Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Flower-Visiting Insects in Coffee Crops

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Entomology
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Flower-visiting insects are vital for agricultural production, particularly in coffee cultivation.
• Previous studies on Colombian coffee pollinators have not incorporated functional diversity metrics.
• Understanding insect functional diversity is crucial for assessing pollination services and ecosystem health in agroecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the abundance, richness, and functional diversity of insects visiting coffee flowers in Colombia.
• To identify key bee functional groups and potential pollinators within coffee agroecosystems.
• To assess the contribution of insect visitors to coffee crop productivity and associated plant species.

Main Methods:

• Conducted extensive field sampling across 28 plots in five Colombian sites over three years and two flowering events per year.
• Recorded insect visitors on 90 coffee trees per plot, totaling 1240 hours of observation.
• Taxonomically identified collected insects, estimating abundance, species richness, and functional diversity, particularly within the bee community.

Main Results:

• Recorded 23,735 individuals from 566 species, including 90 bee species, with native bees abundant during peak hours.
• Identified five distinct functional groups within the bee community, dominated by corbiculate and long-tongued non-corbiculate bees.
• Identified key potential pollinators: *Apis mellifera*, *Nannotrigona gaboi*, *Tetragonisca angustula*, *Geotrigona* cf. *tellurica*, and *Partamona* cf. *peckolti*.

Conclusions:

• Coffee crops in Colombia support a rich diversity of flower visitors, especially bees.
• The identified functional groups and key pollinators suggest significant potential benefits for coffee productivity.
• These diverse insect communities may also contribute to maintaining the biodiversity of plant species within coffee agroecosystems.