Diversity and abundance of predatory arthropods associated to Diaphorina citri Kuwayama in an organic Persian lime agroecosystem

The study of Diaphorina citri (Kuwayama) predators in Mexico has been scattered and focused mainly on coccinellid and neuropteran guilds, and oriented toward their systematics, but not on the diversity and abundance of predators. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the diversity and abundance of predatory arthropods associated to D. citri, in an organic orchard of Persian lime, through the different seasons of the year. Seven scan type samplings were performed at variable intervals from July 2018 to March 2019; also, seven samplings in 40 sampling stations were executed on fixed intervals of every two weeks from May to August 2019. Class, order, family, and genus of each specimen were determined using taxonomic keys. Shannon and Simpson indexes measured alpha diversity, ICE, ACE, Chao 1, and Chao 2 estimators, providing the potential species richness. Eighty-seven predatory arthropod morphospecies were found, distributed in 23 families. Guilds of greater abundance during the four sampling seasons were spiders, coccinellids, and chrysopids. Shannon Index 3.9 was considered a high value. Simpson Index accumulated a value of 30. ICE, ACE, Chao 1, and Chao 2 estimators reflected a 31.5 to 37.5% of inventory completeness. Diversity maintenance promoted by organic agroecosystems is essential to ensure environmental sustainability. High levels of diversity will allow good agroecosystem performance and a high ability to react to external threats, such as the arrival of new pests.