Degradative succession of the insects in small rodents in subtropical systems

Bruna Da Silva ,Renan De Souza Rezende,Suéle Santolin

doi:10.33448/rsd-v11i1.24558

Bruna Da Silva , Renan De Souza Rezende + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v11i1.24558

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Abstract

We evaluated the insect succession in small rodent carcasses on the soil extracts (surface vs. buried) in two areas (riparian vs. agricultural) and two seasonal periods (spring vs. summer). Daily, the rodent carcasses were weighed and the insects present were collected in them for counting and family level identification. We also measured the air and soil temperature daily, in addition to the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil. The total of 11,059 individuals from 28 taxa was collected. The most abundant taxa were Calliphoridae (70%), Formicidae (20%), Muscidae (2%), and Sarcophagidae (2%). Insect richness was higher in spring in riparian vegetation areas; however, decomposition and insect abundance were greater in spring in agricultural areas by the high temperature measured. Vespidae, Sarcophagidae, Muscidae, and Calliphoridae decreased over time with abundance peaks respectively at 3, 7, 7, and 8 days in riparian vegetation areas. Calliphoridae decreased abundance over time with a peak at five days, but Armadillidiidae increased with peak at 6-9 days in agricultural areas. Decay and insect abundance was high in agricultural areas, mainly on the soil surface. Insect richness was high in riparian vegetation areas, especially on the soil surface. Only the superficial layers of soil presented taxon indicators and all decreased over time with abundance peaks of Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, and Muscidae at 5-8, 7, and 7 days, respectively. This abundance peak of insect families help to understand the degradative succession of the insect community in small rodents in subtropical systems of the neotropical region.

Highlights

IntroductionDecomposition is a continuous degradation process that releases CO2 and energy (Bornemissza, 1957; Higley & Huntington, 2009; Medeiros et al, 2015; Rezende et al, 2021) that starts at the death of the organism and end when the carcass is reduced to the skeleton (Probst et al, 2020; von Hoermann et al, 2021; Wolff et al, 2001)
3.1 Environmental characteristics In experiment I, the air temperature was significantly high in riparian vegetation areas (Repeated Measure ANOVA; F(1,204) = 8.77; p = 0.003), while the temperature of soil and rainfall were significantly high in the agricultural area (RM ANOVA; F(1,204) = 50.21; p < 0.001)
In experiment II, air temperature was significantly high in riparian vegetation areas (RM ANOVA; F(1,214) = 11.57; p = 0.001), while the temperature of soil and rainfall were significantly high in the agricultural area (RM ANOVA; F(1,214) = 56.22; p < 0.001)

Summary

Introduction

Decomposition is a continuous degradation process that releases CO2 and energy (Bornemissza, 1957; Higley & Huntington, 2009; Medeiros et al, 2015; Rezende et al, 2021) that starts at the death of the organism and end when the carcass is reduced to the skeleton (Probst et al, 2020; von Hoermann et al, 2021; Wolff et al, 2001) Another important process is pedogenesis, which depends on animals that mix organic matter with mineral components in the soil (Moskowitz et al, 2015; Oliveira-Costa, 2013). Thereby, this studies are important to understand the degrading succession process and provide subsidies to nutrient cycling from these carcasses (Haskell et al, 2008)

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