Abstract
Environmental variables such as temperature and rainfall can directly affect the community structure of dipterans. Seasonal oscillations in the abundance of species of Drosophilidae reflect differences in how tolerant populations are to climatic conditions. Over a period of 14 months, we collected samples in two habitats in the Pampa biome in the municipality of São Luiz Gonzaga, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (28°24′28″S, 54°57′39″W). The influence of environmental variables on populations of Drosophilidae was evaluated for both collecting sites by using correlation analysis. The results suggested a negative correlation between the abundances of Drosophila cardinoides Dobzhansky & Pavan, Drosophila maculifrons Duda, Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, Drosophila nigricruria Patterson & Mainland, and Zygothrica vittimaculosa Burla with temperature, which is reflected in the distribution of these species within Brazil. Our findings are important for characterizing and preserving biodiversity in this almost-unknown biome in southern Brazil given the current climate change scenario.
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Acknowledgments
We thank marine biologist Nataly N. Slivak for helping us with the figures, Dr. Sidia M. Callegari Jacques for the help with the statistical analyses, and Dr. David Grimaldi from AMNH for his comments and criticism. We are also grateful to the members of the Laboratório de Drosophila (UFRGS) and to everyone from the laboratory sector at URI Santo Ângelo for helping us with collections, identifications, and discussion. Thanks to the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, PRONEX-FAPERGS (10/0028-7), and CAPES for providing grants and fellowships.
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Edited by Fernando B Noll – UNESP
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Poppe, J.L., Valente, V.L.S. & Schmitz, H.J. Population Dynamics of Drosophilids in the Pampa Biome in Response to Temperature. Neotrop Entomol 42, 269–277 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-013-0125-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-013-0125-5