Nest And Species Assemblage of Stingless Bees (Apidae: Meliponini) in Riparian Forests of Royal Belum State Park, Perak, Malaysia

Nur Qistina Abd Aziz; Norashikin Fauzi; Jayaraj Vijaya Kumaran; Nuramirah Mat Zain

Authors

Nur Qistina Abd Aziz Faculty of Earth Science, University Malaysia Kelantan, Kelantan, Malaysia
Norashikin Fauzi Faculty of Earth Science, University Malaysia Kelantan, Kelantan, Malaysia
Jayaraj Vijaya Kumaran Faculty of Earth Science, University Malaysia Kelantan, Kelantan, Malaysia
Nuramirah Mat Zain Faculty of Earth Science, University Malaysia Kelantan, Kelantan, Malaysia

Keywords:

Stingless bees, nest, abundance, riverine forest, Royal Belum State Park

Abstract

This study investigated the nest and species assemblage of stingless bees in riparian forests of Royal Belum State Park (RBSP), Perak, Malaysia. Sampling was conducted during dry and wet seasons. A total of five stingless bee species were recorded and the assemblage was strongly dominated by Lepidotrigona doipaensis, which contributed the highest proportion of individuals across both seasons. Diversity analyses revealed higher Shannon–Wiener diversity, Simpson’s diversity and Pielou’s evenness during the wet season, indicating a more balanced community structure compared to the dry season. Individual-based rarefaction curves showed more rapid species accumulation and complete species representation during the wet season and Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) based on Bray–Curtis dissimilarity indicated moderate seasonal turnover in assemblage structure driven primarily by changes in relative abundance. These findings highlight the ecological importance of protected riparian forests in supporting stingless bee diversity and provide baseline data for long-term monitoring and conservation in tropical forest ecosystems.