BSERVATIONS ON TROPHIC LEVELS OF DITTERENT GROUPS OF INSECT POPULATION VIS A VIS INSECT POLLINATORS IN A PROTECTED FOREST ECOSYSTEM IN THE WESTERN HIMALAYAS

摘要

Investigations were undertaken to know trophic level composition of different groups of insect population in a fleeted Area in the Western Himalayas, India. Observations revealed that herbivorous species showed rich population i.e. 67.26% and 65.76% of the total collection of species of insect for first year and second year of study, respectively followed by fixators (23.89% and 26.13%), saprophagous (2.65% and 6.31%) and omnivores (2.65% and 1.80%), respectively. Similarly, on the basis of total number of individuals of insect population recorded, herbivores constituted the maximum of all the insects i.e. 68.94% and 64.71 % for first year and second year of study, respectively, followed by predators 23.74% and 26.38%, (iprophagous 5.94% and i.22'Vo) and, omnivores 1.40% and 1.69% during the first year and second year of study, respectively. Across the study period, maximum numbers of herbivorous insects (50.12% individuals) were recorded during the rainy season followed by summer season (34.25% individuals) and winter season (15.63% individuals), respectively. During the entire study period, a total of 57 species of insects were found to facilitate the pollination processes. These species belonged to orders Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera and, Diptera and partially Coleoptera.