| Title | The community structure of insects associated with figs at Xishuangbanna, China |
| Author | Yang, Da-Rong |
| Publication | SYMBIOSIS |
| Year | 2008 |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue | 1-3 |
| Corresponding Author | Yang, DR |
| Abstract | Ficus racemosa, Ficus benjamina, Ficus auriculata and Ficus hispida are the most common fig species in primary and secondary forests at Xishuangbanna. Several different insect functional groups that utilize these figs can be recognized: pollinating fig wasps; non-pollinating fig wasps including gall-makers, parasites and inquilines; pulp eating insects: insect predators; sap feeding insects; and decomposers. We studied the structure of these insect communities on each of the four common fig species. Of 116,719 insects collected, six orders, 23 families, 40 genera, and 65 species were identified. Pollinators comprised the fewest species, but the largest number of individuals. There was an abundance of non-pollinators on monoecious figs (F. racemosa and F. benjamina). In dioecious figs, male figs harbored more non-pollinators, but female figs attracted more pulp eating insects. The position and size of inflorescences on the different fig species were important traits in determining the associated insect communities. Cauliflorous species of fig (those bearing figs on trunks and branches, rather than on the ends of twigs), and those with larger fruits, supported both individually abundant, and species-rich, insect communities. Both diversity and evenness of insect communities were higher in primary rainforest, as compared with secondary forest. Thus, fig-associated insect communities may be used as indicators of forest quality, for the purposes of the protection and restoration of tropical rainforest. |
