Pollen sources foraged by domesticated stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) reared in gelam forests of Terengganu, Malaysia

Melittopalynological analysis is one of the principal tools used to reveal significant floral sources to bees. Gelam (Melaleuca spp.) forest provides habitat for bees and provision for high quality honey. However, the forests are declining due to anthropogenic activities which directly reduced th...

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Main Authors: Muhammad Izzelen Izzauddin Mamat, Muhammad Faqih Luqman Fuaad, Nor Zalipah Mohamed, Shamsul Khamis, Chik Maslinda Omar, Daria Mathew Abdullah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2023
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/22440/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/22440/1/serangga_9.pdf
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author Muhammad Izzelen Izzauddin Mamat,
Muhammad Faqih Luqman Fuaad,
Nor Zalipah Mohamed,
Shamsul Khamis,
Chik Maslinda Omar,
Daria Mathew Abdullah,
author_facet Muhammad Izzelen Izzauddin Mamat,
Muhammad Faqih Luqman Fuaad,
Nor Zalipah Mohamed,
Shamsul Khamis,
Chik Maslinda Omar,
Daria Mathew Abdullah,
author_sort Muhammad Izzelen Izzauddin Mamat,
building UKM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Melittopalynological analysis is one of the principal tools used to reveal significant floral sources to bees. Gelam (Melaleuca spp.) forest provides habitat for bees and provision for high quality honey. However, the forests are declining due to anthropogenic activities which directly reduced the availability of botanical sources on which bees rely for survival. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the pollen sources preferred by domesticated stingless bees (Heterotrigona itama) reared in fragmented Gelam forests from two meliponiaries in Terengganu. The palynological analysis was carried out on pollen load foraged by the stingless bees. Thirty seven pollen types belonging to 13 plant families were collected from the pollen loads of 251 stingless bee foragers. Tiliagraphs with CONISS and rank abundance curves were used to illustrate the pollen grains preferred by H. itama. Results clearly showed that Melastoma malabathricum and Cyperus aromaticus were the most frequently visited and vital pollen sources for H. itama in the Gelam forests. Interestingly, Gelam (Melaleuca cajuputi) pollen is one of the floral sources, suggesting that Gelam is one of the preferred pollen and nectar sources for stingless bees. This study discovered a causal link between the fragmentation of Gelam forests and the low abundance of Melaleuca cajuputi pollen foraged by H. itama. Information on this dynamic is critically important for maintaining the health of bee colonies as well as for the conservation efforts of Gelam forests in Terengganu, Malaysia.
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spelling oai:generic.eprints.org:224402023-10-26T03:49:25Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/22440/ Pollen sources foraged by domesticated stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) reared in gelam forests of Terengganu, Malaysia Muhammad Izzelen Izzauddin Mamat, Muhammad Faqih Luqman Fuaad, Nor Zalipah Mohamed, Shamsul Khamis, Chik Maslinda Omar, Daria Mathew Abdullah, Melittopalynological analysis is one of the principal tools used to reveal significant floral sources to bees. Gelam (Melaleuca spp.) forest provides habitat for bees and provision for high quality honey. However, the forests are declining due to anthropogenic activities which directly reduced the availability of botanical sources on which bees rely for survival. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the pollen sources preferred by domesticated stingless bees (Heterotrigona itama) reared in fragmented Gelam forests from two meliponiaries in Terengganu. The palynological analysis was carried out on pollen load foraged by the stingless bees. Thirty seven pollen types belonging to 13 plant families were collected from the pollen loads of 251 stingless bee foragers. Tiliagraphs with CONISS and rank abundance curves were used to illustrate the pollen grains preferred by H. itama. Results clearly showed that Melastoma malabathricum and Cyperus aromaticus were the most frequently visited and vital pollen sources for H. itama in the Gelam forests. Interestingly, Gelam (Melaleuca cajuputi) pollen is one of the floral sources, suggesting that Gelam is one of the preferred pollen and nectar sources for stingless bees. This study discovered a causal link between the fragmentation of Gelam forests and the low abundance of Melaleuca cajuputi pollen foraged by H. itama. Information on this dynamic is critically important for maintaining the health of bee colonies as well as for the conservation efforts of Gelam forests in Terengganu, Malaysia. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2023 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/22440/1/serangga_9.pdf Muhammad Izzelen Izzauddin Mamat, and Muhammad Faqih Luqman Fuaad, and Nor Zalipah Mohamed, and Shamsul Khamis, and Chik Maslinda Omar, and Daria Mathew Abdullah, (2023) Pollen sources foraged by domesticated stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) reared in gelam forests of Terengganu, Malaysia. Serangga, 28 (2). pp. 120-138. ISSN 1394-5130 https://ejournals.ukm.my/serangga/issue/view/1612/showToc
spellingShingle Muhammad Izzelen Izzauddin Mamat,
Muhammad Faqih Luqman Fuaad,
Nor Zalipah Mohamed,
Shamsul Khamis,
Chik Maslinda Omar,
Daria Mathew Abdullah,
Pollen sources foraged by domesticated stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) reared in gelam forests of Terengganu, Malaysia
title Pollen sources foraged by domesticated stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) reared in gelam forests of Terengganu, Malaysia
title_full Pollen sources foraged by domesticated stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) reared in gelam forests of Terengganu, Malaysia
title_fullStr Pollen sources foraged by domesticated stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) reared in gelam forests of Terengganu, Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed Pollen sources foraged by domesticated stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) reared in gelam forests of Terengganu, Malaysia
title_short Pollen sources foraged by domesticated stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) reared in gelam forests of Terengganu, Malaysia
title_sort pollen sources foraged by domesticated stingless bee (heterotrigona itama) reared in gelam forests of terengganu, malaysia
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/22440/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/22440/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/22440/1/serangga_9.pdf