# Effects of anthropogenic stress on stingless bees Melipona mandacaia (Hymenoptera: Apidae) inhabiting urban and natural environments-dataset

## TL;DR

This study examines how human activities affect the health of stingless bees in urban and natural areas of the Caatinga biome using biomarkers.

## Contribution

The dataset introduces a holistic approach using multiple biomarkers and the IBR index to assess bee health in response to anthropogenic stress.

## Key findings

- Biomarkers like ChE, CAT, GST, and LPO were used to evaluate bee health in different environments.
- The IBR v.1 index provided a comprehensive health assessment by integrating multiple biomarker responses.
- Bees from urban areas showed higher stress indicators compared to those from pristine environments.

## Abstract

This dataset provides a comprehensive analysis of the impacts of human-induced stress on bee species native to the Caatinga biome. Bees play a vital role as pollinators, significantly contributing to ecosystem health, but they face growing threats from human activities. This study evaluates the health status of Melipona mandacaia, a stingless bee, using biomarkers as indicators of anthropogenic stress, comparing bees from a pristine Caatinga biome with no recorded human pressure, and an urban area with high human pressure. The biomarkers analysed included cholinesterases (ChE) for neurotoxicity, catalase (CAT) for antioxidant responses, glutathione S-transferases (GST) for detoxification pathways, and lipid peroxidation (LPO) as an indicator of oxidative stress. Additionally, the Integrated Biomarker Response (IBR v.1) index is used to provide a holistic assessment of bee health by integrating multiple biomarkers into a single measure.