Can anthropic fires affect epigaeic and hypogaeic Cerrado ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) communities in the same way?

• Published in: Revista de biología tropical Vol. 64; no. 1; pp. 95 - 104
• Main Authors: Canedo-Júnior, Ernesto de Oliveira, Cuissi, Rafael Gonçalves, Nelson Henrique de Almeida, Curi, Demetrio, Guilherme Ramos, Lasmar, Chaim José, Malves, Kira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Costa Rica Universidad de Costa Rica 01-03-2016
• Subjects: Animals; Ants - classification; Ants - physiology; Biodiversity Conservation; Biology; Ecosystem; Environmental Monitoring; Fires; Population Density; Population Dynamics; Time Factors; Trees; anthropic burning; conservation; Sabana brasileña; recuperación post incendio; quema antrópica; brazilian savannah; post-fire recovery; bioindicators; conservación-bioindicadores
• DOI: 10.15517/rbt.v64i1.18239
• EISSN: 2215-2075
• ISSN: 0034-7744

Fire occurrences are a common perturbation in Cerrado ecosystems, and may differently impact the
local biodiversity. Arthropods are one of the taxa affected by fires, and among them, ants are known as good
bioindicators. We aimed to evaluate the effect of anthropic fires on epigaeic and hypogaeic ant communities
(species richness and composition) in Cerrado areas with different post-fire event recovery periods. We conducted
the study in four Cerrado areas during two weeks of 2012 dry season: one unburned and three at different
post-fire times (one month, one and two years). We sampled ants with pitfall traps in epigaeic and hypogaeic
microhabitats. We collected 71 ant morpho-species from 25 genera. In the epigaeic microhabitat we sampled
56 morpho-species and 42 in the hypogaeic microhabitat. The area with the shortest recovery time presented
lower epigaeic ant species richness (4.3 ± 2.00) in comparison to the other areas (8.1 ± 2.68 species on one
year area; 10.3 ± 2.66 species on two years area; 10.4 ± 2.31 species on control area), but recovery time did not
affect hypogaeic ant species richness. Regarding ant species composition, fire did not directly affect hypogaeic
ant species, which remained the same even one month after fire event. However, two years were not enough to
reestablish ant species composition in both microhabitats in relation to our control group samples. Our study
is the first to assess anthropic fire effects upon epigaeic and hypogaeic ants communities; highlighting the
importance of evaluating different microhabitats, to more accurately detect the effects of anthropic disturbances
in biological communities. We concluded that ant communities are just partially affected by fire occurrences,
and epigaeic assemblages are the most affected ones in comparison to hypogaeic ants. Furthermore the study
provides knowledge to aid in the creation of vegetation management programs that allow Cerrado conservation.