Original Article 한국양봉학회지 제25권 제2호 (2010) Journal of Apiculture 30(3) : 191~201 (2015) Diversity of Insect Pollinators in Different Agricultural Crops and Wild Flowering Plants in Korea: Literature Review Sei-Woong Choi and Chuleui Jung1* Mokpo National University, Muan, Jeonnam, South Korea 1Andong National University, Andong, Kyungbuk, South Korea (Received 10 September 2015; Revised 25 September 2015; Accepted 28 September 2015) Abstract | Insect pollination is an important ecosystem process for increased agricultural crop yield as well as for enhancing ecosystem production. We analyzed insect pollinators visiting fruits and flowers in different orchards and wild fields across Korea during the last three decades, published in scientific journals in Korea. A total of 368 species in 115 families of 7 orders were recorded to serve as pollinators in 43 different agricultural crops and wild flowers. The most diverse insect pollinators were the species of Hymenoptera followed by Diptera and Coleoptera. The dominant insect pollinator was the honey bee (Apis melliferas) followed by Eristalis cerealis, Tetralonia nipponensis, Xylocopa appendiculata, Eristalis tenax, Helophilus virgatus and Artogeia rapae. Study methods employed for diversity of pollinators were mostly sweep netting, but trapping was mostly employed for bee diversity and direct observation for lepidopteran diversity. Bee diversity was higher in orchards while insect order level diversity was higher in wild plant pollinators, suggesting the important roles of wild flowers for conservation of insect pollinators. Key words: Apis melliferas, Eristalis cerealis, Tetralonia nipponensis, Xylocopa appendiculata, Eristalis tenax, Helophilus virgatus, Artogeia rapae INTRODUCTION diverse species of Hymenoptera (bees, solitary species, bumblebees, pollen wasps and ants), Diptera (bee flies, Animal-mediated pollination plays an important functi- houseflies, hoverflies), Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), onal role in most terrestrial ecosystems and provides a key Coleoptera (flower beetles), and other insects. Although ecosystem service vital to the maintenance of both wild managed bee hives are increasing worldwide, insect and agricultural plant communities as most angiosperms pollinators are considered to be in a state of decline due to are pollen-limited and rely on animals for sexual reproduc- a range of recent and projected environmental changes, tion (Potts et al., 2010; Albrecht et al., 2012). A large such as habitat loss and climate change, with unknown proportion of the human diet depends directly or indirectly consequences for pollination service delivery (Potts et al., on animal pollination (Klein et al., 2007; Albrecht et al., 2010). 2012; Garibaldi et al., 2013). In Korea, Ko et al. (1977) first examined the diversity Insects are the primary animal-mediated pollinators of and frequency of insect pollinators visiting apple, pear and 80% of all plant species in Europe, including most fruits, peach in Seoul and Suwon and reported 26 insect species many vegetables and some biofuel crops and include in three orders and honey bee (Apis mellifera) was the most *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] 191 192 Sei-Woong Choi and Chuleui Jung dominant species to visit fruits. Woo et al. (1986a, b) peer-reviewed scientific journals in Korea (Korean journal surveyed visiting insects to apple, pear and peach in 4 areas of Apiculture, Korean Journal of Environmental Ecology) across Korea and reported different insect diversity published since 1977. We recorded the diversity of insect depending on fruits: 12 families and 22 species of Hyme- pollinators and their visiting fruits and flowers. Fourteen noptera and 10 families and 17 species of Diptera visited papers were retrieved mostly from fruit crops and apple flowers; 13 families and 17 species of Hymenoptera horticultural crops (12) and wild plants (2), respectively and 10 families and 22 species of Diptera visited pear (Hong et al., 1989; Kang et al., 2003; Kang et al., 2009, flowers; and 13 families and 19 species of Hymenoptera Kim et al., 2005; Kim et al., 2009; Kim et al., 2012, 2013; and 9 families and 16 species of Diptera visited peach Ko et al., 1977; Kwon et al., 2011; Lee et al., 2000; Lee et flowers. Lee et al. (2000) reported 68 insect species in 27 al., 2007; Lee et al., 2008; Woo et al., 1986a, b). Fruit cr- families and 6 orders that visited apple flowers in Gyungs- ops include apple, pear, peach, persimmon and wild berry, angbuk-do province and the Hymenoptera comprised more horticultural crops include strawberry, tomato and than half (51.2%) of the total insects and honey bee was sunflower, while the wild plants include 30 wild flowers. the dominant pollinator. Kim and Hwang (2009) recorded Occurrence of each flower visiting insects on each crop insect pollinators visiting peach and pear in Jeonju, was marked as record. Different sampling methods were Jeollabuk-do province: 11 species in 6 families and 4 employed but we grouped those into direct observation, orders visiting peach and 17 species in 11 families and 5 sweep net collection and trapping with pollinator trap or orders visiting pear and identified Apis mellifera as the water pan trap. major insect pollinator. Recently Kim et al. (2012, 2013) reported insect pollinator diversity visiting flowers of Asteraceae, Labiatae and Umbelliferae. RESULTS We reviewed insect pollinators visiting fruits and flowers A total of 368 identified species in 115 families of 7 in different orchards and wild fields across Korea during orders were recorded to serve as pollinators in 43 different the last three decades. The purpose of the study was to see fruits and flowers in orchards and wild fields (Fig. 1, the pattern of diversity of insect pollinators and interactions Appendix 1 include all listed species including unidentified between insects and plants. We hope that this review can species). The most diverse insect pollinators were the be the baseline data to set up research plans on ecology and species of Hymenoptera (110 species, 373 records), conservation of insect pollinators in Korea. followed by Diptera (104 species, 219 records), Coleoptera (88 species, 111 records) and Lepidoptera (47 species, 97 MATERIALS AND METHODS records). The dominant insect pollinator was the honey bee (Apis mellifera, 34 records) followed by Eristalis cerealis We searched the literatures dealing with the diversity of (Diptera, 26 records), Tetralonia nipponensis (Hymen- insect pollinators in domesticated and wild plants in the optera, 12 records), Xylocopa appendiculata (Hymenopte- Table 1. Dominant flower visiting insect species ra, 12 records), Eristalis tenax (Diptera, 11 records), Helo- Species (Order) Records philus virgatus (Diptera, 11 records), and Artogeia rapae Apis mellifera (Hym) 34 (Lepidoptera, 10 records) (Table 1). Detailed lists were Eristalis cerealis (Dip) 26 provided with Appendix 1 and 2. The main insect poll- Tetralonia nipponensis (Hym) 12 inators are bees (Hymenoptera) since bees spend most of Xylocopa appendiculata (Hym) 12 their life in collecting pollen, a source of protein that they Eristalis tenax (Dip) 11 Helophilus virgatus (Dip) 11 feed to their developing offspring and nectar, a Artogeia rapae (Lep) 10 concentrated energy source (Aizen and Harder, 2009). Bombus ignitus (Hym) 9 Honey bee is the best known and widely managed Allograpta balteata (Dip) 9 pollinator. In addition there are hundreds of other species Diversity of Insect Pollinators in Different Agricultural Crops and Wild Flowering Plants in Korea: Literature Review 193 Flower visiting insects 350 Hymenoptera 300 Fruit tree Diptera 250 Coleoptera Horticultural crop 200 Lepidoptera Heteroptera 150 Wild plant Thysanoptera 100 Neuroptera Frequency of records 50 Homoptera 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 0 Records Species Families Diptera Hemiptera Lepidoptera ColeopteraHomoptera Neuroptera Fig. 1. Distribution of pollinating insect order in family, species HymenopteraThysanoptera (identified and unidentified species) and record levels from the literature review. Fig. 3. Frequency distribution of insect orders on different types of plants: fruit tree, horticultural crops and wild plants. Flower visitors 400 250 300 200 Observation Sweep net 150 200 Trapping 100 100 Frequency of records 50 0 0 Frequency of sampling method Pear Apple Peach Tomato PersimmonStrawberry Diptera HemipteraColeopteraHomoptera Neuroptera Rubus coreanusAngelica gigas Lepidoptera Erigeron annuus Agastache rugosa HymenopteraThysanoptera Eupatorium japonicum Fig. 4. Frequency distribution of sampling methods of each Fig. 2. Frequency distribution of flower visiting insects along flower visiting insect order. with different crops and wild plants. Plants with lower fr- equency were excluded. Pipiza, Sphaerophoria, and Syrphus, respectively. Droso- of bees, mostly solitary ground nesting species, that philidae have been associated with pollination of contribute some level of pollination services to crops and Genoplesium (Orchidaceae) in Australia (Bishop 1996; are very important in natural plant communities (Garibaldi Larson et al., 2001). In addition Drosophilidae and et al., 2013). Among bees, the diversity at the genus level sympatric Nitidulidae (Coleoptera) are known to vector showed that Andrena was the most diverse with more than yeasts between flowers of many Convolvulaceae, Hibiscus, 21 species, followed by 14 species of Lasioglossum, 8 and other plants that possess campanulate flowers in the Bombus,