Keywords
Spathodea campanulata
functional diversity
invasive species
functional filter
How to Cite
Abstract
Stingless bees (tribe Meliponini) are key pollinators in tropical ecosystems, but they face threats from invasive species such as Spathodea campanulata, whose nectar can be toxic. This study evaluated the impact of S. campanulata on the functional diversity of stingless bees in the Bicentennial Park of San Salvador. Dead meliponine bees were collected from S. campanulata flowers between January and December 2023, and functional diversity indices (richness, evenness, and divergence) were analyzed. The results revealed that the impact of the invasive plant is nonlinear and context-dependent, rather than a simple function of its floral abundance. Marked fluctuations were observed in functional richness and divergence, with lows in April (low flowering) and September. Notably, the functional collapse in September occurred despite a flowering peak of S. campanulata, coinciding with the mass-flowering of native flora, which suggests that competition from alternative resources modulates bee exposure. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering revealed that genera such as Trigona and Scaptotrigona, characterized by high-efficiency foraging traits, showed greater vulnerability, whereas genera such as Nannotrigona and Plebeia, with low-profile strategies, exhibited lower exposure. These findings suggest that S. campanulata acts as a functional filter that negatively selects against highrisk strategies, thereby reducing the functional diversity of meliponine communities.
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