Quantitative estimation of insect diversity inhabitingCalotropis procerain industrial and nonindustrial areas of West Bengal, India

Abstract

This paper compares the species richnesses, Bray-Curtis similarities, species diversities, evennesses, and the results of various analyses (multivariate, logarithmic series, and lognormal distribution analyses) of insects from four orders (viz., Hemiptera, Orthoptera, aculeate Hymenoptera, and Coleoptera) inhabiting a medicinal plant, Calotropis procera among eight sites within industrial and nonindustrial zones in the Purba Medinipur district (erstwhile Midnapore), West Bengal, India. Both cluster analysis and principal component analysis indicate an effect of industrialization on the diversity of the four insect orders. The species community at each site exhibits an almost pure lognormal distribution. Bootstrap estimation of species diversity also points to the effect of industrialization. A comparison of the values of x and N/S of the logarithmic series indicates a typical relationship between the species community and its diversity. The number of unique species among the eight study sites is 6 according to jackknife estimation. Beta-diversity analysis of the samples shows the impact of industrialization on the abundances and species richness of the insects. Altogether, 16 types of analytical procedure are applied for this purpose, and their suitabilities for this kind of data set are assessed. Disturbance, probably due to industrial emissions, has changed the compositions and structures of the insect communities out to a distance of at least 6 km from the core industrial area.

Insect diversity on <em>Calotropis gigantea</em> (L.) in Sri Lanka

“…The insects collected from C. gigantea during this study in Sri Lanka are very similar to the insects reported on C. procera and C. gigantea from India (Pugalenthi and Livingstone, 1997;Chandra et al, 2011;Jana et al, 2012;Dhileepan 2014). A similar study had been conducted in Saudi Arabia related to C. procera and 99 insect species belonging to 43 families were identified (Al dhafer et al, 2011).…”

“…Wijeweera et al 125 (Chandra et al, 2011), 8 species of insects from 6 families have been documented on C. procera. Similarly, a study in West Bengal in India reported 19 insect species from ten families of C. procera (Jana et al, 2012).…”