19th-century bee cells in a Panamanian cathedral shed light on human impact on ecosystems
Tuesday, January 28, 2020 - 14:00
in Biology & Nature
About 120 clusters of 19th-century orchid bee nests were found during restoration work on the altarpiece of Basilica Cathedral in Casco Viejo (Panamá). Having conducted the first pollen analysis for these extremely secretive insects, the researchers identified the presence of 48 plant species, representing 23 families. The findings give a precious insight into the role of natural ecosystems, their component species and the human impact on them.