RESUMO
The positive relationship between productivity and species diversity is well-known. Insect communities associated with the flowers of Cactaceae species represent an interesting system to explore the productivity-diversity relationship because branches facing the equator receive more photosynthetically active radiation and have higher productivity. Thus, flowers with contrasting orientations within an individual, and even within a single branch, might differ in productivity. Therefore, higher abundance, species richness, and diversity are expected for the insect communities associated with south-facing flowers. This hypothesis was tested in Pachycereus weberi (J.M. Coulter) Backeberg (Cactaceae). Insects within flowers with contrasting orientations were collected and its abundance, richness, and diversity were estimated. We also asked if insects prefer big flowers. Thus, flower volume was estimated and regression analyses were conducted to test if there is a positive relationship between flower size and insect abundance. Flower orientation did not affect species richness. However, species abundance and diversity were different in flowers with contrasting orientations. In general, species abundance was higher in flowers facing southwards than in north-facing flowers. On the contrary, species diversity was higher in north-facing flowers. Abundance of Coleoptera was explained by flower volume in south-facing flowers. Contrary to our hypothesis, total diversity was greater in the less productive oriented flowers. Three possible explanations are discussed to explain the low diversity found in the highly productive, south-facing flowers. Our study provides evidence for the effects of productivity on the structure of insect communities at a very small-scale.
Assuntos
Biota , Cactaceae/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Cadeia Alimentar , Insetos/fisiologia , Animais , Flores/crescimento & desenvolvimento , MéxicoRESUMO
Peucetia viridans (Hentz) lives almost exclusively on Croton ciliatoglandulifer (Ortega) in the dry forests of western Mexico. This spider is usually found on pubescent shrubs. Within their host plants, P. viridans has been associated with plant height and cover, as well as with number of flowers or inflorescences in anthesis. Flowers can be used as cues of good habitat conditions or because they attract prey detected by the spider. In this study, we assessed the importance of flowers, plant cover, and plant exposure (sun/shade) on the spider distribution in five 50-plant transects. In a field experiment, we also compared the number of spiders between controls, plants from which inflorescences were removed, and plants with artificial inflorescences. The results from the transects indicate that, when the number of flowers per spider is high, spiders were more abundant in exposed locations, which presumably offer better microclimatic conditions; when flowers become scarce, food may be more difficult to find and the spider distribution become strongly associated with the number of flowers, where they are more likely to find prey. Spider abundances on the experimental plot decreased on plants from which flowers were removed in comparison to control plants. Spider abundance increased on those in which artificial inflorescences were added. The similarity between plants with natural and artificial inflorescences suggests that spiders use flowers as cues of good microhabitats instead of prey visitors, which are significantly less abundant on artificial inflorescences.