Don't crush me: Wild cockroach assemblage in the context of land uses change within a modified wetland landscape

Abstract

1. The accelerated changes in land use and climate change worldwide causes habitat loss that impacts biodiversity. Both processes directly impact wetlands structure and function as well as its ecosystem contributions influencing its flora and fauna. Consequently, wetland species' natural distribution patterns are altered. 2. There is scarce information about cockroaches and their involvement in wetlands ecosystems and how they are affected by anthropogenic activity. 3. This work studies Blattodea species assemblage associated with different productive land uses and their seasonal variation in the Insular area of the Lower Paraná River Delta (Argentina) which is one of the most important wetlands in South America. 4. We collected 7664 adult wild cockroaches from planted forests in a wetlands landscape, using pitfall traps determining seven species. Four of these were new records for the study area. 5. Distribution of cockroach species differs depending on land use, differentiating their habitat preferences. Summer was the richest and diverse season. 6. The characteristics that influenced the spatial and temporal distribution were the vertical heterogeneity, e.g. distribution of niches, resource and food materials availability and the temporary waterlogging. 7. The wild cockroaches found may play an important role in degradation of organic matter, soil fertility and vegetation pollination. Promoting the growth of understory suitable and maintaining temporary waterlogging. Thus would be beneficial for conserving the wild cockroaches in this modified wetland landscape.