Stingless Bees: Chemical Differences and Potential Functions in Nannotrigona testaceicornis and Plebeia droryana Males and Workers

2009 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 1117-1128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Pianaro ◽  
Cristiano Menezes ◽  
Warwick Estevam Kerr ◽  
Rodrigo B. Singer ◽  
Eda Flávia Lotufo R. A. Patricio ◽  
...  
2020 ◽  
Vol 87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuliana Ribeiro da Silva ◽  
Raquel Pérez-Maluf ◽  
Generosa Sousa Ribeiro ◽  
Ana Luiza de Jesus Gusmão

ABSTRACT Strawberry presents moderate dependence on bee pollination service, and pollination is related to the production and quality of fruits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pollination service provided by Nannotrigona testaceicornis stingless bees in strawberry. Primary flowers of cultivar San Andreas were used in a completely randomized experimental design, with twelve replicates and five types of pollination: one N. testaceicornis visit (1V); two N. testaceicornis visits (2V); three N. testaceicornis visits (3V); natural pollination (NP); self-pollination (SP). In flowers visited by N. testaceicornis, movements and visit time were observed. The following fruit characteristics were evaluated: fruit biometry, fecundation rate of achenes, postharvest fruit quality, contribution of pollination agents and mechanisms on average fruit weight. In fruit biometry, pollination service contributed only in longitudinal length, which was higher in NP and 3V, compared to SP. In the different types of pollination, the fertilization rate of achenes did not differ and showed no effect on fresh fruit weight. In post-harvest fruit quality, 1V, 3V and NP showed better results regarding degree of deformation and marketability. Nannotrigona testaceicornis stingless bees and natural pollination contributed to the average fresh weight of strawberry fruits. Nannotrigona testaceicornis stingless bees and natural pollination provided improvement in quality and added value of fruits. Nannotrigona testaceicornis stingless bees were effective strawberry pollinators.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 175-179
Author(s):  
Gustavo Júnior Araújo ◽  
Yasmine Antonini ◽  
Luíza Santos Silva ◽  
Georgina Maria Faria-Mucci

A urbanização tem causado a fragmentação de vários ambientes naturais, levando à perda de muitos processos ecológicos como a polinização, realizada principalmente por abelhas, em especial as espécies de Meliponini, que tem reduzido drasticamente as suas populações devido à perda de habitat pela expansão urbana. O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar um levantamento das espécies de abelhas sem ferrão em áreas urbanas do município de Ubá - MG, Brasil, relacionar a riqueza e abundância das espécies encontradas com a taxa de ocupação das variáveis estruturais da paisagem das áreas urbana e relacionar a presença das espécies obtidos com estas variáveis. Foram encontrados 28 ninhos pertencentes a quatro espécies, Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille), Trigona spinipes (Fabricius), Nannotrigona testaceicornis (Lepeletier) e Friesella schrottkyi (Friese). Não houve relação significativa entre a riqueza e abundância de Meliponini e variáveis estruturais de vegetação analisadas, possivelmente devido a valores baixos no número de ninhos e espécies encontrados. Somente T. spinipes se mostrou relacionada com a presença de vegetação. Os resultados mostram que a comunidade Meliponini é composta por espécies generalistas capazes de utilizar cavidades artificiais e plantas ornamentais como uma fonte alternativa de recursos, comuns em áreas urbanas. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo servem de alerta para atuais condições dos remanescentes vegetais em áreas urbanas na cidade de Ubá, além de também poderem ser usados como material de apoio na tomada de decisão sobre projetos de conservação e recuperação de áreas degradadas, tendo como foco sobre as abelhas e sua importância para a sustentabilidade destes ecossistemas.Where the most Adapted Remain: Stingless Bees Community (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini) in Urban Areas of the City of Uba, Minas Gerais, Brazil Abstract. The urbanization has caused the fragmentation of various natural environments, taking to loss of many ecological processes in which includes pollination, realized mainly by bees, in special Meliponini species, which has drastically reduced their populations due to loss of habitat for urban expansion. The aim of this study was to survey the species of stingless bees in urban areas of the municipality of Ubá - MG, Brazil, relate the richness and abundance of species found with the percentage of occupation of the structural variables of the urban landscape and relate the presence of the species obtained with these variables. Were found 28 nests belonging to four species, Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille), Trigona spinipes (Fabricius), Nannotrigona testaceicornis (Lepeletier) and Friesella schrottkyi (Friese). There was no significant relationship between richness and abundance of Meliponini and structural variables of vegetation, possibly due to low values in the number of nests and species obtained. Only T. spinipes showed related to the presence of vegetation. The results show that the Meliponini community is composed by generalist species able to use artificial cavities and ornamental plants as an alternative source of resources, common in urban areas. The results obtained in this study is a warning to current conditions of the plant remaining in urban areas in the city of Ubá, besides may also be used as support in taking-decision on projects for the conservation and recovery of degraded areas, focusing on bees and their importance to the sustainability of these ecosystems.


Author(s):  
Tim Lewens

Many evolutionary theorists have enthusiastically embraced human nature, but large numbers of evolutionists have also rejected it. It is also important to recognize the nuanced views on human nature that come from the side of the social sciences. This introduction provides an overview of the current state of the human nature debate, from the anti-essentialist consensus to the possibility of a Gray’s Anatomy of human psychology. Three potential functions for the notion of species nature are identified. The first is diagnostic, assigning an organism to the correct species. The second is species-comparative, allowing us to compare and contrast different species. The third function is contrastive, establishing human nature as a foil for human culture. The Introduction concludes with a brief synopsis of each chapter.


2019 ◽  
Vol 158 (4) ◽  
pp. 213-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natália M. Travenzoli ◽  
Bárbara A. Lima ◽  
Danon C. Cardoso ◽  
Jorge A. Dergam ◽  
Tânia M. Fernandes-Salomão ◽  
...  

Stingless bees of the genus Melipona are subdivided into 4 subgenera called Eomelipona, Melikerria, Melipona sensu stricto, and Michmelia according to species morphology. Cytogenetically, the species of the genus Melipona show variation in the amount and distribution of heterochromatin along their chromosomes and can be separated into 2 groups: the first with low content of heterochromatin and the second with high content of heterochromatin. These heterochromatin patterns and the number of chromosomes are characteristics exclusive to Melipona karyotypes that distinguish them from the other genera of the Meliponini. To better understand the karyotype organization in Melipona and the relationship among the subgenera, we mapped repetitive sequences and analyzed previously reported cytogenetic data with the aim to identify cytogenetic markers to be used for investigating the phylogenetic relationships and chromosome evolution in the genus. In general, Melipona species have 2n = 18 chromosomes, and the species of each subgenus share the same characteristics in relation to heterochromatin regions, DAPI/CMA3 fluorophores, and the number and distribution of 18S rDNA sites. Microsatellites were observed only in euchromatin regions, whereas the (TTAGG)6 repeats were found at telomeric sites in both groups. Our data indicate that in addition to the chromosome number, the karyotypes in Melipona could be separated into 2 groups that are characterized by conserved cytogenetic features and patterns that generally are shared by species within each subgenus, which may reflect evolutionary constraints. Our results agree with the morphological separation of the Melipona into 4 subgenera, suggesting that they must be independent evolutionary lineages.


Heliyon ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e06649
Author(s):  
N.A. Ramli ◽  
N. Ali ◽  
S. Hamzah ◽  
N.I. Yatim

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