Ensamblaje de comunidades de termitas (Blattodea: Isoptera) en dos Bosques Tropicales Amazónicos de Ecuador, Parque Nacional Podocarpus y Parque Nacional Yasuní

Abstract

Termites reach high levels of diversity, abundance and biomass, yet knowledge of termite fauna in tropical forests in Ecuador is incomplete due to lack of studies. In the present investigation the study of the assemblage of termite communities (Blattodea: Isoptera) in two Tropical Rainforests of Ecuador, in the Yasuní National Park and Podocarpus National Park was carried out. Termites were sampled and collected using the rapid termite estimation protocol, using transects of 100 x 2 meters, divided into 20 sections. In the two Amazon Forests there was a wealth of 23 genera and 69 species of termites, Yasuní National Park recorded 81.15% of the total richness with 56 species and Podocarpus National Park 34.78% with 24 species, sharing 11 species between the two forests. Finally, the response of the termite assemblage to the microclimatic variables was analyzed, resulting in a non-significant relationship, except for the variable "Dry wood and leaf litter", which showed a positive relation in the termite abundance in the Podocarpus National Park.