Latitudinal Variation in Termite Species Richness and Abundance along the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Hotspot

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the termites of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, one of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots in the world, in regularly spaced sites from 7°S to 27°S latitude. To our knowledge, this is the only report of a latitudinal survey of termites at species level performed with a standardized sampling protocol. We evaluate termite diversity and abundance, and describe patterns of species composition based on feeding groups along the latitudinal gradient. We also describe the relative contribution of environmental variables to explain diversity patterns. Termite assemblages were investigated by standardized surveys at 15 Atlantic Forest sites, on six transects divided into five sections of 10 m², with 30 sections per site (or 300 m²/site), which were investigated by one trained person for one hour. Observed species richness and abundance were negatively correlated with latitude. The influence of latitude was explained mainly by variables related to temperature, precipitation and ambient energy (potential evapotranspiration). Our results also suggest that temperature exerts a greater constraint on Atlantic Forest termites than productivity, because ambient productivity increases with latitude in this forest but termite diversity decreases. Termite species richness in the Atlantic Forest showed a different pattern than those described for other organisms, increasing in diversity where the coastal-forest strip narrows. Overall, our results indicate comparatively high termite species richness at northeastern sites and a significant impoverishment of termite assemblages in the southeastern and southern regions of the Atlantic Forest.Abstract in Portuguese is available in the online version of this article.

The impact of edge effect on termite community (Blattodea: Isoptera) in fragments of Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest

“…Temperature has been considered a determinant factor for termite's occurrence at local, regional or global scale (Davies et al, 2003;Palin et al, 2011). Along a latitudinal gradient in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, temperature is the main driver of termite species composition and richness (Cancello et al, 2014). Termite species feed along humus gradients (Donovan et al, 2001), which can indicate that although all detritivores, an increase of termite richness may favour larger niche complementarity, and consequently greater stability of communities.…”

“…However, mechanisms in which habitat fragmentation alters the community structure of these insects are still poorly studied. Termites are soft-body insects in which temperature and humid affect their distribution and diversity (Cancello et al, 2014). Thus, alteration of vegetational structure and microclimate conditions in edge areas may decrease resource availability and nesting sites promoting strong effects on termite communities.…”

Soil-sampled Termites in Two Contrasting Ecosystems within the Semiarid Domain in Northeastern Brazil: Abundance, Biomass, and Seasonal Influences

“…Arthropods occupying the leaf litter/soil complex are generally influenced by the climatic characteristics of the host ecosystems (Adis et al, 1989;Harada & Bandeira, 1994;Dibog et al, 1998;Pinheiro et al, 2002;Doblas-Miranda et al, 2007). The assemblage structure and foraging of termites in the Neotropical region have been observed to be associated with climatic elements, especially temperature and rainfall regime, both in humid forests (Torres & Bandeira, 1985;Cancello et al, 2014) and in semiarid ecosystems (Moura et al, 2006;Araújo et al, 2010), yet the humid forest sites show higher rates of biomass and abundance of termites.…”

Bibliometrics on One of the Largest Termite Inventories in the Cerrado: "Studies on Termites From the Mato Grosso State, Brazil by Aga Mathews 1977"

“…Termites are specially known in the Brazilian Amazon (Bandeira & Macambira, 1988;Constantino, 1992;Constantino & Cancello, 1992;DeSouza & Brown, 1994), Atlantic Forest (Brandão, 1998;Souza et al, 2012;Cancello et al, 2014), Caatinga (Vasconcellos et al, 2010;Vasconcellos & Moura, 2014) and Cerrado (Mathews, 1977;Constantino, 2005;Cunha et al, 2006). More complete lists are available in Cancello (1996) and Constantino & Acioli (2008).…”