Environmental monitoring of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the influence areas of Santo Antônio Hydroelectric Power-Plant in Rondônia, Brazil.

Study Extent

The sites cover a latitudinal gradient of approximately 100 km in the Brazilian Amazon Basin. Sampling design included six sampling modules with six plots each totaling 30 sampling plot. Sampling plots were distrubuted with 0 km, 0.5 km, 1 km, 2 km, 3 km and 4 km, measured perpendiculary from the river margin towards the interior of the forest. For the purpose of impact indicators, the first two campaigns 1-2 (September 2011 to November 2011) were carried out in the pre-filling period, while the campaigns 3-10 (February 2012 to November 2014) were carried out after the filling of the Hydroelectric reservoir. The campaigns were conducted during dry and rainy season of amazon, during four years with intervals of three months between each campaigns (whenever it possible).

Sampling

We have collected along the transects (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4), the amount of 1m2 of leaf litter were collected. Leaf litter was sifted through a wire sieve of 1-cm mesh size, by shaking the sifter vigorously at least 15 times. The sifted leaf litter was then placed in a mini-Winkler extractor for 24 h (see Agosti et al. 2000 for a detailed discussion of this method). If the sifted leaf litter volume exceeded the capacity of a single mini-Winkler extractor, a second extractor was used. Only worker ants were counted in the samples and recorded as incidence data for analysis. Subsequently, in the laboratory, ants were sorted to morphospecies, vouchers of each morphospecies were mounted, and morphospecies were identified to named species whenever permitted by current taxonomy.

Method steps

1. The protocol adopted for collection of litter ants was called ALL Protocol (leaflet ants), Globally standardized on inventories of a litter ant fauna (Alonso & Agosti, 2000). In each module, a transect of 5 km was used, in which the first six plots were used: 0 km, 0.5 km, 1.0 km, 2.0 km, 3.0 km and 4.0 km In each plot, five subplots (1 x 1 m) were placed in the following positions within the plot: 50 m, 100 m, 150 m, 200 m and 250 m. Samples collected in each of the subplots were placed in mini-Winkler type extractors and screened after 24 hours, completing the sorting. The material was placed in 90% alcohol, identified and analyzed in sequence to each of the collection campaigns, using stereoscope microscope.

All the ants were identified to Family, Subfamily, Genus and Species or morphoespecies.

1. Formicidae Latreille, 1809
   rank: family
2. Agroecomyrmecinae Carpenter, 1930.
   rank: subfamily
3. Tatuidris Brown & Kempf, 1968
   rank: genus
4. Amblyoponinae Forel, 1893.
   rank: subfamily
5. Fulakora Mann, 1919.
   rank: genus
6. Prionopelta Mayr, 1866.
   rank: genus
7. Dolichoderinae Forel, 1878.
   rank: subfamily
8. Azteca Forel, 1878.
   rank: genus
9. Dolichoderus Lund, 1831.
   rank: genus
10. Linepithema Mayr, 1866.
    rank: genus
11. Tapinoma Foerster, 1850.
    rank: genus
12. Dorylinae Leach, 1815.
    rank: subfamily
13. Cheliomyrmex Mayr, 1870.
    rank: genus
14. Eciton Latreille, 1804.
    rank: genus
15. Labidus Jurine, 1807.
    rank: genus
16. Neivamyrmex Borgmeier, 1940.
    rank: genus
17. Neocerapachys Borowiec, 2016.
    rank: genus
18. Syscia Roger, 1861.
    rank: genus
19. Ectatomminae Emery, 1895.
    rank: subfamily
20. Ectatomma Smith, 1858.
    rank: genus
21. Gnamptogenys Roger, 1863.
    rank: genus
22. Typhlomyrmex Mayr, 1862.
    rank: genus
23. Formicinae Latreille, 1809.
    rank: subfamily
24. Acropyga Roger, 1862.
    rank: genus
25. Brachymyrmex Mayr, 1868.
    rank: genus
26. Camponotus Mayr, 1861.
    rank: genus
27. Gigantiops Roger, 1863.
    rank: genus
28. Nylanderia Emery, 1906.
    rank: genus
29. Myrmicinae Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1835.
    rank: subfamily
30. Acromyrmex Mayr, 1865.
    rank: genus
31. Allomerus Mayr, 1878.
    rank: genus
32. Apterostigma Mayr, 1865.
    rank: genus
33. Atta Fabricius, 1804.
    rank: genus
34. Basiceros Schulz, 1906.
    rank: genus
35. Blepharidatta Wheeler, 1915.
    rank: genus
36. Carebara Westwood, 1840.
    rank: genus
37. Cephalotes Latreille, 1802.
    rank: genus
38. Crematogaster Lund, 1831.
    rank: genus
39. Cyphomyrmex Mayr, 1862.
    rank: genus
40. Eurhopalothrix Brown & Kempf, 1961.
    rank: genus
41. Hylomyrma Forel, 1912.
    rank: genus
42. Lachnomyrmex Wheeler, 1910.
    rank: genus
43. Megalomyrmex Forel, 1885.
    rank: genus
44. Monomorium Mayr, 1855.
    rank: genus
45. Mycetarotes Emery, 1913.
    rank: genus
46. Mycocepurus Forel, 1893.
    rank: genus
47. Myrmicocrypta Smith, 1860.
    rank: genus
48. Nesomyrmex Wheeler, 1910.
    rank: genus
49. Ochetomyrmex Mayr, 1878.
    rank: genus
50. Octostruma Forel, 1912.
    rank: genus
51. Oxyepoecus Santschi, 1926.
    rank: genus
52. Pheidole Westwood, 1839.
    rank: genus
53. Rhopalothrix Mayr, 1870.
    rank: genus
54. Rogeria Emery, 1894.
    rank: genus
55. Sericomyrmex Mayr, 1865.
    rank: genus
56. Solenopsis Westwood, 1840.
    rank: genus
57. Stegomyrmex Emery, 1912.
    rank: genus
58. Strumigenys Smith, 1860.
    rank: genus
59. Tetramorium Mayr, 1855.
    rank: genus
60. Trachymyrmex Forel, 1893.
    rank: genus
61. Tranopelta Mayr, 1866.
    rank: genus
62. Wasmannia Forel, 1893.
    rank: genus
63. Ponerinae Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1835.
    rank: subfamily
64. Anochetus Mayr, 1861
    rank: genus
65. Dinoponera Roger, 1861
    rank: genus
66. Hypoponera Santschi, 1938
    rank: genus
67. Leptogenys Roger, 1861
    rank: genus
68. Mayaponera Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014
    rank: genus
69. Neoponera Emery, 1901
    rank: genus
70. Odontomachus Latreille, 1804
    rank: genus
71. Pachycondyla Smith, 1858
    rank: genus
72. Pseudoponera Emery, 1900
    rank: genus
73. Rasopone Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014
    rank: genus
74. Simopelta Mann, 1922
    rank: genus
75. Thaumatomyrmex Mayr, 1887
    rank: genus
76. Proceratiinae Emery, 1895
    rank: subfamily
77. Discothyrea Roger, 1863
    rank: genus
78. Pseudomyrmecinae Smith, 1952
    rank: subfamily
79. Pseudomyrmex Lund, 1831
    rank: genus
80. Mycetophylax Emery, 1913
    rank: genus
81. Syscia Roger, 1861
    rank: genus

Areas of Santo Antônio Hydroelectric Power-Plant in Rondônia, Brazil.