Pollinators in the city: floral resource availability and interaction structure in a tropical urban area

Urbanization threatens biodiversity, yet urban green spaces can sustain pollinators vital for ecosystem functioning. This study examines plant-pollinator interactions in the tropical urban area of Unaí, MG, Brazil, addressing whether interactions are specialized and modular, whether native and non-native plants differ in specialization and network roles, and whether pollinator groups and floral traits drive interaction patterns. From October 2023 to May 2024, we recorded 350 interactions between 20 plant and 44 pollinator species. The network was significantly modular and specialized, with generalist stingless bees, particularly Paratrigona lineata, acting as critical hubs connecting modules. Non-native plants such as Tecoma stans had more interaction partners and were less specialized than native plants. Bees were less specialized than other pollinators. Factor Analysis of Mixed Data revealed no strong association between pollinator groups and specific floral traits, indicating generalist foraging driven by resource availability predominates. Urban areas can maintain diverse pollinator communities but are characterized by low functional redundancy and high dependence on a few generalist bee species. Conservation efforts should prioritize increasing native plant diversity with extended blooming periods to enhance resource continuity and support both generalist and specialist pollinators, thereby promoting the resilience of urban pollination networks in tropical regions.