Analysis of herbivory in mangrove species in different stress conditions at Bertioga – SP – Brazil Deborah Ribolli Ferraz, João Alberto Paschoa dos Santos, Roberto Pereira Borges

Abstract

Mangroves are well known because of their economic and ecological importance; however, it has been suffered in last years by the anthropic pressure. At São Paulo’s coast they are composed by the tree species Avicennia schaueriana, Laguncularia racemosa and Rhizophora mangle. Herbivory can be a sign of environmental health, because of its importance as an environmental regulated biotic relation. Therefore, the present study wanted to check the herbivory occurrence as an environmental quality bioindicator applicability. It was observed that generally are differences between the species, and between the periods for two taxa, however there were no differences between the sample sites. It still being necessary other quantitative studies, as well morphological associations ones for further investigation.