Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand abstracts
Comparison of the weevil fauna (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) in two tussock
grassland sites in Otago, New Zealand
T. J. Murray1, B. I. P. Barratt2, and K. J. M. Dickinson1
1Department of Botany, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin,
New Zealand.
2AgResearch, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Private Bag 50
034, Mosgiel, New Zealand.
Author for correspondence. Email: barbara.barratt@agresearch.co.nz
Abstract Invertebrates exhibit exceptional levels of
diversity and endemism in New Zealand where, historically, they have received
only limited consideration in land management decisions. Many species exist
outside the habitats typically set aside for conservation, such as lowland
to subalpine Chionochloa tussock grasslands. These habitats are under-represented
as protected areas due to their modified state and their invertebrate fauna
is poorly understood. Compiling inventories has been suggested as one means
of facilitating a greater awareness of invertebrate diversity and ecology.
This study presents an inventory of Curculionoidea recorded during a single
quantitative sampling event in mid summer 2001, from two Otago Chionochloa
tall-tussock grasslands. Species diversity is compared with that of other
southern South Island tussock grassland areas, and notes on weevil ecology
and distribution are given. Of the 35 species known from the two sites, only
17 were recorded from samples taken in January 2001, demonstrating the importance
of factors such as seasonality and microhabitat to study design. Genera recorded
showed affinities with those of grassland studies in neighbouring ecological
districts. Almost 50% of the species collected from the two sites were undescribed;
this not only limits the capability of land managers to compare areas under
consideration for protection or other land uses, but also indicates an abundance
of unrecorded and unprotected biological diversity.
Keywords invertebrate inventory; Otago; Chionochloa
tall-tussock grasslands; Curculionoidea; weevil ecology
R02053 Received 23 December 2002; accepted 25 June 2003; online publication
date 19 November 2003
© Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 33, Number 4,
December 2003, pp 703-714
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