Biodiversity Analysis of True Bug Assemblages (Hemiptera, Heteroptera) in Four Habitats in the Garraf Natural Park (Barcelona, Spain)

Abstract

With the aim of gaining insight into true bugs assemblages, and of giving tools to enhance environmental manager tasks, an analysis was made of the alpha and beta diversity of true bug assemblages in the NE Iberian Peninsula. The study took place during the years 1999, 2000, and 2001. The diversity of true bug assemblages among four typical Mediterranean plant communities (dry grassland, calcicolous rosemary scrub, kermes oak scrub, and evergreen oak forest) in a protected natural area was compared. In each plant community, a stratified sampling, taking into account plants with highest coverage percentage, was performed. Collections were performed monthly using direct observation plus beating or sweeping of the entomological net. Objectives were 1) to assess whether true bug assemblages are different in each plant community surveyed, by means of the analysis of their alpha and beta diversity, 2) to assess if any of the four true bug assemblages may be prioritized according to the biodiversity parameters studied. In total, 3,071 specimens, belonging to 12 families and 77 species were identified. Fifty percent of specimens collected belonged to only three species, and ∼33% of species was represented by only one or two individuals. In each Heteroptera assemblage, the distribution pattern of species frequency classes followed a lognormal model. Thirty-five percent of species represented by three or more specimens were found in only one plant community. Abundance, species richness, and diversity were found to be different for each true bug assemblage and along the year. Abundance was highest in the evergreen oak forest and in spring. Species richness and diversity were highest in the kermes oak scrub and in early summer. Nonparametric species richness estimators showed that completeness of species inventory was >80%. In the study zone, true bug diversity may be considered low medium. Our results show that true bugs assemblages are characteristic of specific plant communities, and thus, true bugs fit as candidate monitoring group in environmental and conservation management.

Structure of ground-dwelling arthropod assemblages in vegetation units of Área Natural Protegida Península Valdés, Patagonia, Argentina

“…Furthermore, in accordance with our hypothesis, this study demonstrate that variation in the structure of the arthropod assemblage is associated with variability in vegetation and soil habitat variables, as we found distinct assemblages, at two different taxonomic levels, for three representative and contrasting vegetation units of Península Valdés. These results strongly suggest that the insect and arachnid assemblages of this region are heavily affected by the particular spatial configuration of the vegetation mosaic at intermediate spatial scales, as have been found in other regions (Schaffers et al 2008;Cheli 2009;Werenkraut and Ruggiero 2012;Gessé et al 2014;Staubus et al 2015). The higher diversity of arthropod observed at family level in grass and shrub steppes was mainly associated with changes in arthropod dominance that increased the evenness among taxa, as the richness of families was similar among plant communities (Magurran 2004).…”

“…The environmental characteristics of each habitat can lead to a differentiation of the assemblages at local scale, contributing in this way to a higher regional diversity (González-Reyes et al 2017;Cheli 2009). Therefore, knowing this information is a valuable tool for the development of management plans and conservation strategies (Samways 1994;Gessé et al 2014;Staubus et al 2015).…”