The importance of temporal factors to herbivore insect distribution in Neotropical systems

Abstract

The search for diversity patterns is a central theme in ecology. The complexity of interactions between herbivores insects and host plants provides very interesting models for the study of these patterns. Most of the works on herbivores insects have been treating spatial patterns, while temporal patterns have been rarely addressed. In this paper, is made a review on the distribution of herbivorous insects in time, pointing out the main patterns and discussing Neotropical examples. These patterns are primarily related to factors such as seasonality, ontogenetic succession and synchronism of the insects with theirs host plants. In general, is discussed the patterns and responses of different life forms insects (free-living insect herbivores, galling and leaf miners) to each of these factors.