Estudo da nematofauna em fragmentos de Mata Atlântica, Caatinga e em área produtora de coco do Estado de Pernambuco

Abstract

In the State of Pernambuco, there are the Caatinga and Atlantic Forest biomes. The Atlantic Forest has been diminished since the beginning of European colonization for the implantation of sugarcane plantations. The Caatinga biome is considered one of the most threatened ecosystems in Brazil. In Petrolina-PE, 35% of the areas of the Caatinga are reverted to agriculture and livestock, such as coconut production. The nematodes that occur in coconut producing areas are responsible for reducing the productive potential. In addition to the parasitic action, nematodes can be used as bioindicators of soil quality, as they are sensitive to edaphic disturbances. Thus, the study aimed to characterize the nematofauna and the physical and chemical attributes of the soil in the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga fragments, as well as to characterize the nematofauna and the physical and chemical attributes of the soil in a coconut producing area in Petrolina. Soil samples were randomly collected, 10 m apart from each other. After collection, the simple samples were separated for physical-chemical and nematological analyses. The physical and chemical analyzes were based on soil moisture, particle density, soil density, total porosity, pH, soil electrical conductivity, soil organic matter and carbon stock. Nematodes extracted from the soil were used for identification and quantification. Data were submitted to descriptive statistics, faunistic analysis, multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS), similarity analysis (ANOSIM), Pearson correlation and redundancy analysis (RDA). In view of this, it was concluded in this study that the Atlantic Forest, the Caatinga and the commercial planting of coconut trees had different physical and chemical properties and composition of nematode communities. Some genera of phytoparasitic nematodes that cause major problems in agriculture are naturally found in low population density in the Caatinga and Atlantic Forest. The nematode of the genus Bursaphelenchus, which causes the red ring, was restricted to the planting of coconut trees. Soil attributes such as electrical conductivity, carbon stock and temperature influenced nematode communities.