About This Project

The harvestmen (Opiliones) are highly endemic in Atlantic Forest and are a good models for ecological and biogeographical studies. However, very little is known about harvestman ecology. This project aims to inventory the harvestmen fauna inan area of Atlantic Forest in Sergipe state, Brazil, a place to which the harvestmen fauna is unknown. I also pretend to identify the historical and environments factors that influence the distribution of these animals.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

This project is part of my doctoral thesis entitled: "Biogeography of harvestmen in the Atlantic Forest: diversity patterns". Understanding the diversity and distribution patterns of the species of harvestmen can provide important information about biogeography and help us understand the history of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The Opiliones have low dispersion capacity and struggle to colonize new environments. In the Atlantic Rainforest, harvestmen have high rates of endemism and are restricted to habitats with high humidity.

What is the significance of this project?

The harvestmen fauna at the Crasto Ecological Reserve in Atlantic Forest, Brazil, is unknown, therefore, it is necessary to inventory the area. This project will contribute to the increase of knowledge about the harvestmen of the brazilian Atlantic Forest, as well as the ecology of the group and historical factors that have affected the distribution of these organisms. The list of species generated from this expedition will be used to delimit areas of endemism and propose priority areas for conservation.

What are the goals of the project?

This project aims: to inventory the harvestmen of the Crasto Ecological Reserve (Sergipe State, Brazil); to compare the richness and diversity of harvestmen between another areas in the biome; to relate the patterns observed with climatic and geographical variables (i.e. air air temperature, altitude, relative air humidity, rainfall index); to verify which microclimate and microhabitat variables (i.e. leaf litter depth, leaf litter cover, herbaceous vegetation cover, fallen logs in decomposition, leaf litter temperature) influence the harvestmen distribution and to verify if there are areas of endemism for harvestmen not yet defined.