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Chronic anthropogenic disturbance (CAD) and climate change represent two of the major threats to biodiversity globally, but their combined effects are not well understood. Here we investigate the individual and interactive effects of increasing CAD and decreasing rainfall on the composition and taxonomic (TD), functional (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD) of plants possessing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) in semi-arid Brazilian Caatinga. EFNs attract ants that protect plants against insect herbivore attack and are extremely prevalent in the Caatinga flora. EFN-bearing plants were censused along gradients of disturbance and rainfall in Catimbau National Park in north-eastern Brazil. We recorded a total of 2243 individuals belonging to 21 species. Taxonomic and functional composition varied along the rainfall gradient, but not along the disturbance gradient. There was a significant interaction between increasing disturbance and decreasing rainfall, with CAD leading to decreased TD, FD and PD in the most arid areas, and to increased TD, FD and PD in the wettest areas. We found a strong phylogenetic signal in the EFN traits we analysed, which explains the strong matching between patterns of FD and PD along the environmental gradients. The interactive effects of disturbance and rainfall revealed by our study indicate that the decreased rainfall forecast for Caatinga under climate change will increase the sensitivity of EFN-bearing plants to anthropogenic disturbance. This has important implications for the availability of a key food resource, which would likely have cascading effects on higher trophic levels., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Main Conclusion: The chloroplast genomes of Caesalpinia group species are structurally conserved, but sequence level variation is useful for both phylogenomic and population genetic analyses. Variation in chloroplast genomes (plastomes) has been an important source of information in plant biology. The Caesalpinia group has been used as a model in studies correlating ecological and genomic variables, yet its intergeneric and infrageneric relationships are not fully solved, despite densely sampled phylogenies including nuclear and plastid loci by Sanger sequencing. Here, we present the de novo assembly and characterization of plastomes from 13 species from the Caesalpinia group belonging to eight genera. A comparative analysis was carried out with 13 other plastomes previously available, totalizing 26 plastomes and representing 15 of the 26 known Caesalpinia group genera. All plastomes showed a conserved quadripartite structure and gene repertoire, except for the loss of four ndh genes in Erythrostemon gilliesii. Thirty polymorphic regions were identified for inter- or intrageneric analyses. The 26 aligned plastomes were used for phylogenetic reconstruction, revealing a well-resolved topology, and dividing the Caesalpinia group into two fully supported clades. Sixteen microsatellite (cpSSR) loci were selected from Cenostigma microphyllum for primer development and at least two were cross-amplified in different Leguminosae subfamilies by in vitro or in silico approaches. Four loci were used to assess the genetic diversity of C. microphyllum in the Brazilian Caatinga. Our results demonstrate the structural conservation of plastomes in the Caesalpinia group, offering insights into its systematics and evolution, and provides new genomic tools for future phylogenetic, population genetics, and phylogeographic studies.

Anthropogenic disturbance and climate change are major threats to biodiversity persistence and functioning of many tropical ecosystems. Although increases in the intensity of anthropogenic disturbance and climate change are associated with reduced taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversities of several organisms, little is known about how such pressures interfere with the distribution of plant reproductive traits in seasonally dry tropical forests. Here we test the hypothesis that individual and combined effects of increasing chronic anthropogenic disturbance and water deficit negatively affect the richness, abundance and diversity of specialized reproductive strategies of native woody plants in the Caatinga dry forest. This study was carried out at the Catimbau National Park, northeastern Brazil (62,294 ha). Chronic anthropogenic disturbance intensity was measured through different sources of disturbance (cattle/goat herbivory, wood extraction, and other people pressures). Water deficit data was obtained from hydrological maps and used as a proxy of aridity. We constructed generalized linear models and selected best-supported models for richness, abundance and functional diversity of reproductive traits. We documented that richness and abundance of plants with certain reproductive traits, regardless the specialization, can increase (in 18 out of the 49 trait categories analyzed; e.g. obligatory cross-pollination in response to increases in aridity and wood extraction), be impaired (in 20 categories; e.g. pollination by Sphingids/beetles with increase in aridity), or remain unchanged (in 21 categories; e.g. pollination by vertebrates with increases in chronic anthropogenic disturbance and aridity) with higher disturbance and aridity. There were combined effects of chronic anthropogenic disturbance and aridity on the richness of plants in nine traits (e.g. pollen flowers; dioecious and self-incompatible plants). Aridity affected 40% of the reproductive traits, while chronic anthropogenic disturbance affected 35.5%. The functional diversity of reproductive traits was affected only by disturbance. Changes in plant community structure promoted by chronic anthropogenic disturbance and aridity will likely threaten plant-animal interactions, thereby compromising the functioning of communities and the persistence of biodiversity in the Caatinga., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mutualisms may be more or less sensitive to environmental conditions depending on the diversity and responses of the species involved. Ants frequently form mutualistic associations with plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs): the ants protect the plants from herbivores and receive food resources (i.e., nectar) in return. As ectotherms, ants are strongly influenced by temperature, and temperature shifts can affect ant-plant interactions in ways that often depend on species functional traits. In this study, we explored the influence of EFN size and leaf surface temperature on ant-plant interactions in a Caatinga dry forest in Brazil. We observed the ants visiting 14 EFN-bearing plant species at different times of day over 12 sampling months; we also measured leaf surface temperatures during these periods. We next quantified EFN size for 68 individuals from the 14 plant species. The observational data were used to characterize the heat tolerance of the attendant ant species (i.e., based on levels of foraging activity). We then evaluated the mutualism's degree of functional resilience using two indices: functional redundancy (i.e., the number of ant species interacting with a given plant species) and thermal response diversity (i.e., variability in the heat tolerance of the ant species interacting with a given plant species). We found that leaf surface temperature, but not EFN size, had an influence on mutualism functional resilience. As temperatures increased, both functional redundancy and thermal response diversity decreased. This result implies that warmer global temperatures could heighten the vulnerability of facultative ant-plant mutualisms, regardless of plant traits., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest/competing interests. This study does not contain any experiments using animal species that require ethical approval., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Anthropogenic disturbance and climate change are the main drivers of biodiversity loss and ecological services around the globe. There is concern that climate change will exacerbate the impacts of disturbance and thereby promote biotic homogenization, but its consequences for ecological services are unknown. We investigated the individual and interactive effects of increasing chronic anthropogenic disturbance (CAD) and aridity on seed dispersal services provided by ants in Caatinga vegetation of north-eastern Brazil. The study was conducted in Catimbau National Park, Pernambuco, Brazil. Within an area of 214 km 2 , we established nineteen 50 × 20 m plots that encompassed gradients of both CAD and aridity. We offered diaspores of six plant species, three myrmecochorous diaspores and three fleshy fruits that are secondarily dispersed by ants. We then quantified the number of interactions, seed removal rate and dispersal distances, and noted the identities of interacting ant species. Finally, we used pitfall trap data to quantify the abundances of ant disperser species in each plot. Our results show that overall composition of ant disperser species varied along the gradients of CAD and aridity, but the composition of high-quality dispersers varied only with aridity. The total number of interactions, rates of removal and mean distance of removal all declined with increasing aridity, but they were not related to CAD. These same patterns were found when considering only high-quality disperser species, driven by the responses of the dominant disperser Dinoponera quadriceps. We found little evidence of interactive effects of CAD and aridity on seed dispersal services by ants. Our study indicates that CAD and aridity act independently on ant-mediated seed dispersal services in Caatinga, such that the impacts of anthropogenic disturbance are unlikely to change under the forecast climate of increased aridity. However, our findings highlight the vulnerability of seed dispersal services provided by ants in Caatinga under an increasingly arid climate due to low functional redundancy in high-quality disperser species. Given the large number of plant species dependent on ants for seed dispersal, this has important implications for future plant recruitment and, consequently, for the composition of Caatinga plant communities., (© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2019 British Ecological Society.)

Protected areas are an important strategy to safeguard biodiversity. However, if social development is not considered, biological conservation targets may not be achieved. In this empirical study, we assess the relationship between poverty and conservation goals in dry forests within a 62,000-ha Brazilian National Park (Caatinga biome). We conducted 81 structured household interviews between January and July of 2016 to assess socioeconomic, resource management and land-use variables. We used non-parametric analysis of variance to test for differences in socioecological variables among families living inside and outside the Park and both (double dwelling). The majority of families (76%) residing inside the Park were living below the poverty line while less than 14% in outside and double dwelling residences faced the same issue. Families living inside the park had lower socioeconomic conditions such as limited water availability, poor house infrastructure, low income, and high dependence on firewood than outside and double dwelling families. They were also more dependent on external financial support and natural resources. We found that failures in protected areas inception and implementation have driven people towards a mutually reinforcing and declining situation in which negative socioeconomic outcomes are associated with nature degradation. Therefore, our results suggest that the future of dry forests, characterized worldwide by the presence of low-income populations, will be largely dependent on conservation strategies that address poverty alleviation and human well-being., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

For the development of efficient management and conservation strategies for wild rodent species, understanding the aspects related to their reproduction, including the interaction of this physiological function with the environment, is essential. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of weather changes derived from a semiarid region's dry and rainy seasons on the epididymal sperm characteristics of red-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta leporina), a histricognath rodent, still little studied, which inhabits the Brazilian Caatinga. The sperm from the epididymal cauda of 14 agoutis were collected, seven individuals per season (dry and rainy). Samples were evaluated for kinetic parameters, membrane structural and functional integrity, mitochondrial activity, morphology, and morphometry. The environmental variables were measured: maximum air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, and the total rainfall for dry and rainy seasons were, respectively, 36.2 and 34.1 °C, 66.8 and 80.1%, 4.0 and 1.9 m/s, 527.3 and 441.8 W/m 2 , and 0.2 and 517.7 mm. There were strong correlations between some sperm parameters and environmental variables, mainly those related to the acquisition of sperm mobility. Sperm concentration and the number of sperm collected were higher in the dry (1028.7 sperm/mL × 10⁶ and 1361.2 × 10 6 sperm) than in the rainy season (758.9 sperm × 10⁶/mL and 714.6 sperm × 10 6 ). During the rainy season, there were fewer sperm defects, higher sperm metrics, and higher membrane structural integrity with mitochondrial activity. Regarding motility patterns, the increases during the rainy season stand out in total and progressive motility, VAP, VSL, VCL, and subpopulations of rapid sperm. In summary, our results suggest that the adverse climatic conditions of the dry season in the semiarid region, mainly high solar radiation and temperature, considerably impair the epididymal sperm quality of red-rumped agoutis. On the contrary, the largest amount of sperm was obtained during this season, probably due to compensatory and adaptive mechanisms of the species to enable its reproduction throughout the year., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Anthropogenic disturbance and climate change might negatively affect the ecosystem services provided by mutualistic networks. However, the effects of such forces remain poorly characterized. They may be especially important in dry forests, which (1) experience chronic anthropogenic disturbances (CADs) as human populations exploit forest resources, and (2) are predicted to face a 22% decline in rainfall under climate change. In this study, we investigated the separate and combined effects of CADs and rainfall levels on the specialization of mutualistic networks in the Caatinga, a seasonally dry tropical forest typical of north-eastern Brazil. More specifically, we examined interactions between plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) and ants. We analysed whether differences in network specialization could arise from environmentally mediated variation in the species composition, namely via the replacement of specialist by generalist species. We characterized these ant-plant networks in 15 plots (20 × 20 m) that varied in CAD intensity and mean annual rainfall. We quantified CAD intensity by calculating three indices related to the main sources of disturbance in the Caatinga: livestock grazing (LG), wood extraction (WE) and miscellaneous resource use (MU). We determined the degree of ant-plant network specialization using four metrics: generality, vulnerability, interaction evenness and H 2 '. Our results indicate that CADs differentially influenced network specialization: we observed positive, negative, and neutral responses along LG, MU and WE gradients, respectively. The pattern was most pronounced with LG. Rainfall also shaped network specialization, markedly increasing it. While LG and rainfall were associated with changes in network species composition, this trend was not related to the degree of species specialization. This result suggests that shifts in network specialization might be related to changes in species behaviour, not species composition. Our study highlights the vulnerability of such dry forest ant-plant networks to climate change. Moreover, dry forests experience highly heterogeneous anthropogenic disturbances, creating a geographic mosaic of selective forces that may shape the co-evolution of interactions between ants and EFN-bearing plants., (© 2018 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2018 British Ecological Society.)

Chronic disturbances, such as selective logging, firewood extraction and extensive grazing, may lead to the taxonomic and phylogenetic impoverishment of remaining old-growth forest communities worldwide; however, the empirical evidence on this topic is limited. We tested this hypothesis in the Caatinga vegetation--a seasonally dry tropical forest restricted to northeast Brazil. We sampled 11,653 individuals (adults, saplings, and seedlings) from 51 species in 29 plots distributed along a gradient of chronic disturbance. The gradient was assessed using a chronic disturbance index (CDI) based on five recognized indicators of chronic disturbances: proximity to urban center, houses and roads and the density of both people and livestock. We used linear models to test if mean effective number of lineages, mean phylogenetic distance and phylogenetic dispersion decreased with CDI and if such relationships differed among ontogenetic stages. As expected, the mean effective number of lineages and the mean phylogenetic distance were negatively related to CDI, and such diversity losses occurred irrespective of ontogeny. Yet the increase in phylogenetic clustering in more disturbed plots was only evident in seedlings and saplings, mostly because clades with more descendent taxa than expected by chance (e.g., Euphorbiaceae) thrived in more disturbed plots. This novel study indicates that chronic human disturbances are promoting the phylogenetic impoverishment of the irreplaceable woody flora of the Brazilian Caatinga forest. The highest impoverishment was observed in seedlings and saplings, indicating that if current chronic disturbances remain, they will result in increasingly poorer phylogenetically forests. This loss of evolutionary history will potentially limit the capacity of this ecosystem to respond to human disturbances (i.e., lower ecological resilience) and particularly their ability to adapt to rapid climatic changes in the region.

This study aimed to investigate the mineral profile and histopathological findings in the liver of Leptodactylus macrosternum (white-lipped frog) and to assess the association between melanomacrophage areas and hepatic fungal granuloma with several factors such as weight, snout-cloacal length, sex, hepatosomatic index, season (dry and rainy), and condition factor K. A total of 135 frogs of different ages were collected from three areas in the city of Petrolina, Pernambuco, with varying land use (conventional agriculture, organic agriculture, and Caatinga stricto sensu). The liver of all specimens exhibited changes such as granulomatous lesions, inflammatory cell infiltrate, blood vessel congestion, and sinusoid dilation. The melanomacrophage areas were influenced by weight, snout-cloacal length, and hepatosomatic index. Our findings revealed a positive correlation between body size (weight and snout-cloacal length) and melanomacrophage/hepatic granuloma, while the hepatosomatic index showed a negative relationship. For the condition factor K, only age presents relationship. Eleven elements were quantified for the mineral profile, with aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) being the most abundant in both liver and muscle. Although the histopathological findings and mineral profile of the liver and muscle in this study indicate an effect on the health of L. macrosternum in different collection areas, confirming the relationship between environmental characteristics and these findings requires future studies. Furthermore, long-term studies would be necessary to allow the monitoring of all stages of development of these populations, from tadpoles to adults, for a better evaluation of these effects in L. macrosternum., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The genus Ocotea (Lauraceae) is distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical regions. Some species of this genus as O. puberula and O. quixos have been described in the literature, showing antibacterial activity. And Ocotea macrophylla showed anti-inflammatory activity with inhibition of COX-1, COX-2, and LOX-5. The purpose of this study was the phytochemical investigation of the plant species Ocotea notata from Restinga Jurubatiba National Park, Macaé, RJ, Brazil, and the search for antimycobacterial fractions and compounds. The crude extract was evaluated for antimycobacterial activity and presented 95.75 ± 2.53% of growth inhibition at 100 µg/mL. Then, it was subjected to a liquid-liquid partition and subsequently was chemically investigated by HPLC, revealing the major presence of flavonoids. In this process the partition fractions hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol are shown to be promising in the antimycobacterial assay. In addition, ethyl acetate fraction was chromatographed and afforded two flavonoids identified by MS and NMR as afzelin and isoquercitrin. The isolated flavonoids afzelin and isoquercitrin were evaluated for their antimycobacterial activity and for their ability to inhibit NO production by macrophages stimulated by LPS; both flavonoids isoquercitrin (Acet22) and afzelin (Acet32) were able to inhibit the production of NO by macrophages. The calculated IC50 of Acet22 and Acet32 was 1.03 and 0.85 µg/mL, respectively.

Despite its economic importance in the rural context, the Prosopis juliflora tree species has already invaded millions of hectares globally (particularly rangelands), threatening native biodiversity and rural sustainability. Here we examine seedling growth (leaf area, stem diameter, plant height) and seedling mortality across five native plant species of the Caatinga vegetation in response to competition with P. juliflora. Two sowing treatments with 10 replications were adopted within a factorial 2 × 5 randomized block design. Treatments consisted of P. juliflora seeds sowed with seeds of Caesalpinia ferrea, Caesalpinia microphylla, Erythrina velutina, Mimosa bimucronata and Mimosa tenuiflora (one single native species per treatment), while seeds of native species sowed without P. juliflora were adopted as controls. Overall, our results suggest that P. juliflora can reduce seedling growth by half and cause increased seedling mortality among woody plant species. Moreover, native species exhibit different levels of susceptibility to competition with P. juliflora, particularly in terms of plant growth. Such a superior competitive ability apparently permits P. juliflora to establish monospecific stands of adult trees, locally displacing native species or limiting their recruitment. The use of less sensitive species, such as C. ferrea and M. tenuiflora, to restore native vegetation before intensive colonization by P. juliflora should be investigated as an effective approach for avoiding its continuous spread across the Caatinga region., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Life history traits are considered key indicators of plant invasibility. Among them, the germination behavior of seeds is of major relevance because it is influenced by environmental factors of invaded ecosystem. Here, we investigated how seed traits and seed tolerance to environmental factors on seed germination of Calotropis procera vary depending on the invaded ecosystems in northeastern Brazil. We have tested seeds from two vegetation types - Caatinga and Restinga - to different levels of light intensity, salinity, and water stress. Previous to those experiments, seed-set and morphometric analysis were carried out for both studied populations. We have observed a higher seed-set in Caatinga. Seeds produced in this ecosystem had lower seed moisture content. Seeds from Restinga showed lower germination time when light intensity decreased. We observed a reduction in both the germinability and the synchronization index with decreasing osmotic potential and increasing salinity. Nevertheless, both populations exhibited changes in photoblastism when seeds were submitted to water and saline stress. In conclusion, C. procera seeds are tolerant to environmental factors assessed. That characteristic ensures the colonization success and wide distribution of this plant species in the studied ecosystems.

Although seed dispersal by ants might reduce seed predation near the parent plants, predation on discarded seeds clustered on nest refuse piles may reduce any initial benefit provided by seed removal. Here we examine the fate of Croton sonderianus seeds that were discarded by Pheidole fallax Mayr ants on their nest refuses in caatinga vegetation of northeast Brazil. We collected all seeds discarded in refuse piles of 20 nests and within a radius of 50 cm from their borders, and examined them for evidence of predation. A total of 3,017 seeds were recorded either located in the P. fallax refuse piles (89.1%) or nest vicinity (10.9%). Predation was three fold higher in nest vicinity as compared to refuse piles. By removing seeds from beneath parent plants and relocating then to refuse piles, P. fallax is possibly providing double protection services for C. sonderianus seeds. Our findings represent the first evidence for predator-avoidance as benefit for plants resulting from ant seed-dispersal in the neotropics.

Much of the ecological alteration faced by human-modified Neotropical forests can be assigned to edge effects, including the proliferation of some voracious herbivores such as leaf-cutting ants. However, the underlying mechanisms/impacts of tropical forest edge on herbivores performance and their foraging behaviour (e.g. dietary diversity) have rarely been investigated. The goal of this study was, therefore, to determine whether and how the annual diet (i.e. species richness, diversity and the relative proportion of pioneer versus non-pioneer species of plant materials) of Atta cephalotes colonies differs in the forest edge versus the interior zone of a large remnant of Atlantic forest in northeastern Brazil. Among the key results was a strong habitat effect on dietary diversity (explaining ca. 40-50% of the variation), which, in edge colonies, decreased approximately by one fourth compared to interior colonies (inverse of Simpson's index: 3.7±0.84 versus 4.99±0.95). There was a predominance of leaf fragments collected from pioneer species in the diet in both habitat (86% in edge and 80.4% in interior). Edge colonies collected proportionally more fragments from pioneer species than colonies located in the forest interior. Our results are the first to demonstrate an edge-mediated relaxation of dietary restrictions in leaf-cutting ants. These findings render robust support to previous evidence indicating the reduction of bottom-up forces as a key factor explaining both edge-induced hyper-abundance and increased herbivory of leaf-cutting ants in human-modified Neotropical landscapes.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of forest fragmentation on ant richness in a landscape of Atlantic Forest in Northeast Brazil. More specifically, the ant richness was related to the attributes of fragments (area and distance from the fragment central point to the edge), landscape (forest cover surrounding the fragments), and tree community (plant density, richness, and percentage of shade tolerant species). The surveys were carried out in 19 fragments located in Alagoas State from October 2007 to March 2008. Samples were collected through a 300 m transect established in the center of each fragment, where 30 1-m² leaf litter samples were collected at 10 m intervals. A total of 146 ant species was collected, which belonged to 42 genera, 24 tribes and nine subfamilies. The attributes of fragments and landscape did not influence ant richness. On the other hand, tree density explained ca. 23% of ant richness. In relation to functional groups, both density and richness of trees explained the richness of general myrmicines (the whole model explained ca. 42% of the variation in this group) and percentage of shade tolerant trees explained the richness of specialist predator ants (30% for the whole model). These results indicate that ant fauna is more influenced by vegetation integrity than by fragment size, distance to edge or forest cover surrounding fragments.

Background and Aims: Myrmecochory is a conspicuous feature of several sclerophyll ecosystems around the world but it has received little attention in the semi-arid areas of South America. This study addresses the importance of seed dispersal by ants in a 2500-km(2) area of the Caatinga ecosystem (north-east Brazil) and investigates ant-derived benefits to the plant through myrmecochory., Methods: Seed manipulation and dispersal by ants was investigated during a 3-year period in the Xingó region. Both plant and ant assemblages involved in seed dispersal were described and ant behaviour was characterized. True myrmecochorous seeds of seven Euphorbiaceae species (i.e. elaiosome-bearing seeds) were used in experiments designed to: (1) quantify the rates of seed cleaning/removal and the influence of both seed size and elaiosome presence on seed removal; (2) identify the fate of seeds dispersed by ants; and (3) document the benefits of seed dispersal by ants in terms of seed germination and seedling growth., Key Results: Seed dispersal by ants involved one-quarter of the woody flora inhabiting the Xingó region, but true myrmecochory was restricted to 12.8 % of the woody plant species. Myrmecochorous seeds manipulated by ants faced high levels of seed removal (38-84 %) and 83 % of removed seeds were discarded on ant nests. Moreover, seed removal positively correlated with the presence of elaiosome, and elaiosome removal increased germination success by at least 30 %. Finally, some Euphorbiaceae species presented both increased germination and seedling growth on ant-nest soils., Conclusions: Myrmecochory is a relevant seed dispersal mode in the Caatinga ecosystem, and is particularly frequent among Euphorbiaceae trees and shrubs. The fact that seeds reach micro-sites suitable for establishment (ant nests) supports the directed dispersal hypothesis as a possible force favouring myrmecochory in this ecosystem. Ecosystems with a high frequency of myrmecochorous plants appear not to be restricted to regions of nutrient-impoverished soil or to fire-prone regions.

Palm swamp forests are wetland ecosystems typical of the Brazilian Cerrado, which in recent decades have undergone intense changes due to land use alterations and climate change. As a result of these disturbances, many palm swamps have been experiencing significant drying, which can also affect adjacent vegetation. In the present study, we evaluated whether the drying of palm swamps affects the structure of plant–herbivore networks located in adjacent savanna areas in Brazil. Our results show that savanna areas adjacent to dry zones of palm swamps have fewer interactions, fewer interacting species, and a less specialized topology, which corroborates our expectations. Our findings indicate that the drying of palm swamps also has propagated impacts on adjacent savanna vegetation, impairing more specialized interactions in these environments. On the other hand, contrary to expectations, plant–herbivore networks in dry zones displayed higher modularity, lower nestedness and lower robustness than those in wet zones, suggesting that in dry environments, species tend to compartmentalize their interactions, even with lower interaction specialization. This is the first study to investigate the impacts of environmental drying on the structure of plant–herbivore networks in tropical ecosystems, highlighting the complexity of these effects and their differential impact on specialized and generalized interactions. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing effective conservation and management strategies in the face of ongoing environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The interplay between different uses of woody plants remains underexplored, obscuring our understanding of how a plant's value for one purpose might shield it from other, more harmful uses. This study examines the protection hypothesis by determining if food uses can protect woody plants (trees and shrubs) from wood uses. We approached the hypothesis from two distinct possibilities: (1) the protective effect is proportional to the intensity of a species' use for food purposes, and (2) the protective effect only targets key species for food purposes. Methods: The research was conducted in a rural community within "Restinga" vegetation in Northeast Brazil. To identify important food species for both consumption and income (key species) and the collection areas where they naturally occur, we conducted participatory workshops. We then carried out a floristic survey in these areas to identify woody species that coexist with the key species. Voucher specimens were used to create a field herbarium, which, along with photographs served as visual stimuli during the checklist interviews. The interviewees used a five-point Likert scale to evaluate the species in terms of perceived wood quality, perceived availability, and use for food and wood purposes. To test our hypothesis, we used Cumulative Link Mixed Models (CLMMs), with the wood use as the response variable, food use, perceived availability and perceived quality as the explanatory variables and the interviewee as a random effect. We performed the same model replacing food use for key species food use (a binary variable that had value 1 when the information concerned a key species with actual food use, and value 0 when the information did not concern a key species or concerned a key species that was not used for food purposes). Results: Consistent with our hypothesis, we identified a protective effect of food use on wood use. However, this effect is not directly proportional to the species' food use, but is confined to plants with considerable domestic food importance. Perceived availability and quality emerged as notable predictors for wood uses. Conclusion: We advocate for biocultural conservation strategies that enhance the food value of plants for their safeguarding, coupled with measures for non-edible woody species under higher use-pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sicariidae is a small family of cryptic and recluse spiders, with 178 species grouped into three genera: Hexophtalma, Loxosceles and Sicarius. Only the last two occur in Brazil, where 29 species are recorded, with a greater number of records in the Southeast and South regions. To date, there is no regionalized study of the distribution of these spiders in the Northeast of Brazil. We presented more than four decades of data on the distribution of sicariid spiders in the state of Bahia. Our research aimed to identify and evaluate the distribution of sicariid species in this region, characterizing them in their biomes and phytophysiognomies. Methods: Data covers a period from 1983 to 2024, obtained from articles describing species recorded in Bahia and from three scientific collections from Brazilian institutions: Universidade Federal da Bahia (MHNBA); Instituto Butantan (IBSP); Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Maps were produced using the QGIS 3.34.1 software, based on geographic coordinates obtained from the original literature, when provided. Species without information on geographic coordinates were georeferenced using the SpeciesLink (geoLoc tool) for the municipalities. Biomes were consulted on the georeference Brazilian institute website and the phytophysiognomies were ignored when not specified in the data of collections or original literature. Results: We confirmed 14 species of sicariid spiders in the state of Bahia, eight from the genus Loxosceles (i) and six from Sicarius. The species were recorded in 48 municipalities, located mainly in the Caatinga biome. We recorded a distribution expansion of seven species: Loxosceles amazonica, L. chapadensis, L. karstica, L. similis, Sicarius cariri, S. ornatus and S. tropicus. There is a difference in species composition in the two regions separated by the São Francisco River, an important geographic barrier especially for small invertebrates. More than 75% of the species were registered in the east side and about 20% exclusively in the west side: L. boqueirao, L. cardosoi, L. carinhanha. This suggests the need for future studies to evaluate additional variables that determine community structure, especially considering their low vagility and reclusive behavior. Although Sicarius are found almost exclusively in the Caatinga, there are isolated records from Restinga and dry forest enclaves in the Cerrado domain and Atlantic Forest areas. This reinforces the possibility of them being able to adapt to slightly wetter environments erase colonize and survive in seasonally dry rainforest areas. Unlike Sicarius (i), Loxosceles (i) occupy a wide variety of habitats in natural, urban and domiciliary situations. Many of the records here such as for Loxosceles boqueirao, L. cardosoi, L. carinhanha, L. chapadensis, L. karstica and L. troglobia were obtained at caves or nearby areas, which appear to be attractive habitats for these nocturnal spiders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species richness of epigeic ants was surveyed in forest islands named capões of Brazilian Pantanal and related with their structural complexity. The ants were collected using pitfall traps in 28 capões from Rio Negro Farm, in Aquidauana municipality, Mato-Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. The structural complexity of capões was evaluated by measuring vegetation density and litter quantity near the pit-fall traps. Seventy-one species, distributed in 26 genera and seven sub-families were found. Ectatomma edentatum Roger (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) and one species of Pheidole were the most frequent species. Species richness was positively correlated only with herbaceous vegetation density of capões, supporting the idea that the increase in environmental heterogeneity diminishes species competition, allowing species co-occurrence.

The pollination of Passiflora coccinea by the hummingbird Phaethornis superciliosus was studied in Central Amazon, Brazil. We hypothesized that a greater nectar secretion rate (NSR) increases the pollination success of single flowers through Ph. superciliosus visiting behavior. For control flowers, NSR was an increasing function of flower base diameter (FBD). The total number of Ph. superciliosus probes per flower was an increasing function of FBD. Additionally, deposition of pollen on stigmas increased with the cumulative number of Ph. superciliosus probes. Our results show that larger P. coccinea flowers secrete nectar at higher rates, are probed more times during each hummingbird visit and are more successful at pollination. This seems to be the first non-manipulative study describing such an effect of NSR on the pollination of single flowers in nature.

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Background: Seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTF) are among the most vulnerable ecosystems to chronic anthropogenic disturbances (CAD) such as agriculture, livestock and exploitation of wood and non-timber forest products which can negatively affect the local biota. We evaluated the influence of CAD and rainfall on the diversity of flesh flies (Diptera, Sarcophagidae) in the Brazilian Caatinga. We expected that the increase in CAD would negatively affect the specialist Sarcophagidae species and promote homogenisation of the assemblage. Methods: Specimens were collected using traps baited with fish, bovine spleen or human feces in six environments with different intensities of CAD—low, intermediate and high, based on land use and conservation status. Results: We collected 29,810 specimens (3760 males, identified to 14 genera, 32 species). We observed a positive relationship between disturbance intensity and the abundance of synanthropic flies, mainly Tricharaea occidua. The diversity of common species and dominant species were affected only by CAD. There was also a marked substitution of species throughout the Caatinga environments (βSIM = 0.91), with few taxa (less than 50%) occurring indiscriminately in the areas under the three levels of impact. Discussion: Chronic disturbances pose a constant threat to the conservation of flesh fly species. CAD act as a trigger for the homogenisation of Sarcophagidae assemblages, and magnify the dominance of synanthropic and generalist species. Implications for insect conservation: Empirical data on the effect of chronic disturbances can subsidize quantitative studies addressing local extinction. Our data strengthen the use of Sarcophagidae as biological indicators of anthropogenic action and can subsidize protocols for monitoring anthropogenic impacts in dry forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, the Caatinga ecoregion is the only biome that lies completely within the country, covering approximately 11% of the national territory. This biome exhibits a strong climatic seasonality that may affect the activity of its fauna. We aimed to assess the effects of seasonality on scorpion foraging activity in an area of hypoxerophytic Caatinga, located in the municipality of Caetés, Pernambuco. Scorpions were collected through active nocturnal searching using ultraviolet flashlights during the rainy (May, June, and July) and dry (September, October, and November) seasons in 2017. A total of 96 specimens were collected, belonging to the Buthidae and Bothriuridae families, comprising seven species, Ananteris sp., Tityus pusillus, T. stigmurus, T. neglectus, Jaguajir rochae, Bothriurus asper, and B. rochai. No differences in foraging activity (rainy season, n = 47; dry season, n = 49) were found between rainy and dry seasons. These findings indicate that the studied area has a high scorpion richness, emphasizing the importance of conserving the area, as these animals are sensitive to habitat changes. In addition, the lack of variation between seasons found in this work may reflect the ecotonal nature of hypoxerophytic Caatinga. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Caatinga, an exclusive biome in Brazil, is the largest tropical dry forest area in the Americas. It is characterized by a semi-arid climate and various soils that harbor a great diversity of flora and fauna. Novel records of aerial insectivorous bat species in the family Molossidae in the Chapada Diamantina, northeastern Brazil are presented. The study is based on field sampling of 115 molossid bat specimens from six genera and 12 taxonomically confirmed species, along with four taxa requiring further evaluation for definitive species identification. All specimens were obtained using mist nets around a small freshwater lagoon surrounded by semideciduous dry forest. The verified genera were Cynomops, Eumops, Molossops, Molossus, Neoplatymops, and Nyctinomops. Our findings enhance the understanding of bat diversity in the Brazilian Caatinga, with the first records of Eumops delticus, E. bonariensis, and Molossus currentium. The most abundant species were Molossus rufus, Eumops glaucinus, Cynomops planirostris, Nyctinomops laticaudatus, and Molossus molossus. Previously unreported morphological and morphometric variations for these Caatinga taxa were examined. Additionally, information on sexual dimorphism in craniodental characteristics of Molossops temminckii and variations in the presence of the sagittal crest in Neoplatymops mattogrossensis are provided. Based on the voucher specimens from this study, the recognized number of species of Molossidae known from the Caatinga has increased to 21. Our results offer new insights into the taxonomy and biogeography of Neotropical molossids, highlighting their importance as members of bat communities in dry forest ecosystems from northeastern South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical rainforests are subject to changes over time, further accelerated under anthropic pressure. We investigated the influence of anthropogenic disturbances and vegetation cover on the taxonomic and functional structure of assemblages of bryophytes in three rainforests in Brazil. The parameters analyzed were richness, composition and beta diversity. Temporal changes in floristic dissimilarity were explained by species turnover, while those in functional dissimilarity by were explained nestedness and turnover. Only the increase in species richness was significantly influenced by the increase in matrix forest cover and changes in the degree of chronic anthropogenic disturbance. In scenarios of slight increase in matrix forest cover associated with increase in anthropogenic disturbances, we found a loss of functional diversity due to the loss of moisture- and shade-demanding species, which were replaced with species that are generalist as to light requirements and species with high reproductive capacity (monoicous). In turn, in scenarios of increase in forest cover and decrease in chronic disturbances, there was an increase in demanding species, implying greater functional diversity. Thus, efforts to increase the vegetation cover and decrease anthropogenic pressures, especially chronic disturbances, can improve the environmental quality and favor the conservation of the diversity of more demanding species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their importance to conservation strategies, baseline data on species distribution and abundance are lacking for many primates. Discovered 30 years ago, the blond titi (Callicebus barbarabrownae) is considered Critically Endangered. The first assessments in 2004-2006 sampled 126, 1-km radius areas using interviews, sightings, and playing back loud calls to confirm the presence of this species in 37 areas, suggesting a minimum population of 260 individuals in the Caatinga biome, Brazil. Ten years later, from 2015 to 2017, we reassessed the species' distribution range using playback points to survey 224, 1-km radius areas, including 34 occurrence areas from 2004-2006. We counted the number of responding or sighted groups and individuals in each area. We also measured land cover change from 2005 to 2016 in the species' geographic range. We recorded blond titis in 92 areas, including 28 of the 34 areas occupied in 2004-2006, and three protected areas. We found 194 groups and at least 404 individuals. From 2005 to 2016, forest cover decreased by 11% and urban area increased by 67%. The higher number of occupied areas and individuals we found in 2015-2017 are likely due to the higher sampling effort employed and higher detectability of playback surveys compared to interviews. Although the blond titi occurs in more areas and in higher numbers than previously known, threats related to land use are increasing. We suggest the use of improved observational (e.g., playback) and analytical methods to enhance knowledge of primate distribution and population size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bushmeat is a resource exploited by thousands of people around the world, especially in tropical and neotropical regions, constituting an important source of protein and income. But what is known, so far, about the consumption and trade of wild vertebrate meat (hereinafter "bushmeat") in a megadiverse country like Brazil? This question was answered through a systematic survey of publications on the consumption and trade of wild vertebrate meat made in Brazil between 2011 and 2021. Methods: We selected 63 scientific articles available on "Google Scholar," "Science Direct," "Scopus," " Web of Science" and "Portal de Periódico da CAPES." The articles were categorized as: exclusive to (1) consumption or (2) bushmeat trade, totals of 54 and three articles, respectively; both (3) consumption and trade bushmeat, totaling six articles. We applied a nonparametric Spearman's correlation analysis to verify the association between the number of papers and the species richness of wild vertebrates cited for consumption by Brazilian state. Results: The results revealed that the publications were concentrated in the Northeast (36), North (26) and Southeast (1) regions, distributed across 16 states of the federation. These data reinforce the need for more researches in states and other regions of the country. Our research hypothesis was confirmed, since the richness of species cited for meat consumption was positively associated with the amount of work carried out by the states of the federation. We identified a total of 321 species of wild vertebrates mentioned in the categories involving the consumption of bushmeat. We had a greater bird species richness mentioned for consumption (170) to the detriment of mammals (107), reptiles (40) and amphibians (4). Furthermore, in the articles involving the bushmeat trade categories we had 57 species of vertebrates mentioned, with mammals being the most representative in terms of species richness (29), to the detriment of birds (20) and reptiles (8). These data reinforce that birds and mammals have been the groups most used both for consumption and trade in bushmeat in the country's regions, and it is necessary to mitigate the hunting exploitation of these groups. We recorded that socioeconomic, biological, environmental and sociocultural factors were the most cited predictors of the consumption and trade of bushmeat in the articles. We identified that the bushmeat trade chain is dynamic and ramified, made up of several actors, including specialized and diversified hunters, intermediaries, market sellers, market vendors, restaurant owners and final customers. Public markets and open-air fairs were the most cited places for buying and selling wild meat in commerce. Conclusions: In general, our results indicate that we have made significant advances in publications on the consumption and trade of bushmeat in Brazil over the last few years. However, we highlight the need to better understand the patterns of consumption and trade of bushmeat in different regions of the country, as well as the factors associated with the dynamics of the trade chain and uses of wildlife by local communities. We emphasized that a multidimensional understanding of hunting activities is important to face socio-ecological problems and improve the conservation of target species which have continually been explored for uses by populations in different regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Tropical dry forests (TDFs) present unique conditions for understanding biogeographical patterns, such as in Caatinga, northeast Brazil, which consists of two contrasting edaphic environments: crystalline and sedimentary terrains. We used Caatinga as a case study to test whether edaphic differences led to differences in life zones, vegetation types, β-diversity, and indicator species. Methods: Compiling 124 floristic surveys (75 in crystalline and 49 in sedimentary terrains) and bioclimatic variables from 1,214 municipalities, we calculated Holdridge life zones, vegetation types, indicator species, and β-diversity based on generalized dissimilarity modeling. Then, we compared these parameters between terrains. Results: We identified five life zones, 10 transition zones, and five vegetation types. The tropical dry/moist forest transition and the steppe-savanna occurred only in the sedimentary, whereas the herbaceous caatinga occurred only in the crystalline terrains. β-Diversity was more dissimilar between regions (north–south and east–west) than between terrains. β-Diversity was better predicted by July temperature, May and September precipitation, soil pH, and June solar radiation. We identified 27 indicator species in crystalline terrain and 56 in sedimentary terrain. Conclusions: Contrasting edaphic environments can restrict the distribution of a subset of species from the regional pool (indicator species), which can be used to characterize each terrain. However, as the other parameters were similar between terrains, and soil properties were not as crucial as climatic variables in explaining β-diversity, soil type seems to have a secondary role in species distribution. Our results help to elucidate how habitat differentiation affects phytogeographical patterns in TDFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of tools played a central role in human culture and evolution. Early studies with apes demonstrated the tool use; however, currently the works have focused on Platyrrhine, particularly capuchin monkeys. Blonde capuchin monkeys, Sapajus flavius, have been observed using sticks to fish for termites in the Atlantic Forest, where this species has been extensively studied. In this study, we presented the first evidence of stone tool use by the blonde capuchin monkeys, as well as the dimensions and weight of these tools. We gathered data from three areas of Caatinga dry forest where we discovered this new tool use among the species. The mean weight of the hammers was 475.7 g (± 142 SD). The mean height of the anvils was 48.3 cm (± 18.7 SD), while the mean surface area of the anvils was 1.2 m 2 (± 0.4 SD). We identified fruits and/or nuts from three plant species-Prunus dulces, Cnidoscolus quercifolius, and Syagrus coronate-near the anvils at the study sites. Additionally, we passively observed six instances of stone tool use by blonde capuchin monkeys. Their use of stones to crack encased foods mirrored behaviors previously reported in Sapajus libidinosus, a species well known for using stone tools to exploit hard nuts. Our findings place blonde capuchin monkeys among the list of primates that utilize stones as tools, highlighting the species' adaptability in exploiting resources within the Caatinga. Long-term studies are essentials to comprehend the use pattern of stone tools (across both general and seasonal perspectives) and the influence of variables, such as fruit hardness, distance to watercourses, and fruit availability on the use of this technology by this primate., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Japan Monkey Centre.)

Bat ectoparasitic flies are hematophagous insects highly specialized to parasitize only bats. Knowledge about how biotic and abiotic factors can influence ecological relationships between parasites and hosts is in general incipient. Large information gaps are even worst in biodiversity-rich, but poorly sampled areas like Brazil's Caatinga, the largest tropical dry forest in South America. We used bats and their highly specialized ectoparasitic flies as a study model to clarify some aspects of this host-parasite system in this semiarid environment. We conducted fieldwork at 55 sites in the Caatinga, between April 2017 and March 2020 and collected 1300 flies (19 species) on 333 bats (15 species). Bat ectoparasitic flies were highly host-specific, had an aggregated distribution, frequently formed infracommunities with only one species, and had a male-biased sex ratio. Except for the prevalence of the streblid fly Strebla guajiro on Carollia perspicillata, which was significantly higher in the rainy season, bat flies showed no preference - expressed by frequency and intensity of infestation - for host sex, and their interspecific relationships were not mediated by rainfall. Other variables that could potentially be interfering in this host-parasite relationship deserve further attention, especially in environments such as the Caatinga where there is great seasonal variation. Furthermore, the existence of species-specific responses must be taken into account., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Humans have used non-human primates (hereafter referred to as primates) as food source, medicine, parts of rituals, pets, and models for various studies worldwide. Here we investigated the extent of the use of primates by humans in three areas in northeastern Brazil, the country's most impoverished region. We carried out our study in three biomes (Caatinga, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest). The results showed that humans exploited all five primate species occurring in the study sites: Callithrix jacchus, Sapajus flavius, Sapajus libidinosus, Alouatta belzebul, and Alouatta ululata. They used the primates as a food source, as pets and medicines, and for leisure. Despite socioeconomic differences in the study areas, we found similarities in the use of primates. Larger primates were targeted for meat, whereas the small common marmosets were targeted as pets. We found conflicting interactions between humans and bearded capuchins due to crop raiding, but no such conflict was found between humans and blonde capuchins, reflecting the differences in crop type, pattern, and tradition in the sites. A. ululata was used as medicine. We suggest that environmental education actions in the study areas should focus on (i) raising awareness among local people of the ecological importance of primates, (ii) providing alternative activities to hunting whenever possible, and (iii) minimising conflicts., (© 2021. Japan Monkey Centre.)

A new termite species, Cryptotermes pugnus sp. nov., is described from northeastern Brazil. The winged imago of C. pugnus is distinguished from most congeners by the lack of arolia and the multiple branches connecting the median vein to the radial sector. The soldier is unique among South American Cryptotermes by its cuboidal head capsule and very rugose postclypeus. The new species constitutes the fourteenth Cryptotermes species on the continent for which we provide a key to soldiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of macroinvertebrate communities in agroecosystems has been assumed to be modular and organized around key herbivore pests. We characterized the macroinvertebrate community in the annual organic brassica agroecosystem in tropical central Brazil to determine if the community was a random assemblage of independent populations or was organized into repeatable multi-species components. We sampled 36 macroinvertebrate taxa associated with six organic brassica farms at biweekly intervals during the dry season during two years in the Distrito Federal, Brazil. We used an unconstrained ordination based on latent variable modeling (boral) with negative binomial population counts to analyze community composition independent of variation in sample abundance. We evaluated observed community structure by comparing it with randomized alternatives. We found that the community was not a random assemblage and consistently organized itself into two modules based around the major herbivores; one with lepidoptera and whiteflies and their associated natural enemies which was gradually replaced during the season by one with brassica aphids, aphid parasitoids and coccinellids. This analysis suggests that the historical and present-day focus on pest herbivores and their associated species in agroecosystems may be justified based on community structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mistletoes occur in tropical and temperate ecosystems all over the world. In urban areas mistletoes can become weedy and affect the health of cultivated trees. In this study we sought to detect patterns of infestation at tree, species, and community level, in order to support improvements in urban tree planting policies. Field studies were performed in Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. The trees and their mistletoes were surveyed in four green areas to examine the relationship between the severity of the infestation and tree attributes (trunk diameter, nativeness, and distance to the nearest infested tree). We evaluated the prevalence, the severity, and the preference ratio (PR) of each tree species according to their respective abundance. We also compiled data from other studies carried out in different cities in the Neotropical region, between 20º N (Mexico) and 32º S (Southern Brazil), to evaluate the relationships between prevalence and three urban tree community attributes (tree species richness, % of exotic trees, and tree density). Due to the high number of independent variables analyzed and their non-normal distribution, we used the Generalized Linear Mixed Model approach (GLMM) and the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient to evaluate the relationship between all mentioned variables and mistletoe indicators. We were able to generate models with significant estimates for prevalence and severity of mistletoe infestation. We evaluated the GLMM through the AIC, the BIC, and the dispersion parameter. We also found significant correlation coefficients between prevalence/severity and all independent variables (except for tree density). We found that bigger trees and those near to previous infestations tend to be more infested. Exotic species showed higher PR, higher prevalence, and higher severity. At the community level we found that a high tree species richness and a low percentage of exotic trees are associated with a low prevalence of mistletoes. Our results bring a new point of view to urban forestry, urban ecology, and management of urban green areas. We propose that tree planting in urban areas should aim for high diversity with a low percentage of exotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bats are highly mobile animals, moving rapidly over long distances. Detecting such movements is challenging, especially in cave areas, a commonly-used roost by bats. Brazil has a large number of caves and bat species, but details on bat mobility among caves is still poorly documented there. Such monitoring provides insights on the structuring and conservation of cave-dwelling communities, with possible legal implications for the environmental licensing in Brazil. Based on marking (2,490 bats captured; 2,142 marked) and recapture (35 events; 14 extra-site), here we present data on the mobility of mormoopid bats between two bat caves 15 km apart in northeastern Brazil. Sexual segregation between caves may explain mobility: one cave is likely a maternity roost; the other is a satellite cave used for copulae. Nomadic behavior due to seasonal distribution of resources in the semi-arid Northeastern Brazil cannot be ruled out. Based on the distance between the two caves, bats could potentially forage over an area of ~170,000 hectares, in a wider use of the landscape. Our data have implications for the conservation of bat species and their roosts, and contribute to a more evidence-based discussion of key concepts governing the environmental licensing of mining activities in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge of fish fauna in the Caatinga rivers is often limited to the large river basins and their associated aquatic species, with only a few contributions dedicated to adjacent sub-basins. In the present investigation the Rio Jacuípe, the northernmost tributary of the Rio Paraguaçu in Chapada Diamantina, is evaluated regarding the taxonomic diversity, frequency, and constancy of occurrence, of the species distribution in the various segments. Rio Jacuípe flows parallel to Rio Paraguaçu with headwaters in Morro do Chapéu, at the Chapada Diamantina domain, and an artificial mouth in the Pedra do Cavalo dam. With mouth downstream from the metropolitan area of Feira de Santana municipality, the sub-basin has peculiar characteristics distinctive from the main river. The fish fauna of the Jacuípe is for the first time investigated in detail regarding the spatial distribution of aquatic communities. The patterns of fish distribution in the Rio Jacuípe indicate regional endemism although gaps in knowledge of species diversity are identified, especially in middle and lower stretches. The use and occupation of the soil and the alternatives for revitalizing the aquatic environments in the Jacuípe valley are presented and discussed. Our results contribute to the evaluation of public policies on conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Neotropical Ichthyology is the property of Neotropical Ichthyology 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.)

Background: Global climate change poses a significant challenge in contemporary society, particularly affecting vulnerable populations like small farmers residing in arid and semiarid regions. This study aims to investigate the perception of health risks and adaptive responses in the semiarid region of Northeast Brazil (NEB). Four questions were formulated: (1) How do socioeconomic factors influence the perception of health risks during extreme climate events? (2) How do socioeconomic factors impact the adoption of adaptive responses to mitigate health risks during extreme weather events? (3) How does the perceived risk level affect the utilization of adaptive responses? (4) What is the influence of extreme climate events on the perceived risks and the adoption of adaptive responses? Method: The research was conducted in the rural community of Carão, situated in the Agreste region of the State of Pernambuco, NEB. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 49 volunteers aged 18 and above. The interviews aimed to gather socioeconomic information, including sex, age, income, access to healthcare services, family size, and education level. Additionally, the interviews explored the perceived risks and responses employed during different extreme climate events such as droughts or heavy rainfall. The perceived risks and adaptive responses data were quantified to address the research questions. Generalized linear models were employed to analyze the data for the first three questions, while the nonparametric Mann–Whitney test was used for the fourth question. Results: The study found no significant differences in the level of perceived risk and adaptive responses between the two climate extremes. However, the quantity of adaptive responses was found to be directly influenced by the perceived risks, regardless of the type of extreme climate event. Conclusion: The study concludes that risk perception is influenced by various complex factors, including socioeconomic variables, and plays a critical role in the adoption of adaptive responses during extreme climate events. The findings suggest that specific socioeconomic variables have a more pronounced influence on how individuals perceive and adapt to risks. Furthermore, the results indicate a cause-and-effect relationship between perceived risks and the generation of adaptive responses. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the factors shaping risk perception and provide valuable insights for future studies in regions prone to extreme climate events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The municipality of Boa Nova, in northeastern Brazil, is in an ecotone zone between the Caatinga and Atlantic Forest phytogeographic domains. The transition phytophysiognomy is seasonal forest and known locally as mata de cipó. In these phytophysiognomies there are lajedos, which are rock outcrops colonized by vegetation well-adapted to extreme microclimatic variation and vegetation diversity is affected by the vegetation types of the surrounding areas. Due to the singularity of these environments and the relevance of floristic studies for conservation, this work aimed to identify the species richness and compare the similarity of the flora on four rock outcrops in Boa Nova. The flora was surveyed during exploratory walks along lajedos between 2016 and 2019. In total, 162 species were identified on the Boa Nova outcrops. The flora has a composition and structure similar to semiarid outcrops, as well as endemic species that also occur in surrounding phytophysiomies. Despite the proximity, a similarity index revealed there is floristic dissimilarity between the areas. Nine new occurrences were recorded for the region, five species are threatened with extinction (Aosa gilgiana, Ficus cyclophylla, Hippeastrum stigmovittatum, Pleroma caatingae and Trixis pruskii), and 43 species are common in anthropogenic areas. This reinforces the importance of actions to conserve these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under continuous human disturbance, regeneration is the basis for biodiversity persistence and ecosystem service provision. In tropical dry forests, edaphic ecosystem engineering by biological soil crusts (biocrusts) could impact regeneration by influencing erosion control and soil water and nutrient fluxes, which impact landscape hydrology, geomorphology, and ecosystem functioning. This study investigated the effect of cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts on water infiltration and aggregate stability in a human-modified landscape of the Caatinga dry forest (NE Brazil), a system characterized by high levels of forest degradation and increasing aridity. By trapping dust and swelling of cyanobacterial filaments, biocrusts can seal soil surfaces and slow down infiltration, which potentially induces erosion. To quantify hydraulic properties and erosion control, we used minidisc-infiltrometry, raindrop-simulation, and wet sieving at two sites with contrasting disturbance levels: an active cashew plantation and an abandoned field experiencing forest regeneration, both characterized by sandy soils. Under disturbance, biocrusts had a stronger negative impact on infiltration (reduction by 42% vs. 37% during regeneration), although biocrusts under regenerating conditions had the lowest absolute sorptivity (0.042 ± 0.02 cm s-1/2) and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (0.0015 ± 0.0008 cm s-1), with a doubled water repellency. Biocrusts provided high soil aggregate stability although stability increased considerably with progression of biocrust succession (raindrop simulation disturbed: 0.19 ± 0.22 J vs. regenerating: 0.54 ± 0.22 J). The formation of stable aggregates by early successional biocrusts on sandy soils suggests protection of dry forest soils even on the worst land use/soil degradation scenario with a high soil erosion risk. Our results confirm that biocrusts covering bare interspaces between vascular plants in human-modified landscapes play an important role in surface water availability and erosion control. Biocrusts have the potential to reduce land degradation, but their associated ecosystem services like erosion protection, can be impaired by disturbance. Considering an average biocrust coverage of 8.1% of the Caatinga landscapes, further research should aim to quantify the contribution of biocrusts to forest recovery to fully understand the role they play in the functioning of this poorly explored ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In general, insect herbivore diversity is positively correlated to plant diversity since plant assemblages structure different microhabitats and provide food resources for such insects. Although poorly studied, insect herbivores in tropical dry forests are positively affected by tree species richness and the structural architecture of vegetation. In this study, we analyzed whether true weevil and woody plants present similar patterns of diversity across different landscape units in a Neotropical tropical dry forests located in Brazil, and if there is a correlation among their assemblages. We used Hill numbers according to species richness and the inverse of Simpson to compare the taxonomic diversity of true weevils and plants in nine landscape units located at the São Francisco river basin in the states of Sergipe and Alagoas, north-eastern Brazil. All trees and shrubs with diameter at breast height (1.3 m) ≥ 5 cm were sampled, and true weevils were collected using a modified Malaise trap. We used co-correspondence analysis to test if plants and true weevil species tend to co-occur. A total of 538 true weevils from 60 species was collected, and a total of 1419 plants belonging to 49 species was recorded. There is no general pattern of co-occurrence and diversity among true weevils and plants, indicating that the plant community is not structuring true weevil assemblage in the Caatinga. However, there was positive relationship between Sibinia sp4 and Fabaceae-Mimosoideae. These results suggest true weevil-plant relationships in the Caatinga differ from that of more mesic ecosystems. Therefore, we observed that the mechanisms that regulate herbivore-plant diversity relationships do not always follow a positive relationship, as observed in previous studies.

Background: Invasive Africanized honey bees potentially compete with cavity-nesting birds in South America. However, the impacts of this competition and its conservation consequences to threatened species are poorly known. We quantified the presence of these bees and assessed their competition for cliff cavities used by nesting Lear's macaws Anodorhynchus leari, a globally endangered parrot endemic to the Caatinga biome of Brazil. We treated beehives with permethrin by shooting them with a crossbow bolt that distributed the compound upon impact. When feasible, we removed the comb and applied an insecticide (fipronil) to deter bee recolonization. We subsequently surveyed the macaw breeding population to verify whether our treatment allowed for nest recruitment in cavities previously occupied by bees., Results: We recorded > 100 beehives in the nesting cliffs. Hives outnumbered macaw nests tenfold in two areas recently recolonized by macaws. Cavities occupied by bees were significantly higher than those occupied by macaws, suggesting that macaws may be forced to breed in lower cavities. None of the untreated cavities (n = 50) were occupied by nesting macaws, whereas 15% of treated cavities (n = 52) were occupied within 2 years post treatment. Treated cavities occupied by macaws were significantly higher than those not occupied. Hive management increased macaw breeding population by 71% of the macaw breeding population increase., Conclusion: Experimental hive treatments were effective in restoring nesting resources lost due to bee infestation. An intensive and continued eradication program is recommended to enhance macaw habitat restoration, facilitating its expansion into historical areas. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.)

The concept of Ecosystem Services (ES) recognizes the importance of natural ecosystems in supporting human well-being. Hymenoptera, a diverse group of insects including ants, bees, and wasps, play crucial roles in providing ESs. Despite their significance, the provision of ESs by Hymenoptera is often undervalued, leading to ecosystem degradation and loss of important services. This study focuses on the association between Hymenoptera and a rupicolous bromeliad species (Encholirium spectabile) and explores the ESs promoted directly and indirectly by these insects. The study area is located in the Caatinga region of Brazil, characterized by irregular rainfall and a dry season. The results show that Hymenoptera, particularly bees, ants, and wasps, provide a range of ESs including pollination, honey production, pest control, cultural symbolism, and educational value. These services are vital for plant reproduction, food production, and ecosystem functioning in both seasons; there are no differences in species richness between seasons, but rather in species composition. Understanding the importance of Hymenoptera for ESs is crucial for informing conservation and management practices to ensure the sustainability of natural ecosystems. The study highlights the need for conservation actions to protect the intricate ecological relationships between Hymenoptera and bromeliads, which indirectly support ESs by providing habitat and resources, especially during droughts when resources are scarce in the region. By recognizing the importance of bromeliads in supporting Hymenopteran communities, conservation efforts can focus on preserving these critical ecological interactions and maintaining ES provision., (© 2024. Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil.)

Urbanization directly affects the structure of vegetation, which makes essential studies focused on understanding and conserving the biodiversity along urban environments. This study aimed to describe the structure of the vegetation and identify the predominant herbaceous species in non-urbanized and urbanized sand dune areas, analyzing their diversity and richness in Maranhão Island. The study was conducted in six dunes area, in which were allocated where 150 plots were allocated in three urbanized area, and 150 plots in three non-urbanized area. We counted all the herbs in each plot (1 m2), recording data on richness, diversity and vegetation cover. To evaluate the difference in the composition of the areas, the following tests were used: Shapiro-Wilk W test (data distribution), Student t test (species richness) and Hutcheson t test (diversity comparison). We recorded 3,643 individuals: of this total, 2,075 individuals in urbanized dunes and 1,568 individuals in non-urbanized dunes; we found 91 species, 59 genera and 27 families. Richness was higher in urbanized areas; however, non-urbanized areas showed greater diversity and uniformity. The floristic composition of the areas differed, according to the species indicator, showing 19 typical urbanized dune species and 9 non-urbanized dune species. NMDS showed that the urbanized and non-urbanized dunes presented distinct species compositions and densities; the ANOSIM revealed a significant correlation between the type of dune and the degree of taxonomic similarity between plots. The diversity of the herbaceous vegetation provides important data that can be used to guide research on conservation and management of dune areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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, named Maxchernes kapinawai sp. n., has affinities with M. iporangae, known from São Paulo State, Southeast Brazil. The new species, obtained from Pernambuco State, Northeastern Brazil, is characterized by the robust pedipalps, the measurements of pedipalpal femur, and patella different from other known Maxchernes species, in addition to the number of chelal teeth and males larger than females. This new species also represents the north-most record of Maxchernes genera so far. Ecological and conservation comments are included, as well as a map including reports known about the previous species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parasitic fauna of reptiles is considered understudied compared to that of other vertebrates and is even less well known than the parasitic fauna of chelonians. Yet parasites are considered one of the main controllers of host populations because they can strongly impact population structure and species diversity. The objective of the present study was to identify the helminth fauna infecting freshwater turtles Phrynops geoffroanus and Mesoclemmys tuberculata, to evaluate the effects of host features (body mass and sex) and seasonality (dry and rainy seasons) on the abundance of parasites, and to compare infection rates in each host species between different biomes (Caatinga and Atlantic Forest) in an area of Northeastern Brazil. We found seven species of helminths that belong to Nematoda (Physaloptera sp., Serpinema amazonicus, Serpinema monospiculatus and Spiroxys figueiredoi), Cestoda (unidentified specimen), Digenea (Echinostomatidae) and Monogenea (Polystomoides brasiliensis). For both freshwater turtle species, we did not find a significant difference in the abundance of helminths related to the maximum carapace length, body mass or host sex; however, males had higher prevalence than females, while females presented greater abundance when infected. We observed significant differences in the infection levels between biomes and between seasons (dry and rainy), where the Atlantic Forest specimens showed higher infection rates compared to the Caatinga and the highest rates occurred in the dry season. The main parasitological parameters observed in P. geoffroanus and M. tuberculata showed that the studied biomes directly influenced the levels of parasitic infection. Variations in habitat characteristics can directly influence patterns of helminth diversity and abundance, and interactions between these characteristics can generate differences in parasitism rates of the same host species in different environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding populational genetic diversity is crucial for making proper decisions about conservation and sustainable species management. In this work, we overviewed the conservation genetics of economically exploited tree species that are vulnerable to extinction in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. For this, data on genetic parameters from research on 10 species of evergreen trees dwelling in that environment were compiled. Genetic variability differences between young and adults were assessed when data were available for both stages. Very low values observed for the probability of identity (PI) suggested that the SSR markers used had sufficient statistical power to consistently evaluate genetic variability of the populations. An innovative analytical approach using linear mixed-effect models revealed an integrated influence of the number of individuals sampled per population and the number of SSR markers on the output of the genetic estimators assessed. A large number of different alleles (NA) were observed in four out of the 10 species, indicating these populations may still hold unique and rare alleles. HO was smaller than HE for all but one of the studied species, suggesting higher numbers of homozygotes than expected. Comparison of data between ontogenic stages suggested that the time frame of habitat loss and fragmentation was not yet sufficient to cause significant loss of genetic diversity and differentiate populations. Our findings are discussed considering that intensity and duration of selective lodging and economic exploitation appear to be crucial for the underlying ecological patterns and for the definition of proper diversity conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive plant species can modify ecosystem structure and function, potentially leading to the loss of native species, environmental and biotic homogenisation, changes in nutrient cycling, impairment of ecosystem services, and decrease in the rate of regeneration of plant recruits. We assessed the effects of the non-native and invasive vine Tradescantia zebrina on the germination and development of the native tree Hymenaea courbaril in north-eastern Brazil. We hypothesised that the invasive species would negatively impact the germination and development, and, via competition, the growth of the native species. We conducted a germination experiment for six months in seven forest patches. Seeds of H. courbaril were cultivated in four possible combinations of two treatments: under a cover with and without T. zebrina, and on soil that originated from places with and without T. zebrina present. Neither T. zebrina cover or soil affected the germination or biomass of H. courbaril during the experiment. H. courbaril seedlings were taller and had longer roots when cultivated in soil that originated from places with T. zebrina. T. zebrina presence alters soil properties in a way that triggers morphological responses in H. courbaril, which can be associated to a perceived competition context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]