Spatial–Temporal Variation in Orchid Bee Communities (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Remnants of Arboreal Caatinga in the Chapada Diamantina Region, State of Bahia, Brazil

• Published in: Neotropical entomology Vol. 41; no. 4; pp. 296 - 305
• Main Authors: Andrade-Silva, Aline Candida Ribeiro, Nemésio, André, de Oliveira, Favízia Freitas, Nascimento, Fabio Santos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01-08-2012
• Subjects: Agriculture; Animals; Bees; Behavior and Bionomics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Brazil; Demography; Ecology; Entomology; Life Sciences; Male; Orchidaceae; Spatio-Temporal Analysis; Trees; Brazil; species richness; fragrance traps; Apinae; abundance; habitat fragmentation
• ISSN: 1519-566X; 1678-8052
• DOI: 10.1007/s13744-012-0053-9

The spatial and temporal distribution of organisms is a fundamental aspect of biological communities. The present study focused on three remnants of arboreal Caatinga in northeastern Brazil between May, 2009 and April, 2010. A total of 627 euglossine males were captured in traps baited with artificial aromatic compounds. The specimens belonged to 14 species and four genera:
Euglossa
Latreille,
Eulaema
Lepeletier,
Eufriesea
Cockerell, and
Exaerete
Hoffmannsegg.
Eulaema nigrita
Lepeletier (41.6),
Euglossa carolina
Nemésio (15.3%),
Eulaema marcii
Nemésio (13.6%), and
Euglossa melanotricha
Moure (12.8%) were the most common species sampled. The distribution of collected specimens per fragment was as follows: Braúna (280 ha)—259 individuals belonging to 14 species; Cambuí (179 ha)—161 individuals from eight species; and Pindoba (100 ha)—207 individuals represented by seven species. Braúna had the highest diversity (
H
′ = 1.91) and estimated species richness. The largest fragment was the main source of the observed variation in species richness and abundance, indicating a non-random pattern of spatial distribution. The analysis of environmental factors indicated that seasonal variation in these factors was the principal determinant of species occurrence and abundance.