TY - JOUR AU - Fernandes de Souza, Gezilene AU - Leite, Germano Leão Demolin AU - Silva, Farley William Souza AU - Sampaio, Regynaldo Arruda AU - Silva, Júlia Letícia AU - Texeira, Gustavo Leal AU - Soares, Marcus Alvarenga AU - Zanuncio, José Cola PY - 2021/06/29 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Bottom-up effects on arthropod communities in Platycyamus regnellii (Fabaceae) fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge JF - Revista Colombiana de Entomología JA - Rev. Colomb. Entomol. VL - 47 IS - 1 SE - Basic / Research paper DO - 10.25100/socolen.v47i1.8943 UR - https://revistacolombianaentomologia.univalle.edu.co/index.php/SOCOLEN/article/view/8943 SP - AB - <p>Sewage sludge is a nitrogen-rich organic compound, which can be used to aid development in plants such as <em>Platycyamus regnellii</em> (Fabaceae), in the recovery of degraded areas. This study aimed to assess the bottom-up effects on leaf mass and percentage of ground cover (leaf litter, herbaceous plants, and grasses) in <em>P. regnellii</em> trees fertilized (or not) with dehydrated sewage sludge and arthropod communities over 24 months. <em>Platycyamus regnellii</em> trees fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge presented significantly more leaves per branch, branches per tree, and a higher percentage of ground cover compared to unfertilized trees. <em>Phenacoccus</em> sp. (Pseudococcidae) was the most abundant phytophagous insect associated with <em>P. regnellii</em> trees. Fertilization did not affect the abundance, diversity, and species richness of Hemiptera phytophagous on <em>P. regnellii</em> trees. However, fertilized trees presented higher abundance and species richness of trophobiont-tending ants compared to unfertilized trees, with Camponotus sp. being the most abundant regardless of the treatment. Fertilized <em>P. regnellii</em> trees also presented higher species richness of natural enemies compared to unfertilized ones, with Aranae and Dolichopodidae being the most abundant. We concluded that fertilization with dehydrated sewage sludge improved <em>P. regnellii</em> trees leaf mass and ground cover and increased the diversity of trophobiont-tending ants and natural enemies. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the arthropods community associated with this tree species. This suggests that upon fertilization, <em>P. renellii</em> trees are useful for ecological restoration in severely disturbed areas.</p> ER -