Abstract Detail

Pollination Biology

Figueroa-Castro, Dulce [1], Ramírez-Morales, Carmen [2], Castaño-Meneses, Gabriela [3], Rivas-Arancibia, Sombra [2].

Effect of disturbance on the community of floral visitors of Allionia incarnata (Nyctaginaceae).

Plant-pollinator interactions favor the maintenance of ecosystems and assure the availability of resources for other organisms within the ecosystem. Anthropogenic activities such as fragmentation, change of land use, and deforestation may affect plant-pollinator interactions. We determined the effect of disturbance on the community of floral visitors of Allionia incarnata (Nyctaginaceae) in Puebla State, Mexico. We conducted observations and collections of floral visitors in two sites with contrasting disturbance (conserved and disturbed) simultaneously during three consecutive days on September, 2011 from 0800 to 1500 h, which corresponds to the period of time in which flowers are in anthesis. We determined species richness, species abundance and the Shannon diversity index for each site and variation in the abundance of floral visitors every hour throughout floral anthesis. A total of 172 individuals of floral visitors were collected in each site. Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera were the floral visitors. Coleoptera followed by Hemiptera (86 and 116 individuals, and 83 and 20 individuals in the conserved and disturbed site, respectively) were the most abundant groups of floral visitors in both sites. Eight species of floral visitors were collected in each site; however, only three species were common to both sites. Total and by insect group species richness, total abundance of floral visitors, and abundance of Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera were not significantly different between sites. Hemiptera abundance was significantly higher in the conserved site. The every-hour abundance of Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Formicidae did not differ significantly between sites. The every-hour abundance of Coleoptera and of all floral visitors, were significantly different between sites. Our results suggest that disturbance has an effect on the composition of the community of floral visitors, particularly in the abundance of Hemiptera and Coleoptera abundance. Therefore, these groups of insects can be indicators of disturbance.

Broader Impacts:

1 - Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Escuela de Biología, , Blvd. Valsequillo y Av. San Claudio, Edif. 112A,, Ciudad Universitaria, Col. San Manuel, Puebla, Puebla, 72570, México
2 - Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Escuela de Biología, Blvd. Valsequillo y Av. San Claudio, Edif. 112A,, Ciudad Universitaria, Col. San Manuel, Puebla, Puebla, 72570, México
3 - Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Facultad de Ciencias, Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación, Campus Juriquilla, Juriquilla, Querétaro, 76230, México

Keywords:
pollination
annual plants
Coleoptera
Diptera
Hemiptera
habitat disturbance.

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Topics
Session: P
Location: Battelle South/Convention Center
Date: Monday, July 9th, 2012
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PPL002
Abstract ID:196