Patterns of taxonomic and functional diversity of termites along a tropical elevational gradient

Patterns of termite richness along elevation gradients may be related to different responses by termite functional groups to changes in environmental conditions. We investigated the distribution of termite species richness along an elevational gradient of cerrado and rupestrian grasslands in the Espinhaco Mountain Range, in Brazil. Fifty termite species were recorded, with the family Termitidae being dominant; 16 species are endemic to open areas of cerrado and 1 species, Cortaritermes rizzinii, is endemic and restricted to mountaintop grassland habitats. Termite richness declined with increasing elevation, with the main factors associated with the reduction being climactic (air temperature, air and soil humidity, and radiation) and vegetation variables. Different termite communities were found along the elevational gradient, which were also strongly influenced by changes in climate and vegetation. On the other hand, the same functional groups were present at the different elevations, although represented by different species. Resumo Os padroes de riqueza de cupins ao longo de gradientes altitudinais podem estar relacionados as diferentes respostas dos grupos funcionais dos cupins as mudancas nas condicoes ambientais. Nos investigamos a distribuicAo das especies de cupins ao longo de um gradiente altitudinal de cerrado e campos rupestres na Cadeia do Espinhaco - Brasil. Foram encontradas 50 especies de cupins, sendo que Termitidae foi a familia dominante; 16 especies encontradas sAo endemicas das areas abertas de cerrado e uma especie, Cortaritermes rizzinii, e endemica e restrita aos habitats de campos rupestres de altitude. A riqueza de cupins diminuiu com o aumento da altitude, sendo que os principais fatores associados a essa reducAo foram variaveis climaticas (temperatura do ar, umidade do ar e do solo e radiacAo) e da vegetacAo. Diferentes comunidades de cupins foram encontradas ao longo do gradiente altitudinal, as quais foram fortemente influenciadas pelas mudancas no clima e na vegetacAo. Por outro lado, os mesmos grupos funcionais estiveram presentes nas diferentes altitudes, embora representados por diferentes especies.