Distribution and environmental determinants of darkling beetles assemblages (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in Península Valdés (Argentinean Patagonia)

Abstract

Arid lands provide several products and services to humankind, but human activities affect this environment, increasing the extinction risk of the native species.Thus, to successfully conserve the biodiversity of these ecosystems, it is necessary to identify which environmental factors infl uence the spatial distribution of the organisms that offer these benefi ts. Darkling beetles play a relevant role on the functioning of deserts. Although these insects are among the most abundant and diverse in these environments, there is no agreement on the relative importance that different environmental factors have as determinants of their spatial distribution. In this work, we assessed the role of climate, vegetation, and soil variables as factors that determine distribution patterns of darkling beetles within the Natural Protected Area Península Valdés (Northeastern Patagonia). Five groups of environmental units were identifi ed, each one with an exclusive tenebrionid species assemblage and different species diversity. The most infl uential environmental variables were temperature, precipitations, and soil texture. Results suggest that the magnitude of several ecosystem processes may vary among the groups of environmental units. We recommend prioritizing the conservation of the fi ve groups of environmental units and incorporating the darkling beetles-environment relationship in future conservation strategies for arid Patagonia.

Response of beetle communities to the heterogeneity of vegetation in high altitude habitats in north-western Argentina

“…It is also worth noting that Tenebrionidae has a high species richness in these ecoregions, which corresponds to the findings of Cruz (2017) and Macagno et al (2023). As evidenced by its diverse dietary preferences and morphological, physiological, and ethological adaptations, this family is one of the most diverse in our country's arid regions (Cheli et al, 2021); they also play an important role in the fragmentation of vegetal and animal matters and food webs (Aballay et al, 2016;Cheli et al, 2022). According to this study, the LH (55 individuals) and HI (93 individuals) habitats had a greater abundance of insects.…”

“…In this way, vegetation is an important factor in determining the composition of small-scale beetle communities (micro-habitats) in the Puna and Altos Andes environments, where they respond by changing their assemblages and abundances in response to a vegetation gradient. However, not only vegetation is a determining factor for beetles because a wide range of factors interacts simultaneously (temperature, rainfall, soil, salinity, among others) (Kistler, 1995;Bubenas et al, 2013;Cheli et al, 2021), generating a network of interactions that define the characteristics of the habitat and, consequently, that of the communities of beetles responding to them differently, by their food and reproductive requirements (Barton et al, 2013).…”

State of knowledge of the Tenebrionidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) in Colombia based on bibliographic revision

“…On the other hand, the taxonomic knowledge of darkling beetles in humid environments such as tropical forests (mainly subfamilies Diaperinae, Stenochiinae, and Tenebrioninae) is even more scarce. In general, tenebrionids are sensitive to variations in environmental conditions and have been proposed as bioindicators of ecological degradation in natural and anthropized areas, and in places undergoing restoration processes (Cartagena 2002, Michaels and Michaels 2007, Cárdenas et al 2011, Cheli et al 2021.…”