Abstract 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.

Resumo As formigas compreendem um táxon muito diverso de insetos, apresentam elevada riqueza e são ecologicamente importantes nos diferentes ecossistemas terrestres. A riqueza e diversidade de formigas tendem a aumentar de acordo com a complexidade dos ambientes no que se refere à vegetação e ao estágio de conservação da biodiversidade. Este estudo visou caracterizar as assembleias de formigas que ocorrem em duas áreas de preservação permanente, descritas como fragmentos de vegetação nativa circundados por lavouras e, dois plantios de eucalipto, cercados por lavouras e pastagens. O estudo foi realizado no município de Frederico Westphalen (27°21′27″; 53°23′ 40″O), noroeste do Rio Grande do Sul. Foram utilizadas 10 armadilhas de queda (pitfall) e 20 iscas, 10 de sardinha e 10 de glicose em cada área. A riqueza foi definida como o número de espécies que ocorreram em cada uma das amostras e foi comparada por meio de análise de rarefação baseadas no número de ocorrências. A relação entre as espécies de formigas e os diferentes ambientes foi verificada através da Análise de Componentes Principais (PCA). A riqueza de formigas amostrada foi de 71 espécies, pertencentes a 19 gêneros, cinco subfamílias e, sete espécies ocorreram nos quatro ambientes amostrados. A subfamília Myrmicinae e os gêneros Pheidole e Camponotus foram os mais ricos no estudo. Observou-se diferença significativa quanto à riqueza, abundância e a composição das assembleias de formigas entre os ambientes amostrados. Os resultados apontam diferenças entre as assembleias de formigas dos fragmentos florestais e das plantações de eucalipto, e acrescentam informações acerca da biodiversidade da região do estudo.

Abstract The ants comprise a very diverse taxon of insects, present high richness and are ecologically important in the different terrestrial ecosystems. The richness and diversity of ants tend to increase according to the complexity of the environments in terms of vegetation and the stage of biodiversity conservation. This study aimed at inventorying and characterizing ant assemblages that occur in two permanent preservation areas, characterized as fragments of native vegetation surrounded by crops, and two eucalyptus plantations, surrounded by crops and pastures. The study was carried out in the municipality of Frederico Westphalen (27 ° 21 ‘27 “, 53 ° 23’ 40” W), located in the northwestern region of Rio Grande do Sul state. Ten pitfall traps and 20 baits, 10 sardines and 10 glucose ones were used in each area. The richness was defined as the number of species that occurred in each sample and was compared by means of rarefaction analysis based on the number of occurrences. The relationship between the ant species and the different environments was verified through a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The richness of ants was 71 species, belonging to 19 genera and five subfamilies. Seven species occurred in four sampled environments. The subfamily Myrmicinae and the genera Pheidole and Camponotus were the richest ones in the study. A significant difference was observed regarding the richness, abundance and composition of ant assemblages among the sampled environments. A total of 76.4% of the variation in the occurrence of ants, according to the environments sampled, was explained by the first two components of the PCA. The results point out differences between ant assemblages from forest fragments and those from eucalyptus plantations. They add information about the biodiversity of the study region.

RESUMO Áreas de preservação permanente contribuem para a recuperação de ambientes impactados e Formicidae representa um grupo potencialmente bioindicador, utilizado para descrever a complexidade estrutural de habitat. Assim, neste contexto, este estudo objetivou caracterizar a diversidade das assembleias de formigas que ocorrem em sítios com diferentes históricos de uso do solo na APP do reservatório da UHE Foz do Chapecó, bem como avaliar a similaridade das assembleias de formigas segundo os sítios amostrados. A amostragem foi realizada no mês de janeiro de 2017 em cinco sítios, três em Santa Catarina e dois no Rio Grande do Sul. Foram utilizados pitfall, guarda-chuva entomológico, isca de sardinha, isca de glicose e coleta manual. As assembleias foram caracterizadas e comparadas através da riqueza, abundância, diversidade de Shannon-Weaver (H’), Equitabilidade (J’) e estimativas de riqueza (Chao 1). Ao todo foram amostradas 101 espécies. A média das estimativas indicou que a riqueza pode ser 86,7% maior que a amostrada, enquanto os parâmetros de diversidade indicaram diferenças entre as assembleias. Os índices de diversidade mostraram divergência de 39,7% entre as assembleias com maior e menor diversidade. A riqueza observada neste estudo reitera o potencial de utilização das formigas como bioindicadoras do estado de conservação ambiental, acrescenta informações importantes sobre a riqueza e a ocorrência de formigas para a região e apresenta, sobretudo, um inventário das espécies de formigas presentes em uma área de APP, em processo de regeneração, que poderá servir de parâmetro para avaliações subsequentes.

ABSTRACT Permanent preservation areas contribute to the recovery of impacted environments and Formicidae is a potentially bioindicator group, used to describe the structural complexity of habitats. In this context, the study aimed to characterize the diversity of ant assemblages that occur in sites with different soil use history in the APP of Foz do Chapecó HPP reservoir, as well as to evaluate the similarity of ant assemblages according to the sampled sites. Sampling was carried out in January 2017 at five sites, three in Santa Catarina state and two in Rio Grande do Sul state. Pitfall, entomological umbrella, sardine bait, glucose bait and manual collection were used. Assemblies were characterized and compared through richness, abundance, diversity of Shannon-Weaver (H’), Equitability (J’) and estimated richness (Chao 1). A total of 101 species were sampled. The average of the estimates indicated that richness may be 86.7% greater than that sampled, while the diversity parameters indicated differences between the assemblies. Diversity indices showed divergence of 39.7% between the more and less diverse assemblies. The richness observed in this study reiterates the potential of the use of ants as bioindicators of the state of environmental conservation, adds important information on the richness and occurrence of ants for the region and presents, above all, an inventory of the species of ants present in an area of APP in a regeneration process that can serve as parameter for subsequent evaluations.

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.

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.

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.