The Similar Usage of a Common Key Resource Does Not Determine Similar Responses by Species in A Community of Oil-collecting Bees

Abstract

Variations in abundance and species richness among communities are often determined by interactions between biotic and abiotic factors. However, for communities composed of species that share a common specialization (such as similar foraging adaptations) it may be a key ecological factor involved in the common specialization that affects community variations. To evaluate this possibility, we characterized the guild of oil-collecting bees of a Neotropical savanna in Brazil and tested whether differences in Byrsonima abundance and availability of floral oil explain differences in species richness and abundance of oil-collecting bees of different tribes. Both the number of species and total abundance of Centridini species increased with the abundance of Byrsonima. One plausible explanation for the stronger adjustment between the abundance of Centridini and Byrsonima is that the abundance of these plants affects not only the availability of floral oil, but also of pollen. These findings indicate that the existence of a common specialization among different species does not homogenize their response to variations in a common explored resource.

Species Richness and Diversity in Bee Assemblages in a Fragment of Savanna (Cerrado) at Northeastern Brazil

“…It is noteworthy that some groups as the orchid bees (Euglossini), Anthidiini, Megachile and its cleptoparasites (Coelioxys) were much richer in the former study. On the other hand, oil collecting bees (Centridini) were richer in our study site than in Martins (1994), which may be related to the large local supply of floral oil by species of Byrsonima (Malpighiaceae) (Aguiar et al, 2017). Several factors may have contributed to these observed differences, including local differences in bee assemblage composition, even if they are close (see also Williams et al, 2001;Zanella, 2003;Gonçalves et al, 2009), differences in the probability of capturing the different species, factors affecting the sampling itself, and perhaps species loss over the three decades separating the two studies.…”

As abelhas (Hymenoptera:Apidae) e as plantas fontes de seus recursos em uma área de cerrado da Chapada Diamantina

“…É bem conhecido o hábito desses apídeos de coletar pólen e óleo floral em plantas desta família, o último utilizado na construção dos ninhos e alimentação das larvas (Alves dos Santos, 2009). A sugerida associação é corroborada por vários estudos, dentre eles Aguiar et al (2017), que encontraram correlação entre abundância de Byrsonima e abundância de algumas espécies de Centris.…”

Food niche of solitary and social bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) in a Neotropical Savanna

“…In addition, B. sericea pollen is collected by several distinct bee groups (Teixeira & Machado, 2000), which increases its attractiveness for both oil-bees and non-oil-bees. Another aspect that increases the possibilities of B. sericea interactions with bees is the great local abundance of this plant species (Aguiar et al, 2017a). The Serjania genus comprises nectar-producing species (Matos & Santos, 2017), and P. moniliformis is a nectar (Santos et al, 2018) and pollen source for bees (Maia-Silva et al, 2012).…”

“…The species Byrsonima sericea DC and Byrsonima cydoniifolia A. Juss. (Malpighiaceae) were very abundant plant species in the three locations (Aguiar et al, 2017a).…”