Diversity of bees and their interaction networks with Ludwigia sericea (Cambessides) H. Hara and Ludwigia peruviana (L.) H. Hara (Onagraceae) flowers in a swamp area in the Brazilian Atlantic Foresteae) flowers in Atlantic Forest Area in Southern Brazil

Abstract

In Southern Brazil the great diversity of bees is due to the richness of ecosystems in the region and when studies attribute the processes for identification of the floral resources used by bees we can get important steps for the elaboration of management and conservation plans of the species involved. Based on this setting and considering that the study area is a "várzea" (swamp) with a large concentration of flowers of Ludwigia sericea and Ludwigia peruviana, important sources of resources for bees, the aim of this study was to find out about the floral visitor bees and through palynological studies and interaction networks, understand the role of these plants as providers of pollengrains to bees and how the bees interact with them and other plants, also found in this habitat. Ludwigia sericea, Ludwigia peruviana and the other plant species are presented as generalist in the interactions with the bee species, and the same occurs for most of the bee species in relation to these plants. Generalist bee species (Bombus pauloensis, Apis mellifera, Augochlora amphitrite and Melissoptila paraguayensis) tend to be more abundant and more resistant to disturbances than the specialist species. It was the first time that Plebeia emerina, Centris varia, Mourella caerulea and Augochlorella ephyra were recorded on the Ludwigia flowers in Brazil. Based on the results presented in this study, these plants are important for maintaining the bee community in the region of the Atlantic Forest in Southern Brazil, because they provide resources (nectar and pollen) to bee species that only occur in this region.

Bioecological and Behavioral Interaction between Pollinating Bees and the Pioneer Shrub Ludwigia nervosa in Degraded Area Suggests an Exotic Bee as Its Major Pollinator

“…The bees rested on the corolla, moved towards the nectary and inserted the mouthparts into the nectar chamber to collect nectar. The generalism of A. mellifera was also observed in L. sericea and L. peruviana [ 39 ], L. elegans [ 3 , 22 , 47 ] in the state of São Paulo and in the flowers of L. tomentosa in Guarapuava, Paraná [ 48 ]. Honey bees were considered an efficient pollinator due to its size, due to its frequent contact with the reproductive structures during nectar collection [ 22 ] and specially due its high visitation frequency.…”

“…From the observation on the floral characteristics of L. nervosa , we categorized the species as pollination syndrome of the melittophily type, similarly to other Ludwigia species [ 2 , 3 , 13 , 14 , 39 ]. The flowers present diurnal anthesis, petals of yellow color, pleasant odor to the human perception, nutritional resources such as pollen grains arranged in tetrads [ 40 ] and are connected by viscin threads, which can vary in length, thickness, and structure [ 21 ].…”

“…Based on the literature, it was observed that in the different Brazilian regions the floral visitors to Ludwigia are diverse, which is probably due to the surrounding landscape and climate [ 2 , 3 , 13 , 22 , 39 ]. For instance, a total of 30 species was found in warm area and only 10 were recorded in colder environment [ 22 ] in São Paulo state, Brazil.…”

Bee Diversity and Solanum didymum (Solanaceae) Flower–Visitor Network in an Atlantic Forest Fragment in Southern Brazil

“…The pollen of Ludwigia peruviana (L.) H. Hara (36%) and Ludwigia sericea (Cambessides) H. Hara (63.6%) accounted for 99.6% of the total amount of pollen collected, and they concluded that this is an oligolectic bee species, and that these plants are their important pollen source. However, when Gonçalves and Buschini [48] collected bees in the flowers of these plants and analyzed the pollen in their bodies, they saw that these plants are generalist in their interactions with bee species, and that the same occurs for most of the bees in relation to these plants. Augochlora amphitrite was among the generalist bee species in their network, interacting with many types of pollen, and not just with Ludwigia type, as observed by Dalmazzo and Vossler [37].…”

Estrutura de comunidades de abelhas e vespas que nidificam em cavidades preexistentes em áreas de Cerrado e Mata Estacional Semidecidual com especial referência ao nicho trófico das espécies de abelhas

“…Além disso, como demonstrado Sabe-se que as espécies abundantes na rede e com muitas conexões são mais importantes para toda a estrutura da rede em diferentes sistemas (Albert et al, 2000;Memmott et al, 2004). Porém, as espécies (nós) de uma rede não têm a mesma importância para a dinâmica e estabilidade das comunidades (Jordán, 2009;Martín González et al, 2010) O aninhamento é citado como uma estratégia evolutivamente estável nos mutualismos facultativos porque espécies especialistas que são mais vulneráveis estão ligadas preferencialmente a um núcleo forte de generalistas (Bascompte et al, 2006;Vazquez et al, 2009;Bluèthgen, 2010;Elle et al 2012;Ramíres-Flores et al, 2015;Gonçalves & Buschini, 2017). As redes aqui obtidas, independentemente de fitofisionomia e tempo, foram aninhadas, sendo assim, espécies com muitas ligações na rede estão interagindo com espécies que apresentaram muitas e poucas interações.…”