Influencia del recambio de especies en la biodiversidad de bosques tropicales: el ejemplo de Costa Rica

Resumen

To understand the high heterogeneity of the biodiversity distribution is one of the most important challenges for the ecology. The study of this heterogeneity is not only ecologically interesting, but also urgent, because of the current biodiversity high degree of threat. Understanding the distributional patterns of species and the factors and mechanisms which are producing and maintaining these patterns is essential to consider protection and conservation strategies of the biodiversity in the most useful and effective way. The analysis of the distribution of scarab beetles assemblages (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae, Melolonthinae, Rutelinae) across the forests of Costa Rica revealed high species turnover increasing total diversity in these tropical ecosystems. Although environmental heterogeneity is responsible for part of this turnover, the historical and evolutionary factors have also an important role influencing species distribution. The incorporation of the analysis of these factors to the studies of diversity distribution represents a useful tool for the understanding of the processes producing the current biodiversity patterns.