Banca de DEFESA: GUILHERME MARTINS VIOLANTE

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : GUILHERME MARTINS VIOLANTE
DATE: 05/06/2024
TIME: 13:30
LOCAL: on-line
TITLE:

Biodiversity in the city: effects of local characteristics and landscape on ant communities in squares of Rio de Janeiro

KEY WORDS:

biodiversity, urban green spaces, Formicidae

PAGES: 75
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Zoologia
SUBÁREA: Zoologia Aplicada
SUMMARY:

Urbanization is one of the main threats to biodiversity, causing environmental changes that facilitate the entry of exotic species and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, cities can also harbor a great biodiversity, primarily through urban green spaces such as squares. Ants are important organisms, as they play various ecological roles and canalso be used to monitor biodiversity changes caused by human activities. The aim of this study was to assess how the local characteristics of squares (e.g., canopy cover) and the landscape in which the squares are situated (e.g., forest cover) affect: (1) the native ant community, (2) different functional groups of native ants (e.g., fungus cultivators), (3) the exotic ant community, and (4) individual exotic ant species (e.g., Pheidole megacephala). The study was conducted in 30 squares, with 15 collection stations established in each square where sardine baits were placed on the ground and on tree trunks to collect ants. The quantity and configuration of forest cover were calculated for the 30 landscapes in which the squares
were situated. For each square, the mean canopy cover and tree diameter were obtained, and the density of trash bins was also recorded. Additionally, each square was categorized according to the degree of impervious surface, and air temperature was measured during ant sampling. Eighty-seven species were identified, eight of which were exotic. Squares with a higher occurrence of the exotic ant P. megacephala had lower occurrences of native ants and other exotic species. The occurrence of P. megacephala also negatively affected the richness
and occurrence of the functional groups of omnivorous litter and scavengers, omnivorous arboreal ants, and soil or litter dominant ants. The higher the degree of impervious surface in squares, the lower the richness of native ants and omnivorous litter and scavengers ants, and the lower the occurrence of P. megacephala. The richness and occurrence of generalist predators were higher in squares with larger tree diameters, and the richness and occurrence of arboreal predators were higher in squares with higher trash bin densities. Square size
negatively affected the richness and occurrence of all exotic ants. The species composition of ants differed  between squares with higher and lower occurrences of P. megacephala and with different degrees of impervious surface. These results suggest that simple strategies such as increasing canopy cover and soil permeability in urban squares can contribute to the conservation of native ant diversity. They also suggest that for the conservation of native ants in urban squares, it is important to mitigate the negative effects caused by exotic species.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externo à Instituição - JAYME AUGUSTO PREVEDELLO - UERJ
Externo à Instituição - ANDRÉ TAVARES CORRÊA DIAS - UFRJ
Externo à Instituição - HERALDO LUIS DE VASCONCELOS - UFU
Interno - 1356331 - JARBAS MARCAL DE QUEIROZ