Diversity and abundance of Hymenopteran pollinators on Makerere University Hill, Kampala Uganda

Abstract

Biodiversity provides a number of ecosystem services which are essential for the maintaining of ecosystems but also provision of food and other needs to humans. Some of these services are by pollinators which are critical for the reproduction of many plants. Many land use activities and practices have led to conversion of more diverse natural habitats to less diverse agroecosystems which has caused biodiversity loss and disruption of pollination services as evident today. Most of the plants, both crops and wild plants are dependent on these pollination services to enhance their reproduction which is by a number of organisms though Hymenopterans are recognized as the most adapted. In this study, the diversity and abundance of hymenopteran pollinators was assessed from Makerere University Hill from three selected sites with different dominant vegetation types. The collections were made on a clear day from each of the sites, preserved in 70% ethanoland later taken to the lab in the Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences. Twenty four genera from eight families were identified through the study. It was found out that Makerere university edge had the highest mean abundance. Apidae was the most abundant Hymenopteran family (44%), followed by Vespidae (17%) while Crabronidae was the least abundant 1%. Apis was the most abundant genus from both the botanical garden and from the open ground (1.069 ±0.702 and 0.586 ±0.349 respectively), while Xylocopa was the most abundant from Makerere University edge, 1.310 ± 0.779.