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Dryad

Data from: Ensuring pollinator presence in expanding oil crops: The case of Mystrops debilis (Nitidulidae) and the macauba palm (Acrocomia aculeata, Arecaceae)

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Apr 23, 2025 version files 692.14 KB

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Abstract

The macauba palm (Acrocomia aculeata, Arecaceae) is a Neotropical native oil palm, increasingly important in Central and South America due to rising demand for raw materials and its potential for bioenergy. Understanding its pollinator ecology is crucial to identifying new areas for cultivation. This study examines the structure of floral visitor communities, assesses pollinator abundances and variations, and highlights key pollinators across different A. aculeata population growth forms (wild, naturalized, and cultivated). We also projected optimal cultivation areas in Brazil and Colombia based on the presence of Mystrops debilis (Nitidulidae), a primary pollinator. Across all population growth forms, Coleoptera were the dominant flower-visiting insects, with 49 species recorded in association with A. aculeata inflorescences. Significant differences in species richness were observed between growth forms. Nonetheless, in all investigated populations, M. debilis and Andranthobius sp.1 (Curculionidae) were consistently the most dominant species and effective pollinators, with Pollinator Importance indices (PI) of 14.7 to 83.2% and 85.1 to 9.2% in Brazil and Colombia, respectively. Although the two species can act as efficient pollinators, M. debilis shows greater potential adaptability to human-altered environments due to its broad host preferences, being associated with 34  palm species, both native and exotic. Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) analysis identified multiple regions across a 26.6 latitudinal range in Brazil and Colombia as pollinator-sufficient areas for A. aculeata cultivation. In Colombia, these areas were concentrated in the Caribbean region (departments of Atlántico, Cesar, Magdalena, and Sucre), the Magdalena Medio region (Antioquia, Cauca, and Cundinamarca), and the Orinoquía region (Casanare and Meta). In Brazil, optimal pollination areas were predicted in the Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, and Caatinga ecoregions, spanning São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, and Mato Grosso. Incorporating pollinator dynamics into crop planning offers a promising strategy to enhance cultivation success across diverse regions.