Insect diversity of Acacia canopies in Mkomazi game reserve, north‐east Tanzania

Here we analyse one of the largest insect samples taken so far from a tropical savannah habitat. We used insecticidal mist blowing to spray the canopy of 3i trees of six Acacia species, and obtained 41 099 insects of 492 recognisable taxonomic units (RTUs). In most cases, there were significant differences between individual trees between and within tree species with regard to their insect community. After we performed a standardisation procedure because of unequal sample size, cluster analysis showed that most tree species formed more or less distinct clusters, indicating a moderate level of insect host specificity. Considered by tree localities, clear clusters were visible only if one tree species was sampled. This finding suggests that there is no significant overlap in the insect communities between tree species at a local scale. We carried out a multivariate analysis of insect diversity using four different diversity measurements. Results differed depending on the measurement used and no significant association of simple tree characteristics, such as height, with insect diversity was detectable. Instead, time of the day and ant biomass seem to be of greater importance. These results emphasise the importance of using different diversity measurements to evaluate habitats with regard to their conservation value.