Pollen storages in nests of bees of the genera Partamona, Scaura and Trigona (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Pollen storages in nests of bees of the genera Partamona, Scaura and Trigona (Hymenoptera, Apidae). Bees and angiosperms established a mutualistic relationship along the evolutionary time. The aim of this study is to contribute for the understanding of this relation analyzing pollen stored by stingless bees colonies distributed along the Rio Negro. Fourteen species of Meliponini from the genera Partamona, Scaura, and Trigona were studied with regard to the content of pollen pots. The pollen material was removed from the pollen pots, homogenized, and prepared according to the usual acetolysis technique. The overlap of the trophic niche and the grouping of species by similarity of niches was calculated. The identification revealed 78 pollen types belonging to 36 families, being 37 types attractive and 16 considered as promoters of a temporary specialization event. With the results, it was possible to indicate a list of important plants for meliponiculture in the Amazon.KEYWORDS. Pollination, pollinic resource, stingless bee RESUMO. Pólen estocado nos ninhos de abelhas dos gêneros Partamona, Scaura e Trigona (Hymenoptera, Apidae). Abelhas e plantas estabeleceram ao longo do tempo evolutivo uma relação mutualística. Buscando contribuir para o entendimento dessa relação, foi analisado o pólen estocado por colônias de abelhas-sem-ferrão distribuídas ao longo do rio Negro. Foram estudados potes de pólen de 14 espécies de Meliponini dos gêneros Partamona, Scaura e Trigona. O material polínico foi retirado dos potes de pólen, homogeneizado e preparado segundo técnica usual de acetólise. Foram calculados a sobreposição de nicho trófico e o agrupamento das espécies pela similaridade de nichos. Foi identificado o total de 78 tipos polínicos, pertencentes a 36 famílias, sendo 37 destes, considerados atrativos, enquanto 16 foram promotores de eventos de especialização temporária. Com os resultados obtidos foi possível indicar uma lista de plantas de importância para a meliponicultura na Amazônia.PALAVRAS-CHAVE. Abelhas-sem-ferrão, polinização, recurso polínico.

Pollen analysis of the post-emergence residue of Melipona (Melikerria) interrupta Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae) bred in the central Amazon region

“…2). Many protocols applied, for studies and identification of pollen collected by bees, work separately, collecting only the pollen from the pollen basket (Oliveira et al 2009;Ferreira et al 2010), in regurgitated nectar, in pollen pots or in honey (Rech & Absy 2011a;Rech & Absy 2011b). In two separate studies, Dórea et al (2009; studied the post--emergence residue of Centris tarsata Smith.…”

“…However, a number of studies have evaluated pollen collected by stingless bees in the central Amazon region. Those studies have involved the use of classical protocols for the collection of pollen foraged by bees, such from pollen pots (Absy et al 1984;Rech & Absy 2011a;Rech & Absy 2011b), from nectar and honey samples (Absy et al 1980) or, more commonly, from the pollen baskets of worker bees (Absy & Kerr 1977;Marques-Souza et al 1995;Marques-Souza 1996;Marques-Souza et al 1996;Marques-Souza et al 2002;Oliveira et al 2009). In this context, palynology has become an important tool, supporting the processes related to the analysis and identification of pollen grains.…”

Melissopalynological records of honeys fromTetragonisca angustula(Latreille, 1811) in the Lower Amazon, Brazil: pollen spectra and concentration

“…Roman numerals indicate concentration groups (Louveaux et al, 1978;Maurizio, 1976): Group I (<20,000), Group II (20,000-100,000), Group III (100,001-500,000), Group IV (500,001-1,000,000), Group V (>1,000,000). Marques-Souza, 1996;Marques-Souza, Absy, & Kerr, 2007;Marques-Souza, Miranda, Moura, Rabelo, & Barbosa, 2002;Oliveira, Absy, & Miranda, 2009) and the stored pollen (Absy, Camargo, Kerr, & Miranda, 1984;Kerr et al, 1986Kerr et al, /1987Rech & Absy, 2011a, 2011b. Among these palynological studies, only Rech and Absy (2011a) worked with T. angustula in addition to eight other species of stingless bees occurring along the Rio Negro River channel in the Brazilian Amazon.…”

Ants in their plants:Pseudomyrmexants reduce primate, parrot and squirrel predation onMacrolobium acaciifolium(Fabaceae) seeds in Amazonian Brazil

“…Flowers are produced at this time, and occur as small inflorescences in the axil of each leaf on the new shoot. The white, bee-pollinated, flowers in each inflorescence open near-simultaneously, as do the inflorescences on each shoot (Rech & Absy, 2011) (Fig. 1).…”