Relationship between banana plant cultivation and stream macroinvertebrate communities

Abstract

AIMS: The present study describes the influence of banana plant cultivation on macroinvertebrate communities of streams located in the southeastern region of São Paulo state in the Atlantic Forest (four located in areas of banana cultivation and four in preserved areas); METHODS: Sampling was performed during October and November of 2005. The fauna was collected with Surber sampler and a D-aquatic net (both with mesh of 0.25 mm) in rapids and backwaters. Simultaneously, an environmental characterization of each stream was made; RESULTS: In total, 3,609 individuals were collected, distributed in 57 families, in which 45 were in forested streams and 46 in the banana plantation sites. Gripopterygidae, Perlidae, Leptophlebiidae, Leptoceridae, Helicopsychidae and Palaemonidae were abundant in forested streams, while Hydropsychidae, Chironomidae and Baetidae were abundant in the streams located in banana cultivation areas. Cluster analysis (UPGMA) with Simpson similarity measurement applied to the fauna of all streams evidenced the differences between forested and banana plantation streams. An analysis of similarity applied to both situations also pointed to significant differences (p < 0.05) between the two areas; CONCLUSIONS: This agricultural activity, although did not influence species richness patterns, seems to influence the structure of macroinvertebrate communities in low order streams in the Atlantic Forest region.