Effects of invasive Africanized honey bees (Apis Mellifera Scutellata) on native stingless bee populations (Meliponinae) and traditional Mayan beekeeping in Central Quintana Roo, Mexico

Abstract

The stingless bee species most important to the Maya, Melipona beecheii, has become extremely rare, and this has caused a breakdown of stingless beekeeping tradition, compounded with the pressure of the market economy, which fuels Apis beekeeping and has lessened the influence of vi traditional practices. The community with the heaviest amount of human induced ecosystem disturbance also had the lowest degree of bee diversity, while the area with the most intact ecosystem had the highest diversity of stingless bees, though Apis mellifera was still the dominant species. Aggressive competitive behavior involving physical attacks by Apis mellifera against stingless bees was observed on several occasions, and this is a new observation previously unreported by science. Human induced disturbance of the ecosystem and competition with the Africanized honey bee are affecting the diversity and abundance of various bee species.

Aggressive dominance of acacia floral resources by wild east African lowland honey bees

“…This could negatively influence other pollinator species, potentially leading to reduced pollen transfer success (Garibaldi et al, 2021;Guzman-Novoa et al, 2020). Additionally, the aggressive behaviour of honey bees could cause the displacement of native pollinators or exclusion from certain foraging areas, which may result in reduced reproductive success for those species not preferred by honey bees (CABI, 2022;Cairns, 2002). On the other hand, the displacement of pollinators shortly after visiting flowers could be advantageous for the plant because it results in more effective movement of pollen between individuals (Ollerton & Nuttman, 2013).…”

Promoting community ecotourism enterprises in common property regimes : a stakeholder analysis and geographic information systems application in Ejido X-Maben in central Quintana Roo, Mexico

“…Having multiple land uses has also presented less stress to the ecosystem instead of the ovemse of one single resource, which would lead to degradation (Cairns, 2002). These changes and innovations were all made possible by the expansion of the agrarian reform in the 1930s.…”