The occurrence of coleoptera in fragments of the Atlantic Rainforest and in two populational groups of Eucalyptus urophylla (S. T. Blake), with and without fire

Abstract

Entomofauna occurrence may indicate the environmental quality of an ecosystem and may predict population outbreaks of harmful insects or vegetal stress conditions. Current analysis investigates the fluctuations of wood-degrading coleoptera in a fragment of the Atlantic Rainforest and in two populational groups of Eucalyptus urophylla S. T. Blake, with or without burning. Experiment was conducted in the National Forest Mário Xavier, in Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between August 2011 and August 2012. Impact traps Carvalho-47 were used, at 1.20 m above ground level, and at a distance of 50 meters one from another, with three traps in each area, totaling nine traps. Collections were done once a week, followed by information on family and subfamily for certain groups. In the E. urophylla populational group, with burning, the number of insects captured in the first collections was lower than other evaluated environments. However, seven months after burning, a higher number was reported when compared to the others, especially for the subfamily Scolytinae. In the beetle group E. urophylla without the occurrence of fire, a higher number of individuals occurred, especially for the subfamily Scolytinae. Fire influences the coleoptera group with a change of occurrence.