2026/07/02 by Daniel Ochoa-García, Angélica María Corona-López, José Guadalupe Martínez-Hernández +3
paper · doi:10.1093/ee/nvag079
Abstract Coreidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) are an important component of phytophagous insect communities in tropical forests, particularly in tropical deciduous forest (TDF) ecosystems. These forests are characterized by high environmental heterogeneity, limited ecological knowledge, and high susceptibility to disturbance. In this study, we analyzed Coreidae communities collected over 3 yr in 3 localities with TDF within the Biosphere Reserve Sierra de Huautla, Morelos, Mexico. We evaluated whether (i) alpha and beta diversity varied among localities, (ii) spatial beta diversity between sites was associated with woody plant beta diversity, and (iii) temporal beta diversity was related to precipitation and temperature. A total of 2,344 individuals belonging to 58 species were recorded. Five species accounted for 70% of the total abundance and were present during most of the year across the 3 localities. Alpha diversity differed among localities and was associated with precipitation levels. Spatial beta diversity was explained by species turnover and showed no relationship with woody plant beta diversity. Temporal variation in climatic conditions, particularly precipitation, was associated with changes in Coreidae diversity. These results highlight the importance of spatial and seasonal environmental variation in shaping Coreidae community composition in TDFs. These findings emphasize the ecological importance of habitat complexity and seasonal variation in maintaining Coreidae diversity in these forests.