Angiosperm Resources for Stingless Bees (Apidae, Meliponini): A Pot-Pollen Melittopalynological Study in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

The present work provides melittopalynological knowledge of Melipona beecheii, Plebeia sp. and Scaptotrigona mexicana pot-pollen samples in the states of Campeche and Veracruz along the Gulf of Mexico. These results have been merged with previous angiosperm data sets reported in Mexican pot-pollen melittopalynological studies of Meliponini. Pollen analyses of M. beecheii, Plebeia sp. and S. mexicana pot-pollen samples allowed us to identify polylectic foraging behaviour, as well as temporal or local monolectic and oligolectic specialisation in these stingless bees. M. beecheii in Campeche preferred Solanum verbascifolium from the shrub stratum, as well as Physalis pubescens and S. lanceolatum from the herb stratum. In the state of Veracruz, Plebeia sp. samples from Coatepec contained pollen from Cocos nucifera, Cecropia sp. and Heliocarpus appendiculatus trees, as well as the Coffea arabica shrub and Asteraceae herbs. S. mexicana samples from Huatusco abundantly contained H. appendiculatus and Alchornea latifolia. Finally, in Ixhuacan de los Reyes, S. mexicana pot-pollen samples recorded distinctive cloud forest elements from the tree stratum (Quercus, Liquidambar and Platanus mexicana), and from the shrub stratum, Hedyosmum, Acacia and Ziziphus were recorded. Sustainable meliponiculture in Veracruz has promoted an educational programme named school of meliponiculture, developed for the teaching of proper practices and the utilisation of different products from stingless bee colonies.