Braconid wasps (Hymenoptera) in two Iranian hotspots: Conservation implications

Biodiversity hotspots are key for identifying priority areas for species conservation. The Alborz Mountains, with two hotspots (the Caucasus on the northern slope and the Irano-Anatolian on the southern slope) provide an ideal landscape for assessing the impacts of vegetation, slope and elevation on species diversity. We examined the alpha and beta diversity of Braconidae across different slopes (northern/southern), elevations (upper/lower positions) and provinces (Guilan and Mazandaran in northern Iran, Qazvin, Tehran, Alborz). Using ۳۱ Malaise traps, we collected ۲۷۶ species and ۵,۹۵۰ individuals from ۲۰ subfamilies. Shannon-Wiener and Brillouin’s indices showed higher diversity on the northern slope. Species diversity peaked at mid-elevation (۸۰۰–۱,۲۰۰ m). Alpha diversity was highest in Guilan and Alborz-Tehran. Beta diversity analysis indicated that slope, elevation, and province influenced species composition. Similar compositions were found in Mazandaran-Guilan (northern slope), and Alborz-Tehran and Qazvin (southern slope) in vegetation zones with similar environmental conditions. Additionally, the highest species composition similarity was observed between the southern and northern slope positions and upper positions of both slopes. These findings have important implications towards the maintenance of the diversity of braconids, a major beneficial species group, by prioritizing their hotspots.

کلیدواژه ها:

Alpha diversity ، beta diversity ، Conservation ، dominant species ، Species richness