Communities of oil palm flower-visiting insects: investigating the covariation of<i>Elaeidobius kamerunicus</i>and other dominant species

Evolutionary forces have developed many types of insect-plant interactions over millennia, ranging from herbivory, which causes damage, to mutualism between plant pollinators. Pollinators are a very important part of the natural history of plant evolution. Plants have evolved distinguished characteristics of flowers that attract many types of insects. Other than pollinators, flower-visiting insects also consist of various insect groups. The aim of this research was to assess the breadth and depths of research on flower-visiting insects. The research was conducted using secondary data derived from various databases for the past 20 years that were accessed and searched with keywords related to flower-visiting insects. Overall, 135 articles were screened from various databases. Over 42% of research was done by focusing on the diversity of flower-visiting insects, while 19% focused on effectiveness toward productivity, 14% on the landscape, and the rest focused on behavior, pesticide, etc. Fifty-two percent of the research was mostly done on horticultural crops such as tomatoes and cucumbers, while 44% was done on plantation plants-mostly dominated by oil palm research. From the biodiversity aspect, there were 8 orders of flower-visiting insects consisting of 54 families, 186 genera, and 186 species of insects. The flower-visiting insects that were found mostly belong to Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera. Over 50% of flower-visiting insects are pollinators, while the rest are herbivores, predators, and parasitoids. Forty-eight percent of the pollinators studied are hymenopterans. Our results also found that 35 genera of pollinators are identified as generalist pollinators, while 3 genera are specialist pollinators, such as Elaeidobius (oil palm), Forcipomyia (cocoa), and Nodocnemis (snake fruit). Data analysis showed that pollinators are positively correlated with productivity and quality of crops. Increase in productivity due to pollinators range from 27% in coffee to 1900% in zucchini.

“…They visited flowers to collect or feed on nectar and, or pollen [5]. But, wasps and ants could be a predator that finds their prey on flowers [15,16].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Systematic review of flower-visiting insect community research on agricultural crops in Indonesia

Ferdian

Istiaji

Buchori

2023

“…Not only wildlife such as mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles, in oil palm plantations landscape various species of insects can also be found which in ecological functions provide enormous benefits for oil palm plantations for pest control. [8] Identified the diversity of oil palm flower-visiting insects was 275 species from 10 orders and 181,574 individuals. Insects visit flowers not only to forage for nectar or pollen but also to search for hosts or prey, and to look for suitable habitats for breeding sites.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wildlife complexity in four habitat types in oil palm landscape, Daha Barat, South Kalimantan

Kurniawan,

Yusran,

Ramadhan

et al. 2023

Oil palm concessions generally posses different types habitats, such as riparian or patches of natural vegetation that can be a home for many wildlife species. This study aims to evaluate the complexity of wildlife species inhabiting oil palm concession containing various types habitats in Daha Barat, South Kalimantan. The study was conducted between June 2019 and September 2020. In addition to oil palm, this research also identified Galam (Melaleuca leucadendron), Mahang (Macaranga sp), swamp bushes, and Purun (Lepironia articulata) that were commonly found in the study area. The study has identified 10 species of mammals, 84 species of birds, 6 species of amphibians, and 18 species of reptiles inhabiting the study area. The highest species richness of wildlife was identifi to occur in the swamp bush habitat (91 species), followed by the Galam forest habitat (90 species), macaranga forest habitat (78 species), and oil palm habitat (75 species). However, some species are identified to occur across habitat types, and some others are only in one or two habitat types. Insectivorous and piscivorous birds are commonly found in the study area. The existence of various types of vegetation is expected to support a higher amount of both individuals and species of wildlife inhabiting the study area.

“…Various species of spiders have been found to prey on E. kamerunicus, including the orb-weaving spider Nephila pilipes and the jumping spider Plexippus paykulli. Some bird species include the sunbird Nectarinia jugularis [3]. Other insect predators of E. kamerunicus have been identified, including the assassin bug R. fuscipes and the lacewing Chrysopa sp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life Cycle and Morphometric Analysis of Yellow Assassin Bug Cosmolestes Pecticeps Stal (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) Feed on Elaeidobius Kamerunicus Faust (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Pradana,

Priwiratama,

Rozziansha

et al. 2023

Elaeidobius kamerunicus is an important insect in oil palm ecosystems, as it is the primary pollinator of oil palm flowers. Oil palm is an economically important crop, and its cultivation requires the successful pollination of its flowers to ensure high yields. Without the pollination services of insects such as E. kamerunicus, oil palm production would be significantly reduced. Additionally, E. kamerunicus is known as a food source for the yellow assassin bug Cosmolestes pecticeps. Understanding the interactions between E. kamerunicus and predators such as the yellow assassin bug is crucial for the sustainable management of oil palm ecosystems. This study aims to provide preliminary data on the yellow assassin bug’s life cycle and feeding habits, focusing on its prey, E. kamerunicus, and morphometric analysis. We found that E. kamerunicus is a common prey of the yellow assassin bug, and its feeding habits significantly impact the ecology of its inhabited areas. Our study provides valuable insights which could be useful for future research in the field. Understanding the interactions between the yellow assassin bug and E. kamerunicus in oil palm ecosystems is important to manage and maintain their ecological balance effectively in supporting sustainable agriculture.