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Ecological Palynology

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Aspects of Brazilian Floristic Diversity

Abstract

Ecological palynology is an interdisciplinary science dedicated to the study of pollen grains used by animals, particularly insects, to meet basic needs for nutrition, reproduction, and, ultimately, survival and species perpetuation. Animal–pollen interactions play an important role in nature: that of pollination. An important branch of ecological palynology is entomopalynology, which investigates the relationship between insects and pollen from different perspectives and through different associations. Bees and flowers are notable examples of such interactions. Flowers visited by bees can be traced by examining pollen grains stored in hives or present in bee products, including honey, propolis, and royal jelly. Pollen grains found in honey can provide information on botanical origin and geographical distribution. This type of investigation belongs to a field of science called melissopalynology. A more recent application of entomopalynology has been the examination of pollen ingested by entomophagous insects, such as ladybugs (Coccinellidae) and green lacewings (Chrysopidae), to identify trap and attractive plants. Conservation tactics contribute to the preservation of natural enemies, stimulate the use of more selective or less toxic insecticides, and, when combined with effective sampling of pests and natural enemies, can guide decision-makers on the suitability of insecticides for organic agriculture.

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Acknowledgments

We also thank the Rio de Janeiro Research Foundation (FAPERJ), the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) for the grants and financial support provided over the years.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Botânica, Laboratório de Palinologia, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (MN/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Claudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonça, Gabriel Henrique Gomes de Souza Freitas Teixeira & Vania Gonçalves-Esteves

  2. Instituto de Investigação em Tecnologias Agrárias e do Ambiente, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e do Ambiente, Universidade dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo, Ilha Terceira, Açores, Portugal

    Leila Nunes Morgado & Thiago Sampaio de Souza

  3. Departamento de Entomologia e Fitopatologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, RJ, Brazil

    Elen de Lima Aguiar-Menezes

  4. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, RJ, Brazil

    Elen de Lima Aguiar-Menezes, Vinicius José Fernandes & Alice Teodorio Lixa

  5. Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Roberto Lourenço Esteves

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  1. Claudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonça
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  2. Leila Nunes Morgado
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Correspondence to Claudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonça .

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  1. Departamento de Botânica, Laboratório Interativo em Etnobotânica (LinE) Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (MN/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Maria Franco Trindade Medeiros

  2. Departamento de Botânica, Laboratório de Anatomia Vegetal Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (MN/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Bárbara de Sá Haiad

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Mendonça, C.B.F. et al. (2022). Ecological Palynology. In: Medeiros, M.F.T., de Sá Haiad, B. (eds) Aspects of Brazilian Floristic Diversity . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07453-0_6

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