Contrasting responseS of hoverflies and wild bees to habitat structure and land use change in a tropical landscape （southern Yunnan, SW China）

The response of insects to monoculture plantations has mainly proceeded at the expense of natural forest areas, and is an outstanding and important issue in ecology and conservation biology, with pollination services declined around the world. In this study, species richness and distribution of hoverfly and wild bee communities were investigated in a changing tropical landscape in southern Yunnan, south-west China by Malaise traps periodically from 2008 to 2009. Species were recorded from the traditional land use types （natural forest, grassland, shrubland and rice field fallows）, and from recently established rubber plantations of different ages. Hoverflies （total 53 species） were most common in young successional stages of vegetation, including rice field fallow and shrubland. Species richness was highest in rice field fallows and lowest in forests and showed a highly significant relationship with the number of forb species and ground vegetation cover. In contrast, the highest richness of wild bees （total 44 species） was recorded from the natural forest sites, which showed a discrete bee community composition compared to the remaining habitat types. There was no significant relationship between the bee species richness and the environmental variables, including the numbers of different plant life forms, coverage of canopy and ground vegetation, successional age of vegetation and land use type. At the landscape scale, open land use systems, including young rubber plantations, are assumed to increase the species richness of hoverflies; however, this might decrease wild bee diversity. The present land use change by rubber cultivation can be expected to have negative impacts on the native wild bee communities.

Spatial and temporal effects on seed dispersal and seed predation of Musa acuminata in southern Yunnan, China

Wild bananas are abundant in tropical areas and many ecologists have observed that the succession process is quicker following increased disturbance.This study was conducted to analyze animal–seed interactions and their effects on the seed fate of a wild banana species(Musa acuminata)in tropical southern Yunnan(China)through experiments considering spatial(site and habitat)and temporal(seasons)variation.The largest proportion of fruits(81%)was removed by frugivorous seed dispersers,especially by bats at nighttime.Only 13%of the fruits were removed by climbing seed predators(different species of rats).In the exclosure treatment,rodents accounted for a significantly higher total artificially exposed seed removal number than ants,but with spatial and temporal differences.The highest seed predation rate by rodents(70%)was found in forest with wild banana stands,corresponding with the highest rodent diversity(species numbers and abundance)among the habitat types.In contrast,the seed removal number by ants(57%)was highest in the open land habitats,but there was no close correlation with ant diversity.Seed removal numbers by ants were significantly higher in the dry compared to the rainy season,but rodent activity showed no differences between seasons.The overall results suggest that the largest proportion of seeds produced by wild banana are primarily dispersed by bats.Primary seed dispersal by bats at nighttime is essential for wild banana seeds to escape seed predation.