El ecosistema de dehesa como reservorio de diversidad de insectos saproxílicos (Coleoptera y Diptera: Syrphidae) y factores que determinan sus ensambles

Abstract

The "dehesa" (grassland with scattered oak trees) is a typical Mediterranean ecosystem from west Iberian Peninsula that has resulted from the transformation of the forest by clearing and brushwood removing and the landscape is maintained mainly bulls and/or Iberian pigs. This ecosystem is characterized by the presence of old scattered trees that are considered as "keystone-structures", which favor the presence of a wide range of biodiversity, especially those species that are wood-dependent (saproxylic insects). Saproxylics are a diversified group involved in the recycling process of nutrients in forest, and thus they are considered as a bioindicator group

The Hoverflies of an Oak Dehesa from Spain, with a New Species and Other Insights into the Taxonomy of theEumerus tricolorGroup (Diptera: Syrphidae)

“…This saproxylic community of hoverflies is sustained thanks to the presence of suitable microhabitats for their larvae, i.e. rot holes and sap runs in trees (Ramírez-Hernández et al 2015a).…”

“…Dehesa is an agrosilvopastoral system for extensive livestock raising (Olea and San Miguel-Ayaz, 2006) and originates from clearance and brushwood removal of the native Mediterranean forest (Ramírez-Hernández et al 2014). The dehesa landscape has a characteristic savannah-like appearance with oaks of different species, Quercus spp, according to the region (Campos et al 2013, Ramírez-Hernández et al 2014, 2015a. Dehesas are considered to be important both in ecological and socioeconomic terms (e.g.…”