Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Diversity and Ecological Role of Insect Flower Visitors in the Pollination of Mangroves from the Indian Sundarbans


Affiliations
1 Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741 235, India
2 RKMVC College, Rahara, Khardaha 700 118, India
 

Sundarban Biosphere Reserve is one of the most important mangrove zones with a vast range of floral and faunal diversity. The present study explores the plant–pollinator relationship among four true mangrove plants, viz. Avicennia officinalis, Avicennia marina, Aegiceras corniculatum and Aegialitis rotundifolia, and also includes insect visitor diversity and foraging activities of common insect flower visitors of these plants with their efficiency as pollinators. Though each plant is self-compatible for pollination, the activity of flower visitors helped with superior reproductive success. Among the common five visitors, viz. Apis dorsata, Apis mellifera, Chrysomya megacephala, Danaus chrysippus and Micraspis discolor, A. dorsata showed the highest visitation rate (VR) for each plant and M. discolor showed the lowest VR but highest handling time (HT) in all the four mangrove plants. Each flower visitor showed significantly different VR among the plants. In the case of HT, only A. mellifera showed significant variation among plants. A. dorsata and A. mellifera showed maximum pollen carrying efficiency compared to the others. These findings emphasize the role of insect flower visitors in pollination, leading to the perquisite for the protection of mangroves of the Indian Sundarbans.

Keywords

Foraging Efficiency, Handling Time, Insect Flower Visitors, Mangroves, Visitation Rate.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Alongi, D. M., Present state and future of the world’s mangrove forests. Environ. Conserv., 2002, 29, 331–349.

  • Giri, C., Ochieng, E. L., Tieszen, L., Zhu, Z., Singh, A., Loveland, T., Masek, J. and Duke, N., Status and distribution of mangrove forests of the world using earth observation satellite data. Global Ecol. Biogeogr., 2010, doi:10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00584.x.

  • Mitra, B., Biswas, O., Roy, S. and Chakraborti, U., Pollinators of mangrove in the perspective of Indian Sundarbans. ENVIS Newsl., 2015, 21, 6–11.

  • Therattil, J. J. and Olakkengil, J. L., Diversity and distribution of destructive insects in Chettuvai mangroves, Kerala, India. Millennium Zool., 2011, 12(1), 35–37.

  • Hamilton, R. S. and Snedaker, S. C., Handbook for Mangrove Area Management, Commission on Ecology, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, 1984.

  • Tomlinson, P. B., The Botany of Mangroves, Cambridge University Press, New York, USA, 1986, p. 413.

  • Primack, R. B., Duke, N. C. and Tomlinson, P. B., Floral morphology in relation to pollination ecology in five Queensland coastal plants. Austrobaileya, 1981, 4, 346–355.

  • Huang, Z. Y. and Giray, T., Factors affecting pollinators and pollination. Psyche, 2012; doi:10.1155/2012/302409.

  • Dupont, Y. L. and Olesen, J. M., Ecological modules and roles of species in healthland plant–insect flower visitor networks. J. Anim. Ecol., 2009, 78, 346–353.

  • Silberbauer-Gottsberger, I. and Gottsberger, G., A polinizacao de plantas do cerrado. Rev. Bras. Biol., 1988, 4, 651–663.

  • Gottsberger, G., How diverse are Annonaceae with regard to pollination? Bot. J. Linn. Soc., 2012, 169, 245–261.

  • Pandit, S. and Choudhury, B. C., Factors affecting pollinator visitation and reproductive success in Sonneratia caseolaris and Aegiceras corniculatum in a mangrove forest in India. J. Trop. Ecol., 2001, 17, 431–447.

  • Pandey, R. and Pandey, C. N., Spatial and temporal variation in floral visitors of a mangrove species – Aegiceras corniculatum (L.) Blanco – in the Marine National Park, Gujarat, India. Int. J. Bot. Res., 2013, 3(1), 35–42.

  • Mahadevi, K. and Vikas, M., Climate change – impact on the Sundarbans: a case study. Int. Sci. J. Env. Sci., 2012, 7–15.

  • Biswas, O., Chakraborti, U., Roy, S., Modak, B. K., Shah, S. K. and Panja, B., First record of Amerila eugenia (Fabricius, 1794) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae) from Eastern India. Ent. Appl. Sci. Lett., 2016, 3(3), 6–9.

  • Barik, J. and Chowdhury, S., True mangrove species of Sundarbans delta, West Bengal, Eastern India. Check List, 2014, 10(2), 329–334.

  • Chakrabarty, K., Sundarbans (India) honey and mangrove swamps. J. Bombay Nat. Hist., 1985, 84(1), 133–137.

  • Naskar, K. and Mandal, R., Ecology and Biodiversity of Indian Mangroves, Part I, Global Status, Daya Publishing House, New Delhi, 1999, p. 783.

  • Bhattacharya, K., Majumdar, M. R. and Bhattacharya, S. G., A Textbook of Palynology (Basic and Applied), New Central Book Agency (P) Ltd, Kolkata, 2006, p. 352.

  • Aluri, R. J. S., Observation on the floral biology of certain mangroves. Proc. Indian Natl. Sci. Acad. Part B, 1990, 56(4), 367– 374.

  • http://www.bsienvis.nic.in/Database/IndianMangroves_3941.aspx (accessed on 24 November 2017).

  • Ghosh, A., Gupta, S., Maity, S. and Das, S., Study of floral morphology of some Indian mangroves in relation to pollination. Res. J. Bot., 2008, 3, 9–16.

  • Solomon Raju, A. J., Reproductive ecology of mangrove flora: conservation and management. Transylv. Rev. Syst. Ecol. Res., 2013, 15(2), 133–184.

  • Solomon Raju, A. J. and Karyamsetty, H. J., Reproductive ecology of Aegialitis rotundifolia Roxb., a crypto-viviparous mangrove plant species in Krishna Mangrove Forest, Andra Pradesh. Transylv. Rev. Syst. Ecol. Res., 2018, 20(1), 17–30.

  • QGIS Development Team, QGIS Geographic Information System. Open Source Geospatial Foundation Project, 2019; http:// qgis.osgeo.org (accessed on 21 January 2019).

  • Jonathan, J. K. and Kulkarni, P. P., Manual: Collection, Preservation and Identification of Insects and Mites of Economic Importance (ed. Tikader, B. K.), Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, 1986, p. 322.

  • Herra, C. M., Pollinator abundance, morphology, and flower visitation rate: analysis of the quantity component in a plantpollinator system. Oecologia, 1989, 80, 241–248.

  • Meerabai, G., Visitation rate, effectives and efficiency of pollinators to Cadaba fruiticosa (Linn.) Druce. Bioscan, 2012, 7(3), 483– 485.

  • Hammer, Ø., Harper, D. A. T. and Ryan, P. D., PAST: paleontological statistics software package for education and data analysis. Palaeontol. Electron., 2001, 4(1), 9; http://palaeo-electronica.org/2001_1/past/issue1_01.html

  • Stephenson, A. G., Flower and fruit abortion: proximate causes and ultimate functions. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst., 1981, 12, 253–279.

  • Coupland, G. T., Paling Eric, I. and McGuinness Keith, A., Floral abortion and pollination in four species of tropical mangroves from northern Australia. Aquat. Bot., 2006, 84, 151–157.

  • Solomon Raju, A. J., Subba Rao, P. V., Kumar, R. and Rama Mohan, S., Pollination biology of the crypto-viviparous Avicennia species (Avicenniaceae). J. Threaten Taxa, 2012, 4(15), 3377– 3389.

  • Artz, D. A. and Nault, B. A., Performance of Apis melllifera, Bombus impatiens and Peponapis pruinosa (Hymeoptera: Apidae) as pollinators of pumpkin. J. Econ. Entomol., 2011, 104(4), 1153– 1161.

  • Ne’eman, G., Jurgens, A., Newstrom-Lloyd, L., Potts, S. and Dafni, A., A framework for comparing pollinator performance: effectiveness and efficiency. Biol. Rev., 2009, 85, 435–451.

  • Thompson, J. D., How do visitation patterns vary among pollinators in relation to floral display and floral design in a generalist pollination system? Oecologia, 2001, 126, 386–394.

  • DeGischolar_main, A. P., Protein and amino acid requirements of the honey bee (Apis mellifica L.). Physiol. Compar. Oecol., 1953, 3, 197–285.

  • Begum, M. A., Jahan, M., Bari, B. N., Hossain, M. M. and Afsana, N., Potentiality of Micraspis discolor (F.) as a biocontrol agent of Nilaparvata lugens (Stal). OJBS, 2002, 2(9), 630–632.

  • Kumar, M. V. S., Bandyopadhyay, U. K., Lalitha, N. and Saratchandra, B., Biology and feeding efficacy of Micraspis discolor, a potential biological control agent of whitefly. Dialeuropora decempuncta. J. Ent. Zool. Stud., 2017, 6(1), 938–941.

  • Shankar, C., Mohan, M., Sampathkumar, M., Lydia, Ch. and Katti, G., Functional significance of Micraspis discolor (F.) (Coccinellidae: Coleoptera) in rice ecosystem. J. Appl. Entomol., 2012, doi:10.1111/jen.12035.

  • Moophayak, K. and Meeinkuirt, W., Predominance of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) among insects visiting flowers of Buchanania lanzan (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae). Appl. Ecol. Environ. Res., 2017, 15(4), 651–659.


Abstract Views: 469

PDF Views: 120




  • Diversity and Ecological Role of Insect Flower Visitors in the Pollination of Mangroves from the Indian Sundarbans

Abstract Views: 469  |  PDF Views: 120

Authors

Udipta Chakraborti
Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741 235, India
Bulganin Mitra
RKMVC College, Rahara, Khardaha 700 118, India
Kakali Bhadra
Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741 235, India

Abstract


Sundarban Biosphere Reserve is one of the most important mangrove zones with a vast range of floral and faunal diversity. The present study explores the plant–pollinator relationship among four true mangrove plants, viz. Avicennia officinalis, Avicennia marina, Aegiceras corniculatum and Aegialitis rotundifolia, and also includes insect visitor diversity and foraging activities of common insect flower visitors of these plants with their efficiency as pollinators. Though each plant is self-compatible for pollination, the activity of flower visitors helped with superior reproductive success. Among the common five visitors, viz. Apis dorsata, Apis mellifera, Chrysomya megacephala, Danaus chrysippus and Micraspis discolor, A. dorsata showed the highest visitation rate (VR) for each plant and M. discolor showed the lowest VR but highest handling time (HT) in all the four mangrove plants. Each flower visitor showed significantly different VR among the plants. In the case of HT, only A. mellifera showed significant variation among plants. A. dorsata and A. mellifera showed maximum pollen carrying efficiency compared to the others. These findings emphasize the role of insect flower visitors in pollination, leading to the perquisite for the protection of mangroves of the Indian Sundarbans.

Keywords


Foraging Efficiency, Handling Time, Insect Flower Visitors, Mangroves, Visitation Rate.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv117%2Fi6%2F1060-1070