Melissopalynological data obtained from a mangrove area near to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Author(s)
Ortrud Monika Barth; Cynthia Fernandes Pinto Da Luz
Abstract
We performed palynological analyses of honey and pollen samples from Apis mellifera situated in a mangrove belt in Guanabara Bay, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Laguncularia racemosa is the most abundant species in this area; some individuals of Avicennia tomentosa also occur. Pollen analysis showed that the bees visited ruderal plant species, grasses and crops for pollen. We recognized 27 pollen types that belong to 22 plant families. The most frequent pollen types from polliniferous species belong to Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Myrtaceae and Arecaceae. The most frequent pollen types from nectariferous species were Croton sp., Eucalyptus sp., Eupatorium maximilianii, Gochnatia polymorpha, Mimosa bimucronata, Mimosa pudica, Spondias sp. and Sapindaceae. Pollen from typical mangrove vegetation, except Laguncularia racemosa, was rare in both honey and pollen samples. This fact reflects the local environmental disturbance, as well as the value of the ‘invader' plant species to bees.
