Diversity of Insect Pollinators in Different Agricultural Crops and Wild Flowering Plants in Korea: Literature Review

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.