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Semi-arid’s Unsung Heroes: Hymenoptera and the Vital Ecosystem Services Enabled by Encholirium spectabile, a Rupicolous Bromeliad in the Brazilian Semi-arid Region

  • Ecology, Behavior and Bionomics
  • Published:
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Abstract

The concept of Ecosystem Services (ES) recognizes the importance of natural ecosystems in supporting human well-being. Hymenoptera, a diverse group of insects including ants, bees, and wasps, play crucial roles in providing ESs. Despite their significance, the provision of ESs by Hymenoptera is often undervalued, leading to ecosystem degradation and loss of important services. This study focuses on the association between Hymenoptera and a rupicolous bromeliad species (Encholirium spectabile) and explores the ESs promoted directly and indirectly by these insects. The study area is located in the Caatinga region of Brazil, characterized by irregular rainfall and a dry season. The results show that Hymenoptera, particularly bees, ants, and wasps, provide a range of ESs including pollination, honey production, pest control, cultural symbolism, and educational value. These services are vital for plant reproduction, food production, and ecosystem functioning in both seasons; there are no differences in species richness between seasons, but rather in species composition. Understanding the importance of Hymenoptera for ESs is crucial for informing conservation and management practices to ensure the sustainability of natural ecosystems. The study highlights the need for conservation actions to protect the intricate ecological relationships between Hymenoptera and bromeliads, which indirectly support ESs by providing habitat and resources, especially during droughts when resources are scarce in the region. By recognizing the importance of bromeliads in supporting Hymenopteran communities, conservation efforts can focus on preserving these critical ecological interactions and maintaining ES provision.

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Acknowledgements

We also thank the employees of Fazenda Tanques for their support in the field and all others who helped by giving feedback to improve the manuscript. We also thank too the handling editor and the three anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on the manuscript.

Funding

This study was supported by research grants from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) to JSJ (process130363/2014–6, 150053/2023–1) AC (process 304636/2022–3) and EMXF (process 313661/2017–0) and from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departament of Ecology, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, Brazil

    Jaqueiuto S. Jorge & Adriano Caliman

  2. Postgraduate Program in Ecology, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande Do Norte, Brazil

    Jaqueiuto S. Jorge & Adriano Caliman

  3. Departament of Botanic and Zoology, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande Do Norte, Brazil

    André Felipe V. Duarte, Roberto Lima Santos & Eliza Maria. X. Freire

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  4. Eliza Maria. X. Freire
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  5. Adriano Caliman
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Contributions

The first draft of the manuscript was written by JJ and AC. Data collection and analysis were performed by JJ, RLS, and AC. AFVD, RLS, and EMXF revised the text and adapted it to the journal’s norms. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jaqueiuto S. Jorge.

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Jorge, J.S., Duarte, A.F.V., Santos, R.L. et al. Semi-arid’s Unsung Heroes: Hymenoptera and the Vital Ecosystem Services Enabled by Encholirium spectabile, a Rupicolous Bromeliad in the Brazilian Semi-arid Region. Neotrop Entomol 53, 514–530 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-024-01152-7

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