Abundância de insetos em um gradiente de área urbana, periurbana e área rural

Abstract

This study was conducted in Jaicós, Piauí, Brazil, to analyze insect abundance and diversity in different landscape contexts. Collections were made monthly in three areas, urban, peri-urban, and rural, using Pan Traps, covering the dry and rainy seasons. The analysis revealed that the rural area had greater diversity of insect orders, especially Coleoptera and Orthoptera, due to less anthropogenic interference. The peri-urban area stood out for the high frequency of Diptera and Hymenoptera, while the urban area had lower diversity and abundance, a consequence of urbanization and the reduction of natural habitats. The Shannon Index indicated increasing diversity from the urban (0.4–0.6) to the rural (0.7–1.2) areas. Seasonal variation showed that Coleoptera are most abundant in spring, Diptera remain stable annually, Hymenoptera predominate at the end of the year, and Lepidoptera predominate in mild periods. Thus, the study confirms that the level of human impact directly influences insect population dynamics, highlighting the need to conserve natural areas and manage urban and rural spaces to ensure the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the semi-arid region.