Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicine) as Carriers of Microorganisms Indicating Hygienic and Sanitary Conditions in Urban Schools.

The presence of ants in school kitchens and canteens may pose a risk of food contamination. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential of the ants as carriers of microorganisms indicating hygienic and sanitary conditions in school kitchens and canteens in the western region of Santa Catarina. Ten samples were collected with up to ten ants in the kitchen and canteen environments in nine urban schools. The ants were evaluated using microbiological analyses regarding Staphylococcus aureus, aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms/Escherichia coli. Twenty ant species were sampled. Four species presented counts for S. aureus, eight for aerobic mesophilic bacteria and three for total coliforms. The results evidenced the potential of ants as indicators of contamination and the risk of ants to carrier microorganisms in school environments and an important diversity occurring in indoor environments.

Richness and structure of ant assemblies (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Atlantic forest in southern Brazil.

Ant diversity is influenced by the structural complexity of the environment. Ants are thus an ecologically important group due to their potential to serve as indicators of environmental quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate ant diversity in areas with different land use histories and thus, within different stages of regeneration in the Permanent Preservation Area of the Foz do Chapecó Hydroelectric Plant reservoir. Ant assemblies among sample sites were compared using rarefaction analysis, and estimated richness, frequency of occurrence, and relative abundance were calculated. Associations between species and sample sites were evaluated using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). We identified 55 species in total from 24 genera, distributed among seven subfamilies. Eight species had positive associations with sample sites. Estimates indicated that ant richness may be up to 21.4% greater than that observed. This study presents an inventory of species capable of colonizing environments undergoing natural regeneration processes, and aids our understanding of ecological recovery dynamics in protected areas near hydroelectric plant reservoirs southern Brazil.

ATLANTIC ANTS: a data set of ants in Atlantic Forests of South America.

Ants, an ecologically successful and numerically dominant group of animals, play key ecological roles as soil engineers, predators, nutrient recyclers, and regulators of plant growth and reproduction in most terrestrial ecosystems. Further, ants are widely used as bioindicators of the ecological impact of land use. We gathered information of ant species in the Atlantic Forest of South America. The ATLANTIC ANTS data set, which is part of the ATLANTIC SERIES data papers, is a compilation of ant records from collections (18,713 records), unpublished data (29,651 records), and published sources (106,910 records; 1,059 references), including papers, theses, dissertations, and book chapters published from 1886 to 2020. In total, the data set contains 153,818 ant records from 7,636 study locations in the Atlantic Forest, representing 10 subfamilies, 99 genera, 1,114 ant species identified with updated taxonomic certainty, and 2,235 morphospecies codes. Our data set reflects the heterogeneity in ant records, which include ants sampled at the beginning of the taxonomic history of myrmecology (the 19th and 20th centuries) and more recent ant surveys designed to address specific questions in ecology and biology. The data set can be used by researchers to develop strategies to deal with different macroecological and region-wide questions, focusing on assemblages, species occurrences, and distribution patterns. Furthermore, the data can be used to assess the consequences of changes in land use in the Atlantic Forest on different ecological processes. No copyright restrictions apply to the use of this data set, but we request that authors cite this data paper when using these data in publications or teaching events.

Richness and structure of ant assemblies (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Atlantic forest in southern Brazil

ABSTRACT Ant diversity is influenced by the structural complexity of the environment. Ants are thus an ecologically important group due to their potential to serve as indicators of environmental quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate ant diversity in areas with different land use histories and thus, within different stages of regeneration in the Permanent Preservation Area of the Foz do Chapecó Hydroelectric Plant reservoir. Ant assemblies among sample sites were compared using rarefaction analysis, and estimated richness, frequency of occurrence, and relative abundance were calculated. Associations between species and sample sites were evaluated using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). We identified 55 species in total from 24 genera, distributed among seven subfamilies. Eight species had positive associations with sample sites. Estimates indicated that ant richness may be up to 21.4% greater than that observed. This study presents an inventory of species capable of colonizing environments undergoing natural regeneration processes, and aids our understanding of ecological recovery dynamics in protected areas near hydroelectric plant reservoirs southern Brazil.

Plant extracts, metaldehyde and saline solutions on the population control of Bradybaena similaris / Extratos vegetais, metaldeído e soluções salinas para o controle populacional de Bradybaena similaris

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to test the efficiency of plant extracts, metaldehyde and saline solutions, as alternatives to the population control of the snail Bradybaena similaris , and to investigate the effect of the plant extracts in reducing the damage of the snail on Brassica oleracea . The experiments were performed at the Entomology Laboratory of the Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó (Unochapecó), using a random experimental design with nine treatments in triplicate. Five adult individuals of B. similaris were subjected to each trial, totaling 135 snails. The following treatments were tested: cinnamon ( Melia azedarach ), timbó ( Ateleia glazioveana ), rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis ), mate herb ( Ilex paraguariensis ), two concentrations of metaldehyde (3% and 5%), two concentrations of salt solution (5% and 10 %), and a control treatment (distilled water). To evaluate the survival of B. similaris it was checked the treatments every 24 hours, over four consecutive days. The results revealed that the two concentrations of metaldehyde were fully efficient, that the saline solution (10%) had and intermediate efficiency, and that all other treatments were not effective. The treatment with the M. azedarach extract induced a higher consumption of B. oleracea , while the saline solution at 10% and the extracts of R. officinalis and I. paraguariensis inhibited leaf consumption.

RESUMO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência de extratos vegetais, metaldeído e soluções salinas como alternativas para o controle populacional de Bradybaena similaris e o efeito dos extratos para a redução dos danos sobre Brassica oleracea , em condições de laboratório (Laboratório de Entomologia da Unochapecó, Chapecó, Santa Catarina). O experimento foi conduzido utilizando cinco indivíduos adultos de B. similares para cada um dos nove tratamentos em triplicatas, totalizando 135 caracóis. Os seguintes tratamentos foram testados: extrato de cinamomo ( Melia azedarach ), timbó ( Ateleia glazioveana ), alecrim ( Rosmarinus officinalis ), erva-mate ( Ilex paraguariensis ), metaldeído (3% e 5%), soluções salinas (5% e 10%) e a testemunha (água destilada). Para avaliação dos dados, foi determinada a taxa de sobrevivência de B. similaris a cada 24 horas em um período de quatro dias. Os resultados obtidos indicam que as duas concentrações de metaldeído foram eficientes, a solução salina (10%) apresentou eficiência intermediária, enquanto os demais tratamentos não foram eficazes. Observou-se que o tratamento com extrato de M. azedarach induziu a um consumo maior de B. oleracea , enquanto a solução salina a 10% e os extratos de R. officinalis e I. paraguariensis inibiram o consumo.