Diversity of Mites and Other Associated Arthropods in the State of São Paulo

• Grant number: 98/07099-0
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• Start date: April 01, 1999
• End date: March 31, 2004
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Gilberto José de Moraes
• Grantee: Gilberto José de Moraes
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais: Carlos Holger Wenzel Flechtmann ; Evoneo Berti Filho
• Associated research grant(s): 02/04645-1 - Mite (Arthropoda: Acari) associates of palms (Arecaceae) in Brazil VI - new genera and new species of Eriophidae and Phytoptidae (Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea), PUB.ART; 01/13248-3 - Glavis Bernard Edwards Junior | FDACS - Division of Plant Industry - United States, AV.EXT; 00/11097-5 - Leonardus Petrus Simon van der Geest | University of Amsterdam - Holanda, AV.EXT; 99/07498-5 - Gerald William Krantz | Oregon State University - Estados Unidos, AV.EXT
• Associated scholarship(s): 03/09602-1 - Interactions between spiders (Araneae) and pest athropods (Acari and Heteroptera) in commercial cultivations of rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) in the Northeast of the State of São Paulo, BP.MS; 03/13335-9 - Predatory mites in the State of São Paulo with potential for use in the control of soil pests, BP.DD; 02/12086-2 - Survey and ecological aspects of mites (Acari, Arachnida) of agricultural importance in Euphorbiaceae native to the semideciduous Forest, in the north region of the State of São Paulo, BP.MS; + associated scholarships 02/03732-8 - Community of mites (Acari: Arachnida) in rubber tree plantation (Hevea brasiliensis, Euphorbiaceae) planted in isolation and alongside gariroba (Syagrus oleracea, Arecaceae), BP.MS; 01/11396-5 - Predatory mites in the State of São Paulo with potential for use in the control of soil pests, BP.MS; 01/13725-6 - Potential use of predatory mites found in the Atlantic Rainforest of the State of São Paulo for the biological control of agricultural pests, BP.PD; 02/00947-3 - Diversity of mites and other associated arthopods in the State of São Paulo, BP.TT; 01/08773-1 - Diversity of mites and other associated arthropods in the State of São Paulo, BP.TT; 00/12179-5 - Survey and ecological aspects of mites (Acari, Arachnida) of agricultural importance in Euphorbiaceae invaders of rubber trees in the northeast region of the State of São Paulo, BP.IC; 00/08799-8 - Diversity and abundance of planticule mites in Myrtles (Myrtaceae) of the Cerrado in the State of São Paulo, BP.IC; 99/10538-9 - Biodiversity of spiders associated with mites in native plants of economic importance in the State of São Paulo, BP.IC; 00/01265-8 - Diversity of soil mites in areas of the State of São Paulo, BP.IC; 00/04176-6 - Diversity of mites and other associated arthropods in the State of São Paulo, BP.TT; 99/05189-5 - Mites associated with myrtle (Myrtaceae) in areas of the Cerrado in the State of São Paulo, BP.DR; 99/06898-0 - Diversity of mites (Acari, Arachnida) in native species of Euphorbiaceae in the region of the State of São Paulo, BP.IC; 99/06899-6 - Diversity of mites (Acari, Arachnida) in rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg., Euphorbiaceae) in the northwest region of the State of São Paulo, BP.IC; 99/04478-3 - Diversity of edaphic and plant oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) in the State of São Paulo, BP.DR - associated scholarships

Abstract

Mites are organisms of the phylum Arthropoda, subfhylum Chelicerata, Class Arachnida and subclass Acari. Many mite species are important agricultural pests around the world, while others are important natural enemies of pests. Mites also constitute the dominant group of soil animals. The study of phytophagous mites and their natural enemies may turn possible a better management of pest species, through possible purposeful re-alterations of the biotic components of agroecosystems and adjacent ecosystems, to promote the action of native natural enemies. Detailed studies of pest mites and their natural enemies under natural conditions may lead to the discovery of new promising species that could be made available for practical use. At the present stage, at least as important as conducting diversity studies of mites and their natural enemies in the State of Sao Paulo is putting together the information already present in the literature and making it promptly available by electronic means to different sectors of society, from the lay people to those directly involved in acarology. Similarly, the adequate deposit of preserved mite specimens representing the fauna of the State and their natural enemies in collections already in existence deserve the same attention. This project proposes field studies to obtain new information on diversity in 3 different regions in the State of São Paulo, representing the "Cerrado" and "Mata Atlantica" ecosystems, the establishment/improvement of data bases (accessible via internet) of available literature on different aspects of mites from São Paulo, as weIl as the curation and electronic registration of reference collections of mites and spiders at different institutions. The objective is to improve our knowledge on the diversity of mites of agricultural interest, their natural enemies and associated arthropods in the State of São Paulo, with particular interest in the study of predators of potential or actual pest species. In addition to mites, other groups of arthropods to be considered in this study are Araneae (spiders) and Insecta (insects), the former as their natural enemies, and the second as their natural enemies, their prey or their transporters. The work will be conducted by researchers of the Departments of Zoology and Entomology of ESALQ-USP, Department of Zoology of UNESP - Campus Botucatu and UNESP - Campus São José do Rio Preto. In addition, part of the work will also be conducted in cooperation with researchers of the Department of Botany of ESALQ-USP and Department of Entomology of Oregon State University. (AU)