DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF FRONDICOLES AN D CORTICICOLES PSOCIDS IN THE SOUTH IBERIAN MOUNTAIN-RANGES (CENTRAL SPAIN)

In this paper, the structure and composition of frondicoles and cortic icoles psocids were studied. Well defined psocids communities inhabit both Spanish juniper forests (Juniperus thurifera) and Scots pine fore sts (Pinus sylvestris). Several ecological gradients along which psoci d diversity decreases have been found, i.e. :''mediterranean'' biotope s + --> - ''continental'' biotopes; natural biotopes + --> - seminatur al biotopes (pine plantations); woodlands + --> - shrublands. This sug gests that changes in structure and composition of psocid communities can be determined by both climate and vegetation types. It is conclude d that faunistic similarities among the psocid faunas inhabiting diffe rent plant species are related with both taxonomy proximity and archit ectonic similarities among the substrat plant species.