New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Arboreal arthropod communities of remnant podocarp-hardwood rainforest in
North Island, New Zealand
H. A. MCWILLIAM*
R. G. DEATH
Department of Ecology
Massey University
Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North, New Zealand
*Present address: Taranaki Regional Council, Private Bag 713,
Stratford, New Zealand.
Abstract Arboreal arthropod communities from three reserves
of podocarp-hardwood rainforest in the North Island, New Zealand, were sampled
continuously between June 1995 and May 1996 using omnidirectional window traps.
Diptera made up 34% of the total number of arthropods captured, whereas
Coleoptera contributed 12% and Araneae 11% to the total catch. The relative
abundance and species richness of Diptera peaked in spring, Coleoptera in
summer, and Araneae in autumn. Multivariate analysis of overall community
structure suggests that season is the dominant determinant of community
structure in the arboreal arthropod communities of these forest patches,
whereas site, and to a lesser extent tree species, have minor effects. Given
that 863 morpho-species were collected, the conservation value of small forest
patches for forest-dwelling arthropods in New Zealand should not be
underestimated.
Keywords arboreal arthropods; community composition; flight
interception trap; New Zealand; podocarp-hardwood rainforest
Received 8 May 1997; accepted 19 December 1997
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (917K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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