An Assessment of Coleoptera Diversity in Agriculture Landscapes of Sialkot District, Pakistan

Abstract

Agriculture is the primary source of income in Pakistan, underpinning the national economy. Insect biodiversity, specifically Coleoptera (beetles), provides critical ecosystem services within agroecosystem, including pollination, decomposition, nutrient cycling, biological control, seed dispersal and serving as predator. This study assessed Coleoptera diversity across major cropping systems in Sialkot District, Punjab, Pakistan. Over a sampling period from March- June 2023, total 1437 specimens of 29 species belonging to eight different families were collected from four crop types including wheat, mixed fodder crops, sunflower, and vegetables. Coccinellidae with 507 specimens of (Coccinella septempunctata) and Chrysomelidae with 124 specimens of (Altica cyanea) were recorded as most prevalent families and species. There was less significant difference among data of different tehsils of Sialkot district. Beetles’ abundance varied significantly in different months, maximum in the month of May (40.5%). Canonical Corresponding Analysis (CCA) determines the impact of different environmental factors on presence of different species. The prominent species of Coleopteran are predator in nature, having capacity to control different pest species by acting as biological control agents. These findings will be helpful for their conservation in future for productive and functional agro-ecosystem and its sustainability.