Species richness and abundance of leaf litter weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in oak forests under different disturbance regimes in central Mexico

Abstract

The objectives were to determine and compare species richness and abundance of weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from leaf litter of oak forests from three isolated sierras with different disturbance regimes in the state of Querétaro, Mexico. A total of 1099 weevils were collected from 639 litter samples with total weevil densities averaging 1.72 + 1.31 individuals per 0.5 m2. Nineteen genera and 49 total species were recorded with an estimated richness of 69.23 (Chao 1). All weevil genera have been previously reported from cloud forests of southern Mexico, and most species (88%) represented undescribed taxa. Less than 25% of the species were shared among the three sites. The differences in species richness and abundance between plots with different disturbance regimes were most marked in the most diverse site, Pinal de Amoles, whereas richness at the other two sites were similar, although significant higher abundance was found in the forested site of San Joaquín. Results indicate that leaf litter weevil communities in oak forests of central Mexico are similar in taxonomic composition and diversity to cloud forests from southern Mexico and that even small, moderately disturbed fragments of these forests may be sufficient to maintain their populations.