城市园林对本土传粉者中华蜜蜂的保护作用

【目的】蜜蜂等传粉昆虫是生态系统的关键种,其种群下降趋势是目前全球关注的热点问题,探讨传粉昆虫现状和保护途径具有重要实践意义。【方法】对四川地区城市园林里中华蜜蜂Apis cerana cerana进行调查,记录其拜访行为、蜜粉源植物和营巢生境特征,并观察主要植物的其他访花昆虫。【结果】城市园林中有大量开花植物,花期持续时间长,是蜜蜂可利用的食物资源;中华蜜蜂在城市中广泛活动,所调查城市都观测到采集蜂进行有效采集,在冬季中华蜜蜂蜂群也能正常活动;城市中其他访花昆虫以鳞翅目和双翅目为主,蝴蝶等会竞争食物资源,行为分析认为蜜蜂具有竞争优势;部分人工绿地和半自然生境可成为中华蜜蜂的营巢地。【结论】城市园林可为中华蜜蜂提供适宜的生存环境,建议改善城市景观和园林管理以更好地发挥园林生境的保护作用。     

Notes on Eriotheca longitubulosa (Bombacaceae), a rare, putatively hawkmoth-pollinated species new to the Guianas

Eriotheca longitubulosa is a large, nocturnally flowering tree new to the Guianas. Floral morphology, daily phenological patterns, nectar concentration, and floral aroma were examined in order to infer pollinator type. The floral morphology and phenological data, while not necessarily typical in all features displayed by known hawkmoth-pollinated plants, suggest hawkmoth pollination by swing hovering. The presence of the sesquiterpenes alpha-farnesene and germacrene-D in the aroma supports this conclusion. Molecular evidence indicates that the family Bombacaceae, as traditionally defined, is not monophyletic (Alverson et al., 1999).     

蜜蜂及熊蜂微孢子虫rRNA基因研究

核糖体RNA(rRNA)是一种理想的进化计时器,已广泛地应用于研究微生物的系统发育和进化关系。蜜蜂和熊蜂都被微孢子虫感染,关于蜜蜂和熊蜂微孢子虫rRNA基因研究主要有rRNA基因序列的测定分析、二级结构的研究和用rRNA基因检测诊断微孢子虫等。这些对蜜蜂和熊蜂微孢子虫系统发育的研究和微孢子虫的防治等具有重要的推动作用。     

Warming of experimental plant–pollinator communities advances phenologies,alters traits,reduces interactions and depresses reproduction

Climate change may disrupt plant–pollinator mutualisms by generating phenological asynchronies and by altering traits that shape interaction costs and benefits. Our knowledge is limited to studies that manipulate only one partner or focus on either phenological or trait-based mismatches. We assembled communities of three annual plants and a solitary bee prior to flowering and emergence to test how springtime warming affects phenologies, traits, interactions and reproductive output. Warming advanced community-level flowering onset, peak and end but did not alter bee emergence. Warmed plant communities produced fewer and smaller flowers with less, more-concentrated nectar, reducing attractiveness, and warmed bees were more generalized in their foraging, reducing their effectiveness. Plant–bee interactions were less frequent, shorter and peaked earlier under warming. As a result, warmed plants produced fewer, lighter seeds, indicating pollinator-mediated fitness costs. Climate change will perturb plant–pollinator mutualisms, causing wide-ranging effects on partner species and diminishing the ecosystem service they provide.     

Brain melatonin content and polyethism in adult workers of Apis mellifera and Apis cerana (Hym., Apidae)

Abstract:  Radioimmunoassay showed that melatonin, N -acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, was synthesized in the brain of workers of Apis mellifera ligustica Spinola, and related to the polyethism of the workers. Statistically significant differences were found in melatonin levels between workers at different ages and between workers performing different tasks. The level in foragers was higher than that in young nurses. The highest melatonin level was found in 21-day-old adult workers (213.15 pg per worker head) and the lowest level in 1-day-old adult workers (6.08 pg per worker head); and the highest level in pollen-collecting workers (404.13 pg per worker head) and the lowest in nurse workers (13.10 pg per worker head). Apis cerana cerana Fabricius showed a similar pattern, but the nectar foragers had the highest melatonin levels. The melatonin level also showed a daily rhythm. In 30-day-old adult workers there were two peaks, at 7:00 and 19:00 hours, and three troughs at 15:00, 21:00 and 1:00 hours respectively.     

Floral resources collected by four native bees species in southern Mexico

Abstract

Melissopalynological analysis of 14 honey samples of Tetragonisca angustula (two), Scaptotrigona mexicana (six), Melipona beecheii (three) and Melipona solani (three) from Soconusco region in Chiapas, Mexico was performed. A total of 79 taxa were identified, being Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Melostomataceae and Rubiaceae the predominant pollen types. Melissopalynological analysis reported a monofloral composition for Melipona beecheii honeys, where the most predominant pollen type was Fabaceae (54.2%). T. angustula, Scaptotrigona mexicana and Melipona solani honey samples were multifloral and predominant pollen types were Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Melastomataceae and Solanaceae. The most frequent polliniferous pollen type were Asteraceae, Bernardia interrupta, Euphorbia heterophyla and Miconia. Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′) for Melipona beecheii 2016 (2.21) and Melipona solani 2017 (1.64) were lower meanwhile honeys of Melipona beecheii 2017, S. mexicana 2017, Melipona solani 2016 and T. angustula 2017 were considered as fairly diverse, because they visited a wider range of plant species, by preferring shrub and wild strata such as: Asteraceae, Euphorbia, Euphorbiaceae, Miconia and Mimosa. Our results showed that the foraging behaviour of these bee species is polylectic, as no taxa was found to be more than 70% of the counted grains. Since the study of the collection of meliponine flower resources in the southern region of Mexico have not been studied yet, it is not possible to analyse the foraging behaviour, the use of resources and the management of these species in this region.     

Regulation of nectar collection in relation to honey storage levels by honey bees, Apis mellifera

Honey bees collect distinct nutrient sources in the form ofnectar (energy) and pollen (nitrogen). We investigated the effectof varying energy stores on nectar and pollen foraging. We foundno significant changes in nectar foraging in response to changesin honey storage levels within colonies. Individual foragersdid not vary activity rates or nectar load sizes in responseto changes in honey stores, and colonies did not increase nectarintake rates when honey stores within the hive were decreased.This result contrasts with pollen foraging behavior, which isextremely sensitive to colony state. Our data show that individualforaging decisions during nectar collection and colony regulationof nectar intake are distincdy different from pollen foraging.The behavior of honey bees illustrates that foraging strategy(and therefore foraging models) can incorporate multiple currencies,including both energy and protein intake.[Behav Ecol 7: 286–291(1996)]     

生物行为变化研究的新模式——工蜂

蜜蜂群体由1只蜂王、几百只雄蜂和数千只工蜂组成,工蜂数量巨大,除蜂王和雄蜂共同完成生殖任务,巢内外活动均由工蜂完成,其行为呈现多样性。工蜂发育经过卵、幼虫、蛹、成虫4个阶段,其活动范围由温度、湿度相对稳定的巢内环境发展到复杂的巢外自然环境。随发育阶段和生活环境的变化,工蜂的生理、行为等方面也发生相应变化,这种变化为综合研究生物行为的分子机理提供了可能。又因工蜂数量多、体积较大易于观察、标记、饲养管理简单,而且目前对其形态、发育、生理、分子生物学、神经、社会生态等各方面的研究比较充分,所以工蜂成为研究生物体行为变化、发育机理和个体与群体关系的理想模式生物。该文介绍工蜂活动由巢内发展到巢外时出现的一系列变化以及部分变化的机制,主要包括行为的变化、激素的分泌、代谢活动、飞行能力、神经系统等。     

蜜蜂寿命可塑性研究进展

蜜蜂是一种完全社会化的昆虫,它们在寿命方面表现出了显著的级型差异.蜂王的平均寿命是1～2年,而工蜂在生产季节平均寿命是30～40 d,越冬季节平均寿命是90～200d,显然蜜蜂寿命有可塑性.这种可塑性是由环境因素控制,因为蜂王和工蜂的遗传基础是一致的.另外工蜂任务可以发生逆转,这意味着老化的逆转.本文综述了近年来一些老...     

Beyond the pollination syndrome: nectar ecology and the role of diurnal and nocturnal pollinators in the reproductive success of Inga sessilis (Fabaceae)

Inga species present brush‐type flower morphology allowing them to be visited by distinct groups of pollinators. Nectar features in relation to the main pollinators have seldom been studied in this genus. To test the hypothesis of floral adaptation to both diurnal and nocturnal pollinators, we studied the pollination ecology of Inga sessilis, with emphasis on the nectar secretion patterns, effects of sequential removals on nectar production, sugar composition and the role of diurnal and nocturnal pollinators in its reproductive success. Inga sessilis is self‐incompatible and pollinated by hummingbirds, hawkmoths and bats. Fruit set under natural conditions is very low despite the fact that most stigmas receive polyads with sufficient pollen to fertilise all ovules in a flower. Nectar secretion starts in the bud stage and flowers continually secreting nectar for a period of 8 h. Flowers actively reabsorbed the nectar a few hours before senescence. Sugar production increased after nectar removal, especially when flowers were drained during the night. Nectar sugar composition changed over flower life span, from sucrose‐dominant (just after flower opening, when hummingbirds were the main visitors) to hexose‐rich (throughout the night, when bats and hawkmoths were the main visitors). Diurnal pollinators contributed less than nocturnal ones to fruit production, but the former were more constant and reliable visitors through time. Our results indicate I. sessilis has floral adaptations, beyond the morphology, that encompass both diurnal and nocturnal pollinator requirements, suggesting a complementary and mixed pollination system.     

Morphological and phenological characteristics of leaf development ofDurio zibethinus Murray (Bombacaceae)

The morphological and phenological characteristics of leaf development ofDurio zibethinus Murray were investigated at an experimental field of Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (UPM) in Selangor. Proportionality was observed in the relations of leaf length to leaf width and of leaf area to the product of leaf width and length. The proportionality was explained from the similarity of leaf shape. New leaves emerged continuously, but the number of new leaves fluctuated seasonally. The emergence of leaves was inhibited by the flower bud formation. In the survival curves of leaves, the relative fall rate was lower at the early stage of leaf development than at the late stage. Leaf longevity of 100 to 133 days was low and leaf expansion period of two weeks was short in comparison with the published data on tropical trees. From the ecophysiological viewpoint, the leaf survival strategy of the present species was discussed: the present species manages to set up a photosynthetic system in a short period by the rapid leaf growth; the lower leaf longevity is advantageous to reaching more frequently high photosynthetic production by newly emerged leaves.