Uso de formigas como bioindicadoras para a avaliação de áreas degradadas em recuperação

Abstract

Environmental indicators are essential management tools in monitoring and evaluation activities of degraded environments. Among these indicators, we highlight the bioindicators. In this sense, this work aims to use the ants in the evaluation and monitoring of degraded areas by fire, mining and agricultural activities. For this, this work was divided into two sections in the form of chapters. The first chapter was conducted in a nature reserve of Emas National Park, State of Goias, Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of fire in a conservation unit in the Brazilian Cerrado and the community of ants that inhabit these environments. Already the second chapter was conducted in areas of the company Vale SA in the municipality of Brumadinho, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This study, the objective was evaluate the response of ants (diversity and ecological function - seed removal rate) for different degraded areas in recovery (mining and agriculture) and which habitat structure parameters are important in these community regulatory processes. According to the results of chapters, there are some recommendations to be made: the first with respect to include, in addition to local variables also spatial and temporal variables in recovery programs of degraded areas. The second concerns inclusion stricter of natural vegetation for the management and evaluation of recovering. The third relates to the inclusion the assessment of ecosystem functioning within these programs, represented through the seeds-removal by ants, demonstrating an viable and attractive alternative for these studies types. Finally, it is believed that understanding of the ecological processes involved in recovery environments that have suffered some type of disturbance becomes an interesting strategy for managing degraded areas.