INSECTS DIVERSITY IN AN AGROECOSYSTEM OF BHABAR REGION OF UTTRAKHAND

Abstract

Species diversity and abundance of insects associated in an agricultural ecosystem was studied in Bhabar region of district Nainital in Uttarakhand from March 2018 to February 2020. Data revealed a total of 148 insect species belonging to 47 families and nine orders (Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, Odonata, Diptera, Dictyoptera, and Phasmida), identified from 2007 specimens. These were classified into five functional trophic groups: phytophagous, predators, omnivores, saprophages and decomposers. The diversity indexes showed significance-Diversity (Hʹ=1.778), Evenness (E=0.9689), and Margalef’s Index (d=1.924). Diversity indices of insect orders showed Lepidoptera to be the most diverse (Hʹ=1.994) with maximum species richness having high Margalef’s index (d=2.607), and dipterans with highest evenness (E=0.9572). A total of 1331 individuals of insect pollinators/ visitors were observed, belonging to 99 species of 5 orders (Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Diptera).