Efeito da antropização nas assembleias de formigas e seus processos ecossistêmicos e o conhecimento de estudantes sobre ambiente natural

Abstract

Ants (Hymenoptera) are commonly used to evaluate environmental conditions. In this study, ants were used to evaluate the effect of anthropization on the environment at local and landscape scales on Cerrado areas in the northern state of Minas Gerais, and to evaluate if there is a cascade effect of anthropic attributes on the richness and composition of ants and on the ecosystem processes of seed removal and removal of organic animal matter (animal carcass) that ants perform. We observed that ants responded to changes caused in the environment at local scale and soil compaction was responsible for the loss of species and change in ant composition. There is a cascade effect of the number of houses on seed-removing ants and consequently in the process of seed removal. We also evaluated the knowledge of students enrolled in the state educational system, residents of rural and urban areas on "Natural" and "Unnatural" environments and the presence of the human figure in these two environments. Students from rural and urban schools did not differ in their knowledge of "Natural" and "Unnatural"; in addition, students from rural schools more often glued the human figure as part of the "Unnatural" environment. We conclude that Cerrado environments are affected by anthropization and suffer losses in ant diversity and this affects the ecosystemic process of seed removal, and carcass removal was not affected. This is reinforced by the fact that residents of these places, students from rural and urban schools, demonstrate confusing concepts about the environment and conservation, and therefore students need more attention with projects and studies that take reality at they live in into account. Showing that there are differences between natural and unnatural environments and that we humans are part of this natural environment.