Influence of seasonality in plant bug species (Hemiptera - Heteroptera) associated with lobeira (Solanum Lycocarpum A. ST. HIL. – Solanaceae) in the Brazilian cerrado, Minas Gerais State

Abstract

Solanum lycocarpum A. St-Hil (wolf’s fruit or lobeira) (Solanaceae) is a perennial shrub typical of the Brazilian Cerrado (savanna), under constant cutting and burning due to anthropic activities for the development of agricultural and livestock farming. It presents therapeutic medicinal attributes for humans and wild animals primarily as an anthelmintics. Little is known about the insect fauna associated with S. lycocarpum, and no study has been conducted on the true bugs (Heteroptera) associated with it. For the study, the true bugs were sampled from ten points in the mesoregion of Triangulo Mineiro and Alto Paranaiba for one year in two seasonal periods of drought and rain. In each locality, 20 shrubs of S. lycocarpum were selected. Sampling was carried out with the aid of a beat net. In total, 593 individuals belonging to 22 genera and 25 species were sampled, distributed in four families: Miridae, Pentatomidae, Reduviidae, and Tingidae. The hypothesis that the Heteroptera assemblages associated with lobeira do not alter the ecological parameters was tested taking into account the environmental variation caused by seasonality (relative abundance, species richness, diversity Shannon, Simpson diversity, Shannon evenness, and Simpson dominance). The results showed that the association of the assembly of true bugs with the lobeira is positive for the stability of the ecological dynamics of the group. The wolf’s fruit is a perennial species that keeps its leaves, flowers, and fruits throughout the year, generating little variation in the availability of resources for associated species. Despite the anthropic effect of fires, the results showed that there was not enough pressure to modify the structure of the Heteroptera assembly. Thus, lobeira was proved as a significant species to maintain the ecological structure of Heteroptera assembly, even on seasonal and anthropogenic pressures.