Range restricted grasshoppers better conserved in a terrestrial zone than in a riparian zone

摘要: Riparian zones (RZs) functionally connect aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, have azonal geographically widespread plant communities that differ from those of the neighboring zone (TZ). Although well studied botanically, RZs are not understood in terms their insect diversity, including grasshoppers. The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is a global biodiversity hotspot with small rocky rivers running through highly diverse sclerophyllous vegetation. It has high levels endemism among many taxa, grasshoppers, making it ideal for testing effect vegetation on grasshopper assemblages RZ, determining whether conservation efforts should be focused RZ as TZ. We determine dispersion patterns along an important CFR river, compare these TZ to understand habitat occupancy relative 27 environmental variables geographical distribution Forty percent individuals we collected were endemics. found only weak differences between TZ, apparently driven by deep history, complex geomorphology, stressful conditions, land mosaic, probable predator pressure. There two groups: large-sized, well-flighted, generalists overall more abundant than small, flightless or poorly-flighted, vegetation-specialists which narrow-range endemics adapted both but still conclude although this riparian may require some special attention, so grasshoppers best conserved