Abstract
Understanding the interactions between plants and pollinators is vital in exploring the structural and functional dynamics of tropical forest ecosystem. Such interactions are also helpful in resolving issues of regeneration, maintenance of biodiversity and conservation of tropical forest resources. The aim of this study was to understand the foraging behaviour of floral visitors of two valuable forest species in North East India, viz. Schima wallichii Choisy and Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers. The types and behaviour of pollinators were assessed by counting of the total number of visits by insects during day time (05:00-18:00) per field visit/flower in the peak flowering season, foraging rate (number of flowers visited/minutes) and average time spent per flower. The frequency of pollinator visits was also determined in terms of visits/flower/hour. Ten species belonging to seven families were recorded visiting S. wallichii flowers. The flowers of L. speciosa were mainly visited by three species in the family Apidae and one species in the family Calliphoridae. Various moth and bee species were involved in pollination of S. wallichii flowers. The Xylcopa spp. of bee showed a high level of functional synchronisation with the floral morphology of L. speciosa.
Highlights
Plant-pollinators interactions are one of the key ecological steps in the reproductive success of plants, in outcrossing species
The amount of pollen was highest in the morning hours due to high rate of anthesis and anther dehiscence, leading to high visitation rates at that time
Various moth and bee species were involved in pollination of Schima wallichii flowers
Summary
Plant-pollinators interactions are one of the key ecological steps in the reproductive success of plants, in outcrossing species. There is a concern regarding the failure of mutualistic interactions (plant-pollinator interaction) due to habitat destruction and fragmentation, which may lead to the cascade extinction of species and loss of valuable biodiversity (Bawa, 1990; Kearns and Inouye, 1997; Renner, 1998). Understanding the interactions between plants and pollinators is vital in exploring the structural and functional dynamics of tropical forest ecosystem. Such interactions are helpful in resolving issues of regeneration, maintenance of biodiversity and conservation of tropical forest resources (Bawa and Headley, 1990; Sharma et al, 2010)
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