Cerrado vegetation types determine how land use impacts ant biodiversity

The simplification of native habitats leads to biodiversity decline in tropical terrestrial ecosystems. We evaluated how conversion of three types of native Cerrado vegetation (open grassland, typical savanna, and woodland savanna) to two human-managed land uses ( Eucalyptus plantations and pastures...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biodiversity and conservation 2020-05, Vol.29 (6), p.2017-2034
Main Authors: de Queiroz, Antonio C. M., Rabello, Ananza M., Braga, Danielle L., Santiago, Graziele S., Zurlo, Luana F., Philpott, Stacy M., Ribas, Carla R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ants
Biodiversity
Biological diversity
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts
Conservation Biology/Ecology
Conversion
Ecology
Eucalyptus
Grasslands
Land use
Life Sciences
Original Paper
Pasture
Plantations
Savannahs
Soil
Soil characteristics
Terrestrial ecosystems
Tropical climate
Vegetation
Vegetation type
Woodlands
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Summary:The simplification of native habitats leads to biodiversity decline in tropical terrestrial ecosystems. We evaluated how conversion of three types of native Cerrado vegetation (open grassland, typical savanna, and woodland savanna) to two human-managed land uses ( Eucalyptus plantations and pastures) affects ant richness and composition in arboreal, epigaeic, and hypogaeic ant communities. We also sampled vegetation and soil characteristics to determine which specific features could be driving differences in ant communities with land use conversion. In general, biodiversity was negatively affected by conversion to Eucalyptus plantations and pastures regardless of vegetation type. But these impacts do not act in the same way in each ant strata or vegetation type. Grass and herbaceous cover was the most important environmental variable correlated with diversity in open grassland and plant richness and litter diversity were the most important environmental variables for ant species in typical and woodland savannas. Our results indicate that expanding Eucalyptus plantations may have stronger negative impacts from conversion of open vegetation types while pasture implementation may have stronger negative effects if implemented in closed vegetation types. Thus, we show the need of protection of the diversity of all native vegetation found in the Brazilian Cerrado (from open to forested habitats).
ISSN:0960-3115
1572-9710
DOI:10.1007/s10531-017-1379-8