Efeito da antropização sobre a diversidade da macrofauna edáfica em diferentes áreas do município de Caxias-MA

Abstract

Soil is a non-renewable natural resource, where living organisms of great importance are found, such as soil macrofauna, living beings that comprise the phyla Annelida, Arthropoda and Mollusca. Soil macroinvertebrates actively participate in the environment they inhabit, but they can suffer directly from climate changes and anthropogenic actions. Based on the above, the present study aimed to understand the influence of human actions on the diversity of soil macrofauna in areas of the municipality of Caxias, MA. For this purpose, the diversity of soil macrofauna at the Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, campus deCaxias (intensely anthropized area) and the Área de Proteção Ambiental do Inhamum (conserved area), both in the municipality of Caxias, MA, was studied and compared. Two collections were carried out (one in the rainy season and the other in the dry season) with the use of 20 pitfall traps distributed at a distance of seven meters from each other and in a zig-zag shape. The collected specimens were taken to the Laboratório de Entomologia Aquática na Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, CampusCaxias, for identification, data tabulation and statistical analysis. In total, 4327 specimens from 10 orders, 39 families of Hexapoda, Arachnida and Myriapoda were sampled. Thegreatest abundance of sampledspecimens occurred during the rainy season in both areas. The conserved area presented higher diversity and equitability indexes, as well as a lower dominance index, which demonstrates that its community is more diverse and has a greater balance between taxa. Formicidae was the most abundant and dominant family in both areas and in both periods. The resultsof the present study reinforce the need to conserve natural environments to conserve the greatest diversity of soil macrofauna, as well as the negative effect of anthropogenic actions on this fauna.