Directly contributing to human well-being, pollination is one of the most studied ecosystem services, the effect of which can be measured in order to incentivize preservation.
Focused on two protected areas in Brazil—Serra da Bocaina in the Amazon Forest and Mata do Jambreiro in the Atlantic Forest—this study calculates both monetary and non-monetary values of pollination services provided by bees in the surroundings.
Using data on land cover and use, the authors estimated the size of agricultural areas and their dependence on animal pollination. Derived from GBIF-mediated occurrences, they compiled a list of bee species and estimated their maximum foraging distance.
In Serra da Bocaina, they identified 17 agricultural crops with varying levels of pollination dependence, the annual value of which is estimated to $564,500. For Mata do Jambreiro, 16 crops are cultivated, of which half depend on pollination—estimated at a value of $246,000 per year.
The non-monetary valuation of pollination services provided by the two protected areas identified important areas with higher potential for nesting and food resources in Canaã dos Carajás and Parauapebas for Bocaina—and, especially, Nova Lima for Jambreiro.