Vertical diversity of beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) associated with Lithraea caustica (Anacardiaceae) in patches of sclerophyllous forest in Central Chile

Authors

  • Raul Briones Bioforest S.A. DivisiÓn Manejo Ecosistémico. Programa ConservaciÓn de Fauna
  • Viviane Jerez Universidad de ConcepciÓn, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Departamento de Zoología, ConcepciÓn
  • Hugo A. Benítez 3Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK

Keywords:

Epigeum coleoptera, Hypogeum coleoptera, Foliage, Mediterranean region.

Abstract

 Forest stratum are important ecotones representing transition zones between open, sunlit, and drier habitats rich in herbaceous plants and shady, cooler and more humid forests with woody plants and possibly rich in dead wood. Lithraea caustica (Mol.) an endemic tree of Chile, is the least disturbed taxon in these fragments, probably due to the presence of litrol, a highly irritant oleoresin, due to which its wood has not been used for fuel. This study evaluated the species richness, abundance and composition of the beetle assemblages in different strata (foliage, epigeum and hypogeum) at intervals of fifteen and thirty days, in a sclerophyllous plant formation in the EscuadrÓn farm, Coronel, Chile. Our results show that in the studied sector, 27 families, 57 genera and 69 species are associated with the soil under L. caustica, which represents 31.3%, 4.2% and 1.7%, respectively, of the total diversity of coleopterans known for Chile .

Author Biographies

  • Raul Briones, Bioforest S.A. DivisiÓn Manejo Ecosistémico. Programa ConservaciÓn de Fauna
    Bioforest S.A. DivisiÓn Manejo Ecosistémico. Programa ConservaciÓn de Fauna. Km 15 Camino Coronel, ConcepciÓn, CHILE
  • Viviane Jerez, Universidad de ConcepciÓn, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Departamento de Zoología, ConcepciÓn
    Profesor Asociado, Depto Zoologia, Universidad de ConcepciÓn
  • Hugo A. Benítez, 3Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK

    MsC in Zoology

    PhD student Faculty of Life Sciences, The University of Manchester

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Published

27.11.2013

Issue

Section

Journal of the Entomological Research Society

How to Cite

Vertical diversity of beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) associated with Lithraea caustica (Anacardiaceae) in patches of sclerophyllous forest in Central Chile. (2013). Journal of the Entomological Research Society, 15(3), 41-52. https://entomol.org/journal/index.php/JERS/article/view/561