Assemblage of aquaticHeteroptera (Gerromorpha andNepomorpha) in relation to microhabitats in thePhongRiver,NortheastThailand

Abstract

AbstractIn this study, we explored the composition and assemblage structure of aquaticHeteroptera from 15 sampling sites along thePhongRiver,Thailand, during the rainy (July 2011), cool (December 2011) and hot (March–April 2012) seasons. A total of 8399 individuals, belonging to 54 species and 12 families of aquaticHeteroptera were recorded. TheKruskal–Wallis test indicated significant difference in total number of species and total number of individuals of aquaticHeteroptera among microhabitat types (P< 0.05). Stepwise multiple regression and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) ordination show that characteristics of microhabitats including percentage of gravel, percentage of aquatic macrophytes covering the water surface and percentage of shading from riparian vegetation determine aquaticHeteroptera assemblage structures. From this study, microhabitats have more effect on aquaticHeteroptera than water pollution.