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Effects Of Vegetation and Soil on Species Diversity of Soil Dwelling Diptera in a Heathland Ecosystem

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Abstract

The role of vegetation and soil factors on the biodiversity of two soil dwelling, saprophagous, fly families (Sphaeroceridae and Lonchopteridae) in a heathland ecosystem were investigated. The fly community is primarily affected by soil humidity and the amount of organic matter while the vegetation structure and species composition only indirectly influence the fly communities. There was no correlation between plant species richness and the fly diversity indices. Based on our results and literature data, we hypothesise that the direct effects of the vegetation is more evident for herbivorous insects than for species that do not feed on plants. The investigated families show a clear response to microhabitat differences in the soil factors, which makes them promising indicators for soil health and as tool for monitoring environmental changes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Evolutionary Biology group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp (RUCA), Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium

    Luc De Bruyn, Sofie Thys, Jan Scheirs & Ron Verhagen

  2. Institute of Nature Conservation, Kliniekstraat 25, 1070, Brussel, Belgium

    Luc De Bruyn

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  1. Luc De Bruyn
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  2. Sofie Thys
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  3. Jan Scheirs
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De Bruyn, L., Thys, S., Scheirs, J. et al. Effects Of Vegetation and Soil on Species Diversity of Soil Dwelling Diptera in a Heathland Ecosystem. Journal of Insect Conservation 5, 87–97 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011319417994

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