Biodiversity assessment of benthic macroinvertebrates in altitudinal lotic ecosystems of Serra do Cipó (MG, Brazil)

RESUMO

Five lotic systems of Serra do Cipó, south-east Brazil, were investigated in order to assess the existing diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates, habitats-microhabitats, and the available trophic resources. For each river it was analysed the communities of benthic macroinvertebrates and the composition of some taxonomic groups (Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera and Diptera Chironomidae) the community with Bivalvia Sphaeriidae, Oligochaeta and Ephemeroptera Baetidae (being supposed a closed relation Bivalvia-Oligochaeta based on the process of bioturbation and enrichment of sediment in organic matter) in Tanque River; the macrofauna associated to aquatic macrophytes from rivers Peixe and Preto do ItambÚ reflecting the reaction of the ecosystems versus the quantities of nutrients which originate from the farmlands; the lithoreophilic communities of Cipó River; the community depending on deposits of leaves and filamentous algae in Congonhas Stream; the very rich community of the moss clumps in the Indaiß Stream. A proposal for biological zonation of Cipó River and some comments about the importance of the analysed benthic macroinvertebrates in the biological production of the aquatic communities were done