1 Original Research Article 2 3 Diversity and Abundance of foliage insect 4 communities in bitter ground field with regard 5 to diurnal rhythms within Faisalabad, Pakistan 76 8 . 9 ABSTRACT 10 Biodiversity is the variability of life on earth that boosts up the ecosystem productivity. Diversity and abundance are the key components that are beneficial for the present and future researchers to control many problems being faced by harmful insects and to promote beneficial insect population for ecosystem sustainability. Therefore, the present study was designed to find out the “Diversity and abundance of foliage insect communities in Bitter gourd field” under the ecological conditions of District Faisalabad. After completing the whole research trials as per methodology, total 211 specimens were collected belonging to 9 orders, 38 families, 63 genera and 73 species in morning and total 213 specimens were collected belonging to 8 orders, 42 families, 58 genera and 65 species in evening. So, keeping in view the importance of these aspects, calculations were made as per Shannon Diversity Index. In bitter gourd fields, maximum diversity was recorded as (1.0533) for evening, while least was recorded (1.0528) for morning and, maximum diversity (H′max) was recorded (2.3284) for evening and least (2.3243) for morning. Maximum evenness was (0.0229) for evening and least (0.0227) for morning while maximum dominance was (1.0229) for evening and least (1.0227) for morning. The maximum value for richness was recorded as (17.1230) for evening while least value (17.0443) for morning. 11 12 Keywords: Diversity; Abundance; Richness; Evenness; Dominance. 13 14 1. INTRODUCTION 15 16 Biological diversity is also called as biodiversity that can be defined as the variation among 17 the living creatures that prevail within the particular and precise ecosystems [1]. It can also 18 refer to all the distinct the ecological complexity and the processes that take place in their 19 respective environments and body structures [2]. Major portion of phylum Arthtropoda is 20 covered by class Insecta. Arthropods may represent as much as 85% of all known species 21 and a large proportion of the meso- and macrofauna of the soil and fields. The arthropods 22 are the basis for the formation of soil aggregates and humus, which physically stabilize the 23 soil and increase its capacity to store nutrients. They are valuable ecological indicators and 24 can be substantially impacted by intensive management. The Population dynamics are 25 mainly impacted by a number of biotic components of the ecosystem: symbiosis, parasitism, 26 predation and competition of food [3,4]. 27 28 Insects are the most distinguishable form on earth. This is an approximate of over a half of 29 the total species that exist on the globe. They can be found in all habitats such as swamps, 30 jungles, deserts, even in highly harsh environments such as pools of crude petroleum.
31 Several insect species are predators or parasitoids on other harmful pests while others are 32 pollinators, decomposers of organic matter or producers of important products such as 33 honey or silk. Some are used to produce pharmacologically active compounds such as 34 venoms or antibodies. On the other side, these are considered as pests that cause damage 35 to humans, farm animals and crops. Insects have different types of bio-communication like 36 visual, chemical, tactile and acoustic communication. They play a vital role in nutrient 37 recycling, decomposition, soil fertility and pollination [5]. Among different order of class 38 Insecta, Coleoptrera comprises of beetles and 3/4 of species are phytophagous in both the 39 larval and adult stages and feed on plants in agriculture, forestry, and the household, the 40 beetle can be considered a pest. Beetles are not only pests but can also be beneficial, 41 usually by controlling the populations of pests. The word “coleoptera” is from the Greek 42 keleos, meaning “sheath,” and pteron, meaning “wing,” thus “sheathed wing.” The reason for 43 the name is that most beetles have two pairs of wings, the front pair, and the “elytra,” being 44 hardened and thickened into a sheath-like or shell-like protection for the rear pair and for the 45 rear part of the beetle’s body, Coleoptera are found in nearly all natural habitats, that is, 46 vegetative foliage from trees and their bark to flowers, leaves, and underground near roots, 47 even inside plants like galls, tissue, including dead or decaying ones [6]. 48 49 Order Hymenoptera comprises of wasps, bees and ants. Female ovipositor is modified into a 50 stinger. Order Hemiptera is a worldwide distributed group of insects inhabiting both terrestrial 51 and aquatic habitats and has an important ecological role while Lepidopteran species are the 52 most important pests of major annual and perennial crops, forests and stored products 53 throughout the world. Orthoptera comprises 26,550 valid species that is found throughout 54 the world. Family Acrididae covers up large portion of this order and have grasshoppers, 55 having antennae usually shorter than the body (about one-half body length, with less than 30 56 segments), three-valved ovipositor and three segmented tarsi [7]. 57 58 Order Odonata contains different species of many Dragonflies and Damselflies that are 59 responsible for ecological balance. These insects lay their eggs in or near only fresh water 60 and thus, their high abundance in an area is a good indication of the quality of freshwater. 61 Many ecological factors such as the acidity of water, the amount and type of aquatic 62 vegetation, the temperature and flow of water affect the distribution of the nymphs and 63 adults. These are used as bioindicators for wetland quality. Some species of insects can 64 tolerate a wide range of conditions whiles others are very sensitive to their environment [8,9]. 65 The order Diptera (the true flies) is one of the most species-rich, anatomically varied and 66 ecologically innovative groups of organisms, contributing 10–15% of known animal species. 67 About 150,000 species of Diptera are well described. They have medical and veterinary 68 significance, being responsible for the transmission of a wide variety of pathogens such as 69 viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoan and metazoan parasites in humans and animal [13,14]. 70 The vegetable Momordica charontia belong to family Cucurbitaceae and known as bitter 71 gourd, balsam pear, bitter melon and bitter cucumber. It is grown as an ornamental plant and 72 is used mostly in cooking and making medicine. Bitter gourd has vitamin C. It has 73 antimicrobial, antiviral, antihepatotoxic, and antiulcerogenic properties. It is a good source of 74 carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals and has increased nutritive value among 75 cucurbits and has high protein content (Desai and Musmade 1998). Bitter gourd is used as 76 an antioxidative, and antidiabetic agents [11] that plays a significant role in the treatment of 77 diabetes. The antioxidant properties of carotenoids protect plants during photosynthesis may 78 also protect humans from cancer causing agents and eliminate free radical effects 79 associated with heart disease. Bitter gourd vegetable contains 14 carotenoids depending on 80 stage of maturity. It always requires pollinating insects for productive and efficient pollination 81 and better vegetable and seed setting [10,12]. 82
83 2. MATERIAL AND METHODS 84 85 2.1. Study Area. 86 87 Present research was conducted to accord the “Diversity and abundance of foliage insect 88 communities in Bitter gourd field” under ecological conditions of Faisalabad (Punjab) 89 Pakistan. 90 91 2.2. Vegetation. 92 93 Present study was conducted in Bitter gourd fields at Vegetables Research Fields, Institute 94 of Horticulture Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (Punjab), Pakistan. These 95 fields were surrounded by tropical and subtropical vegetables such pumpkin, okra and many 96 others at the area of 100m2 97 98 2.3 Collection and Identification. 99 100 To collect the foliage insect fauna, fields of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) were sampled 101 weekly twice a day randomly for four hours from 08 to 10am and 04 to 06 pm for a season 102 by following methods: 103 104 Direct hand picking 105 By using Sweep Net 106 By using Forceps 107 108 Collected specimens were stored in jars containing 70:30% alcohol and glycerine solution 109 and there after collected specimens were shifted to Biodiversity Laboratory, Department of 110 Zoology, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad for further systematic 111 studies. Here, the specimens were separated and preserved in separate glass vials, 112 containing 70:30% alcohol and glycerine solution for further identification. The glass vials 113 were labeled as sampling number, plant name, along with temperature and humidity of the 114 sampling day. The author collected the data items in several ways as shown in Figure 1. The 115 collected specimens were identified and sorted with the aid of: 116 117 Naked eye 118 Magnifying glass 119 Microscope 120 121 All the specimens were identified up to species level according to the taxonomic/ reference 122 material [16,17], and on electronic keys (internet). 123
124 125 Figure 1. Foliage insect collection by using aerial net and a killing bottle from 126 Bitter gourd field.
127 2.4 Statistical Analysis. 128 129 Thereafter, all the observed specimens were arranged in table form according to their 130 morphological characters e.g. order, family, genus and species. To determine the various 131 aspects of diversity, Shannon Diversity Index was used [15].
132 Diversity (H’) is computed through the following equation (1).