Factors Influencing Bug Diversity (Insecta: Heteroptera) in Semi-Natural Habitats |
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Authors: | Corinne Zurbrügg Thomas Frank |
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Institution: | (1) Zoological Institute, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland;(2) Present address: Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Gregor Mendelstrasse 33, A-1180 Vienna, Austria |
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Abstract: | We investigated the abundance and species richness of heteropteran bugs and explored environmental factors which influence
bug diversity in three types of semi-natural habitats (wildflower areas, extensively used meadows, extensively grazed pastures).
To cover this topic, it is essential to know how much the relatively young wildflower areas contribute to biodiversity compared
with well-established extensive meadows and pastures. Total bug species richness and phytophagous bug species richness were
significantly higher in wildflower areas and meadows than in pastures. In wildflower areas, we found the highest number of
zoophagous bug species and species overwintering in the egg-stage. Species overwintering as adults were most abundant in meadows.
Total number of bug species as well as species richness in either trophic groups and overwintering strategies were significantly
positively correlated with vegetation structure. Except for overwintering strategies, the same was true to bug abundance.
The bug community based on the number of individuals per species was significantly explained by flower abundance and vegetation
structure, accounting for 18.4 and 16.8% of the variance, respectively. Our results indicate that vegetation structure and
flower abundance are key factors for bug species richness, abundance and bug species composition. Since wildflower areas and
meadows clearly increased bug species richness and contained several specialised bug species that did not occur in pastures,
we recommend the promotion of wildflower areas and extensively used meadows in order to restore both high heteropteran diversity
and overall insect biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. |
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Keywords: | Agroecosystems Bug community Canonical correspondence analysis Ecological compensation areas Flower abundance Functional groups Insect diversity Species richness Vegetation structure |
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