TY  - THES
T1  - Biodiversity and arthropod abundance in the upland of Leyte, Philippines
A1  - Szinicz,Gundula
Y1  - 2005/09/09
N2  - In the humid tropics of SE-Asia the last primary forests are dwindling at an alarming rate. In many regions cultivated and degraded land outnumbers by far natural ecosystems. In the upland of Leyte island this is due to commercial and illegal logging activities and intensive slash-and-burn agriculture. The loss of the natural vegetation cover is accompanied by a decrease in diversity of fauna and flora, consequently also in ecosystem services and interactions, thus destabilizing the system and finally leading to degradation. To further preserve and restore natural biodiversity landscapes dominated by man need to be included in an overall research strategy. So far only few studies focus on the biodiversity of cleared and converted land adjacent to natural areas in the tropics. This study was conducted in a Philippine upland area and focused on interchanges of insects between the natural and the managed landscape. Two questions were approached. (1) Which structures and components of the cultural landscape are of significance for conserving arthropod biodiversity, and (2) are there species which originate from the natural forest and are able to become resident in the man-made systems? In order to answer these questions insect- and plant surveys as well as the movement patterns of selected insect species were examined along a gradient from the natural forest through the agricultural land. So as to define the effects of habitat destruction on the arthropod community
of the research area arthropod communities of different habitats between the natural and agricultural ecosystems with increasing distance to the forest, in relation to the vegetation were compared. Insect sampling was carried out using modified Malaise traps, whereby four habitats were considered: (a) forest interior, (b) forest margin, (c) vegetable fields and (d) chayote ((Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw. (Cucurbitaceae); the only perennial vegetable of the area) fields. These traps allowed a separate catch for each of the two arrival sides, whereby the one was always opened to the forest and the other to the field. Trapping was set up for a total of 18 months in 2001 and 2002 at three sites with the four habitats each. Arthropod diversity, composition of the arthropod community and trophic guild composition at habitats were determined for each habitat and arrival side. Obtained results are presented and discussed with regard to first: arthropod diversity and community composition along the transect from natural through agricultural systems; second: abundance patterns of selected species in natural and agricultural systems and third: abundance patterns of selected species within the agricultural land. It was found that plant diversity, vegetation structure and taxonomic composition as well as
differences in the turnover of the vegetation at habitats (productivity of vegetation) influence arthropod groups and species in the study area in different ways which could not be generalised. Further, the relationships of insects between the natural forest and the open agricultural land were considered. In order to identify species that occur in the forest as well as in the open country, first, insects at sites of the forest interior, the forest margin and the agricultural land, were recorded using modified Malaise traps. Then, movement patterns of selected species were determined based on their abundances at the different habitats and arrival sides. In addition it was tried to find out whether major pest species of the cultivated crops show any
relationship to the adjacent natural forest, and whether species originating from the forest (non-pest species) are able to colonize open country. The results indicate that the habitat of the pest species considered is limited to the cultivated land and does not include the forest. None of the non-pest species recorded in this study would be able to exist permanently in the
agricultural area. They all depend on a closed forest habitat and therefore will become extinct as the forest disappears with proceeding slash-and-burn agriculture. However, some but not all of the pest and forest species were regularly recorded from the forest margin. Finally it was focused on relationships of insects between perennial and consecutive changing vegetable crops. Two kinds of habitats were distinguished: (i) frequently disturbed and
rotational changing vegetables with simple architecture; (ii) rarely disturbed stands of chayote, with complex architecture. The impact of changing crop and weed species composition and the agricultural practices (soil preparation, planting, weeding, harvest) applied on the abundance of selected insect species and the question whether stands of chayote are used as refuge as long as conditions in the seasonal vegetables become unfavourable due to agroecosystem management applied were analysed. The insect species investigated include phytophagous specialists and generalists as well as beneficials (predators
and pollinators). It only was possible to generalize movement patterns regarding significance of abundance variations at habitats and at opposite arrival sides of the traps in each habitat. With respect to the population development of the species in relation to cropping patterns and agricultural practices applied no common patterns could be determined. The results contribute to the assessment of the effects of man-made habitat conversion on the arthropod fauna in tropical ecosystems. The identification and classification of habitats and their interactions might enhance the understanding of ecosystems in order to make aware the need to preserve and restore biodiversity.
KW  - Philippinen
KW  - Hochland
KW  - Landwirtschaft
KW  - Gliederfüßer
CY  - Hohenheim
PB  - Kommunikations-, Informations- und Medienzentrum der Universität Hohenheim
AD  - Garbenstr. 15, 70593 Stuttgart
UR  - http://opus.uni-hohenheim.de/volltexte/2005/108
ER  -