Leaf domatia in montane forest and Caatinga in the semiarid of Pernambuco State: morphology and ecological implications/Domacias foliares em brejo de altitude e Caatinga no Semiarido pernambucano: morfologia e implicacoes ecologicas

• Published in: Acta scientiarum. Biological sciences Vol. 36; no. 3; p. 327
• Main Authors: Ramalho, Taciana Keila dos Anjos, Matos, Claudia Helena Cysneiros, de Melo, Andre Laurenio, de Oliveira, Carlos Romero Ferreira, Menezes, Tatiane Gomes Calaca, Silva, Juliana Kelly de Lima
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Maringa 01.07.2014
• ISSN: 1679-9283; 1807-863X
• DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v36i3.20275

Leaf domatia are cavity-shaped structures of different types or tufts of hairs located at the junction between ribs on the abaxial surface of the leaf blades of various families of angiosperms, serving as protection against phytophagous organisms by harboring beneficial mites, suggesting a mutualistic relationship. There is shortage of inventories of species with such structures; thus the present study examined native woody plant in two habitats of the backwoods of Pernambuco to identify the types of leaf domatia. 86 species were observed, 43 in Caatinga area, out of which five had domatia, and 43 in the montane forest, 11 species with domatia. Four types of domatia were observed: hairtufts, pocket, pit and revolute margin. There was predominance of plant species with leaf domatia in the area Carro Quebrado in Triunfo, Pernambuco State. These results corroborate the information available in the literature in which domatia are prevalent in more humid environments, and that these structures as micro-habitats influence the maintenance of diverse organisms. Keywords: leaf domatia, caatinga, montane forest, Pernambuco State. Domacias foliares sao estruturas em forma de cavidades de diferentes tipos ou tufos de tricomas localizados na juncao entre as nervuras, na face abaxial das laminas foliares de diversas familias de angiospermas, servindo de defesa contra organismos fitofagos por abrigarem acaros beneficos, sugerindo uma relacao mutualistica. Ha escassez de inventarios de especies apresentando essas estruturas; diante disso, o presente estudo analisou plantas lenhosas nativas em dois ambientes do sertao de Pernambuco, visando identificar os tipos de domacias foliares. Foram observadas 86 especies, 43 em area de Caatinga em as quais cinco apresentaram domacias e 43 no brejo de altitude, 11 especies com domacias. Foram encontrados quatro tipos de domacias: tufo de pelos, bolso, cova e orla. Na area do Carro Quebrado, Triunfo, Estado do Pernambuco, as plantas com domacias foliares foram predominantes. Estes resultados corroboram as informacoes disponiveis na literatura de que domacias sao predominantes em ambientes mais umidos, e que essas estruturas como micro-habitats, influenciam a manutencao de diversos organismos. Palavras-chave: domacias foliares, caatinga, brejo de altitude, Pernambuco.