“INVENTORY OF INVERTEBRATE FAUNA OF THE TEIDE NATIONAL PARK”

 

The Teide National Park stands out for its adverse climatic conditions and unique microhabitats that translates into a particular biota, with a high number of endemic species. In 1995 and 1996, an exhaustive study of the invertebrate fauna of the Park was carried out, which determined the existence of more than 1,300 invertebrate species. However, since then no further invertebrate inventory has been carried out. 

 

In order to update the species catalog and to enhance future monitoring studies, within this study we take advantage of standardised exhaustive sampling to establish five permanent plots for further periodic monitoring. By setting those plots near meteorological stations, precise climatic data will be used for correlating diversity and abundance patterns across plots. This will allow for tracking changes over time in arthropod communities within plots and to study their potential correlation with climatic changes.

 

Additionally, to complete the inventory of invertebrate fauna, several plots across the National Park have been sampled using a set of passive techniques (i.e., pitfall traps, pan traps and Malaise traps) as well as active techniques (i.e., foliage beating and sweeping, searching under stones, net sampling). Moreover, a sampling of troglobiont communities was carried out using MSS (Mesovoid Shallum Substratum) traps in pyroclastic deposits. Data obtained from those three sampling types will be combined to obtain an updated inventory of invertebrate fauna.

 

Period: 2024-2025.

Funding: GESPLAN. Gobierno de Canarias.

PI: Carlos Ruiz & Nuria Macías.