Chrysomelidae and their relationship with microclimate in a disturbed temperate forest

Abstract

Anthropic disturbance is the main factor that contributes to the physical instability of vegetation structure, and it consequently alters the environmental conditions inside and outside of the fragmented forests. These changes have repercussions on the faunal groups, including phytophagous insects. Some of these insects have a close relationship with vegetation and are unable to survive the continuous exposure to high temperatures. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between the abundance of chrysomelid beetles and microclimate in a disturbed temperate forest in northeastern Mexico. The study was conducted in two forest fragments where 30 quadrants were delimited, which were sampled monthly with a net for 1 year. Seven microclimatic variables were recorded in each quadrant. In total, 1,023 chrysomelid specimens were captured, representing 86 species. Of the taxa recorded, only nine deviated significantly from their niche in relation to the origin, which suggested an effect of climatic elements for these species. Five species were significant with respect to low values of marginality and high values of tolerance, while the rest reported high values of marginality. The dew point, evapotranspiration, heat index, and maximum wind gust were the variables with the highest contributions and were related to the beetle abundance. The species that had a significant association showed three ecological patterns of response according to their ecological requirements. The results show that environmental variability can significantly influence the species of phytophagous insect that have specialized niche requirements. The knowledge of which climatic elements determine or regulate the populations of insects, including those with economic and biological importance, can contribute to conservation, particularly in plant communities with some degree of alteration in their environment.