Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Neotropical Entomology
ISSN 1519-566X
Neotrop Entomol
DOI 10.1007/s13744-014-0214-0
1 23
1 23
PEST MANAGEMENT
Lab de Sistemtica e Bioecologia de Coleoptera, Depto de Zoologia, Univ Federal do Paran, Curitiba, PR, Brasil
Red de Biodiversidad y Sistemtica, Instituto de Ecologia, A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
3
Depto de Defesa Fitossanitria, Univ Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brasil
2
Keywords
Abundance, diversity, occurrence,
soil-dwelling larvae, winter crop
Correspondence
MA Cherman, Lab de Sistemtica e
Bioecologia de Coleoptera, Depto de
Zoologia, Univ Federal do Paran, Centro
Politcnico, 81531-980, CP 19020, Curitiba,
PR, Brasil; marianabioar@gmail.com
Edited by Andr L Loureno IAC
Received 28 August 2013 and accepted 17
March 2014
* Sociedade Entomolgica do Brasil 2014
Abstract
Comparative studies on the density and diversity of white grubs community
(Coleoptera: Melolonthidae) occurring in cultivated and noncultivated
fields of the Planalto region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil,
are presented. Sampling was carried out in 23 municipalities during the
2009 and 2010 winter seasons. Cultivated and noncultivated fields were
chosen in each locality. Melolontid larvae were collected for identification and counted to determine the population density. A mean of
12.9 larvae m2 were collected in cultivated areas against 10.5 larvae m2
in noncultivated areas. The latter were more diverse (H=2.52) than
cultivated areas (H=2.26). Despite the high evenness index (J=0.75
noncultivated and J=0.74 cultivated), faunistic parameters indicated
Cyclocephala flavipennis Arrow and Diloboderus abderus Sturm as an
extremely dominant species in cultivated areas. These results showed
that the population density of white grubs increases, and their community composition is affected in cultivated areas.
Introduction
The replacement of native forest by grasslands significantly
transforms the structure of soil-dwelling communities.
Grasslands are poor in plant abundance and richness, whereas biomass can be greater due to the development of rootfeeding and saprophagous species, which did not exist or
were not abundant in forests (Lavelle & Kohlmann 1984). In
this way, the reduction in biodiversity due to human intervention in natural ecosystems opens up the possibility for
increasing the abundance of many strict or facultative rootfeeding species (Morn 1996).
Larvae of Melolonthidae (Endrdi 1966, Morn 2001),
commonly called white grubs, are natural soil dwellings of
grassland ecosystems and perform an important role in
nutrient recycling and in improving soil quality. However,
agricultural expansion and the adoption of no-till farming
provided conditions for many root-feeding white grubs
species to become pests (Silva 2000). In the state of Rio
Grande do Sul, Brazil, the most cited melolontids occurring
Study area
Statistical analyses
Samples were collected in the winter seasons of 2009 and
2010, from July to September of each year, in 23 municipalities of the Planalto region, state of Rio Grande do Sul. These
localities were chosen based on information gathered
farmers and extension specialists due to their agricultural
productivity and white grub occurrence. The mean annual
temperature of the area studied is 18.0C, ranging from 16.0
to 19.4C. The highest temperatures occur at the western
side of the Planalto, while the lowest ones occur at the
northeast side. Mean temperature varies from 9.9 to 13.6C
in July and from 22.3 to 26.1C in January. Values of normal
rainfall in the state vary from 1,186 (eastern Planalto) to
2,468 mm/year (western Planalto) (Brasil 1973). The altitude
varies from 140 m (Manoel Viana) in the east to 850 m
(Vacaria) in the northeast. The Planalto is represented by
the combination of two floristic ecorregions, the Brazilian
araucaria moist forests, and the Campos moist grassland,
both with secondary vegetation and agricultural activities
(Duarte et al 2006). In the Brazilian araucaria moist forest,
Araucaria angustifolia, Podocarpus lambertii, and Ilex
paraguariensis are the predominant species. Campos
grassland is composed mainly by Paspalum notatum
and Aristida pollens, as well as Stipa, Andropogon,
and Erianthus species. Other important elements are
the gallery forests, with representative species of seasonal
and rainforests. They belong to different genera of
Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Pteridophytae,
and Verbenaceae (Leite 2002).
Sampling procedure
At each municipality, cultivated (CA) and noncultivated (NA)
areas spread apart from 800 to 2,000 m were chosen.
Cultivated areas were represented either by wheat, oats, or
Italian ryegrass, while noncultivated areas were always fields
with native vegetation, representing the lack of human intervention. In each area, trenches (50 cm long25 cm wide
30 cm deep) were opened. The number of sample points
depended on the size of the sampled area, varying from 20
to 40 points (Table 1). Larvae from second and third instars
were collected individually in 60 mL plastic containers with
soil from the area and transported to the lab for identification. The specimens were identified using taxonomic keys
and larval descriptions elaborated by Ritcher (1966), Frana
(2003) and Pereira & Salvadori (2006). The material was
deposited in the Departamento de Defesa Fitossanitria,
Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul
and in the Coleo Entomolgica Pe. Jesus Santiago Moure
Latitude (S)
Longitude (W)
Previous vegetation
Current vegetation
Date
Area (ha)
Cultivated area
Caseiros
2815 S
5140 W
Corn
Fallow
5/Aug/2010
25
Chapada
2815 S
534 W
Soybean
Italian ryegrass
10/Sep/2010
25
Coxilha
2811 S
5220 W
Soybean
Oat
10/Sep/2010
25
Cruz Alta
2831 S
5341 W
Soybean
Oat
27/Aug/2009
21
43
2738 S
5325 W
Soybean
Oat+Italian ryegrass
18/Sep/2010
25
2841 S
5326 W
Soybean
Oat
9/Sep/2010
25
Guabiju
2833 S
5138 W
Soybean
Italian ryegrass
6/Aug/2010
25
Iju
2830 S
5348 W
Soybean
Fallow
13/Aug/2009
13
31
Itaara
2932 S
5345 W
Soybean
Wheat
26/Aug/2009
20
Lagoa Vermelha
2838 S
5137 W
Soybean
Oat
30/Jul/2009
15
30
Manoel Viana
2913 S
5531 W
Sorghum
Oat+Italian ryegrass
13/Aug/2010
25
Nonoai
2716 S
5243 W
Soybean
Fallow
21/Aug/2010
25
Nova Palma
2917 S
5328 W
Soybean
Wheat
25/Aug/2010
25
Panambi
289 S
5327 W
Soybean
Turnip+oat
21/Aug/2009
15
30
Porto Lucena
2750 S
5455 W
Soybean
Wheat
21/Aug/2010
25
Santa Rosa
2756 S
5432 W
Soybean
Oat
14/Aug/2009
20
So Francisco de Assis
2918 S
5517 W
Soybean
Oat
11/Jul/2009
23
43
So Luiz Gonzaga
2824 S
5456 W
Soybean
Oat
14/Aug/2010
25
Tapejara
2904 S
5207 W
Soybean
Fallow
28/Jul/2009
39
Trs Palmeiras
2738 S
5250 W
Soybean
Oat
11/Sep/2010
25
Tupanciret
2854 S
5339 W
Sorghum
Oat+Italian ryegrass
14/Aug/2010
25
Vacaria
2815 S
5117 W
Corn
Wheat
31/Jul/2009
35
Vila Maria
2834 S
527 W
Soybean
Italian ryegrass
29/Jul/2009
36
Caseiros
2815 S
5141 W
5/Aug/2010
25
Chapada
2815 S
535 W
10/Sep/2010
25
Coxilha
2811 S
5220 W
10/Sep/2010
25
Noncultivated area
Cruz Alta
2832 S
5342 W
27/Aug/2009
20
2739 S
5325 W
18/Sep/2010
25
2840 S
5327 W
9/Sep/2010
25
Guabiju
2833 S
5139 W
6/Aug/2010
25
Iju
2831 S
5347 W
14/Aug/2009
25
Itaara
2932 S
5346 W
26/Aug/2009
20
Lagoa Vermelha
2829 S
5133 W
30/Jul/2009
25
Manoel Viana
2913 S
5531 W
13/Aug/2010
25
Nonoai
2715 S
5243 W
21/Aug/2009
25
Nova Palma
2917 S
5328 W
25/Aug/2010
25
Panambi
28 9 S
5327 W
21/Aug/2009
25
Porto Lucena
2749 S
5454 W
21/Aug/2010
25
Santa Rosa
2757 S
5432 W
14/Aug/2009
1.5
20
So Francisco de Assis
2918 S
5510 W
11/Jul/2009
28
So Luiz Gonzaga
2824 S
5456 W
14/Aug/2010
25
Tapejara
283 S
527 W
28/Jul/2009
21
Trs Palmeiras
2738 S
5249 W
11/Sep/2010
25
Tupanciret
2856 S
5341 W
14/Aug/2010
25
Vacaria
2815 S
5116 W
31/Jul/2009
25
Vila Maria
2834 S
527 W
29/Jul/2009
20
CA
NA
Total
Anomonyx sp.
Astaena sp.
Cyclocephala flavipennis
Cyclocephala metrica
Cyclocephala modesta
Cyclocephala putrida
Cyclocephala tucumana
Demodema brevitarsis
Dicrania sp.
Diloboderus abderus
Dyscinetus gagates
Dyscinetus rugifrons
4
0
321
0
113
13
22
37
1
210
5
0
21
1
72
5
57
16
2
1
25
129
4
2
25
1
393
5
170
29
24
38
26
339
9
2
Geniates sp.
Isonychus albicinctus
Leucothyreus sp. 1
Leucothyreus sp. 2
Leucothyreus sp. 3
Leucothyreus sp. 4
Liogenys bidenticeps
Liogenys fusca
Liogenys obesa
Liogenys sinuaticeps
Liogenys sp.
Macrodactylus sp.
Paranomala violacea
Phyllophaga triticophaga
Plectris sp.
Rhizogeniates sp.
Total
8
17
2
7
0
0
20
1
5
1
1
18
3
6
26
1
842
8
22
5
1
2
2
2
1
1
25
1
19
18
85
49
5
581
16
39
7
8
2
2
22
2
6
26
2
37
21
91
75
6
1423
NA
CA
CI95%
CI95%
0.6172*
1.5445*
1.3654
0.8305*
0.559660; 0.674822
1.510127; 1.578831
1.286844; 1.443900
0.742213; 0.918730
0.8905
0.9596
0.8484
0.7559
1.0180*
1.1556*
0.988671; 1.047281
1.134893; 1.176328
1.3522*
1.0822
0.2449*
1.2770*
0.8213*
0.6560*
1.242046; 1.462371
1.038302; 1.126088
0.215672; 0.274187
1.146997; 1.407070
0.792079; 0.850433
0.540464; 0.771487
0.8402
0.9851
0.3534
0.9212
0.5924
0.5971
0.7020*
0.6365*
0.6365
0.686280; 0.717717
0.418679; 0.854349
0.418679; 0.854349
0.5152*
0.7508*
0.5443*
1.8887*
0.481928; 0.548481
0.703290; 0.798256
0.509602; 0.578964
1.815328; 1.962170
0.6325
0.8336
0.5064
0.9183
0.9183
0.3716
0.4665
0.4954
0.8203
1.8369*
0.7356
1.3114
0.8240*
0.6680*
1.2351*
1.791835; 1.881965
0.541658; 0.929585
1.202456; 1.420406
0.715215; 0.932703
0.595785; 0.740250
1.172672; 1.297616
0.8360
0.6696
0.8148
0.7500
0.6081
0.8910
1.7489*
1.717021; 1.780779
0.0000
0.3154*
0.9636*
1.8107*
0.252952; 0.377840
0.927619; 0.999546
1.776091; 1.845224
1.1980*
1.2065*
0.8487
0.2166*
1.6726*
0.0000
1.182386; 1.213559
1.188516; 1.224491
0.703222; 0.994148
0.193453; 0.239666
1.587408; 1.757842
0.6686
0.8703
0.7725
0.1562
0.9335
0.9003*
0.8841*
0.0000
0.5908*
1.2106*
0.3337
2009
Cruz Alta
Iju
Itaara
Lagoa Vermelha
Nonoai
Panambi
Santa Rosa
So Francisco de Assis
Tapejara
Vacaria
Vila Maria
2010
Caseiros
Chapada
Coxilha
Dois Irmos das Missoes
Fortaleza dos Valos
Guabiju
Manoel Viana
Nova Palma
Porto Lucena
So Luiz Gonzaga
Trs Palmeiras
Tupanciret
0.752657; 1.047854
0.817288; 0.950825
0.543289; 0.638395
1.140199; 1.280916
0.307222; 0.360261
0.8410
0.2871
0.6951
0.8707
0.8194
0.5493
0.8524
0.8732
0.2074
Predom.
Db
N.Indiv.
CA
NA
CA
NA
Ce
CA
NA
Cyclocephala flavipennis
72
321
ED
va
ea
VF
EF
Diloboderus abderus
Cyclocephala modesta
Plectris sp.
Phyllophaga triticophaga
Demodema brevitarsis
Dyscinetus rugifrons
D. gagates
Leucothyreus sp. 1
Liogenys obesa
Liogenys sp.
L. sinuaticeps
L. fusca
L. bidenticeps
Anomonyx sp.
Tribo Sericini
Cyclocephala putrida
Paranomala violacea
Isonychus albicinctus
a
a
a
a
a
129
57
49
85
1
2
4
5
1
1
25
1
2
21
1
16
18
22
210
113
26
6
37
0
5
2
5
1
1
1
20
4
0
13
3
17
D
D
D
D
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
D
ND
ND
D
ND
D
D
D
ED
D
D
D
D
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
D
ND
D
ND
D
va
va
va
va
r
r
r
r
r
r
c
r
r
c
r
c
c
c
ea
va
A
C
va
c
s
c
s
s
s
c
s
c
s
c
VF
VF
VF
VF
PF
PF
PF
PF
PF
PF
F
PF
PF
F
PF
F
F
F
EF
VF
VF
F
VF
F
PF
F
PF
PF
PF
F
PF
F
PF
F
W
W
W
W
Z
Z
Z
Y
Z
Z
Y
Z
Z
Y
Z
Y
Y
Y
W
W
Y
Y
Y
Y
Z
Y
Z
Z
Z
Y
Z
Y
Z
Y
8
5
19
1
2
25
2
5
2
8
1
18
7
0
1
0
0
22
D
ND
D
ND
ND
D
ND
ND
ND
D
ND
D
D
ND
s
r
c
r
r
c
r
r
r
c
s
c
c
PF
PF
F
PF
PF
F
PF
PF
PF
F
PF
F
F
PF
Y
Z
Z
Z
Z
Y
Z
Z
Z
Y
Z
Y
Z
Geniates sp.
Rhizogeniates sp.
Macrodactylus sp.
Leucothyreus sp. 2
Leucothyreus sp. 3
Dicrania sp.
Leucothyreus sp. 4
Cyclocephala metrica
C. tucumana
NA
Fd
NA
CA
Ac
CA
NA
CA
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