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VOL. 11, ISSUE 3 (2026)
Assessment of orthopteran diversity across different habitats of semiarid eastern plain, Rajasthan, India
Authors
Pooja Meena, Manisha Yadav, Vinod Kumari, Shashi Meena
Abstract
Understanding how habitat variation shapes insect diversity is
essential for ecological monitoring and sustainable land management. This study
assessed the species diversity, abundance, and distribution patterns of
orthopteran insects across four distinct habitat types: agricultural fields,
urban gardens, soil regions, and open hilly areas in the semi-arid eastern
plains of Rajasthan, India. A total of 10,915 individuals belonging to 30
species, 25 genera, and 15 subfamilies were recorded using standardized collection
methods. Agricultural habitat exhibited the highest abundance (n =
5,004) and species richness, while soil habitat recorded the lowest (n =
1,790). The family Acrididae was the most dominant (49.20%), followed by
Gryllidae (29.50%) and Pyrgomorphidae (18.11%). Diversity indices varied
significantly across habitats: the Shannon index ranged from 1.912 to 2.732,
Simpson’s index from 0.8068 to 0.9196, and Margalef richness from 1.626 to
3.515. Bray-Curtis clustering and NMDS ordination revealed distinct community
structures among habitats, with pest guilds dominating overall species
composition (67.31%). Statistical analysis (ANOVA, Tukey HSD) confirmed
significant habitat-driven differences in species abundance and guild
composition (p < 0.05). The findings underscore the role of
microhabitat heterogeneity in structuring orthopteran communities and reinforce
their value as ecological indicators for semiarid landscapes.
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Pages:721-730
How to cite this article:
Pooja Meena, Manisha Yadav, Vinod Kumari, Shashi Meena "Assessment of orthopteran diversity across different habitats of semiarid eastern plain, Rajasthan, India". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 11, Issue 3, 2026, Pages 721-730
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