Influence of Seasonality in plant bug species (Hemiptera-Heteroptera) associateed with Lobeira (Solanum Lycocarpum. ST.HIL.-Solanaceae) in the Brazilian Cerrado, Minas Gerais State
2020
Solanum lycocarpum A. St-Hil (wolf’s fruit or lobeira) (Solanaceae) is a perennial
shrub typical of the Brazilian Cerrado (savanna), under constant cutting and burning
due to anthropic activities for the development of agricultural and livestock farming. It
presents therapeutic medicinal attributes for humans and wild animals primarily as an
anthelmintics. Little is known about the insect fauna associated with S. lycocarpum,
and no study has been conducted on the true bugs (Heteroptera) associated with it. For
the study, the true bugs were sampled from ten points in the mesoregion of Triangulo
Mineiro and Alto Paranaiba for one year in two seasonal periods of drought and rain.
In each locality, 20 shrubs of S. lycocarpum were selected. Sampling was carried out
with the aid of a beat net. In total, 593 individuals belonging to 22 genera and 25
species were sampled, distributed in four families: Miridae, Pentatomidae, Reduviidae,
and Tingidae. The hypothesis that the Heteroptera assemblages associated with
lobeira do not alter the ecological parameters was tested taking into account the
environmental variation caused by seasonality (relative abundance, species richness,
diversity Shannon, Simpson diversity, Shannon evenness, and Simpson dominance).
The results showed that the association of the assembly of true bugs with the lobeira
is positive for the stability of the ecological dynamics of the group. The wolf’s fruit
is a perennial species that keeps its leaves, flowers, and fruits throughout the year,
generating little variation in the availability of resources for associated species. Despite
the anthropic effect of fires, the results showed that there was not enough pressure
to modify the structure of the Heteroptera assembly. Thus, lobeira was proved as a
significant species to maintain the ecological structure of Heteroptera assembly, even
on seasonal and anthropogenic pressures.
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