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Non-apoid flower-visiting fauna of Everglades National Park, Florida

Publication Name Biodiversity and Conservation
Data Source Biodiversity and Conservation
Data Type Publication
Volume 10
Journal Number
Publication Year 2001
Publication Place
Publisher
Pagination pp. 551-566
ISBN/ISSN
K.D. Waddington, P.R. Neal

The non-apoid flower-visiting fauna of Everglades National Park (ENP), Florida, was surveyed during 1995-1997 as part of a community pollinator survey. One hundred and thirty one sampling trips were made to four areas of Everglades National Park (Shark Valley, Chekika, Long Pine Key (LPK), and Flamingo). Species-month curves indicate that the sampling effort resulted in capture of most of the flower-visiting animal species in the park. A total of 143 insects and 1 bird species were recorded. Diptera were the most diverse group (55 spp.), followed by Lepidoptera (42 spp.) and non-apoid Hymenoptera (34 spp.). The majority of species were rare (56% of species were found on fewer than five trips). The highest diversity of species was found from January to May during the peak flowering period in some plant communities. The greatest total diversity was found in Long Pine Key and Shark Valley had the lowest diversity. Chekika and Flamingo were intermediate in diversity. Twenty-five species of plants had only non-apoid flower visitors; the majority of these species had only visits by Lepidoptera. Potentially important pollinator species include members of the Syrphidae, Coleoptera, and Lepidoptera. However, many of the flower-visiting species may not be effective pollinators. This study will be useful for designing sampling protocols for including invertebrates in assessments of ecological restoration underway in the Everglades ecosystem and for more detailed studies of the importance of non-apoid flower-visitors as effective pollinators.

Biodiversity
Everglades
Florida
non-apoid
pollinators
Lepidoptera
Coleoptera
Syrphidae
Diptera
Everglades National Park
Florida