Abstract
. The objective was to study the habitat complexity of mite populations on Caryocar brasiliense trees under natural and cultivated field conditions. The study was performed in the municipality of Montes Claros, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, over 3 years. Three types of areas were studied: 1) Cerrado, 2) pasture, and 3) a university Campus. Several chlorotic spots were detected on leaves with larger populations of Tetranychus sp. and Eutetranychus sp. (Tetranychidae). The greatest numbers of Agistemus sp. (Stigmaeidae) on leaves and Histiostoma sp. (Histiostomidae) and Proctolaelaps sp. (Ascidae) on fruits were observed in the pasture, and that of Histiostoma sp. on leaves in the pasture and on the university Campus. In general, the herbivorous mites (e.g., Tetranychus sp.) found on C. brasiliense plants were correlated with more clayey soils with a higher cationic exchange capacity; larger populations of mites (e.g., Agistemus sp. and Histiostoma sp.) were found on the C. brasiliense trees with the largest crown sizes; and associations between predator mites (e.g., Agistemus sp.) and phytophagous mites (e.g., Tetranychus sp.1) were observed. Greater habitat diversity and more complex plant architectures favored the mite populations. The positive effect of loamier soil on herbivorous mites indicates that these species are adapted to Cerrado conditions. Some recorded species of herbivorous mites can be pests in commercial plantations of C. brasiliense.
Highlights
The Cerrado occupies approximately 2 million km2 of the Brazilian territory, in which Caryocar brasiliense Camb. (Malpighiales: Caryocaraceae) trees are widely distributed (Pinheiro & Monteiro, 2010; Santos et al, 2018)
The populations of predatory Agistemus sp. (Stigmaeidae) mites were largest on the C. brasiliense trees with the largest crown size and greatest populations of predatory Proctolaelaps sp. (Ascidae) and Tetranychus sp.1 mites
The greatest numbers of Acaridae, Tetranychus sp.2 and the predatory Agistemus sp. mites and the lowest number of Tetranychus sp.1 were associated with an increase in the population of predatory Proctolaelaps sp. mites on C. brasiliense trees, independent of the soil or tree crown characteristics
Summary
The Cerrado occupies approximately 2 million km of the Brazilian territory, in which Caryocar brasiliense Camb. (Malpighiales: Caryocaraceae) trees are widely distributed (Pinheiro & Monteiro, 2010; Santos et al, 2018). (Malpighiales: Caryocaraceae) trees are widely distributed (Pinheiro & Monteiro, 2010; Santos et al, 2018) The fruits of this tree are used as food and lubricants and are employed in the pharmaceutical industry and the production of cosmetics (Moura, Chaves, & Naves, 2013). Caryocar brasiliense trees are protected by federal law and left isolated in deforested areas of the Cerrado. This situation increases leaf and fruit damage by mites. V. 43, e50164, 2021 habitat conditions: preserved Cerrado (1), Cerrado cleared for pasture (2), and Cerrado converted for urban development (a university Campus) (3)
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