Effects of Environmental Factors on the Spatial Distribution Pattern and Diversity of Insect Communities along Altitude Gradients in Guandi Mountain, China

Abstract

Understanding the distribution patterns and underlying maintenance mechanisms of insect species is a core issue in the field of insect ecology. However, research gaps remain regarding the environmental factors that determine the distribution of insect species along altitudinal gradients in Guandi Mountain, China. Here, we explored these determinants based on the distribution pattern and diversity of insect species from 1600 m to 2800 m in the Guandi Mountain, which covers all typical vegetation ecosystems in this area. Our results showed that the insect community showed certain differentiation characteristics with the altitude gradient. The results of RDA and correlation analysis also support the above speculation and indicate that soil physicochemical properties are closely related to the distribution and diversity of insect taxa orders along the altitude gradient. In addition, the soil temperature showed an obvious decreasing trend with increasing altitude, and temperature was also the most significant environmental factor affecting the insect community structure and diversity on the altitude gradient. These findings provide a reference for exploring the maintenance mechanisms affecting the structure, distribution pattern, and diversity of insect communities in mountain ecosystems, and the effects of global warming on insect communities.

Biodiversity and Spatiotemporal Variations of Mecoptera in Thailand: Influences of Elevation and Climatic Factors

“…The spatial distribution of insects has been reported in various insect groups, and the results revealed different relationships depending on the taxa [ 23 , 29 , 30 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 ]. Our result showed a hump-shaped distribution pattern of this insect, which was similar to previous reports from the Qinling mountains in Yunan province and the Sichuan Basin in Sichuan province, China, suggesting that the highest species numbers occurred in the middle elevation [ 22 , 68 ].…”

“…Due to their constrained migration capabilities, restricted distribution, preference for lower temperatures, and sensitivity to climate change and vegetation shifts, Mecoptera serve as invaluable models for studying the impacts of climate change and deforestation. Furthermore, they play a significant role in insect conservation by functioning as ecological indicators [ 10 , 14 , 17 , 22 , 23 ]. Thus, gaining insights into insect biodiversity, spatiotemporal variations, and the influences of environmental factors remain a paramount ecological challenge [ 24 , 25 , 26 ].…”

The Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Insect Predator–Prey System Incorporating Refuge Effect

“…By translating the fixed point of map (7) to the origin and performing a Taylor expansion near the fixed point E 3 , we can transform map (7) into the following expression:…”

“…When the parameter conditions satisfy ( 28) and (33), Map (7) can translate the fixed point (H * , P * ) to the origin through the transformation w = H − H * and z = P − P * . Then, using the Taylor expansion, we can obtain The two eigenvalues of Map (35) at the fixed point (0, 0) are also conjugate complexes of Mode 1, denoted by…”

“…Many insects have nonoverlapping generations, shaping discrete dynamics [ 3 , 4 ]. The dynamics of insect populations are not only influenced by various abiotic factors, such as temperature [ 5 , 6 ], altitude [ 7 ], and humidity [ 8 ], but also largely mediated by predator–prey interactions [ 9 , 10 ]. Refuge effects, a vital influence factor in the insect predator–prey systems [ 11 , 12 , 13 ], provides a degree of protection for insect populations from predation [ 11 , 14 , 15 ].…”