Papers by Norton Polo Benito
Caribbean Journal of Science, 2006
Little information is available on earthworm distribution and diversity in the State of Paraná, s... more Little information is available on earthworm distribution and diversity in the State of Paraná, southern Brazil. Earthworm abundance and species diversity was evaluated in four land use systems near Jaguapitã, (Paraná); where pastures are being converted to soybean and sugarcane. Samples were taken during the rainy and dry seasons of 2004 and 2005 in eight sites: two old degraded pastures, an old pasture being converted to row cropping, two grain crop fields, two sugarcane fields and a native forest fragment. Twentyfive 25 × 25 cm soil blocks were taken at each site, 20 of them to 10 cm and five to 30 cm depth. Earthworms were manually sorted from the soil and preserved in formaldehyde. Earthworm species found were: the exotics Pontoscolex corethrurus (Glossoscolecidae), Dichogaster affinis, D. bolaui and D. saliens (Acanthodrilidae), Eukerria saltensis, E. eiseniana and Ocnerodrilus occidentalis (Ocnerodrilidae), and Amynthas sp. (Megascolecidae); the native species Glossoscolex n. sp. and Fimoscolex n. sp. (Glossoscolecidae), Belladrilus n. sp.1 and an unidentifiable Ocnerodrilidae n. sp.1 (probably Belladrilus); and two unidentified Eukerria spp. (of unknown origin) (Ocnerodrilidae)
Os psilídeos são insetos sugadores de seiva, muito específicos com relação ao hospedeiro e alimen... more Os psilídeos são insetos sugadores de seiva, muito específicos com relação ao hospedeiro e alimentação, ocorrendo principalmente em brotações, sendo considerados uma importante praga de goiabeira. Altas populações podem tornar-se nocivas, pois provocam depauperamento das plantas pela ação tóxica da saliva injetada durante sua alimentação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi conhecer a flutuação populacional do psilídeo Triozoida limbata em goiabeiras na região de Londrina, Paraná. Em áreas de ocorrência natural de plantas de goiaba foi realizado o monitoramento da população de adultos utilizando-se 10 armadilhas adesivas amarelas, colocadas uma por planta, distanciadas cerca de 30 metros entre si. As coletas foram realizadas mensalmente de março de 2002 a maio de 2003. Populações de T. limbata ocorreram durante todos os meses do ano, com pico em outubro. Temperaturas médias e máximas apresentaram correlação significativa com a população do psilídeos, afetando-a positivamente. Períodos com alta pluviosidade ou baixas temperaturas não foram limitantes, mas causaram redução na população.
Semina: Ciências Agrárias, 2012
O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o comportamento de térmitas em estruturas oriundas de um La... more O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o comportamento de térmitas em estruturas oriundas de um Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo. Ninhos em atividade de Cornitermes cumulans (Isoptera, Nasutitermitinae) foram coletados a campo e mantidos em vasos em casa de vegetação por nove meses. As estruturas utilizadas no experimento foram macroestruturas densas e estrutura granular, ambas amostradas no mesmo solo que as colônias. O experimento foi realizado com duas repetições para cada estrutura, sendo cada repetição composta de um vaso com estrutura, ninho e alimento, e um vaso com a mesmo material e alimentação. As estruturas fabricadas pelos térmitas foram descritas macro e micromorfologicamente e comparadas com amostras coletadas no campo, também se verificou a distribuição das galerias. Os térmitas mantiveram as atividades de forrageamento e construção do ninho até o final do experimento, com algumas restrições. Para os vasos com estruturas densas a atividade desenvolveu-se tanto no vaso onde havia o ninho quanto no vaso com alimentação. Em comparação, para os vasos com estrutura granular as construções foram menos desenvolvidas e localizadas nos volumes associados aos ninhos. Nas estruturas construídas, as partículas de solo eram orientadas, formando uma parede rígida, como observado em feições coletadas no campo. As colônias de C. cumulans exploravam o ambiente de forma aleatória em todas as direções, retrabalhando estruturas densas e reagregando as partículas do solo para construção de galerias. Todas as estruturas densas ofertadas às colônias foram parcialmente ou completamente modificadas, e as concentrações de matéria orgânica das estruturas densas oriundas de horizontes profundos do solo foram incrementadas. Os térmitas retrabalham estruturas deixadas por eles ou outros invertebrados do solo, criando microestrutura e re-agregando o solo.
Semina: Ciências Agrárias, 2008
Acta Scientiarum. Agronomy, 2011
This study aimed to determine the number of termite epigeal nests and estimate the soil turning c... more This study aimed to determine the number of termite epigeal nests and estimate the soil turning capacity of termites in cultivated pasture environments and in a native vegetation area. Surveys were conducted in four areas: three pasture areas and a Cerrado area, measuring 5 ha each. For each nest, the height, the perimeter and diameter at the base were measured. The volume of each mound was calculated. Turned soil was determined by randomly sampling 30 termite mounds in a pasture area for bulk density determinations. The mean number of termite mounds per ha was 408; the highest number of termite nests (672 per ha) was found in the 10-year-old pasture. In terms of termite mound density, there was no difference between the Cerrado, 3-year-old pasture, and 3-year-old intercropped pasture treatments. The total area occupied by termite nests ranged from 0.4 to 1.0%. The mean bulk density of the nest materials was 1.05 g cm-3. The total nests volume ranged from 4 to 11 m 3 ha-1. The total mass of the soil turned by the termites ranged from 3.4 to 13.4 ton. ha-1 .
Pedobiologia, 2003
No-tillage (NT) agroecosystems now occupy >18 million ha in Brazil, of which 5 million are in the... more No-tillage (NT) agroecosystems now occupy >18 million ha in Brazil, of which 5 million are in the state of Paraná, where NT began in the early 1970's. The first NT farmers created an association to promote their practices, the 'Clube da Minhoca' (Earthworm Club), thus named because of the observed increase in earthworm numbers in their fields after adopting NT. However, little data were available on the topic until 1996, when more intensive studies began near Londrina, in N Paraná. Earthworms were sampled by hand-sorting soil monoliths (25 × 25 cm square, 30-40 cm depth) at 8 sites, comprising various natural and agricultural land-use and management systems. Data from the literature were collected from a further 6 sites for comparative purposes. The results for N Paraná confirm the presence of higher earthworm populations under NT (46-116 indiv., 0.49-1.06 g f.wt. m -2 ; mean values in dry-wet seasons, respectively), minimum tillage (42-179 indiv., 0.68-1.05 g f.wt. m -2 ), pastures (48-182 indiv. m -2 ) and native forests (16-42 indiv., 1.56-0.83 g f.wt. m -2 ) than under conventional tillage (13-22 indiv. and 0.13-0.02 g f.wt. m -2 ). Soil disturbance thus had a negative impact on earthworm populations, and significant positive relationships were observed between earthworm abundance and age of NT systems, as well as with soil % C. In the Londrina area, some species present in the primary forests were absent in NT, where most earthworms were small-sized endogeic or epi-endogeic species. These results contrasted greatly with those from the cooler region in E Paraná, where the exotic epi-endogeic Amynthas spp. dominated, reaching high densities (up to >100 indiv. m -2 ) and biomass (up to >30 g f.wt. m -2 ), especially under NT. Given the high abundance of worms under NT, further work should focus on estimating their potential contributions to soil processes, fertility and plant production in these systems.
European Journal of Soil Biology, 2004
This study describes the impact on soil fauna populations after conversion of native vegetation t... more This study describes the impact on soil fauna populations after conversion of native vegetation to pastures. The invertebrate edaphic macrofauna was evaluated in areas where pastures are being introduced and renewed in the Cerrado, savannah biome. Five sites were considered in a Ferralsol area: a native vegetation area of Cerrado (CE), the deforested Cerrado (DC) and three areas involving pastures:9-years old pasture of Brachiaria brizantha (Pa9), a renewed pasture with the same plant (PaB), and a renewed pasture with Brachiaria associated with a legume, Stylosanthes guianensis (PaS). Thirty-six samples, at random, spaced 20 m apart, were removed from each site. A soil volume of 25 × 25 × 10 cm was delimited at each sampling point. The macrofauna was separated from the soil manually and then identified and weighed. The old pasture presents a higher biomass than the Cerrado area. Mechanical tilling, in both the old pasture and the Cerrado, caused a marked decrease in macrofauna populations. The renewed pastures PaB and PaS showed less diversity, population density and biomass than the deforested Cerrado. Termites were more abundant in the old pasture than in the other areas, however, the Cerrado (CE) showed greater diversity of termite genera and a greater number of predators (Araneae, Scorpions and Pseudoscorpions).
Report presented in …, 2001
Caribbean …, 2006
Humans have transported exotic earthworms throughout the world, and in some situations these may ... more Humans have transported exotic earthworms throughout the world, and in some situations these may become invasive, modifying soil properties and processes, and plant growth significantly; either positively or negatively. Fifty-one exotic and up to seven peregine native earthworm species are known from Brazil, generally from agroecosystems or other disturbed sites close to human habitations. Eight species are considered invasive, and another sixteen are potentially invasive; however, little is known of the effects of most of these species on plants, soil properties, processes, and native species. Lumbricids and some acanthodrilid species are found primarily in the south and southeast of Brazil, where the cooler subtropical climate is more suitable to their activities. Other acanthodrilids (primarily Dichogaster spp.), the megascolecid Amynthas spp. and Pontoscolex corethrurus are widespread throughout Brazil, and sometimes invade native ecosystems, thus serving as disturbance indicators. However, only a few earthworm species have been studied in more detail, mainly the Amynthas spp. and P. corethrurus. Available results seem to indicate that the activities of these earthworm species can lead to both positive and negative effects on soils, plants and the native biota, and that this may depend on the site's characteristics (soil, climate and vegetation types). Nevertheless, considering the large diversity of earthworms in Brazil, and the little available information, much more work is warranted (and urgently necessary) to adequately assess and predict the diversity, distribution and potential environmental impacts, positive or negative, of invasive earthworms in Brazil.
Caribbean Journal of …, 2006
Little information is available on earthworm distribution and diversity in the State of Paraná, s... more Little information is available on earthworm distribution and diversity in the State of Paraná, southern Brazil. Earthworm abundance and species diversity was evaluated in four land use systems near Jaguapitã, (Paraná); where pastures are being converted to soybean and sugarcane. Samples were taken during the rainy and dry seasons of 2004 and 2005 in eight sites: two old degraded pastures, an old pasture being converted to row cropping, two grain crop fields, two sugarcane fields and a native forest fragment. Twentyfive 25 × 25 cm soil blocks were taken at each site, 20 of them to 10 cm and five to 30 cm depth. Earthworms were manually sorted from the soil and preserved in formaldehyde. Earthworm species found were: the exotics Pontoscolex corethrurus (Glossoscolecidae), Dichogaster affinis, D. bolaui and D. saliens (Acanthodrilidae), Eukerria saltensis, E. eiseniana and Ocnerodrilus occidentalis (Ocnerodrilidae), and Amynthas sp. (Megascolecidae); the native species Glossoscolex n. sp. and Fimoscolex n. sp. (Glossoscolecidae), Belladrilus n. sp.1 and an unidentifiable Ocnerodrilidae n. sp.1 (probably Belladrilus); and two unidentified Eukerria spp. (of unknown origin) (Ocnerodrilidae)
Semina: Ciências …, 2009
... Fernanda Maura Sassiotti Dalberto1; Ayres de O. Menezes Jr.2*; Homero Christoval Simões3; Nor... more ... Fernanda Maura Sassiotti Dalberto1; Ayres de O. Menezes Jr.2*; Homero Christoval Simões3; Norton Polo Benito4; Juliana Pitwak5 ... seus estágios de desenvolvimento, podendo acarretar vários prejuízos, tanto em características qualitativas como quantitativas (GALLO et al ...
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Papers by Norton Polo Benito