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For the effective management of economically and ecologically valuable tree species, it is crucial to understand pollination and resource allocation particularly in biotic pollinated species. Gmelina arborea Roxb. growing in moist tropical forest of Indo-Burma region has high economic value for the pulp and paper, quality timber, medicines and a valuable component of agroforestry systems. We studied floral morphology, pollinating vectors and the reproductive potential of the species in natural forest during the flowering and fruiting seasons (March-June) of the years 2012 and 2013, which covered about one month period in each year. Floral morphometric traits, pollinating vectors, pollination and fruit formation were observed during the flowering season on ten randomly selected individuals within the population. Floral characters exhibited strong adaptations towards entomophily with emerging adaptation towards ornithophily. G arborea flowers were mainly visited by two legitimate functional groups of pollinators’ i.e. insects (e.g. Xylocopa violacea, Amegilla cingulata, Mylabris pustulata) and five birds species belonging to 2 families of order Passeriformes. Additionally, one species of squirrel (Callosciurus pygerthus) was noted to legitimately foraging the flowers. Xylocopa violacea ascertained highest visiting frequency over other pollinators. Xylcopa bee also exhibited high level of functional synchronization with floral morphology of G. arborea and ascertained as most important pollinator in the study region. However, long billed trait of passerines birds were important determinant for the bird species to act as potential pollinators in the species. Ornithophilic adaptation in G. arborea is key feature of the species to attract the birds and facilitates reproductive effort. There is significant role of both flower and pollen production (resource allocation) and availability of pollinating vectors (pollination limitation) in reproductive success. G. arborea shall be vital for insects and birds conservation through providing floral resources in natural forest and agroforestry land setting.

Sitompul FA, Siregar EH, Roesma DI, Dahelmi, Prasetya E. 2018. Molecular identification of coffee (Coffea arabica) pollinator insects in North Sumatra, Indonesia based on designed COI primers. Biodiversitas 19: 1877-1883. Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) is one of the most important economic commodities in the province of North Sumatra, Indonesia. Insects associated with pollination of C. arabica are one of the key factors for successful cultivation of C. arabica, but, the research regarding of these was still limited. The population of coffee plant is scattered across the highlands of Indonesia and the pollination of C. arabica is strongly believed linked to a diverse group of pollinating insects. However, lack of taxonomic identification of insects pollinating these plants has become one of constraints to succeed the cultivation of C. Arabica. This study aimed to analyze types and variations of pollinating insects of C. arabica in the province of North Sumatra, Indonesia, using DNA barcoding. DNA barcoding is now considered an alternative method of molecular identification. Sixteen of C. arabica flower visitors were captured in different planting location in North Sumatra province. Using mtDNA markers, the cytochrome oxidase subunit sequence I (COI), about 12 pollinator insect species were identified based on the COI sequence i.e Amegilla cingulata, Apis dorsata, Apis cerana, Trigona chanchamayoensis, Idiella divisa, Dolichopodidae sp., Allactoneura sp., Stomorhina discolor, Phytomia erratica, Rhiniidae sp., Melipona bicolor, and Hymenoptera sp.

Urban green spaces can provide habitat and resources for urban dwelling fauna. Suburban green spaces occur most commonly as parks and roadside vegetation, but as human populations grow and space in cities becomes increasingly limited, space-efficient green solutions like green roofs and walls in metropolitan areas are becoming increasingly common. However, the efficacy of these forms of green infrastructure in attracting and promoting biodiversity remains limited. To address this, we compared arthropod, gastropod, and avian species richness and diversity between green and conventional roofs on neighbouring and identical buildings in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. By monitoring local biodiversity using motion sensing camera traps and regular insect surveys, we found that the green roof supported four times the avian, over seven times the arthropod, and twice the gastropod diversity of the conventional roof. Only the green roof attracted locally rare species including blue banded bees (Amegilla Cingulata) and metallic shield bugs (Scutiphora pedicellata). Our results suggest that green roofs, like other urban green spaces, can have ecological significance by attracting and supporting urban fauna that may then add important functional capacities to previously depauperate spaces. This study demonstrates the potential for the widespread adoption of green roofs to create more biologically diverse cities.

Indian siris, Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth. (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae) has significant importance to human beings for its multipurpose use. Insects play a crucial role in the pollination biology of flowering plants. In the current study, we studied the pollination biology of A. lebbeck with special reference to insect floral visitors. The effectiveness of floral visitors was investigated in term of visitation frequency, visitation rate and pollen load during 2012 and 2013. In the second experiment, effect of pollinators on yield of A. lebbeck was studied in open and cage pollination experiments. Floral visitor fauna of A. lebbeck included eight-bees, two wasps, two flies, and two butterflies species. Among them, Apis dorsata, Apis florea, Amegilla cingulata, and Nomia oxybeloides had maximum abundance ranging from 349–492, 339–428, 291–342 and 235–255 numbers of individuals, respectively during two flowering seasons. A. dorsata had the highest visitation frequency (6.44 ± 0.49–8.78 ± 0.48 visits/flower/5min) followed by Amegilla cingulata (6.03 ± 0.43–7.99 ± 0.33 visits/flower/5min) and A. florea (3.61 ± 0.31–4.44 ± 0.18 visits/flower/5min). A. dorsata, N. oxybeloides, and Amegilla cingulata had the highest visitation rates (18.904 ± 1.53–11.43 ± 1.17 flower visited/min) and pollen load (15333 ± 336.22–19243 ± 648.45 pollen grains). The open pollinated flowers had significantly higher capsule weight (4.97 ± 0.21 g), seed weight (1.04 ± 0.05 g), seed numbers per pod (9.80 ± 0.34) and seed germination percentage (84.0 ± 1.78%) as compared to caged flowers. The results suggested bees especially A. dorsata, N. oxybeloides and Amegilla cingulata could be effective pollinators of A. lebbeck. Keywords: Bees, Floral visitors, Open pollination, Visitation frequency, Visitation rate

Widhiono I, Sudiana E. 2015. The role of wild plants in the conservation of pollinating insects of the Order Hymenoptera. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 1: 1586-1590. The diversity of pollinating insects is closely connected with the diversity of wild plants in nature as bee forage. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of wild plants as wild bee forage. This study was conducted in an area under the pine forest stands in northern slopes of Mount Slamet; survey method was done with purposive sampling technique. Parameters measured were the abundance and the species richness of bees visited wild plants as well as the number and species of wild plants visited by insects pollinators. The results showed that at study sites found 42 species of wild plants and 24 are visited by pollinating insects that consist of 10 species of wild bees, namely: Ceratina sp, Nomia melanderi, Hyaleus modestus, Megachile realtiva, Xylocopa latipes, Amegilla cingulata, A. romandi, Rhopalidia cingulata, R. zonata, and Lasioglosum leucozonium. Eight species of wild plant visited by more than one species of bee are: Cleome rutidosperma, Borreria laevicaulis, B. elegans, Euphorbia heterophyla, Rubus parviflorus, Salmo cantoniensis, Tridax procumbers, and Vero cinerea. Wild plants with the highest diversity (Shannon Index) of pollinating insects shows that Cleome rutidosperma has diversity index (H '= 2097, E = 0.9047), and the lowest in the Rubus parviflorus (H' = 0.5623, E = 0.8774). Insect pollinators most visited wild plants is Lasioglossum leucozonium visiting 13 species of wild plants. Based on the results of this study concluded that the eight wild plants that can contribute to the conservation of the diversity of wild bees.