Interactions among bees and flowers of camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia (Kunth) McVaugh) in the Amazon: similar networks with different pollinators

The Amazon contains many economically important native fruit trees, including Myrciaria dubia, popularly known as camu-camu or caçari. This plant is noted for its nutritional properties, including a high ascorbic acid concentration in its fruits. The flowering of camu-camu is an important source of resources for bees in the Amazon and the species depends on bees for successful pollination. In this study, we compare camu-camu flower visitors and the structure of interactions in the natural environment and in agricultural plantation. From October 2018 to January 2019, we use pollen analysis to build qualitative matrices for analysis of pollination interaction networks. The natural environment camu-camu population interacted with a more diverse guild of bees (24 species) than that in the cultivated (14 spp.). However, the network metrics were similar in each area, though the most generalist species were different (Scaptotrigona nigrohirta in the natural versus Apis mellifera in the cultivated area). Although the structure of interactions is similar, the predominance of Apis mellifera, thus effectively take on the role of the native pollinator species may be of concern. In conjunction with the reduction in total visitor richness, cultivated systems may demonstrate greater fragility and less stability in pollination.

Key words
Diversity; Myrciaria dubia; myrtaceae; pollen; pollination