Seasonality of litter-inhabiting invertebrates in two native-forest communities of Orongorongo Valley, New Zealand

Abstract

Invertebrates were collected with equal sampling intensity from sites in two native-forest communities near Wellington, New Zealand for 14 months. More species and individuals occurred in the most botanically diverse lowland broadleaf-podocarp forest than in the less diverse high-altitude silver beech forest. Of the 124 species caught (270 758 individuals), 91 (156 285) occurred in broadleaf-podocarp and 81 (114 473) in silver beech (Nothofagus menziesii) forest (68 species were commmon to both forests). Although many invertebrates were caught throughout the year, catches were significantly higher in autumn than in other seasons. The catches of many invertebrates were positively correlated with temperature but not with rainfall. invertebrates were caught over a longer period of the year than reported from temperate forests in the Northern Hemisphere. This feature is a reflection of the oceanic climate of New Zealand where climatic extremes are moderate and therefore the invertebrate activity is not curtailed.