Darkling beetles as environmental bioindicators in Northeastern Patagonia.

CHELI GERMAN HORACIO; FLORES GUSTAVO E.; MARTINEZ FERNANDO; MARTÍNEZ ROMÁN N; CARRARA RODOLFO

Mendoza

Simposio; IV International Symposium on Tenebrionoidea; 2015

CCT MENDOZA-CONICET

Darkling beetles are among the most abundant anddiverse arthropods in arid Patagonia. In recentyears the knowledge of its biodiversity and ecology in northeastern Patagonia have been increased substantially, highlightingtheir ecological importance and improving the understanding of the functioningof these fragile ecosystems. This report presents a practical application ofthe study of tenebrionid biodiversity in northeastern Patagonia,highlighting its importance as environmental bioindicators at local andregional level through the development of three practical examples. It iswidely known that desertification is a major conservation problem in the arid Patagonia, and that grazing is their main cause. As afirst study case it is showed that darkling beetles are good bioindicators formonitoring the environmental effects of sheep grazing at local scale innortheastern Patagonia. At the same time, it isshowed the utility of this community to build environmental classifications, demonstratingthat these beetles are sensitive to environmental heterogeneity at the regionallevel. Finally it is explored the value of these beetles for monitoring the environmentaleffects of fire, the main natural disturbance factor in these environments,even for long time periods since the event have occurred. We believe that theinclusion of this animal group on management plans and monitoring of thisregion will strengthen its long-term preservation.