Distribuição espacial de formigueiros de Acromyrmex crassispinus (Forel)(Hymenoptera: Formicidae) em plantios de Pinus taeda

• Published in: Neotropical entomology Vol. 39; no. 6
• Main Authors: Nickele, Mariane A(Univ Federal do Paraná Depto de Zoologia Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia), Oliveira, Edilson B de(Embrapa Florestas), Reis Filho, Wilson(Embrapa Florestas), Iede, Edson T(Embrapa Florestas), Ribeiro, Rodrigo D(Turfal Ind e Com de Prod Biol e Agron Ltda)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil 2010
• Subjects: Leaf-cutting ant; Pinus pest; Poisson distribution; reforestation
• ISSN: 1519-566X; 1678-8052

The spatial distribution of insects is essential to perform control strategies, to improve sample techniques and to estimate economic losses. We aimed to determine the spatial distribution of nests of Acromyrmex crassispinus (Forel) in Pinus taeda plantations. The experiments were carried out in P. taeda plantations with different ages (treatments: recently-planted, three and six-year old plants). The study took place in Rio Negrinho and in Três Barras, SC. Three plots of one hectare were delimited in each treatment, and plots were divided in 64 sample units. The analysis of the dispersion index [variance/mean relationship (I), index of Morisita (Iδ) and k exponent of negative binomial distribution] showed that the majority of the samplings presented random distribution. Among the three distributions of probabilities studied: Poisson, positive binomial and negative binomial, the Poisson distribution was the best model to fit the spatial distribution of A. crassispinus nests in all samplings. The result was a random distribution in the plantings of different ages.