Effects of environmental heterogeneity on the composition of insect trophic guilds

Abstract

Distribution of the most diverse groups of insects is highly related to the structural complexity of the plant community, and increasing complexity, in turn, correlates with increasing diversity, richness and abundance of insects. As such, this study aims to examine the relationship between environmental heterogeneity and the richness, abundance and trophic guilds of insects. The study was conducted in the Serra da Bodoquena, Mato G.osso do Sul, Brazil. Samples were collected using an entomological net, and analysis of the distribution of functional groups along the environmental gradient was performed by direct ordering. The richness and abundance of insect species differ among the different vegetation types, such as clean pasture or cerrado. Using a functional Heterogeneity Index (HI), generalist groups showed a wide distribution, while more specialized groups were restricted to more structurally complex environments.