The uses of pollen and its implication for Entomology

Abstract

Os Usos do Pólen e suas Implicações na Entomologia RESUMO -Palinologia é o estudo dos grãos de pólen produzidos por plantas sementeiras (angiospermas e gimnospermas) e esporos (pteridófitas, briófitas, algas e fungos). O pólen representa a flora terrestre e pode ser útil em muitas disciplinas: é único, não deteriora facilmente e é um marcador natural. O pólen pode ser usado para determinar os mecanismos de polinização, os recursos de forrageamento, as rotas de migração e locais fontes de insetos e outros polinizadores. O pólen fornece meios para análises paleoambientais de rochas terrestres sendo de interesse de geólogos. Também auxilia a explicar as correlações de ambientes terrestres com as sucessões marítimas e é usado para determinar trocas ecológicas e ambientais. Recentemente, a palinologia tem sido utilizada nos meios forenses. Esse artigo introduz a idéia do uso do pólen em várias disciplinas e, em particular, na entomologia. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Pólen, entomopalinologia, forense, aerobiologia.ABSTRACT -Palynology is the study of pollen grains produced by seed plants (angiosperms and gymnosperms) and spores (pteridophytes, bryophytes, algae and fungi). It represents the land flora and can be use in many different disciplines. Pollen is distinctive, does not easily decay and is a natural marker. Pollen can be used to determine pollination mechanisms, foraging resources, migration routes and source zones of insects and other pollinators. It provides a means for paleoenvironmental analyses of terrestrial rocks and is of interest to geologists. Pollen also aids in the correlation of terrestrial with marine successions and is used to determine environmental and ecological changes. Recently, palynology is used in forensics. This manuscript introduces the ideas of using pollen in a variety of disciplines, in particular in entomology.

Morphological characterization of pollens from three Apiaceae species and their ingestion by twelve-spotted lady beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

“…Some of these characteristics are cited by Jones and Jones (2001) for Apiaceae pollen grains. Therefore, the morphological similarity between the pollen grains prevented the simultaneous offer of their flowers, and thus, these were offered individually to the fourth instar larvae and C. maculata adults, in order to detect possible differences in the quantity of pollen grains consumed by them, among the aromatic flowers.…”

“…In this aspect, entomopalynology, studying the morphology of pollen grains associated with insects (Jones and Jones, 2001), becomes an important tool to aid the development of conservative biological control, for it can permit the identification of pollen ingested by adults, and sometimes, the larvae of predator insects. However, the palynological studies applied to these biological control agents are still scarce, mainly when compared to pollinator insects, such as the melliferous bees (Jones and Jones, 2001;Medeiros et al, 2010).…”

“…However, the palynological studies applied to these biological control agents are still scarce, mainly when compared to pollinator insects, such as the melliferous bees (Jones and Jones, 2001;Medeiros et al, 2010).…”

Palynological Studies to Determine Pollen Resources of Bombus haemorrhoidalis Smith

“…Pollens can be used to determine foraging resources, pollination mechanisms, migration routes and source zones of insects and pollinators (Jones and Jones, 2001). The palynological analysis of pollen loads allows the identification of plant species visited by bees for pollens and this method is more efficient than visual observation based methods because it allows the identification of a greater number of visited plant species with lower labour inputs involved (Teper, 2005).…”

Multidisciplinary fingerprints: forensic reconstruction of an insect reinvasion

“…Genetic population assignment analyses based on neutral microsatellite DNA markers have provided important clues to the origin of boll weevils captured unexpectedly in or near eradication zones (Kim et al , 2008. Finally, the profile of pollen species in the gut or on the surface of insects can serve as another natural marker to help identify origins of dispersed insects based on plant species distributions (Jones & Jones 2001). Boll weevil adults readily pick up pollen grains when feeding ( Jones & Coppedge 1999).…”