Meeting Abstract

P2.27  Jan. 5  Diversity and abundance of benthic aquatic insects among rivers in Puerto Rico. HERNANDEZ-GARCIA, PJ*; PEREZ-REYEZ, O; RAMIREZ, A; Univ. of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras; Univ. of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras; Institute of Tropical Ecosystem Studies, Rio Piedras, P. R. pabloj82@yahoo.com

Little is known about the abundance and diversity of aquatic insects that inhabit the freshwater system of the island of Puerto Rico. The main questions that this study addresses are: a) describe and report the families of aquatic insect that inhabit the rivers of the island. b) what is the relationship among insect species and their microhabitats?; c)which group of insects could be used as a bio-indicator. We also identified which of these families were more vulnerable to pollution, in order to use them as bio-indicators. During the months of March, April and August of the present year we collected aquatic insects from several rivers located around the island. In each river we collected samples from different micro-habitats associated to the riffles. The rivers associated to protected lands presented more richness and evenness of aquatic insect families. Also, in those rivers we observed the Elmidae (Coleoptera), about three individuals per square meter, and it was not found on the rivers associated to the non-protected lands. This coleopteran family can be use as a good bio-indicator in the Puerto Rican rivers.