Visitor assemblages at flowers in a tropical rainforest canopy

Abstract Canopy crane‐based studies have been carried out to quantify the sets of arthropods that visit the flowers of a suite of common species of trees, palms and vines within the Cape Tribulation study area. Those Orders that increase significantly in abundance between the budding and flowering stages of inflorescences are identified, and multivariate and univariate comparisons have been made first, among coflowering plant species and second, at different seasons for the same plant species. The analysis has been repeated for both the profile of higher arthropod taxa in the samples and for the relative abundances of families of Coleoptera: one of the Orders most frequently suggested as critical in the pollination biology of Australian rainforests. In all cases significant differences are identified among species confirming that the visitor profile is a plant species‐specific phenomenon. Profiles within plant species at different times also differed. At the ordinal level significant differences in visitor profiles associated with coflowering plants, were observed, variously, in Thysanoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. Within the Coleoptera significant differences occurred in relative abundances of Scarabaeidae, Phalacridae, Latridiidae and Curculionidae. Seasonal differences in visitation to Syzygium gustavioides, Normanbya normanbyi and Calamus radicalis, reflected differences in Diptera, Lepidoptera, Homoptera, Thysanoptera, Hymenoptera and Araneida. Within the Coleoptera, the Elateridae and Curculionidae varied significantly between occasions. The various forms of flower/arthropod interaction that may be represented in these results are discussed, as are the implications for pollination.     

Effects of bird predation on canopy arthropods in wandoo Eucalyptus wandoo woodland

Abstract: As top predators, birds may have significant effects on arthropod abundances and affect the trophic structure of arthropod communities through predation of lower order predators (e.g. spiders) and by competition for prey. We investigated the effects of bird predation on canopy arthropods in south‐western Australia by using plastic bird mesh to exclude insectivorous birds from the foliage of wandoo Eucalyptus wandoo saplings. Exclosure resulted in an increase in the number of herbivorous and predatory arthropods. Total arthropods (with and without ants), spiders, adult Coleoptera, and larval Lepidoptera were significantly more abundant on meshed than unmeshed saplings. All size‐classes of arthropods, taxa grouped, were more abundant on meshed than unmeshed saplings, but with no evidence of a disproportionate increase of the largest arthropods on meshed saplings. All size‐classes of spiders increased in abundance on saplings from which birds were excluded. There were significant differences in the total abundance of arthropods (with and without ants), spiders (Araneae), sucking bugs (Homoptera), adult beetles (Coleoptera), larval moths (Lepidoptera), and wasps and ants (Hymenoptera) for both unmeshed and meshed saplings between sample periods. These seasonal patterns of abundance and differences between sample periods appeared to be determined by seasonal weather patterns, with the lowest numbers associated with drier and hotter conditions in summer and autumn than in winter and spring. The conclusion reached is that eucalypt forest birds have limited effects on temporal variation in canopy arthropod abundances, but depress abundances, and affect the size and trophic composition of the fauna. Given the cascading effects of birds as predators on arthropods, successful conservation management of eucalypt ecosystems, including plantations and revegetation, should be planned to maximize bird numbers and diversity.     

Predatory arthropod community composition in apple orchards: Orchard management,landscape structure and sampling method

Studies on predatory arthropods in agricultural areas seldom include Diptera other than hoverflies, partly because common sampling methods are less effective for capturing species that easily fly off when disturbed. To study the effect from this bias when describing the predator community, we compared traditional beat sampling of branches and suction sampling for describing the community of predatory arthropods in Swedish apple orchards, both organic orchards and orchards using integrated pest management (IPM). Our results indicate that the proportion of both predatory dipterans and parasitic hymenopterans increase dramatically when using suction sampling (Diptera: 32% vs. 20%, Hymenoptera: 25% vs. 7%). In fact, predatory dipterans were the most abundant predatory group when using suction sampling, in contrast to beat sampling where spiders were the most abundant group. One group of predatory flies that was particularly rich in both species and individuals in the surveyed apple orchards was dance flies in the family Hybotidae. Even though the bias of sampling method was evident, it was encouraging that the method choice did not affect the conclusions concerning management on predatory arthropod communities. With both methods, dipteran and coleopteran predators were more abundant in organic apple orchards whereas opilionids were more abundant in orchards managed according to IPM. The inclusion of landscape variables further indicated effects of landscape diversity and of deciduous forest cover, but the response varied in sign between predatory groups. Whereas both Coleoptera and Heteroptera were more abundant in orchards surrounded by more complex landscapes (high landscape diversity and/or high deciduous forest cover), spiders, opilionids and dipterans were rather less abundant in these orchards. To conclude, our study points to the potential importance of predatory dipterans in apple orchards, and we highly recommend future studies of arthropod predators in apple and other crops to actively include predatory Diptera.     

Foods of the silvereye (Zosterops lateralis; Aves) near Nelson,New Zealand

Abstract

The foods of 98 silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis) collected in winter from an orchard near Nelson, New Zealand, consisted of 61 different arthropods belonging to 14 orders. Commonest were Hemiptera in 54% of the birds, Diptera 53%, Coleoptera 34%, Lepidoptera 32%, and Araneida 23%. In addition earthworms, fruit, and seeds were eaten. Except for more beetles (Coleoptera) in males, the diets of the sexes were not significantly different.     

Seasonal pattern of insect abundance in the Brazilian cerrado

Abstract In Brazil, a severe dry season lasting for approximately 5 months and frequent fires make life difficult for cerrado insects. In certain aspects, the cerrado can be considered to be an understudied ecosystem; even basic information such as knowledge about the annual peak in abundance of different insect orders is unknown. Insect abundance patterns have only been investigated for a few groups in the cerrado region. Thus, our study concerns the temporal distribution of insect abundance in the savanna‐like vegetation of the central Brazilian cerrado (sensu stricto) in Distrito Federal. The region has a well‐defined, long dry season between May and September. The insects were sampled by window, malaise tent and pitfall traps within 1 year. We used a multiple linear regression to analyse the relationship between abundance of insects of each order and climate variables. A total of 50 127 individuals from 15 orders was collected. The orders were Coleoptera (26%), Hymenoptera (23%), Diptera (20.5%), Isoptera (20%), Homoptera (4%), Lepidoptera (4%), Orthoptera (1.5%) and Hemiptera (1%). The abundance of Diptera, Homoptera, Lepidoptera and Orthoptera was randomly distributed over time, Isoptera peaked in the first half of the wet season, Coleoptera and Hemiptera in the second half of the wet season and Hymenoptera in each season. A significant correlation was found only between Coleoptera and delayed climatic variables. There were no obvious trends that might help explain the abundance patterns observed. The study provides baseline information about phenological patterns of insect abundance and permits evaluation of this group as a resource for various food chains and different trophic levels.     

Biodiversity under rocks: the role of microhabitats in structuring invertebrate communities in Brazilian outcrops

There is little knowledge on the factors that can structure communities of tropical arthropods that live under rocks (lapidicolous communities). Using 28 rock shelters in a small granitic outcrop, we examined the relations among area, inclination, organic matter content, substrate moisture and distance from the border of the outcrop and richness and diversity of the communities. In total, we collected 1216 individuals from 106 morphospecies of Araneida, Acarina, Polyxenida, Spirostreptida, Dermaptera, Neuroptera, Orthoptera, Dictyoptera, Psocoptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Embioptera, Homoptera, Isoptera, Heteroptera, Lepidoptera, Collembola, Nematoda and Oligochaeta. The richness and diversity of the lapidicolous communities were significantly correlated with area, inclination and distance from the edge of the outcrop in the dry season. The richness and diversity of lapidicolous communities were significantly correlated with organic matter, substrate moisture and area in the rainy season. Space availability seemed to be an important structuring factor for lapidicolous communities in the present study, the most significant variables (substrate moisture and organic matter) were related to shelter area.     

On the insect fauna of the Kichiga River basin, northeastern Kamchatka

189 species of insects from 55 families and 9 orders were found in the Kichiga River basin, northeastern Kamchatka Peninsula in 1987–1994: 7 species of Plecoptera, 7 of Odonata, 1 of Orthoptera, 4 of Homoptera, 6 of Heteroptera, 54 of Coleoptera, 73 of Lepidoptera, 15 of Hymenoptera, and 22 species of Diptera. Most of the insect species present in the Kichiga basin have wide ranges: 55 species and subspecies are Holarctic, 52 species have a broad Palaearctic distribution, 10 are Eastern Palaearctic, 8 are Amphi-Pacific, 8 are circumboreal or circumpolar, 4 are Far Eastern or Pacific; 5 species are endemic or subendemic to Kamchatka or some part of the peninsula.     

木瓜榕上昆虫群落结构及分布特征

对西双版纳热带雨林木瓜榕上的昆虫群落结构和分布特征进行了研究。结果表明：样地内共采集到木瓜榕树上昆虫48974号,隶属9个目,30个科,56属,70种。主要是鞘翅目、鳞翅目、膜翅目、同翅目、双翅目、等翅目、半翅目、脉翅目和缨翅目的科、属和种类。属和种以鞘翅目和膜翅目类群最丰富;个体数量是膜翅目最多, 高达68.79%, 其中56.58%是传粉类昆虫。从垂直分布规律看：种类和数量是老茎结果部位最高,占71.34%, 在青果期和熟果期表现最丰富;树冠与叶片部位次之,比率为15.68%;根部再次之(9.55%);枝杈和主干最低, 仅占3.42%。在不同季节中,雨季的种类和个体数量最高,为35.96%;干热季节次之(34.22%),干凉季节最低(29.82%)。     

“农作物害虫数据库”的开发研究

开发研究了把数字技术应用到农业生产以及农业教育中,并结合农业生产实际,建立了“农作物害虫数据库”。该数据库包括鳞翅目、鞘翅目、半翅目、同翅目、双翅目、膜翅目、直翅目、蜱螨目和缨翅目等149种新疆主要农作物害虫,812幅原色图和害虫防治技术信息,用户可通过8种检索途径,采用9种检索方法方便地查询相关信息。     

Coccinellid morphospecies as an alternative method for differentiating management regimes in olive orchards

Morphospecies, also known as morphotypes, recognizable taxonomic units (RTUs) and parataxonomic units (PUs) have been used for rapid biodiversity assessment (RBA) in invertebrate diversity studies worldwide. Their utilization might lighten taxonomists’ workload when rapidly evaluating the richness and diversity of arthropods for conservation or biological assessment. To validate morphospecies, as opposed to taxonomic species, ladybird beetles (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) were chosen in order to differentiate organic and non-organic management regimes (integrated and conventional) in olive orchards in southern Spain. Ladybird beetle specimens collected over two years (1999 and 2000) from three locations were sorted by morphospecies, and then identified by Coleopteran specialists according to taxonomic species. Thus, two different datasets were created, independently analyzed and compared to measure the accuracy at the morphospecies level. The comparison of morphospecies and species datasets showed an accuracy of 62.18% (one morphospecies to one taxonomic species), with the identifying error principally made when one species was identified as two different morphospecies (32.74%). Although two Coccinellid species (Scymnus mediterraneus Iablokoff-Khnzorian, 1972 and Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus, 1758) showed significant differences among regimes during the June–August period in spite of small errors, we suggest that the most abundant morphospecies of Coccinellidae and the June–August period could be adopted as a rapid and useful tool for evaluating the impacts of non-organic vs. organic management regimes in olive orchards.     

Plant-attracted ants affect arthropod community structure but not necessarily herbivory

Abstract.  1. The effectiveness of ants as plant defenders is equivocal for plants that attract ants via extrafloral nectaries (EFNs).
2. This study focused on the myrmecophilic savannah tree Pseudocedrela kotschyi that attracts ants to EFNs and on the arthropod fauna associated with P. kotschyi . Herbivory and arthropod community composition were compared between trees that were dominated by one of three congeneric ant species, Camponotus acvapimensis , C. rufoglaucus , and C. sericeus , and between trees where ants were experimentally excluded and untreated control trees.
3. Short-term ant-exclusion experiments failed to demonstrate a consistent effect of ants on herbivory.
4. Plants dominated by different ant species differed significantly in leaf damage caused by herbivorous insects. The relative ranking of herbivory levels of the trees dominated by different ant species was persistent in three consecutive years.
5. Ants significantly reduced the abundance of different arthropod groups (Araneae, Blattodea, Coleoptera, Homoptera, non-ant Hymenoptera). Other groups, including important herbivores, seemed not to be affected (Lepidoptera, Orthoptera, Thysanoptera, Heteroptera).
6. The study suggests that the presence of ants only benefits plants when specific ant species are attracted, and protection by these ants is not counterbalanced by their negative effect on other beneficial arthropods.     

Large variation of suction sampling efficiency depending on arthropod groups,species traits,and habitat properties

Suction sampling is widely used to estimate arthropod abundance and diversity. To test the reliability of abundance data derived from suction sampling, we examined sampling efficiency across a wide range of arthropod groups and tested for effects of species traits, vegetation density, and differences between sites. Suction sampling efficiency was quantified by vacuuming an enclosed meadow area and subsequent removal of the turf, which was treated with heat extraction to collect the remaining arthropods. We obtained 250 pairs of suction and turf samples from seven grasslands with variable vegetation density. High suction sampling efficiencies between 49 and 86% were obtained for Auchenorrhyncha, Heteroptera, Araneida, Curculionoidea, Hymenoptera, and Diptera. In contrast, efficiencies were below 30% for Aphidae, Thysanoptera, Staphylinidae and other Coleoptera, and for soil arthropods such as Collembola, Isopoda, Diplopoda, and Formicidae. Efficiency varied significantly among habitats (sites) for most groups, often more than two‐fold. Surprisingly, sampling efficiency for Hymenoptera, Diplopoda, and Collembola increased with vegetation density, probably because aboveground activity of these taxa was higher in dense vegetation. Suction sampling was nearly twice as efficient for spiders living in the vegetation than for spiders living near the soil surface, and cursorial and large‐bodied spider species were more efficiently sampled than web‐builders and small species. Depending on the sampling effort, suction sampling missed between 49% (one sample) and 31% (250 samples) of the spider species present. Suction sampling efficiency varied more strongly among sites and among arthropod groups than previously recognized. Abundance data derived from suction sampling are strongly underestimated, especially for arthropods living near the soil surface. Thus, comparisons of abundance and diversity between sites should be restricted to vegetation‐dwelling species of the most efficiently sampled groups. The positive relationship of sampling efficiency with vegetation density demonstrates that variation in efficiency is mediated by arthropod behaviour.     

Seasonal changes in the canopy arthropod fauna in Rinorea beniensis in Budongo Forest,Uganda

Arthropods were collected by insecticidal tree fogging on the understorey tree species Rinorea beniensis Engler (Violaceae) in Budongo Forest, a seasonal rain forest in Uganda. Eight trees were fogged in adjacent plots of primary, selectively logged and swamp forest during the wet season and again in the dry season. In all forest types, Psocoptera, parasitoid Hymenoptera, and especially Formicidae and Auchenorrhyncha were more abundant during the dry season, while Ensifera, Heteroptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera were more abundant during the wet season. Seasonal change in arthropod composition was very low in the swamp forest located near a stream, where permanent water supply is crucial for the development of the distinct swamp vegetation, with comparatively constant microclimatic conditions all over the year. Seasonal change increased in the primary forest, and shows most significant changes of athropod abundance between dry and wet season in the selectively logged forest which also had the highest heterogeneity in forest structures. Especially small and soft bodied arthropods probably accumulate along a humidity gradient in the dense canopies of Rinorea during the dry season, when the forest floor outside the swamp forest is dry. This effect, which is also strongest in the selectively logged forest, leads to a much higher density of canopy dwelling arthropods during the dry season.     

Influence of Edaphic,Climatic, and Agronomic Factors on the Composition and Abundance of Nitrifying Microorganisms in the Rhizosphere of Commercial Olive Crops

The microbial ecology of the nitrogen cycle in agricultural soils is an issue of major interest. We hypothesized a major effect by farm management systems (mineral versus organic fertilizers) and a minor influence of soil texture and plant variety on the composition and abundance of microbial nitrifiers. We explored changes in composition (16S rRNA gene) of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), bacteria (AOB), and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB), and in abundance of AOA and AOB (qPCR of amoA genes) in the rhizosphere of 96 olive orchards differing in climatic conditions, agricultural practices, soil properties, and olive variety. Majority of archaea were 1.1b thaumarchaeota (soil crenarchaeotic group, SCG) closely related to the AOA genus Nitrososphaera. Most AOB (97%) were identical to Nitrosospira tenuis and most NOB (76%) were closely related to Nitrospira sp. Common factors shaping nitrifiers assemblage composition were pH, soil texture, and olive variety. AOB abundance was positively correlated with altitude, pH, and clay content, whereas AOA abundances showed significant relationships with organic nitrogen content and exchangeable K. The abundances of AOA differed significantly among soil textures and olive varieties, and those of AOB among soil management systems and olive varieties. Overall, we observed minor effects by orchard management system, soil cover crop practices, plantation age, or soil organic matter content, and major influence of soil texture, pH, and olive tree variety.     

Biodiversity analysis of natural arthropods enemies in vineyard agroecosystems in La Rioja,Spain

Major knowledge gaps exist regarding effects of landscape-level agroecosystem composition on the presence of natural enemies of agricultural pests. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of landscape mosaic characteristics on the diversity of predators and parasitoids of a viticultural landscape in La Rioja, Spain. Five habitats were evaluated: Mediterranean forest, Mediterranean scrub, olive groves, natural grassland, and vineyards. In all, we collected 28,640 arthropods, representing 10 orders: Araneae, Coleoptera, Dermaptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Mantodea, Neuroptera, Solifugae, and Thysanoptera. The grassland habitat presented the highest arthropod abundances. Carabid beetles showed preferences for Mediterranean forest and scrub, whereas reduviid bugs showed preferences for natural grassland. Landscape heterogeneity and connectivity with natural elements in the study area turn out to be effective in conservation of diversity of natural enemies of viticulture.     

Species composition of leaf beetle assemblages in the canopies of apple and pear orchards in Hungary and Great Britain (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

The species richness and species composition of Coleoptera assemblages were investigated in the canopies of apple and pear orchards in Hungary and in the apple orchards in Great Britain. The investigations were carried out in Hungary (Nagykovácsi: 3 plots, Kecskemét: 5 plots, Sárospatak: 4 plots) between 1990-94, and in Great Britain in Kent (East Malling, Marden and Robertsbridge) in 2001 and 2002. Former investigations in Hungary revealed that the diversity of Coleoptera assemblages in the canopy of apple and pear orchard were surprisingly high. As a result of our investigations it was found that altogether 324 species, almost 3% of the Hungarian beetle fauna were represented: 253 species in apple orchards and 188 species in pear orchards. Similar results were obtained in the investigations carried out in Great Britain between 2001-2002. In Hungary, the majority of the species belonged to the families Curculionidae, Chrysomelidae and Coccinelidae. The proportion of leaf beetles varied between 15 and 20%. The most common leaf beetle species in the canopy of the commercial orchards were Phyllotreta vittula, Phyllotreta atra, Phyllotreta nigripes, Oulemta melanopus, and Aphthona euphorbiae. In the abandoned orchards the most common species were Luperus xanthopoda, Smaragdina salicina and Orsodacne liieola. In Great Britain 44 leaf beetle species were found in the canopies of the investigated orchards. The species with higher abundance were Aphthona euphorbiae. Chaetocnema concinna and Longitarsus parvulus. We concluded, that leaf beetles give high part of the orchard canopy biodiversity and sometimes occur with high species richness and abundance. However, the reasons of their occurrence and their potential role are poorly known.     

Food habits of the barbastelle bat Barbastella barbastellus

The diet of Barbastella barbastellus was investigated through analysis of droppings collected from three maternity roosts in Germany and Switzerland The results showed a high dominance of moths (Lepidoptera). which accounted for 73-94% of the recovered items by volume Flies (Diptera). ranging in size from blow flies (Calliphoridae) and large crane flies (Tipulidae) to small Nematocera, were the second most important prey items (4-17%) Prey types recovered also included small numbers of Trichoptera, Neuroptera, Homoptera. Hymenoptera. Coleoptera and spiders (Araneae) The diet of the barbastelie differs from that of most other bats in Europe m the predominance of moths and the corresponding virtual absence of dung beetles (Coleoptera, Searabaeidae) and midges (Diptera. Chironomidae) Conservation measures for barbastelles should therefore consider facilitation of the diversity and abundance of moths     

Arthropod biodiversity in olive groves under two soil management systems: presence versus absence of herbaceous cover crop

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Qualitative aspects of myrmecocenosis (Hym., Formicidae) in olive orchards with different agricultural management in Spain

A study has been made of the presence of ants in 60 olive trees in each of three orchards under different agricultural management in the province of Granada (southern Spain), during the months of May, July and September 1997, using both observational methods as well as the collection of specimens from the soil and trunk and the tree canopy. A total of 18 species of ants were identified, 16 of which were present in the orchard of Arenales, four in Colomera 1, and nine in Colomera 2. The number of species varies over the survey, being greatest before the flowering of the trees, this period coinciding with the lowest temperatures. The species Tapinoma nigerrimum (Nylander) was the only species present in all the samplings of the olive orchards, and the other common species in the three zones proved to be: Messor barbarus (L. 1767), Tetramorium semilaeve André and Plagiolepis pygmaea (Latr.). Most of the species found made their nests in the soil under the tree canopy, and only four species nested exclusively in open areas. Ten species foraged in the tree and seven foraged in groups. The three olive orchards were similar in phenology, temperature and humidity, and therefore the differences in the myrmecofauna at the different sites were attributed to agricultural practices at each site.     

中国特有植物四合木的昆虫群落与多样性特征

对中国特有植物四合木(Tetraena mongolica)植株上昆虫群落进行调查和多样性特征分析,共采得四合木上昆虫标本1935号,隶属于8目42个科(或总科)136种。包括同翅目、膜翅目、半翅目、鞘翅目、双翅目、缨翅目、直翅目和脉翅目的种类。同翅目昆虫在数量上占有绝对的优势,达67.96%。膜翅目丰富度最高,有59种;优势类群(>10%)是叶蝉,常见类群(1%～10%)包括小蜂、粒脉蜡蝉、天牛、蚂蚁、皮蝽、蚜虫和盲蝽等。调查所得昆虫群落中植食性昆虫有59种共1610只,丰富度和个体数量在群落中占有绝对的优势。其中尤以吸食类昆虫为最,其个体数量和优势度指数最大,但均匀度最低。寄生性天敌昆虫在群落中多样性最大,优势度最低,多为膜翅目种类。中性昆虫优势度指数较高。捕食性昆虫物种丰富度和个体数量较小,但多样性高,仅次于寄生性昆虫。