ENRIQUECIMENTO TRÃFICO EM AMBIENTES SUBTERRÃNEOS E SUAS APLICAÃÃES PARA A CONSERVAÃÃO DA BIODIVERSIDADE DE INVERTEBRADOS AQUÃTICOS. / Trophic enrichment in underground environments and its applications in the biodiversity conservation of aquatic invertebrates.

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

The permanent absence of light and high tendency to oligotrophism are often considered to be determining factors in the establishment of species in underground systems There is a lack of studies concerning characterization of fauna and its relation with biological processes (such as production transference nutrient processing) in cave systems The aim of the present study was to analyze epigean and hypogean stretches of a stream which runs through Mandembe Cave (Gruta do Mandembe located in LuminÃrias-MG Brazil) through analyzes of physical-chemical characteristics of the stream and structure of aquatic invertebrates fauna It was possible to observe environmental and biological differences in the epigean/hypogean gradient Based on the evidences obtained through the present study it was possible to verify that an area progressively determines the patterns presented by the following environment It was also possible to observe that the hypogean segment functions as a transitional zone between downstream and upstream segments This study also aimed to test the influence of food resources over the aquatic community present in the cave through experiments involving trophic enrichment The methods used were based on the import process of vegetable matter (used as food resource) occurring at the upstream outside the cave It is important to highlight that this is the first register in the world of a study focusing on trophic enrichment in a cave It was possible to observe that the hypogean community may balance with the epigean community This data was obtained through experiment by increasing diverse trophic resources in the studied area This confirms the existence of a relation between resource availability and community structure Scarcity of food resource is proved to be an important selective pressure over the aquatic community in the studied cave Besides scarcity of food resources there are also other factors (such as absence of light) that may restrict the establishment of organisms The desired result of this work was to enlarge the biological knowledge related to quartzitic caves and ecological processes occurring in the aquatic environment of caves Therefore offering important information for the conservation of aquatic invertebrates fauna in caves

ASSUNTO(S)

ecologia aplicada

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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