0.05). It has been demonstrated that most of the species found in native vegetation occur also in the eucalypt plantations, although these ones present a drastic diminution of the species density, suggesting that the ant regional richness do not depend on the complexity of the habitat, because the cerrado ant fauna is well conserved in the eucalypt plantations, contradicting most of the literature on this subject.]]>

Impact of Formicid Granulated Baits on Non-Target Ants in Eucalyptus Plantations According to Two Forms of Application ABSTRACT-The effect of localized and systematic use of granulated bait for cutting ant control was assessed on a community of non-target ants in eucalyptus in the municipality of Bom Despacho, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The ants were collected in Winkler traps on three occasions: eight days before bait distribution, eight and sixty days after distribution by removing the mirmecofauna from 50 1-m 2 samples of litter. A total of 102 species was collected belonging to six sub-families. The seven most frequent ant species were analyzed in more detail to assess more precisely the consequences of insecticide treatments. The study showed that systematic control caused negative and more prolonged impact on the ant community than localized control.

RESUMO -O efeito das capinas mecânica e química do sub-bosque em plantações de eucaliptos e as conseqüências desses tratamentos sobre a comunidade de formigas foram avaliados no município de Bom Despacho, Minas Gerais, Brasil. As formigas foram coletadas com o extrator de Winkler. Coletou-se um total de 86 espécies, pertencentes a seis subfamílias. Oito dias após as capinas, o número de espécies reduziu-se de um quarto para os dois tipos de capina. Sessenta dias após, o número de espécies tendeu a retornar ao estágio inicial, verificando-se que a eliminação do sub-bosque causa efeito deletério imediato, de igual intensidade e de pouca duração sobre a comunidade de formigas. As razões das variações observadas serão discutidas. Palavras-chave:Formicidae, eucalipto, manejo, diversidade e serapilheira. IMPACT OF MECHANICAL AND CHEMICAL WEEDINGS OF EUCALYPTS GRANDIS UNDERGROWTH ON AN ANT COMMUNITY (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE)ABSTRACT -

The ant communities in both a native cerrado remnant in good preservation conditions and an anthropized area have been studied at Bom Despacho, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The Winkler technique was used to extract the litter ants, taking out 50 one-square meter litter samples in each area. Sixty-seven species were collected in the well-preserved cerrado area, and 45 in the anthropized one. Important differences were observed between the cerrado remnant and the degraded area, mainly regarding the generic and specific richness. Species richness (Chao2 index) in the native area proved to be higher, while the dominance, evaluated by the Berger-Parker index, was 0.11 (for Solenopsis sp.1) in this area, and 0.13 (for Pheidole fallax) in the degraded one. The dispersion index (P05) showed that the native community is more homogenous that of the degraded cerrado. The Myrmicinae were most frequently found (49 species), followed by the Formicinae (17 species). Camponotus and Pheidole had the largest species numbers (10 for each) among all genera.   Keywords: Savanna, Neotropical Region, Insecta, diversity, degradation, Winkler trap, litter.