Biotemas, 27 (3): 197-200, setembro de 2014
ISSNe 2175-7925
http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2014v27n3p197
197
Short Communication
Dung beetle communities in coal mining areas in the
process of recovery
Joana Zamprônio Bett 1
Patrícia Menegaz de Farias 1,2*
Pedro Giovâni da Silva 2
Malva Isabel Medina Hernández 2
1
Laboratório de Entomologia
Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico Amael Beethoven Villar Ferrim,
Departamento de Agronomia Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina, CEP 88701-000, Tubarão – SC, Brasil
2
Laboratório de Ecologia Terrestre Animal, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia
Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
CEP 88040-900, Florianópolis – SC, Brasil
* Autor para correspondência
[email protected]
Submetido em 04/03/2014
Aceito para publicação em 23/06/2014
Resumo
Escarabeíneos em áreas de mineração de carvão em processo de recuperação. Besouros escarabeíneos
sensíveis a modi¿caç}es ambientais podem apontar a recuperação de ireas degradadas. Este trabalKo obMetivou
registrar e comparar as comunidades de Scarabaeinae em ireas com diferentes períodos de recuperação ambiental
após serem usadas para mineração de carvão. 2 presente estudo foi reali]ado em duas ireas em recuperação
um e cinco anos no município de Lauro 0ller, Santa Catarina, e contou com 1 armadilKas de Tueda iscadas
com fe]es Kumanas em cada irea. Em laboratório reali]ou-se a contagem, identi¿cação e mensuração do
tamanKo corporal e biomassa dos esppcimes capturados. Veri¿cou-se a su¿ciência amostral e as variiveis de
ambas as ireas foram comparadas atravps de teste t. As esppcies registradas foram Canthon aff. chalybaeus,
Canthon angularis, Canthon rutilans cyanescens, Deltochilum multicolor, Dichotomius sericeus, Eurysternus
parallelus e Ontherus sulcator. 2 n~mero total de indivíduos capturados foi de , sendo três na irea de um
ano em recuperação e 2 na de cinco anos a esppcie mais abundante foi C. rutilans cyanescens (40,6%). Todas
as esppcies estiveram presentes na irea de cinco anos, mas somente C. aff. chalybaeus e D. multicolor na irea
de um ano. 2 tamanKo mpdio dos indivíduos amostrados na irea de um ano de recuperação foi de 11,0 mm e
a biomassa 0,01 g, enTuanto Tue na irea com cinco anos de recuperação o tamanKo mpdio e a biomassa dos
besouros escarabeíneos amostrados foi de 12,25 mm e 0,093 g, respectivamente.
Palavras-chave: Carvão mineral; Ecologia; Indicadores; Recuperação ambiental; Scarabaeinae
Abstract
Dung beetles tKat are sensitive to environmental alterations ma\ be used as indicator species to marN tKe
recover\ of degraded areas. TKis ZorN aimed at registering and comparing tKe communities of Scarabaeinae
located in areas ZitK different periods of environmental recover\ after being used for coal mining. TKis stud\
Revista Biotemas, 27 (3), setembro de 2014
198
J. Z. Bett et al.
Zas developed in Lauro 0ller, Santa Catarina, and consisted of tZo areas in tKe process of recover\, one for
one \ear and one for ¿ve \ears. Fifteen pitfall traps baited ZitK Kuman feces Zere placed in eacK area in order to
attract tKe dung beetles. TKe counting, identi¿cation and measurement of bod\ si]e and biomass of tKe specimens
captured Zere carried out in tKe laborator\. Sampling suf¿cienc\ Zas veri¿ed and variables from botK areas
Zere compared using a t test. TKe recorded species Zere Canthon aff. chalybaeus, Canthon angularis, Canthon
rutilans cyanescens, Deltochilum multicolor, Dichotomius sericeus, Eurysternus parallelus and Ontherus
sulcator. A total of 35 individuals Zere captured, tKree in tKe one-\ear recover\ area and 32 in tKe area under
recover\ for ¿ve \ears, C. rutilans cyanescens being tKe most abundant species (40.6%). All species collected
Zere found in tKe ¿ve-\ears recover\ area, ZKereas onl\ C. aff. chalybaeus and D. multicolor Zere found in tKe
one-\ear recover\ area. Individuals sampled in tKe area ZitK one \ear of recover\ Kad an average si]e of 11.03
mm and average biomass of 0.051 g, ZKereas in tKe ¿ve-\ears recover\ area tKe average si]e and tKe biomass
of tKe dung beetles sampled Zas 12.25 mm and 0.093 g, respectivel\.
Key words: Indicators; Ecolog\; Environmental recover\; 0ineral coal; Scarabaeinae
TKe mining process is Zidel\ acNnoZledged as
a source of environmental problems (SILVA, 2011),
as mining activities often result in tKe elimination
of vegetation and tKe interruption of gene ÀoZ via
fragmentation of Kabitats, causing deatK or e[tinction
of fauna (0EC+I; SA1C+EZ, 2010). TKe process
of induced environmental recover\ aims to accelerate
tKe reestablisKment of Kabitat b\ improving abiotic
conditions in degraded areas in accordance ZitK future
use (PEREIRA; R2DRIGUES, 2012). TopograpKic and
landscape re-composition, as Zell as soil reconstruction
are actions tKat seeN to maNe tKe environment favorable
for tKe development of animal and plant species (C2STA;
Z2CC+E, 2009). TKe presence of indicator organisms
during tKe recover\ process ma\ Kelp tKe monitoring
process b\ elucidating mecKanisms of environmental
re-composition (CA0P2S et al., 2012). SucK organisms
Kave life Kistor\ traits intrinsicall\ related to tKeir Kabitat
in sucK a Za\ tKat an\ alteration can inÀuence population
d\namics (PA2LETTI, 1999). SucK species are regarded
as indicators of environmental Tualit\, for tKe\ reÀect
tKe ecological integrit\ of tKe ecos\stems and tKus ma\
be used as a pro[\ to measure tKe degradation levels of
sites in recover\ (LUTI1S.I; GARCIA, 2005).
Dung beetles (Coleoptera Scarabaeidae
Scarabaeinae) Zere indicated b\ +alffter and Favila
(1993) as important bioindicators because tKe\ respond
to environmental variation. It is freTuentl\ observed
tKat tKe most diverse communities ZitK species of
greater bod\ si]e are located in preserved forest areas,
and tKat degraded areas sKoZ a decrease in dung beetle
Revista Biotemas, 27 (3), setembro de 2014
abundance, species ricKness and bod\ si]e (GARD1ER
et al., 2008).
TKis group performs several ecos\stem services
(revieZed b\ 1IC+2LS et al., 2008), operating in
ecological processes sucK as increasing tKe rate of
nutrient c\cling tKrougK tKe allocation of food resources,
tKe opening of galleries tKat facilitate Zater and air
circulation in soil (0ITTAL, 1993), breaNing of tKe
life c\cle of some parasites of vertebrates (RIDSDILLS0IT+; +A<LES, 1990), and tKe secondar\ dispersion
of seeds, ZKicK ma\ influence forest regeneration
(ANDRESEN, 2002).
Studies tKat anal\]e dung beetle communities in
areas recovering from coal mining practices sKoZ tKat
older recovered areas alloZ greater species presence,
ZKicK contributes to tKe increase of ecos\stem
services (+ERNÈNDEZ et al., unpublisKed data). As a
contribution to tKe monitoring of environmental Tualit\
in altered landscapes, tKis ZorN focused on registering
and comparing tKe communities of Scarabaeinae located
in areas ZitK different periods of environmental recover\
after being used for coal mining.
TKe stud\ Zas carried out in Lauro 0ller, Santa
Catarina, Bra]il betZeen -anuar\ and Februar\ 2013,
a period of great dung beetle abundance in subtropical
regions (HERNÁNDEZ; VAZ-DE-MELLO, 2009;
SILVA et al., 2013). TKe annual relative Kumidit\ of
tKe stud\ region varies betZeen 80% and 85%, and tKe
average annual rainfall is betZeen 1,400 and 1,600 mm.
TKe average annual temperature is betZeen 16ƒC and
Dung beetles in coal mining areas
18 ƒC. TKe predominant climate is Kumid mesotKermal
ZitK Kot Zinter (Cfa) (EPAGRICIRAM, 2010).
TZo areas ZitK different periods of recover\ from
mining Zere sampled tKe ¿rst one (28ž19¶S, 49ž26¶:)
ZitK an area of 0.032 Nm2, Kas been in recover\ for
rougKl\ one \ear and is cKaracteri]ed as implanted
pasture ZitK fragments of secondar\ forest. It is delimited
east b\ a road, and is surrounded b\ farms ZitK native
pasture used for e[tensive cattle breeding in tKe nortK,
soutK and Zest. TKe second area (28ž22¶S, 49ž27¶:),
ZitK an area of 0.021 Nm2, Kas been in recover\ for ¿ve
\ears and is covered b\ implanted pasture. It is delimited
nortK and Zest b\ a long area of preserved forest; in
tKe soutK, a reforested area ZitK eucal\ptus; and in tKe
east, a native pasture used for cattle breeding. Fifteen
baited pitfall traps eacK 50 m apart Zere placed in eacK
area. Traps contained Zater ZitK a neutral detergent to
breaN tKe surface tension and prevent tKe insects from
escaping. TKe rain sKields of traps Zere baited ZitK
Kuman feces (20 g) to attract tKe individuals; tKis is one
tKe most emplo\ed and ef¿cient metKods for tKe capture
of tKe maMorit\ of tKe species in tKis group (LOBO et
al., 1988). Traps remained in tKe ¿eld for 48 Kours, after
ZKicK captured insects Zere collected and transferred
to receptacles containing alcoKol (70%). Individuals
Zere oven-dried at 60ƒC for 48 Kours, and tKe counting,
identi¿cation, measurement of tKe bod\ si]e and ZeigKt
Zere carried out in tKe laborator\. TKe specimens are
in tKe entomological collection at tKe entomolog\
laborator\ of Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina.
A total of 35 individuals from seven species of
Scarabaeinae Zere collected 91,4% (n 32) of tKe
total individuals Zere captured in tKe area recovering
for ¿ve \ears, ZKereas onl\ 8,6% (n 3) of tKe total
Zere captured in tKe area recovering for one \ear.
Seven species Zere recorded in ¿ve-\ear recover\ area
Canthon aff. chalybaeus BlancKard (n 6), Canthon
angularis Harold (n 1), Canthon rutilans cyanescens
Harold (n 13), Deltochilum multicolor BaltKasar (n
4) (tribe DeltocKilini), Dichotomius sericeus (Harold)
(n 4), Ontherus sulcator (Fabricius) (n 3) (tribe
Coprini) and Eurysternus parallelus Castelnau (n 1)
(tribe Oniticellini). Onl\ tZo species Zere recorded in
tKe one-\ear recover\ area C. aff. chalybaeus (n 2) and
199
D. multicolor (n 1). TKe species sampled are common
in areas of Atlantic Forest in Santa Catarina (CAMPOS;
HERNÁNDEZ, 2013).
Sampling sufficienc\ Zas corroborated b\ tKe
CKao 1 estimator, ZKicK estimated 100% of tKe ricKness
observed in tKe area of ¿ve \ears (7 “ 0.25) and in
tKe area of one \ear (2 “ 0.17). T-test sKoZed tKat tKe
¿ve-\ear recover\ area sKoZed greater average species
ricKness per trap (1.6 “ 0.38) tKan did tKe one-\ear area
(0.2 “ 0.01) (t 1.97; df 1; p 0.034), a result in
agreement ZitK Davis et al. (2003) and Herninde] et
al. (unpublisKed data), botK of ZKicK indicate KigKer
species ricKness in areas alloZed to recover from mining
for longer time periods. HoZever, Audino et al. (2014)
empKasi]e tKat dung beetle assemblages are severel\
impoverisKed in restored sites, and tKat even after 18
\ears tKe communities remain poor in species ricKness.
Environmental structure is an important aspect
of tKe organi]ation of dung beetle communities
(HERNÁNDEZ; VAZ-DE-MELLO, 2009; CAMPOS;
HERNÁNDEZ, 2013). HoZever, a confounding factor
in tKe e[planation for tKe increase in ricKness is tKe
pro[imit\ to areas ZitK more preserved Kabitats, ZKicK
ma\ act as a source area or species pool. HoZever, it is
NnoZn tKat tKe pro[imit\ to more adeTuate environments
does not determine species ricKness in dung beetles, as
traps placed onl\ 15 meters from forests are not effective
for tKeir capture (.LEIN, 1989).
AltKougK tKe average si]e and biomass of
individuals sampled in tKe area of one \ear under
recover\ (11.03 mm and 0.051 g) Zere similar to tKat of
tKe area of ¿ve \ears (12.25 mm and 0.093 g), tKe total
biomass Zas more tKan 15 times greater in tKe area of ¿ve
\ears (2.47 g) tKan in tKe otKer area (0.15 g). Gardner et
al. (2008) sKoZed tKat ZitKin all genera of Scarabaeinae,
tKere is a decrease in larger species in degraded areas
in Bra]ilian Ama]onia. According to Barragin et al.
(2011), tKe functional ricKness ma\ also decrease ZitK
increasing degree of tKe environmental alteration, ZKicK
is directl\ related to tKe ecos\stem services performed.
TKerefore, our results suggest tKat tKe period of recover\
and tKe resulting increase in tKe structural comple[it\ of
tKe environment are tKe aspects tKat most contributed to
tKe increase of abundance, ricKness and biomass of dung
Revista Biotemas, 27 (3), setembro de 2014
200
J. Z. Bett et al.
beetles in tKe area recovered for a longer time period,
con¿rming tKat dung beetles Kave a strong potential to
be used as ecological indicators in areas in tKe process
of environmental recover\.
HALFFTER, G.; FAVILA, M. E. TKe Scarabaeinae (Insecta
Coleoptera) an animal group for anal\zing, inventor\ing and
monitoring biodiversit\ in tropical rainforest and modi¿ed
landscapes. Biology International, Paris, v. 27, p. 15-21, 1993.
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