How do frequent fires in the Cerrado alter the lepidopteran community?

Abstract

Despite the great biodiversity of lepidopterans, there are few studies focusing on caterpillars and the effects of fire on their community structure in the Cerrado. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of frequent fires every 2 years for 16 years, on the Lepidoptera larval community hosted on Byrsonima coccolobifolia (Malpighiaceae). The study was carried out in the Cerrado sensu stricto in the Reserva Ecológica of the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE-RECOR) (15°55 0 -15°58 0 S, 47°52 0 -47°55 0 W), in Distrito Federal, Brazil, from December 2005 to August 2006. We selected two burned parcels, one of which was burned during the mid-dry season (FM) and the other of which burned in the late dry season (FL), in addition to a preserved, unburned parcel (FA). In each parcel, 900 plants of B. coccolobifolia were inspected for caterpillars, which were then collected and reared in a laboratory of the University of Brasilia. We found 480 caterpillars from 49 species distributed in 16 Lepidoptera families. The frequency of plants with larvae, the number of caterpillars and species composition varied among parcels. In the unburned parcel the frequency of plants with caterpillars was 2.4 and 5.2 times higher than in burned parcels (FM and FL), respectively. The species richness did not differ among parcels, and an asymptotic curve was nearly reached in only the unburned parcel. The dominant species in the preserved parcel was Cerconota achatina (Elachistidae). In the FM, the dominant species was Concana mundissima (Noctuidae) and in the FL, the dominant species was Stenoma salome (Elachistidae). The dissimilarity between unburned and burned parcels was 64%. Results indicated that fire events have a strong negative impact on caterpillar abundance and species composition.

Short-term effects of fire on Papilionoidea (Lepidoptera) communities: a pilot study in Mediterranean maquis shrubland

“…The abundance of Lepidoptera species can increase in the first months after burning (Swengel 2001;Diniz et al 2011), likely due to their ability to rapidly immigrate into burned areas (Knight & Holt 2005). Our data and those of Verdasca et al (2012) and Elia et al (2012) are consistent with this view, suggesting that occasional fires can have positive effects on richness and abundance.…”

Accidental Fire in the Cerrado: Its Impact on Communities of Caterpillars on Two Species ofErythroxylum

“…Although we did not replicate each treatment, our results reflect the effect of fire, as we have followed the changes in communities of caterpillars on various plant species for several years in protected areas from fire [21,23,38,42], and in addition, we have surveyed caterpillars on other plant species in postfire conditions, with similar results (unpublished data). Furthermore, some studies suggest the impossibility of replication treatments when it comes from natural phenomena occurring on a large scale, as in the case of burning [43].…”

“…Research conducted in the same region with the community of caterpillars associated with Byrsonima (Malpighiaceae), showed that if the fire in the cerrado is recurrent every two years during the dry season, the results are quite different [38] from those previously discussed. In this case, the abundance and species richness of caterpillars in areas with frequent fires were markedly less than the abundance and species richness of caterpillars in areas protected from fire for more than 30 years.…”

Direct and Short-Term Effects of Fire on Lizard Assemblages from a Neotropical Savanna Hotspot

“…Possibly for similar reasons, the abundance of most Cerrado lizards was not affected or even increased in the short-term after burns. The abundance of Coleoptera, Homoptera, and Lepidoptera increases in the first months after burning in the Cerrado (Diniz et al, 2011), presumably as a consequence of increased flowering (Prada et al, 1995).…”