Seasonal variation of the macro-arthropod community associated to Tillandsia carlos-hankii (Bromeliaceae) in an oak-pine forest in Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract

Here we describe the seasonal variation of the macroarthropod community associated to Tillandsia carlos-hankii Makuda (Bromeliaceae) in a deciduous forest located at "Petenera", Santa Catarina Ixtepeji, Oaxaca, Mexico. Eight T. carlos-hankii specimens were collected during the wet season and 10 during dry season. We recorded 874 macroarthropod individuals, belonging to one phylum, four classes, 17 orders, 60 families and 81 morphospecies. The richest order was Araneae (21 morphospecies), from which Salticidae (4 spp.), Staphylinidae (4 spp.) and Lygaeidae (4 spp.) were the most abundant families. Richness at the family and morphospecies level was significantly higher during the dry season (44 vs. 37, and 57 vs. 48, respectively). Likewise, abundance was also greater during the dry season (468 vs. 215). Overall, Araneae was the most abundant order represented by 173 individuals, whereas Blattellidae was the most abundant family (142 individuals). The most abundant morphospecies were: Parcoblatta sp. 1, Tipula sp. 1, Phloeopora sp. 1, Scytodes aff. Thoracica and Underwoodia sp. 1. The proportion of individuals belonging to each feeding guild was as follows: 50% zoophagous (represented by Phloeopora sp.1, Staphylinidae), 33% were herbivores (represented by Tipula sp.1, Tipulideae), and 17% were detritivores (represented by Parcoblatta sp.1, Blattellidae).Richness differed significantly among guilds during both seasons: zoophagous were more species-rich than the detritivore guild. In addition, abundance differed significantly between guilds during the dry season (zoophagous were most abundant), but was similar during the wet season. Finally, alpha diversity was similar between seasons (wet season: H' = 3,27, dry season: H' = 3,28; p > 0,05). Our results show that there is still much that needs to be explored regarding bromeliad-arthropod interactions, and that further investigations should consider seasonal changes in arthropod richness, composition and abundance associated to this plant family.