Hole Size Matters: An Indirect Method for Measuring Gall Wasp Community Emergence?

ABSTRACT: Quantifying the abundance and diversity of small insects, especially those with specific environmental associations or hidden habitats, can be challenging using direct methods. Galls are specialized microhabitats that host a wide range of interactions between species. However, assessing their abundance and associated community diversity takes time and effort. In this study, we propose an indirect approach using the size of gall emergence holes to estimate the abundance of gall wasps (Cynipini) and their associated wasp species. We examined eight different types of gall structures collected in the temperate forest of Mexico. We identified every gall-emerging individual, classifying them as gall inducer, inquiline, or parasitoid. Kruskal-Wallis tests, correlation analysis and a mixed linear

SUBMITTER: Clark-Tapia R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12304418 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature