PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE

FACULTAD DE AGRONOMIA E INGENIERIA FORESTAL

DIRECCION DE INVESTIGACION Y POSTGRADO
MAGISTER EN RECURSOS NATURALES

DETERMINATION OF SUITABLE ZONES FOR APITOURISTIC USING MULTI-

CRITERIA EVALUATION IN GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM: CASE
STUDY IN OHIGGINS REGION, CHILE

Thesis presented as requisite to obtain the degree of

Magister en Recursos Naturales

by:

Gabriel Pantoja Rivera

Thesis Committee
Gloria Montenegro Rizzardini, Advisor
Miguel Gmez Unjidos
Claudio Contreras Carvajal

March 2016
Santiago-Chile

1
 Acknowledgement

The researchers thank Fondo de Innovacin para la Competitividad (FIC) of Ohiggins

Region, which financed the project ID 30126395-0 Programa de desarrollo de
Biozonas Apcolas para la valorizacin de su Cadena de Valor, the scholarship
National Masters Degree granted by Comisin Nacional de Investigacin Cientfica and
Tecnolgica (CONICYT), financing the postgraduate study where this research belongs
to, Asociacin Gremial APIUNISEXTA, and the beekeepers of the Region supporting
this study.

2
 Table of contents

Abstract 6

Introduction 7

Materials and methods 10

STUDY AREA 10
CONCEPTUAL MODEL 11
DATABASE CREATION AND MANAGEMENT 12
SPATIAL AND MULTICRITERIA ANALYSIS 14
VALIDATION 15
IMPORTANCE OF PLANT SPECIES 16

Results and discussion 17

DATA BASE AND DATA MANAGEMENT 17

SPATIAL AND MULTI-CRITERIA ANALYSIS 19
VALIDATION 22
IMPORTANCE OF PLANT SPECIES 24

Conclusions 27

References 28

3
 Table of figures and tables

FIGURE 1. STUDY AREA: REGION OF LIBERTADOR GENERAL BERNARDO O'HIGGINS. 10

FIGURE 2. CONCEPTUAL MODEL. 11

FIGURE 3. FACTORS AND RESTRICTIONS USED IN THE MODEL OF APITOURISTIC SUITABILITY. 17

FIGURE 4. MAP OF APITOURISTIC SUITABILITY FOR THE OHIGGINS REGION. 20

FIGURE 5. MAP OF APITOURISTIC SUITABILITY FOR THE SECTOR IN THE TINGUIRIRICA RIVER BASIN. 21

FIGURE 6. FREQUENCY HISTOGRAM OF 196 GEORREFERENTIATED AND SAMPLED APIARIES. 22

FIGURE 7. PARAMETER GRAPHICS OF THE GENERALIZED LINEAR MODEL AND MODEL VALIDATION. 24

TABLE 1. DATA AND SOURCES. 12

TABLE 2. PLANT SPECIES/ LAND USE AND THEIR SCORE USED FOR CREATION A VEGETATION FACTOR. 18

TABLE 3. PAIRED COMPARISON MATRIX. 19

TABLE 4. INDEX OF IMPORTANCE VALUE (IVI) FOR PLANT SPECIES. 25

4
 Chapter 1

Determination of suitable zones for apitouristic using multi-criteria

evaluation in geographic information system: case study in OHiggins

Region, Chile

Gabriel Pantoja, Miguel Gmez, Claudio Contreras and Gloria Montenegro

Departamento de Ciencias Vegetales, Facultad de Agronoma e Ingeniera

Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Catlica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

This chapter will be submitted The Journal of Apicultural Research

(March 2016)

5
Abstract
Beekeeping has become a significant productive and agricultural activity in the
economic, social and environmental areas. However, more studies on apiaries
localization are needed, in order to promote beekeeping activity, and crops promotion
through pollination, which leads to better profitability. Linking beekeeping to natural
tourism provides higher value to the sector, by installing beehives in prioritized-tourism-
sites; thus, the new concept of apitouristic was born. The analysis of multi-criteria
decision is a group of techniques developed through a Geographic Information System,
focused on spatial decision making. This work is based on the definition and weighting
of multi-criteria for evaluation of the apitouristic suitability in the territory, considering the
opinion of beekeepers and professionals related to the sector. The result is a map of
apitouristic suitability, which includes seven factors: vegetation, tourism, precipitation,
temperature, roads, river and GM crops, and three restrictions: soil use, roads and wild
areas protected by the State. The model allowed the localization of sites where the
resources and efforts for apitouristic development are priority. The Generalized Linear
Model and localization of 196 apiaries were used, in order to validate the GIS model.
Additionally, an index of importance value for the main plant species found was
calculated in the melisopalinological of honeys.

Key words: Land-use suitability analysis, Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA),

Beekeeping, tourism, Geographic information systems (GIS), melliferous plant

6
Introduction
In many developing countries, beekeeping plays an important role on overcoming
poverty in rural areas, due to the additional incomes provided by selling beehive
products. Honey is the main natural product from Apis mellifera L., derived from flowers
(floral honey), in secretions of living parts of plants, or excretions from sucking insects
(honeydew honey), found, collected, gathered, transformed and stored by bees in the
combs of the hive (Crane., 1985; Di Marco et al., 2012). In addition to honey production,
bees play a very significant role on pollination of different plant species (Danforth and
Sipes, 2006). Estimates have been accounted for around 90% of flowering plants
needing pollination, and approximately 75% of these plants serving as food (Basualdo
and Bedascarrasbure, 2003). Namely, many cultivated plants or species intrinsically
associated would not exist without bees; thus, a world without bees would be rather
different to the world we know (Gallego, 1997).

Among countries exporting honey, Chile currently ranks 20th, as in previous years,
which remains as the main primary farming product with export value, surpassing cattle
and ovine meat (Barrera and Valds, 2014). In fact, a study by Glara (2013) indicates
that some of the most profitable non-timber-forest products currently derive from
beekeeping. Additionally, it is predicted that the consumption of these products will
increase. Clear evidence that Chilean beekeeping is growing is that the Comisin
Nacional Apcola met for the first time in May of 2014, where public-private work sub-
commissions were formed. Sustainability and territory was one of the main concepts
of the commission.

Based on the growing demand for honeys with geographic designation and special
features, preserving plant melliferous species and their respective pollinating agents
becomes essential (Namdar-Irani and Quezada, 2006). Therefore, more effort on
preservation of shrubland (matorral) and sclerophyllous forest, as well as honey bees
supporting their pollination. In fact, this plant communities of Central Chile has high

7
ecological value due to the high endemic levels; it is regarded as a priority conservation
area around the world (Myers et al., 2000). In Central Chile, sustainable beekeeping
has enabled the recovery of matorral and sclerophyllous forest (Glara, 2013).

According to Crcamo (2010), honey production is uneven in the Ohiggins Region and
concentrated on micro-enterprises, which appears to provide valuable and sustainable
work; but there are sanitary, commercialization and technological transference
breaches, among other factors. This leads to a lack of a common long-term view among
producers, and the subsequent gap for improving competitiveness. There are
approximately 1,000 beekeepers in the region, large, medium and small producers,
arranged through the 3 provinces.

Linking beekeeping to other areas like tourism adds higher value to the sector; the
current tendency tends to ecotourism and agrotourism. Apitouristic consists on a guided
visit to an apiary, where the tourist will wear a beekeeper suit, know about beekeeping
and apitherapy, and will taste hive-derived-products. The opportunity for new
experiences on specific natural and cultural realities in a region is increasingly fostering
tourist trips (Wo, 2014). Many countries show documented cases on apitouristic;
Slovenia pioneers on apiroutes implementation, where ideal ecosystems favor the
activity, which strengthens sustainability and environmentally friendly projects (ivic,
2013).

Beekeepers, government, private agents, and academic representatives must agree on

beehives location in the territory, where each group will indicate their preferences for
ideal apitouristic sites. However, the decision is complex, and opinions will normally be
confronted; for example, GM crops and the application of neonicotinoid pesticides
represent a symbol on how difficult is to make different actors reach an agreement.

The multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) is a group of techniques supporting decision

8
making and providing a frame consisting on multiple evaluation opinions and criteria;
then, the appropriate course of action is selected. Malczewski (2006) studied the
increased use of the technique and the synergic supplementary use of geographic
information systems (GIS) in recent decades. The same occurs with a wide range of
applications, such as: assessment of the ecological capacity in multiple territory use
(Babaie-Kafaky et al., 2009); assessment of territory suitability for beekeeping (Amiri
and Shariff, 2012); management of water resources (Yang et al., 2011); spatial planning
(Geneletti, 2007); transport infrastructure (Jha et al., 2001); waste disposal (Leo et al.,
2004); urban planning (Gomes and Lins, 2002); environmental planning (Bojrquez-
Tapia et al., 2001) and forest restoration (Orsi et al., 2010), among others.

The main purpose of this study was the evaluation of apitouristic suitability in the
OHiggins Region, by means of GIS and MCDA techniques. The study presents an
empirical method for land suitability analysis, involving actors and experts on decision
making. As a result, a map of apitouristic suitability was made, and validated by
statistical analysis and honey samples from apiaries in the area whose botanical origin
was previously analysed.

9
Materials and methods
Study area
The study area (Figure 1) corresponded to the Region of Libertador General Bernardo
OHiggins in central Chile (16.365 km2 in surface and spatial contrasts generating
elements like relief), represents an adequate area for a study of this kind. This region
presents a Mediterranean type-climate with winter rains, mild temperature and long dry
season in summer (Di Castri and Hajek, 1976). Cold climate is recognizable in high
mountains, caused mainly by height. In regard to relief, the territory consist of four
major units: well-developed coastal plains, the Coastal Mountain Range, the
Longitudinal Central Valley and the Andean Mountain Range (Snchez and Carvacho,
2006).

Figure 1. Study area: Region of Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins.

10
Conceptual model
The methodology reflects the process of decision making by Simon (1960), involving
tools from geographic information systems (GIS) and multicriteria decision analysis
(MCDA) in a conceptual model adapted from Estoque and Murayama (2010) (Figure 2).
The conceptual model basically consists of three stages: i) Database creation and
management; ii) Spatial and multicriteria analysis; iii) Statistical validation. The
database creation and management includes collection of primary and secondary data
and preparation of thematic layers for analysis. The spatial and multicriteria analysis
involves evaluation, prioritization and weight assignment to criteria: factors and
restrictions, including also Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Finally, the model
includes a validation component providing the opportunity for truthfulness determination
of the suitability map and generate a final suitability map.

Figure 2. Conceptual model. Adapted from Estoque and Murayama (2010).

11
Database creation and management
In order to determine adequate sites for apitouristic in the Ohiggins Region, using data
from different sources (Table 1). Data are of free access from the Internet or by a
request to Transparency Law, except by the survey and the analysis of honey samples.
This represents an advantage as the study may be easily duplicated or elaborated at a
different scale (for example, at domestic level) or as an example for similar studies. The
spatial data were aligned and worked in the program ArcGIS, version 10 (1999-2010
ESRI Inc.).
Table 1. Data and sources.
Data Sources

Catastro del bosque nativo CIREN and CONAF (2013)

Sistema Nacional de reas Silvestres

Protegidas del Estado (SNASPE), Regional Government
Prioritary tourism areas and road network

Sistema Geogrfico de Consulta

GM crops Apcola Nacional del Servicio Agricola
y Ganadero. Season: 2012-2013

Annual precipitation and anual mnimum

Hijmans et al. (2005)
temperature

Rivers and streams Albers (2012)

"Programa de desarrollo de Biozonas

Analysis 196 honey samples
Apcolas para la valorizacin de su
georeferenced
Cadena de Valor " ID: 30126395-0.

Survey Expert opinion

For the analysis of the multicriteria decision, criteria and preferences were combined,
and because the data are in different units of measurement (distance in meters,
precipitation in mm, temperature in C, etc.), each layer was necessarily transformed to
intercomparable units (Malczewski, 1999). Therefore, a normalization process was
carried out considering value function converting score of original criteria on degrees of

12
convenience, according to the type of criterion.

Land use and the presence of native melliferous species were considered to elaborate
the vegetation factor; tourism already included an index of tourism priority; then, all the
polygons were simply divided by the highest value; the areas of influence of genetically
modified crops determined by Servicio Agrcola y Ganadero were used by the factor
GM crops, by a 5-and-10-kilometer-buffer; the Euclidean distance was used for the
factors roads and rivers, that is, a higher suitability is observed as the road or the river
is closer; fuzzy membership was used for temperature and precipitation, a tool that
already transforms values into a scale from 0 to 1.

In the case of the restrictions, they represent areas where beekeeping is not suitable:
Land use; SNASPE and road net. This raster layers were reclassified from inputs to
values of 1 (suitable), and 0 (unsuitable). A threshold based on suitability levels was
determined for each layer, in order to extract the most preferred sites (this is, adjacent
pixels with high suitability levels), representing potential sites for apitouristic
development. Thirty meter cells were used for all the criteria

One hundred and ninety six honeys from the Region were sampled between 2011-
2013; the botanic origin was determined by melisopalinological analysis, according to
the standard NCH 2981.OF2005 (Montenegro et al., 2008).

Prioritizing species is essential to build a layer of native melliferous vegetation, a

complex work in beekeeping, because there are different scopes and interests. The
environments affecting within the hive depend on the function developed in a specific
moment, like maintenance (winter), reproduction (spring-summer) and production
(spring-summer, depending on the product). In the case of products, honey production
is the most important in the region, and where the objectives of this study are focused
on. The results of the beekeepers survey were adapted and applied, in order to

13
prioritize native melliferous plant species, combined with the frequency and abundance
of the plant species in the melisopalinological analyses to the honey samples, and
literature review (Montenegro, 2012; ODEPA, 2009). The prioritization of native plant
species does not pretend to determine which species has better quality, or large honey
quantity, but only to reduce the number of species to work with, in order to elaborate the
vegetation layer to be included in the model.

A survey was elaborated by the methodology described by Geneletti (2008), opinion of

interested parties was investigated to identify socio-economic and environmental
criteria (Bojrquez-Tapia, 2003) defining the apitouristic suitability of the territory. A
preliminary list with workers linked to beekeeping was elaborated, asking them to invite
additional people. 32 surveys were made with interest parties belonging to academic
institutions, governmental workers and beekeepers. The surveys were made
individually and online. In the course of the investigation, the results of the survey
allowed to establish the criteria and their weights, identify the plant species to prioritize,
always in contrast to literature including the FAO (1987) guidelines.

Spatial and multicriteria analysis

If the reflections by Barredo (1996) on multicriteria evaluation are applied, in this case,
the factors are all the aspects determining apitouristic suitability of the area under study,
positively or negatively, such as: vegetation, GM crops, tourism, roads, precipitation,
temperature and rivers. On the other hand, the restrictions are the aspects representing
a prohibition or unsuitability in the area under study for apitouristic. The analytic
hierarchy process (AHP) proposed by Saaty (1977) was used for assigning weights to
the factors, and as rule of decision, with the help of the raster calculator tool, use the
weighted linear combination (WLC) (equation 1).

=
=1

Equation 1

14
 where:
ri: Land use suitability for the location of a apitouristic project.
wj: Weight of criterion j.
eij: Normalized value of the alternative i in the criterion j.
n: Number of criteria involved in the research.

The consistency index was used to assess the consistency of the comparison matrix
per factor pair, as defined by Mendoza and Macoun (1999), who state that a maximum
consistency index of 10% is accepted, when a large matrix is used, with a number of
factors higher or equal to 5.

Validation
The Generalized Linear Model (GLM) was used to validate the spatial model. First, a
651-point-net was built, each point equidistant at 5 km. Then, the factor values,
restrictions and model were obtained, using the tool extracting multiple values to
points. The matrix was arranged by the following group of vectors: the dependent
variable is the apitouristic suitability (ATS), the independent variables (factors) were
seven: Tourism, Temperature, Precipitation, Roads, Vegetation, GM crops and Rivers
(aX1+bX2+...zXn ) and the independent Bernoulli type variables (restrictions) were three:
SNASPE, roads and soil use (A*B*N). A predictive multiple linear model was
elaborated (equation 2).

= () = (1 + 2 +. . . ) Equation 2

The variables not explaining the ATS in the model were eliminated by statistical
methods, and the variable fulfilling homoscedasticity assumptions and residual
normality was selected. The following procedure was made for model validation: the
ATS for the 169 points of sampled apiaries was estimated; then, they were compared to
the ATS measured in the GIS map elaborated. The comparison was carried out by

15
simple-linear regressions and the chi2 independence test, where Ho = independent
models and Ha = dependent models.

Importance of plant species

A modified index of importance value (IVI) proposed by Curtis and Mcintosh (1951) was
estimated and analyzed using the botanic origin of honeys. Therefore, the dominance of
each species was hierarchized. Each honey sample was used as a unit of analysis for
IVI estimation (Equation 3).

IVI = DR + AR + FR Equation 3

where:
DR = relative dominance, corresponding to the pollen percentage in each sample, and
estimated as absolute dominance by species, divided by absolute dominance of all
species.
AR = relative abundance, calculated as the species average in each honey sample,
divided by the total sum of averages.
FR = relative frequency, calculated as the number of honey samples where the species
is, divided by the total of samples.

16
Results and discussion
Data base and data management
Ten criteria were selected (7 factors and 3 restrictions), which fulfilled the following
requirements (Figure 3): spatial characteristic, data availability and significant data
variability in the study area.

Figure 3. Criteria: factors and restrictions used in the model of apitouristic suitability. Factors are:
Land use/ Native vegetation, Tourism, GM crops, Road, River, Temperature and Precipitation.
Restrictions are: Land use, SNASPE and Road.

17
Land use and the presence of native melliferous species were considered to elaborate
the vegetation factor (Table 2). Three soil uses scored values different to zero; the
agricultural lands scored the lowest value. This decision is justified because pesticides
are more extensively used in agricultural areas, causing a diminished bee reproduction,
and, therefore, the population is restrained. Moreover, the indiscriminate use of
agrochemical products is identified as one of the main factors for the Colony Collapse
Disorder (CCD) (Farooqui, 2013).

Table 2. Plant species, land uses and their score used for creation a vegetation factor.
Plant species / Land use Score

Cryptocarya alba, Escallonia pulvurulenta, Kagenckia oblonga, Lithraea

1.00
caustica, Quillaja saponaria, Retanilla trinervia, Baccharis linearis

Colliguaja odorfera, Jubaea chilensis, Salix humboldtiana, Schinus

0.95
latifolius, Retanilla quinquinervia

Aristotelia chilensis, Echinopsis chiloensis, Puya berteroniana, Puya

0.90
chilensis

Acacia caven 0.80

Natural prairies 0.70

Agricultural areas 0.60

Restrictions represent areas where beekeeping is not suitable: Land use (waterbodies,
urban areas, industrial areas, barren areas, snow and glaciers); road net with 50-m-
buffer to avoid theft or vandalism and SNASPE that involves three areas (Reserva
Nacional Rio Los Cipreses, Parque Nacional Las Palmas de Cocaln and Santuario de
la Naturaleza Alto Huemul).

Maintaining wild areas protected from beekeeping becomes relevant, as bees may
cause negative effects on the ecosystem, like competition with native pollinators for
floral resources, introduction of pathogens and pollination of exotic weeds, among

18
others (Goulson, 2003).

It is important to mention that some criteria useful for determining suitable sites for
beekeeping were excluded from this study, because of the lack of data. Firstly, the
criterion on diseases affecting bees is significant, because pathogen-free-sites may be
prioritized, avoiding a higher incidence of Varroa destructor mite, Loque americana
bacteria, Nosema ceranae microsporidia, among other diseases, (Alexandra et al.,
2015), and, secondly, electromagnetic radiation (from cellphones, for example) would
influence bees negatively, causing an abnormal sound called worker-piping (Favre,
2011).

Spatial and multi-criteria analysis

According to Table 3, the most important criterion was vegetation (53.49%), followed by
tourism (17.00%). The objective was successfully achieved, as this study intended the
identification of sites suitable for beekeeping in tourism-priority-zones. In general, the
results were coherent with authors publishing model weights, where vegetation shows
the highest weights (Estoque and Murayama, 2010; Mohd et al., 2008; Sani et al.,
2012). However, in the case of climatological data, this study showed a low weighting
(4%), which differ from the proposals by Sani et al. (2012), who estimated the
beekeeping suitability in the most important floral zone in Iran, where importance is
appointed to climate (around 14 %), maybe because this country is drier, and ideal
ecosystems for bees are scarce.

Table 3. Paired comparison matrix.

Vegetation Tourism Gm crops Temperature Precipitation River Road Weight
Vegetation 1 5 9 9 9 9 9 0,5349
Tourism 1/5 1 3 5 5 2 6 0,1700
GM crops 1/9 1/3 1 3 3 1/2 2 0,0715
Temperature 1/9 1/5 1/3 1 1 1/4 3 0,0403
Precipitation 1/9 1/5 1/3 1 1 1/4 3 0,0403
River 1/9 1/2 2 4 4 1 6 0,1168
Road 1/9 1/6 1/2 1/3 1/3 1/6 1 0,0259
Consistency ratio = 6.9 %

19
The index of consistency was 6.9 % (Table 3), which is acceptable, this is, the value
judgements assigned are coherent, without requiring fit or review. Therefore, the index
transforms into an initial sensitivity analysis of the model. However, observations on
index changes if a factor is added or eliminated would be of interest, in order to avoid
problems like range change (Moreno, 2002).

The values of suitability were estimated for the whole Ohiggins Region, using the
weights from the AHP and WLC in the thematic layers representing factors and
constraints, in order to develop apitouristic activity. The suitability was classified in three
ranges: 0 to 0.56 (low suitable); 0.56 to 0.84 (suitable); 0.84 to 0.98 (high suitable)
(Figure 4), the cut-off values of these ranges were provided by standard deviation,
which was the best method to fit to the main objective of the study.

Figure 4. Map of apitouristic suitability for the OHiggins Region.

20
The objective was to select the most appropriate zone, corresponding in this case to the
Southeast area of the Region (the basin of the Tinguiririca river) This area,
corresponding to a corridor-shaped-environment, shows particularities and uses
empowering its development, unlike other valleys in Central Chile. Additionally, the area
corresponds to tourism sites like Termas del Flaco, Huellas del Dinosaurio, Sierras de
Bellavista, Puente Negro, all of which adds up to the high values of beekeeping
suitability, due to the presence of native vegetation and beekeeping development. This
development is explained by beekeepers working in the sector, providing interesting
apitouristic spaces. In this zone, the apitouristic suitability was classified in three
ranges: 0 to 0.44 (low suitable); 0.44 to 0.59 (suitable); 0.59 to 0.95 (high suitable)
(Figure 5), the cut-off values of these ranges were obtained from the quantile method,
which was the most adequate for local scale.

Figure 5. Map of apitouristic suitability for the sector in the Tinguiririca river basin.

21
Rapel lake and the coastal sector Pichilemu-Bucalemu represent alternatives to the
zone described above (Figure 4). Pichilemu-Bucalemu showed the highest index of
tourism priority in the Region, especially the sector Las Comillas, where the family
enterprise Apiturismo Las Comillas has worked since 2006, promoting and exploiting
honey, in order to generate a novel and educational environment. This enterprise
displays the process of honey generation, honey syrup and natural pollen from flowers
and native trees in the area. Additionally, they sell a wide variety of handicraft, and
other services like entertainment for children and picnic zone. This example of
apitouristic is well documented by Katherine Shiffler (2014) in Api-Tourism as Added-
Value: The Case of La Ruta de la Miel in Chile.

Validation
In general, the 196 apiaries already existing are located in areas considered adequate
for apitouristic (Figure 6), in zones where the model suitability was higher (0.5). Even,
around 100 apiaries show a pixel equal or higher than 0.8, which correspond to very
adequate zones, according to the classification proposed by the map of regional
suitability (Figure 4). The result is positive and, preliminarily, it validates the model.

Figure 6. Frequency histogram of 196 georreferentiated and sampled apiaries.

22
The variables GM crops, precipitation and rivers provided insignificant information to the
model; thus, they were eliminated. The model was fit with the variables tourism,
temperature, roads and vegetation, with R2 of 99.6% (SCM: 227.72, g.l.: 4; SCT:
227.952, g.l. 625; value P>0.05). Then, the model (equation 4) may be used to develop
the final suitability map.

= (0.169 + 0.042 + 0.163 + 0.627)

Equation 4
Where A, B, C represent the restrictions.

The non-parametric-test Chi2 showed that comparing the ATS estimated with the ATS
measured results on intimately related vectors (value T: 7.26, value P<0.05).
Additionally, they present a correlation with R2: 0.97 % (ATS calculated = 0.031+
0.939* ATS measured, value P < 0.05, value T: 63.50) (Figure 7). Therefore, the spatial
model is statistically significant; the mathematical model was a good predictor of the
apituristic suitability land use.

23
Figure 7. Parameter graphics of the generalized linear model and model validation.

Importance of plant species

The melisopalinological analysis showed that, of all the 196 sampled honeys: 55 were
native unifloral honeys, 36 nonnative unifloral honeys. Other honeys presented bifloral
characteristics, 5 were native and 3 mixed. Finally, 34 presented native multifloral
features, 60 presented nonnative multifloral features, 1 presented mixed multifloral
features, and 2 non floral features (sugary juice). Half of the honeys produced in the
region are virtually native. Furthermore, if the honeys are classified according to their
floral composition, almost half of them are unifloral. This means that there is a huge
potential for honeys with replicable chemical and organoleptic features maintained year
after year, which is essential for differentiated products. However, bees are selective
according to sugar concentration in nectar, and species diversity in flowering, and,

24
finally, the particular need of nutrients demanded by the beehive. In fact, bees visit
flowers with nectar with 15% of sugar (Philippe, 1991).

IVI estimation allowed the prioritization of melliferous species, identifying flowers

preferred by bees (Table 4). The most important botanic families are Fabaceae,
Asteraceae and Brassicaceae, which is coherent to the results from literature, where
Fabaceae is one of the most frequently visited families in Iran (Amiri et al., 2011), in
Sweden (Lagerhf et al., 1992), in Nigeria (Dukku, 2013), in Argentina (Sala and
Suarez, 1985), in Brazil (Camargo et al., 2014) and in Chile (Bke, 2013).

Table 4. Index of importance value (IVI) for plant species in pollen from honeys in the Ohiggins
Region (Chile).
Species IVI Species IVI
Galega officinalis 1.3014 Schinus molle 0.2577
Quillaja saponaria 1.1623 Eschscholzia californica 0.2482
Medicago sativa 1.0706 Calceolaria sp. 0.2321
Trifolium repens 0.9796 Salix humboldtiana 0.1798
Brassica rapa 0.9711 Daucus carota 0.1724
Luma/ Myrceugenia 0.8825 Kageneckia oblonga 0.1495
Azara sp. 0.8127 Maytenus boaria 0.1346
Retanilla trinervia 0.7989 Echinopsis chilensis 0.1273
Trevoa quinquinervia 0.5953 Echium vulgare 0.1179
Escallonia pulverulenta 0.5896 Crinodendron patagua 0.1168
Lithraea casutica 0.5345 Colliguaja odorfera 0.1003
Eucalyptus globulus 0.4361 Sisymbrium sp. 0.0954
Taraxacum officinalis 0.3704 Rumex acetosella 0.0939
Melilotus indicus 0.3478 Adesmia sp. 0.0581
Lotus uliginosus 0.3241 Raphanus rhapanistrum 0.0531
Aristotelia chilensis 0.3096 Cuscuta chilensis 0.0506
Rubus ulmifolius 0.3002 Euphorbia sp. 0.0446
Buddleja globosa 0.2584

25
Galega officinalis was the species with higher index of importance value (Table 4),
which is used as source of nectar and pollen by melliferous bees, while the species is
flowering, beetwen September and March. Concurrence of exotic species like G.
officinalis, Medicago sativa, Trifolium spp. and Brasica spp. shows that the apiaries are
located in agricultural zones. This is coherent with the results by Grimau et al. (2014),
who remark the importance of weeds on honey production in the region. In fact, an
important percentage of the region under study corresponds to agricultural fields (25%).
Therefore, it is important to develop public policies addressing the relevance of
agrosystemic management on sustainable beekeeping development, preserving semi-
natural areas adjacent to cultivated lands, sowing melliferous species along rural roads.
The idea is to increase native plant biodiversity and preserve their pollinating agents
(Decourtye et al., 2010).

Quillaja saponaria reached the second place, with 1.16 of IVI. This species is an
endemic tree in Central Chile, with abundant flowering, and large amounts of nectar
(Daz-Forestier et al., 2009). Melliferous bees collect nectar and pollen from flowers,
approximately between October and January. Unifloral honey from Quillay is associated
to wide zones with slightly modified native forest. Studies show that honeys adopt the
features from the plants they are extracted from; the most documented case is Quillay,
with beneficial features like antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal capacity
(Montenegro et al., 2009; Montenegro et al., 2013). Therefore, endemic unifloral honey
from Quillay always represent quality honey desirable for any beekeeper. Tebo
(Retanilla trinervia) corresponded to another important native species, used as a source
of nectar at the beginning of beekeeping seasons, when beehives are on early season
activities.

26
Conclusions
GIS, as well as MCDA showed to be useful tool when the mapping of apitouristic
suitability of the territory was elaborated, where a versatile set of guidelines was
included. The development and validation of the map of apitouristic suitability for the
Ohiggins Region was successful, using the conceptual empiric model. The usual
collaboration of experts and the cyclic nature of the model are the strengths in order to
obtain pleasant and acceptable result.

It is necessary to extend the prioritization methodology of plant species, in seasonal

terms, this is, to include all the species influencing a beekeeping year, as some low-
commercial-melliferous-species certainly grow during the year, but with a very important
role for beehive maintenance. This could change priorities when food is scarce or the
production system becomes expensive, when artificial feeding is applied. On the other
hand, the index of importance value allowed the identification of plant species
effectively visited by bees, information that becomes useful for plans of native
reforestation management.

The result of the statistical validation transformed a 7-factor-model to a more

parsimonious model, this is, a simpler 4-factor-model explaining the same. Apitouristic
is an innovative form of tourism, suitable for the territory under study, and representing
a real opportunity for small beekeepers in rural areas of the Region, with new job
positions, support for the development of local infrastructure and promotion in the
Region. From the research point of view, it is reasonable to say that optimal
development of apitouristic also requires support from the government and local
organizations responsible for rural development.

27
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