Pollen Sources Used by Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille, 1811) (Apidae, Meliponini) in the Atlantic Forest, Northern Coast of Bahia

Stingless bees are important floral visitors in tropical ecosystems and through pollination, play a key role in maintaining biodiversity and perpetuating native plant species. In this context, knowledge about the flora used by stingless bees is essential to promote their conservation in natural environments. This study had the objective of analyzing the pollen stored by Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille, 1811) in an Atlantic Forest area. A total of 27 pollen samples were collected from six colonies from April 2013 to March 2014. The samples were processed using acetolysis, in which pollen types were identified, photomicrographs and their frequency values were estimated. The most representative pollen types had their pollen morphology described. The analysis of the pollen sediment revealed 53 pollen types, three of which were indeterminate and the others belonged to 26 families. Among the registered pollen types, only 13 (distributed in ten families) showed frequency values over 10% in the analyzed samples, in which the majority presented a pollen morphology classified as microreticulated and tricolporate small monads. The pollen types Byrsonima (with frequency between 0.05 to 82.79%, which was recorded throughout the entire study period), Tapirira guianensis (0.92 to 55.65%), and Cecropia (0.24 to 49.32%), stood out as an important source of trophic resources for the maintenance and survival of T. angustula in an Atlantic Forest area. In addition, this study highlights the importance of palynological analysis for the knowledge of trophic resources used by stingless bees

Floral Resource Partitioning between Centris (Heterocentris) analis (Fabricius, 1804) and Centris (Heterocentris) terminata Smith, 1874 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Centridini), in an Urban Fragment of the Atlantic Forest

The knowledge on plant species used for the collection of floral resources is crucial to understanding interactions between plants and bees. The aim of the present study was to identify floral resources used by Centris analis and Centris terminata to provision brood cells and determine the niche breadth and overlap of these two species in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. This study was conducted at the Universidade Federal da Bahia and Parque Zoobotânico Getúlio Vargas, both of which are located in urban areas of the city of Salvador in the state of Bahia. Twelve and eight pollen types were identified in C. analis and C. terminata nests, respectively. The most frequent pollen types were from species of Malpighiaceae and Fabaceae. A larger trophic niche breadth was found in the Parque Zoobotânico Getúlio Vargas for C. analis and in the Universidade Federal da Bahia for C. terminata. Pianka’s index demonstrated trophic niche overlap between C. analis and C. terminata, which was greater in the Parque Zoobotânico Getúlio Vargas. This study is the first to provide data on plants used as food sources by species of the genus Centris in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest situated within urban areas. 

Flora de interesse meliponícola em um fragmento de Mata Atlântica no litoral norte da Bahia, Brasil

The present study had as main objective to know the trophic resources, flowering and floral visitors around a meliponary, located in an Atlantic Forest fragment on the north coast of Bahia, Brazil. Angiosperms occurring in the area were marked, photographed, collected, herborized, identified and deposited in the HUNEB herbarium. Eighty species were identified, belonging to 69 genera and 31 families, with Asteraceae / Fabaceae (11) and Rubiaceae (8) being the most representative in number of species. Among them, 30 (37.5%) had their flowers visited by meliponines and presented flowers throughout the study period: Borreria verticillata (L.) G.Mey., Conocliniopsis prasiifolia (DC.) R.M.King & H.Rob., Commelina erecta L., Mimosa pudica L., Richardia grandiflora (Cham. & Schltdl.) Steud. and Turnera subulata Sm. Herbaceous vegetation was the most representative (53.33%), and nectar represented 56.67% of the trophic resource available to these bees, contributing to the knowledge of bee pasture for the bee guild in the study area.El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo principal conocer los recursos tróficos, floración y visitantes florales en el entorno de un meliponario, situado en un fragmento de Mata Atlántica en el litoral norte de Bahia, Brasil. Las Angiospermas presentes en el área fueron marcadas, fotografiadas, colectadas, herborizadas, identificadas y depositadas en el herbario HUNEB. Fueron identificadas 80 especies, pertenecientes a 69 géneros y 31 familias, siendo Asteraceae/Fabaceae (11) y Rubiaceae (8) las más representativas en número de especies. Entre estas, 30 (37.5%) fueron visitadas por meliponinos y presentaron floración durante todo el periodo estudiado: Borreria verticillata (L.) G.Mey., Conocliniopsis prasiifolia (DC.) R.M.King & H.Rob., Commelina erecta L., Mimosa pudica L., Richardia grandiflora (Cham. & Schltdl.) Steud. y Turnera subulata Sm. La vegetación herbácea fue la más representativa (53.33%) y el néctar representó 56.67% del recurso trófico disponible para estas abejas, contribuyendo para el conocimiento de la flora apícola para la industria de abejas en el área de estudio.Objetivou-se conhecer os recursos tróficos, florescimento e visitantes florais no entorno de um meliponário, em um fragmento de Mata Atlântica, litoral norte da Bahia, Brasil. As plantas floridas foram marcadas, fotografadas, coletadas, herborizadas, identificadas e depositadas no HUNEB. Foram identificadas 80 espécies vegetais, pertencentes a 69 gêneros e 31 famílias, sendo Asteraceae/Fabaceae (11) e Rubiaceae (oito) as mais representativas em número de espécies. Dessas plantas, (37,5%) tiveram suas flores visitadas por meliponíneos, e ainda as espécies Borreria verticillata (L.) G.Mey., Conocliniopsis prasiifolia (DC.) R.M.King & H.Rob., Commelina erecta L., Mimosa pudica L., Richardia grandiflora (Cham. & Schltdl.) Steud. e Turnera subulata Sm. apresentaram flores durante todo o período estudado. A vegetação herbácea (53,33%) foi a mais representativa, e o néctar representou 56,67% do recurso disponível a essas abelhas, contribuindo para o conhecimento do pasto apícola para guilda dessas abelhas na área de estudo. &nbsp

RESIDUAL POLLEN IN NESTS OF CENTRIS ANALIS (HYMENOPERA, APIDAE, CENTRIDINI) IN AN AREA OF CAATINGA VEGETATION FROM BRAZIL

Neste trabalho são apresentados dados sobre o pólen estocado em ninhos de Centris analis, uma espécie de abelha nativa candidata ao manejo com vistas à polinização de fruteiras. Este tipo de informação é fundamental para o desenvolvimento de sistemas de manejo de polinizadores. A amostragem foi conduzida em vegetação de caatinga hiperxerófila arbustiva, na Estação Biológica de Canudos (EBC), ecorregião do Raso da Catarina, Bahia, Brasil. O espectro polínico presente nos ninhos de C. analis foi estudado a partir da análise do resíduo do pólen presente nas paredes das células de cria e nas fezes incorporadas aos casulos. O espectro polínico total nos ninhos (n=5) de C. analis foi composto por seis tipos polínicos, dos quais Byrsonima vacciniifolia (45,98%) e Chamaecrista ramosa (44,73%) tiveram maiores médias de freqüência de ocorrência. Os tipos C. ramosa, B. vacciniifolia e Banisteriopsis muricata podem ser apontados como fontes de pólen importantes para C. analis na caatinga da EBC. O tipo polínico Rhaphiodon echinus provavelmente indica uma fonte de néctar regularmente utilizada por C. analis naquele período. C. analis utilizou apenas uma fração dos recursos disponíveis. As fontes de recursos florais registradas neste estudo na Estação Biológica de Canudos são novos registros de plantas alimento de C. analis para a região do semiárido brasileiro

Pollen types used by Centris (Hemisiella) tarsata Smith (1874) (Hymenoptera, Apidae) in the provisioning of brood cells in an area of Caatinga

The aim of this study was to identify, by sediment pollen analysis, the plant species used as floral resources for the provisioning of brood cells in Centris (Hemisiella) tarsata, in an area of Caatinga, within the municipality of Nova Soure, Bahia State, Brazil. The analysis of pollen contents from three brood cells revealed 11 pollen types, corresponding to four botanical families. Malpighiaceae was represented most, followed by Leguminosae, Ochnaceae, and Solanaceae, the latter two represented by just a single pollen type each. On the basis of the percentages in the samples, it was possible to infer that C. tarsata visited distinct plants, but intensified its pollen collection in species related to Aeschynomene martii and Solanum paniculatumpollen types, which are considered the most important pollen sources in the larval diet of this bee. In addition to the pollen sources, we have also recorded seven pollen types regarded as oil ones, all related to the Malpighiaceae family. The information about the resources for C. tarsata can be of great relevance, in view of the importance of these bees in the pollination of native flora

Panicoideae (Poaceae) em remanescentes florestais do sul da Bahia: aspectos taxonômicos e ecológicos

Esse trabalho consiste no levantamento das espécies de Panicoideae (Poaceae) em remanescentes de Mata Atlântica no sul do estado da Bahia. As coletas foram realizadas entre os anos de 2007 e 2010, concentrando-se nos bordos e no interior dos três maiores remanescentes florestais da Reserva Ecológica da Michelin (Mata da Vila 5, Pancada Grande e Pacangê). Foram confirmadas 24 espécies em 11 gêneros, sendo Ichnanthus P. Beauv. e Paspalum L. os mais representativos, com cinco e oito espécies, respectivamente. Uma chave de identificação para gêneros e espécies é apresentada, assim como descrições, ilustrações e dados ecológicos, contribuindo para o conhecimento das espécies florestais de Poaceae do Brasil

Pollen residues in nests of

Pollen sources used by Centris tarsata bees were identified in an area of “caatinga” vegetation (Canudos Biological Station) in NE Bahia, NE Brazil, by analyzing the pollen residues encountered in the nests. The analysis of the pollen residues was performed by pulverizing the sediments used to construct the cells, followed by the application of the acetolysis method. Thirty-one pollen types were identified belonging to 13 botanical families (in associations of from 4 to 15 distinct pollen types per nest), indicating which plants were used by the bees to feed their offspring. The plant families most represented were Leguminosae and Malpighiaceae, while the pollen types most frequently found were Chamaecrista ramosa (46.5%), Senna rizzinii (19.7%), and Solanum paniculatum (19.6%). The identification of the pollen types and information about the resources offered by the plants indicated that many species were visited as nectar sources rather than as pollen or oil sources by C. tarsata

Botanical profile of bee pollen from the southern coastal region of Bahia, Brazil

This paper aims to identify the botanical origin of pollen loads collected by Apis mellifera L. in Canavieiras municipality, Bahia state. It provides a list of polliniferous plant species from the Atlantic Forest biome that are important for the development of regional apiculture. Using the acetolysis method, 35 bee-pollen samples were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Results showed that pollen types Elaeis (23.99%), Mimosa pudica (22.78%) and Cecropia (13.68%) were the most abundant among the samples. These also showed the highest relative frequencies of the material studied and were important pollen sources for bees in the study area