Effects of Mecistogaster Spp.(Odonata: Pseudostigmatidae) and Culex Mollis (Diptera: Culicidae) on Litter Decomposition in Neotropical Treehole Microcosms
Abstract
I investigated the effects of a top predator, Mecistogaster spp. (Odonata: Pseudostigmatidae), on survivorship of the grazer Culex mollis (Diptera: Culicidae) and decomposition rates of leaf litter in treehole microcosms. In a factorial experiment using 200 ml cups, less litter mass remained when grazers (51%) and grazers plus predators (51%) were present, than without grazers (57%). Predators reduced mosquito survival, but had no indirect effect on litter decomposition rate. Mosquito larvae facilitated decomposition of litter and may have become food limited.Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright for any article published in Florida Entomologist is held by the author(s) of the article. Florida Entomologist is an open access journal. Florida Entomologist follows terms of the Creative Commons, Attribution Non-Commercial License (cc by-nc). By submitting and publishing articles in Florida Entomologist, authors grant the FOJ and Florida Entomologist's host institutions permission to make the article available through Internet posting and electronic dissemination, and to otherwise archive the information contained both electronically and in a hard printed version. When used, information and images obtained from articles must be referenced and cited appropriately. Articles may be reproduced for personal, educational, or archival purposes, or any non-commercial use. Permission should be sought from the author(s) for multiple, non-commercial reproduction. Written permission from the author(s) is required for any commercial reproduction.
