Community Structure in the Amber Forest: Study of the Arthropod Syninclusia in the Rovno Amber (Late Eocene of Ukraine)

Arthropoden syninclusions in the Late Eocene Rovno amber were examined using chi 2 to reveal correlation of the component groups (some taxa of Diptera, ants, aphids, and mites) supposedly indicative of the biocoenotic relationships in the ancient amber forest. Three tightly correlated groups were identified, representing a putative aerial plankton guild (Chironomidae + Ceratopogonidae) and two tree-trunk guilds, one of which (Dolichopodidae + Germaraphis) is possibly connected to more open or/and more hygrophilous habitats than the other (Sciara zone Diptera + Acorus rhombeus). The ants were not linked with any of the above components.