Yearlong association of insect pollinator,Pseudapis oxybeloides with flowering plants: Planted forest vs. agricultural landscape |
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Authors: | Asif Sajjad Mudssar Ali Shafqat Saeed Muhammad Amjad Bashir Intazar Ali Khalid Ali Khan Hamed A. Ghramh Mohammad Javed Ansari |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Entomology, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan;2. Department of Entomology, Muhammad Nawaz Shreef University of Agriculture, Multan 60800, Pakistan;3. Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan 32200, Punjab, Pakistan;4. Unit of Bee Research and Honey Production, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, P.O. Box 9004, Saudi Arabia;5. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, P.O. Box 9004, Saudi Arabia;6. Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, Abha 61413, P.O. Box 9004, Saudi Arabia;7. Bee Research Chair, Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, P.O. Box 2460, Saudi Arabia;8. Department of Botany, Hindu College Moradabad, 244001, India |
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Abstract: | The yearlong association of a native bee, Pseudapis oxybeloides (Halictidae: Hymenoptera) was studied with 72 plant species in a sub-tropical planted forest and some adjacent agricultural landscapes at Multan, Pakistan. The study resulted in 66 interactions of P. oxybeloides with only 24 plant species in 15 families while other 48 plant species were not visited by this bee. The maximum abundance of P. oxybeloides (7–9 individuals) was recorded on Achyranthes aspera and Launaea procumbens followed by Ageratum conyzoides, Trianthema portulacastrum and Cleome viscosa (5–6 individuals). Majority (19) of plant species were visited by only 1–4 individuals. The bee activity was started in the month of March which attained its peak in May followed by a gradual decline until September. No bees were observed during the months of January and February. There was a significant positive relationship between bee abundance and number of flowering plant species. Bee abundance had a strong positive relationship with temperature while it had a strong negative relationship with relative humidity (%). Floral abundance increased with the number of flowering plant species while it was not influenced by floral span of plant species. Besides giving the floral host plants of P. oxybeloides, the current study also gives a better understanding of its seasonality along with its relationships with different biotic and abiotic factors under local conditions. These findings can help in maintaining and managing P. oxybeloides population particularly and other native bees in general at local scale. |
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Keywords: | Corresponding author. Insect pollinator Host plants Seasonal abundance Biotic and abiotic factors |
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