NOTES ON THE INSECT FAUNA FROM THE SOIL SURFACE AND FOLIAGE AT THE RESERVA NACIONAL RIO CLARILLO, REGION METROPOLITANA, CHILE

Abstract

The entomofauna of foliage and soil surface is studied at the Reserva Nacional Río Clarillo, Región
Metropolitana de Santiago, Chile. The samples were taken during spring time in two slopes of polar
and equatorial orientation respectively, in relation with the plants species that characterize each
situation. A list of species collected in foliage and soil surface is provided. A great dissimilarity between
the insect fauna of both ecological situations is recognized and a scarce insect-plant relationship is
postulated. The temporal fluctuations of the insects communities of soil and foliage are compared; the
soil surface fauna changes are probably associated with the microclimatological conditions of the soil
surface, while the foliage fauna changes are related to the phenological situation of plants. Finaly, a
slope effect is recognized in soil surface fauna not present in the foliage one.