Análise de pólen em pelagem de morcegos em veredas do Norte de Minas Gerais, Brasil

Abstract

Pollination carried out by animals is one of the most important biological interactions in existence. Among pollinating animals, a very important group, mainly for pollinating nocturnal flowers, is the group of bats, being important in fragmented environments due to their high capacity for locomotion. Bat-plant interaction networks proved to be modular and specialized and can be affected by anthropogenic changes. In this sense, the general objective of this study is to investigate pollination interactions involving bats and plants from pollen grains, in two veredas (Vereda das Pedras and Vereda do Peruaçu) with different levels of dryness in the north of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study was carried out on two paths with different stages of conservation. 139 individuals of bats belonging to 15 species of the Phyllotomidae family were found. Plathirrinus lineatus was the most frequently found species, followed by the species Glossophaga soricina. Vereda das Pedras had a greater richness of bats compared to Vereda do Peruaçu. Most of the species captured were frugivorous. 24 pollen grain morphotypes were found, where the most representative in the two paths was morphotype 1A. The pollen grains identified were morphotype 1 (Caryocar brasiliense Cambess) andmorphotype 3 (Qualea parviflora Mart.).At the network level, the results show that abundance, nestedness and modularity differed significantly between veredas. In relation to the species level, plant richness differed between the paths. Greater abundance was expected in Vereda das Pedras, as it is preserved and has plants with flowers and fruits. Nesting was greater in Vereda das Pedras, which may have occurred due to the greater abundance of bats and modularity was lower, which may be related to the specificity of interactions within the network (more specific network). The degree of species was affected by the abundance of more common species, however it did not differ between.