Abstract:
The flower-visiting behavior of insects is one of the critical factors affecting the reproduction of Orchidaceae plants. From March to June 2024, the first systematic study on flower-visiting insects of seven Orchidaceae plants was conducted in the Shunxiwu Rare Plant Protection Area of Qingliangfeng National Nature Reserve to elucidate the reproductive mechanism of orchids. The community composition and visitation frequency of these insects were recorded, species diversity indices of the flower-visiting insect communities were calculated, and a plant-pollinator interaction network was and established. The results showed that among the shared flower-visiting insects of the seven rare species, flower-visiting insects of the order Diptera exhibited higher species diversity and longer flower-visiting duration, those of the order Hymenoptera showed higher richness index and visitation frequency, while those of the order Lepidoptera recorded a higher evenness index. The plant-pollinator network constructed for Orchidaceae plants indicated that a moderately specialized structure between certain orchids and their flower-visiting insects in Shunxiwu Rare Plant Protection emerged, with some plant species relying on specific insect partners, and that a moderate nested structure existed, where the interactions of specialized species were embedded within those of generalized species. To conserve Orchidaceae plants and ensure the stable reproduction of their communities, the reduction in harm to flower-visiting insects is recommended during the flowering period.