Biotic and abiotic factors that influence the biodiversity patterns of Tenebrionidae in the Puna and High Andes of the province of Salta, Argentina

Abstract

Studies of biodiversity in the desert and semi-desert environments are very interesting because the associated fauna to these environments exhibits significant morphological, physiological and behavioural adaptations to allow their development in these extreme habitats. In the province of Salta, two high altitude ecoregions are well represented, Puna and High Andes, considered as priority conservation areas included in the Global 200 as vulnerable. We studied tenebrionids of Puna and High Andean ecoregions in Salta province to compare the alpha and beta diversity between them and the regional gamma diversity with thepurpose to identify the possible environmental factors that may influence their diversity patterns. Two samplings (2014-2015) were carried out in 30 sites (12 in High Andes and 18 in Puna), using pitfall traps and G-Vac (suction samples) over the vegetation and we measured several environmental variables related with soil, climate and local vegetation. Two hundred and seventy individuals were collected (21 species, 11 genera, 8 tribes and 2 subfamilies). The results showed that there are no significant differences in the tenebrionid species richness between these two ecoregions, but both differ in their composition and the number of endemic species. The greatest contribution to the gamma diversity of tenebrionids is given by the diversity between sites and the ecoregional beta diversity, indicating that the heterogeneity at multiple scales is crucial for the maintenance of the regional biodiversity. The diversity patterns of tenebrionids in these two ecoregions are mainly influenced by the geographicdistance, which in turn exerts an effect combined with environmental variables.