Abstract
Insects are pivotal components of ecosystems, contributing significantly to ecological processes, agriculture, biodiversity, and human well-being. They inhabit all types of habitats and play key roles in the function and stability of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Keeping in mind the diverse and characteristic features of insects, the current study was designed to investigate insect diversity in one of the important areas, the Multan district (Punjab, Pakistan), focusing on seven insect orders: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, Blattodea, and Neuroptera. Data were collected using ten light traps over a three-year period (2019–2021). A total of 43 insect species were identified across the selected orders. Among these, the highest species richness was observed in Coleoptera, with 18 species, followed by Lepidoptera (nine species), Hemiptera (seven species), Orthoptera (four species), Neuroptera (three species), and Blattodea (one species). Coleoptera exhibited the highest diversity, richness, and evenness among the studied orders. Temperature was noted to have a profound influence on the distribution and population density of insects. The range of recorded temperatures (20 °C to 30 °C) correlated with the prevalence of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. In terms of habitat, forested areas exhibited the highest insect diversity, while areas under agricultural cultivation near urban centers demonstrated the lowest diversity. This study provides insight into the diverse insect community in the Multan district and emphasizes the need for systematic conservation efforts. The findings underscore the importance of preserving rare species while addressing pest management strategies for more abundant species. Such understanding is crucial for maintaining the delicate balance of ecosystems and sustaining both ecological and agricultural systems.
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Data availability
Data available on request.
Abbreviations
- AD :
-
Anno Domini
- KCN :
-
Potassium cyanide
- ANOVA :
-
Analysis of variance
- GLMM :
-
Generalized linear model
- Cole :
-
Coleoptera
- Lepi :
-
Lepidoptera
- Hemip :
-
Hemiptera
- Orthop :
-
Orthoptera
- Hymen :
-
Hymenoptera
- Blat :
-
Blattodea
- Neur :
-
Neuroptera
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Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to Dr. Zeshan Hassan, Dr. Sami Ullah, Dr. Ahmad Nawaz for their critical reviewing and analysis of this manuscript
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The authors thank HEC for providing funding resources to conduct this study.
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MSH created the research plan, analysed the data, and write the manuscript. NN, HA was advisors, and help to perform the experiments. The authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Amin, M., Sarwar, Z.M. & Ali, H. Exploring nocturnal insect biodiversity and distribution across diverse habitats. Biologia 79, 1351–1358 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-024-01621-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-024-01621-9