Resources Collected by two Melipona Illiger, 1806 (Apidae: Meliponini) Species Based on Pollen Spectrum of Honeys from the Amazon Basin

Sociobiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 268
Author(s):  
Rogério Ribeiro de Souza ◽  
Alyne Daniele Alves Pimentel ◽  
Lizandra Ludgerio Nogueira ◽  
Vanessa Holanda Righetti de Abreu ◽  
Jaílson Santos de Novais

This study aimed to identify the pollen grains found in honeys of Melipona (Michmelia) seminigra pernigra Moure & Kerr and Melipona (Melikerria) interrupta Latreille in two communities of the Tapajós-Arapiuns Extractive Reserve, Lower Amazon (Pará, Brazil) between December 2016 and November 2017. Twenty-four samples of honey were processed, 12 samples from M. seminigra pernigra collected in the Suruacá 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 indeterminate types. Fifty-nine types were exclusive to M. seminigra pernigra, 29 types were exclusive to M. interrupta and 15 pollen types were shared between both species. Anacardiaceae, Burseraceae, Melastomataceae, and Myrtaceae were the most attractive pollen families, providing key resources for maintenance of these bee populations. The sharing of pollen types between both bee species revealed a high similarity in preference for certain resources. M. seminigra showed greater diversity (H’ = 1.928) than M. interrupta (H’ = 1.292). Furthermore, the diversity (H’) and equitability (J’) indexes showed a more homogeneous pattern in the pollen spectrum of honeys from M. seminigra in most months studied. These data suggest that meliponiculturists should consider the diversity of plant species found in the two communities and keep them close to the meliponary, which will favor honey management and production, as well as the local biodiversity.

1982 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 403-420
Author(s):  
Anna-Liisa Varis ◽  
Juha Helenius ◽  
Kari Koivulehto

Pollen spectra were analysed on 160 honey samples representing the whole beekeeping area of Finland in the years 1977 and 1978. A semi-quantitative method of pollen analysis based online counts was developed. It was found efficient for determining the relative numbers of pollen grains in the honey samples. On average, ca. 16 pollen types were identified per sample. The number of honeydew elements was low in all samples. Brassicaceae pollen was the dominant type. The other most frequent and abundant types were pollen grains of Trifolium repens + T. hybridum, Salix spp., "the Rosaceae group” (Prunus, Malus, Sorbus spp.), Apiaceae, and Filipendula ulmaria. These pollen types constituted 90.8 % (1977) and 90.3 % (1978) of all the pollen examined. Between 1960—1963 and 1977—1978 the average proportion of Brassicaceae pollen has risen, while the proportion of T. repens + T. hybridum pollen has decreased, evidently due to the changes in agricultural practices. The seasonal variation in the pollen spectrum was explained by the weather conditions. Regionally characteristic pollen spectra were not found, although Brassicaceae pollen was typical of the honeys of agricultural zones I and II, due to cultivation of Brassica oilseed crops in those regions. The positive correlation of the proportion of Brassicaceae pollen with the total pollen count is discussed in connection with the problem of determining the botanical origin.


Acarologia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-29
Author(s):  
Camila Tavares Ferreira ◽  
Cristiane Krug ◽  
Gilberto José de Moraes

The suitability of the use of pollen to foster the control of citrus pests by facilitating the maintenance of predatory mites in the area has been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pollen of 13 plant species commonly found in Manaus region (Brazilian Amazonia) on the oviposition of Amblyseius aerialis and Iphiseiodes zuluagai, phytoseiid species abundant in citrus orchards in that region. The study was conducted under laboratory conditions, using mostly pollen grains recently collected in the field. For comparison, a commercially available pollen (ECOPolen) and pollen obtained from two bee species were also included in the study. For about 65% of the evaluated pollen types, the average oviposition was low (less than 0.4 egg/female/day). These differed from other pollen types by the speculate wall (sunflower) or high hygroscopic property (Agave sp., Amaryllis sp., Citrus sinensis, Helianthus annuus and Turnera ulmifolia), or were collected by Apis mellifera. Highest oviposition levels of A. aerialis were obtained on pollen of Typha dominguensis, Elaeis guineensis, Cocos nucifera and the commercial pollen (1.9, 1.5, 0.9 and 0.9 eggs/female/day, respectively). For I. zuluagai, highest levels of oviposition were obtained on E. guineensis, C. nucifera, T. dominguensis, and Elaeis oleifera (1.6, 1.5, 1.2 and 0.9 egg/female/day, respectively). These results suggest that C. nucifera, E. guineensis and E. oleifera, found in the vicinity of citrus orchards in Manaus region, may play a role in maintaining predatory mite populations in such orchards. Complementary studies are needed to investigate the feasibility of maintaining those plants near orchards to increase the abundance of the predators.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Shishira ◽  
A. R. Uthappa ◽  
Veeresh Kumar ◽  
Shringeshwara ◽  
G. C. Kuberappa

AbstractMelissopalynology, the analysis of pollen grains present in honey, indicates about the pollen and nectar sources in a region utilized by bees, which is used to determine the bee floral resources and botanical origin of the honey. This study investigated the melissopalynological analysis of the honey samples from the Eastern Dry zone of Karnataka. 24 honey samples were examined based on pollen analyses, among them 14 samples were unifloral, rest were multifloral. The unifloral honey had pollens of Callistemon viminalis, Areca catechu, Citrus sp., Mallotus philippensis, Cocos nucifera, Eucalyptus sp., Ocimum sp., Moringa oleifera and Pongamia pinnata. Samples collected in October, November, December, and January were rich in pollens of Eucalyptus sp.. Similarly, samples collected in January, February and March had pollen of tree species viz., Swietenia mahagoni, Canthium parviflorum, Simarouba glauca, Eucalyptus sp., Moringa oleifera, Syzygium cumini, Tabebuia sp., Pongamia pinnata, Acanthaceae, Anacardium occidentale, Cocos nucifera, Areca catechu, Mallotus philippensis, Bauhinia variegata, Psidium guajava, Alangiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Ulmaceae, Capparis zeylanica, Convolvulaceae. GKVK-11 followed by GKVK-12 sample recorded the highest Shannon diversity and GKVK-9 followed by GKVK-7 sample recorded the least diversity. Based on the similar floral composition samples were classified into four clusters. The PCA revealed that most of the samples grouped into a single cluster, except 7, 19, 20, 21, and 22 which were placed away from the origin. The presence of pollen in the honey of a particular plant species during different months is related to the blooming of that particular plant species from which the bees forage. The flora of honey changes with the season. The diversity of pollen grains in honey varied with location to location. The present study provides scientific knowledge to the beekeepers by indicating important plants for the development of the regional apiculture, through the identification of pollen types.


2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Carlos Marques-Souza ◽  
Maria Lúcia Absy ◽  
Warwick Estevam Kerr

Over a twelve-month period, pollen loads transported by Scaptotrigona fulvicutis Moure 1964 were collected from the workers corbiculae right after the hive entrance closure in an area of old secondary forest mixed with some exotic fruit trees and ornamentals. Once the pollen grains were identified, their monthly frequency in the samples and grouping by botanical family established that Mimosaceae, Myrtaceae and Sapindaceae were the most frequently visited. The workers harvested the pollen from 97 plant species distributed in 73 genera and 36 families, mostly: Stryphnodendron guianense (Aubl.) Benth. in April (57,37%) and Schefflera morototoni (Aubl.) Frodin in May (54,73%). The harvested pollen types abundance matrix showed that there was little species dissimilarity between the months, which resulted in the formation of two large groups.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 69
Author(s):  
A. M. V. Santos ◽  
A. S. Nascimento ◽  
J. S. Santos ◽  
S. M. P. C. Silva ◽  
C. I. S. Lucas ◽  
...  

Knowledge of the flora that bees visit is important for characterization of their products and conservation of flora and fauna. Thus, this study identified the flora used by Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) during the honey production period through the pollen spectrum. Honey samples were collected at apiaries in the municipality of Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazil. International methods for samples preparation were used. ETOH was use for honey dilution and subsequently subjected to acidic treatment by the standard method of acetolysis. The pollen content resulting from the analysis was examined under an optical microscope, with separation and counting of pollen grains. Pollen types were identified by consultation and comparison to reference pollen collections and specialized literature. Twenty-seven pollen types distributed among 19 botanical families were identified in the sample set, and Fabaceae, Rubiaceae, Asteraceae and Sapindaceae were the families with a greater number of pollen types. The most frequent pollen types were Mimosa tenuiflora, Vernonia condensata, Bidens, Hyptis, Amaranthus spinosus, Schefflera morototoni and Serjania pernambucensis, all with relative frequency in samples equal to or greater than 70%. The honey evaluated showed a diverse pollen spectrum, evidencing multifloral characteristic.


2015 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Valeriivna Rodinkova

<p>The article deals with the main pollen spectrum in relation to patients’ sensitivity determined in the ambient air of Vinnitsa city located in central Ukraine. The study performed by gravimetric sampling in the years 1999–2000 and by volumetric sampling in the years 2009–2014 showed that <em>Urtica</em>, <em>Betula</em>, <em>Pinus</em>, <em>Alnus</em>, <em>Fraxinus</em>, <em>Ambrosia</em>, <em>Artemisia</em>, <em>Juglans</em>, <em>Carpinus</em>, <em>Populus</em>, <em>Quercus</em>, <em>Acer</em>, <em>Salix</em>, Poaceae, Amarathaceae, and Polygonaceae pollen grains are prevalent among the airborne allergen types in the urban atmosphere. The principal pollen types remain the same but over time their quantities have changed. The relative abundance of <em>Carpinus</em> and Amaranthaceae airborne pollen decreased while the fraction of <em>Urtica</em> pollen increased in the last decade. From 50 to 69 pollen types were determined in the ambient air depending on the season. From 24 to 27 pollen types represented woody plants and from 22 to 46 pollen types belonged to the herbaceous plants. A considerable decrease in herbal pollen types is noted in the Vinnitsa air at present.</p><p>It was shown that children were sensitive to weed pollen grains, including ragweed, mugwort, and grass, while adults were more sensitive to tree and grass pollen grains. Further studies of the pollen spectrum in the ambient air of this city are required in order to control the hay fever symptoms.</p>


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 225
Author(s):  
Asma Ghorab ◽  
María Shantal Rodríguez-Flores ◽  
Rifka Nakib ◽  
Olga Escuredo ◽  
Latifa Haderbache ◽  
...  

This study aimed to characterize the honeys of Babors Kabylia through sensory, melissopalynological and physico-chemical parameters. Thirty samples of honey produced in this region were collected over a period of two years and analyzed. All the samples presented physico-chemical parameters in conformity with legislation on honey quality, with few exceptions, linked mainly to beekeeping management. The pollen spectrum revealed a great diversity with 96 pollen types. The main pollen types were spontaneous species as Fabaceae (Hedysarum, Trifolium, Genisteae plants), Asteraceae plants, Ericaceae (Erica arborea L.) or Myrtus and Pistacia. The sensory properties of samples showed a high tendency to crystallization, the colors were from white to brown, but most of them had gold color. Smell and odor corresponded mainly to vegetal and fruity families and in taste perceptions besides sweetness highlighted sourness and saltiness notes. Seventeen samples were polyfloral, one was from honeydew and twelve were monofloral from heather, genista plants, sulla, blackberry or Asteraceae. Heather and the honeydew samples showed the darkest color, the highest electrical conductivity and phenol and flavonoid content. A statistical analysis based on the most representative pollen types, sensory properties and some physico-chemical components allowed the differentiation of honey samples in terms of botanical origin.


1987 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia L. Fall

AbstractSurface soil samples from the forested Chuska Mountains to the arid steppe of the Chinle Valley, Northeastern Arizona, show close correlation between modern pollen rain and vegetation. In contrast, modern alluvium is dominated by Pinus pollen throughout the canyon; it reflects neither the surrounding floodplain nor plateau vegetation. Pollen in surface soils is deposited by wind; pollen grains in alluvium are deposited by a stream as sedimentary particles. Clay-size particles correlate significantly with Pinus, Quercus, and Populus pollen. These pollen types settle, as clay does, in slack water. Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthus, Artemisia, other Tubuliflorae, and indeterminate pollen types correlate with sand-size particles, and are deposited by more turbulent water. Fluctuating pollen frequencies in alluvial deposits are related to sedimentology and do not reflect the local or regional vegetation where the sediments were deposited. Alluvial pollen is unreliable for reconstruction of paleoenvironments.


Hoehnea ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 512-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Fernandes Pinto da Luz ◽  
Lubiane Guimarães-Cestaro ◽  
José Eduardo Serrão ◽  
Dejair Message ◽  
Marta Fonseca Martins ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Royal jelly may contain pollen grains and their presence can be used to determine the phytogeographical origin of the product. This study analyzed the phytogeographical origin of commercial royal jelly samples from São Paulo State, tested as part of the Brazilian Federal Inspection System (SIF), found to be contaminated with spores of the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae, that causes the American Foulbrood Disease. The pollen grains of Castanea had the highest total percentage, with lower percentages of Cirsium/Carduus, Cistus, Parthenocissus, Prunus, Quercus, Robinia, Scrophulariaceae, Taraxacum, Tilia, among others. This pollen spectrum is incompatible with royal jelly samples produced in Brazil. The pollen spectrum resembled that of an imported product, compatible with the Northern Hemisphere origin. Brazilian legislation does not require the phytogeographic origin of imported bee products to be analyzed by palynological procedures, but it is mandatory to have a certificate issued by the country of origin attesting the absence of pathogens, monitored with the objective of preventing the exotic diseases from entering Brazil. Palynology, therefore, proved to be fundamental in detecting imports of this contaminated batches.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoxia Shang ◽  
Elina Giannakaki ◽  
Stephanie Bohlmann ◽  
Maria Filioglou ◽  
Annika Saarto ◽  
...  

Abstract. We present a novel algorithm for characterizing the optical properties of pure pollen particles, based on the depolarization values obtained in lidar measurements. The algorithm was first tested and validated through a simulator, and then applied to the lidar observations during a four-month pollen campaign from May to August 2016 at the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) station in Kuopio (62°44′ N, 27°33′ E), in Eastern Finland. Twenty types of pollen were observed and identified from concurrent measurements with Burkard sampler; Birch (Betula), pine (Pinus), spruce (Picea) and nettle (Urtica) pollen were most abundant, contributing more than 90 % of total pollen load, regarding number concentrations. Mean values of lidar-derived optical properties in the pollen layer were retrieved for four intense pollination periods (IPPs). Lidar ratios at both 355 and 532 nm ranged from 55 to 70 sr for all pollen types, without significant wavelength-dependence. Enhanced depolarization ratio was found when there were pollen grains in the atmosphere, and even higher depolarization ratio (with mean values of 25 % or 14 %) was observed with presence of the more non-spherical spruce or pine pollen. The depolarization ratio at 532 nm of pure pollen particles was assessed, resulting to 24 ± 3 % and 36 ± 5 % for birch and pine pollen, respectively. Pollen optical properties at 1064 nm and 355 nm were also estimated. The backscatter-related Ångström exponent between 532 and 1064 nm was assessed as ~ 0.8 (~ 0.5) for pure birch (pine) pollen, thus the longer wavelength would be better choice to trace pollen in the air. The pollen depolarization ratio at 355 nm of 17 % and 30 % were found for birch and pine pollen, respectively. The depolarization values show a wavelength dependence for pollen. This can be the key parameter for pollen detection and characterization.


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