Seasonal Variation in Forage Plant Selection, Foraging Time, Duration and Preference of Apis mellifera adansonii in the Rainforest and Semi-savannah Ecosystems of Nigeria

Abstract

The foraging behaviour such as plant selection, time, duration and floral preference of colonies of Apis mellifera adansonii were studied during the dry and wet seasons in 2012 -2014. Colony observations were made from 6:00 am - 7:30 am, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm during the period, meteorological data on sunset and sunrise, moonrise and moonset were collected for the time of observations of the foraging workers. All the time recorded for the start and end of foraging were local time for the study sites.  The floral plant species distributed in 3 kilometer radius of the colony sites were sampled. Honey and pollen combs were also collected from all the experimental colonies for mellisopalynological investigations. There was a difference between the abundance of foraging plants in the savannah and rainforest zones in the tropics as indicated by Jacard’s  (Cj ) and Sorenson’s (CS) similarity coefficient of 0.37 and  45.9% respectively. The bees average starting and ending times of foraging were 07:01 h and 18.20 h respectively and the average duration of foraging was 11:30 h per day. During the dry and wet seasons, the foraging time and duration was not significantly different (P < 0.05). Pollen analyses showed that the bees in the savannah ecosystem visited  more flowers than those in the forest ecosystem; the former had a significantly higher pollen sum of 254 and 543 during dry and wet seasons respectively (P < 0.05).  The colonies in both forest and savannah areas showed preference for Elaeis guineensis Jacq.(Arecaceae). Results from this study have given insights into the “bee plants” of the two ecosystems as well as providing information to bee keepers about the behaviour of bees for improved apiary management.

 

Keywords

• Foraging,floral preference,pollen,nectar,Apis mellifera adansonii

Nijerya'nın Yağmur Ormanları ve Yarı-Savan Ekosistemlerindeki Apis mellifera adansonii'nin Nektarlı Bitki Seçimi, Tarlacı Dönemi ile Süresi ve Tercihindeki Mevsimsel Değişim

Öz

Apis mellifera adansonii kolonilerinin bitki seçimi, zamanı, süresi ve çiçek tercihi gibi tarlacı davranışları 2012-2014 yılları süresince kurak ve yağışlı mevsimlerde incelenmiştir. Koloni gözlemleri dönem boyunca sabah 06: 00-7: 30, 11:00-13:00 ve 18:00-19:30 saatleri arasında yapılırken tarlacı işçi arıların gözlemleri sırasında gün batımı ile gün doğumu, ay doğumu ile ay batımı arasındaki meteorolojik veriler toplanmıştır. Tarlacı davranışlarının başlangıcı ve bitişi için kaydedilen bütün zaman tanımları için çalışmaların yapıldığı  alanın yerel  saati kullanılmıştır. Koloni bölgelerinin 3 km yarıçapına yayılmış olan floral bitki türleri örneklenmiştir. Mellisopalinojik araştırmalar için tüm deneysel kolonilerden bal ve polen petekleri toplanmıştır. ,  savan ve tropik yağmur orman bölgeleri arasında nektarlı bitkiler bolluğu açısından fark olduğu Jacard'ın (Cj) ve Sorenson'ın (CS) sırasıyla %0.37 ve %45.9  benzerlik katsayısı oranı ile belirtildiği şekilde  gözlenmiştir. Arıların, tarlacı davranışlarının ortalama başlangıç ve bitiş saatleri sırasıyla 07:01 ve 18:20 arasında olup ve günlük ortalama tarlacı süresi 11:30saattir.    Kurak ve yağışlı mevsimlerdeki tarlacılık zamanı ve uzunluğu önemli ölçüde farklı değildir (P<0.05).Polen analizleri, savan ekosistemindeki arıların orman ekosistemdekilerine göre daha fazla çiçeği ziyaret ettiğini göstermiştir.  Savan ekosistemindekilerin toplam polen sayısı, kurak mevsimde 254 iken yağışlı mevsimde 543’tür (P<0.05).  Hem orman hem de savan bölgesindeki koloniler, Elaeis guineensis Jacq.(Arecaceae)’i tercih etmişlerdir.  Bu çalışmanın sonuçları, iki ekosistemin "arı bitkileri”  hakkında bilgi vermenin yanı sıra  gelişmiş arıcılık  için  bilinmesi gerekli olan arı davranışları hakkında arıcıları da bilgilendirmektedir.

 

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Polen toplama,çiçek tercihi,nektar,Apis mellifera adonsonii

Kaynakça

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