Elevational and seasonal diversity of insect orders in the Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park, Nepal

Abstract

Insects fill many ecological niches and are crucial for sustaining ecosystems. Nevertheless, reported declines in insect diversity across the globe has raised grave concerns for these declines have significant ecological and economic ramifications. The current scenario of shifting environmental conditions, dwindling insect populations, and a dearth of information on these species in Nepal, one of the 36 biodiversity hotspots, necessitates immediate intervention. The essential first step in increasing our understanding of the species for appropriate conservation efforts is species inventory. Using three collecting techniques (cup trap, pitfall trap, and net swipe), we evaluated insect order diversity in the Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park from February 2019 to February 2020 spanning three elevations (1660 m to 2700 m asl) and four seasons (Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring). Dipetra led the collection with a total of 632 individuals out of the 1467 insects belonging to 11 orders. The total count did not differ by elevation and was highest in the summer and lowest in the winter. While the ß-diversity was unaffected by elevation or season, the α-diversity varied according to both. We discuss the relationship between insect counts and air temperature as well as the relative abundance at various elevations and during various seasons. We also talk about the relationship between insect counts and air temperature and their relative abundance. For future reference, this study gathers the critical baseline data on the distribution of insect orders at SNNP.