The effect of landscape composition on stingless bee (Melipona fasciculata) honey productivity in a wetland ecosystem of Eastern Amazon, Brazil

Abstract

Humanity depends on the processes and resources of natural ecosystems, such as natural grassland fields and forests. These ecosystems depend on pollinators, especially bees, to ensure crossbreeding and plant productivity. Faced with deforestation and the fragmentation of forest remnants, meliponiculture plays an important role in biodiversity conservation, ecological restoration, and generating income for family farmers. Little is known about the effect of landscape on the productivity of native tiúba bees (Melipona fasciculata Smith, 1854) in the Baixada Maranhense Environmental Protection Area (APA) in the Brazilian Amazon. This study aimed to evaluate the landscape effect on M. fasciculata honey productivity in APA. We selected 34 stingless beekeepers, mapped and classified landscapes within a 2,000 m radius around the meliponaries, measured honey productivity, and identified the pollen types. We analyzed honey productivity as a function of landscapes and floral origin. Our results show that honeys from forest landscapes have greater richness and abundance of species, indicating more pollination ecosystem services in these landscapes, but have lower honey productivity. The highest productivity occurs in landscapes with a greater percentage of natural grassland fields and a composition dominated by shrubs. Melissopalynology and geographical information from landscape mapping provided ecological dimensioning of M. fasciculata honey productivity in the APA, which can guide conservation, management, and restoration actions in this region, and enhance the recognition of environmental services provided by stingless beekeepers.