ECOSYSTEM SERVICES PROVIDED BY BEES: THEORETICAL BASIS AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Keywords:
Biodiversity, Sustainable Management, Meliponines, Floral SyndromesAbstract
This chapter addresses the ecosystem services provided by bees, with a special focus on pollination and its importance for biodiversity conservation, especially in environments such as the Brazilian Cerrado. It initially introduces the concept of environmental services and highlights the essential role of bees as pollinators of agricultural crops and native plant species. The distinction between effective pollinators and thieving or robbing floral visitors is discussed, based on morphology and behavior. The main floral attractants and pollination syndromes are also discussed, as well as experimental methods for assessing pollination efficiency. The text emphasizes the importance of stingless bees (meliponines) as key pollinators in tropical biomes and proposes a management plan aimed at conserving these species, including practical actions to stimulate meliponiculture and protect floral resources and nesting sites. The chapter concludes with a description of the biology of meliponines, their ecological needs, and threats to their survival. The work is proposed as a theoretical and practical tool for students, researchers and professionals interested in pollinator conservation and the sustainable use of biodiversity.
