Paper Details

PJB-2004-12

INSECT HERBIVORY IN POLLUTED MANGROVES OF THE INDUS DELTA

S.M. SAIFULLAH AND MAHERA S. ALI
DOI:

Abstract

---

The study deals with estimation of insect herbivory on the attached leaves of the grey mangrove Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh., in a highly polluted habitat of the Indus Delta. A greater proportion of the leaves was affected by herbivory in varying degrees of consumption by insects and mostly less than 20% of the leaf area was consumed. A vertical zonation of herbivory was observed with an increasing trend from upper to lower canopy. The overall estimate of herbivory in mangroves revealed that insects consumed as much as 22% of the foliage with an average value of 14.38 ± 4.37%.

To Cite this article:
Download