Spatial heterogeneity and diversity of Meliponini bees in the Atlantic Rain Forest (RPPN of Michelin, Bahia)

Authors

  • Marília Dantas e Silva Ecologia e Biomonitoramento IBIO/UFBA, Laboratório de Ecologia da Polinização-ECOPOL/IBIO-UFBA, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Campus Universitário de Ondina, 40.170-115, Salvador-Bahia, Brasil.
  • Mauro Ramalho Departamento de Botânica, IBIO/UFBA, Bahia, Brasil.
  • Ciro Tavares Florence Laboratório de Ecologia da Polinização, -ECOPOL/IBIO-UFBA, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Campus Universitário de Ondina, 40.170-115, Salvador-Bahia, Brasil.
  • Paulo César Gouvêa Leão Laboratório de Ecologia da Polinização, -ECOPOL/IBIO-UFBA, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Campus Universitário de Ondina, 40.170-115, Salvador-Bahia, Brasil.
  • João Paulo Loyola Oliveira Ecologia e Biomonitoramento IBIO-UFBA, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Campus Universitário de Ondina, 40.170-115, Salvador-Bahia, Brasil.
  • Daniela Monteiro Ecologia e Biomonitoramento IBIO-UFBA,, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Campus Universitário de Ondina, 40.170-115, Salvador-Bahia, Brasil.
  • Jaqueline Figueredo Rosa Ecologia e Biomonitoramento IBIO-UFBA, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Campus Universitário de Ondina, 40.170-115, Salvador-Bahia, Brasil.
  • Marli Emília Almeida Laboratório de Ecologia da Polinização-ECOPOL/IBIO-UFBA, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Campus Universitário de Ondina, 40.170-115, Salvador-Bahia, Brasil.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13102/scb8027

Abstract

Frequently, the stingless bees or Meliponini (Apidae, Hymenoptera) are the most numerous group of floral visitors in the tropical forests, as the Atlantic Rain Forest (ARF). In the ARF, the Meliponini present variation in their diversity at local spatial scale likely associated with differences in vegetation structure and habitat quality. In this study, using honey baits datum, local spatial variation was measured and related to two stages of forest regeneration: intermediate and advanced (or mature forest). Stingless bee diversity (H’) was similar in both forest stages. However, there is spatial variation in species richness with more abundant species (or dominant species) at the intermediate regenerated stage. Response to spatial heterogeneity was also expressed as differential foraging by forest strata, with most bee individuals attracted to honey baits at the higher strata. In contrast, a few stingless bee species likely showed foraging preferences for the low or high forest stratum.

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References

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Published

2008-12-31

How to Cite

Dantas e Silva, M., Ramalho, M., Florence, C. T., Leão, P. C. G., Oliveira, J. P. L., Monteiro, D., Rosa, J. F., & Almeida, M. E. (2008). Spatial heterogeneity and diversity of Meliponini bees in the Atlantic Rain Forest (RPPN of Michelin, Bahia). SITIENTIBUS série Ciências Biológicas, 8(3/4), 298–301. https://doi.org/10.13102/scb8027

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 3/4 (2008)

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Artigos

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Sitientibus série Ciências Biológicas (SCB) is an open access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of open access.