| Abstract Detail
Ecological Section Berkov, Amy [1], Barrios, Héctor [2], Pinzon-Navarro, Sara [3]. Crepuscular wood-borers favor trees with moist wood. Tropical lowland ecosystems are expected to become warmer and drier—with rapid change allowing little opportunity for adaptation. Species that currently favor warm, dry microclimates would be expected to thrive, at the expense of moisture-dependent species. This project proposes that, for wood-boring beetles in the family Cerambycidae, microclimate preferences extend to the interior, as well as the exterior, of the host tree. Prior to the amplification of the Panama Canal, 67 trees and lianas (in 25 families) were felled and investigated for associated saproxylic beetles. Disks were removed from each bait branch to calculate bark thickness, wood specific gravity, and wood moisture content. Trees with dense, dry wood were preferentially colonized by species in the subfamily Cerambycinae, which includes many diurnal species preferentially associated with warm, dry microclimates. Trees with less dense, moist wood were preferentially colonized by species in the subfamily Lamiinae, which includes many crepuscular species preferentially associated with moist microclimates. Warmer, dryer conditions are likely to lead to increased mortality or dieback in moisture-dependent trees. If lamiines (and other moisture-dependent saproxylic beetles) experience population declines, increased necromass would be slower to decompose, impacting forest nutrient cycling.
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1 - City College Of New York, Dept. Biology, Marshak J526, Convent Ave @ 138 St, New York, NY, 10031, USA
2 - Universidad de Panamá, Programa de Maestría en Entomología, Provincia de Panamá, Panamá
3 - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Rep. of Panamá
Keywords:
Fabaceae
Lecythidaceae
Malvaceae
Moraceae.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 68
Location: Salon 8/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Wednesday, July 29th, 2015
Time: 3:00 PM
Number: 68007
Abstract ID:839
Candidate for Awards:None |
