The traditional knowledge about the biodiversity of edible Brazilian fruits and their pollinators: an integrative review.

Abstract

Brazilian fruit trees are vital for food security, and their pollination is crucial. This study aimed to build a database of edible fruit trees and their pollinators in Brazil, integrating ethnobotanical and pollination ecology research. The database was built from an integrative review of ethnobotanical records of edible fruit plants and pollination biology research in Brazil. The data were then statistically treated with the Wilcoxon test to understand the influence of the origin factors (native and exotic) on species richness associated between the groups. In total, 175 ethnobotanical scientific articles were collected, and these cited the food consumption of 557 species of fruit trees. A total of 557 fruit tree species were identified, with only 29.4% having recorded pollinators. Exotic pollinators tend to prefer exotic plants, while native pollinators show greater versatility. Hymenoptera, especially bees, are the most important pollinators. A significant knowledge gap remains regarding the diversity of pollinators and their interactions with fruit trees. Increased research is needed to address this and ensure the conservation of these important food plants. The data presented in this study can provide a solid foundation for future research focused on pollination ecology and the conservation of important food plants in Brazil.