Effects of Some Environmental Factors on Species of Major Insect Pollinators in the Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) Flowering Season

Wattanachai Tasen; Prateep Duengkae; Dokrak Marod; Kazuo Ogata; Prasit Pianhanuruk

Authors

Wattanachai Tasen Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand; Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan
Prateep Duengkae Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Dokrak Marod Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Kazuo Ogata Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan
Prasit Pianhanuruk Silviculture Research Division, Royal Forest Department, Bangkok 10900, Thailand; Present address: Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan

Keywords:

insect pollinator, teak, plantation, environmental factors, Thailand

Abstract

Insect pollinators were studied together with floral nectar and micro-environmental variables at the five main teak seed orchards in Thailand. Observations were carried out by walking on line transects and by using air-flight malaise traps in tree canopies in each seed orchard during the peak blooming season. The relationships between insect species and environmental variables were established for three groups. For group I, the spread of data regarding insect species and visiting periods on the ordination was positively correlated with photosynthetic active radiation and ambient temperature variables. In group II, a positive correlation was found with solar irradiance and relative humidity. In group III we found a negative correlation with all seven factors considered (two factors regarding floral nectar, and five micro-environmental variables, including the three mentioned above). Some major insect species in groups I and II that responded to photosynthetic active radiation, temperature and relative humidity were found to infrequently visit teak flowers, changing their foraging behavior due to sunlight variation throughout the day. We suggest that species in group III that did not show the same variations in behavior be considered for selection as suitable candidates for the introduction of new insect visitors into some seed plantations which lack sufficient pollinators or have irregular micro-environmental variables.

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