Influencia da disponibilidade de recursos oferecidos pela planta invasora Sida cordifolia L. (Malvaceae) sobre a estrutura da comunidade local de artropodes associados

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

1997

RESUMO

The arthropod fauna associated to a population of the weed Sida cordifolia was surveyed monthly, during one year, in Campinas, SP, Brazil. The 154 species were sorted and analyzed according to life stage, guild, part of the plant attacked and frequency. Thirty four of phytophagous were recorded feeding and/or breeding on the plant. Were tested the response of phytophagous species, their parasitoids and predators to variation of plant biomass and resource diversity, by recording the presence or not of reproductive organs. The guilds are in similar frequencies in mature and vegetative plants, but mature individual plants support more species. The total species richness is also higher in these plants compared to vegetative ones. The total biomass available for colonizing arthropods varied very slightly during the year, but in the field, there is always one prevailing plant stage. Biomass explains a small proportion of the variation per plant. However, during the autumn the variation is better explained, probably because the effect of higher biomass reproductive organs. Although varying during the year, an increase in plant biomass is followed by increase in phytophagous and entomophagous density and composition. Mature plants tend to be bigger and, in addition, the higher resource diversity provides niches to be occupied. The comparison of plants with same resources, but differing biomass, show minor importance of plant size on arthropod composition and density. In contrast, the resource diversity provided by presence or development stage of some plant parts are required for the occurrence of some species associated to S. cordifolia, mainIy endophagous and fruit feeders. The observed differences between mature and vegetative plants disappear when are excluded the insects associated to reproductive organs. Thus, the resource diversity appears to be the mainly factor influencing the variation on the community structure observed along the year and in different plant stages. Some species are suggested as possible biological control agents in other regions than Campinas, because in this region they are heavily attacked by natural enemies or feed on cultivated plants

ASSUNTO(S)

interação inseto-planta erva daninha ecologia

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

Documentos Relacionados