Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-13T12:17:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Cristiano final.pdf: 13081654 bytes, checksum: 2ae8261d094eca3f2071d60bb8daa73a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-08-21 / FAPEAM - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas / The damages caused by termites of Nasutitermes genus classify itself as one of the main pests of wood in urban areas. Several alternatives have been studied for the control of termites, among them the sand barriers have been showed effectiveness, beyond their characterization as a product correct ecologically. This study had as objective to evaluate in tests of laboratory sand barriers against Nasutitermes sp. termites. Firstly, granulation tests were performed in commercial sand and following, four fractions of the sieved sand were selected with diameters of 0.85-4.75 mm and two mixtures with particles in the diameters of 1.68-4.75 mm (Mix 1) and 0.85-1.99 mm (Mix 2) for the biological tests by penetration of the termites. In the first essay (Biotest 1) tubes of glasses (25 X 110 mm) were used and they filled out with four layers humidified sawdust, agar 2%, humidified sand (60 mm), agar 2%, sawdust-bait fractions and 50 termites (41 workers and nine soldiers). These sets were covered and disposed in closed up platform by near water to the main colony and the penetration of termites was measured in a period of two weeks. At last of the test the survival was quantified. In the second experiment (Biotest 2) beackers of 250 mL were used and full up of the same way that the tube-tests, not added agar and termites. These sets were disposed around the main colony of Nasutitermes sp. by 30 days. At the same time were performed the measurement of Nasutitermes collected in Manaus city. The control substrate (particles <0.85 mm diameter) had penetration completely (60 mm) at least of three days in both biotests. Biotest 1, the fractions of sand of 1.68-1.99 mm (M 12) presented the least penetration (3.33 mm). Layers formed by particles of 0.85-1.67 mm (M 20) had a penetration of 21.67 mm of depth. However, at the layers of sand composed of particles of the dimensions 2.38-4.75 mm (M8), 2.00-2.37 mm (M10) and 1.68-4.74 mm (Mix 1) there was not penetration. In the Biotest 2 was just observed a light excavation and/ or penetration of 0.33 mm at barrier formed by particles of 0.85-1.67 mm (M20). The other fractions were completely neglected for the termites (null penetration). At biotests of Nasutitermes sp. survival was 52% in the control substrate and 34.67% on average for the other treatment fractions. Biometry of the termites revealed dimensions of 4.35 mm (whole body) and head width 1.10 mm, between the workers. Granulometry essays larger contents of fine particles were detected (< 0.85 mm) at the commercial sand. Basis in the minimum dimensions of the particles of each fraction was performed a simple regression to evaluate these interceptions at sand barriers in accordance with the distribution of the particles. It was concluded that the effective granulometry strip by Nasutitermes sp. termites at sand barriers from 1.68 to 4.75 mm can be classified as impenetrable. / Os danos causados por cupins do gênero Nasutitermes, o classificam como uma das principais pragas de madeiras em centros urbanos. Várias alternativas vêm sendo estudadas para o controle de cupins, entre elas as barreiras de areia têm mostrado efetividade, além de serem caracterizadas como um produto ecologicamente correto. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar em testes de laboratório barreiras de areia contra cupins Nasutitermes sp. Inicialmente foram realizados ensaios granulométricos em areia comercial e em seguida, foram selecionadas quatro frações da areia peneiradas com diâmetros de 0,85-4,75 mm e duas misturas com partículas nos diâmetros de 1,68-4,75 mm (Mix 1) e 0,85-1,99 mm (Mix 2) para os testes biológicos de penetração. No primeiro ensaio (Bioteste 1) foram utilizados tubos de vidro (25 X 110 mm) preenchidos com serragem umidificada, agar 2%, camada de areia umidificada (60 mm), agar 2%, frações de serragem e 50 cupins (41 operários e 9 soldados). Estas unidades foram tampadas e dispostas em uma plataforma cercada por água próximo a colônia-mãe. A penetrabilidade foi avaliada num período de 2 semanas e, ao final do teste foi quantificada a sobrevivência. No segundo experimento (Bioteste 2), béqueres de 250 mL foram utilizados e preenchidos da mesma forma que o os tubos-teste, sendo que não foi adicionado o agar e nem os cupins nesta composição. Estas unidades foram dispostas em torno da colônia-mãe de Nasutitermes sp. por 30 dias. Em paralelo aos ensaios foi realizada a biometria de cupins Nasutitermes coletados na cidade de Manaus. O substrato controle (partículas < 0,85 mm de diâmetro) foi totalmente penetrado (60 mm) em menos de 72h em ambos biotestes. Para o Bioteste 1, as frações de areia de 1,68-1,99 mm de diâmetro (M12) apresentaram a menor penetração (3,33 mm). Camadas formadas por partículas de 0,85-1,67 mm (M20) tiveram uma penetração de média de 21,67 mm de profundidade. Entretanto, as camadas de areia composta de partículas nas dimensões 2,38-4,75 mm (M8), 2,00-2,37 mm (M10) e 1,68-4,74 mm (Mix 1) não foram penetradas. No bioteste 2 foi observada apenas uma leve escavação/penetração de 3,33 mm na barreira formada por partículas de 0,85-1,67 mm de diâmetro (M20). As demais frações foram praticamente negligenciadas pelos cupins (penetração de 0%). A sobrevivência do Nasutitermes sp. nos bioensaios foi de 52% no substrato controle e 34,67% em média para as demais frações tratamentos. A biometria dos cupins revelou dimensões de 4,35 mm (corpo inteiro) e largura da cabeça de 1,10 mm, para os operários da espécie testada. No ensaio granulométrico detectou-se maior teor de partículas finas (< 0,85 mm) na areia comercial. Com base nas dimensões mínimas das partículas de cada fração testada, desenvolveu-se uma regressão simples para estimar as dimensões dos interstícios nas barreiras de areia de acordo com a distribuição das partículas. Ao final deste estudo, concluiu-se que a faixa granulométrica efetiva contra cupins Nasutitermes sp. embarreiras de areia é de 1,68 a 4,75 mm, sendo esta classificada como impenetrável.

Estudo da termitofauna (Insecta, Isoptera) da região do alto Rio Madeira, Rondônia. Na região conhecida como alto Rio Madeira, no município de Porto Velho, Rondônia, estão sendo criadas as Usinas Hidrelétricas (UHEs) de Santo Antônio e Jirau. As construções das represas das UHEs estão inundando grandes porções de floresta ao longo das duas margens do rio Madeira. Desta forma o conhecimento da biota local, especialmente de sua distribuição no espaço, é extremamente importante, ainda mais porque o alinhamento dos rios Amazonas-Madeira-Mamoré separa a região Neotropical em duas áreas de endemismo para diversos grupos de animais. Essa tese tem por objetivo apresentar os resultados gerais obtidos ao longo de três anos de monitoramento de cupins nas áreas de influência da UHE de Jirau e dois anos nas áreas de influência da UHE de Santo Antônio, assim como desenvolver um estudo de comunidades e análise da distribuição espacial dos cupins presentes nas áreas de influência da UHE de Jirau (Capítulo 1). Outro objetivo é o estudo da estrutura genética das populações de Heterotermes tenuis (Rhinotermitidae) ao longo das áreas de influência das duas UHEs, visando investigar a existência de fluxo gênico entre as populações de cada margem do Rio Madeira (Capítulo 2). Foram amostrados doze módulos, sete na margem esquerda do rio e cinco na margem direita. Cada um era compostos por transectos de 3 ou 4 km e parcelas perpendiculares a cada 1km, e as amostragens foram realizadas em subparcelas de 5x2m dentro das parcelas. Durante um total de 20 campanhas foram investigadas 1121 subparcelas, totalizando 7875 amostras de cupins e pelo menos 169 espécies. Esse é provavelmente o trabalho com maior esforço amostral já empregado e também o que registrou o maior número de espécies de cupins até hoje. Para o estudo de comunidades, foram aleatorizadas 20 subparcelas nos seis módulos da UHE de Jirau, sendo cinco subparcelas dentro das parcelas marcadas nas seguintes distâncias em relação à margem do rio: P1 - 50 m, P2 - 1 km, P3 - 2 km e P4 - 3 km. A composição de cupins não está relacionada com o lado do rio. O estimador que mais se aproximou do provável número real de espécies foi o Jackknife 2. Como resultado das análises de diversidade beta utilizando a composição de espécies de cupins houve um agrupamento dos módulos com o mesmo tipo de solo, sugerindo que algumas espécies de cupins estejam distribuídas de acordo com esta variável. Em relação à distância para o rio, a parcela mais próxima do rio foi a mais singular, tanto em relação à composição de espécies quanto à riqueza e abundância, sendo que existem espécies restritas à P1 e outras praticamente ausentes nessas parcelas. Das dez variáveis ambientais analisadas, a riqueza de cupins se mostrou correlacionada com a altitude, concentração de argila e silte no solo e estratificação vegetal entre 1 e 5 m. Para o estudo da estrutura genética das populações de H. tenuis foram utilizadas 84 sequências dessa espécie dos 12 módulos de monitoramento, seis de colônias do Cerrado e três do GenBank (de Manaus, Guiana Francesa, e Equador), além de uma de H. longiceps como grupo externo. Nas análises iniciais, foi encontrada uma forte estruturação genética entre as sequências: todas as análises filogenéticas (máxima parcimônia, máxima verossimilhança e inferência bayesiana), assim como a rede de haplótipos, formaram dois grupos consistentes, mas sem qualquer relação espacial. A partir disso, passou-se a trabalhar com a hipótese de que há duas espécies crípticas (chamadas Ht. A e Ht. B). Desta forma, todas as análises para testar se o Rio Madeira funcionava como barreira biogeográfica foram testadas separadamente para cada uma das supostas duas espécies crípticas, entretanto, não foi constatada qualquer influência do rio como barreira ao fluxo gênico entre as populações de cada margem. / The Santo Antônio and Jirau hydroelectrics plants (HP) are being built in the Madeira River region, in Porto Velho, RO, Brazil. The HPs will flood large portions of native forest, and thus knowledge of the local biota and its distribution in space is extremely important for the formulation of management plans for creation of protected areas. This region in particular is unique, since the alignment of Amazonas-Madeira-Mamoré Rivers divides the Neotropical region into two areas of endemism for a diversity of taxa. The main objective of this thesis was to monitor termites for three years in areas near the Jirau HP and two years in areas near the Santo Antônio HP. As well as conduct a community level study and analyze the spatial distributions of termites from the areas influenced by Jirau HP (Chapter 1); and investigate the population genetic structure of Heterotermes tenuis (Rhinotermitidae), for the two areas influenced by the HPs, to test whether there is genetic flow between the populations on either bank of the Madeira River (Chapter 2). Twelve modules were marked, seven on the left bank of the river and five on the right bank. Each module was composed of 3 or 4 km transects and perpendicular parcels every 1 km. The sampling was conducted in sub parcels of 5 x 2 m inside each main parcels. During 20 expeditions, 1121 subparcels were investigated and a total of 7875 samples were collected and identified to 169 species. This study incorporates greater sampling effort than already employed by other published studies to date and also registered the highest number of termites species of any similar study. For the community study, 20 subparcels were randomized in the six modules of the Jirau HP, with five subparcels marked in relation to distance from the river margin (P1 - 50 m, P2 - 1 km, P3 - 2 km, and P4 - 3 km). The termite species composition was not related to side of the river bank. The richness estimator Jackknife 2 was the best estimator of the real number of species diversity. The beta diversity analysis with termite species composition clustered for modules with the same soil type, suggesting that some termite species may be distributed according to the soil type. Parcels closest to the river were the most unique, both in terms of termite species composition and abundance patterns, with some species restricted to the P1 and others absent. Of the ten environmental variables measured, termite species richness was correlated with altitude, clay and silt concentration in the soil, and vegetation stratification between 1 and 5 m, among. For the study of the genetic structure of Heterotermes tenuis, 84 sequences of this species were used from the 12 monitoring modules, six from colonies from the Cerrado (Brazilian Savanna), three from GeneBank (from Manaus, French Guiana and Ecuador), and one of H. longiceps as outgroup. In the initial analysis, relatively strong genetic structure within the samples was found: all phylogenetic analysis (maximum parsimony and likelihood, and Bayesian inference), and haplotype networks, consistently clustered two groups of haplotypes, but without any spatial relationships. Thus was assumed that there were two cryptic species (here called Ht. A and Ht. B), and all the analysis to test whether the Madeira River was a biogeographic barrier were conducted separately for each putative species. However, it was not possible to detect any influence of the river to genetic flow between the populations from either side of the river.

Com a evolução da civilização, a busca pela praticidade e durabilidade dos materiais desafia a pesquisa e o desenvolvimento de novos materiais e produtos. A preservação de madeiras tal como hoje a conhecemos, iniciou-se a partir da segunda metade do século XIX e, também vem se expandindo e impulsionando a busca por novos desenvolvimentos. Neste contexto, os boratos são preservativos amplamente reconhecidos e eficazes devido às suas características apreciáveis. Custo vantajoso, reduzido impacto ambiental, largo espectro de ação, o credenciam como um preservativo potencial para o desenvolvimento de estudos no sentido de redução de sua taxa de lixiviação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a possiblidade de redução da lixiviação de uma composição contendo octaborato dissódico tetrahidratado e um quaternário graxo amoniacal, em madeira de Pinus elliotii, tratada sob pressão. Avaliouse também a interferência da adição do quaternário graxo amoniacal, frente ao ataque de cupins de madeira seca. Amostras de madeira foram tratadas para as retenções de 2,8 kg/m3 e 4,5 kg/m3 em B2O3, variando-se a proporção do quaternário amoniacal de 0,0%, 1,0%, 1,5% e 2,0%. Um conjunto de amostras foi submetido ao ensaio de lixiviação, com coletas de água nos períodos de 1, 2 e 4 horas. Após estas coletas, os corpos de prova foram retirados do sistema de lixiviação e, secos à temperatura ambiente por 16 horas. Passado este período, os corpos de prova retornaram à lixiviação, e coletas foram reiniciadas após 8, 16 e 48 horas. Os volumes de água lixiviada foram submetidos à análise por meio de absorção atômica. O desempenho dos corpos de prova tratados em igual condição foi também avaliado quanto à resistência ao ataque de cupins de madeira seca (Cryptotermes brevis). Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho demonstraram que a adição do quaternário graxo amoniacal, não altera alterou significativamente a permanência do octaborato na madeira, mas é importante a continuidade nos estudos dado o aspecto sinergético positivo em relação à prevenção quanto ao ataque de cupins de madeira seca. / With civilizations evolution, the search for practice and durability of materials is a challenge of research and development for new materials and products. The wood preservation as we know today began from second part of XIX century and also is growing and driving forward seeking for new developments. Inside this context, borates are preservatives widely recognized and also are effectives due its appreciable features. Advantageous cost, low environmental impact, large action range put this preservative like a potential product to develop studies towards to reduce its leaching rate. The subject of this work was to verify the possibility of reduce leaching rate of the dissodium octaborate tetrathydratade in Pinus ellioti samples, treated under pressure using tallow ammonium quaternary composition. Were also tested the interference of addiction of tallow ammonium quaternary against the attack of dry-wood termites. Samples of wood were treated for retentions of 2,8 kg/m3 and 4,5 kg/m3 in B2O3 active ingredient, ranging tallow ammonium quaternary proportion from 0,0%, 1,0%, 1,5% and 2,0%. A group of samples was evaluated in leaching test with water collected in intervals 1, 2 and 4 hours. Then, the wood samples were dry at room temperature conditions. After that, the samples returned to leaching and the water was collected after 8, 16 and 48 hours, then all the collected water samples were analyzed by atomic absorption method. Treated at the same conditions, the performance of wood samples we evaluated against dry- wood termites (Cryptotermes brevis). The achieved results in this work demonstrated that addition of tallow ammonium quaternary did not improve octaborate permanence in treated wood; but it is important the studies continuation due the positive synergetic aspect observed with regard to protection against the dry-wood termites attack.

Painéis MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) foram produzidos em laboratório, com diferentes densidades (550 a 750 kg/m3) e diferentes teores de resina (6; 8; 10; 12 e 14%), com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito destes dois fatores,bem como sua interação, sobre o módulo de elasticidade e de ruptura, adesão interna, inchamento em espessura e absorção de água. Análises auxiliares foram realizadas, em especial do perfil de densidade e das dimensões das fibras. Todas as variáveis apresentaram correlação significativa com os fatores teor de resina e densidade, a interação só foi significativa a 1% com o inchamento em espessura. Modelos foram propostos para determinação das variáveis analisadas em função da densidade média e do teor de resina, tanto em percentagem como em valor absoluto. / MDF Panelboards of Pinus spp fibers were prepared in laboratorial scale, with a range of densities (550 - 750 kg/m3) and urea-formaldehyde resin content (6; 8; 10; 12 and 14 wt. %), with the purpose of evaluating their mechanical and physical properties. The effect of density and resin content and their interactions were analyzed based on panel mechanical and physical properties. Mechanical properties evaluated were modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity and internal bond, while physical properties studied were thickness swelling and water absorption. Also the alterations on wood fiber length and the MDF panel density profile were determined. All the physical and mechanical properties of the MDF panel were significantly related to the resin content and density. The interaction were significant only, at a degree of 1%, with the thickness swelling. Models have been proposed to evaluate the physical and mechanical variables of the MDF panel as a function of the average density and resin content, as percentages as well as in absolute values.

Ce projet de thèse en création littéraire, divisé en trois parties, vise à poursuivre dans la veine entomologique et littéraire présente dans L’Insecte, de l’historien Jules Michelet, et dans La Vie des Abeilles, La Vie des Fourmis et La Vie des Termites, du poète symboliste Maurice Maeterlinck. Dans un premier temps, nous analyserons la teneur du discours scientifique de ces deux écrivains reconnus par l’institution littéraire en adoptant une approche épistémocritique. Nous chercherons à comprendre comment les connaissances entomologiques au sujet de l’abeille, de la fourmi et du termite servent les textes de notre corpus et à quel point elles diffèrent d’un écrivain à l’autre. Nous examinerons également leur utilisation des références scientifiques, de la terminologie, des figures et des représentations abstraites afin de mieux nous outiller pour la création. Dans un deuxième temps, nous présenterons la trilogie de nouvelles Antennes qui traite des mêmes connaissances entomologiques que Michelet et Maeterlinck, mais d’une façon imagée et à une échelle différente, car nous y transposons les qualités animales aux humains. L’ensemble est construit en fonction de la hiérarchie établie par Maeterlinck au sujet des espèces qu’il a étudiées pour déterminer si cet ordre tient toujours, un siècle plus tard. Nous retrouvons ainsi les qualités de l’indestructible fourmi (L’Organe) qui, par son altruisme, serait supérieure à l’abeille asservie et à la santé fragile (L’Extrudeuse), qui elle-même serait supérieure à l’impitoyable termite (La Termitière). En changeant les proportions et les acteurs, nous expérimentons avec la fiction pour tenter de comprendre ce que signifient la nature, l’intelligence, l’altruisme et la mort pour l’être humain au XXIe siècle. Dans la dernière partie, forte de notre analyse et de notre création, nous aborderons dans L’Excès le comportement de l’espèce humaine et la place qu’elle se croit en droit d’occuper au sein de la nature.

All living organisms require food for growth and survival. Heterotrophs depend on autotrophs such as green plants which can synthesize their own food unlike heterotrophic animals. Among heterotrophs, only humans and some insects have the remarkable ability to cultivate crops for food. While humans cultivate plants, three insect lineages—ants, termites, and beetles—cultivate fungi inside their nests in obligate mutualistic exo-symbioses. Interestingly, just like human agriculture, insect fungus farms are also threatened by weeds and pests, e.g. the farms of fungus-growing termites which cultivate Termitomyces fungi can be overgrown by weeds such as the parasitic fungus Pseudoxylaria. Studies on ant and beetle fungus-farming systems have uncovered the important role of chemicals and behaviour in helping these insects to protect their crops from parasitic fungi. On the other hand, studies on the termite system till now, have only revealed the presence of antifungal compounds and actinobacteria which are largely non-specific and inhibitory to the mutualistic crop fungi. Antifungal behavioural mechanisms, if present, are yet to be discovered. Therefore, this thesis focuses on different anti-Pseudoxylaria mechanisms employed by fungus-growing termites, viz. role of nest abiotic factors, mechanism of fungal recognition by termite hosts, behavioural response of termite to Pseudoxylaria presence and coupling of this behaviour to anti-Pseudoxylaria activity. The present thesis has been divided into six chapters. CHAPTER 1 gives a brief literature review on fungus-farming insects and the different mechanisms which insects employ in order to keep their fungal farms safe from growth of parasitic fungi with specific reference to fungus-growing termites. The obligate mutualistic interaction between termites and the Termitomyces fungus is 19–49 My-old and is, therefore, a very ancient agriculture system. The mutualistic fungus is cultivated on partially digested plant matter called fungus comb inside the nest and harvested by termites for nutrition. At the same time, the weedy fungal parasite Pseudoxylaria can compete with the mutualistic fungus for nutrition leading to negative effects on the fungal farms. Termite hosts are believed to use abiotic factors, antibiotics and hygienic behaviours to keep their fungal gardens free from parasitic fungi such as Pseudoxylaria. However, the actual mechanisms used by termites against parasitic fungi are unclear. Unravelling the proximate mechanisms used in fungal cultivar protection is central to understanding the evolutionary stability of these farming mutualisms. CHAPTER 2 examines the diversity and population genetic structure of Termitomyces and Pseudoxylaria strains associated with the fungus-growing termite Odontotermes obesus. Genetic diversity of cultivar and parasite could have important implications for the stability of the mutualistic interaction, e.g. genetic clonality arising from monoculture is generally thought to make populations more prone to infection by parasites. Using molecular phylogenetic tools, within-nest genetic homogeneity was found in Termitomyces species but not in Pseudoxylaria species. Lower OTU but higher genotypic diversity (within the most abundant OTU) was found in the genus Termitomyces compared to Pseudoxylaria. Additionally, population genetics methods suggested a sexual population structure for Termitomyces and clonal propagation for Pseudoxylaria species. This is the first study to investigate the population genetics of the symbiotic fungi associated with the termite genus Odontotermes or any other termite species from India. In CHAPTER 3, the effect of nest micro-environment alone on the growth of the parasitic fungus Pseudoxylaria was examined. For this, seasonal changes in nest xiii temperature and CO2 were recorded and in situ and ex situ growth experiments were performed on Pseudoxylaria. The monthly pattern of mound temperatures was found to be similar to the outside—cycling from highs in summer to lows in winter—but characterised by dampened variation compared to high daily fluctuations outside. Moreover, the mound CO2 levels were found to be orders of magnitude above atmospheric levels and, unlike the outside, were characterised by daily and monthly fluctuations. With in situ experiments during summer and winter, the effect of these dissimilar conditions—inside and outside mounds—was examined on Pseudoxylaria growth. The growth of the parasite was found to be greater inside than outside the mound. Following this, the growth of different parasite isolates under controlled ex situ conditions was examined—spanning the variation in environmental conditions that mounds exhibit daily and seasonally. High CO2 levels decreased parasitic fungal growth in general but temperature had an isolate-dependent effect. Taken together, these results suggested that the parasite is adapted to survive in the mound. However, mound environmental conditions still seemed to exert a negative effect on parasite growth, even if they cannot inhibit Pseudoxylaria completely. These results shed light on the possible new role of termite-engineered structures in impacting parasitic fungus ecology, independent of any direct role of termites in suppressing parasite growth. This is the first study to investigate the effect of abiotic factors on Pseudoxylaria growth. In CHAPTER 4, whether termites can differentiate between Termitomyces and Pseudoxylaria was investigated. In a novel, laboratory-based choice assay, termites displayed a differential response towards the two fungi by burying the Pseudoxylaria with agar. Also, termites were found to be able to differentiate between the fungi using olfactory cues, i.e. smell, alone, for this task. The mutualistic and parasitic fungi were found to emit unique volatile bouquets which could help termites to distinguish between them. This is important because, whether termites use antifungal compounds or hygienic behaviours, it is crucial that they are able to differentiate between the parasitic and mutualistic fungi so that they can selectively use antifungal mechanisms—whether chemical or behavioural—against Pseudoxylaria. This is of special significance because, many actinobacteria and anti-Pseudoxylaria compounds isolated from this system till now, lack specificity and inhibit the mutualistic Termitomyces as well. Also, fungal grooming and weeding behaviours as displayed by fungus-growing ants have not yet been reported in termites. This is the first study to show that termites have the behavioural capacity to differentiate between the mutualistic and parasitic fungi in an ecologically relevant setting. In CHAPTER 5, whether the burying of Pseudoxylaria could affect its growth was investigated. It was found that termites can utilise agar, glass beads and soil for deposition over the offered fungal plugs but the use of agar and glass beads did not inhibit Pseudoxylaria growth effectively. On the other hand, soil deposition was found to decrease growth of both Pseudoxylaria and Termitomyces fungi post-burial. However, Pseudoxylaria was found to be affected more strongly than Termitomyces. Further, hypoxia acting alone seemed to decrease only Pseudoxylaria survival without any apparent effect on Termitomyces. Therefore, hypoxia induced by soil deposition may be the reason behind the decrease in Pseudoxylaria survival. However, presence of antifungal compounds can not be ruled out and they may be selectively applied in larger quantities on Pseudoxylaria with soil deposition. This study demonstrates an anti-Pseudoxylaria activity of this insect behaviour, unique to termites among fungus-farming insects, to the presence of the parasitic fungus. CHAPTER 6 concludes the findings of this thesis and suggests a working model for the mechanism of growth suppression of Pseudoxylaria inside a termite nest. In particular, focus is on the important role of abiotic factors when combined with termite behaviour in the apparent absence of Pseudoxylaria from termite nests. These results not only shed new light on how the ecology of these fungi is affected by their termite host but also reveal the mechanistic bases that may contribute fundamentally to the evolutionary stability of this ancient mutualism.

Submitted by MARCIA ROVADOSCHI (marciar@unifra.br) on 2018-08-17T19:08:32Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_DarianeJornadaClerici.pdf: 1054628 bytes, checksum: 65a3b3fabb34be04965b9a0f42d8c8a9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-17T19:08:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_DarianeJornadaClerici.pdf: 1054628 bytes, checksum: 65a3b3fabb34be04965b9a0f42d8c8a9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-24 / Termites represent a serious threat to the environment, to the agriculture and to the urban environment. Its control is done mainly by the use of chemical pesticides which, alt-hough effective, can cause serious damages to the environment and human beings. An alterna-tive to the use of these pesticides are natural products, such as essential oils with insecticidal action. Although effective, essential oils are unstable, not much soluble in water and degrade by the action of light, oxygen and even moderate temperatures. Thus, the nanostructure of essential oils could solve these problems and make sure they are effective. In this context, the objective of this work was to evaluate for the first time the effects of nanostructures of essen-tial oils on subterranean termites (Coptotermes gestroi). The nanoemulsions of Cymbopogon flexuosus and Eucalyptus globulus presented mean particle diameter of 94.9 and 79.8nm re-spectively, while the mean diameter of the solid lipid nanoparticles of Melaleuca alternifolia was 148.2nm. The value of PDI in all nanostructures was less than 0.3; zeta potential between -8.6 and -8.8 and pH between 4.0 and 5.9. The repellency test revealed that among the nanostructures tested, the solid lipid nanoparticles of M. alternifolia had the highest repellent index (71.6%). Regarding the termite bioassay, there was no significant difference among any of the groups tested in relation to wood consumption. When we evaluated the mortality of the termite mortality, there was a significant difference between control group (wood without treatment) and the wood treated with the solid lipid nanoparticles of M. alternifolia. In the scale of the American Association of Protection to Wood, the rate of the control group was 4 (very severe attack) and of the group treated by the nanoparticles was 9 (light attack). The present study showed that the nanostructure of essential oils with potential insecticidal action may represent a promising tool in fighting termites. / Os cupins representam uma grave ameaça para o meio ambiente, agricultura e meio urbano. Seu controle é realizado principalmente pelo emprego de pesticidas químicos, que apesar de eficazes, podem causar sérios danos ao meio ambiente e seres humanos. Uma alter-nativa ao uso desses pesticidas são os produtos naturais, como por exemplo, os óleos essenci-ais com ação inseticida. Apesar de eficazes, os óleos essenciais são instáveis, pouco solúveis em água e degradam-se pela ação da luz, oxigênio e até mesmo temperaturas moderadas. As-sim, a nanoestruturação de óleos essenciais poderia contornar esses problemas e garantir sua eficácia. Neste contexto, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar pela primeira vez, os efei-tos de nanoestruturas de óleos essenciais em cupins subterrâneos (Coptotermes gestroi). As nanoemulsões de Cymbopogon flexuosus e Eucalyptus globulus apresentaram diâmetro médio de partícula de 94,9 e 79,8nm respectivamente, enquanto que o diâmetro médio das nanopar-tículas lipídicas sólidas de Melaleuca alternifolia foi de 148,2nm. O valor de IPD em todas as nanoestruturas foi menor que 0,3; potencial zeta entre -8,6 e -8,8 e pH entre 4,0 e 5,9. O teste de repelência revelou que dentre as nanoestruturas testadas, as nanopartículas lipídicas sólidas de M. alternifolia obtiveram o índice repelente mais alto (71,6%). Em relação ao bioensaio com cupins, não houve diferença significativa entre nenhum dos grupos testados em relação ao consumo da madeira. Quando avaliada a mortalidade dos cupins, ocorreu diferença signifi-cativa entre grupo controle (madeira sem tratamento) e a madeira tratada com as nanopartícu-las lipídicas sólidas de M. alternifolia. Na escala da Associação Americana de Proteção à Ma-deira a taxa do grupo controle foi 4 (ataque muito severo) e do grupo tratado pelas nanopartí-culas foi 9 (ataque leve). O presente estudo mostrou que a nanoestruturação de óleos essenci-ais com potencial ação inseticida pode representar uma promissora ferramenta no combate aos cupins.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T16:21:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTACAO DANILO E OLIVEIRA.pdf: 948232 bytes, checksum: abfb2cc1c3f80adf6f86dc733c764552 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-01-30 / One of the major community ecology's objectives is to understand the factors that determine the spatial distribution of populations of different species belonging to an assembly. Works that investigate these causal factors on the termite fauna are rare, and to the Cerrado region, non-existent. This work aims to 1) describe the spatial structure of the termite assembly in a cerrado sensu stricto area, 2) verify whether there is spatial autocorrelation in the composition of termites and 3) whether the species are distributed on a checkerboard, and if so, what cause this distribution. On the plateau of Parque Estadual da Serra de Caldas Novas (PESCAN), I sampled the termites on 123 10m2 plots with distances to each other varying from 5 m to 3.5 km. This plots were divided into two sets, One of those arranged into 3 transects of 28 plots each and the other arranged into 13 triads distant 1 km to the next. I Identified the species and grouped them into food guilds. I made a Mantel s autocorrelogram with 10 distance classes to assess the changes in the similarity of the composition in function of space. I compared the C-score index, using the entire assembly and each guild alone, with a null distribution (with 5000 randomizations) to check whether there is a checkerboard distribution in the assembly and what its cause. I found 579 colonies of 57 species of termites, most of which was humivorous. There was no significant spatial autocorrelation in any distance class concerning the species composition because the values of r of Mantel for all distance classes were close to zero and not significant. The C-score was significant for the assembly as a whole (C-score = 52.01, p = 0.006), but was not significant for any of the guilds. The cerrado of PESCAN is one of the areas with the highest species diversity already registered for the Cerrado biome and possibly this is because of the well preserved condition of the park and the sampling effort employed. The absence of spatial autocorrelation indicates that the species of termites are distributed in space regardless of the distribution of others. This is the first study that shows that the assembly of termites is distributed on a checkerboard and that this is due to historical events of dispersal and colonization. In the area I studied, probably the dispersion of the allates during flight events makes the establishment of future colonies in a field forming a "scrambled" and not superimposed distribution known as checkerboard distribution. These results contradict the recurrent idea that intra and interspecific competition is the causal factor of the colonies spatial distribution of termites. / Um dos grandes objetivos da ecologia de comunidades é conhecer os fatores que determinam a distribuição espacial das populações de diferentes espécies pertencentes a uma assembleia. Trabalhos que investigam esses fatores causais na fauna de cupins são raros e, para a região do Cerrado, inexistentes. Objetivei 1) descrever a estrutura espacial da assembleia de cupins em uma área de cerrado sensu stricto, 2) verificar se existe autocorrelação espacial na composição de cupins e 3) se as espécies se distribuem em tabuleiro de xadrez e, em caso afirmativo, qual a causa dessa distribuição. No platô do Parque Estadual da Serra de Caldas Novas (PESCAN) amostrei os cupins em 123 parcelas de 10 m2 com distâncias de 5 a 3,5 km entre si dispostas em três transectos de 28 parcelas cada e em 13 tríades distantes 1 km entre si. Identifiquei as espécies e as classifiquei em guildas alimentares. Fiz um autocorrelograma de Mantel com 10 classes de distâncias, para avaliar a similaridade na composição em função do espaço. Comparei o índice C-score, utilizando toda a assembleia e cada guilda em particular, com uma distribuição nula (com 5000 aleatorizações) para verificar se existe distribuição em tabuleiro de xadrez na assembleia e qual sua causa. Encontrei 579 colônias de 57 espécies de cupins, sendo que a maioria era humívora. Não houve autocorrelação espacial significativa em nenhuma classe de distância para a composição de espécies, pois os valores do r de Mantel para todas as classes de distância foram próximos a zero e não significativos (p > 0,05). O índice C-score foi significativo para a assembleia como um todo (C-score = 52.01; p = 0,006), mas não foi significativo para nenhuma das guildas (p > 0,05). O cerrado do PESCAN é uma das áreas com a maior diversidade espécies já registradas para o bioma Cerrado, e isso possivelmente se deve às características do parque, como seu alto grau de preservação, e ao esforço amostral empregado. A ausência de autocorrelação espacial indica que as espécies de cupins se distribuem no espaço independentemente da distribuição das demais. Este é o primeiro estudo que demonstra que a assembleia de cupins se distribui em tabuleiro de xadrez e que isso é devido aos eventos históricos de dispersão e colonização. No cerrado que estudei provavelmente a dispersão dos alados durante as revoadas faz com que as futuras colônias se estabeleçam em uma determinada área formando uma distribuição embaralhada e não sobreposta conhecida como distribuição em tabuleiro de xadrez. Estes resultados contradizem a idéia recorrente de que a competição intra e interespecífica é o fator causal da distribuição espacial das colônias de cupins.

Painéis MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) foram produzidos em laboratório, com diferentes densidades (550 a 750 kg/m3) e diferentes teores de resina (6; 8; 10; 12 e 14%), com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito destes dois fatores,bem como sua interação, sobre o módulo de elasticidade e de ruptura, adesão interna, inchamento em espessura e absorção de água. Análises auxiliares foram realizadas, em especial do perfil de densidade e das dimensões das fibras. Todas as variáveis apresentaram correlação significativa com os fatores teor de resina e densidade, a interação só foi significativa a 1% com o inchamento em espessura. Modelos foram propostos para determinação das variáveis analisadas em função da densidade média e do teor de resina, tanto em percentagem como em valor absoluto. / MDF Panelboards of Pinus spp fibers were prepared in laboratorial scale, with a range of densities (550 - 750 kg/m3) and urea-formaldehyde resin content (6; 8; 10; 12 and 14 wt. %), with the purpose of evaluating their mechanical and physical properties. The effect of density and resin content and their interactions were analyzed based on panel mechanical and physical properties. Mechanical properties evaluated were modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity and internal bond, while physical properties studied were thickness swelling and water absorption. Also the alterations on wood fiber length and the MDF panel density profile were determined. All the physical and mechanical properties of the MDF panel were significantly related to the resin content and density. The interaction were significant only, at a degree of 1%, with the thickness swelling. Models have been proposed to evaluate the physical and mechanical variables of the MDF panel as a function of the average density and resin content, as percentages as well as in absolute values.

Eusocial insects evolved a sophisticated intraspecific communication, dominated by chemical signals, the pheromones. Termites (Isoptera) represent an excellent example in this respect, having a wide range of pheromones, such as trail-following, sex-pairing, alarm, and other pheromones. It is especially the former category of pheromones which is ubiquitous in termites and which was chemically characterized in many taxa across termite phylogeny. This allowed phylogenetic reconstruction of the chemical diversity of trail- following pheromones and calls for searching of evolutionary patterns of the sensitivity to these pheromones in various lineages across the tree of life, including the search for evolutionary scenario of the emergence of specific olfactory receptor proteins. In most species, the trail-following pheromones are represented by mono-, di- and tri-unsaturated fatty alcohols (3Z)-dodec-3-en-1-ol (DE), (3Z,6Z)-dodeca-3,6-dien-1-ol (DDE), and (3Z,6Z,8E)-dodeca-3,6,8-trien-1-ol (DTE). My overall aim in this thesis was to contribute to the understanding of the evolution of olfactory detection of C12 fatty alcohol trail-following pheromones in termites. More specifically, my question was whether evolutionarily more basal clades (Kalotermes flavicollis and Neotermes cubanus from the family...