ISSN : 2663-2187

A Case Study of Florivory: Rewards for Pollinators of Bombax ceiba (Linn.), In and Around Gondia District (Maharashtra) India

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Virendra Sangode, Sunil Akare , Hemraj Meshram , Nilesh Gorghate,Niteen Kalambe, Smita Supare, Kamal Vatika
» doi: 10.33472/AFJBS.6.4.2024.167-173

Abstract

Bombax ceiba is a deciduous tree also known as Red Silk Cotton or Semal or Katesawar. In India it belongs to Bombacaceae (Baobab family). Identification can be easily made when it is in full bloom with most enchantingly beautiful huge blood red flowers in the month of March and April. B. ceiba is an obligate outcrosser that offers pollen nectar rewards to avifauna and requires pollinators for pollen transfer between synchronously blooming conspecific individuals. Such florivory is detrimental to the reproductive success of Bombax ceiba. The study was done during the month of January upto April for consecutive three years 2021-2023 in Sadak Arjuni of Gondia District along with adjoining forest corridors of NNTR (Navegoan Nagzira Tiger Reserve Areas) where population of Bombax ceiba is quite common. Observation were done at various locations on daily basis by using Celestron ® Binocular 10 x 50 mm and photographs were taken by Sony DSLR α57 55-300 mm zoom lens. Study indicates perfect florivory among 98 birds species belonging to 28 families for multiple ethological prospects such as feeding, roosting and nesting illustrate strong bond between existing avifaunal diversity and help ornithologist to study variety of birds existing in forest ecosystems

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