Influência de fatores bióticos e abióticos na distribuição de Mesembrinella bellardiana (Diptera: Mesembrinellidae) e Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera: Calliphoridae) no Jardim Botânico da UFJF

Abstract

Insects are widely recognized as effective indicators of environmental quality and can be used to assess the consequences of edge effects in forest fragments subjected to anthropogenic pressures. In this context, Mesembrinella bellardiana exhibits an asynanthropic behavior and is highly sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances, whereas Chrysomya albiceps is an exotic, synanthropic species that is well adapted to urban environments. This study aims to evaluate the influence of biotic and abiotic factors on the abundance of M. bellardiana and C. albiceps across different landscapes within the UFJF Botanical Garden, in order to better understand the importance of such fragments for the conservation of sensitive species and the extent to which they are affected by human activities. A total of 45 traps were constructed using 2-L PET bottles, and species abundance was analyzed in relation to the following variables: vegetation cover, trap exposure time, trap height above ground level, altitude above sea level and the presence or absence of human visitation, using linear regression models. Additionally, Kernel density maps were generated to visualize the spatial distribution of both species. A total of 3,679 individuals were collected, of which 100 were identified as M. bellardiana and 340 as C. albiceps. The abundance of M. bellardiana was associated with the total number of flies per trap and was higher in closed-canopy forest areas, whereas the abundance of C. albiceps was explained by the number of flies per trap and trap height. These findings corroborate the sensitivity of M. bellardiana, emphasizing its potential as a bioindicator of well-preserved environments, as well as the ecological plasticity of C. albiceps. Furthermore, they highlight the effects of edge-related processes on the distribution patterns of these species.