Abstract
Pollinators are crucial for ecosystem functionality; however, little is known about the plant species used by some of these, such as stingless bees. In this study, for the first time, pollen resources used by Melipona mimetica Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) and Scaptotrigona sp. Moure (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) were identified through analysis of corbicular pollen found on worker bees in a dry forest in southern Ecuador. In total, 68 pollen types were identified belonging to 31 botanical families. The most represented plant families were Fabaceae (16%), Malvaceae (7%), and Boraginaceae (7%). Both stingless bee species exhibited a polylectic behavior, with an average of 16 pollen types collected by individual bees. Differences in abundances of pollen types collected by each species indicated distinct uses for these two bee species.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Bee pollen contained 68 types from 31 botanical families.
Not reportedInteractor
Verbatim
e0“68 pollen types were identified belonging to 31 botanical families”
Claim · model-written summary
Fabaceae represented 16% of pollen types.
Verbatim
e0“Fabaceae (16%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Malvaceae represented 7% of pollen types.
Verbatim
e0“Malvaceae (7%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Boraginaceae represented 7% of pollen types.
- Taxon
- BoraginaceaeBoraginaceaee0
- Outcome
- Boraginaceaee0
- Value
- 7%e0
Verbatim
e0“Boraginaceae (7%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Melipona mimetica collected diverse pollen types, averaging 16 per individual bee.
- Taxon
- stingless bee species
Scaptotrigona posticae0 - Interactor
- stingless bee speciesScaptotrigona posticae0pollinator
- Outcome
- pollen types collected by individual beese0
- Value
- 16 pollen typese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Both stingless bee species exhibited a polylectic behavior, with an average of 16 pollen types collected by individual bees”
Claim · model-written summary
The two bee species differed in pollen-type abundances collected.
- Taxon
- pollen typese0
- Interactor
- bee speciesAnthophilae0pollinator
- Outcome
- abundances of pollen typese0
- Direction
- Differencese0
Verbatim
e0“Differences in abundances of pollen types collected by each species indicated distinct uses for these two bee species”