Termite assemblages in five semideciduous Atlantic Forest fragments in the northern coastland limit of the biome

Revista Brasileira de Entomologia

Heitor Bruno De Araújo Souza¹  Wagner De França Alves¹  Alexandre Vasconcellos¹ 

[1] ,Universidade Federal da Paraíba Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia Laboratório de TermitologiaJoão Pessoa PB ,Brazil

关键词: Biodiversity;    Brazil;    feeding groups;    Isoptera;    Neotropical Region;    Biodiversidade;    Brazil;    grupos tróficos;    Isoptera;    Região Neotropical;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0085-56262012005000013

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

Termites are abundant organisms in tropical ecosystems and strongly influence the litter decomposition and soil formation. Despite their importance, few studies about their assemblage structures have been made in Brazilian Atlantic Forest fragments, especially in the area located north of the São Francisco River. This study aims to analyze the assemblage composition of five Atlantic Forest fragments located in the northern biome limit along the Brazilian coast. A standardized sampling protocol of termites was applied in each fragment. Thirty-three termite species belonging to twenty genera and three families were found in the forest fragments. The wood-feeder group was dominant both concerning to species richness and number of encounters in all areas. In sites northern to 7°S, there is an evident simplification of the termite assemblage composition regarding species richness and number of encounters by feeding group. This fact is apparently due to a higher sandy level in soils and to semideciduous character of the vegetation in the northern fragments. Thus, even on the north of São Francisco River, termite biodiversity is heterogeneously spread with highest density of species in the portion between 07°S and São Francisco River mouth (10°29'S).

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC-ND   
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