Comunidade de artrópodes de uma caverna calcária em área de mineração: composição e estrutura

Túlio de Matos Cerqueira Gomes, FlávioLopes Ferreira, RodrigoMaria Jacobi, Claudia

Caves are stable environments characterized by the lack of light. The aim of this study was to determine the arthropod community structure of Ciminas cave (Pedro Leopoldo city, MG) and which environment variables can influence their spatial distribution. Four manual recollections were made during the period from September to December of 1999. Some environmental variables were measured in each section. We found 66 morphospecies, distributed in one Sub-Class, Acari and 15 orders: Amblypygi, Araneida, Coleoptera, Diptera, Ensifera, Isopoda, Isoptera, Heteroptera, Hymenoptera, Homoptera, Lepidoptera, Spirosrtreptida, Psocoptera, Pseudoescorpionida and Thysanoptera. The temperature and humidity were not strongly variable (18 and 24oC, 83% and 100% respectively) and apparently did not show any relation with the artrhopods distribution. The community seems to be structured by scavenger species, that feed on bat guano and litter imported to the cave, and predator species that feed on them. Ciminas cave community presented the same artrhopods taxa found in other caves of the area. However, it is impossible to evaluate the real influence of the mining activities in its community, since no studies were carried out before the beginning of those activities.