Ant fauna in two phytophysiognomies of the Cerrado Biome and eucalyptus plantation in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

The Cerrado biome is the second largest Brazilian biome, which has been suffering from the negative impacts on its original area. Such impacts can be measured by bioindicators such as ants. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the diversity of ants associated with two areas of different phytophysiognomies in the Cerrado biome and an eucalyptus plantations, in Monte Carmelo - MG (18º43'29” S and 47º29'55" O). For the characterization of the ant fauna, pitfall traps were installed 10 m apart, in three distinct areas: Várzea, Cerradão (typical vegetation of the Cerrado biome) and Eucalyptus sp. plantations. Collections were carried out monthly, from January to December 2018. Eight traps per area were used, totaling 24 traps on each collection date. After 48 hours of exposure, the material collected in the traps were gathered and taken to the laboratory for sorting and subsequent identification. In this period, the greatest abundance of ants was found in the Eucalyptus area (749), followed by Várzea (291) and Cerradão (274) areas. The evaluated areas have the same ant species richness, being that seventeen species of ants were found in each area, which corroborated the rarefaction curve that identified a significant difference between areas. Higher levels of diversity and equitability (H´ = 2.07 and J´ = 0.73) were shown in Cerradão area. The Venn diagram indicated that the three areas shared 10 species of ants. In this respect, the Cerradão area presented Azteca alfari, Linepithema neotropicum, and Ectatomma opaciventre as exclusive species, while the other areas presented two species each. The indexes of diversity, equitability, and composition of the ant fauna found, characterize the Cerradão area as an ecologically more balanced environment.

Keywords:
Environmental bioindicators; Cerradão; Forest entomology; Formicidae