Habitat heterogeneity shapes and shifts scorpion assemblages in a Brazilian seasonal dry tropical forest

Abstract

Previous observations support predictions that habitat structure plays a major role in the distribution of species in several tropical regions. In such environments, arthropods are a key component of ecosystems because they are predators that may directly influence the energy flow dynamics in the ecosystem. As such, we investigated the effects of environmental structure on scorpion diversity in the Caatinga ecoregion - a seasonally dry tropical forest mainly distributed in northeastern Brazil. Scorpions were sampled in 12 locations in different Caatinga sites. At each location, we recorded a set of environmental predictors, including litter depth, and the densities of trees, shrubs, stones, and fallen logs. A total of 782 scorpions were collected, including eight species in the family Buthidae and two species in the family Bothriuridae. Scorpion composition and abundance were positively correlated with shrub and tree densities, illustrating the importance of landscape features for the maintenance of scorpion assemblages in Caatinga environments. Furthermore, based on new substantial insights, habitat degradation caused by human activities negatively affects the assemblage of Caatinga scorpions.