Patterns of taxonomic and functional diversity of termites along a tropical elevational gradient |
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| Authors: | Cássio A. Nunes André V. Quintino Reginaldo Constantino Daniel Negreiros Ronaldo Reis Júnior Geraldo Wilson Fernandes |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Laboratório de Ecologia de Popula??es, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil;2. Laboratório de Ecologia e Conserva??o de Invertebrados, Departamento de Biologia, Setor de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil;3. Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade/DBG, ICB/Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil;4. Laboratório de Termitologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil;5. Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Computacional, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil;6. Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, U.S.A |
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| Abstract: | Patterns of termite richness along elevation gradients may be related to different responses by termite functional groups to changes in environmental conditions. We investigated the distribution of termite species richness along an elevational gradient of cerrado and rupestrian grasslands in the Espinhaço Mountain Range, in Brazil. Fifty termite species were recorded, with the family Termitidae being dominant; 16 species are endemic to open areas of cerrado and 1 species, Cortaritermes rizzinii, is endemic and restricted to mountaintop grassland habitats. Termite richness declined with increasing elevation, with the main factors associated with the reduction being climactic (air temperature, air and soil humidity, and radiation) and vegetation variables. Different termite communities were found along the elevational gradient, which were also strongly influenced by changes in climate and vegetation. On the other hand, the same functional groups were present at the different elevations, although represented by different species. |
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| Keywords: | altitude beta diversity Eltonian Niche Grinnellian Niche selection Serra do Cipó species distribution |
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