Last Glacial Maximum. And in the future, the potential distribution areas of the widespread species A. dorsata in tropical regions will be close to those in the present, and the fitness index will rise in some areas. 【Conclusion】 Although the model results based on climate variables show that A. dorsata can actively adapt to future climate change, A. dorsata is still under threat from increasing human activities and global climate change. So great importance should be attached to the medium and high suitable distribution areas in South and Southeast Asia in order to protect A. dorsata.

Key words: Apis dorsata, distribution area, global change, potential suitable distribution area, environmental factors, MaxEnt model