Can the anatomical structure of historical woods predict bee nesting in the cultural landscape of the Atlantic Forest?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5380/rf.v56i1.97370Keywords:
wood anatomy, Eufriesea, Xylocopa, wood heritage, nestsAbstract
This study aimed to analyze which anatomical attributes of wood influence bee nesting in old rural wooden buildings in the state of Santa Catarina, in the Atlantic Forest, to test the hypothesis that there is a relationship between wood structure and bee nesting preferences. Wood samples were collected from active bee nests. The wood was prepared, identified, and its anatomical attributes verified. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine which wood attribute best influenced bee species' selection of tree taxon. Two species of bees were identified: Eufriesea violacea (Euglossini) and Xylocopa frontalis (Xylocopini). E. violacea totalized 43 nests, in the woody taxa: Calophyllum brasiliense (Calophyllaceae), Maprounea guianensis (Euphorbiaceae), Heisteria silvianii (Olacaceae), Hyeronima alchorneoides (Phyllanthaceae), Casearia sylvestris (Salicaceae), Nectandra/Ocotea sp.4 (Lauraceae). E. violacea was found excavating its nests. X. frontalis totalized six nests, in the woody morphotype Nectandra/Ocotea sp. 2. and Nectandra/Ocotea sp. 3. The PCA showed, for wood attributes, that components 1 and 2 explained 50.12% of the variance of the data set, with principal component 1 explaining 29.11% (vessel element diameter, vessel frequency, fiber lumen diameter and fiber diameter), and principal component 2 21.0% (vessel element length and ray height). Attributes of vessel elements were the most influential on bee nesting in wood.
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