Melissopalynology in Brazilian restinga areas, a mini review

Abstract

A restinga is an ecosystem of the Atlantic Forest biome that occurs along the Brazilian coastal plains. The restinga areas studied here occur in the states of Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Alagoas, Paraíba and Maranhão. Honey, bee pollen, propolis and geopropolis produced by Apis mellifera and native stingless bees are characterised through the pollen morphology of bee plants. The main nectariferous sources in honey samples are Schinus terebinthifolia, Euterpe edulis and Syagrus romanzoffiana in São Paulo state; Burseraceae and Myrtaceae in Bahia state; Copaifera, Humiria balsamifera and mangrove plants in Maranhão state. The main polliniferous sources are Myrtaceae and Solanaceae in bee pollen samples in Santa Catarina state and Myrcia as monofloral samples in Rio de Janeiro state; Astrocaryum aculeatissimum is predominant and Cocos nucifera is always present in Bahia state. In propolis samples of Rio de Janeiro state Eucalyptus and Mimosa caesalpiniifolia are the most common pollen types; in Bahia state were Mimosa sensitiva and Cocos nucifera; Borreria, Cocos nucifera and Mimosa sensitiva in Alagoas state; Borreria and Symphonia globulifera in Paraíba state. Geopropolis samples from Maranhão state are strongly heterogeneous. Trees and shrubs in the resting areas considered here dominate over herbaceous plants and are predominant in the use by both Apis and native stingless bees. The wide presence of Eugenia catharinae pollen in the southern region samples, of Schinus terebinthifolia pollen in the south-eastern region, and of Avicennia, Cocos, Copaifera and Humiria pollen in samples of the north-eastern region are highlighted.