Influência de variáveis ecológicas na ocorrência de planárias terrestres (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Terricola) em áreas de floresta ombrófila mista.

Abstract

In general, the influence of ecological factors on the occurrence of land planarians is poorly known. Studies on flatworm community structure verified that these organisms show habitat selection, exhibiting low diversity in disturbed habitats. The aim of this study is to test if the occurrence of land planarians are influenced by microhabitat traits, such as habitat structural traits, soil features and prey availability. The study was developed in two Araucaria Forest areas in the São Francisco de Paula National Forest (FLONA-SFP), southern Brazil. In each area, a grid of 0.5 hectares, subdivided in 10m2 plots, was established. In 100 randomly selected plots, the occurrence and abundance of each land planarian species were recorded. For each plot, we also recorded information on six habitat structural traits (number of stones, number and size of fallen trunks, shrub density, litter height, canopy openness), 21 soils features (physical and chemical variables), and 15 prey availability traits (total abundance o