Contributions to knowledge about the botanical origin of the pollen reserves of Plebeia mansita (Apidae, Meliponini) in the Yungas of Jujuy, Argentina.
Background and aims: Plebeia mansita is a species of bee endemic to the Yungas, whose colonies live in the hollows of living trees. To know the botanical resources that contribute to the diet of their hives, palynological studies of pollen reserves are used. M&M: The subsamples were collecte...
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| Autores principales: | , , |
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| Formato: | Artículo revista |
| Lenguaje: | Español |
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Sociedad Argentina de Botánica
2025
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| Acceso en línea: | https://revistas.unc.edu.ar/index.php/BSAB/article/view/46040 |
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| Sumario: | Background and aims: Plebeia mansita is a species of bee endemic to the Yungas, whose colonies live in the hollows of living trees. To know the botanical resources that contribute to the diet of their hives, palynological studies of pollen reserves are used.
M&M: The subsamples were collected in November 2021 from hives raised in technical boxes located in the towns of Valle Grande and Ocloyas (Jujuy). The reserve pots were located and those that were closed were removed and stored in sterilized jars. A total of 138 subsamples were analyzed, they were processed using conventional palynological techniques. Frequency classes, frequency of occurrence, pollen richness, and diversity indices were determined.
Results and conclusions: A total of 70 pollen types belonging to 36 botanical families were identified, the most important being the Myrtaceae and Fabaceae families. Pollen diversity reflects the generalist foraging habit of the bee, particularly oriented to tree and shrub species of the Yungas. The pollen resources that stood out due to their frequency in the pollen reserves and dominance in the subsamples were Blepharocalyx salicifolius, Parapiptadenia excelsa, and Juglans australis. Zanthoxylum coco, Eupatorium, and to a lesser extent, Heteropterys glabra and Sebastiania were also recorded as important pollen types. The results obtained provide meliponiculturists with information about the origin and variability of the resources offered by the forest, contributing to the breeding and management of the hives. |
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