Optimizing survey effort for Euglossine bees in tropical forests

Abstract

Optimizing research efforts for biodiversity monitoring is crucial to conservation projects and actions to increase our ability to inform conservation priorities. However, it requires the financial and human capacity. Euglossini bees have been used in monitoring actions as successful bioindicators. Yet, relationships among variables and stressors are complex and can change over time, environment, and local conditions. Here we investigated the influence of sample area on sampling to maximize the cost-benefit ratio of collection effort and the relationship from Euglossini bees with environmental predictors at a mesoscale (25 km2) in central Amazonia considering PPBio plots structure. We found differences considering the sampling unit scale, including capturing different assemblage species compositions. Most bee species were sampled along the phosphorus gradient. Due to the growth of deforestation in the Amazon Forest, especially in the so-called “Arc of Deforestation”, these bees could provide quick and valuable information about landscape quality. Here we present part of the pieces from a giant puzzle that we still need to complete to provide conservation efforts for this group. Our work highlighted the need to consider soil and nutrient variables other than vegetation and distribute scents traps in larger areas instead of in small plots.