Floral Diversity in Different Types of Honey

Abstract Many different types of honey are available in the Brazilian market. They vary in color, flavor, smell, thereby increasing interest in honey characterization relating to botanical origin. A total of 155 honey samples belonging to Brazilian flora were examined on the pollen analysis; sampling is made in a span of one year. The preparation followed melisso palynological analysis based on the specific botanical variety. The pollen spectra revealed 60 pollen types belonging to 27 plant families and Myrtaceae, Fabaceae and Asteraceae were the dominant plant families. Few pollen types were found in most samples of honey. The families that showed major richness of pollen types were Fabaceae and Asteraceae. Only six floral sources of pollen plants and three floral sources of nectar plants appeared in the category of predominant pollen. The unifloral honeys were slightly more frequent than polyfloral, and wild floral species dominated most of the honey samples. These floral sources, even in minor parts in the honeys samples, are also part of the biological feature of theses honeys. The honeys from natural fields cannot be completely accounted by the term unifloral honeys.

Palinologia e a interação planta-abelha: Revisão de literatura / Palynology and plant-bee interaction: Literature review / Palinología y la interacción planta y abeja: Revisión de literatura

A Palinologia é responsável pelo estudo do pólen de angiospermas, esporos de pteridófitas e de fungos, cistos de algas, dinoflagelados, foraminíferos acritarcas e partículas de carvão. Três hipóteses embasam as análises palinológicas: (1) a chuva polínica vigente reflete a vegetação presente na área em estudo; (2) o acúmulo e a conservação dos palinomorfos não prejudicam a personificação da chuva polínica; e (3) a amostragem, o processamento químico, a contagem e a identificação dos palinomorfos reconstituem fielmente a chuva polínica da área. A aplicação da Palinologia nos diversos ramos da ciência torna-se viável graças à imensa variabilidade morfológica presente no pólen (ou nos palinomorfos), o que possibilita definir famílias, gêneros e espécies botânicas. As relações entre abelhas e plantas podem ser feitas por meio da análise do pólen transportado pelas fêmeas ou daquele armazenado em células de cria ou em potes de alimento. A interação entre abelhas e plantas está relacionada ao processo de polinização, responsável pela renovação da flora de vários ecossistemas.(AU)

Palynology is responsible for the study of angiosperms pollen, pteridophyte and fungal spores, algae cysts, dinoflagellates, actinic foraminifera and charcoal particles. Three hypotheses support palynological analyzes: (1) the pollen rain reflects the vegetation present in the study area; (2) the accumulation and conservation of palynomorphs do not impair the personification of pollen rain; and (3) the sampling, chemical processing, counting, and identification of palynomorphs faithfully reconstitute the pollen rain area. The application of palynology in the various branches of science becomes feasible due to the immense morphological variability present in pollen (or palynomorphs), which makes it possible to define families, genera and botanical species. The relationships between bees and plants can be made through the analysis of pollen carried by the female animals or stored in the breeding cells or food pots. The interaction between bees and plants is related to the pollination process, responsible for the renewal of the flora of several ecosystems.(AU)

La Palinología es responsable por el estudio del polen de angiospermas, esporos de pteridofitas y de hongos, quistes de algas, dinoflagelados, foraminíferos, acritarcas y partículas de carbón. Tres hipótesis embazan los análisis palinológicos: (1) la lluvia polínica vigente refleja la vegetación presente en el área en estudio; (2) el acúmulo y la conservación de los palinomorfos no perjudican la personificación de la lluvia polínica; y (3) el muestreo, el procesamiento químico, el conteo y la identificación de los palinomorfos reconstituyen fielmente la lluvia polínica del área. La aplicación de la Palinología en los diversos seguimientos de la ciencia se hace viable gracias a la inmensa variabilidad morfológica presente en el polen (o en los palinomorfos), lo que posibilita definir familias, géneros y especies botánicas. Las relaciones ente abejas y plantas pueden ser hechas a través del análisis del polen transportado por las hembras o de aquel almacenado en células de cría o en potes de alimentos. La interacción entre abejas y plantas está relacionada al proceso de polinización, responsable por la renovación de la flora de varios ecosistemas.(AU)

Nesting habits of Centris (Hemisiella) dichrootricha (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the Northern Cerrado of Brazil / Hábito de nidificación de Centris (Hemisiella) dichrootricha (Hymenoptera: Apidae) en el Cerrado Norte de Brasil

Abstract:The Neotropical bee Centris (Hemisiella) dichrootricha is a solitary bee that nests in pre-existing cavities that occur in the rain forest. This study describes the nesting biology of C. dichrootricha and its preference for nesting in Cerrado and gallery forest habitats. The study was conducted from January 2012 and December 2013, in Mirador State Park in the municipality of Formosa da Serra Negra, Maranhão State, Brazil. For this, wooden trap-nests of 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 mm in diameter were used; a total of 300 trap-nests were placed in the gallery forest and Cerrado areas, respectively. Traps were monitored monthly and all completed nests were collected and replaced with empty ones. The nests were then taken to the laboratory to analyze bee development and emergence, nests characteristics and parasites presence. The species used 29 of the trap-nests, which had diameters of 8, 10, 12 and 14 mm. A total of 87 C. dichrootricha specimens emerged. The nests were parasitized by two bee species, Mesocheira bicolor (Apinae) and Coelioxys sp. (Megachilinae), and one fly species, Antrax sp. (Diptera). The highest nesting incidence of 72.4 % was observed in the gallery forest, whereas only 27.6 % in the Cerrado; this difference in habitat use was significant (χ² = 5.56; p < 0.05; DF = 1). For the nests that were built in the gallery forest, 80.9% of the soil originated from the Cerrado. The females were significantly larger than the males (F1, 76 = 595.19; p < 0.001). There were 11 pollen types that belonged to six families. Pollen of the family Malpighiaceae was most frequently used, with four species represented (Byrsonima crassifolia, B. rotunda, B. spicata and Heteropterys sp.). C. dichrootricha showed a preference for nesting in cavities of various diameters in gallery forest sites. The present study provides a novel description of the nesting habits and biology of C. dichrootricha in habitats of Central/Southern Maranhão. C. dichrootricha primarily used resources from the Cerrado, including soil to build their nests, pollen and floral oils; we concluded that gallery forest and Cerrado areas are intrinsically related to the maintenance of local populations of this species. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (3): 1041-1056. Epub 2016 September 01.

ResumenCentris (Hemisiella) dichrootricha es una especie de abeja solitaria neotropical, que anida en cavidades preexistentes y vive en la selva tropical. El presente estudio describe la biología de anidación de C. dichrootricha y su preferencia de nidificación por áreas en Cerrado y Bosque de Galería. El área de estudio se localiza en el Parque Estadual de Mirador, municipio de Formosa da Serra Negra, Maranhão. El método empleado fue el de nidos trampa de madera de diferentes diámetros, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 y 16 mm, colocándose 300 nidos trampa por área. Las trampas fueron monitoreadas mensualmente y todos los nidos terminados fueron recogidos y sustituidos por otros vacíos. Los nidos completos fueron llevados al laboratorio para analizar el desarrollo de la abeja, la emergencia, las características de los nidos y la presencia de parásitos. La especie ocupó 29 nidos de los diámetros de 8, 10, 12 y 14 mm. Emergieron 87 individuos de C. dichrootricha. Los nidos fueron parasitados por tres especies: Mesocheira bicolor (Apinae), Coelioxys sp. (Megachilinae) y Antrax sp. (Diptera). En el Bosque de Galería se presentó la mayor nidificación (72.4 %) y en el Cerrado solamente 27.6 %, de esta forma, hubo diferencias significativas entre los hábitats (χ² = 5.56; p < 0.05; G. L.= 1). Los nidos fundados en el bosque de galería presentaron 80.9 % de sedimento originario del Cerrado. Las hembras fueron significativamente más grandes que los machos (F1, 76 = 595.19; p < 0.001). Hubo 11 tipos de polen pertenecientes a seis familias. Los tipos de polinización de la familia Malpighiaceae fueron los más representativos, con cuatro especies: Byrsonima crassifolia, B. rotunda, B. spicata y Heteropterys sp. C. dichrootricha mostró preferencia por nidificar en cavidades con diámetros variados y en el bosque de galería. El presente estudio contribuye con la descripción de los hábitos de nidificación y la biología de la especie para las áreas de Cerrado en la región centrosur de Maranhão. C. dichrootricha utilizó en su mayoría recursos provenientes del Cerrado, tanto sedimento para construir el nido, como material polínico y aceite floral. Estós datos indican que el bosque de galería y el Cerrado están intrínsecamente relacionados con el mantenimiento y conservación de C. dichrootricha.

Late Holocene Vegetation History and Early Evidence of Araucaria angustifolia in Caçapava do Sul in the Lowland Region of Rio Grande do Sul State, Southern Brazil

Little is known about the southernmost occurrence of small areas with Araucaria angustifolia populations in Caçapava do Sul in low elevated areas of Rio Grande do Sul State, about 130 km to the south of to the highlands of southern Brazil where the main distribution of Araucaria is found. This occurrence is about 130 km further south to the main area of Araucaria angustifolia which is on the highlands in southern Brazil. The question is whether this occurrence is natural, due to indigenous peoples, or due to plantation by post-Columbian settlers. To trace the origin of this little known southernmost existence of Araucaria angustifolia trees is of particular interest for conservation issues. To address this question we did a vegetation survey and studied a 150 cm-long radiocarbon dated sediment core from the Fazenda da Mônica by pollen analysis. The vegetation survey of the study area indicates that also other typical taxa of the Araucaria forest as well as the Atlantic lowland rainforest are found in the present-day semi-deciduous forest, such as Podocarpus, Ilex, Myrsine and Prunus for the former, and Alchornea, Moraceae, Arecaceae, and Myrtaceae for the later. The pollen record, due to bad pollen preservation, starts only after 44 cm core depth, which is about 515 cal yr BP old (AD 1490), indicating that Araucaria angustifolia as well as other Araucaria forest and Atlantic rainforest taxa occurred in this area since the beginning of the pollen record. The occurrence of these taxa can be seen as natural and not introduced during the post-Columbian colonisation. First settlers at the beginning of the 19th century reduced existing population of Araucaria markedly and in particular since about AD 1950. The population of Araucaria angustilfolia before the post-Columbian settlement was much larger than today.

Use of Propolis in Cancer Research.

Interest to develop new anticancer drugs and to design combination treatments with little or no secondary effects provides new scope for traditional phytochemicals in chemoprevention and therapy. Propolis is a known source of polyphenols, and flavonoids found in them have been widely studied as biochemical markers for botanical origin and in explaining their antioxidant capacity as a key factor in chemoprevention. Antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anticancer biological activities of propolis are known. Studies of cancer cells to measure the anticancer effect of propolis are designed with one carefully chosen component, and with extracts applied to cells in culture media. The antitumor effect of propolis and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), bioactive compound of propolis extract, is seen to be associated with its ability to initiate apoptosis of cancer cells. Chrysin is a flavonoid of interest to identify signaling molecules related to cancer. As cancer cells develop multidrug resistance (MDR) during chemotherapy, this opens a new avenue of research on cellular mechanisms of propolis components in combined treatments designed to overcome MDR. ABBREVIATIONS: BRP;- Brazilian red propolis CA;- caffeic acid CAPE-; phenetyl caffeate COX;- cyclooxygenase COX-1;- cyclooxygenase-1 COX-2;- cyclooxygenase-2 EEP-; ethanolic extract of propolis GPE;- grape polyphenols HUVEC;- human umbilical vein endothelial cells IFNγ;- interferon γ IgG-; immunoglobulin IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6-; interleukin family, interleukin-2, interleukin-6 iNOS;- inducible nitric oxide synthase LPS;- lipopolysacharide MDR -; multidrug resistance MMPs;- metalloproteinases MoDCs-; monocyte-derived dendritic cells NADPH-oxidase;- nicotin adenin dinucleotide phosphate oxidase NF-kB-; nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells NO-; nitric oxide OSF-; oral submucous fibrosis RNS-; reactive nitrogen species ROS-; reactive oxygen species STAT3;- cytokine-activated transcription factor in Th17 TNBC-; triple negative breast cancer TNF-α-; tumor necrosis factor TRAIL-; tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand TSCCa-; tongue squamous cell carcinoma STAT 3-; signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 Th17-; T helper 17 cell UPLC–qTOF;-MS/MS;- ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry VEGF;- vascular endothelial growth factor.

Nesting and use of pollen resources by Tetrapedia diversipes Klug (Apidae) in Atlantic Forest areas (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in different stages of regeneration

Nesting and use of pollen resources by Tetrapedia diversipes Klug (Apidae) in Atlantic Forest areas (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in different stages of regeneration. The nesting in trap-nests and use of pollen sources in larval food by Tetrapedia diversipes Klug, 1810 (Apidae) was compared between regenerating areas of Atlantic Forest. The study was conducted between April 2008 and October 2009 at União Biological Reserve, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. T. diversipes nested in 66 trap-nests and showed a peak of nesting during the months of highest rainfall. The most frequent pollen type in brood cells during the wet season was Dalechampia sp. 1. During the dry season, the type Ludwigia sp. was the most frequent, followed by Dalechampia sp. 2. The high frequency of Dalechampia and Ludwigia species in the larval food, observed in both habitats and in the two seasons could be considered relevant for T. diversipes, suggesting highly selective diet based primarily on two plant species unrelated, but similar in size of pollen grains.

Nidificação e uso de fontes de pólen por Tetrapedia diversipes Klug (Apidae) em áreas de Mata Atlântica (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil) em diferentes estágios de regeneração. A nidificação em ninhos-armadilha e o uso de fontes de pólen no alimento larval por Tetrapedia diversipes Klug, 1810 (Apidae) foram comparados entre áreas de Floresta Atlântica em regeneração. O estudo foi realizado entre abril de 2008 e outubro de 2009 na Reserva Biológica União, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. T. diversipes nidificou em 66 ninhos-armadilha e apresentou um pico de nidificação durante os meses de maior precipitação pluviométrica. O tipo polínico mais frequente nas células de cria durante a estação chuvosa foi Dalechampia sp. 1. Durante a estação seca, o tipo Ludwigia sp. foi o mais frequente, seguido de Dalechampia sp. 2. A alta frequência de espécies de Dalechampia e Ludwigia no alimento larval, observada em ambos os habitats e nas duas estações deve ser considerada um fato relevante para T. diversipes, sugerindo uma dieta altamente seletiva baseada primariamente em duas espécies vegetais não relacionadas, porém semelhantes quanto ao tamanho dos grãos de pólen.

Evaluation of the botanical origin of commercial dry bee pollen load batches using pollen analysis: a proposal for technical standardization

High quality of bee pollen for commercial purpose is required. In order to attend the consumer with the best identification of the botanical and floral origin of the product, 25 bee pollen batches were investigated using two techniques of pollen grain preparation. The first started to identify pollen loads of different colors in two grams of each well mixed batch, and the second to identify pollen grains in a pool made of all the pollen loads comprised in two grams. The best result was obtained by this last technique, when a pollen grain suspension was dropped on a microscope slide and circa 500 pollen grains were counted per sample. This analysis resulted in the recognition of monofloral and bifloral pollen batches, while the use of the first technique resulted in all samples receiving a heterofloral diagnosis.

É exigida alta qualidade para a comercialização de pólen apícola. A fim de atender o consumidor com a melhor identificação da origem botânica e floral do produto, 25 partidas de pólen apícola feram investigadas usande duas diferentes técnicas na preparação dos grãos de pólen. A primeira partiu da identificação das cargas polínicas contidas em dois gramas de cada partida bem misturada segundo suas cores. A segunda visava identificar os grãos de pólen de um agrupamento ("pool") de todas as cargas polínicas contidas em dois gramas de cada amostra. O melhor resultado foi obtido pela última técnica, quando uma suspensão de grãos de pólen era gotejada sobre uma lâmina de microscopia e cerca de 500 grãos de pólen eram centades por amostra. Esta análise resultou no reconhecimento de partidas monoflorais e biflorais de pólen apícola, enquanto que usando a primeira técnica, todas as amostras receberam a diagnose heterefloral.

Mel Amargo de Breu (Protium sp., Burseraceae)

A sample of bitter a honey collected in the Mucajaí county (Roraima, Brazil) forest of Apiaú, was analysed. The pollen analysis revealed a predominance of Protium pollen, comprising 60,9% of the total of pollen grains.

Foi analisada uma amostra de mel amargo procedente do Município de Mucajaí (Roraima, Brasil), Floresta de Apiaú. A análise polínica constatou a dominância de pólen de breu (Protium sp.) compreendendo 60,9% do total de grãos de pólen.