Depredación de semillas de Sorbus aucuparia L. (Magnoliopsida, Rosaceae) por Argyresthia conjugella Zell. (Lepidoptera, Yponomeutidae) en el noroeste de España.

Abstract

Thirty individuals of rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.), located in three different enviroments of Pedrafita do Cebreiro (Lugo), were studied in October during their fructification. In each population, a series of measures of the trees were performed. In addition, we measured some environmental traits of the populations, to try to find the responsible factors of the variations in seed predation rate by Argyresthia conjugella Zell. (Lepidoptera, Yponomeutidae) in this area.
It was found that the predation rate affected, in mean, to the 18.78 % of the total crop. This rate was mainly related to two variables: the distance to the five closest rowans and the size of each tree. It is concluded, that the grouping of individuals can result in a damage (attract more predators) for the specie.