Agroforestry systems and meliponiculture in western Pará, Brazil: contributions to conservation, income, and ecosystem services

Integration of agroforestry systems (AFSs) with meliponiculture constitutes a promising strategy for combining environmental conservation, income generation in rural communities, and provision of ecosystem services, particularly in areas with high biodiversity, such as western Pará, Brazil. A systematic literature review was carried out to investigate this interaction, following the methodological criteria established by the PRISMA statement. The databases consulted included Science Direct, SciELO, Google Scholar, and the CAPES Journals portal, covering the period from 2014 to 2024. A total of 53 articles were selected, which were classified according to thematic lines related to interfaces between meliponiculture and AFSs. In the state of Pará, nine genera of stingless bees were identified, comprising 30 species, with prominence of the genera Melipona and Trigona . These genera are widely found in natural environments and in managed agroforestry arrangements. Pollination stood out as the key ecosystem service, exerting a direct effect on increased agroforestry yield, in situ maintenance of plant species of socioeconomic interest, and added value for honey from native bee species. Results also showed the strategic role of AFSs as drivers of ecological restoration on a landscape scale, contributing to carbon sequestration, climate resilience, and diversification of local economies, with direct effects on strengthening sustainable production chains.