Habitat distribution of woodlice (Crustacea : Isopoda) at Buskett

Abstract

This work consists of an ecological study of woodlice at Buskett, Malta's semi-natural woodland. The main aims of this dissertation were to study the correlation between different populations of woodlice and their various habitats and microhabitats, and to analyse how different populations of woodlice vary with the seasons. Both quantitative and qualitative field research methods were used over a period of one year, to study the species diversity and community similarity in eight different habitats. A dichotomous key for the isopod fauna at Buskett is presented. 23 species of woodlice were recorded in the eight habitats searched at Buskett; eight of these were not recorded from this locality in Hili's work on the isopods of the Maltese Islands (Hili, 1990). Certain species were found to have slightly different habitat preferences to those recorded in the literature. The distribution of isopod fauna is logarithmic, due to the very high abundance of Armadillidium vulgare, A. schmalfussi and Leptotrichus panzeri. Armadillidium vulgare was the most abundant and persistent species. Both the species richness and abundance were correlated to the area of the habitat, except for abundance in the Olive Paths habitat. Most species of woodlice were recorded under stones, in soil and in leaf litter during Autumn, specifically in October. A correlation was found between the species richness and abundance in the different months; environmental conditions were also found to affect the distribution of woodlice in the different habitats and micro habitats.