.A comparison is made of the number of species of arthropods that inhabit tea plants in young and old habitats. Tea plants of comparable age harbour more species in old habitats than in young habitats.2. In both young and old habitats, there is an initial rise in the number of arthropod species on young tea upto 1 1 years: in the intermediate phase, i.e. between 12 and 21 years, a sharp decline in species numbers occurs followed by a rapid increase between 22 and 36 years, and a final drop after 36 years. These phases are characterized by sap-feeding mites and insects; leaf eaters and defoliators; stem and root borers; and termites and wood-eating insects respectively.3. Attracting abilities of the plants of different age-groups vary according to their morphological, and physiological attributes depending on their locations in young and old habitats.
4.Diverse species of arthropods coexist on tea by developing their own niches in different parts of plants; they apparently avoid interspecific competition by maintaining their numbers at low density.
Abstra~t.Leaves of tea cultivars _are markedl~ different in leaf geometry, with leaf angle varymg from er~ct through semt-erect to honzontal; a particular cultivar has only one t~e ofleaf. Defoliators and leaf chewers feed mostly on horizontal leaves. Leaf rollers a~d mmers colonize_ only semi-erect leaves. Sap feeders inhabit all three types of leaves, wtth the largest species accumulation on erect leaves.
Summary
A marked variation exists in the numbers and distribution of East African red legged millipede Metiche tanganycienseKraus on the surface and in the lower layer (15 cm) of the soils. Stadia 5 cm and lesser in length are found in the lower layer and those 5 cm and above on the surface soil. Adults are common in varying numbers in both the habitats.
It is suggested that after becoming surface active during March–August, and mating, adults migrate to lower layer during September to oviposit. Eggs and early developmental stages are passed here, and when they are 5 cm in length, the stadia move to the surfface soil to complete their development. In keeping with this behaviour, spatial distribution of the adults may change from non‐aggregation on surface soil to aggregation in the lower layer. The simulataneous presence of adults and developing stadia in the two habitats suggests and overlapping of generations.
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