Is being green what matters? Functional diversity of cavity‐nesting bees and wasps and their interaction networks with parasites in different reforestation types in Amazonia

Abstract

Understanding the processes that shape biotic interactions within biological communities helps us to develop strategies for the establishment of ecological communities and to rehabilitate the functionality of degraded environments. We evaluated the functional diversity of cavity‐nesting bees and wasps and their interaction networks established with nest parasites in different types of reforestation in Southern Amazonia. To do so, we used bee and wasp trap‐nests to sample six different types of environments: pasture, teak reforestation, fig reforestation, mixed reforestation, natural regeneration and primary forest. Although the bees' functional diversity indices evaluated did not vary between reforestation types and natural forests, the functional traits of these insects were quite different in reforestation with planting species, especially teak. For wasps, we observed lower functional diversity in pasture, fig plantation and mixed reforestation. Moreover, we observed that while teak reforestation presented the highest parasite richness, parasitism rate and diversity of interactions, natural regeneration shows higher interaction specialisation. Our results indicate that the simplification of the structure of reforested environments contributes to increase the divergence in the functional diversity of cavity‐nesting bee and wasp community and the interactions they establish with their parasites in relation to natural environments. However, these differences can be reduced by structuring the environment. Thus, natural regeneration can be a favourable strategy if the degraded areas are not severely impacted and present proximity to the source of propagules.

A camouflaged diversity: taxonomic revision of the thorny lacewing subfamily Symphrasinae (Neuroptera, Rhachiberothidae)

“…This information was questioned by Penny (1982a) and herein such idea is corroborated, as this species is restricted to Central and Southwestern Brazil. Araújo et al (2021) reported several specimens reared from artificial nests of bees in the Amazonian portion of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso which might be A. fumosellus , however detailed examination of such material was not possible at present, so the presence of this species in that state will require corroboration (R.J.P.…”

New host record for the enigmatic Neotropical mantidfly genus Anchieta Navás, 1909 (Neuroptera, Mantispidae), a mimic of wasps and stingless bees

“…From the mud nest of this wasp species, a single specimen of A. fumosella was reared out and presumably it had fed on the last instar larva or on the pupa of the wasp (Buys, 2008). Recently, further unspecified associations with wasps or bees were reported by Araújo et al (2021).…”