2015 年 59 巻 4 号 p. 190-198
Numerous trees have been left standing in paddy fields in central Laos. An inventory of animals living in trees was conducted, and the abundance and differences among trees were determined by survey in which the numbers of animals and species, mainly insects and spiders, inhabiting the trees in the paddy fields were investigated. The greatest numbers of individuals and species were collected from Ficus religiosa, and the fewest individuals and species were collected from Dipterocarpus obtusifolius. A significant negative relationship was found between the number of species per tree and the photosynthetic photon flux density ratio between inside and outside of tree canopy. Differences in dry litter weight and litter chemical composition in the vicinity of the trees were correlated with the number of individual animals. Information obtained from villagers about the number of animals inhabiting the trees was consistent with the survey results. The difference in the number of animal inhabitants between trees corresponded to the difference in the effect of tree-animal ecosystems on rice yield.