The richness of the termite species in the sugar cane
plantation we studied represented one fifth of the species
richness we found in a remnant of the Atlantic forest 20 km
away; however, the density of individuals in the plantation
was twice as large as in the forest (Silva & Bandeira 1999).
This inverse relationship between species richness and
abundance of individuals in cultivated areas, contrasting with the natural vegetation, had already been reported elsewhere
(Wood et al. 1977). The richness of termite species we found
in our study area represented one fourth of the richness of
species we determined in a Cerrado remnant 5 km distant
from the sugar cane plantation (Sena et al. 2003). The
increased climatic instability and the decreased habitat
heterogeneity, caused by deforestation followed by
cultivation, certainly eliminated the most susceptible species
to disturbance, contributing to a biological situation
characterized by a low biodiversity with few dominant species
(Begon et al. 1990). Black & Okwakol (1997) suggested that
the reduction of termite diversity may have a negative impact
on ecological processes of agroecosystems, chiefly on those
related to plant necromass decomposition.
The richness of the termite species in the sugar caneplantation we studied represented one fifth of the speciesrichness we found in a remnant of the Atlantic forest 20 kmaway; however, the density of individuals in the plantationwas twice as large as in the forest (Silva & Bandeira 1999).This inverse relationship between species richness andabundance of individuals in cultivated areas, contrasting with the natural vegetation, had already been reported elsewhere(Wood et al. 1977). The richness of termite species we foundin our study area represented one fourth of the richness ofspecies we determined in a Cerrado remnant 5 km distantfrom the sugar cane plantation (Sena et al. 2003). Theincreased climatic instability and the decreased habitatheterogeneity, caused by deforestation followed bycultivation, certainly eliminated the most susceptible speciesto disturbance, contributing to a biological situationcharacterized by a low biodiversity with few dominant species(Begon et al. 1990). Black & Okwakol (1997) suggested thatthe reduction of termite diversity may have a negative impacton ecological processes of agroecosystems, chiefly on thoserelated to plant necromass decomposition.
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