Diversity Of Cassidinae Beetles Across Different Habitats In South Jiangxi

Taxonomic diversity of Cassidinae and their host plants across different habitats in south Jiangxi were analyzed using taxonomic diversity indices.Phylogenetic diversity of Cassidinae and their host plants across different habitats were explored based on DNA barcoding and phylogenetic diversity indices.Intermediate disturbance hypothesis was adopted to explain insect diversity pattern.Our results are as follows:(1)A total of 8 tribes,17 genera,47 species and 1414 individuals of Cassidinae insects were collected from three habitats.Among them,both species number and individual number of Cassidinae in Anjishan were the most,with 8 tribes,15 genera,35 species and 1039 individuals;followed by Jiulianshan with 7 tribes,11 genera,31 species,and 329 individuals.Leigongshan was the least,with only 3 tribes,5 genera,15 species and 46 individuals.Among the three habitats,Cassidinae insects in Anjishan had highest taxonomic richness,lowest dominance,highest evenness,and highest genus diversity;Cassidinae insects in Jiulianshan had middle taxonomic richness,dominance and evenness,but highest species diversity and highest tribe diversity;Cassidinae insects in Leigongshan had lowest taxonomic richness,evenness and diversity,but highest dominance.(2)A total of 12 families,25 genera and 35 speciest of host plants of Cassidinae were collected from three habitats.Among them,both species number and individual number of host plants in Jiulianshan were the most,with 11 families,20 genera and 25 species;followed by Anjishan,with 8 families,18 genera,and 23 species;Leigongshan were the least,with only 5 families,10 genera and 13 species.In the three habitats,host plants in Jiulianshan had highest taxonomic richness,evenness and diversity,but lowest dominance;host plants in Anjishan had middle taxonomic richness,dominance,evenness and diversity;host plants in Leigongshan had lowest taxonomic richness,evenness and diversity,but highest dominace.(3)Based on the COI gene,phylogenetic neighbor-joining tree and phylogenetic maximum likelihood tree had similar topological structure,indicating that Notosacanthini and Hispini had close relation.Based on the APG III system,the phylogenetic tree of host plants of Cassidinae was constructed,indicating that the host plants were mainly divided into three clades including monocots,superrosids and superasterids.Among the three habitats,Cassidinae insects in Anjishan had highest phylogenetic richness and highest phylogenetic diversity;Cassidinae insects in Jiulianshan had farthest phylogenetic distance;Cassidinae insects in Leigongshan had lowest phylogenetic richness,lowest phylogenetic diversity and nearest phylogenetic distance.Host plants of Cassidinae in Jiulianshan had highest phylogenetic richness,highest phylogenetic diversity and farthest phylogenetic distance;host plants in Anjishan had middle phylogenetic richness,middle phylogenetic diversity and middle phylogenetic distance;host plants in Leigongshan had lowest phylogenetic richness,lowest phylogenetic diversity and nearest phylogenetic distance.In the three habitats,Cassidinae insect communities between Jiuliandshan and Anjishan had least phylogenetic difference and closest phylogenetic relation,while those between Jiulianshan and Leigongshan had farthest phylogenetic relation;host plant communities between Jiuliandshan and Anjishan had least phylogenetic difference and closest phylogenetic relation,while those betweenAnjishan and Leigongshan had farthest phylogenetic relation.In general,taxonomic richness,evenness and diversity of Cassidinae community reached the maximum under intermediate disturbance,while taxonomic dominance of Cassidinae community reached the minimum under intermediate disturbance,which verified the intermediate disturbance hypothesis(IDH).Taxonomic richness,evenness,and diversity of host plants decreased with the increasing of disturbance intensity,while taxonomic dominance of host plants increased with the increasing of disturbance intensity.Both phylogenetic richness and phylogenetic diversity of Cassidinae reached the maximum under intermediate human disturbance.Both phylogenetic richness and phylogenetic diversity of host plants decreased with the increasing of disturbance intensity.