Seasonal and altitude effects on the structure of arthropod communities associated with Tillandsia violacea Baker (Bromeliaceae) in a temperate forest of Mexico

Abstract

The canopy of forests has been considered “the last biotic frontier,” and study of its elements is very important in explaining the global functionality in ecosystems. Epiphytic plants and arthropods are essential elements in canopy habitats, and their relationships have been studied in order to understand the high diversity in tropical forests. Nevertheless, there are few studies on this development in temperate forests. The arthropod community was studied during the rainy and dry seasons at two altitudes, and a total of 240 T. violacea plants of three sizes were collected from Abies religiosa and Quercus spp. host trees. A total of 163,043 arthropods were collected and about 200 morphospecies identified. The highest abundance was obtained during the dry season, while high diversity was found during the rainy season. There was a significant effect of plant size, host trees and collecting season on abundance and diversity, and there were seasonal variations in community composition. The community hosted on A. religiosa epiphytes showed higher abundance and density than that of Quercus.