Data/hora: 10/06/2024 02:33:28

Biblioteca(s): | Embrapa Soja.
Data corrente: | 29/06/2005
Data da última atualização: | 22/05/2006
Autoria: | BROWN, G. G.; CABALLERO, M. E.; FOURQUIM, V. H.; BERNARDES, F. F.
Título: | Present state of the art of earthworm taxonomy and ecology in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Ano de publicação: | 2004
Fonte/Imprenta: | In: INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON SOIL ZOOLOGY AND ECOLOGY, 14., 2004. Mont Saint Aignan. Abstracts. Mont Saint Aignan: Université de Rouen, 2004. p. 24.
Idioma: | Inglês
Conteúdo: | The state of São Paulo (SP) is the most urbanized, industrialized richest and populous (35 million) state in Brazil. The state's approximately 250,000 km² are mostly used for agricultural purposes and human occupation. Only 13% is in native vegetation, concentrated in forests (11%), cerrado and other vegetation (1% each). Of the remaining forests, 60% are concentrated on the coastal range, and 40% highly scattered in many small pieces throughout the remaining area. The taxonomist Gilberto Righi lived and worked in SP, describing, over 40 years of work, more than 230 earthworm species. The study of earthworm taxonomy and ecology in SP is the most extensive in the country. However, only 16% (106) of the 645 counties of SP have been sampled for earthworms. At present, 64 species are known from SP, but at least another 26 are expected to be found, according to Righi, who predicted 90 species for SP. Of the 64 known species, 44 are native and 20 are exotic, and 32 are known from only1 location, while 12 are known from 2 sites. This may be due either to a large endemicity of native species or too few samples to adequately assess the nature of species distribution in SP, further accentuated by the extremely fragmented nature of the natural vegetation, where native species are most often encountered. Of the native species, 38 are of the Glossoscolecidae family and eight of the Ocnerodrilidae family. Of the xotics, seven are Megascolecidae and six are Acanthodrilidae. The most widespread species in Pontoscollex corethrurus, found in 64% of the samples, in a wide variety of natural and disturbed ecosystems, and appears to be a good indicator of disturbance. This species has been the most studied in SP, for evaluation of life-cycle under laboratory conditions, effect on soil microorganisms and on soil nutrient status and plant productivity. Other work in SP has involved mostly practical and empirical observations of the vermi-composting process with the exotics Eisenia fetida, E. andrei and Eudrilus eugeniae. Quantitative samples to assess population density and biomass were taken in 57 sites of SP, concentrated mostly in the NW part. These showed that: a) earthworms were more abundant in no tillage systems than where the soil was tilled; b) the best sample size for population estimation was 60x60x60 cm; c) formalin application was not efficient for collecting native earthworms; d) soil moisture and soil type  had a major influence on earthworm species composition and population density; e) P. corethrurus concentrated in areas that were more shaded and closer to trees. Clearly, there is still much to be done to adequately asses the diversity and role of earthworms in the various ecosystems of the state of SP and, given that no taxonomist is presently active in the country, training of new taxonomists is an utmost necessity.
Thesagro: | Biologia do Solo; Minhoca; Taxonomia.
Categoria do assunto: | --
Registro original: | Embrapa Soja (CNPSO)
Exemplares: | CNPSO - (25234-1) - UPC - SP - -- - 9887 -  - 9887 - DIS