A influência da estrutura de habitat sobre as comunidades de invertebrados subterrâneos da região de Santana, Bahia

Abstract

This work aims to evaluate the influence of habitat heterogeneity, through landscape, physical, trophic, and microclimatic attributes on the composition and richness of cave invertebrates at different sample scales, thus being able to contribute to better conservation of subterranean environments. The work consists of two articles written according to the rules of the journal Biodiversity and Conservation. The first article aimed to understand which habitat factors influence the invertebrate community in 24 caves in the region of Santana-BA. Distance from the entrance and geographic distances between caves were important for community composition and richness, along with habitat heterogeneity, represented by different substrates used as shelters and trophic resources. The second chapter takes a more specific look at the fifth largest cave in Brazil, Gruta do Padre cave. Here, in addition to trying to understand which habitat factors influence invertebrate communities, the cave is defined as a new Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity, with 25 strictly subterranean species. Within the Gruta do Padre cave, the habitat factors that were most closely related to the fauna were the distance from the entrance and the different altitude levels of the cave. The presence of trophic resources and different inorganic substrates was also relevant for the communities.