Sociobiology 67(2): 268-280 (June, 2020) DOI: 10.13102/Sociobiology.V67i2.4617
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Portal de Periódicos Eletrônicos da Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS) Sociobiology 67(2): 268-280 (June, 2020) DOI: 10.13102/sociobiology.v67i2.4617 Sociobiology An international journal on social insects RESEARCH ARTICLE - BEES Resources Collected by two Melipona Illiger, 1806 (Apidae: Meliponini) Species Based on Pollen Spectrum of Honeys from the Amazon Basin RR Souza1, ADA Pimentel2, LL Nogueira1, VHR Abreu1, JS Novais3 1 - Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Santarém-PA, Brazil 2 - Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus-AM, Brazil 3 - Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia, Porto Seguro-BA, Brazil Article History Abstract This study aimed to identify the pollen grains found in honeys ofMelipona (Michmelia) Edited by seminigra pernigra Moure & Kerr and Melipona (Melikerria) interrupta Latreille in Cândida Aguiar, UEFS, Brazil Received 24 July 2019 two communities of the Tapajós-Arapiuns Extractive Reserve, Lower Amazon (Pará, Initial acceptance 13 November 2019 Brazil) between December 2016 and November 2017. Twenty-four samples of honey Final acceptance 11 March 2020 were processed, 12 samples from M. seminigra pernigra collected in the Suruacá Publication date 30 June 2020 community and 12 samples from M. interrupta in the Vila Franca community. After acetolysis, 103 pollen types were identified, distributed across 22 families, plus eight Keywords indeterminate types. Fifty-nine types were exclusive to M. seminigra pernigra, 29 Stingless bees, trophic resources,Melipona (Michmelia) seminigra pernigra, Melipona types were exclusive to M. interrupta and 15 pollen types were shared between (Melikerria) interrupta, meliponiculture, both species. Anacardiaceae, Burseraceae, Melastomataceae, and Myrtaceae were melissopalynology. the most attractive pollen families, providing key resources for maintenance of these bee populations. The sharing of pollen types between both bee species revealed Corresponding author a high similarity in preference for certain resources. M. seminigra showed greater Jaílson Santos de Novais Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia diversity (H’ = 1.928) than M. interrupta (H’ = 1.292). Furthermore, the diversity Rod. Porto Seguro-Eunápolis, BR 367, (H’) and equitability (J’) indexes showed a more homogeneous pattern in the pollen Km 10, CEP: 45810-000 spectrum of honeys from M. seminigra in most months studied. These data suggest Porto Seguro-BA, Brasil. that meliponiculturists should consider the diversity of plant species found in the E-Mail: [email protected] two communities and keep them close to the meliponary, which will favor honey management and production, as well as the local biodiversity. Introduction of bee by-products, such as honey, pollen, and propolis, while also being in accordance with the precepts of sustainable The pollination exercised by stingless bees in the natural resource use (Absy et al., 2013). Amazon is considered to be a great ecological benefit to this The genus Melipona Illiger is only found in Neotropical biome. The Amazon region contains a rich fauna of these America – South America, Central America, and the Caribbean insects, guaranteeing the production of fruits and seeds through Islands –, being most diversified in the Amazon basin (Michener, pollination, and promoting the conservation of plant species 2007). In this group can be found the principal native stingless and the survival of their colonies (Ferreira & Absy 2017a, b; bees used in the practice of meliponiculture in the Amazon Absy et al., 2018; Rezende et al., 2019). region (Brito et al., 2013; Ferreira & Absy 2017a). These Meliponiculture is an activity that has been gaining bees are popularly known as jandaíra, jandaíra-preta, and prominence in the Northern region of Brazil, because it exploits jandaíra-da-Amazônia, names that can be attributed to numerous the potential of native flora and helps to generate income different species of meliponines, depending on the region through family farming, allowing for the commercialization (Nogueira-Neto, 1997; Silveira et al., 2002; Oliveira et al., Open access journal: http://periodicos.uefs.br/ojs/index.php/sociobiology ISSN: 0361-6525 Sociobiology 67(2): 268-280 (June, 2020) 269 2013). The trophic resources collected by Melipona species the cultivation of cassava, economic activities include fishing, in the Brazilian Amazon have been studied by various groups hunting, raising small animals, handicrafts, small-scale logging, of researchers since the 1970s (Absy & Kerr, 1977; Absy et extraction, processing of oils (andiroba and copaiba), rubber al., 1980; Marques-Souza, 1996; Marques-Souza et al., 2002; cultivation, and meliponiculture. Oliveira et al., 2009; Ferreira & Absy, 2013, 2015, 2017a, In the community of Vila Franca, there are 74 families b; Rezende et al., 2019) using melissopalynological methods. totaling 298 people. The indigenous culture is still persistent Through pollen analysis is possible to determine the botanical and traditions of flour,taruba , cachaça, manicuéra, handicrafts, and geographical origin of the product, the flowering period of and cultural dances remain. Agroextractivism is the principal the plants, and their value as suppliers of nectar and pollen for economic activity. Most Vila Franca families survive from bees (Barth, 1989; Jones & Bryant, 2004; Novais et al., 2009; the production of cassava flour, corn, or tapioca, and from Vossler et al., 2014). the sale of handicrafts and products extracted from the forest. In the Amazon, several riverside communities have Meliponiculture was introduced into the community 10 years developed activities to raise native bees. In the Tapajós- ago and contributes as an extra economic activity for some Arapiuns Extractive Reserve (Resex), located in the Lower meliponiculturists (Projeto Saúde e Alegria, 2015). Amazon region, Pará, Souza et al. (2018) found a high diversity Identification of stingless bees of meliponines being utilized: Frieseomelitta longipes (Smith), Friseomellita silvestrii (Friese), Melipona (Melikerria) interrupta To identify the bees, five worker bees were collected Latreille, Melipona (Michmelia) seminigra pernigra Moure & from beehives located in the meliponaries of communities Kerr, Scaptotrigona sp. and Tetragona clavipes (Fabricius). Suruacá and Vila Franca, with the aid of killing jar for insects. However, according to the local meliponiculturists, the main Next, the specimens were packed, assembled, and labeled obstacles to developing meliponiculture in the region include according to the usual entomological standards and sent to the lack of: legislation regarding the activity, technical be identified by a specialist in the Laboratory of Bionomics, assistance and training for the proper management of products Biogeography, and Insect Systematics (BIOSIS) at the Federal from bees, and melissopalynological studies focused on local University of Bahia (UFBA), where they remain deposited. stingless bees products. Collection of honey samples Based on this, the current study aimed to identify, through analysis of pollen grains present in honey, the Twenty-four honey samples were collected between plants used by M. seminigra pernigra and M. interrupta in December 2016 and November 2017, 12 from M. interrupta two communities in Resex Tapajós-Arapiuns in the Lower in the community of Suruacá and 12 from M. seminigra in Amazon region (Pará, Brazil). With this, it will be possible Vila Franca. The honey samples were always obtained from to subsidize stingless beekeeping strategies and increase the same bee hive every month, using sterile plastic pipettes. regional meliponiculture activity, as these are the principal About 10 mL of honey were conditioned in plastic pots, productive bees managed by meliponiculturists in Resex. sealed with a lid and properly identified. The samples were kept in a refrigerator at a temperature of about 10 °C until the Material and methods beginning of laboratory processing. Study area Chemical processing of honey samples The study was carried out within the Tapajós-Arapiuns The honey samples were treated according to Louveaux Extractive Reserve, in the communities of Suruacá (2°54’00”S et al. (1978) and acetolysed (Erdtman, 1960). We also followed 55°09’52”W) and Vila Franca (2°21’21”S 55°00’24”W). The the recommendation of Jones and Bryant (2004) for honey Resex has a land area of 647,610 hectares and is distributed dilution with 95% ethanol (ETOH). between the territories of Santarém and Aveiro, in the western Following the acetolysis process, at least three slides part of the state of Pará (ICMBio, 2014). The Reserve was created of each sample were prepared using Kisser’s glycerinated in 1998 (Brasil, 1998) in the category of sustainable use within gelatin (Salgado-Labouriau, 1961) and sealed with paraffin the Conservation Unit (UC) (Law No. 9,985, 18 July 2000). (J. Müller modified in Erdtman 1952). After the completion The Reserve contains 72 communities and lies within of the analysis, they were deposited in the Pollen Library of the basins of two principal rivers, Tapajós and Arapiuns. the Laboratory of Botany and Palynology (LaBPal) at IBEF/ The community of Vila Franca is situated on the left bank UFOPA. of the Arapiuns River, while the community of Suruacá is Analysis of pollen grains in the honey and statistical indexes on the right bank of the Tapajós River, and access to both is exclusively by river. The