Insect pollinators in different habitats of Shivapuri‐Nagarjun National Park, Nepal

Insect pollinators are important means for a stable ecosystem. The habitat
types play a crucial role in the community composition, abundance,
diversity, and species richness of the pollinators. The present study in
Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park explored the species richness and
abundances of insect pollinators in four different habitats and different
environmental variables in determining the community composition of the
pollinators. Data were collected from 1500 m–2700 m using colour pan traps
and hand sweeping methods. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and
redundancy analysis (RDA) were conducted to show the association between
insect pollinators and environmental variables. The results firmly
demonstrated that species richness and abundances were higher in open
trail compared to other habitats. The distribution of the pollinator
species was more uniform in the open trail followed by the grassland.
Similarly, a strong positive correlation between flower resources and
pollinator's abundance was found. In conclusion, the open trail
harbours rich insect pollinators in lower elevation. The community
structure of the pollinators was strongly influenced by the presence of
flowers in the trails.