Ecological contribution of entomofauna (Arthropoda: Insecta) to an organic crop

• Autor(a) principal: Monteiro, Carla Patricio
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Farias, Patricia Menegaz de
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista Verde de Agroecologia e Desenvolvimento Sustentavel
• Texto Completo: https://www.gvaa.com.br/revista/index.php/RVADS/article/view/9411
• topic: Agroecology; Coleoptera; Sustainability; Agroecología; Coleoptera; Sustantabilidad; Agroecologia; Coleoptera; Sustentabilidade

The dominance in terms of entomofauna abundance in ecosystems is mainly due to the ecological functions they have. Insects are essential for the maintenance of agroecosystems as they interfere in the primary production of the crop. Conserving the abundance of beneficial entomofauna in agroecosystems is crucial for the stability of the habitat. This work was done to analyze the composition and structure of the insect community present in polycultures of organic vegetable crops in the southern region of Santa Catarina. The research was carried out at Chácara Koscrevic, located in the city of Laguna, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Six samples were taken in the summer of 2019/2020 and in the spring of 2020 using baited pitfall traps (sardines and honey) and randomly distributed by cultivation according to crop rotation. A total of 4,303 individuals were registered, distributed in eight orders, with Coleoptera and Hymenoptera being the most abundant. In terms of dominance, Coleoptera individuals prevailed in summer, totaling 1,106 individuals, and Hymenoptera in spring, with 628 individuals. The data indicate that the structure of the entomofauna can be affected by the climatic season. The fauna in summer is more diverse when compared to spring, following the characteristic pattern of insects. The edaphic attributes have significance in relation to fauna, that is, they interfere in its structure. The presence of beneficial insects was observed, such as specimens of Dermaptera, Staphylinidae and Megacephala (Tetracha) fulgida, contributing to the biological control of pests and the pollination of cultivated plants, demonstrating sustainability in organic crops.