Pure Appl. Biol., 4(3): 441-452, September- 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2015.43021 Research Article Seasonal variations in abundance and diversity of insect pollinator in forest ecosystems of Southern Punjab Pakistan Muhammad Amjad Bashir1, Shafqat Saeed2*, Asif Sajjad2 and Muddasar Ali2 1College of Agriculture DG Khan University of Agriculture Faisalabad Pakistan 2Faculty of Agriculture Baha-Ud- Din Zakaryia University Multan *Corresponding author email: [email protected] Citation Muhammad Amjad Bashir, Shafqat Saeed, Asif Sajjad and Muddasar Ali. Seasonal variations in abundance and diversity of insect pollinator in forest ecosystems of Southern Punjab Pakistan. Pure and Applied Biology. Vol. 4, Issue 3, 2015, pp 441-452. http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2015.43021 Received: 15/06/2015 Revised: 20/08/2015 Accepted: 25/08/2015 Abstract Seasonal Variation of pollinators in relation to abundance and diversity was studied for one year in forest ecosystems of Perowal (Central Agriculture Zone, southern Punjab, Pakistan) where average maximum and minimum temperature ranges from 19.4 to 43.3°C and 5°C to 31.3°C, respectively. Pollinators from two insect orders (Diptera and Hymenoptera) were satisfied. Results showed that flies and bees remained active throughout the year while the activity of the wasps stopped during months of December–February (winter) when temperature was dropped below 20 °C. Forty two flies species belonging to ten different families were observed. Among flies Euphumosiasp, E. aeneus, and Musca domestica were the most abundant overall. The peak abundance and richness of bees was observed in spring and summer respectively. Similarly the community of bees was composed of 68 different species which were representing from five families. Among bees, Apis dosata, Apis floreia and Halictus sp. were the most abundant overall. The peak abundance and richness of bees was observed in summer. While, wasps community was composed of 57 different species which were representing from nine families. Among wasps, Delta dimidiatipenne, Delta esuriensesuriens and Vespaorientalis were the most abundant overall. The peak abundance and richness of wasps was observed in spring and autumn while zero population in winter. Keyword: Perowal; Flies & Bees ; Wasps; Diptera and Hymenoptera. Introduction compositions (guilds). These types are called There is a tremendous diversity of pollination pollination syndromes [2]. Furthermore, systems, and hence, great differences lie in pollinators often fall into functional groups the degree of specialization for pollinators where visitors likely share attributes of among plants or for flowers among animals behavior, and these functional groups are [1]. Pollination systems can be classified into predicted on the basis of pollination types of plant species with functionally syndrome traits (i.e., flower color, fragrance, similar flowers and similar pollinator reward, and morphology) [3]. Published by Bolan Society for Pure and Applied Biology 441 Bashir et al. Meaningful ecological studies on insect flowering plant species [12] and pollinators communities require sampling protocols that of more than 100 cultivated plants including take into consideration temporal fluctuations such important crops as mango, cashew, tea, in abundance and species composition to cacao, onions, strawberries, cauliflower, avoid misleading results. The effects of mustard, carrots, apples [13] and leek [14]. sampling effort or seasonality on ecological Bees are characterized by complex life patterns are only documented for a few insect histories and have specific requirements for groups. Sampling effort accounted for a large nutrition and nesting [15]. They need rich proportion of the variance in alpha diversity flowering plants habitats as a large in two of three guilds of a phyto-phagous proportion of the species only collect pollen insect community on Brassicaceae [4] from certain plants [16-18]. In addition, bees Furthermore; seasonal patterns depend on the have specific nesting sites, such as dead level of specialization and the feeding habits wood, bare soil, plant stems, or rock fissures. of pollinators [5]. Bees (Hymenoptera, Api- As bees are typical central-place foragers, forms) with their high habitat requirements which return to their nests after foraging, have recently been used as indicators of therefore, feeding and nesting sites must be biodiversity or landscape structure in close to one another [19]. Several studies ecological studies [6-8].The Principal flower showed that the bee populations vary widely visiting insects are Hymenopterans and in abundance and species composition within Dipterous because of the following reasons. and between years [20-23]. Ecological Approximately 73% of the worlds cultivated patterns of bees are expected to vary during crops are depended for pollination by some the season as in central Europe bee species variety of bees, 19% by flies, 6.5% by bats, have distinct phenology. Therefore, 5% by wasps, 5% by beetles, 4% by birds, knowledge of the ecological, seasonal, and and 4% by butterflies and moths. Of the annual patterns shown by bee communities is hundred major crops that make up a vast crucial for the use of bees as bio-indicators. majority of the world’s food source, at least Pakistan is a country where very little is 80% are pollinated by bees. The 25,000 known about the biodiversity of insect different species of bees differ significantly pollinators and their interaction with in size and habit requirements, and deviate flowering plant. Insect pollinators enjoy the consequently in the plants they visit and status of our natural resources as pollination fertilize. Though bees form the most is the most important contribution insects important group of pollinators (Fact Sheet: make to human economies and because of its Pollinator Diversity, 2004), after this the flies yield-optimizing benefits, insects pollination are the second most important group of can play an important role in maintaining a pollinators because flies probably were sustainable and profitable agriculture with among the first important angiosperm minimized disruption to environment. The pollinators and may have, as such, been economic value of insect pollination goes instrumental in the early angiosperm beyond production agriculture because radiation [9]. Today flies are one of the three insects pollinate more than just crop plants. largest and most diverse animal groups in the Without knowing the natural resource of our world [10] comprised of over 160,000 named pollinators and flowering plants, we may not species in about 150 families [11]. At least be able to know about endangered species seventy-one families of flies comprise and threats to our natural ecosystems. flower-visiting flies, and flies are pollinators Keeping in view the economic value of of, or at least regular visitors to, at least 555 pollinators and unavailability of detailed 442 Pure Appl. Biol., 4(3): 441-452, September- 2015 information from this part of the world, Banazak, 1980 and Fussell and Corbet, 1992 current study was designed to investigate was followed, and observation was done in seasonal variations in diversity and linear transects of 150 feet and 1 meter wide. abundance of pollinators in relation with Number of floral visitors per insect species temperature and relative humidity. per plant species (greater than 3 mm in Materials and Methods length) will be recorded. To measure spatial Study Site variations in pollinator abundance and The study was conducted from January to diversity, different isolated locations of any December, 2010 in a planted forest of 750 forested landscape category (described in hectares of Pirowal safari park, district objective 4) will be selected. Walks will be Khanewal, Pakistan (30.255°N; 71.513°E; carried out fortnightly for one year. Three 114±6 meter above sea level).A fenced wild walks will be carried out each day, 8:00-9:00 life sanctuary along with agro forestry am, 12:30-2:00 pm and 4:00-5:00 pm. practices, also having a combination growing Statistical Analysis trees, herbs and shrubs with irrigated water. The study site has all four seasons i.e. The climate of the area is subtropical with summer spring, winter and autumn, the detail mean daily maximum and minimum of month with their temperature ranges are temperatures range from 19.4 to 43.3°C and given in Table 1. To find out the seasonal 5°C to 31.3°C, respectively (Fig.1). variation of the pollinators, we compile the Floral visitor census monthly data according to four different Besides planted trees, a variety of natural seasons. Then to evaluate pollinators’ vegetation grows in the forest including community assemblage in different seasons, annual wild plants and perennial shrubs. We four assemblage parameters were used i.e. focused on the available plant species in Dominance, Simpson index, Shannon index flower during the full course of our study. As and evenness index. To find out the relative different plant species had different kinds of abundance of pollinators’ species in distant inflorescence types, we defined the floral seasons we were used the rank abundance units for each plant species separately and curve. Similarly these indices and rank each time recorded observations from those abundance curve were used for flies, bees and floral units. wasps species. To determine the variations in abundance and diversity of flower visiting insects, method of Figure 1. Month wise minimum and maximum average temperature