Articles
FLOWERS OF MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS FERTILIZED BY BEES IN ALGERIA MOUNTAINOUS AREA
Article number
955_38
Pages
263 – 268
Language
English
Abstract
This study is focused on floral resources favoured by wild bees and honey bees in the region of Bouira, part of the Ahl El Ksar mountain in northern Algeria.
One-third of the worlds crops require pollination to improve the quality of seeds and fruits, the great majority being pollinated by some of the ca. 25,000 species of bees.
In this context, our study has recorded nine plant species that belong to six plant families.
The Asteraceae family is the most favoured; its flowers are visited by 40 species.
Next comes the Labiateae family with 23 species and then the Cistaceae family with 11 species.
The Asteraceae and the Cistaceae families were preferred by both Megachilidae and Halictidae, the Brassicaceae were preferred by Andrenidae. The main plants that are favoured by social and solitary wild bees are Anacyclus clavatus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Cistus albidus and Leontodon hispidus. In terms of species richness our analyses show that the wild bee communities are very diverse.
This is due to the mild climate and rich flora of the region.
The fauna of wild bees we recorded is divided in four families and seven genera.
A significant diversity is noted for the Halictidae family.
Three species and one subspecies are new records for Algeria: Anthophora fulvitarsis, Andrena haemorrhoa, Lasioglossum arabs and Osmia latreillei subsp. iberoafricana. The maximum number of taxa is observed in April, coinciding with the flowering of most plants.
One-third of the worlds crops require pollination to improve the quality of seeds and fruits, the great majority being pollinated by some of the ca. 25,000 species of bees.
In this context, our study has recorded nine plant species that belong to six plant families.
The Asteraceae family is the most favoured; its flowers are visited by 40 species.
Next comes the Labiateae family with 23 species and then the Cistaceae family with 11 species.
The Asteraceae and the Cistaceae families were preferred by both Megachilidae and Halictidae, the Brassicaceae were preferred by Andrenidae. The main plants that are favoured by social and solitary wild bees are Anacyclus clavatus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Cistus albidus and Leontodon hispidus. In terms of species richness our analyses show that the wild bee communities are very diverse.
This is due to the mild climate and rich flora of the region.
The fauna of wild bees we recorded is divided in four families and seven genera.
A significant diversity is noted for the Halictidae family.
Three species and one subspecies are new records for Algeria: Anthophora fulvitarsis, Andrena haemorrhoa, Lasioglossum arabs and Osmia latreillei subsp. iberoafricana. The maximum number of taxa is observed in April, coinciding with the flowering of most plants.
Authors
L. Bendifallah, N. Razkallah , S. Razkallah
Keywords
plants, pollination, Apoidea, Ahl El Ksar mountain, northern region
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