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História natural da Serra do Japi - Ecologia e preservação de uma área florestal no sudeste do Brasil
... For zoochorous species, the most favorable period for fruit development and seed dispersal is during the wet season (Morellato and Leitão-Filho 1996). However, at the community level, continuous fruiting throughout the year has also been observed, which may be related to the reduction in competition for dispersers (Morellato et al. 1989;Morellato and Leitão-Filho 1992;Carvalho and Sartori 2015;Williams-Linera and Alvarez-Aquino 2016). For anemochorous species, it is expected that fruit maturation occurs at the dry season, when the loss of leaves increases wind circulation, thereby facilitating seed dispersal (Morellato and Leitão-Filho 1992;Carvalho and Sartori 2015;Williams-Linera and Alvarez-Aquino 2016). ...
... However, at the community level, continuous fruiting throughout the year has also been observed, which may be related to the reduction in competition for dispersers (Morellato et al. 1989;Morellato and Leitão-Filho 1992;Carvalho and Sartori 2015;Williams-Linera and Alvarez-Aquino 2016). For anemochorous species, it is expected that fruit maturation occurs at the dry season, when the loss of leaves increases wind circulation, thereby facilitating seed dispersal (Morellato and Leitão-Filho 1992;Carvalho and Sartori 2015;Williams-Linera and Alvarez-Aquino 2016). The dispersion of diaspores in the dry season is often related to anemochorous (Janzen 1967;Lieberman 1982;Morellato et al. 1989;Morellato and Leitão-Filho 1996;Williams-Linera and Alvarez-Aquino 2016) and autochorous species (Mantovani and Martins 1988;Williams-Linera and Alvarez-Aquino 2016). ...
... Vegetative phenology -Although the region lacks a demarcated dry season, the proportion of semi-deciduous species (50%) was higher than that sampled in Atlantic pluvial forest and similar to those sampled in seasonal semi-deciduous forests remnants in southeastern Brazil (Morellato and Leitão-Filho 1992). However, the low seasonality of leaf fall observed in this study was similar to that recorded for the Atlantic rain forest , but lower than recorded for seasonal semi-deciduous forests remnants in southeastern Brazil (Morellato et al. 1989;Rubim et al. 2010). ...
Seasonal variations in environmental factors, such as precipitation, influence plant phenology and the relative importance of each factor, differ according to the ecosystem in question. In this study, we evaluated the phenology of 60 tree species in a seasonal semi-deciduous forest located at the southern border of the tropical zone (23°26′35ʺS and 51°15′30ʺW) during 3 years. We aimed to investigate the relationship of leaf fall, leaf flushing, budding, flowering, immature and mature fruit phenophases with precipitation, temperature and photoperiod. We also analyzed whether the phenological patterns of tree community were seasonal and similar between consecutive years. Although the climate of the region is classified as Cfa, there are two distinct season: a hot humid summer and a cold drier winter. Leaf fall occurred predominantly in the dry season, with leaf flushing and flowering at the end of the dry and early wet season. The mature fruits were observed throughout the year. For the six phenophases analyzed, the percentage of species did not differ among the three study years. The tree community presented, in general, weakly seasonal phenological patterns, mainly in response to variations in temperature and photoperiod. The mature fruits showed seasonal patterns when the species were grouped by dispersal syndrome. This predictability suggests that small inter-annual variations in precipitation and temperature are not relevant for the studied tree species’ phenology.
... Os ecossistemas das regiões tropicais do planeta são caracterizados por possuírem extensas áreas ricas em biodiversidade florística e faunística, das quais muitas plantas dependem intrinsecamente de suas relações interespecíficas com a fauna local (HARPER, 1977). Como benefício, as espécies de plantas oferecem à natureza alguns recursos vegetativos, como compostos polínicos, florais, oleaginosos, além de frutos com polpas, arilos suculentos ou sementes nutritivas (MORELLATO; LEITÃO-FILHO, 1992), no intuito de que haja, durante o seu ciclo de vida, o transporte dos propágulos vegetais a partir da planta-mãe para distâncias seguras (CORDEIRO;HOWE, 2003). ...
... Nas florestas úmidas, a principal forma de dispersão desses propágulos ocorre através da zoocoria, na qual os frutos provenientes das espécies arbóreas possuem adaptação à dispersão feita pelos animais (MORELLATO; LEITÃO-FILHO, 1992;JORDANO, 2000;ALMEIDA-NETO et al., 2008). Nesse contexto, elucida-se a importância das aves como uma das principais dispersoras de sementes, assim como conceituado pela ornitocoria, a qual possui como um dos principais protagonistas o Tucano-toco (Ramphastos toco), fato conferido pela sua abundância populacional, alta frequência de alimentação dos produtos florais, bem como na sua capacidade de deslocamento e ocupação em ambientes diversos (JORDANO, 1994). ...
... Due to its characteristics, territorial dimensions, and importance for the region, Serra do Japi had part of its territory (191. In addition to human actions on forests, differences in soil, humidity, luminosity, and height also contributed to the formation of different forms of arboreal vegetation present in Serra do Japi, which include the mesophilic semi-deciduous forest, the tall mesophilic semi-deciduous forest -altitude and rocky slabs (Leitão-Filho, 1992). Even endorsed by the UN, as a World Heritage Site and having legal preservation protocols in all spheres -from the municipal level (municipalities of Jundiaí, Cajamar, Cabreúva, Bom Jesus de Pirapora), state level (APAs Cajamar, Cabreúva and Jundiaí), Federal scope (Atlantic Forest, Forest Code and Conservation Units) and international scope (Green Belt Biosphere Reserve of the City of São Paulo), Serra do Japi faces many challenges to guarantee its preservation and the continuity of its environmental services. ...
This paper explores the importance of maintaining the ecosystem services provided by Serra do Japi, one of the last large continuous forest areas in São Paulo State and outlines the necessary steps for the sustainable management of this natural heritage. A qualitative analysis was conducted through bibliographic and documentary research to present and discuss the current scenario. The study reveals that, like many globally recognized ecosystems, Serra do Japi faces threats from urban expansion, real estate pressure, deforestation, forest fires, and irregular land development. The review of Complementary Law 417/04 presents an opportunity for the preservation of Serra do Japi and the expansion and implementation of essential protection mechanisms to ensure its long-term sustainability. This paper also emphasizes the urgent need for effective policies and actions to safeguard vital ecosystems, ensuring they continue to provide essential services for future generations. The approach aims to contribute to the debate on balancing urban development and environmental conservation, highlighting the importance of Serra do Japi as a vital natural heritage.
... Depending on spatial orientation, the shape, and size, forest fragments can become less isolated, theoretically then, reducing the possibility of population decline due to mortality. For this reason, some authors [8,9] emphasize the importance of the dispersal syndromes as the basis for connectivity, which is not necessarily, is what is used as basis to establish an ecological corridor [10][11][12]. In similar fashion, priority should be given to the creation of large-scale conservation units, since small fragments, even when arranged in corridors, are subject to both area and edge effects, which may hinder dispersal, migrations, and barrier crossing. ...
In tropical regions, pollination is primarily carried out by animals, hawkmoths (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae), being perceived as one of the most important groups. Lepidoptera, in general, comprises approximately 146.000 species of hawkmoths, 87% of them being nocturnal. In these regions, there is a total of 7.100 species, approximately 3.100 of which are found in Brazil. Sphingidae family is one of the most representative families when it comes to pollination, being more abundant in low-altitude environments. With assistance of the wind, they migrate long distances from coastal woodlands to mountainous areas during the hot rainy season. Their abundance is even greater during cloudy nights, and during new moon phases, as they are always in search of illumination. In Brazil, most of the studies focus on the morphology of individuals for taxonomic research, being few publications on their dispersal available. Aiming mapping flight paths for feeding and reproduction, the occurrence of pollination is estimated, enabling the connectivity of forest fragments and ensuring gene exchange. To visualize this study, atmospheric models of breeze circulation such as Brazilian Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (BRAMS), GRADs, and the Three-Dimensional Kinematic Trajectory (TC3D) were employed in the Atlantic Forest of the state of Rio de Janeiro, where observations and descriptions of over 80 species are accumulated, allowing the identification of spatial patterns through the use of Geographic Information Systems. The north/south orientation proved to be dominant, potentially connecting fragments of forests with varying sizes, shapes, and conservation states, extending from coastal areas to the mountainous regions within the southeastern part of Brazil.
... De modo geral, regiões tropicais tendem a apresentar uma predominância de zoocoria em ambientes com maior disponibilidade hídrica, enquanto a dispersão abiótica aumenta à medida que a água se torna um fator limitante (Gentry 1982; Morellato & Leitão-Filho 1992;Oliveira et al. 2022). A disponibilidade de água é um fator determinante para o desenvolvimento dos frutos (Marco & Paéz 2002), o que reforça sua importância para as plantas mesmo durante a estação seca. ...
Neste estudo, foram investigados os tipos carpológicos e as síndromes de dispersão de espécies em diferentes fitofisionomias de Cerrado na Serra Dourada, Mossâmedes, Goiás, Brasil. O levantamento foi realizado ao longo de dois transectos com gradiente de altitude, abrangendo cinco fitofisionomias e amostrando 66 espécies. Nas fitofisionomias campestres, os frutos foram predominantemente secos e leves, associados às síndromes de dispersão autocórica e anemocórica. Nas fitofisionomias florestais, os tipos de frutos mais comuns foram cariopses, nuculânios e legumes, com predominância de espécies com síndromes de dispersão autocórica e zoocórica. A compreensão do padrão de distribuição dos tipos de frutos e sementes nas fitofisionomias da Serra Dourada poderá maximizar a colheita de sementes e contribuir para a restauração de áreas degradadas.
... For leaf shedding, we evidenced two distinct patterns in the community related to a group of plants that present the phenophase during periods of lower day length and others in periods of higher day length. Leaf shedding in periods of longer days may be related to the change in the nutritional characteristics of the soil caused by the production of litter in early spring (Morellato and Leitão-Filho 1992;Santos and Fisch 2013). This change causes influence on the physiological aspects of the plant and, consequently, can affect the phenological patterns of the community (Costa et al. 2007;Cardoso 2009). ...
The study of vegetative and reproductive phenophases of plants is critical for understanding aspects related to plant behavior in different environments. In the tropics, there is a gap of understanding related to plant phenology since the theoretical framework on the topic has been built from perspectives of the temperate region. Furthermore, there are few studies in tropical regions influenced by anthropic conditions, which may be important for understanding these issues in the face of future climate scenarios. This study aimed to describe the vegetative and reproductive phenology of trees in an urban subtropical forest community and to test the influence of climatic variables on the tree community. In an urban forest fragment in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, eight individuals of locally dominant species were monitored: Allophylus edulis , Casearia sylvestris , Guarea macrophylla , Mimosa bimucronata , Myrsine coriacea , Myrsine umbellata , Schinus glandulosum , and Schinus terebinthifolia . The monitoring occurred every two weeks, for two years, with the recording of the presence of leaf flushing, leaf shedding, flowering, and fruiting phenophases for each tree. The seasonality of the species was tested using the Rayleigh test. We described the common pattern of community phenological activity by a Principal Component Analysis. Finally, we correlated the common patterns of each phenophase in the community with climatic variables of total precipitation, average temperature, and day length. All species showed a non-uniform phenological pattern for the evaluated phenophases despite the variable intensity. We evidenced common patterns for the community only for the vegetative phenophases. The reproductive phenophases of flowering and fruiting present themselves independently among species in the community. Finally, we identified influences only of temperature and day length on the vegetative phenophases.
... Alguns estudos têm relacionado a amplitude da sazonalidade nos regimes climáticos, principalmente de pluviosidade, temperatura e radiação solar com as variações fenológicas das plantas em diferentes formações vegetais de regiões neotropicais (Morellato e Leitão Filho 1992, Marques e Oliveira 2004, Marchioretto et al. 2007, Pirani et al. 2009). A fenologia é o estudo da regulação do ritmo sazonal dos eventos da história de vida dos organismos por aspectos bióticos (polinizadores, dispersores, entre outros) e abióticos (pluviosidade, temperatura, radiação, fotoperíodo) (Lieth 1974, Rathcke e Lacey 1985. ...
O clima é um dos fatores determinantes das taxas de produtividade, mas suas consequências no funcionamento das plantas, na produção e na perda de componentes vegetais em restingas ainda é pouco explorado. Este capítulo dedicou-se a avaliar tendências temporais bem como o efeito das variações climáticas, nos regimes de precipitação e temperatura, nas taxas de produção e perda de folhas, galhos, flores, frutos e sementes em áreas de formação aberta arbustiva de Clusia do Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba. Para isso, foram realizados acompanhamentos mensais do aporte de folhiço (por cinco anos), galhos e estruturas reprodutivas a serapilheira e o levantamento do número de folhas (bimensalmente), flores e frutos (quinzenalmente) em algumas espécies, ao longo de dois anos. Foi constatado que a duração dos períodos secos e os aumentos de temperatura foram determinantes para a ocorrência de maiores perdas de folhas, afetando tanto as espécies dominantes quanto as subordinadas. Isso é esperado uma vez que reduções na disponibilidade de água provocam respostas fisiológicas que aceleram a abscisão foliar. Enquanto a contribuição de galhos pouco varia intra-anualmente, a floração e a frutificação apresentam uma variação sazonal para a maioria das espécies dominantes e, embora tendam a ser mormente dirigidas pelo fotoperíodo, podem ser retardados pelo prolongamento dos períodos de chuvas e/ou de estiagem. Essas variações sazonais também repercutem no padrão de dispersão de sementes. Logo, as variações climáticas exercem um papel regulador da dinâmica de produção e abscisão dos componentes vegetais. O aumento na duração dos períodos secos, aliado a aumentos de temperatura previstos em cenários climáticos futuros, pode resultar em um incremento de aporte de folhiço, na desregulação dos ritmos de produção de flores e frutos e no recrutamento das espécies, com sérias implicações para o balanço de carbono e energia na restinga, uma vez que os ciclos de produção vegetal podem ser alterados.
... A similar event was observed in Dyckia excelsa, a typical species from ironstone outcrops, studied in central-western Brazil (Corumb a), when the highest percentage of flowering was verified in the dry season, although the species has been reported as subannual (Lenzi & Paggi, 2020). Rainfall is widely recognized as one of the most important environmental variables to trigger phenological events, such as flowering (Arruda et al., 2021;Borchert, 1983;Morellato et al., 2013;Morellato & Leitão-Filho, 1990;Opler et al., 1976), and to influence the duration and synchronicity of this phenophase within individuals of a given species (Opler et al., 1976). Flowering during the rainy season is known for the majority of herbaceous and shrubby species in tropical seasonal environments (Belo et al., 2013;Rathcke & Lacey, 1985), such as the cangas in Caraj as, which has a period of drought under strong evaporative demand due to high temperature, radiation, and poorly and superficially undeveloped soil cover (Skirycz et al., 2014). ...
Amazon ironstone outcrops vegetation, or canga , is a remarkable environment in which the plants are adapted to peculiar circumstances. Knowledge regarding different aspects of this ecosystem remains modest, including necessary insights for its conservation and recovery, such as the reproductive phenology of priority species that form the plant community. This study aimed to monitor the reproductive phenology of critical native species that are categorized as rare, endemic, and/or threatened in the canga of the Amazon Rainforest, in Pará, Brazil. During February 2016 and May 2017, eleven species were evaluated regarding the presence or absence of flowering and fruiting phenophases, and these were associated with environmental variables. Phenological data were evaluated through circular statistical analysis. All studied species flowered and produced fruit during the monitoring period. The evaluated species have an annual reproductive cycle marked by seasonality and flowering peaks between March and April, during the wet season, and fruiting peaks during May, at the beginning of the dry season. The best period for collecting ripe seeds, a primary tool for the restoration of degraded areas, is June. Water availability may be essential for the establishment of annual plants and to induce flowering in both annual and perennial species. The reproductive phenophases of the studied species are concentrated within a short period and are synchronized, which may increase the possibility of cross‐pollination and minimize flower and seed predation. We discuss the challenges in including annual plants and the importance of having them and perennial species in conservation and restoration of degraded areas projects.
... The climate is seasonal, with an average monthly temperature of 13.5 C in July to 20.3 C in January (Pinto, 1982). The altitude of Serra do Japi ranges from 740 m to 1294 m above the sea level, resulting in different floristic zones along its altitudinal gradient (Leitão-Filho, 1992). Therefore, this study was conducted in lower to mid altitudes (740-1000 m) of the mountain, where the abundance of this study species is highest. ...
Some insects produce venoms to defend against predators and directly interact with opioid receptors.
In the present study, it was identified two alkaloids in the wasp venom species Hymenoepimecis
bicolor. It was demonstrated that these could act as potential inhibitors of opioid receptors through
their robust affinity to the receptors. The interaction profile was given to opioid receptors (lOR), with
60% of targets similar to alkaloid 1, with 0.25 probability, and 46.7% of targets similar to alkaloid 2,
with a probability 0.17 of affinity as a target, which is considered signaling macromolecules and can
mediate the most potent analgesic and addictive properties of opiate alkaloids. Notably, both alkaloids showed -7.6 kcal/mol affinity to the morphine agonies through six residues, Gly 124, Asp 147, Trp 293, Ile296, Ile322, and Tyr326. These observations suggest further research on opioid receptors using in vitro studies of possible therapeutic applications.
... The site is an environmentally protected area that constitutes one of the few remnants of the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. The reserve has a predominantly semi-deciduous mesophyll forest with distinct phytophysiognomies along an altitudinal gradient from 700 to 1300 m above sea level (Leitão-Filho 1992). The climate is CWA in Köppen's classification (Alvares et al. 2013), which is characterized by hot/rainy summers and cold/dry winters with average monthly temperatures ranging from 13.5 °C in July to 20.3 °C in January (Pinto 1992). ...
Some wasp species use spiders as food resources, overcoming several anti-predator barriers that are exerted by spiders. Tromatobia ichneumonid wasps are spider egg predators that usually attack Araneidae species, although there are few records of predation on Clubionidae, Philodromidae, Linyphiidae, Tetragnathidae,
and Theridiidae spiders. Here, we describe the interaction between Tromatobia sp. and Chrysso compressa, a subsocial theridiid spider that exhibits extended maternal care, in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. We observed that the larva of Tromatobia sp. develop inside the egg sacs of C. compressa, preying on the entire egg mass and building cocoons that change the color and morphology of the egg sacs. Despite these structural modifications, we registered an adult female of C. compressa guarding and caring for the cocoons (attacked egg sac) of the predators as if they were offspring (non-attacked egg sac). To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first record of Tromatobia preying on Chrysso eggs.
... Criadas em 1984 e localizadas em uma região densamente urbanizada e industrializada do estado de São Paulo, as APAs CCJ são uma UC de uso sustentável, com o objetivo de proteger o maciço florestal da Serra do Japi e os mananciais de produção de água para abastecimento público existentes na região (São Paulo, 1998). A Serra do Japi é uma das últimas grandes áreas de floresta contínua do estado de São Paulo, e é caracterizada como um maciço montanhoso localizado em uma região de interface de floresta atlântica ombrófila densa e floresta atlântica estacional semi-decidual, o que condiciona a existência de uma vegetação florestal heterogênea e de alta diversidade (Leitão-Filho, 1992), que se expressa também em um gradiente altitudinal (Rodrigues, Shepherd, 1992), e nas faces norte e sul da Serra (Cardoso-Leite et al., 2005), devido a variações edafoclimáticas (Ab´Saber, ...
The Atlantic Forest is a biodiversity hotspot, with one of its last large forests located in Serra do Japi, in an urbanized region of the state of São Paulo. To protect this forest, in 1984 the Cajamar, Cabreúva and Jundiaí Environmental Protection Area (APAs CCJ) was established, regulated in 1998 and expanded in 2006. The study characterized the forest cover of the APAs CCJ, qualifying the patches by applying a Forest Quality Index (IQF), composed of landscape metrics AREA, IC, ENN and PROXRIO. Secondary data processed in a Geographic Information System (GIS) was used. The landscape has a forest cover of 35.25%, predominating patches of up to 10 hectares, representing 85.46% of the fragments. Forest cover is unevenly distributed, with the largest patches concentrated in the Serra do Japi region, and with forest cover below 30% in watershed areas. The average distance between the patches, and between these and the hydrography, is less than 60 meters, resulting in a good IQF score for 88.64% of the forests. Small patch suppression scenarios increase the mean distance between patches more than in large patch suppression scenarios, indicating that small patches are important in landscape connectivity. It is concluded that the environmental quality of forest fragments in the landscape is good, and that the regulation of APAs CCJ should increase the protection of small forest patches, in addition to the ecological restoration of strategic areas, aiming at the conformation of corridors between the fragments.
... In both the Atlantic rain forest and restinga, flowering is more seasonal, concentrated in the warm/rainy season (October to March) Rodarte 2008). These data reinforces the idea that the biotic factors, such as seed dispersers (in the case of zoocoric fruits) may have relevance in determining fruit ripening and seed dispersal periods in coastal environments like Atlantic forest and restinga vegetation (Morellato & Leitão-Filho 1991;Morellato et al. 2000). ...
Fruits have a wide variety of morphological and phenological characteristics that have been related to environmental conditions and seed dispersal mode. In this paper, we describe the fruit morphology, the fruiting phenology and infer dispersal patterns of 52 species from restinga of Maricá, Rio de Janeiro, in order to understand the richness and temporal variation of these resources in the community. Fleshy, indehiscent, and colored fruits, typical of zoochory, predominate in the restinga (77.8%). Anemochoric fruits represent 13.3%. In 42% of zoochoric species, fruits go through three to five colors until maturity, and different stages of ripeness can be observed on the same plant. A constant supply of zoochoric and anemochoric fruits was observed throughout the year. Unlike flowering, there were no significant correlations between fruiting activity and intensity and abiotic factors. For the community studied, the fruiting pattern observed also contrasts with flowering, due to the lower seasonality, and intensity suggesting that biotic factors, such as seed dispersers (in the case of zoochoric fruits) may have relevance in determining fruit ripening and seed dispersal periods in coastal environments.
... Thus, the permanence and maintenance of the fauna dependent on flowers and fruits' resources are favored by the aquatic vegetation. The most intense flowering in the rainy season has been related to the increased temperatures and rainfall, which increase nutrient availability to the plants, that then invest resources in flower production (Morellato & Leitão-Filho 1992). Variation in radiation (Wright & Schaik 1994;Adler & Kielpinski 2000) and pollinators' activity also influence (Wikander 1984;Morellato 1991). ...
Studies of plant phenology have been performed predominantly with terrestrial species and rarely so with aquatic communities. Such plants are fundamental for the aquatic ecosystems, representing a valuable source of resources when they are scarce in terrestrial environments for the fauna. Studies of phenology help to understand the reproduction rhythms of plant communities and provide fundamental support to management and conservation. This study aimed to describe the reproductive phenology of 15 species of aquatic plants and determine how it is related to climatic factors and physicochemical variables of water. Plants were collected every 15 days throughout a single year, from two ponds in the Cerrado-Pantanal ecotone, Central-West Brazil. Species were observed in flower and fruit throughout the year with varying phenophases among life forms (amphibious, emergent, rooted, floating and rooted submerged). Photoperiod stood out among climatic variables for flowering and fruiting times. Phenophases were explained by climatic factors, as well as by physicochemical variables of the water. Nitrogen and pH were the variables most related to the highest number of phenophases of different life forms. Such information is relevant to understanding how physicochemical alterations to water by pollution, eutrophication and siltation, among others, can change the phenology of aquatic macrophytes.
Keywords:
aquatic plants; flowering; fructification; limnology; physicochemical water variables
... The climate here is seasonal, with an average monthly temperature of 13.5 C in July and 20.3 C in January (Pinto 1992). This area presents an altitudinal gradient from 700 to 1300 m, with different phytophysiognomies, and a predominance of the semideciduous montane seasonal forest (Leitão-Filho 1992). Serra do Japi has one of the most extensive continuous forests in the São Paulo State, and one of the few remnants of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. ...
Body coloration of orb-web spiders was previously hypothesized to be attractive to insects, luring potential prey, or associated with protection against visually oriented predators. We combined manipulative experiments with spectral reflectance analyses to test the prey attraction hypothesis, using the araneid spider Gasteracantha cancriformis as a model. The study was conducted in a shaded environment, within a forest fragment of the Atlantic forest located in Southeastern Brazil. Insect interception on web surfaces displaying the dorsal section of G. cancriformis opisthosoma, which emits blue fluorescence and reflects light in the ultraviolet wavelength region, was higher than on surfaces displaying the spider's ventral section, or in webs without spiders. This study supports the prey attraction hypothesis by providing evidence that the color patterns of G. cancriformis dorsum improve prey interception by their webs. Fluorescence and achromatic cues are probably important to lure and attract potential prey.
... Due to its relatively high elevation, it is one of the largest forest fragments in the state of São Paulo. Serra do Japi is a semi-deciduous tropical forest with well-defined seasonality: a cool, dry period (April to September) with an average temperature of 17 • C and average rainfall of 72 mm/month and a warm, wet period (October to March) with an average temperature of 21 • C and average rainfall of 194 mm/month (Leitão-Filho, 1992). During the one-year sampling period, recorded leaf litter temperature ranged from 5 • C (cool/dry season) to 36 • C (warm/ wet season) and averaged 14 • C (cool/dry season) to 21 • C (warm/wet season; Fig. S1a). ...
Anthropogenic forces are increasing climate anomalies and disease pressure in tropical forests. Terrestrial-breeding amphibians, a diverse group of highly endemic tropical frogs, have been experiencing cryptic population declines and extinctions, most of which have been retrospectively linked to climate anomalies and the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). However, the spatiotemporal drivers of Bd infection in these species are unresolved. We tracked microhabitat conditions and Bd dynamics in terrestrial-breeding frogs in Brazil's Atlantic Forest over an annual cycle that coincided with a period of low rainfall compared to historical averages. An increase in Bd prevalence during the warm/wet season was attributable to pathogen spillover from co-occurring aquatic-breeding frogs. The deficit in rainfall compared to historical trends was the best predictor of spikes in Bd infection loads one month later and mortality among heavily infected frogs two months later. We suggest that hydrological stress may intensify seasonal pathogen amplification in direct-developing frogs, to an extent that may trigger localized disease clusters or potentially shift disease dynamics from enzootic to epizootic, even in areas with a relatively long history of host-pathogen coexistence.
... Due to its representativeness, studies aiming to understand and produce knowledge on the behavior of this species can be a basis for strategies of conservation and restoration of this biome. In this case, the study of phenology represents a good tool for understanding the factors that influence the reproduction and survival of plant species, contributing to the understanding of the dynamics and structuring of plant communities (MORELLATO et al., 1992). This is because plants present phenological strategies related to the environmental characteristics of their habitats, their habits, reproductive biology and modes of dispersion (CONCEIÇÃO et al., 2006). ...
The objective of this study is to describe the reproductive and vegetative phenological patterns of individuals of Copernicia alba, popularly known as "carandá", present in a flooded and non-flooded environment and to test the relations between vegetative and reproductive phenophasesand climatic seasonality. The phenological aspects of the carandá were obtained through a biweekly observation of 22 individuals from two areas of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso between August 2015 and August 2017. The carandá population presented a perennial behavior, flowering during the dry season and a greater leaf intensity in the transition period to the rainy season. Budding, although continuous, was intense in the rainy season, and the leaf deciduous pattern had a direct interference from the absence of rainfalls in the dry period. The incidence of floral buds occurred in the dry period, and the flowering occurred between the dry and rainy periods. The fruiting period occurred in the rainy season, indicating a high synchronism of phenophases.
... They showed that the trees in that period had reached the maximum concentration of non-structural carbohydrates and nitrogen, significant in larvae development. In contrast, certain species of the genus Oncideres attack and cut the branches of healthy host plants, when the peak of flowering and leaf bud break is reached [30,[33][34][35]. The species might therefore synchronize its cycle with that of its host plant for its reproduction. ...
Cerambycidae Diastocera trifasciata attacks were studied from October 2015 to September 2017 in three cashew tree orchards in the locality of Brobo in central Côte d’Ivoire. One hundred fifty-three (153) cashew trees, arranged on a diagonal from each orchard, were selected for sampling. The attacked plants and the branches cut per tree were counted every 15 days. Biotic parameters, namely phenological stages of trees, and abiotic factors, which are rainfall, relative humidity and average temperature, were recorded throughout the study. Attacks were observed from mid-September to January from the pre-flowering vegetative stage to the flowering stage. Attack period duration was therefore four and a half months per year. The peak of attacks was recorded in November with an attack rate of 88.02% in 2015 and 75.49% in 2016. No attack was recorded from February to mid-September, corresponding to the flowering, fruiting and post-harvest vegetative growth stages. This description of the attack process and the determination of D. trifasciata attack periods provides essential data for the implementation of an effective and sustainable control method of this species.
... Todas as epífitas e 66,7% das trepadeiras apresentaram dispersão anemocórica. Geralmente as proporções das síndromes de dispersão variam nos diferentes hábitos (Morellato & Leitão-Filho 1992, Costa et al. 2004, Silva & Rodal 2009), entretanto no MONA Grota do Angico houve predominância da autocoria. ...
The present study aimed to characterize the types of fruits and strategies of propagule dispersal of Angiosperms in the Grota do Angico Natural Monument, municipalities of Canindé de São Francisco and Poço Redondo, Sergipe State, Brasil. The characterization of the fruits and syndromes was based on the analysis of fruits collected in an area of 251 ha. We sampled 24 families and 67 species, the most representative families were Fabaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Bromeliaceae and Cactaceae. There was a prevalence of dry fruits (68.7%) and ten types of fruits were found, being legume, capsule and berry the most common. Abiotic vectors prevailed in the study area (61.2%). The primary dispersal syndromes were autocory (43.3%), followed by zoochory (38.8%) and anemochory (17.9%). The autochory also prevailed in the herbaceous-subshub (52.2%) and woody-shrub (45.7%), however, it showed only a small percentage of difference when compared to zoochory.
... Annual and sub-annual fluctuations of phenophases may indicate the environmental factors, both abiotic (e.g. precipitation) and biotic, that drive them, including interactions with pollinators, dispersers and herbivores (Morellato & Leitão-Filho 1992). ...
We analyzed the phenological responses of shrub-tree species of lowland deciduous (LDF) and submontane deciduous (SFD) forests in the Pantanal, and assessed their relationships with climatic factors at the community level and with strategies for seed dispersal. Vegetative and reproductive phenophases of 50 tree-shrub species were monitored monthly (12 months), and their relationship with climatic variables was tested using multiple linear regression. Time of leaf budding differed between areas for autochoric species and between autochoric and anemochoric species at LDF. Leaf fall in communities and functional groups was seasonal and highly synchronous during the dry season (95 % of species). Leaf budding peaked at the end of the dry season with > 80 % synchrony. In general, the species presented low synchrony or asynchrony for flowering phenophases, while fruiting phenophases were weakly seasonal but differed between functional groups. Temperature and precipitation were the regulating factors of vegetative phenophases in LDF, while daylength regulated them in SDF. Abiotic factors only influenced flowering phenophases at the dispersion group level. Only ripe fruits were related to reduced daylength. The phenophases of the deciduous forests of the Pantanal seem to be regulated not only by climatic factors but also by strong endogenous control.
... A análise da sazonalidade indicou grande influência da estação chuvosa na presença de pólen nos corpos dos morcegos, corroborando com os diversos estudos fenológicos realizados no sudeste brasileiro, os quais apontam uma correlação entre a estação com maior pluviosidade com o maior número de espécies em floração (Morellato et al. 1989, Morellato & Leitão-Filho 1992, Ferraz et al. 1998, Talora & Morellato 2000. Além disso, já foi constatado o maior consumo de pólen e néctar por morcegos nessa estação (Pedro & Taddei 1997 tenha apresentado maior quantidade de grãos de pólen na estação chuvosa (70,3%, n = 64) esse resultado decorreu de uma amostra de A. fimbriatus contendo 34 grãos, pois no geral foram encontradas baixas quantidades de grãos em ambas as estações. ...
(Analysis of pollen on the fur of Phyllostomidae bats (Chiroptera) at the Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga, São Paulo State, Brazil). Pollination is a well successful mutualistic relationship between bats and angiosperms but little is known about pollen diversity on the fur of the phytophagous species of bats. This study aimed to record the pollen types found on the fur of Phyllostomidae bats in order to identify possible interactions between these animals and plants. Mist nets were used to capture bats at the Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga, municipality of São Paulo, between October 2015 and September 2016. Pollen grains were collected with a brush and distilled water and subjected to laboratory analysis. Seventy-two pollen types were recorded, of which the most frequent were Alchornea (9.3%, n=20), Eucalyptus (5.6%, n=12), and Euterpe (4.6%, n=10). As a total, 267 bats belonging to five species were sampled, with Artibeus lituratus, Stunira lilium, and Artibeus fimbriatus presenting the highest diversity of pollen types on their bodies. In this study, unpublished interactions between bats and plants were identified.
... Some features of A. arborescens may be considered as effective to attract more consumers and potential dispersers (Athiê & Dias 2012;Verçosa et al. 2012). One of them would be the high proportion of fruit pulp during the rainy season (Morellato & Leitão Filho 1992;Pereira & Mantovani 2007;Parrini & Pacheco 2011a,b, 2014. The greater resources supply in the rainy season may be identified as the main factor responsible for the seasonal movements of birds to these places (Galetti et al. 2000;Morellato et al. 2000;Malizia 2001). ...
Biotic interactions related to the consumption of floral nectar and fruits as food resource by birds promoting plant pollination and dispersal, are essential for forest ecosystem functioning. The daily interaction of birds with Acnistus arborescens (Solanaceae), a shrub-tree, was studied in the Itatiaia National Park and its surroundings. Reproductive phenology was monthly monitored in eighteen individuals in 2015. During flowering (August to November) and fruiting (September to December) the interaction birds-plant was studied. Flowers were visited by seven hummingbird species and several insects. Fruit set was 87.3%. Thirty-five bird species of eleven families consumed its fruit. Thraupidae with sixteen bird species was the family responsible for most of its frugivory (53.9%). Considering that more than 10% of the birds richness of Itatiaia National Park - INP interacts with A. arborescens, it can be considered an important plant species in maintaining local bird diverstity. Thus, for attracting many birds, A. arborescens can be used in the process of recovery of degraded areas, and also as a focal plant species for environmental education programs and birdwatching.
... The climate is seasonal, characterized by a warm rainy season (November-April: 18-22 °C, 230 mm/month) and a cool dry season (May-September: 12-15 °C, 40 mm/month). The vegetation is characterized by semi-deciduous mesophytic Atlantic Rainforest (Leitão-Filho 1992). ...
Biotic and abiotic factors may individually or interactively disrupt plant–pollinator interactions, influencing plant fitness. Although variations in temperature and precipitation are expected to modify the overall impact of predators on plant–pollinator interactions, few empirical studies have assessed if these weather conditions influence anti-predator behaviors and how this context-dependent response may cascade down to plant fitness. To answer this question, we manipulated predation risk (using artificial spiders) in different years to investigate how natural variation in temperature and precipitation may affect diversity (richness and composition) and behavioral (visitation) responses of flower-visiting insects to predation risk, and how these effects influence plant fitness. Our findings indicate that predation risk and an increase in precipitation independently reduced plant fitness (i.e., seed set) by decreasing flower visitation. Predation risk reduced pollinator visitation and richness, and altered species composition of pollinators. Additionally, an increase in precipitation was associated with lower flower visitation and pollinator richness but did not alter pollinator species composition. However, maximum daily temperature did not affect any component of the pollinator assemblage or plant fitness. Our results indicate that biotic and abiotic drivers have different impacts on pollinator behavior and diversity with consequences for plant fitness components. Even small variation in precipitation conditions promotes complex and substantial cascading effects on plants by affecting both pollinator communities and the outcome of plant–pollinator interactions. Tropical communities are expected to be highly susceptible to climatic changes, and these changes may have drastic consequences for biotic interactions in the tropics.
... Esse padrão também foi verificado em fragmentos de floresta atlântica por Silva et al. (2012) e Oliveira et al. (2011. As florestas tropicais têm como característica apresentar altas proporções de espécies vegetais cuja dispersão é feita por animais (zoocoria), com cerca de 70 a 90% das espécies (MORELLATO, LEITÃO-FILHO, 1992;TABARELLI, PERES, 2002), confirmando os resultados do presente estudo. ...
O objetivo foi realizar o levantamento fitossociológico com síndrome de dispersão do componente arbóreo adulto em um trecho de floresta ombrófila densa, localizado em Paulista – Pernambuco. O trecho possui 23,7 ha. Foram lançadas parcelas aleatórias de 200 m², somando 20 parcelas com área total de 0,4 ha. O nível de inclusão dos indivíduos arbóreos foi com circunferência a altura do peito (CAP) igual ou maior que 15 cm. Todos os indivíduos mensurados foram identificados botanicamente seguindo a classificação APG III. A caracterização fitossociológica foi feita através dos seguintes parâmetros: densidade absoluta e relativa, dominância absoluta e relativa, frequência absoluta e relativa e valor de importância. O Índice de Diversidade de Shannon (H’) também foi calculado. Para a síndrome de dispersão, as espécies foram classificadas como zoocóricas ou dispersadas por elementos abióticos. As espécies com maior valor de importância foram Tapirira guianensis, Schefflera morototoni, Pogonophora schomburgkiana, Cupania racemosa, e Miconia prasina, respectivamente. O Índice de Shannon foi de 3,44. A síndrome de dispersão demonstrou que 80,9% das espécies são dispersadas por zoocoria e 14,3% por mecanismos abióticos. O componente arbóreo adulto se encontra dentro dos padrões de riqueza e abundância encontrados em remanescentes florestais de Pernambuco.
... The possible reasons for simultaneous leaf fall and flowering in tropical plants include day length (Njoku 1958), abrupt drop in temperature (Opler et al. 1976) and changes in incident radiation (Bernhard-Reversat et al. 1972). The fall of leaves of many species during the dry season would offer good conditions for seed dispersal (Morellato & Leitao Filho 1992). ...
Different aspects of vegetation ecology like phytosociology, flora and biological spectrum, phenology in a tropical dry deciduous forest ecosystem-the Tadoba National Park, (20o 16' 10'' to 20o 24' 25'' N and 79o 14' 43'' to 79o21' 25'' E), Chandrapur is presented in this paper. Forest of the whole park area has been categorized in to five communities through tabular comparison method. The diversity indices worked out showed that, Shannon-Wiener index (H’) and Simpson index (λ) varied from 2.35 to 2.9 and 0.085 to 0.147 respectively. Species richness in shrubs did not follow the same trend as in trees which varied from 17 to 6, with highest number in Tectona grandis-Chloroxylon swietenia-Diospyros melanoxylon community. The lowest richness was in communities IV and V. Herbs were very rich in almost all communities with highest species richness value, 110 in community-I and lowest in IV. Tectona grandis-Chloroxylon swietenia-Diospyros melanoxylon community showed highest diversity index (H’) of 3.94. Simpson index was very low in all communities. Lowest Simpson index was observed in community- I. High value of Shannon-Wiener Index and low Simpson Index indicated high diversity in vegetation. Total number of higher plants enumerated in the park consist of 741 species under 115 families and 427 genera (111 trees, 66 shrubs, 89 climbers and 475 herbs). Herbs have 107 legumes, 103 grasses, 47 sedges and 218 forbs. Population structure revealed requirement of study of reproductive biology of major tree species in relation to seed production, germination and seedlings establishment. After the study of biological spectrum, it is concluded that the flora of the Park is of therophanerophytic in nature. Phenological studies of major trees in Tadoba National Park indicate that leaf fall, flowering, fruiting and leaf flushing in majority of species occurs during dry season starting from February to June.
Este trabalho, reali.zado em um fragmento de mata mesófila semidecídua com área de 7,5 ha, localizado no município de Lindóia, SP, sob as coordenadas 22º32'S e 46º56'W, teve como objetivo relacionar variáveis biométricas da vegetação (altura média, DAP, número de indivíduos, área basal, diversidade ecológica) com os principais fatores químicos e físicos do solo, amostrados em dois sítios a diferentes cotas altimétricas: um localizado à margem do rio do Peixe e outro na encosta da área de estudo. Areia, argila, K, pH e P mostraram correlação significativa com a vegetação. O fósforo existente na superfície do solo teve efeito positivo sobre a área basal.
A heterogeneidade espacial, temporal e funcional é relevante na identificação de gargalos e oportunidades para a gestão de bacias hidrográficas de abastecimento e se constitui em elemento para a apreensão das relações floresta-água-sociedade. Este estudo realizou uma análise espacial e temporal em duas bacias hidrográficas, visando identificar as mudanças ocorridas na composição e na configuração da paisagem, com foco em manchas florestais e sua funcionalidade para a produção de água. Utilizou-se geoprocessamento e aplicação das métricas AREA, ENN, PROXRIO e SHAPE para avaliar a configuração das manchas florestais nas bacias em 1985 e 2020. Constatou-se um processo importante de urbanização nas bacias, predominantemente sobre áreas agropecuárias, e que vêm ocorrendo em paralelo ao incremento líquido de cobertura florestal. Tal cobertura florestal representa 37,3% do território, estando distribuída de modo desigual na paisagem. A proximidade existente entre os fragmentos pode ser incrementada a partir da restauração das Áreas de Preservação Permanente (APPs) ocupadas por atividades agrícolas, que perfazem 34,3% das APPs hídricas. Conclui-se que deve haver uma política de desmatamento zero nas bacias, com expansão dos usos antrópicos somente sobre áreas já degradadas, associado ao incentivo à restauração de florestas em toda a paisagem, como estratégia para a gestão do território.
Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a chuva de sementes de espécies florestais em dois fragmentos com diferentes níveis de degradação na mata atlântica de Sergipe. O estudo foi desenvolvido em floresta estacional semidecidual no munícipio de São Cristóvão, SE. Foram delimitados um polígono na floresta aberta (de maior degradação) e um na floresta fechada (de menor degradação). Em cada polígono, alocaram-se dez coletores, e foram coletadas as sementes por 12 meses. Depois, os propágulos foram identificados em relação à espécie e classificados quanto a síndrome de dispersão, formas de vida e grupos ecológicos. Calcularam-se a densidade absoluta de sementes, a diversidade de Shannon e a equabilidade de Pielou. A floresta fechada apresentou dominância de propágulos das espécies Ficus clusiifolia, Cupania oblongifolia, Allophylus edulis e Myrcia tomentosa, que são zoocóricas, sendo fundamentais para a formação do banco de sementes e a regeneração natural. A retirada de madeira na floresta aberta reduz a quantidade de propágulos e aumenta o número de espécies não arbóreas na chuva de sementes. Portanto, o enriquecimento ou isolamento do fragmento são necessários. Duas espécies secundárias tardias apresentaram alta densidade de propágulos na floresta aberta, provavelmente originários de fragmentos mais preservados no entorno ou por dispersores específicos dessas espécies.
This chapter provides an overview on flowering and fruiting phenology, pollination and seed dispersal syndromes of species occurring in the capões (natural forest patches) of the southern Pantanal wetland, Brazil. We monthly sampled three to five different capões from May 1999 to May 2000 for all reproductive plant individuals and recorded their habits, numbers of open flowers, unripe and ripe fruits. The dataset comprised 52 capões in total. We classified the species into pollination and seed dispersal syndromes based on flower and fruit traits, respectively. In total, we recorded 248 flowering species and 111 fruiting species. According to floral traits, melittophily (47%) was the most frequent pollination syndrome, whereas anemophily was recorded for only 3% of the species. Zoochory was the most frequent seed dispersal syndrome (64%), followed by anemochory (19%) and autochory (17%). Epizoochory represented 5% of the zoochoric species. The present study highlights the high resource availability for pollinators and seed dispersers in the capões throughout the year, with a peak during the rainy season. In addition, we show that most plant species in these forest patches depend on biotic vectors for reproduction, thereby ensuring the maintenance of biological diversity in the Pantanal.
Mutualistic interactions between plants and birds entail benefts for both organisms. While the birds obtain a nutritional
resource when feeding on fruit, for example, the plant species benefts from having its seeds dispersed away from the motherplant. Campinarana ecosystems grow on the white-sand substrates found irregularly within the Amazon basin. We conducted
the present study in an enclave of campinarana in the municipality of Mâncio Lima, in the western extreme of the Brazilian
state of Acre. We used mist-nets to capture birds, from which we also collected fecal samples. The seeds encountered in these
samples were identifed and used to establish a bird–plant interaction network, through which we analyzed the connectance,
nestedness, centrality analysis, and robustness of the interactions. We recorded 69 of the 648 possible interactions, in which
12 bird species interacted with 54 plant taxa, with intermediate connectance (C=10.65%) and non-signifcant nestedness
(N=11.36; p=0.1). The bird–plant interaction network of the campinarana enclave sampled in the present study had a
random robustness of Rr=0.52 and robustness of the degree of connectivity of Rd=0.15. Based on its centrality analysis
and robustness, black manakin, Xenopipo atronitens, was the most central bird species, responsible for the maintenance of
the stability and structure of the interaction network. Given these fndings, and its disproportionate mutualistic interactions
with the plant taxa, in comparison with the other local frugivorous bird species, we consider X. atronitens to be a keystone
species in this white-sand vegetation ecosystem.
Phenological studies are fundamental for understanding the structure and dynamics of the plant community and assist in understanding the influence of climate on vegetation and for the analysis of plant-animal interactions. In this work, we present the phenology of 19 woody species of coastal dunes located in the eastern end of the Amazon coast. We evaluate the phenological aspects of the community and their relationship with climatic factors (photoperiod, precipitation, and temperature). For this evaluation, 19 woody species with a diameter at soil height (DBH) > 3 cm and whole crown visible were selected. Information on leaf abscission, new leaves, flowering, and fruiting was collected fortnightly. The activity and intensity of each phenophase were estimated according to the Fournier index. Circular statistic was employed to determine the mean dates for the start and peak of the phenophases, and the percentage of activity and intensity for each phenophase. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to investigate the relationships between phenophases and climatic variables. Additionally, leaf habits and pollination and dispersion syndromes were defined for each species. The results reveal that the species evaluated did not show seasonally defined behavior, nor were they related to the climatic factors evaluated. Most species showed evergreen leaf habit (83.4%), melittophilly as the primary pollination syndrome (78.9%), and zoochoric dispersal (84.22%). Although it does not present a seasonally defined behavior, nor is it related to the climatic factors evaluated, the dry season presented the highest percentages for all phenophases, which may indicate that other factors associated with the dry period may influence the trigger off the phenophases. The information collected expands the knowledge about the functioning of this ecosystem and reinforces the need for more ecological studies and reduced impact management measures, aiming at coastal vegetation conservation.
O estudo teve por objetivo caracterizar o comportamento dos ciclos vegetativos e reprodutivos de Trema micrantha (L.) Blume (grandiúva) em área de reflorestamento na região sudoeste do estado do Paraná, Brasil. Foram monitoradas, quinzenalmente, as fenofases vegetativas e reprodutivas de 12 indivíduos, sendo três por parcela de plantio. Em seguida, foram analisadas a sincronia das fenofases, a correlação com as variáveis meteorológicas e a periodicidade dos eventos. A espécie apresentou alto índice de queda foliar no período de inverno (junho-agosto), ocorrendo a retomada de brotação em setembro, sendo esta influenciada pelo aumento de temperatura e volume de precipitação pluviométrica. Para as fenofases reprodutivas, a floração tem início na primavera (setembro-outubro) e atinge seu máximo em dezembro; a maturação de frutos e dispersão de sementes inicia em novembro, concentrando-se no período de janeiro a abril. A floração e a frutificação da espécie apresentam padrão anual estendido e alta sincronia. A intensidade dos botões florais, flores e frutos imaturos se correlacionam de forma significativa com a variação de temperatura e fotoperíodo no sudoeste Paranaense, demonstrando a interação de Trema micrantha com o ambiente, bem como sua adaptação em florestas subtropicais da Mata Atlântica, estando a fenologia da espécie condicionada mais fortemente pelo fotoperíodo e pela temperatura do que pela precipitação.
Phylogenetic inertia often drives sister species to exhibit similar acoustic signals, compromising species recognition and increasing competition for acoustic space. Consequently, natural selection favours acoustic divergence in sympatry through behavioural plasticity or character displacement. Although well-documented in temperate regions, these phenomena have been less investigated in tropical communities, characterised by more complex interactions and saturated acoustic spaces. Here we examined acoustic divergence in the advertisement calls of two closely related neotropical treefrogs that share similar signals, habitat, and phenology, and that hybridise in nature. Our results revealed differences in call parameters between syntopy and allotopy, each species showing a specific response. While the smaller-sized species, Boana bischoffi, increased dominant frequency in syntopy, Boana prasina prolonged call duration, both increasing acoustic divergence between these sister species. In contrast, morphological and environmental factors had little influence on acoustic parameters, with only body size affecting dominant frequency in B. bischoffi. These findings suggest that vocal adjustment (acoustic plasticity) or character displacement (local adaptation) may enlarge acoustic divergence in advertisement calls, reinforcing reproductive isolation and reducing interspecific competition for acoustic space in sister taxa.
A fragmentação florestal promove inúmeras alterações no funcionamento dos ecossistemas, principalmente por fenômenos microclimáticos. Pode levar à extinções de espécies menos tolerantes, colonização de espécies invasoras, predomínio de espécies primárias e a chegada de pragas, o que diminui a biodiversidade intra fragmentos, gerando o empobrecimento genético. A Mata Atlântica no Brasil possui de 7 a 15 % de cobertura remanescente em diferentes níveis de integridade e de sucessão ecológica. Diante disso, a legislação ambiental brasileira criou os mosaicos de Unidades de Conservação e os Corredores Ecológicos com a finalidade de conservar/preservar os remanescentes e recuperá-los para promover a conectividade ecológica, que garantiria a troca gênica entre populações e a elasticidade genética. No entanto muitos projetos de implementação de corredores ecológicos são executados sem nenhum planejamento. Este estudo apresenta como possibilidade de entendimento da conectividade a síndrome de polinização por mariposas, já que estas, podem se aproveitar de brisas para voar longas distâncias, conectando manchas de fragmentos. Foi investigado o comportamento de voo, alimentar e sexual de 13 espécies de mariposas a partir de catálogo de referência e observações de campo na Reserva Ecológica do Guapiaçu (no município de Cachoeiras de Macacu -RJ), realizando-se estudos zoológicos e de modelagem atmosférica dos sistemas de brisas podendo identificar trajetórias potenciais de voo, que compõem um arranjo espacial. Os resultados indicam uma orientação espacial na qual norte/sul, o que é diferente da orientação dos projetos executados na área.
The preference-performance hypothesis states that female insects oviposit on plants that result in optimal larval development. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the use of host plants of the genus Solanum by female butterflies of Mechanitis polymnia casabranca Haensch (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) and the performance of larvae reared on different species of Solanum. We performed field observations and oviposition experiments to evaluate the use of host plants. In the field, we recorded the abundance of host plants of the species Solanum robustum H. Wendl, Solanum mauri-tianum Scop., Solanum scuticum M. Nee, and Solanum paniculatum L. with and without oviposition by M. polymnia. In the oviposition experiment, we grew host plants representing common species in the field (S. mauritianum, S. robustum, and S. scuticum) in pots, with one plant per pot, which were then grouped in blocks of three plants, one of each species (n = 10 blocks). In the larval performance experiment, we reared larvae on leaves of one of three Solanum species and maintained them under controlled temperature and photoperiod conditions. We recorded the survival, larval development time, adult wing size, dry weight, and larval digestibility indices. In the field, females oviposited more frequently on S. robustum despite the greater abundance of S. mauritianum. In general, larvae reared on S. robustum or S. scuticum had highest larval performance. Larval mortality was higher in larvae reared on S. mauritianum (40.9%), followed by larvae reared on S. scuticum (7.5%) and S. robustum (6.8%). The adult wing size and dry weight were the highest in males and females originating from larvae reared on S. robustum. The results suggested a positive relationship between oviposition preference and larval performance in M. polymnia casabranca.
The choice of native species used in the management of agroforestry systems for the recovery of anthropized environments, are fundamental for maintaining biodiversity and ecological processes. In this study, we evaluated the structural complexity and diversity of plants in a teak agroforestry, compared to a native forest tangent to the planted area. Thus, we set up 33 plots in the area of native forest and 24 in agroforestry, both with dimensions of 10 × 10 m, at Fazenda São Nicolau, Cotriguaçu, Mato Grosso, Brazil. We collected data on the structure of vegetation and calculated the descriptive phytosociological parameters of the community structure. We used i) PCoA to evaluate the floristic similarity between native forest and agroforestry, ii) GLM to determine the influence of the canopy opening on the vegetation structure, and iii) ANOVA to analyze the structural characteristics by dispersion syndrome. We registered 395 tree individuals belonging to 98 species and 35 families, including the exotic species Tectona grandis. We considered abundance and the basal area in relation to the dispersion syndrome, where we noticed, the zoocoria significantly higher when compared to anemocoria and autocoria. Thus, we consider the zoochoric dispersion syndrome as a factor that best explains the relationship between the types of forests in the Southern Amazon.
A polinização das flores e dispersão de frutos e sementes são fatores vitais para a manutenção de grande parte da população de espécies vegetais em florestas tropicais. A caracterização das síndromes de dispersão e polinização ocorrentes num fragmento de floresta tropical pode ser uma ferramenta de diagnóstico ambiental, demonstrando o grau de distúrbio que o ambiente possa estar sofrendo. Este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar e descrever as estratégias de polinização e dispersão dos diásporos de diferentes tipos vegetacionais no Parque Estadual do Utinga, unidade de conservação que compreende um gradiente florestal com áreas em diferentes estágios de preservação no município de Belém/PA. Foi utilizada a lista de espécies arbóreas levantadas no Plano de Manejo do Parque do Utinga, realizado em agosto de 2013. Utilizou-se a lista de espécies da flora por cada tipo vegetacional: Floresta Secundária, Floresta de Igapó e Floresta de Terra Firme. As espécies catalogadas no plano de manejo do parque foram caracterizadas quanto às suas síndromes de dispersão e polinização, baseando-se na análise de diferentes bibliografias especializadas, nas características morfológicas de seus diásporos e caracteres relacionados a polinização compartilhados em seus táxons. A síndrome de dispersão zoocórica foi a mais comum entre as espécies analisadas (72%) e entre os indivíduos (78,24%). Para as síndromes de polinização, mais de 90% das espécies e 76% dos indivíduos amostrados foram classificados dentro de alguma das síndromes de dispersão bióticas. Entre os tipos vegetacionais, houve diferença apenas quando analisadas as síndromes de polinização por número de indivíduos. As síndromes de dispersão e polinização bióticas são mais comuns em florestas tropicais com baixo nível de perturbação. Estes resultados indicariam um grau de distúrbio ambiental ainda moderado na unidade de conservação e em seus diferentes tipos vegetacionais. Levantamentos fitossociológicos, estudos de biologia floral e análises subsequentes são necessários para o acompanhamento da evolução deste quadro.
The objective of this study is to describe the reproductive and vegetative phenological patterns of individuals of Copernicia alba, popularly known as “carandá,” in two areas of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso and to test the relations between their phenophases and climatic seasonality. We obtained the phenological aspects of the carandá through a biweekly observation of 22 individuals from two areas of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso between August 2015 and August 2017. The carandá population presented a perennial behavior, flowering during the dry season and greater leaf intensity in the transition period to the rainy season. Budding, although continuous, was intense in the rainy season, and the leaf deciduous pattern had a direct interference from the absence of rainfalls in the dry period. The incidence of floral buds occurred in the dry period, and the flowering occurred between the dry and rainy periods. The fruiting period occurred in the rainy season, indicating a high synchronism of phenophases.
Foi realizado um diagnóstico sócio-ambiental do Sertão do Ubatumirim, bairro rural do Município de Ubatuba, Litoral Norte do Estado de São Paulo. Foram caracterizadas 101 famílias sendo a maioria caiçara com origens históricas, laços culturais e de parentesco. Os caiçaras do Ubatumirim demonstraram conhecimento em relação à fauna e flora silvestres, destacando-se que 70% dos entrevistados utilizam plantas nativas quotidianamente. A comunidade depende da atividade agrícola, principalmente do cultivo da banana e mandioca, sendo que essas áreas estão em grande parte no interior do Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar. O modo de produção é mercantil, pouco desenvolvido. A mão de obra na agricultura é familiar ocorrendo o envolvimento em mais de uma atividade produtiva, sendo notável a transferência para a construção civil. A taxa de crescimento populacional foi estimada em 10% ao ano com contribuição de imigrantes, sendo a parcela jovem menor de 18 anos responsável por quase metade dos habitantes. A expansão imobiliária ocorre predominantemente em áreas ciliares tornando crítica a questão dos recursos hídricos, uma vez que a captação de água para o consumo humano é realizada diretamente nesses cursos e o consumo dá-se sem o tratamento prévio, na maioria das vezes. As igrejas evangélicas e a associação de bairro são as principais formas de organização e veículos de informações. É necessária a cooperação dos órgãos governamentais e das organizações não governamentais visando tornar compatível a ocupação sem prejuízos à conservação ambiental.
This study aims at determining and differentiating the floristic groups of a Deciduous Seasonal Forest’s arboreal component, located on the ridge of the Southern Plateau, in Southern Brazil. Individuals with diameter at breast height ≥ 5.0 cm were sampled in sixty-two plots measuring 10 m × 10 m, which were systematically installed in the forest. Three floristic groups were found: Middle Stage, including 54 species, with Casearia sylvestris as an indicator species; Advanced Stage, with 38 species and Pilocarpus pennatifolius as the indicator species; and Altered Forest, with 27 species and Apuleia leiocarpa, Helietta apiculata, and Machaerium paraguariense as indicator species. A higher proportion of climax light-demanding individuals was reported in the Middle Stage and Altered Forest groups, contrasting with the Advanced Stage group, in which clímax shade-tolerant species were predominant. In addition, the groups were differentiated according to their dispersion strategy, with specific syndromes occurring in each group (Middle Stage: zoochory; Advanced Stage: autochory; Altered Forest: anemochory).
en Studies of elevational gradients in forests are particularly interesting for the considerable differences that can be observed over short distances, such as in vegetation and temperature. Different taxonomic groups display varying types of distribution patterns along elevational gradients, with unimodal distribution being recognised as the most common pattern. The distribution of species can be affected by a range of factors that include, biotic, spatial, climatic, historic and energetic. Small mammals represent an ideal model for studies about distribution and habitat use as they can be highly abundant, tend to have different diets and use space differently. The aims of this study are to build a comprehensive understanding of the community of small mammals of the Biological Reserve of Serra do Japi and to explore its distribution pattern along elevational gradients. We investigated the influence of biomass of arthropods, fruits and seeds and percentage of ground cover, canopy cover and vertical vegetation at richness and abundance of small mammals at three different elevations. To accomplish this, we used seventy‐two pitfall traps of 63 L to capture small mammals and distributed them equally across three elevations defined as low (880–899 m), intermediate (1046–1089 m) and high (1170–1189 m). Each elevation had three lines or replicas of traps. Throughout the study, we captured one hundred and fourteen individuals belonging to eleven species of small mammals. The presence of rare and endemic species demonstrates the importance of conservation and maintenance of the Biological Reserve of Serra do Japi. In regard to the distribution of species, despite the short gradient range, we found a unimodal pattern and a positive correlation between ground cover (fallen twigs and branches up to 1 m high) and richness and abundance of small mammals. More ground cover can reduce the effects of competition and predation on small mammals’ communities.
Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.
Resumo
pt Estudos ao longo de gradientes altitudinais são interessantes devido a presença de diferenças nítidas em curtas distâncias, por exemplo, da vegetação e temperatura. Diferentes grupos taxonômicos apresentam uma variedade de padrões de distribuição ao longo de gradientes altitudinais. O padrão de distribuição unimodal é reconhecido como o mais comum dentre eles. A distribuição de espécies é influenciada por fatores bióticos, espaciais, climáticos, históricos e energéticos. Os pequenos mamíferos são bons modelos para estudos sobre distribuição e uso de habitat pois apresentam elevada abundância, diferentes dietas e utilizam o espaço de diferentes formas. Os objetivos deste estudo incluem conhecer a comunidade de pequenos mamíferos da Reserva Biológica da Serra do Japi e explorar o padrão de distribuição ao longo do gradiente altitudinal. Nós investigamos a influência da biomassa de artrópodes, frutos e sementes e a influência da porcentagem de cobertura do solo, cobertura do dossel e vegetação vertical na riqueza e abundância de pequenos mamíferos em três diferentes altitudes. Para isso, utilizamos 72 armadilhas de interceptação e queda de 63 litros para a captura de pequenos mamíferos e as distribuímos igualmente em três altitudes definidas como baixa (880‐899 m), média (1046‐1089 m) e elevada (1170‐1189 m). Em cada altitude instalamos três linhas/réplicas de armadilhas. Ao longo do estudo capturamos 114 indivíduos de 11 espécies de pequenos mamíferos. A presença de espécies raras e endêmicas demonstra a importância da conservação e da manutenção da Reserva Biológica da Serra do Japi. Em relação a distribuição das espécies, apesar do gradiente altitudinal curto, encontramos um padrão de distribuição unimodal e uma correlação positiva entre cobertura do solo (galhos caídos e ramos de até um metro de altura) e riqueza e abundância de pequenos mamíferos. A maior cobertura do solo pode amenizar os efeitos da competição e da predação nas comunidades de pequenos mamíferos.
A fenologia auxilia na compreensão da dinâmica dos ecossistemas florestais e é essencial para o estudo ecológico e evolutivo dos trópicos. Assim, torna-se necessário conhecer a periodicidade dos eventos vegetativos e reprodutivos para fornecer subsídios que auxiliem na complexa dinâmica dos ecossistemas. Considerando esses aspectos, foram realizadas observações quinzenais entre maio de 2015 a abril de 2016 de Copaifera langsdorffii Desf., Lecythis lurida Miers S.A.Mori e Swartzia flaemingii Raddi em um trecho de vegetação subcaducifólia no norte do Piauí. Nas três espécies, a queda foliar ocorreu na estação seca, com maior intensidade em setembro, seguida do brotamento, com o início da estação chuvosa, destacando-se entre maio e abril. Copaifera langsdorffii e L. lurida apresentaram a floração no final da estação chuvosa e início da estação seca, diferentemente de S. flaemingii, a qual apresentou floração no período chuvoso. A frutificação ocorreu em diferentes épocas do ano, com C. langsdorffii frutificando no período seco, enquanto L. lurida no final da estação chuvosa, assim como S. flaemingii, a qual se estendeu mais para o período seco. Este estudo permitiu descrever detalhes fenológicos da planta e suas relações com o ambiente, em diferentes períodos e locais, visando subsidiar estratégias para a implantação e o manejo dessas espécies.
Campomanesia adamantium is a fruit tree native to Cerrado and important for human consumption as food, herbal medicine and even in the beverage industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the vegetative and reproductive phenology of C. adamantium plants in the region of Ipameri-GO, the synchronization of phenophases and the correlation with climatic data. Rainfall, relative humidity, average, maximum and minimum temperature, as well as sprouting, flowering and fruiting data of C. adamantium plants were collected between September and December of 2016 and 2017. Graphs were plotted for climatological data and phenological phases. Phenophase synchrony analysis and correlation of these phases with the climate of the region were performed. Sprouting and flowering began before the first rains of the rainy season and the peak of these phenophases occurred in October. Fruiting began in October and peak was observed in November. Sprouting is highly synchronous from the second ten days of October and flowering reveals high synchronicity between the second half of October and the first half of November. Fruiting is considered highly synchronous from the second half of November. Not all plants reach reproductive stages. Sprouting and fruiting are related to the occurrence of rainfall and increase of air RH. Flowering has no correlation with rainfall, air RH and temperature.
In this study, we evaluated the potential of the passive restoration approach in recovering the original forest in a region particularly important for the conservation of the Atlantic forest biodiversity. This biome has been fragmented and reduced to only 11.7% of its original range and currently its conservation relies considerably on the spontaneous regeneration of native forests in abandoned agricultural lands, a widespread phenomenon referred to in this study as passive restoration. We compare the regeneration strata of a 25-year-old secondary forest (restoration site) and of a primary forest (reference site) based on tree and shrub data in order to evaluate and characterize passive restoration in the surroundings of the Iguaçu National Park, in western Paraná State, Brazil. We recorded 589 individuals from 43 species in the restoration site and 831 individuals from 48 species in the reference site. We found smaller values of density, diversity, proportions of individuals from zoochoric and non-pioneer species; and a distinct floristic composition at the restoration site. However, plant diameter, species richness and proportions of zoochoric and non-pioneer species did not differ between sites, suggesting an appropriate successional trajectory, and the potential for the application of the passive restoration approach in the region. We found a greater number of indicator species at the reference site and some primary forest specialists were not even found at the restoration site, showing the importance of the maintenance of primary forests in the fragmented landscape in order to allow passive restoration to recover original forest attributes.
Volatiles released by damaged plants are used as cues by predators and parasitoids to find their herbivorous prey. Here, we assessed whether odor cues released by simulated herbivore-damaged leaves in Piper mollicomum attract predaceous wasps. We applied plasticine dummy caterpillars as an herbivore model to evaluate predation risk on undamaged and artificially damaged leaves by the mandible marks left by foraging wasps. Despite observing a tendency of a visual component in the wasp attraction (more marks on dummies under old naturally damaged leaves), we observed that chemical cues play a crucial role, with recent artificial damage and leaves baited with volatile essential oils of P. mollicomum attracting more wasps for the dummies than those untreated. Headspace analysis by GC–MS showed that undamaged leaves released small amounts of compounds, while damaged ones released 63 times more volatiles, which consisted of a blend containing mostly mono- and sesquiterpenoids. Histochemical tests revealed that terpenoids are located in oil cells spread among the leaf tissue, and may be released by the disruption of such cells when herbivores are feeding on leaves. We suggest that signals of disrupted plants differ from the mosaic of odor blends emitted by the background environment and may provide a detectable, although not necessarily specific, cue for prey presence. Such detectable cues are important for generalist foraging predaceous wasps, since they spend time searching for prey in different host plants.
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