Protocolo de coleta e diversidade de Membracidae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) em áreas de Mata Atlântica da Paraíba

Abstract

The family Membracidae comprises about 3.200 described species and is distributed worldwide (with the exception of the Arctic and Antarctic). Although the greatest diversity is found in the Neotropics, few ecological studies have been directed to this group in Brazil. The present study aimed to establish a sampling protocol, as well as to inventory and analyze the similarity of the fauna of treehoppers in areas of the Atlantic Forest of Paraíba. The protocol was standardized in 100 sampling units and four sampling techniques were used: active collection (30 units), yellow adhesive cards placed in the understory (30 units) and in the canopy (30 units) and light trap (10 units). Samples were collected in four representative areas of Atlantic Forest in the state: REBIO Guaribas (3,016ha), RPGN Engenho Gargaú (1,058.6ha), RPPN Fazenda Pacatuba (266,53ha) and RVS Mata do Buraquinho (519,75ha). To evaluate the efficiency of the protocol, the performance was analyzed through rarefaction, and the complementary of the methods was analyzed through the Jaccard index. Species accumulation curves were also made using the Chao 1 and Chao 2 estimators and the sample sufficiency was calculated in each area. The similarity between the areas was evaluated for abundance (ANOVA) and richness (ANOSIM). The richness of the Atlantic Forest was estimated through Chao 1 and Chao2. In total, 2,612 individuals belonging to 85 species were collected. The methods showed high complementarity with values varying from 63% to 78%. The richness sampled in the areas varied between 34 and 58 species, with an average of 85.2% of sample sufficiency. The RPPN Engenho Gargaú and REBIO Guaribas differed (p = 0.034) with regard to species abundance. The results show that the taxocenosis of treehoppers among sampled areas are similar both in composition and patterns is species distribution and abundance.