Diversidad de macroinvertebrados acuáticos asociados con Bromeliaceae en una zona de bosque pluvial tropical, Chocó, Colombia

Abstract

Objective : The community of aquatic macroinvertebrates associated with water tanks in Werauhia gladio- li ora (H. Wendl.) J. R. Grant (Bromeliaceae) in a Tropical Rain Forest area (Atrato, Choco) was studied. Methodology : For a month and 8 bromeliads weekly sample were taken for a total of 32 studied. The extraction of water retained in bromeliads and aquatic invertebrates became a suction hose and to set the size and the water holding capacity of each bromeliads some morphometric characteristics were recorded. Results : The community consisted of three orders, 11 families and 18 genera. The order Diptera was the most abundant, with 87.4% of the individuals, excelling the Culicidae family for their abundance (59.4%) and taxonomic richness (5 genera). The diversity index varied between 1.15 and 1.93 bits/ind, and the dominance was relatively high (0.66). The most abundant functional groups were ltering-collectors and collectors-shredders. According to a simple linear correlation analysis the number of leaves of bromeliads is correlated with the abundance of macroinvertebrates (r=0.9626, p=0.0374), while diversity did with the water content (r=0.9321, p= 0.0479). Conclusions : The number of leaves and the water content of the bromeliad were the most important variables that a ect the abundance and diversity of macroinvertebra - tes in them. The functional groups found, evidence of the ability of these microenvironments to promote the development of a variety of aquatic food webs in Neotropical forests, as a result of the wide range of ecological conditions present.