Ant Diversity in a Sugarcane Culture without the Use of Straw Burning in Southeast, Sao Paulo, Brazil

De Souza De Souza

doi:10.3844/ajabssp.2010.183.188

Abstract

Nucleus of Enviornmental Science Laboratory of Myrmecology University of Mogi das Cruzes, Avenue Dr. Cândido Xavier de Almeida e Souza, 200, Mogi das Cruzes, 08701-970, SP

Highlights

Saccharum officinarum L. is a grass native of Southeast Asia
Based on the ecological importance of Formicidae and the fact that agrosystem management is fundamental for the preservation and maintenance of biodiversity (Dias et al, 2008), this study aimed to study their biodiversity in sugarcane cultures with exclusively mechanical harvesting and test the hypothesis that maintenance of straw in the culture increases the number of species and specimens of ants
Area of study: This study was performed in the municipality of Paraguaçu Paulista (22°24' 46"S; 50°34' 33"W) in six sugarcane culture areas grown with cultivar SP81-3250

Summary

Introduction

Saccharum officinarum L. is a grass native of Southeast Asia. Its culture area of 7 million ha makes Brazil its largest producer and the second largest producer of ethanol in the world (CONAB, 2009; Institute of Agro-industrial Development, 1998; UNICA, 2009).Presently, ethanol is used as an alternative vehicle fuel in Brazil and the interest of the external market has grown (Corbi and Trivinho-Strixino, 2008). Despite the low richness of ants in culture areas (Adams et al, 1981; Risch and Carroll, 1982) they play an important role in these ecosystems, including as biological indicators of edaphic conditions (Lobry de Bruyn 1999; Morris et al, 1999; Peck et al, 1998; Philpott and Armbrecht, 2006; Philpott et al, 2008; Santos et al 2007) and as pest controllers (Fernandes et al, 1994; Ibarra-Núnez et al, 2001) In soil, they contribute to Corresponding Author: Maria Santina de Castro Morini, Nucleus of Enviornmental Science, Laboratory of Myrmecology, University of Mogi das Cruzes, Avenue Dr Cândido Xavier de Almeida e Souza, 200, Mogi das Cruzes, Zip Code: 08701-970, SP, Brazil Tel: +55-11-47987313 183

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