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SPECIES COMPOSITION OF ROOT-FEEDING MACROARTHROPODS IN A SUBALPINE GRASSLAND ASSOCIATED WITH PINE FOREST IN MEXICO

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

A. Morón-Ríos ,
V.J. Jaramillo  and
R. Dirzo
A. Morón-Ríos
Affiliation:
Centro de Ecología, UNAM, Ap. Postal 70-275, C.P. 04510 Ciudad Universitaria, México, D.F. México
V.J. Jaramillo
Affiliation:
Centro de Ecología, UNAM, Ap. Postal 70-275, C.P. 04510 Ciudad Universitaria, México, D.F. México
R. Dirzo
Affiliation:
Centro de Ecología, UNAM, Ap. Postal 70-275, C.P. 04510 Ciudad Universitaria, México, D.F. México
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Abstract

Below-ground herbivores have been poorly studied regardless of their importance for the establishment and composition of plant communities. In a subalpine grassland associated with a 3200-m-elevation pine forest in central Mexico, the composition and vertical and horizontal distribution of the macroarthropod root-feeding community was studied for 14 months. The root-feeding community included six species of Coleoptera and one species of Diptera. The dominant species were Phyllophaga spp. (subgenus Phytallus, "macrophylla" group) and Trachyploeomimus aff. spurcus Champion. Mean density and biomass of this community were 101 individuals and 3 g per square metre, respectively. These values were low when compared with those reported for other communities. Species were most abundant in the first 10 cm of the soil all year around. Dominant species showed a clumped horizontal distribution most of the year.

Résumé

Les herbivores souterrains ont été peu étudiés, nonobstant l’importance qu’ils peuvent avoir dans l’establissement et la composition des communautés végétales. Dans un pâturage sous-alpin situé dans une forêt de conifères dans le centre de Mexique, on a étudié pendant 14 mois la composition et la distribution verticale et horizontale de la communauté de macroarthropodes rhizophages. La communauté des rhizophages est constituée par six espèces de l’ordre Coleoptère et une espèce de l’ordre Diptère. Les espèces dominantes ont été Phyllophaga spp. (sous-genre Phytallus, groupe "macrophylla") et Trachyploeomimus aff. spurcus Champion. La densité et la biomasse moyenne annuale des "taxa" rencontrés ont été de 101 individus et 3 g par mètre carré respectivement. Ces valeurs sont faibles quand on les compare avec les décrit pour d’autres localités. La distribution verticale des espèces se concentre dans les premiers 10 cm du sol durant toute l’année. Les espèces dominantes ont un patron de distribution horizontal inégal durant la plupart de l’année.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 129 , Issue 1 , February 1997 , pp. 71 - 80
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1997

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