Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Part I General perspectives
- Part II Regional floristic and animal diversity
- 9 Tropical montane cloud forests in Malaysia: current state of knowledge
- 10 Montane cloud forests on remote islands of Oceania: the example of French Polynesia (South Pacific Ocean)
- 11 Tropical lowland cloud forest: a neglected forest type
- 12 Altitudinal zonation and diversity patterns in the forests of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
- 13 The outstandingly speciose epiphytic flora of a single strangler fig (Ficus crassiuscula) in a Peruvian montane cloud forest
- 14 Comparative structure, pattern, and tree traits of laurel cloud forests in Anaga, northern Tenerife (Canary Islands) and in lauro-fagaceous forests of central Japan
- 15 Temperature and humidity as determinants of the transition from dry pine forest to humid cloud forests in the Bhutan Himalaya
- 16 The importance of cloud forest sites in the conservation of endemic and threatened species of the Albertine Rift
- 17 The mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) and Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus): two charismatic, large mammals in South American tropical montane cloud forests
- 18 Cloud forests in East Africa as evolutionary motors for speciation processes of flightless Saltatoria species
- 19 Diversity of geometrid moths in two Neotropical rain forests
- Part III Hydrometeorology of tropical montane cloud forest
- Part IV Nutrient dynamics in tropical montane cloud forests
- Part V Cloud forest water use, photosynthesis, and effects of forest conversion
- Part VI Effects of climate variability and climate change
- Part VII Cloud forest conservation, restoration, and management issues
- References
19 - Diversity of geometrid moths in two Neotropical rain forests
from Part II - Regional floristic and animal diversity
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 May 2011
By
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Part I General perspectives
- Part II Regional floristic and animal diversity
- 9 Tropical montane cloud forests in Malaysia: current state of knowledge
- 10 Montane cloud forests on remote islands of Oceania: the example of French Polynesia (South Pacific Ocean)
- 11 Tropical lowland cloud forest: a neglected forest type
- 12 Altitudinal zonation and diversity patterns in the forests of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
- 13 The outstandingly speciose epiphytic flora of a single strangler fig (Ficus crassiuscula) in a Peruvian montane cloud forest
- 14 Comparative structure, pattern, and tree traits of laurel cloud forests in Anaga, northern Tenerife (Canary Islands) and in lauro-fagaceous forests of central Japan
- 15 Temperature and humidity as determinants of the transition from dry pine forest to humid cloud forests in the Bhutan Himalaya
- 16 The importance of cloud forest sites in the conservation of endemic and threatened species of the Albertine Rift
- 17 The mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) and Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus): two charismatic, large mammals in South American tropical montane cloud forests
- 18 Cloud forests in East Africa as evolutionary motors for speciation processes of flightless Saltatoria species
- 19 Diversity of geometrid moths in two Neotropical rain forests
- Part III Hydrometeorology of tropical montane cloud forest
- Part IV Nutrient dynamics in tropical montane cloud forests
- Part V Cloud forest water use, photosynthesis, and effects of forest conversion
- Part VI Effects of climate variability and climate change
- Part VII Cloud forest conservation, restoration, and management issues
- References
Summary
ABSTRACT
The diversity of geometrid moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) was investigated in two tropical montane cloud forests in southern Ecuador and in central Costa Rica. The study covered an elevational range from c. 1000 to 2700 m.a.s.l. in both locations. Data were analyzed for eight sites, representing four elevations in each of the two study areas. A total of 770 species (4569 specimens) were sampled in Ecuador vs. 503 in Costa Rica (7303 specimens). Sampling was incomplete and it is expected that more species will be found in both areas. Moth diversity was extremely high in Ecuador and almost invariably higher than at comparable elevations in Costa Rica. Values of Fisher's α index ranged between 70 and 131 in Ecuador, and between 31 and 83 in Costa Rica. An analysis of rarefied species numbers led to very similar results. At a level of 390 rarefied specimens, the range was 131–179 species at the Ecuadorian sites, vs. 77–140 at the Costa Rican sites. Only 64 (5.3%) out of the total of 1209 species were common to both areas. The results of this study underline the fact that the tropical Andean mountains are one of the “hot spots” of local diversity of geometrid moths, and that the threatened Andean cloud forests should be given the highest priority in conservation policy. Similarly, countries like Costa Rica, which are already actively engaged in nature conservation, may find additional motivation in the present results to continue their efforts.
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- Information
- Tropical Montane Cloud ForestsScience for Conservation and Management, pp. 192 - 196Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011
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