Floral Resource Utilization by Butterflies and Moths in Rawalakot, AJK
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55627/agrivet.004.02.1355Keywords:
Pollinators, Lepidoptera, Biodiversity, Floral Hosts, Altitude, Conservation, RawalakotAbstract
Pollinators play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem stability. This study investigates the species diversity and composition of native flora visited by Lepidopteran pollinators (butterflies and moths) in Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Field surveys were conducted across five locations (Rawalakot, Drake, Banjosa, Kharick, and Dhamni) from March 2022 to October 2023. A total of 51 plant species from 18 families were identified as floral hosts for Lepidopteran pollinators. The Asteraceae family exhibited the highest species richness (9), followed by Rosaceae (6), Lamiaceae (5), and Cucurbitaceae (5). Diversity indices (Shannon-Wiener, Simpson, Margalef, Menhinick, and Evenness) indicated the highest plant diversity in Dhamni (altitude: 1820 m) and the lowest in Banjosa (2000 m). Thirteen Lepidopteran species (12 butterflies and 1 moth) were recorded, with the highest pollinator abundance in Dhamni. A negative correlation was observed between altitude and both plant (−0.054) and pollinator (−0.279) diversity, while a strong positive correlation (0.877) existed between plant and pollinator diversity. These findings highlight the importance of conserving native flora to sustain pollinator populations, particularly in mountainous regions vulnerable to climate change.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Pakeeza Bakhtawar, Muahmmad Faraz Khan, Sajjad Hussain, Muhammad Imran Hamza, Tehsin Razzaq, Shazia Khatoon, Umer Ayyaz Aslam Sheikh
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