Abstract

DIODATO, LILIANA  and  FUSTER, ANDREA. Composition of insect assemblage canopy of subtropical dry forests of Semiarid Chaco, Argentina. Caldasia [online]. 2016, vol.38, n.1, pp.197-210. ISSN 0366-5232.  https://doi.org/10.15446/caldasia.v38n1.57838.

The canopy is a complex habitat with a great diversity of insects. Most studies on canopy insects refer to tropical rain forests, and seldom to subtropical dry forests. The purpose of this study is to characterize the insect fauna in the canopy of subtropical dry forests, analyzing their diversity both regional and local. Samples were taken in five sites located in the phytogeographical district known as Semiarid Chaco, in Argentina. A total of 963 insects, belonging to 9 orders and 79 families, were collected in the summer by using the "branch-beating" technique. Differences in family abundance distribution and in taxonomic composition were among between sites, resulting in low similarity values. Environmental conditions and human disturbance in the sites might have influenced the taxonomic composition and the distribution of insect abundance. This paper provides the first data on the diversity of canopy insects in subtropical dry forests, and sets the basis for future studies regarding ecological interactions and canopy diversity in these forests.

Keywords : Insect assemblages; abundance; diversity; xerophytic forest; disturbance.

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