Influência das características fisiográficas sobre a estrutura e composição da comunidade de macroinvertebrados bentônicos em duas ecorregiões neotropicais

Abstract

Ecoregion is an area that has the same physiographic characteristics (climate, geology, soil altitude, characteristics and land cover, vegetation) in a given region. This study aims to investigate the differences of the macroinvertebrate community in two ecoregions different of Paraná. Specifically we aim to answer: i) the physiographic characteristics of each ecoregion influence the structure and attributes of the benthic macroinvertebrate community? ii) What physiographic characteristics influence on the community? iii) The classification of functional groups is similar among ecoregions? iv) It is possible to identify groups indicators for each ecoregion? Macroinvertebrates were collected in two ecoregions of Paraná, 6 rivers in each ecoregion located in two protected areas (State Park Guartelá (PEG) and Iguaçu National Park (PNI)). To collect biological, used a collector type Hand-net, in addition, physical and chemical samples of the water were measured (pH, dissolved oxygen, altitude, water temperature, alkalinity, hardness, total nitrogen and total phosphorus) and analysis of the substrate. As a result, the ANOVA showed no significant differences between the ecoregions as attributes, however, the structure was different according to the PCA. Functional groups had the same composition, but with different percentages for each ecoregion. The indicator taxa of PEG were Baetidae, Aeshnidae, Coenagrionidae, Chironomidae and Ceratopogonidae and for the PNI, the indicator taxa were Leptohyphidae, Caenidae, Perlidae, Pleidae and Psephenidae. Thus, we conclude that the ecoregions were different as macroinvertebrate community structure due to the influence of the physical environment.