Eryngium (Apiaceae) phytotelmata and their macro-invertebrate communities, including a review and bibliography

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine how phytotelm communities differ in four Eryngium sp. of different morphologies. Macro-invertebrate communities from 320 individual plants of Eryngiumhorridum, E. stenophyllum, E.serra, and E. elegans were sampled in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The morphology and structure of each Eryngium specimen, and water volume and debris in their phytotelmata, were measured. Morphology indicated that E. elegans and E. serra are closely related and differ from E. horridum and E. stenophyllum. The latter two species are markedly different from E. stenophyllum, the biggest of the four. The communities differed among these Eryngium species, but a large number of generalist macro-invertebrates use all four phytotelmata. Canonical correlation analysis showed that diptera are inhabitants in E. horridum, and micro-crustaceans in E.serra and E. elgans. By contrast, no specific taxa were grouped in E. stenophyllum. Results of inter-specific association (C8 coefficient) show that species of Culicidae and Chironomidae are highly positive associations in E. horridum, by contrast with the negative association observed in E. stenophyllum. Culex renatoi (Culicidae) and Polypedilum sp. (Chironomidae) were highly likely to co-occur in the same plant of E. serra, but not with Metriocnemus eryngiotelmatus (Chironomidae). Larsia sp. (Chironomidae) was the species better associated with the other macro-invertebrates in E. elegans. The food web was constructed from Eryngium phytotelmata. This study includes an updated list of known aquatic and semi-aquatic invertebrates reported from Eryngium phytotelmata, and their bibliography.