ecology of phasmids - KLUEDO - Universität Kaiserslautern
ecology of phasmids - KLUEDO - Universität Kaiserslautern
ecology of phasmids - KLUEDO - Universität Kaiserslautern
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Introduction 6<br />
Solanum and Piper (Thies 1998). The flora <strong>of</strong> BCI comprises more than 1200 plant species and is<br />
described in detail by Croat (1978).<br />
Annual rainfall on BCI averages 2634 mm (Paton 2002). There is a distinctive seasonality in rainfall<br />
with a wet season from May to mid-December and a pronounced dry season approximately from mid-<br />
December to the end <strong>of</strong> April (Figure 1-3). On average, only 293 mm <strong>of</strong> rain falls during the dry season.<br />
The annual average temperature on BCI is 27 ºC, with a diurnal variation <strong>of</strong> 7-8 ºC. A detailed<br />
description on vegetation and climatic conditions <strong>of</strong> BCI is given in Leigh et al. (1990).<br />
Figure 1-2: Map <strong>of</strong> Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama (source STRI; modified). Lines with names represent<br />
trails, numbers assign distances from the trail origin (x100 m). Bold lines illustrate streams. Circles mark locations<br />
<strong>of</strong> line-transects (see Chapter 2).