Measuring Orthoptera Diversity

Abstract

Orthoptera is the most diverse order in Polyneoptera, with more than 28,000 species described. They are cosmopolitan, inhabitants of tropical and subtropical regions, and are also found at high altitudes and latitudes. Their populations are generally large, and the abundance of individuals makes them an important component of the Arthropoda fauna. Orthopterans are mostly terrestrial, with some groups inhabiting semiaquatic habit, and they use a wide range of environments, from underground to canopy. In this chapter, we present the diversity of habitats and behaviors of Orthoptera and the manner in which this diversity affects their sampling, presenting specific methods for Orthoptera sampling according to habitat, taxon, and study aims. We discuss sampling methodologies for orthopterans dwelling on the ground, on shrubs, in caves and semiaquatic environments. We also consider sampling according to study group, comprehending katydids, crickets, and grasshoppers. We dedicate a special section to studies on orthopteran behavior and breeding, bioacoustics, chromosomes, and DNA. We present recommendations for specimen preservation for scientific collections. We also discuss sampling design and cautions for data analysis in ecological studies, indicating appropriate statistical distributions, analytic techniques for nested data, spatial autocorrelation, and biodiversity metrics at broad geographic scales.