Abstract
To understand the global distribution patterns of litter-dwelling thrips, a total 150 leaf litter samples were collected from 6 natural reserves located in three climatic regions, temperate, subtropical and tropical. The results showed the relative abundance of Thysanoptera was over 3.0% in 4 natural reserves from subtropical and tropical zone, and reached 5.9% in one tropical reserve, only less than Acarina and Collembola. In contrast it was only 0.3% in the warm temperate natural reserves, and no thrips were collected in a mid temperate reserve. The order on the average species numbers per plot of litter thrips was tropic > subtropics > temperate (n=25, p<0.05). Mean density of litter thrips per plots in the tropics and subtropics was significantly higher than that in the temperate region (n=25, p<0.05), but the average density was not significantly different between tropical and subtropical zones (n=25, p>0.05). The diversity of litter thrips in the tropics and subtropics was much higher than that in the temperate area based on comparsions of Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H’), Pielou eveness index (J), and Simpson dominance index (D). All of these results indicated that litter-dwelling thrips lived mainly in tropical and subtropical regions; meanwhile, species number and relative abundance increased with decreasing latitude.
Highlights
Global distribution patterns of organisms have become a hot research topic in recent years due to increasing concerns about the global loss of species richness (Gaston 2000)
The cogent statement of the increase in species diversity from polar to equatorial regions was confirmed by plants and vertebrate animals (Willig et al 2003), but little is known about global pattern in species level of soil invertebrates, these are recognized as one of the most species rich groups on earth (Wardle et al 2004; Fierer et al 2009)
It was a common Order of the litter invertebrate assemblage from tropical and subtropical regions, was rare an Order in temperate regions
Summary
Global distribution patterns of organisms have become a hot research topic in recent years due to increasing concerns about the global loss of species richness (Gaston 2000). Litter-dwelling thrips is a group of thysanopteran insects that have adopted the habitat of forest litter or surface soil where they feed only on either fungal hyphae or fungal spores during the early stages of leaf decay (Mound 2005; Wang and Tong 2012). The diversity of these litter thrips is usually related to environmental factors, including temperature and humidity of the soil, the plant species that produce the litter (Tree and Walter 2012) and the species of fungi involved in decomposition (Ananthakrishnan 1996). Another important role was played by some species which could be effective in the natural control those efficient spore feeders of plant pathogenic fungi (Ananthakrishnan 1981)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
