Hill + Hamer "0887# make the rational contention that speciesÐabundance data relevant to selected invertebrate taxa\ such as butter~ies\ might be used to monitor forest disturbance\ but that the issue warrants further research[ Nummelin "0887# shows cogently that _t of speciesÐabundance data to the log!normal distribution to monitor forest disturbance is unlikely to apply universally [ Hill + Hamer "0887# refute the data of Nummelin "0887# as being inappropriate to discuss this issue\ yet there are problems associated with both studies[ The study of Hill et al[ "0884# analyses a {snap shot| of the butter~y community during the dry season\ obtained during 39 days of _eld work in Indonesia[ It is doubt! ful that most species present during the annual cycle at their sites would have been collected[ This is of particular concern because some specialist insect her! bivores are known to be more seasonal than those that are generalists "Novotny + Basset 0887# and these specialists may be particularly sensitive to forest dis! turbance[ Whether butter~ies represent appropriate taxa for monitoring forest disturbance is also com! mented on later[ Nummelin "0887 and see references In our opinion\ the question as to whether the log! normal distribution is universal or useful in the pre! sent context should be part of a wider research agenda\ with the intention of answering the following ques! tions] "i# are speciesÐabundance relationships useful for monitoring invertebrate responses to forest dis! turbance^"ii# assuming that they are\ on which type of data should the analyses focus and how^and "iii# which invertebrate taxa should be considered for such analyses< 0[ The answer here is a.rmative\ but with some caution[ After serious disturbance\ species disappear or their abundance is greatly modi_ed\ so speciesÐ abundance relationships should be an appropriate method to quantify these changes[ Furthermore\ pat! terns of speciesÐabundance relationships are often more informative than species diversity indices "e[g[ Novotny 0882^Tokeshi 0882#[ However\ in addition to speciesÐabundance relationships\ one must be aware that there is a pan! oply of statistical methods that may help to interpret better speciesÐabundance plots and\ ultimately\ to comprehend the changes in invertebrate density: diversity that result from forest disturbance[ Brie~y\ these promising methods can be classi_ed as "a# con! sidering species as mutually replaceable units\ in a fashion analogous to speciesÐabundance relation!
A brief outline of entomological activities in the rain forests of French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname, is presented. The information available on the main groups of sap-sucking (Thysanoptera and Heteroptera) and leaf-chewing (Phasmids, Orthoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera) insects is discussed. Leaf damage (herbivory) and leaf-cutting ants are described.
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