Répteis S quamata dos cacauais do norte do Espírito Santo, Brasil: diversidade comparada entre três modalidades de cultivo

Abstract

Intensive land use, mainly due to the expansion of agriculture and livestock, is growing to meet the needs of the world's population. As a result, direct pressure on natural habitats has affected several taxonomic groups, including reptiles. The Atlantic Rainforest biome in Brazil, for example, has lost much of its original coverage, and sustainable alternatives have been discussed in order to reduce these impacts, aiming to conciliate food production with conservation of biodiversity and natural resources. Cocoas plantations in the Atlantic rainforest is concentrate in coastal region of the Brazilian states of Bahia and Espírito Santo; however, little is known about the biodiversity of these plantations, mainly in Espírito Santo, where few studies have been conducted. Therefore, the aim of this study was to do an inventory of the Squamata species that occurs at Linhares cocoa plantations, north of Espírito Santo, and to compare species richness and composition among the three most used crops in this region, in order to evaluate the potential of each one for the conservation of the regional squamate fauna. The study was carried out in four cocoa farms in the municipality of Linhares, Espírito Santo, Brazil. The cultivation types investigated were AFS cocoa-cabruca-like (cocoa plantation shaded by native trees of the Atlantic rainforest), AFS cocoa-syringe-like (shaded only by rubber trees) and cocoa in full sun (cocoa plantations without shading). Sampling was performed using four different methods: pitfall traps, night active search, occasional encounter and collections by locals. The study lasted 12 months (January to December 2018). The results obtained here show that species richness and abundance were significantly different among the three crop types. Through cluster analysis, it was possible to notice a greater species similarity between cocoa-cabruca and cocoa-syringe, whereas cocoa in full sun was the lowest similarity. Cocoa-cabruca cultivation had higher species richness (n = 25), followed by cocoa-syringe (n = 16) and cocoa in full sun (n = 12). Arboreal lizards only appeared in cocoa-cabruca cultivation. Among the cultivations, cocoa-cabruca revealed 15 exclusive species to this type of cultivation, cocoa-syringe and cocoa in full sun, only three. In addition, species demanding for forest habitat were found only in cocoa-cabruca, while more generalist and predominantly open-area species were more common in cocoa-syringe and cocoa crops in full sun. The squamate fauna of Linhares cacao farms represents 48.5% of the total fauna already known to all the municipality. However, the present study revealed four new records for the same. In addition, the collector curve of each type of crop shows the possibility of the new species records, suggesting the need for further studies in these areas. This study highlights the importance of cabrucas for the conservation of the regional fauna, and other crops may not offer adequate conditions and resources for some more demanding species