Landscape composition influences colony growth in the tropical asian stingless bees (Tetragonula fuscobalteata)

Abstract

Pollination is an important ecosystem service for both crop and wild plants. In recent decades, many pollinators have been experiencing population declines due to land-use changes and intensi ed agriculture. However, effects of anthropogenic landscapes on bee pollinators in the tropics are still little investigated. ObjectivesWe analyzed the effects of landscape composition on the colony weight as well as foraging activity and patterns of the tropical Asian stingless bee species Tetragonala fuscobalteata which is a vital generalist pollinator in Southeast Asia. MethodsTwenty-eight colonies were established and monitored over a year in 19 mixed fruit orchards located along a gradient of human land-use intensity. ResultsOur results revealed that the colonies gained weight and increased their foraging activity over time across diverse landscapes including forest, agricultural, and urbanized areas, indicating that this bee species can well adapt to anthropogenic landscapes. Interestingly, T. fuscobalteata colonies also gained weight rapidly in orchards located in predominately agricultural landscapes with e.g. high proportions of rubber and oil palm plantations as well as in fruit orchards (such as rambutan, durian, coconut, banana). This positive effect was possibly due to mass owering crops providing abundant resources, i.e., pollen and nectar, for a limited time. We also show that T. fuscobalteata foragers could rely on urbanized land (probably ornamental plants and some crops in home gardens and backyards) and wild plants in surrounding forest patches during non-owering periods of crops. ConclusionsOur ndings thus indicate that the combined oral resource availability provided by heterogeneous anthropogenic landscapes, including agricultural elds, urbanized areas and forests, can sustain generalist pollinators.