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Butterflies

The study investigates the role of butterflies as pollinators for Ixora coccinea in Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, highlighting their effectiveness in enhancing fruit and seed set. Results indicate that uncovered flowers, which were accessible to pollinators, produced significantly more fruits and seeds compared to covered ones. The research underscores the importance of butterfly diversity in pollination and its implications for plant reproductive success.

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24 views

Butterflies

The study investigates the role of butterflies as pollinators for Ixora coccinea in Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, highlighting their effectiveness in enhancing fruit and seed set. Results indicate that uncovered flowers, which were accessible to pollinators, produced significantly more fruits and seeds compared to covered ones. The research underscores the importance of butterfly diversity in pollination and its implications for plant reproductive success.

Uploaded by

sumikochan97
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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International Journal of Research Studies in Biosciences (IJRSB)

Volume 2, Issue 11, December 2014, PP 71-74


ISSN 2349-0357 (Print) & ISSN 2349-0365 (Online)
www.arcjournals.org

Effectiveness and Importance of Butterflies as Pollinators to


the Flowers of Ixora Coccinea
Pollobi Duara
Dept. of Zoology
Gauhati University

1. INTRODUCTION
Pollination is one of the most important types of interaction between plants and animals in
ecosystems because i t is a key process in the sexual reproduction of most angiosperms and can
affect directly the plant reproduction success (Dafni, 1992; Kearns and Inouye,1993). The
presence of different pollinators with different efficiencies influences the seed-set and the quality
of descendants (Her rera, 2000). This is an important issue, if we consider the possible variation
in the assemblages of pollinators, due to the presence and spread of invasive introduced species.
The process of transportation of pollens from stamens to the ovary is called pollination. A great
majority of flowers that we see around us today are insect pollinated or entomophilous.
Flowers can attract pollinators by providing ample nectar of the right composition, and by
advertising this nectar by deep shape and recognizable floral patterns, by providing excess pollen
as food, or by providing shelter or a place to raise young (Faegri and Vander Pijl 1971).
“The shape and colors of the flowers, their scent, their location on the stalks, the season and duty
schedule of their pollen and nectar offerings, as well as other qualities we admire but seldom
understand, are adjusted precisely to attract particulars species of insects; and those specialists in
turn, whether beettles, butterflies, bees or some other group are genetically adopted to respond to
certain kinds of flowers” (Wilson 1999).
North East India accounts for nearly a two-third (962 species) (Evans, 1932) of the India’s total
butterfly species. The present work is carried out in Nambor Wild Life Sanctuary of Assam.
Ixora is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. It consists of tropical evergreen trees
and shrubs and holds around 500 species. Though native to the tropical and subtropical areas
throughout the world, its centre of diversity is in Tropical Asia. Red ixora flowers are commonly
used in Hindu worship, as well as in Indian folk medicine.
I. coccinea is a dense, multi-branched evergreen shrub, commonly 4–6 ft (1.2–2 m) in height, but
capable of reaching up to 12 ft (3.6 m) high. It has a rounded form, with a spread that may exceed
its height. The glossy, leathery, oblong leaves are about 4 in (10 cm) long, with entire margins,
and are carried in opposite pairs or whorled on the stems. Small tubular, scarlet flowers in dense
rounded clusters 2-5 in (5–13 cm) across are produced almost all year the flowers, leaves, roots,
and the stem are used to treat various ailments in the Indian traditional system of medicine, the
Ayurveda, and in various folk medicines. The fruits, when fully ripe, are used as a dietary source.
long.
We studied (a) the number and diversity of visitors and pollinators, (b) behavioural aspects of
visitors and pollinators (time spent in each flower, number of flowers visited), and (c) fruit-set,
i.e., the proportion of flowers that set fruit, and seed- set, i.e., the number of viable seeds
produced by fruit.

©ARC Page | 71
Pollobi Duara

2. MATERIAL AND METHODS


2.1. Study Area
Study area is Nambor Wild Life Sanctuary, Assam. : Nambor Wild Life Sanctuary is a protected
area located at Golaghat and Karbi Anglong district of Assam in India. This life sanctuary covers
an are of 37 Km2. This moderately sized sanctuary is 25 Km from Golaghat and 65 Km from the
renowned Kazairanga National Park. This sanctuary is also bordered by other nearby wild life
Sanctuary like Garampani Wild Life Sanctuary, Karbi Anglong Wilde Life Sanctuary and East
Karbi Anglong Wild Life Sanctuary. The area was declared as a sanctuary on 27 July 2000. Its
geographic location is 26023/43// N 93052/57// E coordinates.
2.2. Diversity and Abundance of Flower Visitors
The pollinating insect survey was done in each month of the year to find out the data for various
analysis. The survey was carried out from March 2010 to December 2011 covering an area of
37 sq.km using the methods of Pollard et al. (1975).Butterflies observed in the line transects
were either caught with aerial net or photographed for identification. The Butterflies were
identified in the field condition using the keys of Evans (1932), Wynter-Blyth
(1957),Haribal(1992) and Kehimkar (2008).
2.3. Fruit-Set and Seed-Set
Effectiveness of insect pollinators was measured by number of fruits produced by plants that
exposed to pollinators compared with fruits produced by covered plants. Before flowering, some
plants were covered by using insect screen, while some other plants were uncovered. After 30
days of fruiting period, the number of fruits per plant, fruits per bunches, fruit diameters, seeds
per fruit, and seeds weight were counted
3. RESULTS
3.1. Diversity and Abundance of Flower Visitors
Table 1. Butterflies along with their family associated with Ixora coccinea plants in Nambor Wildlife
Sanctuary, Assam
Common name Scientific name Family
Common mormon Papilio polytes Papilionidae
Yellow helen Papilio nephelus Papilionidae
Common blue bottle, Graphium serpedon Papilionidae
Common batwing Atrophaneura varuna Papilionidae
Lime butterfly Papilio demoleus Papilionidae
Great mormon Papilio memnon Papilionidae
Common mime Chilasa clytia clytia Papilionidae
Common birdwing Triodes helena Papilionidae
Common rose Atrophaneura astolochiae Papilionidae
Tailed jay Graphium agamemnon Papilionidae
Common jay Graphium doson Papilionidae
Common raven Papilio castor Papilionidae
Monarch Danaus plexippus Nymphalidae
Common grass yellow Eurema hecabe Pieridae
Yellow orange tip Ixias pyrene Pieridae
Great orange tip Hebomoia glaucippe Pieridae
White orange tip Ixias marianne Pieridae
Mandarian Blue Charana mandarinus Lycaenidae
Lesser grass blue Zizina otis Lycaenidae

International Journal of Research Studies in Biosciences (IJRSB) Page | 72


Effectiveness and Importance of Butterflies as Pollinators to the Flowers of Ixora Coccinea

Some of the photographs are given

3.2. Fruit-Set and Seed-Set


Table 2. Comparison of covered and uncovered fruit set of some plants

Sl. Field Plant


Plant component
No covered uncovered
1 Fruit/bunch 2.11b 9.42a
2 Fruit/plant 8.13b 26.30a
3 Seed set/plant 232b 826a
4 Seed weight/plant 20.41b 119.39a
The different alphabet in some row showed significant different with T-lest level 95%.
4. DISCUSSION
From the above study it is seen that the butterflies of papilionidae family were seen in highest
number associated with the flowers of I.coccinea. Butterflies have Siphoning mouthparts, the,
proboscis consist of paired galea which during feeding fit together to form a tube that is used to
suck up nectar. I.coccinea flowers are Tubular flowers, which are up to 5cm (2 inch) long and
fiery red, open at the month into four petals arranged in the form of a cross about a centimetre
(0.4 inch) wide. The entire flower head has a diameter of 8-12cm (3-5 inch). So the butterfly
mouthpart fits with the flower structure, this is in conformity with the findings reported by
Muthoka and Mananze, Schemske, (1976); Weiss (1995), who stated that butterflies were most
potent pollinator of flowers like Lantana and Ixora. Flowers produce nectar to ensure insects visit
them and in doing act as pollinators for the plant moving.
The flowers that were left uncovered show high seed snd fruit set compared to the covered ones.
This is because the pollinators were able to nectar on the uncovered ones and during nectaring
perform the process of pollination. It showed that seeds set from xenogamy have a higher
potential germination than from geitonogamy pollination. Xenogamy pollination enabled the
mixed of genetics material from two different plants, resulted high genetics diversities and
maximize its fitness. Mohr et al. (1995) reported genetics diversities result the hybrid vigor to
maximize the growth and crops. Our result concluded that butterfly pollination increasing the
number of fruits per plant and fruits per bunch.

International Journal of Research Studies in Biosciences (IJRSB) Page | 73


Pollobi Duara

REFERENCES
[1] Dafni A. 1992. Pollination Ecology: A Practical Approach. New York: Oxford Univ Pr.
[2] Evans, W.H. (1932). Identification of Indian butterflies Croom Halm Ltd. Kent. (BI).
[3] Faegri, K., Van derpijl, L. (1971). The Principles of Pollination Ecology. Pergamon Press,
Oxford
[4] Haribal, M.(1992).The Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and their natural History published
by Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation P.I-217
[5] Herrera, C.M., 2000. Flower-to-seedling consequences of different pollina- tion regimes in
an insect-pollinated shrub. Ecology 81, 15–29..
[6] Kearns CA, Inouye DW (1997) Pollinators, flowering plants, and conservation biology.
BioSci 47:297–307
[7] Kehimkar, 2008. The Book of Indian Butterflies published by BNHS.
[8] Mohr H, Schopfer P, Lawlor G. 1995. Plant Physiology. Berlin: Springer-verlag.
[9] Muthoka, C.N., Mananze.S.1976. 1976. Aspects of the pollination biology of Lantana
camara (Verbenaceae)
[10] Pollard,E.,Elias,D.O.,Skelton,M.J & Thomas,J.A.(1975).A method of assessing the
abundance of butterflies in Monks wood national Nature Reserve in
1973.Entomol.Craz.Vol:26:79-88.
[11] Weiss M.R (1995) Floral Colour change: a widespread functional convergence. American
Journal of Botany 82: 1671-1685
[12] Wilson, E.O. (1999). Diversity of life. W.W. Norton and Company, New York-424.
[13] Wynter-Blyth, M.A.(1957).Butterflies of the Indian Region,Bombay Natura History Society,
Mumbai,India
AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY
Pollobi Duara, the author born on 1 st feb 1985, done B.Sc from Debraj Roy
College, Golaghat Assam securing 1 st class with distinction and M.Sc in
Zoology from Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam securing 1st class 6th
position. Doing P.hd under the guidance of Prof.Jatin Kalita. My father
Mr.Biren Duara, Mother Mrs.Lekha Duara and my husband Mr.Prasanta Pallav
Borah inspired me a lot to carry out my Research work and writing articles for
journals.

International Journal of Research Studies in Biosciences (IJRSB) Page | 74

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