How do assemblages of epigeal Araneae and Coleoptera respond to changes in habitat structure caused by sugar cane crops in Northern Argentina?

ABSTRACT

In Northwest Argentina, nothing is known about the relationship of Araneae and Coleoptera with sugar cane crops. Using pitfall traps in three continuous native forest sites (N) and three native forest windbreaks surrounded by sugar cane crops (W) in the province of Salta, we assessed a)- whether the native diversity of epigeal Araneae and Coleoptera in the Chaco Serrano forest changes as a result of the fragmentation of the habitat caused by the sugar cane plots, and b)- whether the diversity of predatory species increases in native forest windbreaks as a consequence of the contribution of species that come from crops. In the spring of 2006 and the summer of 2007, we collected 599 Araneae and 555 Coleoptera, with community W (S = 132, N = 535) containing much more species but fewer individuals than community N (S = 111, N = 619). We found that the spatial and phenological patterns of the alpha and beta diversities of N were altered in W communities. Thus, habitat fragmentation generated by sugar cane plots led to the local extinction of native Araneae and Coleoptera species. The abundance of generalist Araneae and herbivorous Coleoptera increased in W habitats, but the coprophagous and detritivorous beetles decreased. The diversity of predatory species (Araneae and some Coleoptera) increased in W habitats, although their abundance declined relative to N habitats. Species turnover determined beta diversity between N and W sites; however, between the W sites, nestedness increased and spiders showed a greater loss of species. The spatial heterogeneity between sites, seasons, and habitats had a substantial effect on the composition of the Araneae and Coleoptera assemblages, hence influencing regional diversity. Eight species were habitat indicators, particularly Leprolochus birabeni (Zodariidae), which responds unfavourably to perturbations in the agricultural landscape, and could be deployed as environmental monitors in the Chaco Serrano.

KEYWORDS:

• Salta province
• agricultural disturbance
• alpha diversity
• beta diversity

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Victor Torres, Mariana Chani-Posse, Analía Lanteri, Gerardo Arriagada, and Federico Agrain for their assistance in identifying the species that were habitat indicators. HBM and AXG-R are grateful for the financial support of the CIN (Argentina’s National Inter-University Council), as this work was completed as part of a “Scholarship Stimulus to Scientific Vocations.” We also thank CONICET (Argentina) for its ongoing assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas); CIN (Consejo Interuniversitario Nacional)