In:
Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), PERSEE Program, Vol. 56, No. 1 ( 2001), p. 37-51
Abstract:
Pitfall traps baited with cattle dung were used during a year-cycle to study the spatial distribution of several species of Sphaeridiinae (Col. Hydrophilidae) in two biotopes (grassland and savanna), from a cattle farm in Chiclana de la Frontera (Cadiz, Spain). Fourteen species were collected, all of them inhabiting both grassland and savanna, thus, similarity was high between biotopes . The mean number of species per trap was higher in grassland, nevertheless diversity was very similar in the two biotopes. The spatial distribution of the most abundant species was analysed at two different scales : among close traps (distribution at behavioural scale), and habitat selection between grassland and savanna biotopes (distribution at ecological scale). The species were randomly distributed at small spatial scale during most part of the year, aggregation being weak when it occurred. At ecological scale only Sphaeridium scarabaeoides showed a significant selection for grassland, whereas the other species were equally distributed in both biotopes. We propose that such distribution patterns reflect the ecological generalism of Sphaeridiinae, acting from narrow to wide (geographical) scales.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0249-7395
DOI:
10.3406/revec.2001.2348
Language:
French
Publisher:
PERSEE Program
Publication Date:
2001
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2922565-6
SSG:
12
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