ISSN:
1442-9993
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract Habitat structure and complexity affect the diversity and composition of fauna in a number of systems. We investigated patterns in wasp species richness, abundance and composition and also their associations with habitat complexity in Sydney sandstone forests, Australia. Pitfall and flight-intercept traps collected dissimilar wasp assemblages. High complexity habitats supported greater abundance and species richness and a dissimilar composition of pitfall-trapped wasps to low complexity habitats. Soil moisture, tree canopy cover, ground herb cover and shrub canopy cover all had significant positive associations with the species richness of pitfall-trapped wasps. Although the five most abundant families of wasps we trapped are endoparasitoids of other arthropods, they showed a variety of preferences for habitat variables. The mechanisms driving associations between habitat complexity and patterns in wasp communities may also provide a basis for understanding factors influencing the regulation of arthropod assemblages by wasps in agricultural and natural landscapes.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2005.01435.x
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