Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: José Pedro Cavalcante Viana

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : José Pedro Cavalcante Viana
DATE: 01/09/2023
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Auditório 4 do IB
TITLE:

"Utilization of different niche dimensions by invasive drosophilid species (Diptera: Drosophilidae)".

KEY WORDS:

biological invasion, potential distribution, host fruits, pest control, biodiversity

PAGES: 60
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Ecologia
SUMMARY:

The concept of ecological niche is fundamental to ecological studies, acting as a key to understanding the interactions between organisms and their environment. The most adopted definition for ecological niche characterizes it as an "n-dimensional hypervolume". The dimensions of the niche correspond to the set of environmental conditions, resources and biotic interactions that enable the survival, reproduction and persistence of a species in a given habitat; each variable represents a dimension of the species' niche. With the reduction and almost elimination of barriers generated by globalization and the transport of goods, the limits that restricted the occurrence of many species have decreased. Consequently, species with restricted niches in their regions of origin, due to dispersal barriers, were able to expand to new regions generating the process known as biological invasions. Biological invasions occur when species are introduced into ecosystems where they do not have a natural distribution, and can negatively impact the stability of ecosystems, in addition to causing serious damage to biodiversity, economy, and human health. Drosophilids are excellent models for ecological niche studies, as most species utilize restricted resources in their home ranges. These insects are also appropriate for studying biological invasions, as they have representatives that have colonized new environments and adapted their niches to the conditions of the invaded areas. The recent records of drosophilid introductions in the Americas offer a unique opportunity to study their niche in this continent. In this context, this thesis proposes to analyze the use of different niche dimensions by four species of invasive drosophilids. We employ species distribution modeling methodologies to understand the different climatic niche dimensions used by invasive species. In addition, we collected fruits and vegetables in urban and cultivated areas to understand how drosophilids use these resources for feeding, reproduction and, consequently, expansion of their populations in the invaded area. Additionally, we will evaluate the interaction of invasive species with potential parasitoid wasps in their invasion areas, exposing immature specimens in the field. In the first chapter, we seek to understand how Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), D. nasuta Lamb, Zaprionus indianus Gupta and Z. tuberculatus Malloch utilize their climatic niches in the Americas and how they are related. Our results suggest a partial niche differentiation between these species, with the climatic niche of D. suzukii being more similar to that of Z. indianus, which in turn includes the niche of Z. tuberculatus. In the second chapter, we analyze the climatic niche of Z. tuberculatus in the Americas and the plant resources where the species breeds (based on opportunity collections in Brazil). Our results indicate the locations where Z. tuberculatus currently occurs in the Americas, suggest which climatic niche is favorable for its establishment in all countries of the Americas, and demonstrate the flexibility of the species to use varied plant resources as breeding sites. In the third chapter, we will investigate the interactions between D. suzukii, Z. tuberculatus, their host plants and parasitoid wasps in urban and cultivated environments. These studies will bring valuable information about the ecological niche of the invading drosophilid species, contributing to a better understanding of biological invasion processes and their consequences in ecosystems

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externa à Instituição - MARLUCIA BONIFÁCIO MARTINS - GOELDI
Presidente - 1147029 - PEDRO HENRIQUE BRUM TOGNI
Externa à Instituição - RAFAELLA TEIXEIRA MACIEL OLIVEIRA
Interno - 1334398 - RICARDO BOMFIM MACHADO