A Comprehensive Exploration of Oedipodinae Grasshoppers in the Nara Desert Ecosystem
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53555/jaz.v45i6.4974Keywords:
Orthoptera, Reproductive Success, Population Density, Dominance, Ecological balance.Abstract
This study explores the Orthoptera community in the Nara Desert, Sindh, focusing on Oedipodinae species: Hilethera aeolopoides, Aiolopus thalassinus thalassinus, Acrotylus humbertianus, Acrotylus longipes longipes, Sphingonotus rubescens rubescens, Sphingonotus savignyi, Locusta migratoria, and Oedaleus senegalensis. We assessed their population dynamics, including diversity, density, and reproductive success, using field and laboratory methods. Our results show considerable species variation S. savignyi had the highest reproductive success (Net Reproduction Rate Ro = 9.0) and largest population (27 individuals), while A. longipes longipes had the lowest reproductive rate (0.5 births per pair) and highest mortality (0.3 deaths per pair), resulting in the smallest population (5 individuals). Density varied, with L. migratoria being the least dense, and A. longipes longipes and O. senegalensis being the densest. Dominance and evenness analyses showed S.rubescens rubescens and H. aeolopoides as more ecologically influential, while A.longipes longipes and L.migratoria had higher evenness.
These findings highlight the impact of reproductive efficiency and density on species abundance and ecological roles, offering key insights for conservation and management in the Nara Desert to preserve biodiversity and ecological balance.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Muhammad Rafique Pitafi
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