Rafael Cuissi

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar se o tempo de implementacao e as variaveis ambientais presentes em diferentes agroecossistemas cafeeiros, relacionadas a quantidade de recursos e condicoes para formigas, influenciam em sua riqueza e composicao de especies. Para isso realizamos coletas em 11 unidades de producao dedicadas ao cultivo de cafe, sob condicoes de sistemas agroecologicos e/ou agroflorestais de producao no municipio de Araponga, Minas Gerais. Em cada area instalamos para cada microhabitat (arboricola, epigeico e hipogeico) armadilhas do tipo “pitfall”, com iscas de sardinha e mel, em 10 pontos amostrais distantes 20 m entre si. O tempo de implementacao e o tamanho da copa da planta de cafe influenciaram negativamente a riqueza de especies de formigas arboricolas e epigeicas respectivamente. Na composicao de especies, as formigas arboricolas sofreram mudanca devido ao tempo de implementacao e tamanho da copa, ja as formigas hipogeicas foram influenciadas pela altura das plantas de cafe. Este trabalho mostra que o sucesso dos agroecossistemas de cafe com base em tecnicas agroecologicas esta diretamente relacionado com o seu tempo de implementacao, o grau de complexidade estrutural (diversificacao) e o tipo de manejo empregado pelos agricultores nesses ambientes.

ABSTRACT Biogeographic theory has been given much attention for its potential application to biodiversity conservation in areas fragmented through anthropic action. The objective of this study was to determine whether ant community structure established in natural woodland fragments immersed in a matrix of natural grasslands could be explained by this theory. We therefore investigated whether the relationship between species richness and both area and isolation that have previously been found in anthropogenically formed forest fragments are applicable to naturally formed forest fragments. The sampling consisted of eight natural woodland fragments with varying areas and degrees of isolation. Sampling was undertaken proportionally to the fragment size, and each sampling point was spaced at least 10 m apart. Ants were collected from each point through arboreal and epigeic “pitfall” traps. In addition, five epigeic traps were placed 100 m from each sampled fragment in the adjacent grassland. A total of 81 ant species were sampled. Total and epigaeic species richness increased with size of area and fragment isolation. However, arboreal ants responded positively only with respect to increasing area, but not with isolation. Moreover, specialist and generalist species richness had a positive relationship with area, but not with isolation. Biogeographic Theory can only be applied to some of the patterns found in the natural fragments in the present study. This positive relationship of ant richness and isolation suggests that these environments bear unique characteristics and therefore, must be regarded as conservation targets. The results obtained in this study suggest the need for further studies, to reinforce the importance of biodiversity conservation of this characteristic habitat in the Pantanal.