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The balance between precipitation and evapotranspiration (ET) has direct effect on vegetation, and any change in its structure and composition can influence it. The aim of this study is to determine experimentally the daily evapotranspiration (ET) of the invasive species, Hedychium coronarium, and to compare with a group of four native species of the riparian forest. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse with three different treatments: (1) only the invasive species; (2) only native species; and (3) a mixture of invasive and native species. In each lysimeter, pressure transducers recorded the water level at every 15 min along 14 months. Daily ET was calculated by the method of Gribovszki et al. (2008) and varied according to the treatment, indicating that different species (invasive or native) use the water differently. The maximum accumulated daily ET occurred for mixture treatment (2540.16 mm), while the treatment with the invasive plant presented the lowest value (2172.53 mm). H. coronarium, in monodominant stands, can reduce evapotranspiration on invaded areas and increase it when immersed in the riparian forest.

Funding: The core collection fieldwork was funded by the Royal Society, to S.L.L., Philip Leverhulme Prize to S.L.L. and a NERC CASE award to S.L.L. and G.C.D. The laboratory analysis, data analysis and write-up was funded by CongoPeat, a NERC Large Grant (NE/R016860/1) to S.L.L., I.T.L., A.B., S.E.P., P.G., supporting D.H., G.T., G.C.D., W.H., G.E.B., and Y.E.B.; and NERC Radiocarbon Facility grant (alloc. no. 1688.0313 and 1797.0414) to I.T.L., S.L.L. and G.C.D. Y. G. was supported by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) grant ANR-19-CE01-0022. E.S. was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) grant SCHE 903/19–1 and the DFG-Cluster of Excellence ‘The Ocean in the Earth System’ at MARUM. The central Congo Basin contains the largest known peatland complex in the tropics. Here we present a detailed multi-proxy record from a peat core, CEN-17.4, from the centre of a 45 km wide interfluvial peatland (Ekolongouma), the first record of its kind from the central Congo peatlands. We use pollen, charcoal, sedimentological and geochemical data to reconstruct the site's history from the late Pleistocene to the present day. Peat began accumulating at the centre of the peatland ∼19,600 cal BP (∼17,500–20,400 cal BP, 95% confidence interval), and between ∼9500 (9430–9535 cal BP) and 10,500 (10,310–10,660 cal BP) cal BP towards the margins. Pollen data from the peatland centre show that an initial grass- and sedge-dominated vegetation, which burned frequently, was replaced by a Manilkara-type dominated flooded forest at ∼12,640 cal BP, replaced in turn by a more mixed swamp forest at ∼9670 cal BP. Mixed swamp forest vegetation has persisted to the present day, with variations in composition and canopy openness likely caused at least in part by changes in palaeo-precipitation. Stable isotope data (δDn-C29-v&icecorr) indicate a large reduction in precipitation beginning ∼5000 and peaking ∼2000 cal BP, associated with the near-complete mineralization of several metres of previously accumulated peat and with a transition to a drier, more heliophilic swamp forest assemblage, likely with a more open canopy. Although the peatland and associated vegetation recovered from this perturbation, the strong response to this climatic event underlines the ecosystem's sensitivity to changes in precipitation. We find no conclusive evidence for anthropogenic activity in our record; charcoal is abundant only in the Pleistocene part of the record and may reflect natural rather than anthropogenic fires. We conclude that autogenic succession and variation in the amount and seasonality of precipitation have been the most important drivers of ecological change in this peatland since the late Pleistocene. Publisher PDF

Lianas (woody vines) are abundant and diverse, particularly in tropical ecosystems. Lianas use trees for structural support to reach the forest canopy, often putting leaves above their host tree. Thus they are major parts of many forest canopies. Yet, relatively little is known about distributions of lianas in tropical forest canopies, because studying those canopies is challenging. This knowledge gap is urgent to address because lianas compete strongly with trees, reduce forest carbon uptake and are thought to be increasing, at least in the Neotropics. Lianas can be difficult to study using traditional field methods. Their pliable stems often twist and loop through the understorey, making it difficult to assess their structure and biomass, and the sizes and locations of their crowns. Furthermore, liana stems are commonly omitted from standard field surveys. Remote sensing of lianas can help overcome some of these obstacles and can provide critical insights into liana ecology, but to date there has been no systematic assessment of that contribution. We review progress in studying liana ecology using ground-based, airborne and space-borne remote sensing in four key areas: (i) spatial and temporal distributions, (ii) structure and biomass, (iii) responses to environmental conditions and (iv) diversity. This demonstrates the great potential of remote sensing for rapid advances in our knowledge and understanding of liana ecology. We then look ahead, to the possibilities offered by new and future advances. We specifically consider the data requirements, the role of technological advances and the types of methods and experimental designs that should be prioritised. Synthesis. The particular characteristics of the liana growth form make lianas difficult to study by ground-based field methods. However, remote sensing is well suited to collecting data on lianas. Our review shows that remote sensing is an emerging tool for the study of lianas, and will continue to improve with recent developments in sensor and platform technology. It is surprising, therefore, how little liana ecology research has utilised remote sensing to date-this should rapidly change if urgent knowledge gaps are to be addressed. In short, liana ecology needs remote sensing.

Cattle production inside Brazil's protected areas (PAs), including indigenous lands, continues to contaminate Amazonian supply chains more than a decade after efforts to reform the sector were launched with the signing of the zero-deforestation cattle agreements (CAs). During 2013–2018, nearly 1.1 million cattle head were sold directly from private properties inside PAs to slaughterhouses in Mato Grosso, Pará, and Rondônia states. Another 2.2 million head were linked via indirect suppliers located in PAs. Most of these 3.3 million slaughtered head were originated in to sustainable-use areas (72%), where cattle ranching may be permitted in certain cases; however, production also occurred in strictly protected units (20%) and indigenous lands (8%), where commercial grazing activities are illegal and prohibited by the CAs. Nearly half of the PA properties linked to cattle transactions from 2013 to 2018 also had deforestation. We estimate that approximately 2.8 million cattle head from properties in PAs were sold to slaughterhouses participating in the CAs (86% of the total cattle from indirect suppliers in PAs). Controlling commercial cattle production inside of PAs is crucial to both ensure Brazil's access to international beef markets and protect critical biodiversity regions in the Amazon rainforest.

Grass composition was assessed by plot method (1 m2; n= 1,749) in three habitats (dry deciduous-DDF, moist deciduous-MDF, and thorn forest-TF) at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, southern India across different seasons from Jan 2004 to Dec 2007. The grass species richness and availability (per cent composition) varied significantly with habitats. Seventy-four species of grasses and sedges were recorded in all three habitats, with a few species common in all habitats. Grass availability varied significantly in different habitats across seasons and was positively influenced by precipitation. Among biotic factors, regeneration and shrub density had a primary influence on grass availability, followed by herb, sedge and weed density. The principal coordinate analysis revealed seven major associations in the tropical forest. There were considerable changes in the composition and association of grasses when compared to the past. Fire resistant species such as Themeda triandra, Heteropogan contortus and T. cymbaria dominated in the DDF. Grass species Aristida/Eragorstis were recorded in the TF, which were considered as indicators of heavy grazing pressure. Grass species that were reported rare and sporadic in the earlier study were not recorded, which emphasizes better pasture management in the tropical forest. Grass species composition and availability was threatened by invasion of weeds.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-05-01T09:31:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2022-01-01 The Atlantic Forest, a hotspot for biodiversity conservation, harbours five forest deer species (Mazama spp.). Due to their elusiveness, there is a severe scarcity of occurrence data to support ecological studies and conservation planning. Thus, we assembled an occurrence dataset of Atlantic Forest deer with reliable taxonomic information aggregating data from scat and camera traps surveys, and opportunistic data collection over the last 20 years. From 2002 to 2019, we surveyed 77 protected areas using scats detection dogs and genetically identifying the faecal samples. We successfully identified 1,147 out of 1,450 collected samples. From 2000 to 2020, we sampled six protected areas in 92 sampling points with 13,328 camera trap days of sampling effort. In addition, we established an active search for potential contributors within the scientific community and environmental consultants since 2010, offering a taxonomic identification service for camera traps images, and biological field-collected samples. With our efforts, we assembled a dataset with 1,456 records of forest deer occurrence at the Atlantic Forest. Of these records, 494 are from M. americana, 350 from M. bororo, 309 from M. gouazoubira, 268 from M. nana and 35 from M. nemorivaga. The faecal sampling was the most predominant method in these records (n = 1043) followed by photographs from camera traps (n = 388); both methods represent 98.2% of our dataset records. Most of the records (79.5%) in the dataset are inside protected areas (n = 1,130). Our dataset is the most comprehensive source of information on Neotropical forest deer occurrence to date. Deer Research and Conservation Center São Paulo State University, SP Federal University of Latin American Integration, PR Neotropical Institute: Research and Conservation, PR Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biodiversidade Universidade Federal Do Oeste Do Pará Santarém, PA Caipora Cooperativa, SC Wildlife Ecology Management and Conservation Lab (LEMaC) Forest Science Department “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture University of São Paulo, SP Manacá Institute, SP Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ecologia E Conservação Universidade Federal Do Paraná Instituto de Pesquisas Cananéia, SP Pró-Tapir Institute for Biodiversity, ES Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica, ES Federal University of Espírito Santo, ES Federal University of Maranhão, MA Laboratório de Biodiversidade Conservação e Ecologia de Animais Silvestres (LABCEAS) Programa de Pós-Graduação E Ecologia E Conservação Departamento de Zoologia Universidade Federal Do Paraná (UFPR), SP Deer Research and Conservation Center São Paulo State University, SP

Terrestrial animals feed on fruit dropped by arboreal frugivores in tropical forests around the world, but it remains unknown whether the resulting spatial associations of these animals are coincidental or intentionally maintained. On Barro Colorado Island, Panama, we used a combination of acoustic playback experiments, remote camera monitoring, and GPS tracking to quantify the frequency of such interactions, determine who initiates and maintains spatial associations, and test whether terrestrial animals adopt a strategy of acoustic eavesdropping to locate fruit patches created by foraging primates. Indeed, 90% of fruits collected in fruit fall traps had tooth marks of arboreal frugivores, and terrestrial frugivores visited fruit trees sooner following visits by GPS-collared monkeys. While our play back experiments were insufficient to support the hypothesis that terrestrial frugivores use auditory cues to locate food dropped by arboreal primates, analyses of movement paths of capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus), spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), and coatis (Nasua narica) reveal that observed patterns of interspecific attraction are not merely a byproduct of mutual attraction to shared resources. Coatis were significantly more likely to initiate close encounters with arboreal primates than vice versa and maintained these associations by spending significantly longer periods at fruiting trees when collared primates were present. Our results demonstrate that terrestrial frugivores are attracted to arboreal primates, likely because they increase local resource availability. Primates are often among the first species in a habitat to be extirpated by hunting; our results suggest that their loss may have unanticipated consequences for the frugivore community. Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

The ability to accurately assess liana (woody vine) infestation at the landscape level is essential to quantify their impact on carbon dynamics and help inform targeted forest management and conservation action. Remote sensing techniques provide potential solutions for assessing liana infestation at broader spatial scales. However, their use so far has been limited to seasonal forests, where there is a high spectral contrast between lianas and trees. Additionally, the ability to align the spatial units of remotely sensed data with canopy observations of liana infestation requires further attention. We combined airborne hyperspectral and LiDAR data with a neural network machine learning classification to assess the distribution of liana infestation at the landscape‐level across an aseasonal primary forest in Sabah, Malaysia. We tested whether an object‐based classification was more effective at predicting liana infestation when compared to a pixel‐based classification. We found a stronger relationship between predicted and observed liana infestation when using a pixel‐based approach (RMSD = 27.0% ± 0.80) in comparison to an object‐based approach (RMSD = 32.6% ± 4.84). However, there was no significant difference in accuracy for object‐ versus pixel‐based classifications when liana infestation was grouped into three classes; Low [0–30%], Medium [31–69%] and High [70–100%] (McNemar’s χ2 = 0.211, P = 0.65). We demonstrate, for the first time, that remote sensing approaches are effective in accurately assessing liana infestation at a landscape scale in an aseasonal tropical forest. Our results indicate potential limitations in object‐based approaches which require refinement in order to accurately segment imagery across contiguous closed‐canopy forests. We conclude that the decision on whether to use a pixel‐ or object‐based approach may depend on the structure of the forest and the ultimate application of the resulting output. Both approaches will provide a valuable tool to inform effective conservation and forest management.

Information on the status and distribution of species within a geographical area is vital for developing effective conservation plans. We conducted camera-trapping (n = 473) to determine diversity, species composition, relative abundance index, sampling effort, and conservation status of mammals in forested habitats of Manas National Park, Assam, India. Camera stations accumulated data over 11,388 trap nights over three sampling years: 2017–2019. Camera-traps recorded 34 mammalian species belonging to seven orders, 15 families, and 29 genera, with 22,738 independent records. Among them, 17 species are globally threatened or 50% of the recorded species. The species accumulation curve reached an asymptote, indicating an adequate sampling design for obtaining a robust inventory of the mammalian community. Despite a history of ethnopolitical conflict, almost all mammals expected to occur in the park were detected. Our study will enable future evaluations of the recovery process in terms of changes in mammal abundance over time.

During a survey of caves in a seasonally dry tropical forest area in northeastern Brazil, a new species of the genus Maxchernes was discovered and it is formally described here. The new species, na...

Understanding the predator–prey relationship is essential for implementing effective conservation management practices on threatened species. Leopard is a threatened apex mammalian predator that plays a crucial role in ecosystem functions in India’s tropical forest. We assessed the diet and activity pattern of leopards in relation to their prey using diet analysis and camera trapping data from Similipal Tiger Reserve, eastern India. Our results indicated that leopard prefers medium-sized prey such as wild pig, common langur and barking deer represented 60% of the total biomass consumed collectively. Results of 6413 camera trap night in 187 locations revealed that leopards showed cathemeral activity pattern and exhibited positive co-occurrence pattern and significant spatial and temporal overlap with their main prey, the wild pig. However, leopards showed very low spatial and temporal overlap with the second main prey, the common langur. Leopards avoided humans and showed low spatial and temporal overlap with humans. Our findings reveal that a trade-off might drive leopard activity between consuming prey and avoiding anthropogenic disturbances like human activity.

Subtropical and tropical forests account for over 50% of soil CO2 production, 47% of N2O fluxes of natural ecosystems, and act as both significant sources and sinks of atmospheric CH4. However, ecosystem-scale estimates of these fluxes typically do not account for uncertainty that arises from environmental heterogeneity over small spatial scales. To assess the effects of small-scale environmental heterogeneity on GHG fluxes in a tropical forest ecosystem, we measured fluxes of CO2, CH4, and N2O across a topographic gradient and at the base of different tree species. We then used Bayesian linear models together with maps of trees and topography to quantify spatial heterogeneity in ecosystem-scale estimates of GHG emissions. The relationship between GHG fluxes and species and topography varied for each gas type. CO2 varied strongly by species but was only weakly related to topographic variation. In contrast, CH4 and N2O, which are more strongly regulated by soil oxygen, had strong relationships with topography but did not vary across species. Assuming spatial homogeneity and average rainfall conditions, we estimated ecosystem soil CO2 emissions to be 28.91 kg CO2-C/ha/day, net CH4 consumption of − 5.15 g CH4-C/ha/day, and net N2O emissions of 1.78 g N2O-N/ha/day. Including variation caused by tree species decreased ecosystem-level estimates of CO2 emissions by 8.03%, whereas including topographic variation decreased net CH4 consumption by 12.98% and increased net N2O emissions by 1.05%. This translates to a net decrease of 8.32% in estimated CO2-equivalent emissions. Our findings show that ignoring small-scale environmental heterogeneity has implications for bottom-up estimates of GHG fluxes in tropical forests. Given the increasing availability of fine-scale topographic models, incorporating this source of variation in estimates of ecosystem soil GHG emissions could improve our understanding of the role tropical forests play in global GHG cycles.

Protecting tropical forests and their biological diversity is a global priority. Understanding if thresholds of forest cover exist beyond which biodiversity displays non-linear declines is key to developing appropriate conservation strategies and policies, but uncertainty remains around the identification and characteristics of these thresholds. We performed a global systematic review of studies using forest cover gradient to identify an ecological threshold across tropical forest ecosystems. Our systematic review finds 68 ecological thresholds reported in 33 peer-reviewed publications. Three main conclusions emerged: first, we show clear geographical gaps in ecological thresholds studies, with 72% of reported thresholds found in South America, over half in Brazil; second, we see ecological threshold studies follow taxonomic biases in line with wider conservation research; and third, there is a lack of homogeneity and comparability in the metrics and sampling designs used to identify a threshold. This global review shows interest in ecological thresholds continues to grow, but further evidence is needed to understand their application in tropical forest management. We identify the main gaps in knowledge and provide guidance to focus research efforts on six key aspects to better understand their potential as a policy-making tool for tropical forest conservation.

Among nectarivorous birds, the highest niche partitioning occurs between hummingbirds and plants. Although hummingbirds tend to visit morphologically well-matched resources, as ornithophilous species, they can also visit flowers with other traits. Here, we investigated whether the niche partitioning in hummingbird-plant interactions is also observed with ornithophilous species only. We also explored if hummingbird traits predicted resources use. We recorded a plant-ornithophilous species network in a semi-deciduous forest in Brazil. We quantified interaction partitioning through network connectance, complementary specialisation, and modularity. The influence of hummingbirds’ traits into their visits was investigated through methods of functional ecology and ecological networks. We recorded 948 interactions between nine hummingbirds and seven ornithophilous plants. We detected similar patterns of niche partitioning between hummingbirds and ornithophilous plants in comparison to networks considering the entire plant community. However, hummingbird species with the most specialised interactions are different from those when the whole system is evaluated. Therefore, we cannot downscale the patterns from one scale to the other. The pattern of interaction with ornithophilous plants was not related to hummingbirds’ traits. Therefore, the coexistence of species with shared traits might be occurring through facilitative and competitive processes, leading to trait mismatching and maintaining niche partitioning among ornithophilous plants.

Accurately projecting global carbon dynamics requires understanding controls over temporal and spatial tropical forest biomass variation. Changes in tropical forest aboveground biomass per area are most commonly estimated using repeat forest plot censuses, but errors in these estimates can be relatively large, limiting our ability to detect real changes in forest carbon. One source of error is nonstandard heights of diameter measurement, which are common in tropical forests because buttressed trees are usually measured above buttresses. Nonstandard and temporally variable measurement heights affect biomass change estimates because tree trunks taper—higher measurements result in smaller diameters and, thus, smaller estimated biomass. Modeling trunk taper is a potential way to correct for biases associated with nonstandard and changing measurement heights. We measured trunk taper for 260 buttressed trees in five lowland tropical forests to assess variation in taper within and among sites. Trunks taper more slowly in trees with larger diameters above buttress, taller buttresses, and higher wood density; these variables together explain 29% of taper variation. We also used plot data to quantify the distribution of measurement heights—and potential for bias in biomass estimates. We found significant variation in measurement heights among plots, and over time within plots. At the site level, our general taper model (taper predicted from diameter above buttress, buttress height, and wood density) produced site-level biomass estimates within 3.4%, on average, of estimates from measured taper. We recommend using this model to reduce bias from nonstandard measurement heights in studies of tropical forest biomass variation.

AimsUnderstanding variation and coordination of leaf traits at multiscales along elevational gradients can help predict the likely responses of dominant species to climate change. We seek to determine the extent to which variation in leaf stomatal, anatomical and morphological traits is associated with environmental factors, and whether ecological strategies of Cyclobalanopsis species shift with elevations.MethodsIn a tropical forest landscape in Jianfengling, South China, we determined leaf traits related to stomata, anatomy and morphology of six evergreen oak species (Cyclobalanopsis bambusaefolia, C. hui, C. patelliformis, C. fleuryi, C. tiaoloshanica and C. phanera) along a long elevational gradient (400–1400 m above sea level).Important FindingsWe found that stomatal density and stomatal pore index increased, whereas spongy mesophyll thickness to leaf thickness ratios decreased, significantly with elevation. The leaf area and leaf dry matter content increased and decreased, respectively, with elevation. Variations in stomatal, anatomical and morphological traits were mainly correlated to the mean annual temperature, mean annual sum precipitation and soil pH. At low and high elevations, the oak species exhibited strong stress tolerance combined with competition strategy, while they shifted toward more clearly the competitive strategy at intermediate elevations. And the changes in soil phosphorus concentration and soil pH along the elevation may drive the shift of ecological strategy. The results showed that the dominant oak species in tropical forests respond to environmental change by modulating traits at multiple levels, from that of the individual cell, through tissue and up to the whole leaf scale.

Habitat loss and subsistence hunting are two of the main activities that affect wildlife in frontier areas. We compared subsistence hunting patterns in four villages with different ethnic composition and degree of habitat disturbance in the vicinity of Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Campeche, Mexico. We also compared differences between some of these villages in harvest composition and prey availability to determine hunting preferences. We used a Landsat TM satellite image to analyze the degree of disturbance around the villages. We conducted periodic surveys of subsistence hunting and prey availability. Wildlife availability was assessed monthly on nine transects (3000 m) established in the vicinity of three villages. The relative amount of disturbed habitat was smaller in an indigenous Maya village ( IV ) and larger in a mestizo village ( MV ). The two mixed-composition villages ( MCVs) had intermediate levels of disturbance. Ten species, four large and six small, of birds and mammals accounted for 97% of the hunting records. Hunting was more intense in IV and less intense in MCV1. The three village types had different hunting preferences. The habitat-mosaic composition in the vicinity of the villages influenced prey availability and subsistence-hunting preferences. Changes in the habitat mosaic were caused by the size of the holding and by ethnic composition. In spite of longer settlement time, the habitat mosaic in the vicinity of IV was less transformed than that of the other sites. Their larger holding size and greater diversity of economic activities may explain why the Mayas at IV have transformed the landscape less than the other groups and can hunt more and larger prey. Resumen: La perdida de habitat y la caceria de subsistencia son dos de las principales actividades humanas que tienen un efecto negativo sobre la fauna en las fronteras de la colonizacion. En el presente estudio comparamos los patrones de caceria de subsistencia en cuatro poblados con diferente composicion etnica y diferente grado de perturbacion del habitat en los alrededores de la Reserva de la Biosfera de Calakmul en Campeche, Mexico. Entre algunos de estos poblados, tambien comparamos las diferencias en la composicion de la caza y la disponibilidad de presas para determinar preferencias. Utilizamos imagenes de satelite Landsat TM para analizar el grado de perturbacion alrededor de los poblados. Llevamos a cabo registros de la caceria de subsistencia y de la disponibilidad de las presas. La disponibilidad de las presas se evaluo mensualmente en nueve transectos de 3000 m cada uno, establecidos en la cercania de tres poblados. Comparativamente, el area de habitat perturbado fue menor en la comunidad con poblacion indigena maya ( IV ) y mayor en la comunidad con poblacion mestiza ( MV ). Los dos poblados con composicion poblacional mixta ( MVC1 y MVC2) presentaron niveles intermedios de perturbacion. Diez especies (4 grandes y 6 pequenas) de aves y mamiferos representaron el 97% de los registros de caceria. La caceria fue mas intensa en IV y menos intensa en MCV1. Se registraron diferencias en las preferencias de caceria en los tres tipos de comunidad. La composicion del mosaico de habitat en los alrededores de los poblados influencio la disponibilidad de presas y las preferencias de caceria de subsistencia. Los cambios en el mosaico de habitat se deben al tamano de las propiedades y a la composicion etnica. A pesar de que el poblado IV tiene mas tiempo asentado en el area, el mosaico de habitat a sus alrededores esta menos transformado que el de los otros sitios. Los mayas tienen una propiedad de mayor tamano y actividades economicas muy diversificadas, lo cual ha evitado la transformacion del habitat, proporcionandoles mayor disponibilidad de presas grandes.

Land-cover changes translate into shifts in habitat available to wildlife species. I analyzed the effects of land-cover changes on habitat availability for 54 mammal species in a 2.7 million-ha area in southern Mexico and northern Guatemala. I considered the regional variability of these changes and the effect of variation in management and development trends. Using cluster analysis, I grouped mammal species into assemblages with similar associations of land-cover type. Based on data from a remote-sensing, land-cover change analysis (1974–1986), I created simple linear Markov models for a heuristic tool to simulate land-cover changes over a 60-year period and to explore temporal trends of change in habitat availability for the mammal species. I used elasticity analyses to identify land-cover transition probabilities critical for these trajectories. Of the 12 land-cover classes considered, four dominated the area: grasslands, tropical secondary vegetation, tropical moist forests, and wetlands. Transition probabilities to and from these four land-cover types were key in determining the availability of habitat for mammals. Thus, the relatedness of mammal species to these land-cover types seems critical for their long-term persistence in the region. According to general simulated trends in fluctuation of habitat availability, I classified species into seven categories: (1) opportunistic and highly adaptable species, occupying most of the area; (2) opportunistic, human-commensal species, with restricted range in the study area; (3) species with stable and moderate habitat availability; (4) species with moderate but increasing habitat availability; (5) species with originally moderate but declining habitat availability; (6) species with already reduced and sharply declining habitat availability; and ( 7) species with declining habitat availability and a restricted range. Markovian trajectories suggest a declining trend of habitat availability for 32 species (59%). Land-cover change trends, however, were highly variable between the nine subregions. As a result, habitat availability for many species varied regionally. Likewise, changes in management and development policies and trends in the study area will lead to contrasting habitat availability for declining and increasing species, but not for the rest of the species. The approach I used is useful for (1) assessment of land-cover changes resulting from different development trends and management practices and (2) exploration of how changes may affect species habitat availability and survival perspectives. This examination can be accomplished for a substantial part of a biota and for entire regions, even in the context of limited information. Resumen: Los cambios en la cobertura del suelo se traducen en cambios de la disponibilidad del habitat para las especies de vida silvestre. Analice los efectos de los cambios en la cobertura del suelo sobre la disponibilidad de habitat para 54 especies de mamiferos en un area de 2.7 millones de hectareas del sureste de Mexico y el norte de Guatemala, tomando en cuenta la variabilidad regional de estos cambios y los efectos de la variacion en el manejo y tendencias de desarrollo. Agrupe las especies de mamiferos en ensamblajes con similar asociacion a los tipos de cobertura del suelo (i.e., requerimientos de habitat), usando un analisis de cumulos. Con base en datos de percepcion remota de los cambios de la cobertura del suelo (1974-1986), elabore modelos lineares simples de Markov usados como una herramienta heuristica para simular cambios en la cobertura del suelo por un periodo de 60 anos y para explorar tendencias temporales de cambio en la disponibilidad de habitat para las especies de mamiferos. Utilice analisis de elasticidad para identificar las probabilidades de transicion en la cobertura del suelo mas criticas para estas trayectorias. De las 12 clases de cobertura consideradas, cuatro dominaron el area de estudio: pastizales, vegetacion tropical secundaria, bosque tropical humedo y humedales. Las probabilidades de transicion hacia y desde estos cuatro tipos de cobertura fueron de importancia clave para determinar la disponibilidad de habitat para los mamiferos. Por lo tanto, el grado de relacion entre los mamiferos y estos tipos de cobertura parece ser critico para su persistencia en la region. De acuerdo con las tendencias generales simuladas de fluctuacion de la disponibilidad del habitat, hubo siete categorias de especies: (1) especies oportunistas y altamente adaptables, ocupando la mayoria del area de estudio; (2) especies oportunistas, comensales de humanos, con distribucion restringida en el area de estudio; (3) especies con disponibilidad de habitat estable y moderada; (4) especies con disponibilidad de habitat moderada, pero en incremento; (5) especies con disponibilidad de habitat originalmente moderada, pero actualmente en disminucion; (6) especies con disponibilidad de habitat ya reducida y disminuyendo rapidamente; y ( 7) especies con disponibilidad de habitat en disminucion y con distribucion restringida en el area de estudio. Las trayectorias Markovianas sugieren una tendencia de disminucion en la disponibilidad del habitat para 32 especies (59%). Sin embargo, las tendencias de cambio en la cobertura del suelo fueron altamente variables entre las nueve subregiones consideradas. Asimismo, la disponibilidad del habitat para muchas especies vario regionalmente. De la misma manera, los cambios en el manejo y en las politicas y tendencias de desarrollo en el area de estudio conduciran a una disponibilidad contrastante de habitat para las especies en disminucion y para aquellas en incremento, pero no para el resto de las especies. La metodologia que utilice es muy util para: 1) la evaluacion de los cambios en la cobertura del suelo que resultan de diferentes tendencias de desarrollo y practicas de manejo y 2) para explorar la forma en que estos cambios pueden afectar la disponibilidad de habitat y las perspectivas de supervivencia de las especies. Este analisis puede ser llevado a cabo para una parte substancial de una biota y para regiones enteras, aun cuando se disponga de informacion limitada.

Tropical trees are particularly vulnerable to forest fragmentation because of their low densities, self-incompatibilty system, and high rates of outbreeding. Forest fragmentation is likely to decrease gene flow, increase endogamy, and eventually produce a high differentiation among remnant populations. Our objectives were to evaluate the effect of forest fragmentation on the reproductive success, progeny vigor, and genetic variation of the tropical dry-forest tree Samanea saman. We conducted our study in the dry forest of Costa Rica and compared two tree conditions to evaluate forest fragmentation: (1) isolated, individual trees more than 500 m from the nearest conspecific and surrounded by agricultural fields, pastures, or small remnant forest patches and (2) trees in continuous populations of 10 or more individuals per hectare and surrounded by undisturbed forest. We compared the probability of natural pollination, seed production, genetic variation, and progeny vigor of trees in isolation and in continuous populations. The probability of flowers receiving more than 23 pollen tubes at the base of styles (the flowers more likely to produce a mature fruit) was significantly greater for trees in continuous populations (2.1%) than for trees in isolation (0.4%). However, flowers from the two tree conditions received similar pollen loads on their stigmas. Fruits of trees from continuous populations produced similar numbers of seeds as isolated trees did and had a similar probability of seed abortion. The probability of seed predation by bruchid beetles was significantly greater in continuous populations (30%) than in isolated trees (20%). The number of undamaged seeds ( potentially viable) was similar for both tree conditions. A genetic analysis of progeny showed that levels of genetic diversity in trees in isolation and in continuous populations were comparable. The effective self-fertilization rate and inbreeding coefficient of the progeny were slightly higher for isolated trees than for trees in continuous populations. In addition, there was more genetic similarity in the progeny of isolated trees, within and between fruits. Seeds produced by different fruits within a tree were more likely to be related in an isolated tree than in a tree from continuous populations. Seeds produced by trees from continuous populations were more likely to germinate and to produce greater leaf area and biomass as seedlings than progeny from isolated trees. We concluded that the fragmentation of tropical dry forests affects the genetic variation and vigor of S. saman progeny. Isolated trees showed high reproductive capacity, however, in spite of their habitat condition. Resumen: Los arboles tropicales son particularmente vulnerables a la fragmentacion de bosques debido a su baja densidad, su sistema de auto-incompatibilidad y altas tasas de exogamia. La fragmentacion del bosque posiblemente decrece el flujo de genes, incrementa la endogamia y eventualmente produce una alta diferenciacion entre las poblaciones remanentes. Nuestros objetivos fueron evaluar el efecto de la fragmentacion del bosque sobre el exito reproductivo, el vigor de la progenie y la variacion genetica del arbol de bosque tropical seco Samanea saman. Realizamos nuestro estudio en el bosque tropical seco de Costa Rica y comparamos dos condiciones de los arboles para evaluar la fragmentacion del bosque: (1) individuos aislados mas de 500 m del individuo conespecifico mas cercano y rodeados por campos agricolas, ganaderos o pequenos fragmentos de bosque y (2) arboles en poblaciones continuas de 10 o mas individuos por hectarea y rodeados de bosque no perturbado. Comparamos la probabilidad de la polinizacion natural, produccion de semillas, variacion genetica y vigor de la progenie en arboles aislados y en poblaciones continuas. La probabilidad de que las flores reciban mas de 23 tubos de polen en la base de los pistilos ( las flores con mayor probabilidad de producir un fruto maduro) fue significativamente mayor para arboles en poblaciones continuas (2.1%) que en arboles aislados (0.4%). Sin embargo, flores en arboles en las dos condiciones recibieron similares cargas de polen en sus estigmas. Los frutos de arboles de poblaciones continuas produjeron similares numeros de semillas y tuvieron similar probabilidad de abortar que los de arboles aislados. La probabilidad de depredacion de semillas por escarabajos bruquidos fue significativamente mayor en las poblaciones continuas (30%) que en arboles aislados (20%). El numero de semillas sin dano ( potencialmente viables) fue similar en arboles en las dos condiciones. El analisis genetico de la progenie mostro que los niveles de diversidad genetica de arboles aislados y en poblaciones continuas fueron comparables. La tasa de autofecundacion efectiva y el coeficiente de endogamia de la progenie fue ligeramente mayor en arboles aislados que en los de poblaciones continuas. Adicionalmente, hubo mayor similitud genetica en la progenie de arboles aislados, dentro y entre frutos. Semillas producidas por distintos frutos del mismo arbol tuvieron mas probabilidad de relacion que los de poblaciones continuas. Semillas producidas por arboles en poblaciones continuas tuvieron mayor posibilidad de germinar y producir mayor area foliar y biomasa que las plantulas de la progenie de arboles aislados. Concluimos que la fragmentacion de bosques tropicales secos afecta la variacion genetica y el vigor de la progenie de S. saman. Sin embargo, los arboles aislados tuvieron una alta capacidad reproductiva a pesar de la condicion de su habitat.

Plant functional trait variation in tropical forests results from taxonomic differences in phylogeny and associated genetic differences, as well as, phenotypic plastic responses to the environment. Accounting for the underlying mechanisms driving plant functional trait variation is important for understanding the potential rate of change of ecosystems since trait acclimation via phenotypic plasticity is very fast compared to shifts in community composition and genetic adaptation. We here applied a statistical technique to decompose the relative roles of phenotypic plasticity, genetic adaptation, and phylogenetic constraints. We examined typically obtained plant functional traits, such as wood density, plant height, specific leaf area, leaf area, leaf thickness, leaf dry mass content, leaf nitrogen content, and leaf phosphorus content. We assumed that genetic differences in plant functional traits between species and genotypes increase with environmental heterogeneity and geographic distance, whereas trait variation due to plastic acclimation to the local environment is independent of spatial distance between sampling sites. Results suggest that most of the observed trait variation could not be explained by the measured environmental variables, thus indicating a limited potential to predict individual plant traits from commonly assessed parameters. However, we found a difference in the response of plant functional traits, such that leaf traits varied in response to canopy‐light regime and nutrient availability, whereas wood traits were related to topoedaphic factors and water availability. Our analysis furthermore revealed differences in the functional response of coexisting neotropical tree species, which suggests that endemic species with conservative ecological strategies might be especially prone to competitive exclusion under projected climate change., We applied a statistical technique to analyze the relative amount of variation within plant functional traits associated with (a) environmental heterogeneity and spatial distance, as well as (b) bioclimatic variables in response to canopy‐light regime and soil nutrient availability. We found that plant functional reaction norms to bioclimatic variables reflect differences in the eco‐evolutionary trajectory and associated ecological life‐history strategy between congeneric pairs of widespread and coexisting endemic neotropical tree species.

Studies on the effects of human‐driven forest disturbance usually focus on either biodiversity or carbon dynamics but much less is known about ecosystem processes that span different trophic levels. Herbivory is a fundamental ecological process for ecosystem functioning, but it remains poorly quantified in human‐modified tropical rainforests.Here, we present the results of the largest study to date on the impacts of human disturbances on herbivory. We quantified the incidence (percentage of leaves affected) and severity (the percentage of leaf area lost) of canopy insect herbivory caused by chewers, miners, and gall makers in leaves from 1,076 trees distributed across 20 undisturbed and human‐modified forest plots in the Amazon.We found that chewers dominated herbivory incidence, yet were not a good predictor of the other forms of herbivory at either the stem or plot level. Chewing severity was higher in both logged and logged‐and‐burned primary forests when compared to undisturbed forests. We found no difference in herbivory severity between undisturbed primary forests and secondary forests. Despite evidence at the stem level, neither plot‐level incidence nor severity of the three forms of herbivory responded to disturbance. Synthesis. Our large‐scale study of canopy herbivory confirms that chewers dominate the herbivory signal in tropical forests, but that their influence on leaf area lost cannot predict the incidence or severity of other forms. We found only limited evidence suggesting that human disturbance affects the severity of leaf herbivory, with higher values in logged and logged‐and‐burned forests than undisturbed and secondary forests. Additionally, we found no effect of human disturbance on the incidence of leaf herbivory., Our large‐scale study of canopy herbivory in Amazonian forests found only limited evidence suggesting that human disturbance affects leaf herbivory.

Societal Impact Statement The approach that we take to our science is as important as the questions that we address if we would like our research to inform management. Here, we discuss our experience of using networks of permanent forest inventory plots to support sustainable management and conservation of intact tropical forests. A key conclusion is that to maximize the use of data from such large international networks within policymaking, it is crucial that leadership is widely shared among participants. Such an approach helps to address ethical concerns surrounding international collaborations and also achieves greater policy impact. Summary Long‐term data from permanent forest inventory plots have much to offer the management and conservation of intact tropical forest landscapes. Knowledge of the growth and mortality rates of economically important species, forest carbon balance, and the impact of climate change on forest composition are all central to effective management. However, this information is rarely integrated within the policymaking process. The problem reflects broader issues in using evidence to influence environmental management, and in particular, the need to engage with potential users beyond the collection and publication of high‐quality data. To ensure permanent plot data are used, (a) key “policy windows”—opportunities to integrate data within policy making—need to be identified; (b) long‐term relationships need to be developed between scientists and policy makers and policymaking organizations; and (c) leadership of plot networks needs to be shared among all participants, and particularly between institutions in the global north and those in tropical countries. Addressing these issues will allow permanent plot networks to make tangible contributions to ensuring that intact tropical forest persists over coming decades.

Aims We aimed at disentangling the effects of spatial distance, current and past environmental dissimilarity, and their combinations on tree community taxonomic and phylogenetic turnover by addressing the following questions: (i) Is tree community taxonomic and phylogenetic turnover related to the indirect effects of spatial distance via environmental dissimilarity? (ii) Does tree community taxonomic and phylogenetic turnover respond to paleoclimate (Last Glacial Maximum and Mid-Holocene)? Methods The study was carried out in 14 Atlantic rainforest sites in Brazil (20.4 ha sampled) containing 615 tree species from 83 plant families. We obtained plot-level geographic coordinates and soil variables and site-level bioclimatic variables in the current, Mid-Holocene and Last Glacial Maximum. We used structural equation models with a distance-based approach to (i) test the direct effects of spatial distance and environmental dissimilarity and (ii) test the indirect effects of spatial distance via environmental dissimilarity on taxonomic (Bray–Curtis distance) and phylogenetic turnover (Comdist and Comdistnt distances). Important Findings Our results suggest a weak indirect effect of spatial distance via environmental dissimilarity on taxonomic and phylogenetic turnover. Tree community turnover was driven by the direct effects of neutral, niche-based and historical processes. Thus, we inferred that the paleoclimate (historical processes) promoted the selection of the clades that gave rise to the current flora, while spatial distances (neutral processes) limited the dispersal range of species from the regional pool and environmental conditions (niche-based processes) locally selected the taxa that are able to persist.

Riparian zones are a small portion of a watershed but hold a diverse and important ecosystem functioning. We assessed diversity and carbon density of pole (5–10 cm DBH) and canopy (>10 cm DBH) trees along a riparian zone in Pasonanca Natural Park, southern Philippines. We identified 66 species, which included 41 canopy and 54 pole tree species, and comprised 46 indigenous, 18 Philippine endemics, and two exotic species. We recorded eight vulnerable (VU) and two endangered (EN) species under the Philippine Red List, whereas five VU, three EN, and six critically endangered (CR) species were recorded under the IUCN Global Red List. We estimated the Hill number of canopy trees at 60.91 ± 12.14 species and the Shannon diversity H' was 49.57 ± 5.15, whereas the pole tree was 77.87 ± 12.60 species with diversity H' of 33.07 ± 3.77. The estimated carbon density was 128.42 ± 39.04 MgC ha−1, majority from canopy trees (101.51 ± 63.52 MgC ha−1). We found an asymptotic and strong positive relationship (R2 = 0.81; p =

Tropical forests are biologically diverse and structurally complex ecosystems that can store a large quantity of carbon and support a great variety of plant and animal species. However, tropical forest structure can vary dramatically within seemingly homogeneous landscapes due to subtle changes in topography, soil fertility, species composition and past disturbances. Although numerous studies have reported the effects of field-based stand structure attributes on aboveground biomass (AGB) in tropical forests, the relative effects and contributions of UAV LiDAR-based canopy structure and ground-based stand structural attributes in shaping AGB remain unclear. Here, we hypothesize that mean top-of-canopy height (TCH) enhances AGB directly and indirectly via species richness and horizontal stand structural attributes, but these positive relationships are stronger at a larger spatial scale. We used a combined approach of field inventory and LiDAR-based remote sensing to explore how stand structural attributes (stem abundance, size variation and TCH) and tree species richness affect AGB along an elevational gradient in tropical forests at two spatial scales, i.e., 20 m × 20 m (small scale), and 50 m × 50 m (large scale) in southwest China. Specifically, we used structural equation models to test the proposed hypothesis. We found that TCH, stem size variation and abundance were strongly positively associated with AGB at both spatial scales, in addition to which increasing TCH led to greater AGB indirectly through increased stem size variation. Species richness had negative to negligible influences on AGB, but species richness increased with increasing stem abundance at both spatial scales. Our results suggest that light capture and use, modulated by stand structure, are key to promoting high AGB stocks in tropical forests. Thus, we argue that both horizontal and vertical stand structures are important for shaping AGB, but the relative contributions vary across spatial scales in tropical forests. Importantly, our results highlight the importance of including vertical forest stand attributes for predicting AGB and carbon sequestration that underpins human wellbeing.

The Antillean genus Leptocereus represents an in-situ radiation among the Greater and Lesser Antilles of 19 currently recognized species. Extensive fieldwork carried out in the Dominican Republic over recent years has revealed that the species limits of Leptocereus of Hispaniola are more complex than previously thought. There are four currently recognized species that occur on the island, L. demissus, L. paniculatus, L. undulosus and L. weingartianus. We evaluate species limits in this group based on DNA sequence data and phylogenetic analysis, morphological characters and a survey of herbarium specimens from across Hispaniola. Based on our analyses, it is clear that at least five species occur on the island of Hispaniola, with the new species from Sierra de Bahoruco, L. velozianus, described here. We provide an identification key, distribution maps and photographic plates for all species on Hispaniola based on our own fieldwork and the study of herbarium specimens. The description of yet another species of Leptocereus on Hispaniola reiterates the importance of the poorly studied, but yet biodiverse, seasonally dry tropical forest in the Antilles.

The Congo Basin's rapidly growing population still largely depends on shifting cultivation for both energy and food security. This nexus of population growth and ecological impact will continue to exacerbate landscape degradation in the coming decades. To quantify the effects of land-use intensity on soil nutrient stocks and the functional composition of young regrowth forest in the Congo Basin, we used fallows of different ages that had been subjected to a varying number of clearing cycles. We show that repeated clearing substantially affected soil cation stocks, reducing total K, Mg and Ca in the upper 20 cm of soil by roughly 20% per clearing cycle. Additionally, we show that plant-available nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate) and phosphorus decline in the topsoil with increasing land-use intensity. Furthermore, the tree functional composition of young fallows changed after repeated clearing cycles: we observed a decrease in abundance of pioneer species and an increase in nitrogen fixing species early in succession. Variation in soil total nutrient stocks was decoupled from changes in vegetation, and soil plant-available nutrients only marginally explained tree functional composition changes. We conclude that land-use intensity substantially affects both soil total and plant-available nutrients in a shifting cultivation system, as well as the functional composition of the regenerating vegetation. However, compositional changes of the tree community are only partly driven by land-use intensity effects on soil plant-available nutrients.

Large areas of highly productive tropical forests occur on weathered soils with low concentrations of available phosphorus (P). In such forests, root and microbial production of acid phosphatase enzymes capable of mineralizing organic phosphorus is considered vital to increasing available P for plant uptake.We measured both root and soil phosphatase throughout depth and alongside a variety of root and soil factors to better understand the potential of roots and soil biota to increase P availability and to constrain estimates of the biochemical mineralization within ecosystem models.We measured soil phosphatase down to 1 m, root phosphatase to 30 cm, and collected data on fine‐root mass density, specific root length, soil P, bulk density, and soil texture using soil cores in four tropical forests within the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico.We found that soil phosphatase decreased with soil depth, but not root phosphatase. Furthermore, when both soil and root phosphatase were expressed per soil volume, soil phosphatase was 100‐fold higher that root phosphatase.Both root and soil factors influenced soil and root phosphatase. Soil phosphatase increased with fine‐root mass density and organic P, which together explained over 50% of the variation in soil phosphatase. Over 80% of the variation in root phosphatase per unit root mass was attributed to specific root length (positive correlation) and available (resin) P (negative correlation). Synthesis: Fine‐root traits and soil P data are necessary to understand and represent soil and root phosphatase activity throughout the soil column and across sites with different soil conditions and tree species. These findings can be used to parameterize or benchmark estimates of biochemical mineralization in ecosystem models that contain fine‐root biomass and soil P distributions throughout depth., We determined soil phosphorus and root trait measurements that strongly predicted soil phosphatase and root phosphatase. Organic phosphorus, fine‐root mass density, and bulk density were the most influential factors that determined soil phosphatase, while available phosphorus concentration and specific root length were most predictive for root phosphatase.

Mammalian dung represents a primary feeding and reproductive resource for most dung beetle species. Competition for the trophic resource is common among the subfamily Scarabaeinae showing different habits depending on the quantity and quality of food available. In this study, we evaluated the dung of six species of mammal native to Chiapas (Mexico) as attractants for sampling dung beetles. The six species have different feeding habits (carnivores, herbivores and omnivores) and the feces used were obtained from Zoo animals fed a standard diet. Sampling efficiency was over 99% for each of the attractants. Tapirus bairdii feces attracted the highest abundance, while Canis latrans attracted the highest richness and diversity was higher in Procyon lotor. The captured species showed no affinity for a specific attractant, and differences in richness, abundance, diversity, and species composition between baits were largely non-significant. These results suggest that when food availability is high, Scarabaeinae assemblages maintain very abundant populations with generalists feeding habits. However, other aspects such as the quality and quantity (volume) of the food may be important when choosing a resource. Hence, the use of different types of attractants that meet these characteristics offers the possibility of improving results in the monitoring of dung beetle communities in tropical forests, allowing the capture of those inconspicuous or rare species that inhabit the landscape.

Despite being increasingly threatened by human-induced disturbances, dry forests remain the least studied and protected forest types in the Caribbean region. In contrast to many other forest systems in the world, we have little knowledge of the site-specific variation in vegetation communities within these forests nor understand how plant species distribution is determined by environmental variables, including geological attributes. Here, we aimed to provide evidence of the relationship between biodiversity and geodiversity, by assessing the associations between plant communities and habitat types in a semi-deciduous forest of the Dominican Republic. We collected vegetation data from 23 sites within the Ocoa river basin, which we classified into six groups with a Random Forest algorithm, using lithology, geomorphology, topography, and last decade history of forest loss as predictor variables. We established three main clusters: one group, which encompassed sites with forest over a limestone substrate, four groups of sites with forests over a marlstone substrate with varying degrees of steepness and forest loss history, and one group that gathered all sites with forest over an alluvial substrate. In order to measure the associations of plant communities with groups of sites, we used the indicator value index (IndVal), which indicates whether a plant species is found in one or multiple-habitat types and the phi coefficient of association, which measures species preferences for habitats. We found that 16 species of woody plants are significantly associated with groups of sites by means of their indices. Our findings suggest that the detection of plant species associations with our selection of environmental variables is possible using a combination of indices. We show that there is considerable variation in plant community composition within the semi-deciduous forest studied and suggest that conservation planning should focus on protection of this variation, while considering the significance and variability of geodiversity as well. In addition, we propose that our indicator groups facilitate vegetation mapping in nearby dry forests, where it is difficult to conduct thorough vegetation or environmental surveys. In short, our analyses hold potential for the development of site-specific management and protection measures for threatened semi-deciduous forests in the Caribbean.

The Amazon forest is the biggest tropical forest in the world, known to shelter the largest biodiversity of animals, plants and microorganisms worldwide. As to the mycodiversity of this biome, litt...

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:49:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2022-03-01 Legal regulation related to restoration monitoring should be supported and validated by studies that evaluate the performance of indicators. In Brazil, a specific state regulation uses three indicators to attest recovery: ground cover with native vegetation (i.e. canopy cover, for tropical forest restoration projects) and density and richness of native plants spontaneously regenerating. Thus, we adopted other three ecological parameters: richness of zoochorous regenerant species (a functioning indicator linked to seed dispersal), the density of non-pioneer regenerants (a composition indicator), and dominance (a structure indicator), to test whether the indicators of the legal state monitoring protocol were associated to these more qualified indicators and we discussed the state protocol effectiveness. We evaluated 10 sites under restoration in the Atlantic Forest ranging from 9 to 45 years old and a reference area. Our results showed that the three indicators of the state monitoring protocol were associated to more qualified indicators in different restored sites and they can be considered proxies of ecological parameters to monitor and attest restoration success of tropical rainforest. In addition, dominance was strongly associated with richness of regenerants, but it was not associated to density, implying that richness and density of regenerants are not redundant and both should be monitored in the field. This kind of analysis could be usefully applied to define powerful and integrative indicators elsewhere, simplifying them without losing effectiveness as a means to stimulate wide adoption of monitoring protocols in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Departamento de Engenharia Ambiental Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, SP Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade de São Paulo, SP Secretaria de Infraestrutura e Meio Ambiente, SP Sociedade Brasileira de Restauração Ecológica, PR Centro de Engenharia Modelagem e Ciências Sociais Aplicadas Universidade Federal do ABC, SP Departamento de Engenharia Ambiental Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, SP

Plants allocate biomass to different organs in response to resource variation for maximizing performance, yet we lack a framework that adequately integrates plant responses to the simultaneous variation in above‐ and below‐ground resources. Although traditionally, the optimal partition theory (OPT) has explained patterns of biomass allocation in response to a single limiting resource, it is well‐known that in natural communities multiple resources limit growth. We study trade‐offs involved in plant biomass allocation patterns and their effects on plant growth under variable below‐ and above‐ground resources—light, soil N and P—for seedling communities. We collected information on leaf, stem and root mass fractions for more than 1,900 seedlings of 97 species paired with growth data and local‐scale variation in abiotic resources from a tropical forest in China. We identified two trade‐off axes that define the mass allocation strategies for seedlings—allocation to photosynthetic versus non‐photosynthetic tissues and allocation to roots over stems—that responded to the variation in soil P and N and light. Yet, the allocation patterns did not always follow predictions of OPT in which plants should allocate biomass to the organ that acquires the most limiting resource. Limited soil N resulted in high allocation to leaves at the expense of non‐photosynthetic tissues, while the opposite trend was found in response to limited soil P. Also, co‐limitation in above‐ and below‐ground resources (light and soil P) led to mass allocation to stems at the expense of roots. Finally, we found that growth increased under high‐light availability and soil P for seedlings that invested more in photosynthetic over non‐photosynthetic tissues or/and that allocated mass to roots at the expense of stem. Synthesis. Biomass allocation patterns to above‐ and below‐ground tissues are described by two independent trade‐offs that allow plants to have divergent allocation strategies (e.g. high root allocation at the expense of stem or high leaf allocation at the expense of allocation to non‐photosynthetic tissues) and enhance growth under different limiting resources. Identifying the trade‐offs driving biomass allocation is important to disentangle plant responses to the simultaneous variation in resources in diverse forest communities.

Received 18 May 2020, accepted 9 September 2020Complex environments often have diverse animal communities. The structural complexity of plants has been directly and indirectly responsible for the a...

Most studies analyze fragmentation due to habitat loss caused by anthropogenic activities and few of them analyzed fragmentation on naturally fragmented areas. In the Eastern Amazon, it is possible to find areas naturally open and surrounded by pristine forest. Understanding how species respond to isolation in these areas is an important challenge for decision-making processes aiming conservation and restoration. Using standardized methods of bee collection (entomological nets, bait trap, pan trap, and nest trap), the objective of this study was to analyze the composition and diversity of bees occurring on six isolated outcrops located in two protected areas within Amazon biome. More specifically, we tested 1) if the dissimilarity in bee species composition is explained by the isolation of outcrops and 2) if bee richness, abundance, and Shannon diversity can be explained by the outcrop size. We found 118 species, with the Meliponini and Euglossini (Hymenoptera: Apidae) tribes representing the highest number of species. The similarity in species composition across all outcrops is high and is not explained by the isolation. In addition, the richness, abundance, and Shannon diversity are not explained by outcrop size. Forest does not seem to be a barrier to bee movement, and although most species probably nest in the forests, they use the highly diverse plants of the outcrops as a complementary food source.