FIRST FRESHWATER OLIGOCHAETA INVENTORY IN A PRESERVED CERRADO REMNANT IN THE STATE OF SÃO PAULO (ESTAÇÃO ECOLÓGICA DE SANTA BÁRBARA)

• Grant number: 24/13086-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Danielle Katharine Petsch
• Grantee: Elaine Soares da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Considered a biodiversity hotspot, the Cerrado has significant importance in both its terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Within this vast biological diversity, there are freshwater oligochaetes. However, this group is relatively little studied due to its small body size and the scarcity of researchers dedicated to its investigation. Despite this, oligochaetes are of great importance for freshwater ecosystems, being fundamental for the decomposition of organic matter, as a source of food for fish and other animals in the aeration of the sediment. Furthermore, freshwater oligochaetes can be considered biological indicators, helping to identify the health status of the environment, indicating whether it is healthy or polluted. Considering these aspects, our research aims to carry out the first survey of Oligochaete species at the Santa Bárbara Ecological Station, thus expanding knowledge about the area of occurrence of these organisms. We will also investigate seasonal differences in species abundance, richness and composition. We will carry out two collections in six small streams. The first collection was carried out during the rainy season (February 2024), and the second collection will be carried out during the dry season (September 2024). In each stream, we carried out three subsamples with the aid of aSurber type sampler (250 ¼m mesh). Concomitantly with the Oligochaeta collection, we measured the limnological variables of each stream. To investigate whether the richness and abundance of Oligochaeta differs between the rainy and dry periods, we will perform a paired t-test. To analyze the relationship between Oligochaeta composition and limnological variables, we will perform a Redundancy Analysis (RDA).