DIAGNOSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE WETLANDS AND THE DIVERSITY OF STINGLESS BEES (APIDAE: MELIPONINI) IN THE CAMPUS TAPAJÓS AND IN THE MEKDECE FOREST LOCATED IN SANTARÉM, PA

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The study aimed to characterize the significance of afforestation as an instrument to conserve the biodiversity of stingless bees in the Tapajós Campus and the Mekdece Forest, located in the city of Santarém, PA. Each nest was georeferenced, photographed, its height was measured in relation to the soil, for arboreal substrates the circumference of the trunk was also measured at 1.30m. The collected bees were identified from the nest entry architecture and identification key. We found wealth, abundance, and diversity. Twelve nests were found in 6 different species: Trigona guianae (N = 2), Melipona (Melikerria) interrupta (N = 3), Melipona seminigra aff pernigra (N = 1), Trigona pallens (N=3), Tetragona clavipes (N = 2), Scapitotrigona sp (N = 1). The Shannon-Wiener (H ') diversity indexes were 1.56 in the Tapajós Campus and 1.04 in the Mekdece Forest, while the Pielou (J) equitability indexes were 0.97 in the Tapajós Campus and 0.95 in the Mekdece Forest, the nest density was 1 nest per hectare (Campus) and 3 nests per hectare (Forest). In relation to the nesting in trees, in the Tapajós Campus 5 nests were identified in Dalbergia spruceana and 1 nest in Copaifera martii. In the Mekdece Forest, 3 nests were identified in the same tree species (Inga heterophylla). Concerning the nesting of bees in the soil were found 2 nests of the species Trigona guianae in the Campus and 1 nest of Trigona pallens in the Forest. It was found in the two study sites that most of the nests (75%) were associated with arboreal substrates and 25% of the nests found were located in the soil.KEYWORDS: Conservation, Nesting, Stingless bees.