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HYMENOPTERA OF THE WAGNER NATURAL AREA, A BOREAL SPRING FEN IN CENTRAL ALBERTA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Albert T. Finnamore
Albert T. Finnamore*
Affiliation:
Curator of Invertebrate Zoology, Provincial Museum of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5M 0N6
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Abstract

The Wagner Natural Area, located 8 km west of Edmonton, Alberta (53°34′N 113°47′W), contains a boreal spring fen estimated to be 4700 years old. The site was selected in 1985 for a survey of its arthropod fauna. A transect of the site from marl pools through fen, edge effect, and treed swamp was sampled for arthropods using pan and Malaise traps. Specialized microhabitats outside the transect were identified and sampled using pan traps. The Wagner fen samples contain 2181 species of arthropods contributing to a total known biota of 2905 species in the peatland. Of those, 1410 are Hymenoptera. Although seven other peatland studies are known, the inability of systematists to name most species prevents direct comparisons among peatlands. Data obtained from the Hymenoptera collections at Wagner demonstrate a progression in species richness as one approaches the forest–fen edge from either fen or forest. A large proportion [30% (382 species)] of Hymenoptera species, termed the aerial component, is active both in the forest–fen edge and in the fen. The aerial component is a highly mobile, at least locally transient, but often uncollected component of peatland ecosystems. Presence of the aerial component is probably associated with habitat structure. Those peatlands possessing more complex vegetation architecture have greater proportions of aerial species. About 80% of Hymenoptera at Wagner are parasitoids, most of which attack larva of holometabolous hosts. Based on the host groups sought by parasitoids and the ratio of parasitoid species per host species, the fen is estimated to contain about 6000 species of arthropods.

Résumé

La réserve naturelle Wagner, située à 8 km à l’ouest d’Edmonton, en Alberta (53°34′N 113°47′O), contient une tourbière boréale minérotrophe alimentée par des sources, qui remonte à environ 4700 ans. La faune des arthropodes y a été inventoriée en 1985. Un transect passant par les étangs à marne, l’écotone forêt–tourbière et la zone humide boisée a été échantillonné au moyen de pièges Malaise et de pièges à cuvettes. Les pièges à cuvettes ont également servi à échantillonner des microhabitats particuliers situés hors du transect. La tourbière minérotrophe de la réserve contient 2181 espèces d’arthropodes qui font partie des 2905 espèces du biote de la tourbière. Parmi ces espèces, 1410 sont des hyménoptères. Bien que sept autres travaux aient été effectués dans d’autres tourbières, il est impossible de comparer la faune d’une tourbière à celle d’une autre à cause de la difficulté d’identifier la plupart des espèces. Les données sur la faune des hyménoptères de la réserve indiquent qu’il y a une augmentation de la richesse en espèces à l’approche de la zone limitrophe forêt–tourbière par comparaison avec la faune de la forêt ou celle de la tourbière. Une proportion importante [30% (382 espèces)] des espèces d’hyménoptères, appelée ici la composante aérienne, est active aussi bien dans la zone limitrophe que dans la toubière. Cette composante aérienne est une composante très mobile, en transit au moins localement, mais souvent peu récoltée des écosystèmes tourbeux. La présence de cette composante aérienne est probablement reliée à la structure de l’habitat. Les tourbières qui ont une architecture végétale plus complexe comptent une proportion plus grande d’espèces aériennes. Environ 80% des hyménoptères de la réserve Wagner sont des parasitoïdes, la plupart vivant sur des larves d’hôtes holométaboles. D’après la nature des groupes d’hôtes recherchés par les parasitoïdes et le nombre d’espèces parasitoïdes par espèce hôte, on estime à 6000 le nombre d’espèces d’arthropodes présentes dans la tourbière. [Traduit par la Rédaction]

Type
Research Article
Information
The Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada , Volume 126 , Supplement S169 , 1994 , pp. 181 - 220
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1994

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