Termites are social insects belonging to the order Isoptera and constitute one of the dominant groups of invertebrates in terrestrial environments of the tropical region. Currently, there are around 2,900 species described in seven families: Mastotermitidae, Kalotermitidae, Termopsidae, Hodotermitidae, Serritermitidae, Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae. The Neotropical region contains 537 species, and from these, approximately 300 occur in Brazil and belong to the families Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae, Serritermitidae and Termitidae. Although the Isoptera has been known by their potential as pest, the ecological role of the termites in the environment is primordial since they play a role as primary consumers and/or decomposers in natural ecosystems. These insects participate actively in the crushing, decomposition, humus production and mineralization of a variety of cellulose-based resources. A great diversity of organic material, in several stages of decomposition, may serve as food for termites, including wood (sound or decayed), grass, herbaceous plants, litter, fungi, nests built by other termite species, dung and carrion, lichen and even organic material present in the soil (humus). This vast range of food sources allowed the termites to occupy almost all the tropical and temperate regions of the Earth, occurring practically in all the terrestrial environments, natural or modified by the human species. Therefore, termites are found in the tropical and temperate forests, cerrados, savannas, caatingas, shallow places, mangrove regions, low vegetation stems, crops, pastures and urban environments.Keywords: feeding habits, nourishment, food behavior, types of food, feeding-preference. Os cupins são insetos sociais pertencentes à ordem Isoptera e constituem um dos grupos de invertebrados dominantes em ambientes terrestres tropicais. Atualmente, existem cerca de 2.900 espécies descritas, que estão distribuídas em sete famílias: Mastotermitidae, Kalotermitidae, Termopsidae, Hodotermitidae, Serritermitidae, Rhinotermitidae e Termitidae. A região neotropical engloba 537 espécies, e dessas, aproximadamente 300 ocorrem no Brasil e pertencem às famílias Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae, Serritermitidae e Termitidae. Apesar dos isópteros serem bastante conhecidos pelo seu potencial como praga, o papel ecológico dos térmitas no ambiente é primordial, visto que desempenham o papel de consumidores primários e/ou decompositores nos ecossistemas naturais. Esses insetos participam ativamente na trituração, decomposição, humificação e mineralização de uma variedade de recursos celulósicos. Uma grande diversidade de material orgânico, em vários estágios de decomposição, pode servir de alimento para os cupins, incluindo madeira (viva ou morta), gramíneas, plantas herbáceas, serapilheira, fungos, ninhos construídos por outras espécies de cupins, excrementos e carcaças de animais, liquens e até mesmo material orgânico presente no solo (húmus). Essa vasta gama de fontes alimentares permitiu aos cupins ocuparem quase todas as regiões...
Edited by José Maurício Simões Bento -ESALQ/USPNeotropical Entomology 38(1): 001-006 (2009) Comunicação Química em Isoptera RESUMO -Os semioquímicos dos cupins têm sido pouco estudados quando comparados aos de formigas e abelhas. Um dos fatores limitantes é o hábito críptico dos térmitas, aliado à difi culdade de manutenção de muitas espécies em laboratório. Entre os semioquímicos de Isoptera destacam-se os feromônios sexuais, de trilha, de alarme e uma mistura complexa de substâncias responsável pelo reconhecimento dos companheiros de ninho. Apesar de os semioquímicos dos cupins serem pouco conhecidos, os dados disponíveis indicam uma estratégia de parcimônia feromonal na comunicação química desses insetos, ou seja, algumas vezes o mesmo composto é secretado por diferentes glândulas, diferentes espécies e para diferentes funções. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Semioquímico, feromônio de trilha, feromônio de alarme, feromônio sexual, cupimABSTRACT -The semiochemicals produced by termites have been little studied compared to those of ants and bees. Among the limiting factors are the cryptic habits of termites, together with the diffi culty in maintaining many species in the laboratory. The semiochemicals of Isoptera include trail, sex and alarm pheromones and a complex mixture of substances responsible for the recognition of nestmates. Although little is known about the semiochemicals of termites, available data indicate a strategy of pheromonal parsimony in the chemistry communication of these insects, i.e., the same compound is sometimes secreted by different glands, different species and for different functions.
Potential of direct seeding in forest restoration of an abandoned pasture in the municipal area of Piracaia, São Paulo State, Brazil). The successful establishment of tree species in pastures may be related to the species used, germination conditions, and seed size. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments: pre-hydration and different kinds of seed coverage in eight native species with different seed sizes and verify if these species would be able to produce 1,666 individual ha -1 after one year. Five of the eight species tested had potential for large-scale use with the higher germination rate for the small seeds. The pre-hydration of the seeds was not efficient in increasing the germination and in the establishment of species, but coverage with straw and soil showed important results. The best result was obtained with the treatment of seed coverage with soil without hydration, with the establishment of 3,817 seedlings ha -1 after one year.RESUMO -(Potencial da semeadura direta na restauração florestal de pastagem abandonada no município de Piracaia, SP, Brasil). O sucesso do estabelecimento de espécies arbóreas em pastagens pode estar relacionado a espécie utilizada, condições de germinação e tamanho das sementes. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência dos tratamentos: pré-hidratação e diferentes coberturas em oito espécies nativas com diferentes tamanhos de sementes e verificar se estas seriam capazes de produzir após um ano 1.666 indivíduos ha -1 . Cinco espécies testadas apresentaram potencial para uso em grande escala, sendo que as sementes pequenas obtiveram a maior taxa de germinação. A pré-hidratação das sementes não se mostrou eficiente no aumento da germinação e estabelecimento das espécies, mas a cobertura por palha ou terra foi de grande importância. O melhor resultado obtido foi com o tratamento das sementes cobertas com terra e sem hidratação, com estabelecimento de 3.817 mudas ha -1 após um ano. Palavras-chave: pré-hidratação de sementes, recobrimento de sementes, tamanho de sementes
Coptotermes gestroi and Heterotermes tenuis have been described as important urban pests in Brazil. The establishment of control technologies using baits that consider the social behavior of termites requires a better knowledge of their foraging behavior. Thus, this study analyzed the feeding behavior of these species with three different forms of food placement: food on the surface of a substrate and food either partially or completely buried in the substrate. Experimental arenas were composed of a central chamber connected to three food chambers. Each central chamber contained 550 foragers of C. gestroi or 517 foragers of H. tenuis. Blocks of Pinus elliottii were placed in the different food chambers. After 28 days, the consumption of each wood block and the percentage of foraging individuals recruited for food chambers were verified in relation to the total survival rate obtained for each one of the 20 replicates. Results showed that completely buried food was most consumed for H. tenuis and presented a higher recruitment rate of workers and soldiers for both species. Although the consumption had non‐significant differences for C. gestroi, these termites exhibited a tendency to prefer completely buried food. In these conditions, it can be concluded that the forms of food placement used in the present research influenced the recruitment of individuals for both species. Data also suggests that when the foraging subterranean termites find food resources in the tunneling substrate, they tend to concentrate their efforts on it, a behavior regime that reduces exposure to external environment.
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