Bees in agroforestry systems in the Cerrado

Abstract

In the Cerrado, the Brazilian savanna, studies on the relationship of agroforestry systems (AFS) with the edaphic and biotic factors are still incipient. In this study, the community of bees in AFS in the Brazilian Cerrado was characterized for structural parameters and composition of these systems with respect to the richness and abundance of bees. It was determined that 56 individuals, representing 3 families, 7 subfamilies, and 21 species of bees, existed in this area, mostly exhibiting solitary behavior or shareholders agreement. A higher abundance of bee species was found in the AFS than in the grazing areas. Greater shadowing of the agroforestry environment presented greater richness of species found in the area, but the same was not observed for the abundance of bees.