scholarly journals Recurso polínico y ciclo estacional de Thygater aethiops (Hymenoptera: Apidae) en un ambiente urbano (Bogotá-Colombia)

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Simon Pinilla-Gallego ◽  
Valentina Nieto ◽  
Guiomar Nates-Parra

Thygater aethiops is a native bee that can be found in parks and gardens in diverse urban areas such as those in the city of Bogotá (Colombia). However, little is known about its biology as well as ecological adaptations to urban areas. This study aimed to describe the seasonal cycle and daily foraging activities of T. aethiops, as well as identify the pollen resources used by this bee over a year in a population nesting in an aggregation in the “Parque Nacional Enrique Olaya Herrera” in Bogotá. Changes in the nest activity were monitored weekly by counting the number of active nests in the aggregation between December/2012 and February/2014. To determine the daily foraging activity, the numbers of bees entering their nests over a period of 10 minutes every hour between 8:00 and 14:00 h were recorded. Females with pollen loads entering to their nest were captured weekly, between September/2012 and August/2013, and their pollen loads analyzed. Three nesting peaks occurred after the precipitation peaks, but the number of active nests was not correlated with precipitation. The nesting activities stopped in a large number of the active nests (20-50 % of nests) after an anthropic disturbance was registered in the nesting area. Bees forage for nectar and pollen between 8:00 and 14:00 h, with a peak at 10:00 h. Daily foraging activity changed during the study period due to anthropic disturbance. There was not a significant relationship between air temperature and the number of females entering their nests. Foraging activities did not change between the dry and rainy seasons. A total of 26 pollen types were found in 169 pollen loads. Ulex europaeus (Fabaceae) and Solanum laxum (Solanaceae) were the most abundant plants represented on the pollen load across the study period. According to these results, T. aethiops would be considered a mesolectic species. The ability of T. aethiops to use different pollen resources both native and exotic, as well as to presumably recover its population after disturbances, are characteristics that may have allowed this bee to adapt to urban environments. Knowledge on the floral resources as well as other biological features of this bee species is important to promote its conservation in urban areas. 

Sociobiology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcos Costa Dorea ◽  
Francisco De Assis Ribeiro dos Santos ◽  
Cândida Maria Lima Aguiar ◽  
Celso Feitosa Martins

Due to deforestation and fragmentation of ecosystems, the management of bee populations targeting pollination services is increasingly urgent. Because urban environments are stressful, the dietary knowledge in such areas can help to cope with this issue in the near future. Using palynological analysis the floral resources used by Centris flavifrons, an important pollinator of crops and native plants was studied in an urban area. Byrsonima sericea type, Solanum paniculatum type, Cestrum type, and Myrcia type 1 together accounted for more than 93% of pollen grains foraged by females. It is noteworthy that this bee population depends on few plant species both for pollen and for oil. Furthermore, females showed flexibility to replace the primary pollen source in different breeding seasons, as well as one female could provision different cells in the same nest with different predominant pollen types. It is highlighted the importance of wastelands for keeping bee populations in urban areas.


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 135
Author(s):  
Keng-Lou James Hung ◽  
Sara S. Sandoval ◽  
John S. Ascher ◽  
David A. Holway

Global climate change is causing more frequent and severe droughts, which could have serious repercussions for the maintenance of biodiversity. Here, we compare native bee assemblages collected via bowl traps before and after a severe drought event in 2014 in San Diego, California, and examine the relative magnitude of impacts from drought in fragmented habitat patches versus unfragmented natural reserves. Bee richness and diversity were higher in assemblages surveyed before the drought compared to those surveyed after the drought. However, bees belonging to the Lasioglossum subgenus Dialictus increased in abundance after the drought, driving increased representation by small-bodied, primitively eusocial, and generalist bees in post-drought assemblages. Conversely, among non-Dialictus bees, post-drought years were associated with decreased abundance and reduced representation by eusocial species. Drought effects were consistently greater in reserves, which supported more bee species, than in fragments, suggesting that fragmentation either had redundant impacts with drought, or ameliorated effects of drought by enhancing bees’ access to floral resources in irrigated urban environments. Shifts in assemblage composition associated with drought were three times greater compared to those associated with habitat fragmentation, highlighting the importance of understanding the impacts of large-scale climatic events relative to those associated with land use change.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (01) ◽  
pp. 77-95
Author(s):  
Amanda Dias Araujo ◽  
Mariana de Oliveira Freitas ◽  
Hernando Baggio Filho

O Córrego Quatro Vinténs faz parte da bacia hidrográfica do rio Jequitinhonha, localizado no município de Diamantina-MG. Neste trabalho avaliou-se a qualidade ambiental das águas superficiais deste córrego por meio da medição de dois parâmetros físico-químicos cor da água e turbidez. Com o recolhimento de amostras ao longo do canal do córrego foi possível relacionar os impactos aos ambientes naturais e às interferências antropogênicas, englobando as características geoambientais da área. Foram amostrados 12 pontos considerando a variação sazonal em duas campanhas de amostragem (nas estações seca e chuvosa), totalizando 24 amostras de água. As amostras foram analisadas no Laboratório de Geoquímica Ambiental – LGA/UFVJM e os resultados comparados com os valores estabelecidos pela Resolução CONAMA 357/05 e Portaria do Ministério da Saúde N° 2.914/2011. Os valores de turbidez (UNT) e cor da água (mg/L), tanto numa estação quanto noutra se apresentaram elevados, haja vista que a área está totalmente inserida em locais de uso intensivo do solo e áreas urbanas. Palavras-chave: Geoquímica Ambiental; Córrego Quatro Vinténs; Serra do Espinhaço Meridional.   ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY STREAM OF SURFACE WATER IN QUATRO VINTÉNS DIAMANTINA MUNICIPALITY – MG Abstract The Quatro Vintens stream part of the basin of the Jequitinhonha River, which is located in the city of Diamantina. The aim of this work is to evaluate the environmental geochemistry quality of superficial waters of this stream through two measures physical-chemical parameters water color and turbidity. Collecting samples along the stream channel was possible to relate to natural and anthropogenic interference environments, encompassing geo-environmental characteristics of the area. 12 points were sampled considering the seasonal variation in two sampling campaigns (in the dry and rainy seasons), totaling 24 water samples. Water samples were analyzed in the Environmental Geochemistry Laboratory - LGA/UFVJM and the results compared to the values ​​established by CONAMA Resolution 357/05 and Ordinance of the Ministry of Health N°. 2.914/2011. The turbidity values ​​(UNT) and color of the water (mg/L), both at a station in another as the values ​​presented high, given that the area is fully inserted in places of intensive land use and urban areas. Keywords: Environmental Geochemistry; Quatro Vinténs Stream; Diamantina; Espinhaço Meridional Ranger.   CALIDAD AMBIENTAL SECUENCIA DEL AGUA DE SUPERFICIE EN QUATRO VINTÉNS DIAMANTINA – MG Resumen La corriente Quatro Vinténs es parte de la cuenca del río Jequitinhonha, que se encuentra en la ciudad de Diamantina-MG. En este trabajo se evaluó la calidad ambiental de las aguas superficiales de esta corriente mediante la medición de dos parámetros físico-químicos del color de agua y turbidez. Con la toma de muestras a lo largo del canal de flujo fue posible relacionar los impactos en el medio ambiente natural y la interferencia antropogénica que abarca las características geo-ambientales de la zona. 12 puntos fueron muestreados teniendo en cuenta la variación estacional en dos campañas de muestreo (en las estaciones seca y lluviosa), un total de 24 muestras de agua. Las muestras fueron analizadas en el Laboratorio de Geoquímica Ambiental - LGA/UFVJM y los resultados en comparación con los valores establecidos por la Resolución CONAMA 357/05 y Decreto del Ministerio de Salud N° 2.914/2011. Los valores de turbidez (NTU) y color del agua (mg/L), tanto como una estación en otro presentan alta, teniendo en cuenta que la zona esté completamente insertado en el uso local de la tierra intensivo y áreas urbanas. Palabras-clave: Geoquímica Ambiental; Codificar Quatro Vinténs; Serra do Espinhaço.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Polidori ◽  
Alice Rubichi ◽  
Valeria Barbieri ◽  
Luca Trombino ◽  
Marta Donegana

In order to adopt correct conservation strike plans to maintain bee pollination activity it is necessary to know the species' resource utilisation and requirements. We investigated the floral resources and the nesting requirements of the eusocial beeLasioglossum malachurumKirby at various sites in a Mediterranean landscape. Analysis of bees' pollen loads showed that Compositae was the more exploited family, although interpopulations differences appeared in the pollen types used. From 5 to 7 pollen types were used by bees, but only as few as 1–1.9 per load. Variations of the pollen spectrum through the annual nesting cycle were conspicuous. At all sites, bees nested in horizontal ground areas with high soil hardness, low acidity, and rare superficial stones. On the other side, the exploited soil was variable in soil granulometry (although always high in % of silt or sand) and it was moderately variable in content of organic matter and highly variable in vegetation cover. Creation of ground patches with these characteristics in proximity of both cultivated and natural flowering fields may successfully promote colonization of new areas by this bee.


2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1845) ◽  
pp. 20162180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken A. Thompson ◽  
Marie Renaudin ◽  
Marc T. J. Johnson

Urban ecosystems are an increasingly dominant feature of terrestrial landscapes. While evidence that species can adapt to urban environments is accumulating, the mechanisms through which urbanization imposes natural selection on populations are poorly understood. The identification of adaptive phenotypic changes (i.e. clines) along urbanization gradients would facilitate our understanding of the selective factors driving adaptation in cities. Here, we test for phenotypic clines in urban ecosystems by sampling the frequency of a Mendelian-inherited trait—cyanogenesis—in white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) populations along urbanization gradients in four cities. Cyanogenesis protects plants from herbivores, but reduces tolerance to freezing temperatures. We found that the frequency of cyanogenic plants within populations decreased towards the urban centre in three of four cities. A field experiment indicated that spatial variation in herbivory is unlikely to explain these clines. Rather, colder minimum winter ground temperatures in urban areas compared with non-urban areas, caused by reduced snow cover in cities, may select against cyanogenesis. In the city with no cline, high snow cover might protect plants from freezing damage in the city centre. Our study suggests that populations are adapting to urbanization gradients, but regional climatic patterns may ultimately determine whether adaptation occurs.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacek Olchowik ◽  
Marzena Suchocka ◽  
Paweł Jankowski ◽  
Tadeusz Malewski ◽  
Dorota Hilszczańska

The linden tree ( Tilia  spp.) is a popular tree for landscaping and urban environments in central and northwest European countries, and it is one of the most popular in cities in Poland. Ectomycorrhizal fungi form a symbiosis with many urban tree species and protect the host plant from heavy metals and against salinity. The aim of this study was to characterize the ECM fungal community of urban linden trees along the tree damage gradient. The study was performed on two homogeneous sites located in the centre of the city of Gdańsk, in northern Poland. The vitality assessment of urban linden trees was made according to Roloff’s classification. Tree damage classes were related to soil characteristics using principal component analysis. The five ectomycorrhizal fungal species were shared among all four tree damage classes, and  Cenococcum geophilum  was found to be the most abundant and frequent ectomycorrhizal fungal species in each class. Park soil had significantly lower pH and Na, Cl and Pb content than street soils. Our knowledge of ectomycorrhizal communities in urban areas is still limited, and these findings provide new insights into ectomycorrhizal distribution patterns in urban areas.


Sociobiology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reinanda Lima ◽  
Maria Ferreira-Caliman ◽  
Marcos Da Costa Dórea ◽  
Caroline Tito Garcia ◽  
Francisco De Assis Ribeiro Dos Santos ◽  
...  

The knowledge on plant species used for the collection of floral resources is crucial to understanding interactions between plants and bees. The aim of the present study was to identify floral resources used by Centris analis and Centris terminata to provision brood cells and determine the niche breadth and overlap of these two species in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. This study was conducted at the Universidade Federal da Bahia and Parque Zoobotânico Getúlio Vargas, both of which are located in urban areas of the city of Salvador in the state of Bahia. Twelve and eight pollen types were identified in C. analis and C. terminata nests, respectively. The most frequent pollen types were from species of Malpighiaceae and Fabaceae. A larger trophic niche breadth was found in the Parque Zoobotânico Getúlio Vargas for C. analis and in the Universidade Federal da Bahia for C. terminata. Pianka’s index demonstrated trophic niche overlap between C. analis and C. terminata, which was greater in the Parque Zoobotânico Getúlio Vargas. This study is the first to provide data on plants used as food sources by species of the genus Centris in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest situated within urban areas.   


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giles Thomson ◽  
Peter Newman

In recent decades, the concept of resource efficient cities has emerged as an urban planning paradigm that seeks to achieve sustainable urban environments. This focus is upon compact urban environments that optimise energy, water and waste systems to create cities that help solve climate change and other resource-based sustainability issues. In parallel, there has been a long-standing tradition of ecological approaches to the design of cities that can be traced from Howard, Geddes, McHarg and Lyle. Rather than resource efficiency, the ecological approach has focused upon the retention and repair of natural landscape features and the creation of green infrastructure (GI) to manage urban water, soil and plants in a more ecologically sensitive way. There is some conflict with the resource efficient cities and ecological cities paradigms, as one is pro-density, while the other is anti-density. This article focusses upon how to integrate the two paradigms through new biophilic urbanism (BU) tools that allow the integration of nature into dense urban areas, to supplement more traditional GI tools in less dense areas. We suggest that the theory of urban fabrics can aid with regard to which tools to use where, for the integration of GI and BU into different parts of the city to achieve <em>both</em> resource efficient and ecological outcomes, that optimise energy water and waste systems, <em>and</em> increase urban nature.


2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1936) ◽  
pp. 20201754
Author(s):  
Maider Iglesias-Carrasco ◽  
Upama Aich ◽  
Michael D. Jennions ◽  
Megan L. Head

As cities continue to grow it is increasingly important to understand the long-term responses of wildlife to urban environments. There have been increased efforts to determine whether urbanization imposes chronic stress on wild animals, but empirical evidence is mixed. Here, we conduct a meta-analysis to test whether there is, on average, a detrimental effect of urbanization based on baseline and stress-induced glucocorticoid levels of wild vertebrates. We found no effect of urbanization on glucocorticoid levels, and none of sex, season, life stage, taxon, size of the city nor methodology accounted for variation in the observed effect sizes. At face value, our results suggest that urban areas are no more stressful for wildlife than rural or non-urban areas, but we offer a few reasons why this conclusion could be premature. We propose that refining methods of data collection will improve our understanding of how urbanization affects the health and survival of wildlife.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 2-8
Author(s):  
Carlos Nivelo-Villavicencio ◽  
Javier Fernández de Córdova ◽  
Amanda B. Quezada

Currently in Ecuador there are 171 bats species, however little is known of their presence in urban and peri-urban areas. These information gaps make it difficult to know the distribution of the species, as well as the ecosystems they are occupying. In this work we report for the first time three bats species in the urban and peri-urban area of Cuenca City which is located in the south of the Inter-Andean Valley. The individuals were identified taxonomically by morphological and morphometric characters, these were deposited in the Zoological Collection of the University of Azuay. The specimens reported in this work are: an adult male of Lasiurus blossevillii, a juvenile female of Histiotus humboldti, and an adult male of Enchisthenes hartii. These new records allow us to contribute with information on the distribution of these species, as well as raise new questions about the use of present resources by these bats in the urban and peri-urban environments of the city.


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