Guild Composition and Seasonal Distribution of Insects on Protea Magnifica and P
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S. Afr.l. Z001. 1990,25(4) 245 Guild composition and seasonal distribution of insects on Protea magnifica and P. laurifolia (proteaceae) M.G. Wright * and J.H. Giliomee Department of Entomology & Nematology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 7600 Republic of South Africa Received 12 June 1990; accepted 21 August 1990 Insects were collected over a period of 12 months from Protea magnifica and P. laurifO/ia by beating. Analysis of guild composition showed remarkable uniformity in proportion of species in different guilds on the two plants. Proportions of individuals in different guilds were not uniform, owing to a larger proportion of phyto phages being collected on P. magnifica. A distinct seasonal distribution in insect numbers was observed in four out of six study sites, with peak numbers being collected in summer. Insekte is oar 'n periode van 12 maande vanaf Prot9a magnifica en P. laurifolia deur middel van uitklop versamel. Ontleding van gildestruktuur het noemenswaardige uniformiteit in verhoudings van spesies in verskillende gildes op die twee plante getoan. Verhoudings van individue in verskillende gildes was nie uniform nie, weens 'n groter proporsie fitofage insekte op P. magnifica. 'n Duidelike seisoenale verspreiding in insekgetalle is in vier uit die ses studiepersele waargeneem, met piekgetalle in die somer. • To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Fynbos Research Unit, Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Research Institute, Private Bag, Elsenburg, 7607 Republic of South Africa Very few insect community studies have been undertaken in distribution, and to discuss factors possibly influencing these the fynbos (the Capensis flora, sensu Taylor 1978), and they aspects. have concentrated either on specific taxa (e.g. Formicidae, Donnelly & Giliomee 1985, Koen & Breytenbach 1988), or Materials and Methods a limited range of taxa (e.g. Orthoptera & Hemiptera, Study sites were located in Du Toits Kloof (DTK) (33° . Schlettwein & Giliomee 1987). The fust study which 1~05'E, ) 38'S/ both plants), the Cedarberg (CB) (32°25'S/ 0 attempts to consider all the arthropods associated with 1 l~lO'E, both plants), Groeolandberg (GB) (34°07'S/ 0 selected fynbos plants is that of Coetzee (1989), who 2 1~08'E, P. magnifica) and Mont Rochelle (MR) (33°54'S/ d followed the 'knock-down' approach of Moran & South e 1~09"E, P. laurifolia). Population sizes of P. magnifica t a wood (1982). A major problem encountered in this study ranged from 50-250 plants, and P. laurifolia from several d ( was identifying species collected as the insects of the fynbos hundred to thousands of individuals. Populations of the two r e are poorly known (Coetzee 1989). species never overlapped. h s i The present study forms the basis for a comprehensive l Insects were collected on a monthly basis from DTK, MR b investigation of insect-plant interactions (viz. herbivory, u and GB and bimonthly from CB. Collections were made P seed predation and pollination, all reported separately), on from January 1988 to December 1988, except for MR, e h Pro tea magnifica Link and P. laurifolia Thunb., two fynbos t where collecting commenced in February 1988 and ended in y species which are also used commercially for their flowers. b January 1989. Collecting was done by beating (Smithers d The two host plants have similar overall distribution 1981), rather than by the knock-down method, because of e t patterns in the south-western Cape, though P. magnifica has n the frequently windy conditions under which collecting was a a discontinuous distribution pattern within its overall range, r done. It was decided to sample 24 branches as a species g occurring only on mountain peaks above 1200 m (Rourke e sampling area analysis at DTK indicated that no new species c 1980). Protea laurifolia occurs below 1200 m (Rourke n e were collected with further effort. Each of 24 randomly c 1980). Also, the architecture of the plants differs in that P. i l selected branches of both species were sampled each month r magnifica seldom grows higher than 2 m, while P. laurifolia e by beating until insects no longer fell onto the 50 x 50-cm d may reach 8 m (Vogts 1982). This difference should allow a n sheet Insects thus collected were stored in 70% alcohol and u test of Lawton's (1983) hypothesis that plant height is of y significance in determining how many insect species utilize later sorted into morphospecies (hereafter referred to as a 'species'). In the case of phytophagous species, specialists w it. Unfortunately, certain factors complicate this test, as P. e t on taxa were consulted to obtain reliable identifications. a magnifica has a relatively disjointed distribution, and is G subject to a more variable climate than P. laurifolia (Vogts Specimens were allocated to the following guilds: phytopha t e 1982). ges [divided into chewers (PC) and suckers (PS)] , predators n i b The leaves of P. magnifica are broader than those of P. + parasitoids (P), ants (A), 'detritivores' (D, all non a S detrimental feeders on the plant, viz., fungivores, detribls laurifolia and occur in a more dense concentration on y b branches. Both plants are evergreen. feeders), flower visitors (FLO) and tourists (1). These guilds d e The aim of this study was to establish the guild structure were decided on after consulting Moran & Southwood c u of insects on the two plants in question and their seasonal (1982) and Coetzee (1989). Guild allocations were made by d o r p e R 246 S.-Afr. Tydskr. Dierle. 1990.25(4) Table 1 Insect taxa, and guild allocations of insects Table 1 Continued collected on Protea magnifica (Pm) and P. laurifolia (PI). Species are grouped by guild, then taxon. (PS = Taxon AcHRP Guild Pm PI phytophagous sucker, PC = phytophagous chewer, Sibillia sp. 1989 PC • FLO flower visitor, P predator/parasite, A ant, = = = SmicroflJ% sp. T = tourist, D = detritivore) 1946 PC • • Gen. et sp. indet. 1945 PC • Taxon AcHRP Guild Pm PI Cryptorhynchinae (Gen. indet.) 1948 PC • Apiooidae (Gen. et sp. indeL) 1954 PC • Hc:miptera Lepidoptera Miridae (Gen. et sp. indet.) 764 PS • • Geometridae (Gen. et sp. indeL) 1947 PC • • Lygaeidae Psychidae (Gen. et sp. indeL) 1942 PC • • Oxycareflus macula/us 624 PS • • Lirnacodidae (Gen. et sp. indeL) 10 PC • • MachituJenuls diplop/erus 208 PS • • Sphingidae (Gen. et sp. indeL) 1960 PC • Caprhobia similis 262 PS • • Pyralidae (Gen. et sp. indet.) 1954 PC • PDe4f11Nu velax 237 PS • • Bos/ra cOflSpicualis 329 PC • Gen. et sp. indeL 1963 PS • • Phyllocnistidae Aradidae 1965 PS • Phyl/ocflis/is sp. 698 PC • • Pentatomidae Family indeL (Larvae) 1937 PC • Afi/es/iopsis IIQriega/a 545 PS • • Family indeL (Larvae) 1939 PC • • Gen. et sp. indeL 680 PS • • Family indeL (Larvae) 1981 PC • Cydnidae Family indet. (Larvae) 1983 PC • Dimegis/us fimbria/us 373 PS • • Coleoptera Membracidae Scarabaeidae Gargaw sp. 529 PS • • Tricos/elha capeflSis 61 FLO • Psyllidae (Gen. et sp. indeL) 1990 PS • • Platycltelus sp. 1132 FLO • • Diaspididae a. rysornelidae LedIJspis dis/iflc/a 926 PS • • ChiTodica ca/coplera 7CYJ FLO • • Gen. et sp. indeL 1937 PS • Staphylinidae Gen. et sp. indeL 926 PS • • Ph/oeoflonlMS sp. 725 FLO • • . Thysanoptera ) 1953 PS • • Nitidulidae 0 Phurnotodea (Gen. et sp. indet.) 1 1959 PC • Pria ciMrasceflS 713 FLO • • 0 2 Onhoptera Helodidae d Tettigooidae 1956 PC Helodes sp. 1950 FLO e • • t a Coleoptera Mant.odea (Gen. et sp. indet.) 663 P • d ( Phalacridae Hemiptera r e Olibrus aeroilJ/us Anthocoridae 134 P • h 717 PC • • s i Discolomidae Reduviidae 1994 P l • b No/iophygus sp. Neuroptera u 1952 PC • P Ouysomelidae a.rysopidae 1196 P • e h Prasoidea sericea Coleoptera t 521 PC • • y Xe1lOOmOrphus sp. Cleridae 258 P • • b 603 PC • • 720 d RhabdocMoraM sp. 708 PC • • Melyridae P • e t Gen. et sp. indeL 1987 PC • Melyridae 1159 P • • n a 8uprestidae Carabidae r g Spheflop/era sp. A 1938 PC • XefliJefIIU lessalalus 625 P e • • c SpheflOfi/era sp. Curujidae n 8 1951 PC • e c Anthribidae PhycoflOmJIS Iricolor 721 P i • • l r Holoph/oeus nigel/us 1992 PC • PhycollOmJlS pa/idus 722 P • e d Gen. et sp. indeL 1993 PC • Nitidulidae n u Cybocephalus sp. 825 P Cerambycidae • • y a Gen. et sp. indeL 1744 PC • • Coccinellidae w Rlryzobius javeli 766 P e Cryptophagidae • • t a Micrambe /efluicormis 760 PC • Telsimia lelraslricta 863 P • • G t Curculionidae Rhyzobius sp. 1995 P • • e n A/rolep/ops coe/uei SCYIMUS morreleli 617 P • • i 664 PC • • b ErelfllUU nr. iJlriJIus Adonia variegiJIa 613 P a 735 PC • • • S Steflotypus sp. 1949 PC • Cheil~fIts 1/UIata 7'12 P • • y b Hipporhillll.f sp.A 1961 PC • Hymenoptera d e Hipporhillus sp.8 Chalcididae c 1941 PC • u ElliMrts liMicoilis 1912 PC Hockeria sp. 1970 P d • • o r p e R S. Afr. J. Z001. 1990,25(4) 247 Table 1 Continued Taxon AcHRP Guild Pm PI Dirhillus sp. 972 P .. A Gat. et sp. indeL 280 P .. 24918S Iclmcumonidae P. magnifica P. laurifolia N·1353 N • 821 Gat. et sp. indeL 1304 P .. Vespidae Polisles sp. 1985 P .. Figure 1 Guild composition of insects (number of individuals) on Eupehnidae two Protea species. (A = ants; PC = phytophagous chewers; Gen. et sp. indeL 740 P .. Fill = flower visitors; D = detritivores; P = predators & parasi Funily indet. 1969 P .. toids; T = tourists; PS = phytophagous suckers.) Funily indet. 1968 P .. .. Funily indet. 379 P .. Funily indet. 1986 P .. Fonnicidae Camponolus maclllatus 1976 A .. Camponolus fliveoselosus ll50 A .. .. Camponolus folvopiJosus 1979 A .. Camponolus sp.l 1974 A .. .. A 1375" Camponolus sp.2 1977 A .. P. magnifica P. laurifolia N ·85 CampollOlus sp.3 1996 A .. N·89 CampollOlus spA 1980 A .