Temporal assessment of the effect of fire on the density and diversity of protozoa in a Cerrado soil (Reserva Legal in São Carlos - campus UFSCar - SP)

• Grant number: 11/15624-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Mirna Helena Regali Seleghim
• Grantee: Mayara Pierozzi
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The protozoa are important components of the aquatic and terrestrial food webs. In terrestrial environments are voracious predators of bacteria and, thus, can cause major changes in this community, which is very important to the soil fertility. Considering that the fire is common and frequent in natural and agricultural soils, especially in Brazil, this study aims to evaluate the effects of fire on soil protozoan community in a region with cerrado vegetation (Cerrado Legal Reserve in São Carlos - campus UFSCar - SP). For the evaluation of cryptic diversity of protozoans from samples collected, it will be used the technique of "Non-Flooded Petri Dish". The density and composition of active protozoa in the soil It will be also analysed by the technique of counting microdroplets using optical microscope. For the data analysis it will be used the indexes of Jaccard, Shannon and the Bray-Curtis similarity. 14 collections will be held between August 2011 to August 2012 in a spot exposed to fire and a not exposed.