Ecosystem Services Provided by Insects in Brazil: What Do We Really Know?

Insects are the most abundant and diverse organisms on Earth and provide essential ecosystem services. However, Brazilian society rarely consider the importance of insects in their diverse country. Therefore, in this review, we provide an overview of ecosystem services provided by insects in Brazil. A database search returned 136 articles, published in English or Portuguese, on ecosystem services provided by insects in Brazil. The first article was published in 1982, and majority of the studies were conducted in the Atlantic Forest or the Cerrado biomes. The most frequently studied insect-provided ecosystem services were pollination, decomposition, and biological control of pests. The studies focused primarily on natural and anthropic ecosystems, and most followed an experimental approach. We noted that the term "ecosystem services" was not used frequently in studies on insects in Brazil. The information available was mostly taxon-biased. We discuss the implications of these findings in relation to reconciling economic interests and the need for insect conservation for continued provision of ecosystem services in a broader perspective. In conclusion, we argue that the scientific community should focus on understanding the ecosystem services provided by insects other than those strictly related to economic activities, and on improving communication with policymakers and citizens. As a tropical and megadiverse country, Brazil has the potential to become a protagonist in conserving and using the ecosystem services provided by insects, both locally and internationally, by providing scientific information to policymakers and citizens.

Brazilian Legislation Leaning Towards Fast Registration of Biological Control Agents to Benefit Organic Agriculture.

Brazil is one of the main users of chemical pesticides in the world. These products threaten human and environmental health, and many of them are prohibited in countries other than Brazil. This paradigm exists in contrast with worldwide efforts to make the need for food production compatible with biodiversity conservation, preservation of ecosystem services, and human health. In this scenario, the development of sustainable methods for crop production and pest management such as organic agriculture and biological control are necessary. Herein, we describe how the process of registration of natural enemy-based products in organic agriculture is simpler and faster than the conventional route of chemical insecticides and can favor the development of the biological control market in Brazil. Since the regulatory mechanisms have been established in Brazil for organic agriculture, the number of biological control products registered has increased exponentially. Today, 50 companies and associations are marketing 16 species/isolates and 95 natural enemy-based products. Although this scenario presents a series of new opportunities to increase and stimulate a more sustainable agriculture in the country, biological control is not always aligned with the aims and philosophy of organic agriculture and agroecology. Therefore, we also argue that new research efforts are needed on understanding how conservation biological control strategies can be integrated with augmentation biological control to promote a sustainable agriculture under the concepts of organic agriculture and agroecology.

Coccinellidae Parasitoids in Brazil: Neglected Species in a Mega-Diverse Country.

Current knowledge on coccinellids is primarily focused on their role as natural enemies of soft-bodied insects. However, there is a great diversity of coccinellid parasitoid species that are less studied. Here, we describe new records of coccinellid parasitoids with emphasis on new host-parasitoid interactions in 11 sample sites in Brazil. We collected 122 coccinellid individuals parasitized by six species of parasitoids in the Cerrado and in the Atlantic Rainforest biomes. New records of coccinellid parasitoids and host associations, expansion of habitat ranges and interactions are discussed focusing on the lack of basic information on these interactions in Brazil.

Field evaluation of Bt cotton crop impact on nontarget pests: cotton aphid and boll weevil.

Bt cotton plants expressing Cry1Ac protein have high specificity for the control of lepidopteran larvae. However, studies conducted in several countries have shown these plants have a differential impact on nontarget herbivores. The aim of this study was to compare the colonization rates and population abundance of the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in plots of Bt (Nuopal) and non-Bt cotton (Delta Opal) in an experimental field in Brasilia, DF, Brazil. No difference was observed in the preference and colonization by winged aphids to plants from the two treatments. There was no significant difference in abundance of wingless aphids or in the production of winged aphids between treatments. Apparently, the parameters that control factors such as fecundity, survival, and dispersal were similar on both Bt and non-Bt plants. Monitoring of plants for coccinellids, a specialist predator of aphids, and ants that act on the dispersal of aphids among plants showed no significant difference between Bt and non-Bt plants, supporting the inference above. Regarding the effect on boll weevil, there was also no significant difference between treatments in the total number of fruiting structures attacked in each plot, the percentage of fruiting structures attacked per plant or on the number of weevils emerging from fruits with boll weevil damage from egg-laying, when damaged fruit samples were held in the laboratory. Based on these results, we conclude that there is no impact of Bt cotton crop expressing Cry1Ac on the nontarget herbivores tested under field conditions.

Conservação de inimigos naturais (Insecta) em tomateiro orgânico / Conservation of natural enemies (Insecta) in the organic tomato crop

A adoção de práticas culturais como o consórcio de culturas e o tipo de irrigação podem beneficiar a comunidade de inimigos naturais no agroecossistema ao disponibilizar micro-habitas mais favoráveis e recursos alternativos, principalmente em períodos de baixa precipitação pluviométrica. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar como o consórcio tomate + coentro e o tipo de irrigação (gotejamento e aspersão) podem beneficiar a comunidade de inimigos naturais no agroecossistema do tomateiro. O trabalho foi realizado no campo experimental da Embrapa Hortaliças, Gama, DF, de setembro a novembro de 2008. Os tomateiros foram plantados em monocultura ou consorciados com o coentro e irrigados por gotejamento e por aspersão (três repetições por tratamento), formando dois conjuntos de parcelas experimentais de acordo com o tipo de irrigação. A comunidade de inimigos naturais foi amostrada por observações diretas em 20 plantas de tomate por parcela e nas plantas de coentro sacudindo-se as plantas em cima de uma bandeja onde eram coletados os insetos. A abundância, riqueza e diversidade das espécies de inimigos naturais foram maiores nas parcelas cultivadas com coentro, independente do sistema de irrigação. Nas parcelas plantadas em monocultura foram encontradas mais espécies quando o tomateiro foi irrigado por aspersão. No entanto, a resposta de cada espécie de inimigo natural ou grupo de espécies foi distinta para o consórcio ou o tipo de irrigação. Portanto, em períodos de baixa precipitação, o consórcio tomate + coentro e a irrigação por aspersão podem favorecer a conservação de inimigos naturais no agroecossistema do tomateiro orgânico.

The adoption of cultural practices such as companion plants and the kind of irrigation system can benefit the community of natural enemies in the agroecosystem due to the increase of more favorable microhabitats available and as a source of alternative resources, mainly in periods of low precipitation. This study evaluated how the tomato + coriander intercrop and the kind of irrigation (drip and sprinkler) could benefit the community of natural enemies in the tomato agroecosystem. This work was carried out in the experimental field of Embrapa Hortaliças, Gama, DF, from September to November 2008. The tomatoes were planted in monoculture or with coriander (companion plant) and irrigated by drip and sprinkler irrigation (three replicates per treatment), forming two groups of experimental plots according to the kind of irrigation. The community of natural enemies was sampled by the direct observation of specimens on 20 tomatoes plants per plot and in the treatments. Coriander plants were shaken over a plastic tray for collection of insects. The abundance, richness and diversity of natural enemies were higher in tomato + coriander plots, regardless of the irrigation system. We observed more species of natural enemies in tomato monoculture plots when it was irrigated by sprinkler irrigation. However, the cultural practices adopted had a different effect on each species or group of species. Therefore, in periods of low precipitation, the tomato + coriander consortium associated with sprinkler irrigation can enhance the conservation of natural enemies in the organic tomato agroecosystem.