Diversity and network structure of invertebrate communities associated to Heliconia species in natural and human disturbed tropical rain forests

We analyzed the influence of natural and anthropogenic habitat disturbance on the structure of invertebrate communities living on two species of Heliconia herbs. We compared the invertebrate community structure associated to both species growing in natural forest gaps, on road edges for H. latispatha, and in riparian vegetation for H. collinsiana. We assessed the topological structure of individual-based Heliconia–invertebrate networks. Species richness was greater in H. collinsiana inhabiting riparian vegetation but no differences were found in the diversity of invertebrates for any Heliconia species and habitat. Invertebrate abundance was greater in gaps for H. latispatha and in riparian vegetation for H. collinsiana showing a species turnover in human disturbed habitats. The invertebrate community was not randomly assembled but highly nested, revealing a structured pattern for all habitat conditions. Heliconia–invertebrate network properties appear to be maintained in human disturbed habitats, despite differences in species richness, abundance and composition and host number and quality. Our study contributes to the understanding of the structure of ecological interactions in contrasting habitats. Because they provide food and habitat for the associated fauna and several microhabitats for colonization, heliconias could be used as habitat elements for invertebrate conservation in human impacted landscapes.