Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Bees in Traditional Agroecosystems and Tropical Forest Patches on the Yucatan Peninsula

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Background and Research Objectives: Habitat matrices of intensive agricultural use are generally inhospitable to native bees in fragmented forests. However, in some tropical regions of the world, agricultural landscapes are dominated by traditional agroecosystems, which harbor high plant diversity and are subject to low-intensity management. These agroecosystems can therefore provide suitable habitats and important floral resources for the bee community. The objective of this study was to compare the taxonomic and functional diversity of bees in traditional agroecosystems and forest patches within an agricultural landscape of the Yucatan Peninsula. Methods: Sampling was conducted in two traditional agroecosystems (homegardens and a rainfed polyculture known as milpa) and forest patches as a control (N= 24 sites in total. Hereafter: habitats), using two complementary sampling techniques: pan traps and a sweep net. Taxonomic and functional diversity metrics were calculated and compared among habitats. Results: The three habitats were generally similar in terms of taxonomic and functional diversity. Differences were only detected among habitats in the inverse of Simpson’s diversity index and number of functional groups (functional entities), with higher values in the agroecosystems than in the forest. Conclusion: Taxonomic and functional diversity was similar in the traditional agroecosystems and forest patches, suggesting that these agroecosystems can provide temporal adequate resources for most bee functional groups and that movement of bees is possible among these habitats. Conservation Implications: Maintenance of low-intensity management practices and high (agro)biodiversity found in traditional agroecosystems is crucial for the conservation of native bees. It is therefore important to incorporate these systems into management strategies at the landscape level. Since traditional agroecosystems and forests have different land tenure systems (government, private, and communal), conservation strategies at this level require the involvement of different sectors of society.