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Estimating crop pollinator population using mark–recapture method

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Abstract

Xylocopa species are large solitary bees, which are effective pollinators of yellow passion fruit, a self-incompatible crop dependent on pollination for fruit production and economic viability. We tested the mark–recapture method to estimate these bees' population size in a passion fruit commercial orchard in Central Brazil. We collected data during 3 years and population was estimated as 118, 339, and 1,032 individuals. Population size and abundance of Xylocopa bees were higher in the last studied year. These bees maintained 32.5 % of natural fruit set, above economic viability levels, and higher than other commercial orchards, although population size showed no direct correlation with natural fruit set. Improvement of nesting site may explain population increase, reinforcing the importance of management. Our results showed that the mark–recapture technique can provide reliable estimates of Xylocopa bees population size and, thus, be useful in monitoring population trends.

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful to J.C. Santos for valuable suggestions, to P.E.F Alvarenga, T.M. Chaves-Alves, H.L. Pedroso, and O.H.P. Armondes for help in data collection. Thanks are also due to R.F. Freitas, C.T. Santos, G.R.O. Freitas; H. Grande; J.Z. Júnior; M.R. Tavares; N.G. Bordon; N.A.S. Filho; R.A.S. Molina for helping us in field activities in 2007. Financial support came from PROBIO/Pollinator/Brazil Environment Ministry (Grant 0112-00/2005), and FAPEMIG—Research Support Foundation of Minas Gerais (Grants CRA-2037/05, APQ-01755/2009, and grants for the first author CRA-PDJ 0187/09 and CRA-BPD 0132-11).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Goiás, Unidade Universitária de Quirinópolis, Avenida Brasil Quadra 03 Lote 01 Conjunto Hélio Leão III, 75860-000, Quirinópolis, Goiás, Brazil

    Marcela Yamamoto

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Campus Umuarama, 38400-902, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil

    Camila Nonato Junqueira, Ana Angélica Almeida Barbosa, Solange Cristina Augusto & Paulo Eugênio Oliveira

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  1. Marcela Yamamoto
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  2. Camila Nonato Junqueira
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  3. Ana Angélica Almeida Barbosa
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  4. Solange Cristina Augusto
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  5. Paulo Eugênio Oliveira
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Correspondence to Paulo Eugênio Oliveira.

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Manuscript editor: Klaus Hartfelder

Estimation de la population de pollinisateurs de fruits de la passion par l’utilisation de la méthode de capture–recapture

Savanne brésilienne / abeille charpentière / méthode de Jolly–Seber / Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa / Xylocopa

Schätzung der Bestäuberpopulation für Passionsfrucht mittels einer Markierungs-Wiederfang-Methode

Brasilianische Savanne / Jolly–Seber Methode / Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa / Xylocopa

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Yamamoto, M., Junqueira, C.N., Barbosa, A.A.A. et al. Estimating crop pollinator population using mark–recapture method. Apidologie 45, 205–214 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-013-0238-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-013-0238-1

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