Ecologia da polinização de taperebá (Spondias mombin L., Anacardiaceae) em área de floresta secundária no município de Santo Antônio do Tauá, Pará, Brasil

Abstract

The objective of this study was to characterize the pollination system of Spondias mombin L., through its phenology, floral biology, reproductive system and floral visitors. Spondias mombin blossomed during the dry station and produced mature fruits in the rainy station. It is an andromonoic species, that produces hermaphrodites and masculine flowers similars numbers and pollen viability. The analysis of pollen/ovule ratio showed that this species fits in the xenogamic reproductive system, and it needs the cross-pollination realized by insects. Spondias mombin was visited by a variety of small and generalistic insects as bees, flies, wasps and beetles. The bees Apis mellifera Linneu, 1758, Tetragona goettei (Friese, 1900) and Trigona hyalinata (Lepeletier, 1836) showed higher frequency and, their behavior to touch the reproductive parts of the flowers, suggest that they are the main pollinators of this plant species. In addition, the analysis of the collected pollen by the main pollinators demonstrated the fidelity of them to the taperebá and the great power of recruitment of this species.