Galhas do Parque Estadual Serra Verde: produção de conhecimento e estratégias de interpretação ambiental

Abstract

Galls are generated by the interaction of a host plant and a gall inducer, usually an insect, with a high biological diversity worldwide, and among the botanical families. A major part of this diversity is still unknown to science and inventories on various areas may increase the scientific knowledge about these intriguing interactions. The Neotropical region is rich in species and protected areas, such as the Parque Estadual Serra Verde, which has been used an area of studies to increase the scientific knowledge about its biota, as well of to identify its conservation status. Current inventory revealed 75 morphospecies of galls in the park, which can be considered a high biological diversity when compared to other similar areas. Moreover, mostly of the gall inducers are unknown to science. Another important aspect is the Park moderate botanical diversity, which strengthens its importance for biological conservation. The diversity of galls reveals the richness of host plants and gall inducers, and also that of the generated forms, the morphotypes. These morphotypes are defined by the final gall form, which is a result of structural changes in plant tissues induced by the feeding activity of the inducers. This activity generates changes both in tissue and subcellular levels. The distribution and the degree of esterification of the pectins in the cell wall, as well as its association with proteins are involved in the structural and functional changes. The analysis, and morphological and anatomical description of three distinct gall morphotypes and their host organs, together with immunocytochemical studies with monoclonal antibodies JIM5, JIM7, LM1, LM2, LM5, and LM6 showed that the distribution of pectins and proteins is not related to the functionality of the cecidogenous tissues or to the final gall form, but in a patterns divergent. Another important step is the assessment of all this scientific knowledge to the society, which reinforces the importance of science and of the conservation status of the park. This protected area has a large potential public around it, which enjoy its ecological trails. Devices for environmental interpretation, a trekking trail, photograph exhibition, identification charts and an article, were created to turn scientific knowledge into an accessible language enabling scientific popularization. The environmental interpretation increases environmental awareness and thus elevates the conservation status of the park, since it becomes more respected and accepted by the society. The ecological, biological, anatomical, and educational aspects of this study reveal the importance of the existence and preservation of the Parque Estadual Serra Verde as a model of study on the exciting and diverse universe of galls.