How landscape composition affects pollen collection by stingless bees?

Author(s)

Machado, Tatiana ^[1] ; Viana, Blandina Felipe ^{[2, 3]} ; da Silva, Claudia Ines ^[4] ; Boscolo, Danilo ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Philosophy Sci & Letters Ribeirao Preto, Av Bandeirantes 3900 Bairro Monte Alegre, BR-14040901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Natl Inst Sci & Technol Interdisciplinary & Trans, Salvador, BA - Brazil

^[3] Fed Univ Bahia UFBA, Biol Inst, Rua Barao Geremoabo S-N, Univ Campus Ondina, Salvador, BA - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Biosci Inst, Rua Matao, Travessa 14, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY; v. 35, n. 3 FEB 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Context Human disturbances are one of the main reasons for the recent deficit of pollinators, which can cause severe habitat loss, decreasing food availability and nesting resources for pollinators. However, few studies show how landscapes composition and configuration can impact the pollen foraging of bees. Objectives We aimed to evaluate how landscape structure and local characteristics can influence the pollen foraging patterns of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides in agricultural landscapes of Chapada Diamantina, a region of the Bahia state in Brazil. Methods Pollen samples were collected from fourteen M. quadrifasciata anthidioides colonies to evaluate how pollen collection varies according to different proportions of human land-use, landscape heterogeneity, plant richness and distance from crops. To explain the richness and diversity of pollen collected by bees, we used generalized linear models, and linear models, compared through the Akaike information criteria corrected for small samples (AICc). Results Pollen richness can be explained by the distance from crops, plant richness and human land-use proportion. Bees will collect pollen from more plant species when they are in a natural and diverse landscape. Conclusions Pollinator friendly crop areas must be planned to be surrounded by diverse natural nearby environments, guaranteeing yearlong pollen resources available for bees' maintenance. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/10727-2 - Are modified areas accessible to pollinators?: analysis of the foraging pattern of Melipona quadrifasciata as an indicator of functional connectivity
• Grantee: Tatiana Machado de Souza
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master