Community structure of fig wasp in Ficus benjamina in different habitats
垂叶榕隐头果内小蜂群落结构与生境关系的初步研究

Ficus are species-specifically pollinated by Chalcidoid wasps (Agaonidae). Each monoecious fig species shelters a wasp community of pollinator and nonpollinators. Ficus benjamina is a monoecious tree worldwide cultivated for ornamental purposes, but the fig wasp community inside the syconium of this spe- cies is still little known. In order to study the fig wasp community structure of F. benjamina in different habitats, we collected 180 syconia from three different study sites distinct in plant coverage and disturbance level in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan. In all syconia, 49,149 specimens were collected, consisting of 13 species of fig wasps from 8 genera of Chaleidoidae. Eupristina koningsbergeri was the pollinator, whereas the others were nonpollinators. The species diversity and abundance of the fig wasp community were significantly dif- ferent in the three study sites, and were significantly higher in the site with high plant coverage and relatively little disturbance. This result indicates that nonpollinators are inclined to oviposit in flowers of F. benjamina in habitats with high plant coverage and relatively little disturbance. The data also suggest that the correlation between pollinator and nonpollinators inside the syconium is significantly negative.