Tolerant semiaquatic bugs species (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha) are associated to pasture and conventional logging in the Eastern Amazon

The aim of the present study was to evaluate how environments modified by conventional logging (CL), reduced-impacted logging (RIL), and pastures (PST) surrounding streams affect environmental characteristics and semiaquatic bugs assemblages (Gerromorpha), in the eastern Amazon. The following hypotheses were tested: (i) environmental heterogeneity in streams is lower in areas with more intensive practices (e.g. CL and PST); (ii) species richness and abundance are also lower in streams located in areas with more intensive practices, while more preserved areas have higher richness and abundance; and (iii) species composition shall be affected by changes in forestry practices, thus causing differences between treatments according to species tolerances. We observed that although PST and CL have higher environmental heterogeneity and alpha diversity, respectively, these treatments are associated with the presence of tolerant species and are different from the forest regarding composition (species identity) and species distribution pattern. On the other hand, forest and RIL areas did not have differences regarding habitat characteristics, environmental heterogeneity, alpha diversity, composition and species distribution pattern. This indicates that RIL can maintain a considerable part of habitat integrity and Gerromorpha assemblage composition.