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Insects are the most diverse animal taxon on Earth and play a key role in ecosystem functioning. However, they are often neglected by ecological surveys owing to the difficulties involved in monitoring this small and hyper-diverse taxon. With technological advances in biomonitoring and analytical methods, these shortcomings may finally be addressed. Here, we performed passive acoustic monitoring at 141 sites (eight habitats) to investigate insect acoustic activity in the Viruá National Park, Brazil. We first describe the frequency range occupied by three soniferous insect groups (cicadas, crickets and katydids) to calculate the acoustic evenness index (AEI). Then, we assess how AEI varies spatially and temporally among habitat types, and finally we investigate the relationship between vegetation structure variables and AEI for each insect category. Overall, crickets occupied lower and narrower frequency bands than cicadas and katydids. AEI values varied among insect categories and across space and time. The highest acoustic activity occurred before sunrise and the lowest acoustic activity was recorded in pastures. Canopy cover was positively associated with cricket acoustic activity but not with katydids. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the role of time, habitat and vegetation structure in shaping insect activity within diverse Amazonian ecosystems. This article is part of the theme issue 'Towards a toolkit for global insect biodiversity monitoring'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With over 40% of species threatened with extinction, the distributional range of most amphibians is still unknown, generating uncertainty whether species are naturally rare, under‐sampled, or difficult to detect. We implemented a modelling approach that uses bromeliads as surrogates to predict the distribution of habitat specialist frogs that lack distributional data. We aimed to predict and survey potential new sites for the occurrence of a rare and microendemic bromeliad‐dwelling frog from the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil. We used Maxent to predict suitable areas based on climate and topographic profiles, combined with 21 occurrence records of bromeliads within which our target frog species (Crossodactylodes itambe) is strictly restricted. The bromeliad‐based models identified four areas potentially suitable, and subsequent surveys revealed an entirely new species of a rare bromeliad‐dwelling frog in one of the areas. We demonstrate that using easy‐to‐survey surrogate species that have a strong relationship with species that are hard to detect has enormous potential to reveal crucial information on the potential ranges and distribution of cryptic taxa. Such a surrogate modelling approach could be extended to other habitat specialist species that lack distribution data, such as amphibians restricted to specific refugia and/or reproduction sites. This could improve the targeting of surveys and increase understanding of the patterns of rarity and the drivers of species distribution, especially for areas with high endemicity and range‐restricted frogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many primate species are threatened by the pet trade, and rehabilitated monkeys require suitable habitats for release back into the wild. The process of identifying suitable release sites involves finding areas with adequate resources and minimizing negative impacts on resident species and human populations. To address this challenge, this study was designed to identify and map suitable areas for the reintroduction of bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) into the Caatinga biome in northeastern Brazil. We used a multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) to identify suitable release areas. Using a species distribution model, we located suitable habitats for seven species of vegetation that are vital resources during the dry season: Syagrus romanzoffiana, Attalea speciosa, Syagrus oleracea, Commiphora leptophloeos, Manihot epruinosa, Pilosocereus pachycladus, and Tacinga inamoena. We then created an MCDA by using vegetation suitability, water availability, proximity to protected areas, and distance from roads and cities as key variables. To increase accessibility, we coded the results into a Google Earth Engine app, allowing for easy and free access to researchers and others interested in capuchin monkey conservation. The resulting suitability maps cover the entire Caatinga biome, providing a valuable tool for conservation efforts by simplifying the initial step of locating potential release sites. This study demonstrates the application of geospatial tools in mapping suitable habitats for the translocation and release of rehabilitated primates at a time when biodiversity loss, the exotic pet trade, land use change, and climate change are threatening nonhuman primates worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five new species of Pectenoniscus are described from Bahia state: Pectenoniscus monsviridis n. sp. and Pectenoniscus revelatus n. sp. from Serra do Ramalho Karst area; Pectenoniscus archaeos n. sp. and Pectenoniscus sepultus n. sp. from Serra de Iuiú Karst area; and Pectenoniscus caesarius n. sp. from Campo Formoso Karst area. Additional notes are provided on their habitats and threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparisons among vegetated and unvegetated intertidal habitats have led to the paradigm that benthic fauna are more abundant and diverse in the former. Mangroves and their associated saltmarshes are the dominant vegetation type in intertidal zones of the Ajuruteua Peninsula, northern Brazil, however until now, there no studies that investigate the benthic fauna among vegetated and unvegetated intertidal habitats. Therefore, the present study compares the macrobenthic fauna among red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), saltmarsh (Spartina alterniflora) and adjacent unvegetated sediment (mangrove borders and saltmarsh borders) in the Furo Grande tidal channel in the Caeté estuary, northern Brazil. Overall, vegetated habitats have finer sediments, lower salinities and temperatures and higher organic matter and water content than unvegetated habitats. However, the macrofauna structure among the habitats did not fully correspond to this division, perhaps responding instead to differences among the four habitats in detrital production, tidal inundation frequency, leaf litter processing by crabs and rates of predation. Deposit feeding tubificid oligochaetes and capitellid polychaetes were particularly abundant in the mangrove and at mangrove borders probably due to greater availability of suitably processed detritus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Resumo: As palmeiras (Arecaceae) exercem grande relevância na estrutura e funcionamento dos ecossistemas de florestas tropicais, além de compreenderem recursos‐chave para animais frugívoros. Entretanto, muitas espécies estão atualmente em risco de extinção devido à superexploração e/ou perda de habitat. Nosso estudo visou realizar uma revisão sistemática com uma abordagem cientométrica de todas as 78 espécies de palmeiras nativas da Mata Atlântica brasileira, buscando identificar as espécies e regiões mais bem estudadas, principais tópicos estudados, padrões gerais, tendências e lacunas na pesquisa científica associada a esta família botânica. No total, foram realizados estudos para 48 espécies pertencentes a 10 gêneros, com o número de estudos aumentando exponencialmente a partir dos anos 70 e exibindo grande diferença no número de publicações entre as espécies. Euterpe edulis foi a espécie mais estudada (n = 274), seguida por Acrocomia aculeata (n = 205), enquanto Bactris bahiensis (1), Geonoma litoralis (1), Syagrus santosii (1) e Trithrinax acanthocoma (0) foram as espécies menos estudadas. O maior número de estudos foi realizado nos estados do sudeste do Brasil. Com relação ao tipo de estudos, 34% e 27% estavam relacionados a propriedades bioquímicas e processos ecológicos, respectivamente, enquanto os estudos sobre entomologia (n = 26), cultura de tecidos (n = 23) e taxonomia (n = 7) representaram o menor número. Dado o papel fundamental das palmeiras nas florestas tropicais, nosso estudo sugere que as pesquisas futuras devem se concentrar em espécies menos estudadas, incluindo Desmoncus spp., Geonoma spp. e Trithrinax sp. e em algumas áreas menos estudadas, como a porção nordeste da Mata Atlântica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumo: O crescente desenvolvimento das rodovias ameaça gravemente vários vertebrados devido à fragmentação do habitat, ao efeito de borda e aos atropelamentos. A compreensão de como a paisagem influencia a ocorrência de atropelamentos em rodovias pode fornecer informações sobre as rotas preferenciais de dispersão da fauna e definir os trechos prioritários para a implementação de ações de mitigação. Este estudo avaliou a associação entre as características da paisagem e os atropelamentos de fauna na rodovia BR‐158 (Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil), onde a vegetação adjacente compreende fitofisionomias do Cerrado, um bioma gravemente ameaçado. A distribuição espacial dos vertebrados atropelados registrados (dados secundários) foi analisada usando a ferramenta estatística 2D Hotspot Identification, que definiu os trechos com maior mortalidade (hotspots). A paisagem circundante em uma área buffer de 1 km ao redor da rodovia foi caracterizada com base em informações de área e distância, considerando o uso e a cobertura da terra. Foram aplicados modelos lineares generalizados para testar a influência dos locais no atropelamento, considerando as características da paisagem como variáveis independentes e a presença/ausência de atropelamento como variável dependente. Nossos resultados indicaram dois hotspots ao longo da BR‐158 e uma maior probabilidade de atropelamento em trechos associados a matas ciliares e mais distantes de áreas urbanas. A identificação das características da paisagem associadas à ocorrência de atropelamentos de vertebrados pode ajudar a orientar o planejamento e o monitoramento de rodovias. Além disso, em ecossistemas secos como o Cerrado, precisamos fornecer informações para implementar ações prioritárias em trechos de mata ciliar, com o objetivo de mitigar os impactos negativos das rodovias na conservação da biodiversidade local. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bothrops atrox is an endemic crotaline snake of the Amazon region, and due to its wide distribution and ample abundance it is the most responsible for snakebites that require medical attention in the North region of Brazil, with the state of Pará having the highest rate of incidences. B. atrox is also a key crotaline species in medical research and its venom has been intensively studied during recent years. As intraspecific variation of its venom between populations from floodplains and upland areas were reported and these differences in venom composition were likely related to a variable feeding ecology of the snakes inhabiting the different ecosystems. We confirmed that habitat variation influenced the external head and venom gland morphology of B. atrox i.e., in floodplains snakes had a smaller head size, venom gland size and mass compared to snakes from the other sampled habitats around western Pará. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil stands out for presenting the highest amphibian anuran diversity in the world. However, taxonomic studies that address characteristic of larval stage of anurans are incipient, representing only 62% of known species. We assess the species diversity of tadpoles from eastern Maranhão state, mid-northern region of Brazil based on morphological and molecular identification (i.e., 16S rRNA gene fragment), and we also provide characteristics of the habitats occupied by each species. We carried out 30 field samplings during 13 months in 16 environments along an ecotonal area, over five cities inside the limits of state of Maranhão, between the Maranhão Babaçu Forest and Cerrado ecoregions. We searched for tadpoles in a variety of water bodies, and the tadpoles that reached the developmental stage between 34 to 40 Gosner were morphologically identified. The tadpoles collected herein represent 26 species belonging to five families. The external morphology enabled the identification of 24 species, while the molecular data recognized 22 unique evolutionary units. The most represented family was Hylidae (Hylinae 11 spp., Phyllomedusinae one spp.) followed by Leptodactylidae (Leptodactylinae seven spp., Leiuperinae three spp.), Microhylidae (Gastrophryninae two spp.), and Bufonidae (two spp.). Our results show that oral morphology was the most important character for identifying tadpoles based on morphology, and the specific 16S rRNA primer was suitable for molecular identification. This study pioneers the use of both morphological and molecular data to identify tadpoles in the state of Maranhão. It also provides, for the first-time, habitat characteristic for the species. Our study reveals a high number of anuran species sampled at the larval stage in the region, identifies species that require further taxonomic and systematic attention, and extends the geographic distribution of six species, three of which represent new occurrences for the state. Our results strengthen the hypothesis that the diversity of amphibians from Maranhão is underestimated and highlight the importance of herpetological inventories in poorly sampled areas, decentralizing the knowledge of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum, Poaceae) is cultivated on a large scale in (sub)tropical regions such as Brazil and has considerable economic value for sugar and biofuel production. The plant is a rich substrate for endo- and epiphytic fungi. Black yeasts in the family Herpotrichiellaceae (Chaetothyriales) are colonizers of human-dominated habitats, particularly those rich in toxins and hydrocarbon pollutants, and may cause severe infections in susceptible human hosts. The present study assessed the diversity of Herpotrichiellaceae associated with sugarcane, using in silico identification and selective isolation. Using metagenomics, we identified 5833 fungal sequences, while 639 black yeast-like isolates were recovered in vitro. In both strategies, the latter fungi were identified as members of the genera Cladophialophora, Exophiala, and Rhinocladiella (Herpotrichiellaceae), Cyphellophora (Cyphellophoraceae), and Knufia (Trichomeriaceae). In addition, we discovered new species of Cladophialophora and Exophiala from sugarcane and its rhizosphere. The first environmental isolation of Cladophialophora bantiana is particularly noteworthy, because this species up to now is exclusively known from the human host where it mostly causes fatal brain disease in otherwise healthy patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared species richness, relative abundance, density (ind/100 m2) and biomass per hectare (g/ha) of leaf-litter anurans between forest and restinga habitats in an insular Atlantic Forest area in southeastern Brazil. The local assemblage of leaf litter anurans was composed by nine species (eight of them occurring in the forest and six in the restinga), of which the most abundant were Ischnocnema parva and Adenomera marmorata in the forest, and I. parva and Dendrophryniscus lauroi in the restinga. The estimated local density of leaf-litter anurans was 11.7 ind/100m² (biomass per hectare = 848.4 g/ha) in forest and 7.3 ind/100m² in restinga (biomass per hectare = 262.8 g/ha). Anuran species richness, estimated densities and biomass in the restinga were lower than that of the forest, probably due to the less favorable environmental conditions of restingas for amphibians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local inventories provide primary key information on diversity and distribution of species for conservation purposes. Here we describe the composition and conservation status of anuran fauna in flooded habitats eastern Amazon and evaluate to preference and the level of association of species with the flooded habitats in a poorly known area of the flooded forest present in the Ariri district, state of Amapá, North Brazil. Four nocturnal sampling events were carried out during the rainy season: beginning of the rainy season (March-May 2014 and December 2014-February 2015), mid rainy season (June-August 2014), and end of rainy season (September-November 2014), using visual encounter survey. We identified 29 anuran species. According to flooded habitat preference, the highest richness of species was found in high várzea (22 species, 75.9%, H' = 3.091), and 16 species (55.2%) was recorded with high association with flooded habitats. Including all flooded habitats, a greater number of constant species were found, followed by accessory and accidental species. Species accumulation curve showed a tendency toward stabilization of species richness only in the end of rainy season. Our study provides important data on the local anuran fauna and the presence of species typical of flooded and non-flooded habitats demonstrates a certain degree of similarity between species composition, reinforcing the importance of flooded habitats for the preservation of anurans of the Amazonia Forest in north Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat loss and fragmentation are ecological impacts of development projects known to have severe effects on mammals' populations. Here, we study the role of connectivity assessment in Environmental Impact Assessment, focusing on its contribution to determining appropriate mitigation, in particular, biodiversity offsetting. For that purpose, we analysed the dispersal of large mammals in a region potentially influenced by a mine located in the Atlantic rainforest in Brazil and anticipate the long-term outcomes of restoration offsets by modelling a 30-year post-offset scenario. Results show that: (i) offsets enhance ecological connectivity and are used as an alternative habitat for the animals dispersed due to habitat loss and fragmentation; (ii) the location of restoration areas should be carefully planned to maximize their contribution to increase ecological connectivity and enhance habitat quality. The reviewed case suggests that best practices to incorporate connectivity analysis in environmental impact assessment include: (i) monitoring biodiversity to quantify losses and gains; (ii) modelling offset areas alternatives for both protection and restoration; and (iii) conducting rigorous analysis of project alternatives, aiming at impact avoidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degraded areas in Southern Brazil are undergoing rapid conversion from abandoned fields into agroforestry system. Our focus was to investigate the impact of land use and soil properties on soil fauna and quality in an agroforestry system and a natural ecosystem. The agroforestry system had the presence of Cicadidae (0.1 ind trap−1), Diplura (0.01 ind trap−1), Gryllidae (0.2 ind trap−1), Gyrinidae (0.07 ind trap−1), and Larvae (0.3 ind trap−1), and it presents lower SOC (less 44.3%) and higher total N (more 29.8%) and P contents (more 68.8%) when compared with the natural ecosystem. Richness and diversity declined (less than 16.3 and 31.8%, respectively) with increasing soil pH. Natural ecosystem showed the greatest diversity (H' = 2.44) of soil fauna. A negative correlation was observed between diversity and soil pH (−0.91), and positive correlations among diversity and SOC (0.97), richness (0.88), and dominance (0.93). In conclusion, fauna abundance, precipitation, and soil pH played essential roles in soil quality through ecosystem services, habitat, and energy provision, which in turn promoted the entire soil food web. Thus, the findings in the agroforestry system and natural ecosystem help us to understand how land uses impact soil fauna, and soil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: In human-modified landscapes, identification and structural assessment of remaining habitat is required to mitigate habitat loss and fragmentation. In transboundary regions, this analysis must consider ecological limits, as they often do not coincide with sociopolitical boundaries. Objectives: We aimed to quantify the cover, configuration, protection status, and spatial overlap of suitable habitats for 24 birds and mammals of conservation concern in the trinational region (Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay) of the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest. Methods: Applying a multi-scale framework and the random forest algorithm, we built habitat suitability models considering presence-only data distributed across the Atlantic Forest biome and mapped the relative habitat suitability in the trinational region. We quantified habitat coverage and protection at country and regional scales. We also assessed the spatial configuration and overlap of forests predicted to be suitable for the target species. Results: The total suitable habitat covered less than 17% of the study region for 20 of the 24 target species. On average, 40.9% of the suitable habitat can be found in Argentina, 30.5% in Brazil, and 28.6% in Paraguay. Only 2.4% of the entire study region is occupied by protected suitable habitat. Protected areas focused on biodiversity conservation showed greater relative coverage of suitable habitat than PAs allowing for multiple human uses. Suitable forests are highly fragmented, especially for threatened species. Nine species showed an average overlap of at least 70% of their suitable forest area in relation to that predicted for the other species. Conclusions: The remaining habitat of the trinational region is unevenly distributed across countries, with low coverage, low protection, and high fragmentation. Species persistence will require cross-border collaboration to restore, expand, and connect the Upper Paraná forests, and our results provide important information to support this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leontopithecus chrysomelas, the Golden-headed Lion Tamarin (GHLT), is an endangered and endemic Neotropical primate from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil that has suffered a reduction of its habitat and population size in the wild. Ex situ populations have been established as a relevant alternative to safeguard the species and retain its genetic diversity and evolutionary potential. This study evaluated the genetic diversity and structure of the two main Brazilian captive populations of GHLT, which have been under human care at the Primatology Center of Rio de Janeiro (CPRJ) and the Zoological Park Foundation of São Paulo (FPZSP). Our results revealed levels of genetic diversity overall comparable to those observed for other Leontopithecus species and for ex situ and in situ populations of GHLT previously studied. Bayesian and principal coordinate analyses showed a moderate differentiation between CPRJ and FPZSP populations. Both populations presented observed heterozygosity values higher than expected heterozygosity values for most of the microsatellites used in this study, suggesting that the management has been efficient in avoiding an increase in homozygosity. However, simulations point to a significant loss of genetic diversity in the next 100 years, mainly in the FPZSP population. Such data are relevant for further decision-making on the metapopulation management of L. chrysomelas in captive conditions and for integrating in situ and ex situ conservation plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera brydei) is the only non-migratory (resident) baleen whale in Brazil, remaining year-round in the subtropical seas, but are among the least known whales. By combining genetics and spatial analysis, we aim to characterize the genetic diversity and determine the spatiotemporal distribution and habitat-use patterns for the Bryde's whale population in the South Brazil Bight, in the Santos Basin (23°S to 28°S/40°W to 49°W). During surveys (n = 16) between 2015 and 2018, we recorded 82 Bryde's whale groups and collected biopsy samples from 13 individuals. Based on our samples, the population of Bryde's whales presented low genetic diversity. Its distribution varied seasonally, with records occurring mainly in the north of the study area, near Cabo Frio, during warm seasons and in southern waters during cold seasons. The oceanographic dynamics, characterized by diverse frontal systems that enhance productivity on the shelf, likely drive the distribution of the whales, and the seasonal shifts between core areas seem to reflect changes in productivity and prey availability. Our results bring unprecedented information to understand the ecology of Bryde's whales on the Brazilian coast, and how their distribution and habitats are critically linked with the South Brazil Bight marine environment and its dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biotic communities in heterogeneous agricultural landscapes can be shaped by both the land use of local patches and the structure of surrounding landscapes. However, studies usually focus on one or the other factor, limiting our ability to propose management guidelines for the conservation of biodiversity in human‐modified landscapes.We used a site‐landscape design and multi‐model inference to assess the effects of land use, landscape structure, and their interactions, on dung beetle assemblages in agricultural landscapes in the Brazilian Cerrado, a biodiversity hotspot. We captured dung beetles in five dominant land uses (savanna, forest, eucalypt, cattle pasture and soybean) and estimated species density, abundance of large and small beetles, and functional richness and dispersion. We measured four landscape structure predictors (savanna cover, forest cover, landscape compositional heterogeneity, and matrix harshness) in circular landscapes around sampling plots.All response variables were affected by land use and by at least one landscape predictor. Relationships between landscape predictors and dung beetle responses were as expected (positive for forest and savanna covers and negative for matrix harshness), except landscape compositional heterogeneity, which had unexpected negative effects. More importantly, land use and landscape predictors interacted in two cases: higher forest cover and lower matrix harshness were related to higher species density and large‐beetle abundance, respectively, but this was mainly observed in eucalypt.Synthesis and applications: To better guide the conservation of mobile organisms in anthropogenic habitat mosaics, we need to consider both landscape characteristics and the land use of local patches. Using this approach, we are able to make some recommendations for the conservation of dung beetles in agricultural landscapes in Cerrado, including the following: (i) ensure, through protection and/or restoration, that natural vegetation patches (even small ones) are interspersed in the agricultural matrix, to increase functional diversity in all land uses and taxonomic diversity in tree plantations, (ii) place eucalypt plantations near forest patches to increase the abundance of sensitive species (forest‐specialists, and some large species); (iii) replace some patches of pasture or soybean with tree plantations, to increase the amount of supplementary habitat for sensitive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roads are among the most frequent generators of anthropogenic disturbances. Due to the extensive area that is affected along them, these infrastructures represent a major conservation concern worldwide. Ants are an important component of natural ecosystems and are considered very sensitive to disturbance. The National Road 150 forms part of the Central Bioceanic Corridor that will connect Brazil with Chile. In its trajectory, it crosses the Ischigualasto Provincial Park in Argentina. In order to evaluate the effects of this road on biodiversity in roadsides that run across this protected area, we compared species and functional group diversity of ants collected using pitfall traps at disturbed and undisturbed sites. Also, we analyzed whether habitat variables, such as plant cover, gravel cover and soil hardness, explain ant species and functional group abundance in both site types. Nineteen species and 2 genera were identified in both sites, with roadside containing relatively more exclusives and rare species. Seven functional groups were identified; Hot climate specialists were the most abundant at both sites. The sites did not show differences for soil hardness and cover of large gravel. However, undisturbed sites had the highest percentage plant cover, and a greater cover of medium and large gravel; while the cover of small gravel was the highest in disturbed sites. Results suggest that with the current management, there were no profound changes in the ant community due to road edge effects. Also, the roadsides have some value for the conservation of the protected area. Implications for insect conservation: Our results show that there were no profound changes in the ant community due to road edge effects generated by National Road 150. Therefore, the roadsides have some value for the conservation of the Ischigualasto Provincial Park with the current management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazilian cities feature quite unequal neighborhoods. Middle-class neighborhoods have better infrastructure than those inhabited by low-income families. These inequalities are not limited to social and economic scopes; they also reach the environmental one. Tree cover in these neighborhoods is often correlated to residents' socioeconomic status. Injustice in access to trees deprives Brazilians of their ecosystem services. Furthermore, the scarcity of tree cover in the poorest neighborhoods means less support for biodiversity. Thus, backyards can be planned to form vegetation patches capable of providing urban populations with access to green areas, as well as working as wildlife habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two species of Poaceae (Aristidoideae) Aristida ekmaniana Henrard and A. macrophylla Hack. considered "presumably extinct" in the Brazilian state of São Paulo were rediscovered during fieldwork. We hereby describe the location, ecosystem, and habitat type where the species were found. We suggest these grasses be removed from the list of extinct species and be placed in a category compatible with the current knowledge about their conservation status in the state of São Paulo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion of natural areas for the advancement of economic activities such as agriculture, mining, livestock, and energy production are the main challenges for biodiversity conservation in Brazil. The establishment and expansion of protected areas (PA) are the cheapest way to ensure biodiversity protection and the maintenance of ecosystem services provided by it. Chiroptera is one of the most diverse group of mammals, responsible for several ecological functions such as seed dispersal, insect population control and pollination. The aim of our study was to estimate the degree of protection that PAs in Brazil guarantee for bats. Species distribution models were built to estimate the distribution of 173 bat species in the Brazilian territory. Then, we performed a gap analysis to assess the effectiveness of PAs in ensure protection for bats, regarding the administrative level and the type of PA. In general, federal PAs were more efficient in ensuring bat protection than state PAs. Strictly PAs alone are insufficient to protect 67.6% bats, including all endangered bats at national level. Sustainable use areas have a complementary role to achieve the established conservation goals, besides this is not its main purpose. However, more efforts are needed to ensure an effective representation of bat diversity in PAs. Our study shows the need for a more integrated systematic conservation planning that incorporates the federal and local levels. In addition, the inclusion of other types of areas such as indigenous lands and private areas could be effective strategies to ensure that protection goals are met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial patterns and dynamics are important components in understanding the relation between animals and their habitat, and how this relation changes over time. Methods for assessing spatial properties in bird populations are expensive, difficult, and intrusive, such as GPS tracking or capture–recapture, limiting our ability to measure these important characteristics. The Morisita Index and Ripley's K function are both methods used to measure the distribution, clustering, and spatial organization of organisms in a given area. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate how these 2 simple methods can be applied in ornithology studies, based on simple and easily obtained data. To exemplify the application of both methods, I use coordinate data for Southern Lapwings (Vanellus chilensis) in southern Brazil over 2 different periods: the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. The analyses show that both methods obtain similar results and indicate aggregation among birds during both the breeding and nonbreeding periods. The Morisita Index was sensitive to changes in quadrat size while variations in Ripley's K function were more difficult to interpret. Both methods have advantages and limitations that should be taken into consideration; nevertheless, the Morisita Index and Ripley's K function can be important tools in studies of ecological spatial processes and patterns in birds. Padrões e dinâmicas espaciais são importantes componentes no entendimento das relações entre animais e ambiente, e como estas relações mudam com o tempo. Métodos para obter propriedades espaciais de populações de aves são em geral caros, difíceis e intrusivos, como uso de GPS ou captura-recaptura de animais, limitando nossa habilidade de medir essas importantes características. O índice de Morisita e a função K de Ripley são métodos utilizados para mensurar a distribuição, agrupamento e organização espacial de organismos dentro de uma mesma área. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi demonstrar como estes dois métodos simples podem ser utilizados em estudos ornitológicos, utilizando dados simples e fáceis de obter. Para exemplificar a aplicação de ambos os métodos, foram utilizados dados de coordenadas de quero-queros (Vanellus chilensis) no sul do Brasil durante dois períodos: estação reprodutiva e estação não-reprodutiva. As análises mostraram que ambos os métodos obtiveram resultados similares e indicaram o agrupamento entre os indivíduos da espécie durante ambos os períodos. O índice de Morisita foi sensível ao tamanho do quadrante enquanto variações na função K de Ripley foram mais difíceis de serem interpretadas. Ambos os métodos apresentam vantagens e limitações que devem ser levadas em consideração, apesar de tanto o índice de Morisita quanto a função K de Ripley terem se mostrados importantes ferramentas para estudos dos processos e padrões espaciais e ecológicos de populações de aves. Palavras-chave: agregação, coordenadas, distribuição, ecologia espacial, quero-quero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) is a shorebird with a wide distribution along the coastal regions of the Americas. Similar to other oystercatchers, it primarily feeds on bivalve mollusks, crustaceans, polychaetes, and other invertebrates. In this study, our first aim was to describe the feeding behavior repertoire of the American Oystercatcher at the Lagoa do Peixe National Park, an important wetland for this species in southern Brazil. Initially, we compiled a repertoire of feeding behaviors from existing literature and preliminary fieldworks. Subsequently, ad libitum observations were carried out, varying in duration from 1 to 10 minutes, to quantitatively assess the species' foraging behaviors in both the oceanic beach and lagoon habitats. The behaviors were categorized into three main categories: Search, Capture, and "Mandibulation". As a result, a total of 132 minutes of observation time and 1763 behavioral events were recorded. We observed that the Search and Capture categories had longer durations on the ocean beach, while the "Mandibulation" category was more prominent in the lagoon environment. The specific prey available in each environment influenced the choice of foraging methods, highlighting the American Oystercatcher's flexibility in adapting its feeding strategies. These findings indicate that different environments require different foraging strategies in response to varying food availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pilocarpus microphyllus Stapf. ex Wardlew. (Rutaceae) is an endemic and threatened medicinal plant species from tropical Brazil. Popularly known as "jaborandi", it is the unique natural source of pilocarpine, an alkaloid used to medical treat glaucoma and xerostomia. Based on Species Distribution Models (SDMs), we modeled the suitability of P. microphyllus's geographical distribution considering three Global Circulation Models (GCMs) under two future climate change scenarios (SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5). The quantitative analyses carried out using ten different SDM algorithms revealed that precipitation seasonality (Bio15) and precipitation of the driest month (Bio14) were the most important bioclimatic variables. The results evidenced four main key areas of continuous occurrence of the plant spreading diagonally over tropical Brazilian biomes (Amazon, Cerrado and Caatinga). The near-future (2020 to 2040) ensemble projections considering all GCMs and scenarios have indicated negative impacts for the potential loss or significant reduction in suitable habitats for P. microphyllus in the transition region between the Amazon and Cerrado into central and northern Maranhão state, and mainly in the Caatinga biome over the northern Piaui state. On the other hand, positive impacts of the expansion of the plant habitat suitability are projected over forest cover protected areas of the Amazon biome in the southeastern Pará state. Since the jaborandi is of socioeconomic importance for many families in the north/northeast Brazil, it is urgent to implement public policies for conservation and sustainable management, thus mitigating the impacts of global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mormoopids are a small group of insectivorous bats largely distributed from the southwestern United States throughout Central and South America. They occupy a wide variety of habitats, and in Brazil have usually been associated with habitats in the Amazon, Cerrado, or Caatinga biomes. Nevertheless, most of the information compiled so far to infer their distributional limits is based on roosting colonies occasionally found in caves or on inventories using bat mist netting, which is known to be an ineffective method for capturing aerial insectivorous bats. In this contribution, we present new occurrence records of mormoopid bats based on acoustic surveys in the Caatinga and Cerrado biomes and make an extensive literature review to provide an up-to-date distribution of these bats in Brazil. We additionally describe important parameters of the echolocation calls of mormoopids across the geographical scope of our study, contrasting our data with published information to provide a better overview of the intraspecific acoustic variation of these bat species. Our acoustic data reveal a larger area of occurrence of mormoopids in Brazil than previously known, confirming new records for two states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Euterpe edulis is an endangered palm species that provides the most important non-timber forest product exploited in its natural habitat, the Brazilian Atlantic Forest hotspot1,4. From 1991 to 2017, pasturelands, agriculture, and monoculture of tree plantations were responsible for 97% of Atlantic Forest deforested areas in Brazil and Santa Catarina was one of the Brazilian states with the greatest loss of forest area14. In the last decade, E. edulis fruits reached their highest commercial value, producing the southeastern equivalent of Amazonian "açai" (Euterpe oleracea)5,7,8. As a shade-tolerant species, E. edulis adapts very well to agroforestry systems8,10. To evaluate potential areas for cultivation of E. edulis through agroforestry systems, we developed and applied a spatial model for mapping suitable areas. To accomplish this, we analyzed multisource biophysical data and E. edulis distribution data from the Forest Inventory of Santa Catarina. We identified two areas with potential occurrence of the species, one in the domains of coastal Dense Ombrophilous Forest where the species is more common and another in the domains of inland Deciduous Seasonal Forest where its occurrence was suspected, but not proven, until 2021. Today, Deciduous Seasonal Forest is the most fragmented and impacted by agriculture. Our model, together with confirmed areas of occurrence, indicates that deciduous seasonal forest region should be prioritized for production and recovery of E. edulis through agroforestry systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion of forests into open areas has large effects on the diversity and structure of native communities. The intensity of these effects may vary between regions, depending on the existence of native species adapted to open habitats in the regional pool or the time since habitat change.We assess the differences in species richness and functional diversity of dung beetle communities (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) between native forests and novel pasturelands of the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado, two biomes with contrasting histories of human occupation in Brazil. We conducted standardized surveys in seven forest fragments and adjacent pastures in each region and measured 14 traits in individuals collected in each type of habitat at each particular site. We calculated functional richness, functional evenness, functional divergence, and community‐weighted mean of traits for each area, and analyzed individual variation through nested variance decomposition and Trait Statistics.Communities were richer and more numerous at the Cerrado. We did not find any consistent relationship between functional diversity and forest conversion beyond the changes in species diversity. Although landscape changes were more recent at the Cerrado, the colonization of the new habitat by native species already adapted to open habitats lessens the functional loss in this biome. This indicates that habitat change's effects on trait diversity depend on the regional species pool rather than on time since land conversion.Forest conversion effects were primarily due to internal filtering. The effects of external filtering only appear at the intraspecific variance level, with contrasting differences between the Cerrado, where traits related to relocation behavior and size are selected, and the Atlantic Forest, where selection operates for traits related to relocation behavior and flight. These results evidence the importance of considering individual variance to address the responses of dung beetle communities to forest conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environments in which neotropical primates live have been undergoing an intense fragmentation process, constituting a major threat to the species' survival and causing resource scarcity, social isolation, and difficulty in dispersal, leaving populations increasingly vulnerable. Moreover, the proximity of wild environments to anthropized landscapes can change the dynamics of pathogens and the parasite‐host‐environment relationship, creating conditions that favor exposure to different pathogens. To investigate the previous exposure of free‐living primates in Rio Grande do Sul State (RS), southern Brazil, to the bacterial agents Leptospira spp. and Brucella abortus, we investigated agglutinating antibodies against 23 serovars of Leptospira spp. using the microscopic agglutination test and B. abortus acidified antigen test in primate serum samples; 101 samples from primates captured between 2002 and 2016 in different forest fragments were used: 63 Alouatta caraya, 36 Alouatta guariba clamitans, and 02 Sapajus nigritus cucullatus. In addition, the forest remnants where the primates were sampled were characterized in a multiscale approach in radii ranging from 200 to 1400 m to investigate the potential relationship of previous exposure to the agent with the elements that make up the landscape structure. The serological investigation indicated the presence of antibodies for at least one of the 23 serovars of Leptospira spp. in 36.6% (37/101) of the samples analyzed, with titers ranging from 100 to 1600. The most observed serovars were Panama (17.8%), Ballum (5.9%), Butembo (5.9%), Canicola (5.9%), Hardjo (4.9%), and Tarassovi (3.9%); no samples were seropositive for Brucella abortus. Decreased forest cover and edge density were the landscape factors that had a significant relationship with Leptospira spp. exposure, indicating that habitat fragmentation may influence contact with the pathogen. The data generated in this study demonstrate the importance of understanding how changes in landscape structure affect exposure to pathogenic microorganisms of zoonotic relevance. Hence, improving epidemiological research and understanding primates' ecological role in these settings can help improve environmental surveillance and conservation strategies for primate populations in different landscapes. Highlights: Free‐living primates in Rio Grande do Sul showed agglutinating antibodies to different Leptospira spp. serovars in the microscopic agglutination testDecreased forest cover in the landscape within a 200 m radius of the forest fragment was associated with primate exposure to Leptospira spp.Increased edge density in the landscape within a 1400 m radius of the forest fragment was associated with lower primate exposure to Leptospira spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loss of species with unique traits and evolutionary histories resulting from anthropogenic land-use changes poses a risk to the maintenance of ecosystems. We investigated the influence of Pinus monocultures and roads on functional, phylogenetic, and taxonomic composition, as well as on functional dispersion of an anuran metacommunity in Brazil. We expected the influence of anthropogenic stressors to (1) vary according to the diversity component, with greater influence on the functional and phylogenetic components than on the taxonomic component; and (2) traits related to habitat exploration to be more influenced by monocultures, while the traits related to dispersal and physiological control to be influenced by roads and monocultures, especially for species with smaller body size and low dispersal potential. We found that, while the distance from ponds to monocultures influences the phylogenetic composition, distance to roads influences functional composition and dispersion. The anthropogenic stressors affect the structure of these communities, even those formed by generalist species in terms of habitat use. The phylogenetic composition shows that the distribution of evolutionary clades in human-modified areas is linked to the preferred habitat of species, while functional composition is related to body size. Furthermore, functional dispersion was higher in areas closer to roads, contrary to our expectations. Our results represent new evidence for the conservation of anurans in modified landscapes reinforcing the importance of including functional and phylogenetic information in conservation-driven studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion of Brazilian savanna into exotic pastures leads to the loss of dung beetles and a decrease in their contribution to ecological functions. We hypothesized that the dung beetle communities from exotic pastures would show greater significant differences between climatic zones, when contrasted to communities from Brazilian savanna in the same region, since dung beetle assemblages in pastures are more simplified. We assessed which variables (purpose of production, type of management, percentage the habitat per buffer, soil penetration resistance, pasture area and herd size) affect more the dung beetle community in exotic pastures. We carried out this study in 48 areas of native Brazilian savannas and exotic pastures distributed across four bioclimatic zones: BZ1, hot with three dry months; BZ2, hot with 4–5 dry months; BZ3, sub‐hot with 4–5 dry months and BZ4, meso‐thermal with 4–5 dry months of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. In each BZ, six areas of Brazilian savannas and six areas of exotic pasture were selected. In the Brazilian savanna areas, the species richness, abundance and biomass of dung beetles did not differ between the bioclimatic zones, unlike the exotic pastures. The composition of the dung beetle community was different between land use systems and between bioclimatic zones; the interaction between the two factors was also significant. Our results provide evidence that dung beetle communities active in exotic pastures are more susceptible to climatic environmental variations than communities from more complex and stable habitats, such as savannas. Finally, the best model suggested that all the six variables combined explained about 91% of the total variability in species composition observed between sampling sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understory insectivorous Passeriformes are known for their vulnerability to forest loss and degradation. Here we investigated whether the proportion of groups of understory insectivorous Passeriformes with different levels of specialization increase with forest cover in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil. We hypothesized that Tyrannides, a very large clade of the order Passeriformes which are closely associated with forest habitat, would be more associated to forest loss than Passeri. We evaluated whether the abundance of single species is associated to forest cover. Published databases were used to select 34 locations and to classify bird species into 3 groups according to degree of specialization in diet and the use of understory for foraging. The percentage of forest cover in 500 meters radii around the locations was calculated and its relationship with the proportion of species was evaluated using binomial models. A total of 86 species of forest Passeriformes was classified as understory insectivores (68 Tyrannides and 18 Passeri). Forest cover was positively associated to the proportion of Passeriformes overall. But while forest cover was also positively associated to the proportion of two more specialized understory insectivores, it had no relation with the group of generalists. Tyrannides were also similarly associated to forest cover. Only some of the most common insectivores Passeriformes had a positive association of their abundance with the forest cover. Higher percentage of understory insectivores in bird communities of Atlantic Forest could be considered indication of higher forest cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While studying specimens of Garcinia gardneriana from the Brazilian Amazon we detected problems in reconciling the morphology of these collections to that of the type-collection (with the basionym of Rheedia gardneriana) and similar specimens from other regions of Brazil. An investigation led us to the conclusion that the Amazonian collections represent a new species, described herein as Garcinia apostoloi. We present a taxonomic treatment comprising a morphological description, a distributional map in southern Amazonia, a description of the habitat, a preliminary conservation assessment, and other taxonomic comments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biotropica is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Biotropica is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The dynamics of fish assemblages in reservoirs depend on factors such as the morphometry of the catchment, habitat structure, and the uses of the reservoir. In the Paraíba do Sul (PSR) basin in southeastern Brazil, there are several types of reservoirs, some on the main channel, some are cascade reservoirs originated from a diversion of the waters of the PSR, and others are isolated reservoirs from tributaries. This study aimed to evaluate the influences of these three types of reservoirs on the taxonomic and functional distinctness of the fish assemblages. It was hypothesized that reservoirs on the main channel (more inflowing waters and habitat availability) have higher taxonomic and functional distinctness compared to cascade reservoirs, which in turn, have greater distinctness than isolated reservoirs. In addition, we expect assemblage structure to differ among these types of reservoirs because of the close relationship with local environmental conditions and habitat structure. Thirty measurements (26 quantitative and 4 categorical) from 34 fish species representing functional traits associated with locomotion, feeding, life strategy, and habitat use were taken. Fish assemblages differed among the three types of reservoirs, which was probably associated with different environmental and local habitat conditions. Higher taxonomic and functional distinctness were found for the isolated reservoirs, and lower for reservoirs on the main channel. This suggests that the fish fauna in this latter type of reservoir were probably composed of phylogenetically close and morphologically similar species. It is likely that limitation of the available resources induces fish to partition the available niches to coexist, favoring assemblages with species adapted to different functions. Our results demonstrate that assessing fish functional and taxonomic distinctness can be used to advance understanding of fish communities from reservoirs in Neotropical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural landscapes are facing rapid transformation in many parts of the world, but the consequences of such changes for insects are poorly known. We evaluated how the conversion of the savannas and forests from Brazil´s Cerrado into lands devoted to intensive agriculture, livestock, or plantation forestry affects euglossine bees. We determined the effects of land-use change on the species richness of euglossines, and functional traits related to the body size and wing fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of a habitat generalist species. Few species were recorded in the anthropogenic land uses and most presented lower abundances in the converted than in the native habitats. The exception was Eulaema nigrita, whose average abundance in cattle pastures and in soy fields did not differ from that observed in the native habitats. However, El. nigrita males collected in pastures or in soy fields were significantly smaller than those from savannas and forests, whereas those from eucalypt tree plantations were smaller than those from savanna. Furthermore, El. nigrita males from the tree plantations had higher levels of FA in wing shape than those from native forests. Implications for conservation: Our results showed that land-use change in the Cerrado biodiversity hotspot causes the impoverishment and homogenization of the Euglossini fauna. Furthermore, we found evidence that the converted habitats present more stressful conditions for the larval development of some species. This indicates that the conservation of euglossine populations in human- modified Cerrado landscapes depends largely on the presence of protected areas, including those within rural private land as required by Brazil´s Native Vegetation Protection Law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migratory shorebirds are currently at significant risk, with populations of multiple species dropping globally, often due to habitat disruption and loss. The coast of northern Brazil, along the states of Pará and Maranhão, encompasses one of the broadest expanses of shorebird overwintering habitat for many shorebird species in the Atlantic Americas Flyway. Delineating how current management protects shorebird habitat is an important first step to identifying gaps in protections that then need to be prioritized. Different frameworks of conservation decision-making, such as focusing on flagship, umbrella, or biodiversity, can be used to prioritize what habitat needs to be protected. Understanding the effects of these different conservation perspectives is key to making informed management decisions. Multiple dates of Landsat 8 imagery at different tidal stages were used to identify intertidal habitats for further analysis. MaxEnt species distribution models were derived for each species using remote sensing and landscape metrics, as well as point-count survey data collected during the winters of 2016 and 2017. Landsat 8 and Sentinel 2 image data were included as direct inputs to the model rather than interpreted and mapped first into different habitat types. The resulting Maxent models successfully delineated between presence and absence locations for five of the eight target shorebird species. The model outputs were combined to map the intertidal habitat covered under several different management scenarios. These scenarios included using red knots as a flagship species, semipalmated sandpipers as an umbrella species, and species richness as a metric of shorebird diversity. Slightly more than 25% of delineated intertidal habitat was found to be included within a designated Marine Extractive Reserve, with three major gaps in current protections identified. The flagship, umbrella, and biodiversity perspectives result in different prioritizations of these distinct locations. While umbrella and diversity approaches are successful at protecting diverse communities, community assemblages of rarer or specialist species, such as the red knots, may fall outside their protective shadows. A hybrid approach that uses both diversity and the extent of rare flagship species produces results that best meet the management goals of identifying gaps in existing conservation to protect the most at-risk species while conserving the diverse assemblages they coexist with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The level of habitat availability influences genetic divergence among populations and the genetic diversity within populations. In the marine environment, near-shore species are among the most sensitive to habitat changes. Knowledge of how historical environmental change affected habitat availability and genetic variation can be applied to the development of proactive management strategies of exploited species. Here, we modeled the contemporary and historical distribution of Lutjanus jocu in Brazil. We describe patterns of genomic diversity to better understand how climatic cycles might correlate with the species demographic history and current genetic structure. We show that during the Last Glacial Maximum, there were ecological barriers that are absent today, possibly dividing the range of the species into three geographically separated areas of suitable habitat. Consistent with a historical reduction in habitat area, our analysis of demographic changes shows that L. jocu experienced a severe bottleneck followed by a population size expansion. We also found an absence of genetic structure and similar levels of genetic diversity throughout the sampled range of the species. Collectively, our results suggest that habitat availability changes have not obviously influenced contemporary levels of genetic divergence between populations. However, our demographic analyses suggest that the high sensitivity of this species to environmental change should be taken into consideration for management strategies. Furthermore, the general low levels of genetic structure and inference of high gene flow suggest that L. jocu likely constitutes a single stock in Brazilian waters and, therefore, requires coordinated legislation and management across its distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impoundments caused by dams are often responsible for intense changes in physical, chemical, geomorphological and hydrological characteristics of rivers, and are one of the main causes in global freshwater biodiversity declines. When these changes derive from multiple cascading dams, the cumulative effect can amplify, causing more pronounced consequences than each individual reservoir, which may affect, among other factors, the biotic and functional conditions of fish fauna. We aim to evaluate the impact of dam cascades on fish functional diversity by applying trait‐based analysis. We evaluate the functional attributes (functional indices and community‐weighted means of trait values) and environmental variables at 11 sites, which encompassed different segments affected by the hydroelectric plants (transition, reservoir, reduced discharge section and tributary) in the Antas River Basin dam cascade system located in southern Brazil. The spatial differences of the functional indices (richness, evenness, divergence, dispersion and diversity) as well as the weighted averages of each functional trait were tested through analysis of variance. The most affected functional characteristics were those related to habitat exploration by detritivorous species, especially the use of food resources and body shape, as well as the type of swimming movement. These traits were more representative at the most downstream site of the complex. Thus, our results suggest that the cascade of dams acts in the functional homogenisation of the ichthyofauna in the intermediate stretches, mainly reflecting physical changes in habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish ecomorphological analyses often deal with several traits simultaneously, making it challenging to interpret general patterns, and have not addressed the longitudinal component of streams in morphology‐habitat relationships. We identified ecomorphotypes of fishes and correlated their morphological variation with food, structural/hydrological variables, and abundances to detect their links with diet and local‐scale habitat categories. Eighteen morphometric traits were obtained from specimens collected by electrofishing in a coastal Atlantic stream in Brazil. To test for morphology‐habitat associations, headwaters, middle, and mouth reaches were divided into shorter sampling sites, with the middle reach being classified into riffle, run, and pool mesohabitats. Multivariate analyses highlighted the morphological variations and associated the form categories of 18 fish species with food and habitat categories. It resulted in four combined trophic and habitat ecomorphotypes: (1) benthic AB/lithophilic, composed of smaller to longer loricariids, detritivores, of fast‐water, and pebbly habitats; (2) benthic C/lithophilic of very fast‐waters, algal and detritus scrapers, with longer intestines than the other benthic species, wider suctorial mouths, inhabitants of headwaters, and riffles habitats; (3) nektobenthic/lithophilic with streamlined bodies, invertebrate feeders, and dwellers of faster‐water, cobbly habitats; and (4) nektonic/limnophilic composed mainly by characins, which had strong correlations with terrestrial insect consumption, and lentic/pool, sandy habitats. The morphology–environment correlations linked these ecomorphotypes to the broad habitat gradient arrayed in longitudinal and local scales. These results permit inferring the larger form patterns expected for local fish assemblages and emphasise the fish trait categorisation as a possible surrogate to reveal broader ecomorphological associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The jaguar Panthera onca has lost 85% of its habitat in the Atlantic Forest, where it persists in small and isolated populations in the largest fragments. In the absence of recent records, the jaguar had previously been presumed extinct in the large Atlantic Forest fragments of the Serra do Mar in southern Brazil. However, as this region is mountainous, densely forested and difficult to access, the jaguar could still be present, but undetected. We carried out an intensive survey using camera traps and interviews with local people in a large (c. 6,500 km2) forest block. During 2011–2019, 98 camera-trap stations were established (14,239 trap-days), and 249 interviews were conducted in 102 grid cells of 5 × 5 km. We obtained the first images of the jaguar in the region, from which five individuals were identified, and interviewees provided records of the jaguar in 24 grid cells. Our findings increase the range of this species in the Atlantic Forest by 9%, and we recommend that the area should be classified as a jaguar conservation unit. As the area we surveyed is adjacent to the Serra do Mar jaguar conservation unit, the combined area of 19,262 km2 is the largest priority area for jaguar conservation in the Atlantic Forest. This proposed jaguar conservation unit could serve as a vital source of jaguar individuals for the coastal forests further south. We recommend that surveys are extended southwards to Santa Catarina state to determine whether the presumed extinction of jaguars in this state is another case of a false absence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canga, or ironstone, ecosystems are hotspots of old-growth plant diversity and highly specialized cave invertebrates. These ancient metalliferous habitats are amongst the most threatened ecosystems because of the destruction caused by large-scale iron ore mining. International debate on biodiversity offsets is increasing because these mechanisms are seen as tools for potentially balancing economic development with conservation biodiversity. Leading mining companies worldwide, including some of the largest iron ore producers in Brazil, are signatories to offset principles and best practices that aim to achieve no net loss of habitats, species or ecosystem functions. We aimed to analyse whether Brazilian legal requirements for biodiversity offsets result in the achievement of conservation outcomes or in elevated threat of extinction in canga ecosystems. We evaluated technical reports that support decision-making related to environmental licensing for iron ore mining and specific offset proposals linked to the Atlantic Forest Act. We found a relevant net loss in canga ecosystems and observed shortcomings related to the equivalency and transparency of offset principles. These deficiencies are mainly related to lax norms and regulations and the absence of an integrated database for accessing information on environmental licensing processes. We argue that both policy flaws and low engagement by the Brazilian mining industry in implementing offset principles have increased the threat of extinction in canga ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to describe two new species endemic to Brazil - one from sandy habitats in northeastern Brazil (Pachira inaequalivalvis), mainly characterized by fruits with unequal valves, and the other from Amazonian rainforest (P. deflexifolia, having the downward-oriented leaflets) - and provide complete morphological descriptions, illustrations, comments, conservation status, and distribution maps. We also designate a lectotype and an epitype for Pachira patinoi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isoëtes is a cosmopolitan genus of aquatic lycophytes, containing more than 200 species. In Brazil, the genus comprises 29 species, with three occurring in Pará state, Amazon. Isoëtes cangae and I. serracarajensis are endemic to the ferruginous outcrops of Serra dos Carajás, and I. amazonica occurs on the inundated shores of the Tapajós River. Despite the great diversity of quillworts in South America, their anatomy remains unknown. This study discusses Brazilian Amazon species' leaf and root anatomical traits in relation to habitat and genetic diversity. The amphibious I. amazonica and I. serracarajensis were observed to have similar stomata and cuticular ornamentations. Isoëtes cangae, a fully aquatic species, had smaller epidermal cells and a smooth cuticle and showed slight differences regarding the lacuna diaphragm. The genetically closer species from Carajás both lacked peripheral fiber strands on the leaves. Our study complements current knowledge regarding the morphoanatomy of Amazonian species and provides a better understanding of their biology, contributing to the development of conservation strategies for these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Nothing could possibly live there!" They believed. Indeed, until recently, few specialized cave-adapted animals were known from volcanic, tropical, or oceanic island caves, and plausible theories had been put forward to explain their absence. But assume nothing in science! One must illuminate, explore, and survey habitats before declaring them barren. Our understanding of cave biology changed dramatically about 50 years ago following the serendipitous discovery of cave-adapted terrestrial arthropods in Brazil and on the young oceanic islands of the Galápagos and Hawai'i. These discoveries and subsequent studies on the evolutionary ecology of cave animals have revealed a remarkable hidden fauna and created new sub-disciplines within biospeleology. Biological surveys of caves in other regions have continued to expand our understanding of the evolution, adaptation, and ecology of the subterranean biome. We now predict that, rather than being relicts trapped in caves by changing climate, many animals actively colonized caves and adapted to exploit food resources wherever there were suitable subterranean voids. The physical environment in caves can be determined with great precision because the habitat is buffered by rock. Furthermore, the bizarre adaptations displayed by obligatory cave animals are similar across many taxonomic groups. These two characteristics make caves nearly ideal natural laboratories for studying evolution and ecology. However, to the untrained researcher, caves can appear hostile and dangerous, and in fact, fieldwork in caves requires a unique marriage of athletic ability and science. In other words, cave research is exciting! In this contribution, I describe the exploration, discovery, and research in tropical caves and describe the factors that delayed the recognition of a significant tropical cave fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Habitat loss is a major factor influencing declines in landscape connectivity for many species, but forest patch configuration and changes in matrix permeability can also represent important drivers. An evaluation of which of these factors are predominant is key to guiding landscape planning at a regional scale. Objectives: We aimed to quantify the loss of jaguar (Panthera onca) habitat connectivity and to analyse the drivers behind this process in the Atlantic Forest. Methods: We analysed trends in jaguar habitat connectivity between 1973 and 2015 in the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest and the three countries that comprise the eco-region (Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay). We used graph-based indices and jaguar movement data to evaluate changes in forest area, forest patch configuration and matrix permeability. Results: Jaguar habitat connectivity decreased throughout the entire period, with a loss of up to 93% of connectivity. Changes in forest patch configuration and forest area loss were the main drivers of this trend, but the effect of decreased matrix permeability was also significant. These processes together largely increased the negative effect of forest area declines on jaguar habitat connectivity. Connectivity trends for the three countries in the study area were negative, with the highest forest decline in Paraguay and Brazil compared to Argentina. Conclusions: Analysing landscape dynamics using metrics that go beyond measuring net forest area is key when assessing landscape connectivity for jaguars. Future studies evaluating landscape connectivity should incorporate habitat patch configuration and matrix permeability in addition to forest loss, aspects that should also be considered when undertaking habitat restoration measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Caldasia is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)