Functionnal biodiversity in mango orchards on Reunion. Ecosystemic and landscape effects on epigeous predatory arthropods.

The knowledge of factors implicated in agroecosystem diversity is necessary to better evaluate their role. The study aims to link within-field plant diversity, cultural practices, and landscape context with terrestrial predatory arthropods in mango orchards on Reunion. Twenty-four plots distributed within the mango production area have been studied. Arthropods were sampled with pitfall traps. The land plots were grouped into three groups of agricultural practice intensity. The landscape was mapped within a circle of 400 meters around the orchards, which permitted to distinguish three different landscape contexts. Based on 83181 arthropods collected, 65124 were determined as predators, their communities were mainly composed of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicinae) and spiders (Araneae). The species richness and their equitability were influenced by factors at three different scales: (1) the within-field plant diversity improved evenness of predatory arthropods communities; (2) the moderate farming practices, as organic farming practices, had higher species richness than those obtained with “conventionnal” practices; (3) a landscape context with relevant heterogeneity and fragmentation increased the species richness of epigeal predatory arthropods in mango orchards.