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Phytosociological surveys and soil quality studies are relevant tools for the implementation of restoration programmes. This study aimed to characterise the vegetation of the tree and sapling strata in preserved riparian forests of the middle portion of the Rio Doce watershed in the Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil. In addition, we tested the association between edaphic factors and the vegetation community. We sampled three sites of the middle sector of the Rio Doce watershed in Itueta (two sites) and Santa Rita do Itueto (one site) municipalities in Minas Gerais, south-eastern Brazil. At each sampling site, we inventoried 15 plots of 100 m2 (10 × 10 m) for the tree stratum. Within each plot of the tree stratum we delimited a 25 m2 (5 × 5 m) plot, totalling 4 500 m2 and 1 125 m2 respectively for the tree and sapling strata. We employed co-inertia analysis to test the relationship between soil factors and the plant community and to highlight the taxon– environment relationship. We recorded 157 species belonging to 31 families, with 105 species from 24 families in the tree stratum, and 85 species from 22 families in the sapling stratum. Edaphic factors were highly heterogeneous among plots, although most of the plots presented soils with neutral pH and high fertility (base saturation > 50%). Co-inertia analyses showed highly significant associations between edaphic factors and the plant community, both for the tree (RV = 0.486, p < 0.001) and the sapling strata (RV = 0.692, p < 0.001). We highlighted the existence of a clear edaphic– floristic gradient, with a significant association of certain species with contrasting soil conditions. Knowledge about the association between environmental characteristics and floristic composition can assist in the selection of species with greater chances to establish in specific environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Atlantic Forest, species distributions are not uniform. The biome has been divided into 8 biogeographic sub-regions, such as the Pernambuco Center of Endemism (PCE), in northeastern Brazil. Nísia Floresta National Forest (Flona) is a protected area situated in the municipality of Nísia Floresta, Rio Grande do Norte state, harboring native vegetation (Atlantic Forest and "Restingas or Tabuleiros") as well regenerating areas, with experimental plots of exotic plants for timber production. Herein, we present, for the first time, a species list of the herpetofauna surveyed at Flona over the past 10 years, using a standardized, long-term sampling design along with visual encounter surveys. We conducted monthly surveys across the area using 84 pitfall traps randomly distributed in 21 arrays throughout the forest's three phytogeographic zones (Restinga, Atlantic Forest, and Regeneration). In addition, we characterized ground-dwelling herpetofauna community diversity across these three zones over the course of an entire year. We collected a total of 39 species of reptiles (among lizards, snakes, chelonians, alligators, and amphisbaenians) and 24 species of frogs. The most frequent family found for reptiles was Dipsadidae, followed by Colubridae. In frogs, Leptodactylidae was the most common, followed by Hylidae. Herpetofaunal diversity in regeneration areas is smaller than forests, which in turn are marginally less diverse than the Restinga. Community descriptors such as equity, presence of exclusive species, and differences in abundances and composition indicate that distinct management strategies for each zone are needed for this protected area. At last, albeit smaller, diversity in regenerating areas is similar to natural areas, a reassuring result considering the significant deforestation the Atlantic Forest has suffered and the urgent need for restoration initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persea is a genus of Lauraceae with about 101 accepted species from the Americas and another two from the Macaronesian Islands and the Azores. The New World species occur in subtropical to tropical regions from sea level to ca. 4000 m. Recent field work in southeastern Brazil, as well as the study of 1432 collections of Brazilian Persea, revealed a new species that we describe here as Persea quarciticola. The new species belongs to Persea subg. Eriodaphne. It is restricted to the 'morros de sal' (mountains of quartz) of Vargem Alta, Espírito Santo, between 600 and 800 m. We provide a complete description of the new species, including illustrations, a distribution map, and discussion on its putative relationships within the genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological stasis is generally associated with relative constancy in ecological pressures throughout time, producing strong stabilizing selection that retains similar shared morphology. Although climate and vegetation are commonly the main key factors driving diversity and phenotypic diversification in terrestrial vertebrates, fossorial organisms have their morphology mostly defined by their fossorial lifestyle. Among these secretive fossorial organisms, blind snakes of the South American genus Amerotyphlops are considered poorly studied when compared to other taxa. Here, we evaluate the cryptic diversity of Amerotyphlops using phylogenetic and multivariate approaches. We based our phylogenetic analysis on a molecular dataset composed of 12 gene fragments (eight nuclear and four mitochondrial) for 109 species of Typhlopidae. The multivariate analysis was implemented using 36 morphological variables for 377 specimens of Amerotyphlops. Additionally, we contrast our phylogenetic result with the morphological variation found in cranial, external and hemipenial traits. Our phylogenetic results recovered with strong support the following monophyletic groups within Amerotyphlops : (1) a clade formed by A. tasymicris and A. minuisquamus ; (2) a clade composed of A. reticulatus ; (3) a north-eastern Brazilian clade including A. yonenagae , A. arenensis , A. paucisquamus and A. amoipira ; and (4) a clade composed of A. brongersmianus and a complex of cryptic species. Based on these results we describe four new species of Amerotyphlops from north-eastern and south-eastern Brazil, which can be distinguished from the morphologically similar species, A. brongersmianus and A. arenensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiouea Aubl. is a genus of the Lauraceae family restricted to the Neotropics. Most species occur in tropical and mountainous forests of Central America, the Andes, and Brazil, from sea level to 2800 m. Recent field investigations in southeastern Brazil, as well as my study of 237 herbarium specimens, revealed a new species that I describe here as Aiouea albopunctata Brotto. The new species is mainly characterized by its whitish-punctuated fruits – hence the name – and is restricted to the mountains of eastern Brazil at altitudes between 600 and 1700 m. I provide a complete description of the new species, including illustrations, a distribution map, and key features distinguishing it from other species in the Atlantic Rain Forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atractus potschi is a small Brazilian endemic snake. Its distribution is restricted to Brazil´s Northeastern Atlantic Rain Forest and Caatinga biomes, in the States of Alagoas, Bahia, and Sergipe. Herein, we expanded its distribution in hinterlands by 270 km from the nearest previous record. This is also a new occurrence on the left bank of the São Francisco River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Grassland ecosystems present patterns of plant-pollinator interactions that may be linked to habitat heterogeneity, plant composition and disturbances. Most studies about plant-pollinator interactions in the Neotropics were conducted in forest, savanna-like, or Andean vegetation. However, the current increase in the number of studies about interactions in grassland vegetation promises a better understanding of the pollination ecology of these landscapes. In this systematic review, we summarised information from 24 articles about plant-pollinator interactions in South Brazilian grasslands. We highlighted patterns of plant-pollinator interactions, indicating their particularities compared to other grassland communities in South America. Bees are important pollinators of many plant species in these grasslands and most plants are visited by more than one group of pollinators. Among the plant species visited by a single pollinator group, most were visited by bees. However, many types of pollinators, plant species, habitats, and regions have, thus far, received little sampling effort. Pollination by groups other than bees, such as nocturnal pollinators, flies, beetles, and birds, is particularly understudied. The information provided in this review summarizes data that could be used to foster more detailed pollination studies to understand the diversification and maintenance of grassland floras of South Brazil.

The biodiversity found in Brazilian’s ecosystems brings the possibility of discovering new natural products with wide application potentials. However, knowing their availability and chemical composition is crucial. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the extraction yield, chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oil from fresh leaves of Calyptranthes concinna DC., a native species of Myrtaceae occurring in Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest. Plant samples were collected in Southeastern Brazil and the essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation. The chemical composition was evaluated by Gas Chromatography associated with Mass Spectrometry and antioxidant activity was measured using ABTS, DPPH and FRAP methods. The extraction yield obtained was 0.015% (v), and the chemical composition revealed elemicin, a phenylpropanoid as the major component (36.46%). Still, β-caryophyllene (16.94%), germacrene B (8.28%) and spathulenol (7.33%) proved to be relevant for the same essential oil. Antioxidant activity was obtained for ABTS and DPPH radical scavenge (134.82 ± 2,9 and 93.70 ± 1.7 µM TE mL-1, respectively) and FRAP (11.31 ± 0.2 µM FeSO4 mL-1 OE), revealing hydrogen-donation as the main antioxidant mechanism. To our knowledge, this is the first report of antioxidant activity of C. concinna essential oil. The product presented compounds of great relevance, with possibilities of application in different areas including food, agriculture and pharmaceutical segments

Artificial intelligence (AI) seeks to simulate the human ability to reason, make decisions, and solve problems. Several AI methodologies have been introduced in forestry to reduce costs and increase accuracy in estimates. We evaluate the performance of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) in estimating the heights of Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze (Brazilian pine) trees. The trees are growing in Uneven-aged Mixed Forests (UMF) in southern Brazil and are under different levels of competition. The dataset was divided into training and validation sets. Multi-layer Perceptron (MLP) networks were trained under different Data Normalization (DN) procedures, Neurons in the Hidden Layer (NHL), and Activation Functions (AF). The continuous input variables were diameter at breast height (DBH) and height at the base of the crown (HCB). As a categorical input variable, we consider the sociological position of the trees (dominant–SP1 = 1; codominant–SP2 = 2; and dominated–SP3 = 3), and the continuous output variable was the height (h). In the hidden layer, the number of neurons varied from 3 to 9. Results show that there is no influence of DN in the ANN accuracy. However, the increase in NHL above a certain level caused the model's over-fitting. In this regard, around 6 neurons stood out, combined with logistic sigmoid AF in the intermediate layer and identity AF in the output layer. Considering the best selected network, the following values of statistical criteria were obtained for the training dataset (R2 = 0.84; RMSE = 1.36 m, and MAPE = 6.29) and for the validation dataset (R2 = 0.80; RMSE = 1.49 m, and MAPE = 6.53). The possibility of using categorical and numerical variables in the same modeling has been motivating the use of AI techniques in different forestry applications. The ANN presented generalization and consistency regarding biological realism. Therefore, we recommend caution when determining DN, amount of NHL, and using AF during modeling. We argue that such techniques show great potential for forest management procedures and are suggested in other similar environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trichomycterid catfish Listrura menezesi, new species, is described from a flooded area adjacent to Rio das Panelas, Rio São João basin, Cachoeiras de Macacu municipality, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. It represents a most valuable remnant of Atlantic Forest biome that still resists the devastation of Brazilian coastlands. Listrura menezesi can be distinguished from its congeners, except L. boticario and L. depinnai, by the absence of a dorsal fin. It mainly differs from L. boticario and L. depinnai by a continuous midlateral dark stripe along the entire body (vs. discontinuous) and a longitudinal row of irregular dots along the dorsal limit of the abdomen extending for nearly the entire body (vs. only on the posterior half of the body in L. boticario and not forming a distinct row in L. depinnai). Although the new species shares with L. boticario and L. depinnai the absence of dorsal fin, recent phylogenetic analyses show a close relationship between L. menezesi and L. macaensis, the latter having a dorsal fin. A putative apomorphic condition for this clade is presented: the abrupt widening on the mesethmoid axis starting posteriorly on the horizontal through the middle region of the autopalatine (vs. anteriorly, on the horizontal through the anterior region of the autopalatine). Listrura menezesi comes as an addition to the ichthyofauna of the Rio São João drainage, a region extensively sampled for the past 20 years and supposedly well known. This paper also highlights the vulnerability of this species and the possibility of its disappearance in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We herein present nomenclatural and taxonomic novelties in Calea sect. Meyeria from Brazil. Calea pruskiana is a new species related to C. triantha and can be distinguished by the acute or cuneate, rarely attenuate leaf apex (vs. obtuse), slightly branched capitulescence (vs. profusely branched), and ray florets 18–21.7 mm long (vs. 9.2–15.3 mm). Calea hispida f. subintegerrima is lectotypified, recombined, and elevated to species level as Calea subintegerrima, which also resembles C. triantha, however differs from it by the usually glabrous abaxial leaf surface (vs. usually hispid), glandular-punctate peduncle (vs. glands absent), and cypselae with hirsute ribs (vs. pilose ribs). These species are described and illustrated, their geographic distributions are mapped, and their taxonomic affinities are discussed. Furthermore, a new terminology is proposed to describe more accurately the pappus scale size variation according to the relative length of the scales and the occurrence of combinations of pappus scales of different lengths in the same capitulum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aim The objective was to describe the LWR of fish species of the Guaraguaçu River, as well as to compare the LWR parameters of the non-native species with the parameters obtained in their native ranges, available in the literature. Methods In this study, the LWR of 10 fish species of the Guaraguaçu River, southern Brazil, were analyzed. Fish were sampled semiannually between 2004 and 2007, using different sampling techniques in the Guaraguaçu River. Results A total of 673 specimens of 10 species were captured. The LWR demonstrated a prevalence of species (six out of 10) with positive allometric growth (b > 3). The remaining species presented isometric (b = 3, two species) or negative growth (b < 3, two species). Native species exhibited the same LWR from previous studies, except Centropomus parallelus, which presented an isometric growth in this study. The non-native species Clarias gariepinus and Ictalurus punctatus showed significant differences between the LWR parameters in the Guaraguaçu River and in their native distribution, but the same growth pattern. Oreochromis niloticus did not present significant differences in the allometric coefficient from its native range. Conclusions These results indicate that different environmental conditions may not influence the growth pattern of non-native species, which explains their invasion success due to high adaptability to new environments.

Summary: Structural differences in the secondary vascular tissues among habitats can contribute to understanding species performances, especially regarding water and photosynthate transport. The pattern of association between the secondary xylem tissue and water availability from the environment has been widely studied, unlike the secondary phloem, which has been barely explored. Here, we evaluated the structural variation of the secondary xylem and phloem in stems of four populations of two tropical tree species under contrasting water conditions. We also investigated the mirrored structure between both tissues. At dry sites, Moquiniastrum polymorphum had higher vessel density, thicker xylem fibers cell walls, and taller rays in both tissues commonly associated with safe transport, in agreement with our expectations. In contrast, the populations of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium had most features in disagreement with the water availability of each site. The perforation and sieve plates, the ray composition, and the axial parenchyma were similar in the two tree species' xylem and phloem tissues. However, the quantitative descriptors of cell sizes were not correlated between the xylem and phloem. In general, there is a different pattern of morphological variation across sites in the two tropical tree species, highlighting that any generalization regarding the vascular system structure across environments should be avoided. Xylem and phloem revealed a mirrored structure in a few qualitative features, not followed by the dimensions of different cell types. Future research needs to explore the causes of the unexpected structural variation in the vascular system across populations in tropical tree species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biodiversity found in Brazilian's ecosystems brings the possibility of discovering new natural products with wide application potentials. However, knowing their availability and chemical composition is crucial. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the extraction yield, chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oil from fresh leaves of Calyptranthes concinna DC., a native species of Myrtaceae occurring in Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest. Plant samples were collected in Southeastern Brazil and the essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation. The chemical composition was evaluated by Gas Chromatography associated with Mass Spectrometry and antioxidant activity was measured using ABTS, DPPH and FRAP methods. The extraction yield obtained was 0.015% (v), and the chemical composition revealed elemicin, a phenylpropanoid as the major component (36.46%). Still, ß-caryophyllene (16.94%), germacrene B (8.28%) and spathulenol (7.33%) proved to be relevant for the same essential oil. Antioxidant activity was obtained for ABTS and DPPH radical scavenge (134.82 ± 2,9 and 93.70 ± 1.7 µM TE mL-1, respectively) and FRAP (11.31 ± 0.2 µM FeSO4 mL-1 OE), revealing hydrogen-donation as the main antioxidant mechanism. To our knowledge, this is the first report of antioxidant activity of C. concinna essential oil. The product presented compounds of great relevance, with possibilities of application in different areas including food, agriculture and pharmaceutical segments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three individuals (two males and one female) of Adhemarius daphne daphne Boisduval, 1785 and an exemplar of Amphimoea walkeri Boisduval, 1785, were caught in Maquiné and Cerro Largo municipalities, respectively, indicating the first occurrence of these two taxa in the Rio Grande do Sul state, South Brazil.

Abstract We investigated ten honey samples from the Discovery Coast of Bahia, Brazil, to confirm the three predominant flower sources indicated by regional beekeepers: Brazilian peppertree – Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi; eucalyptus – Eucalyptus L’Hér. spp.; and velame – Croton L. spp.. The honeys were collected in five Southern Bahia municipalities – Belmonte, Eunápolis, Guaratinga, Itabela and Porto Seguro. The samples underwent acetolysis and, after slides mounting, the pollen types were identified and counted to determine the frequency classes. The pollen spectra revealed 31 pollen types in 27 genera and 17 families. The palynological analysis confirmed the predominant eucalyptus flower source indicated for four honey samples from Belmonte, Eunápolis, Itabela and Porto Seguro. Three honey samples previously indicated with predominant eucalyptus and velame flower sources had no predominant pollen. Eucalyptus predominated as the main flower source for another three samples previously indicated by beekeepers as Brazilian peppertree and velame. We conclude that regional honeys marketed as having a predominant flower source may have distinct botanical origin. This demands further research aimed at reviewing which bee plants provide resources for monofloral, bifloral and plurifloral honeys in the Bahian Discovery Coast.

Artificial intelligence (AI) seeks to simulate the human ability to reason, make decisions, and solve problems. Several AI methodologies have been introduced in forestry to reduce costs and increase accuracy in estimates. We evaluate the performance of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) in estimating the heights of Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze (Brazilian pine) trees. The trees are growing in Uneven-aged Mixed Forests (UMF) in southern Brazil and are under different levels of competition. The dataset was divided into training and validation sets. Multi-layer Perceptron (MLP) networks were trained under different Data Normalization (DN) procedures, Neurons in the Hidden Layer (NHL), and Activation Functions (AF). The continuous input variables were diameter at breast height (DBH) and height at the base of the crown (HCB). As a categorical input variable, we consider the sociological position of the trees (dominant–SP1 = 1; codominant–SP2 = 2; and dominated–SP3 = 3), and the continuous output variable was the height (h). In the hidden layer, the number of neurons varied from 3 to 9. Results show that there is no influence of DN in the ANN accuracy. However, the increase in NHL above a certain level caused the model’s over-fitting. In this regard, around 6 neurons stood out, combined with logistic sigmoid AF in the intermediate layer and identity AF in the output layer. Considering the best selected network, the following values of statistical criteria were obtained for the training dataset (R2 = 0.84; RMSE = 1.36 m, and MAPE = 6.29) and for the validation dataset (R2 = 0.80; RMSE = 1.49 m, and MAPE = 6.53). The possibility of using categorical and numerical variables in the same modeling has been motivating the use of AI techniques in different forestry applications. The ANN presented generalization and consistency regarding biological realism. Therefore, we recommend caution when determining DN, amount of NHL, and using AF during modeling. We argue that such techniques show great potential for forest management procedures and are suggested in other similar environments.

Reforestation with exotic plans may alter the natural flora due to uncontrolled expansion of the inserted species. This study evaluated the potential of the object-oriented classification method using fuzzy logic algorithm for the differentiation of forest areas in intermediate/advanced stage and areas reforested with exotic species around the Rio Canoas State Park in Santa Catarina State of Brazil, using high spatial resolution SPOT6 imagery. The study region has regional importance for the preservation of mixed ombrophilous forest remnants and is belonging to the Biosphere Reserve of the Atlantic Rainforest, and hence, it is important to monitor the advance of exotic species in the region. The methodology consisted of the creation of the hierarchical network and process tree with numerous descriptor tests in Trimble Ecognition software, principal component analysis, multi-resolution segmentation algorithm and fuzzy logic functions. It was concluded that the use of principal components associated with the red band by a simple ratio of digital levels is extremely effective for identifying the areas reforested with exotic species. Fuzzy logic pertinence functions are the key in discriminating natural forest areas and areas reforested with exotic species in the study region accurately. The object-oriented classification was validated by points collected in the field and presented an overall accuracy level of 0.83 and Kappa index of 0.78, concluding that it is an efficient methodology in the delimitation of exotic species reforestation areas around Rio Canoas State Park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of moth-fly, Atrichobrunettia (Polibrunettia) longipalpis sp. nov. (Psychodinae, Psychodidae), from the Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest is described. It can be distinguished from other species of the subgenus mainly by the length of palpus that is longer and by the dentate distal margin of hypandrium. Here the distribution of A. angelae Bravo, 2006 and A. paranaensis Bravo, 2005 is reviewed and morphological data to A. paranaensis Bravo, 2006 is given to complement the original description of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A new species of moth-fly, Tonnoira igrapiunensis sp. nov. (Psychodidae, Psychodinae), from the Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest is described. The new species can be distinguished from other species of the genus by its eye bridge separated by 0.5 facet diameter, R5 ending slightly posterior to apex of the wing, gonostyli bifurcated with long arm shorter than length of gonocoxites, aedeagus bipartite and asymmetrical, and two asymmetrical parameres. The gonostylus is similar to that of Tonnoira andradeiSantos, 2014, but in the latter species the aedeagus has only one shaft and not two as in the new species. Tonnoira bifidaBravo & Chagas, 2004, Tonnoira brisolaiiSantos, 2014, and Tonnoira galatiaeSantos, 2014 have their distribution expanded.

Timber was an important resource for the construction of colonial Brazil, although pertinent information is limited. We used the available archival material and an interdisciplinary methodology, spanning historical, botanical and ethnobotanical methods, to illuminate the exploitation of native timber during the colonial period and its relevance for the contemporary conservation status of the Atlantic Forest. Central to our methodology was the development of a standardized protocol focusing on folk names for timber trees, which permitted us to relate historical records and ecological data. Even though historical information is scarce, scattered, and sometimes contradictory, we could demonstrate the past prestige of timber as well as the harvest impact on local forests. We conclude that the extensive exploitation of the Atlantic Forest's timber resources throughout the colonial period contributed to the current state of vegetation, where many of the species abundant in the past are now rare and threatened.

Abstract The study of ca. 280 specimens of Cercyon Leach, 1817 (Hydrophilidae: Sphaeridiinae: Megasternini) deposited in the Coleção Entomológica Pe. J.S. Moure, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil, revealed a new species from Atlantic Rain Forest biome in Paraná State (Southern Brazil) and new records. Cercyon (Cercyon) curi sp. nov. is herein described and illustrated, belonging to the Neotropical C. variegatus species group. Cercyon (Cercyon) nigriceps (Marsham, 1802) is recorded for the first time in Paraná State, and Cercyon (Cercyon) inquinatus Wollaston, 1854 from Amazonas State (Northern Region); these records extend the distributional range of both species in Brazil. Cercyon (Cercyon) praetextatus (Say, 1825) is recorded for the first time from Brazil based on specimens collected in Paraná. Those three species were previously recorded as introduced in South America.

Background and aims – Latitudinal gradients have an important influence on species distribution reflecting the effects of environmental factors such as temperature, rainfall, soil, and geographical distance. In the southeastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest, the role of climatic variables in the floristic composition is better known for altitudinal gradients of the Serra do Mar Mountains rather than for the latitudinal gradient. Here, we investigated the effects of mean annual temperature and rainfall on tree species distribution and composition in a latitudinal gradient in the Atlantic forest.Methods – We calculated each species frequency of occurrence and the latitudinal range. We used multivariate analyses (direct ordination, Hierarchical Clustering followed by Indicator Species analysis and NMDS) to investigate variation in floristic composition, and regression analyses to evaluate mean annual temperatures and rainfall effects on tree species composition along the latitudinal gradient (21°S to 28°S).Key results – A total of 789 species were registered, of which a majority (646 species) were present in less than 20% of the sampled areas, and only four species (0.5%) were present in more than 80% of the sampled areas. Only ten species (1.3%) reached the maximum latitudinal range (~6°). We found a strong correlation between variation in floristic composition and the spatial position in the latitudinal gradient. The cluster analyses detected two main floristic groups, one composed by the forests from Rio de Janeiro (21°S to 23°S) and the second by the forests from São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina States (23°S to 28°S). The multiple regression analysis revealed a strong effect of the climatic variables on the variation of the floristic composition along the latitudinal gradient (r2 = 0.81, P < 0.001), where 62.82% of the variation were explained by mean annual temperature, 8.27% by annual rainfall and 10.45% by both variables together.Conclusions – The restricted distribution of most species may be explained by variations in mean annual temperature and annual rainfall along the latitudinal gradient. For instance, the decreasing mean annual temperature along the coast and the occurrence of frosts at higher latitudes may limit the southward distribution of some species while the lower annual rainfall (with marked seasonality) in the north of the gradient may limit the northward distribution of other species. Although mean annual temperature explained most of the variation in species composition along the latitudinal gradient, the abrupt variation in annual rainfall may explain the high floristic dissimilarity detected in the north of the gradient.

A new species, Thelypteris beckeriana (Thelypteridaceae), is here described. It belongs to subgenus Goniopteris because of the presence of forked and stellate hairs on some parts of its blades. It is a narrow endemic to the Atlantic Rain Forest of southern Bahia, Brazil. A complete description, illustrations, and comparisons with the most similar species are provided.

Artificial perches provide complexity to the landscape, a factor that can increase animal biodiversity. We tested the hypothesis that artificial perches used in ecological restoration promoting increased of the specific birdlife diversity in a restored landscape in southern Brazil. The study was conducted in the southwest of Paraná State, in an area that served for years to agriculture and pasture. Estimates of species and diversity of avifauna in 12 experimental plots were obtained one year after the beginning of the restoration. Data from plots restored through nucleation (this method consists too insert artificial perches) were used to create a data set analyzed with and without the records of birds obtained exclusively on artificial perches. These data were compared with those from experimental plots re-vegetated by either passive or active restoration (high diversity planting). In addition, we investigated the ability of different restoration techniques to attract avifauna occurring in a nearby forest. Restored plots using nucleation had higher richness (42± 3.00SD species), abundance and diversity compared to passive restoration and high diversity planting. However, when the results obtained exclusively from artificial perches were disregarded, the pattern of the diversity components in the nucleation did not differ from that of the passive restoration. Thus, the artificial perches provided an additional niche and, in this study, represented 34% of the increase in the accumulated richness observed in nucleation. Thus, perches are an important natural engineering structure that causes local increase in bird richness.

Context: The sandy‐savanna ecosystem "Mussununga", a natural ecosystem that occurs as patches throughout the Atlantic Forest domain, is threatened by anthropogenic factors and biological invasions of Australian Acacia species. Habitat degradation in the Atlantic Forest domain and extensive road networks could facilitate Acacia invasion into Mussununga. Objectives: We investigated whether: (a) landscape permeability (measured by effective conductance) facilitates Acacia invasion; (b) forest fragments are barriers, and roads and highways are corridors for invasive spread of Acacia; and (c) size and shape of Mussununga patches play a role in biological invasion. Methods: Acacia invasion was investigated in 32 Mussununga sites within the Atlantic Forest domain. We tested the effect of a set of landscape permeability scenarios based on circuit analysis and nine other metrics of landscape structure on Acacia occurrence using three buffer‐zone sizes (0.5, 1, and 2 km). Results: The likelihood of Acacia invasion significantly increased with landscape permeability. The best‐fitting landscape permeability scenario designated road networks as corridors, intact forests and water surfaces as barriers, and degraded habitats as non‐barriers. We also found that Mussununga areas within a 0.5 km buffer negatively affected the biological invasion by Acacia. Conclusions: Extensive habitat degradation by deforestation and dense road networks facilitate Acacia invasion into sandy‐savanna Mussununga ecosystems. Landscape permeability may be used as a risk‐assessment tool for biological invasion by Acacia species. Mussununga patches can be protected from Acacia invasion through preserving or restoring forest belts around them and disconnecting them from the road network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We isolated two Candida pseudointermedia strains from the Atlantic rain forest in Brazil, and analyzed cellobiose metabolization in their cells. After growth in cellobiose medium, both strains had high intracellular β-glucosidase activity [~ 200 U (g cells)−1 for 200 mM cellobiose and ~ 100 U (g cells)−1 for 2 mM pNPβG] and negligible periplasmic cellobiase activity. During batch fermentation, the strain with the best performance consumed all the available cellobiose in the first 18 h of the assay, producing 2.7 g L−1 of ethanol. Kinetics of its cellobiase activity demonstrated a high-affinity hydrolytic system inside cells, with Km of 12.4 mM. Our data suggest that, unlike other fungal species that hydrolyze cellobiose extracellularly, both analyzed strains transport it to the cytoplasm, where it is then hydrolyzed by high-affinity intracellular β-glucosidases. We believe this study increases the fund of knowledge regarding yeasts from Brazilian microbiomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paubrasilia echinata is recognized as the best wood in the manufacture of high-quality bows for string instruments. The wood anatomy of five historic French violin bows of the 19th and 20th century made of Pernambuco wood were investigated in order to reveal the wood anatomic features of these historical bows, to determine which P. echinata morphotype (arruda , café or laranja) was used in their manufacture and to identify the state of origin of the wood. Five bow samples were compared to 33 P. echinata specimens from the Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte. The wood anatomical features were compared by means of principal component analysis, which revealed the type of axial parenchyma and percentage of tissue to be the most important to sort specimens. The best wood anatomical features previously described for high-quality bows were corroborated here and the bows in general showed similar wood anatomical features. Based on wood anatomy we found that the violin bows were most similar to the samples from the arruda morphotype derived from the States of Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte by presenting scanty, unilateral and vasicentric axial parenchyma without confluences forming bands, higher percentage of fibres and lower percentage of axial parenchyma. We can therefore suggest that the historical French violin bows studied here were all made of the arruda morphotype from the Brazilian Northeast region helping explain the preference of the French explorers for this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Croton rizzinii Farias & Riina, sp. nov. is a new species from Serra dos Órgãos National Park in the Atlantic Rain Forest domain (Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil). It is known from the municipalities of Guapimirim, Teresópolis and Petrópolis, where it grows in montane ombrophilous dense forest, between 500 and 1500 m elevation. This arborescent species belongs to Croton section Cyclostigma Griseb., a Neotropical lineage distributed in forest habitats from Mexico to northern Argentina. It is mainly characterised by its laciniate-glandular stipules, bracts with two inconspicuous glands (colleters) at the base and campanulate pistillate flowers with sepals covering the ovary. We describe and illustrate the new species, and compare it with close relatives occurring in the Atlantic Rain Forest. We also provide a distribution map, habitat information and suggestions for the assessment of its conservation status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Serra dos Órgãos National Park (PARNASO) is located in montane region of Rio de Janeiro state and is an important Brazilian protected area, preserving important ecosystems of the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Here we present a taxonomic study of the genera Edmundoa, Neoregelia and Wittrockia (Bromeliaceae, Bromelioideae) in PARNASO, based on field collections, herbarium material and bibliography. Descriptions were made based on the morphological variations observed in all specimens from the region. Sixteen taxa were found, being Neoregelia the richest genus with 13 species, followed by Wittrockia (two) and Edmundoa (one), none of them is included in official lists of endangered species. Identification keys, descriptions, information on geographic distribution and morphological and taxonomical comments for taxa are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results presented here are part of a broader work dealing with the Vascular Plants of Pedra do Elefante, Nova Venécia, Espírito Santo. Fieldwork was carried out from March 2010 to July 2016, totaling 23 expeditions. Samples were mainly incorporated in CEPEC, MBML, RB, UPCB, VIC and VIES Herbaria. Sixty-three species, one subspecies, three varieties and two hybrids of ferns and lyophytes were recorded, which are distributed in 32 genera and 15 families. The most representative families were Pteridaceae (14 spp.), Polypodiaceae (11 spp.), Anemiaceae (9 spp.) and Selaginellaceae (5 spp.). The most representative genera were Anemia (9 spp), Sellaginella (5 spp.), Adiantum and Pteris with (4 spp) each. Among these, three species are new records for the state of Espírito Santo and eight taxa present coservation status. Identification keys at generic and specific level, comments, and geographic distribution for all taxa are also presented. Floristic inventories in Espírito Santo are important, mainly in areas that have rocky outcrops, because low sampling effort and high anthropic pressure, cause negative impacts on the preservation of native vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three distinct and independent molecular-based species delimitation analyses were performed among the species and populations included within the Australoheros autrani group, based on sequences of the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome b: a tree-based method proposed by Wiens and Penkrot (WP), a Character-based DNA Barcoding (CBB) and coalescent species delimitation method termed the Bayesian Implementation of the Poisson tree processes (bPTP). The congruence of WP and CBB delimited 11 independent lineages (species), while the bPTP delimited just nine lineages. We did not favour any of the methods, and we considered the possibility of two slightly variant scenarios. A time-calibrated phylogenetic analysis is proposed based on the predominant congruence of the results of these three species delimitation methods herein applied. The monophyly of the A. autrani species group was highly supported with maximum node support value and diagnosed by 11 nucleotide substitutions. The sister clade of the A. autrani species group is the clade comprising A. sp. Timbé do Sul and A. minuano. The phylogenetic analysis supports three main clades within the A. autrani species group, supported by maximum node support value, with the Southern Mata Atlântica clade as the most basal clade. Divergence time estimates indicate that the diversification of the Australoheros originated during the early Neogene, but only in the late Neogene did the processes of diversification in the southeast and north regions occur. Diversification within the Australoheros autrani species group occurred synchronically for the three main clades during the beginning of the Quaternary. It is demonstrated that molecular characters are valuable tools for species recognition, particularly in speciose groups with inconspicuous or difficult to record morphological characters. The resulting phylogeny of the Australoheros autrani group is highly compatible with the geological and biogeographic scenarios proposed for the Neogene and Quarternary shaping of the extant river basins of eastern Brazil. Despite the origin of the A. autrani group being dated to the late Miocene, species level diversification occurred in the Pleistocene and was probably driven by headwater capture events and sea-level fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Habitat loss and fragmentation have gradually caused loss of diversity and consequently the decline of ecological services. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of tropical forest fragments as natural habitats (river valley fragments and plateau fragments) on the community of predatory and omnivorous ants in nearby sugarcane fields. Twenty fields adjacent to these fragments were selected and evaluated one (dry season) and four months (rainy season) after harvest. In each field, ants were sampled in five linear plots (10 m inside the fragment, 0 m (field path between field and fragment), 5 m, 50 m and 100 m inside the crop fields). Each plot comprised ten sardine baits in a row parallel to the field edge. Species richness and frequency of ant species decreased with increasing distance from the forest fragments. Inside fields, species richness and frequency were higher during the period of vegetative growth (rainy season) than after harvest (dry season). Ant communities of sugarcane fields and forest fragments were more similar later in the season than directly after sugarcane harvest suggesting recolonization of the fields from the fragments. Several ant species were limited to forest fragments after harvest but occurred later in the season also in sugarcane fields confirming the potential contribution of fragments to the recolonization process and therefore to biological control of sugarcane-dominated pest insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ilha Grande is a large continental island (total area of 19,300 ha) situated at the southern coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, in southeast Brazil, within the Atlantic Forest Biome. Here we provide an update to the previous knowledge of the fauna of amphibians and reptiles occurring in Ilha Grande, based on primary data from our own fieldwork and on secondary data (from institutional collections and from the literature). We report the occurrence at Ilha Grande of a total of 74 species, being 34 amphibians (all of them anurans) and 40 reptiles (27 snakes, 11 lizards, one amphisbaenian and one crocodylian). Our survey added 14 species to the herpetofaunal list of Ilha Grande (three of amphibians and eleven of reptiles) and removed one species (the amphibian Cycloramphus fuliginosus) from the previous list. The data indicated that Ilha Grande houses a considerable portion of the Atlantic Forest amphibian and reptile diversity (ca. 6% and 19%, respectively, of the species occurring in this biome) together with high occurrence of species endemic to this biome plus a few amphibian species endemic to this island. Ilha Grande is thus an important reservoir of both biodiversity and endemism of amphibians and reptiles of the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, which highlights the importance of the conservation of the island and of its different habitats along the insular landscape.

The upper montane forests in the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil have an unusual and discontinuous geographic distribution at the top of the Atlantic coastal mountain ranges. To describe the floristic composition and structure of the Atlantic Forest near its upper altitudinal limit in southeastern Brazil, 30 plots with 10 × 10 m were installed in three forest sites between 2,200 and 2,300 m.a.s.l. at Serra Fina. The floristic composition and phytosociological structure of this forest were compared with other montane and upper montane forests. In total, 704 individuals were included, belonging to 24 species, 15 families, and 19 genera. Myrsinaceae, Myrtaceae, Symplocaceae, and Cunoniaceae were the most important families, and Myrsine gardneriana, Myrceugenia alpigena, Weinmannia humilis, and Symplocos corymboclados were the most important species. The three forest sites revealed differences in the abundance of species, density, canopy height, and number of stems per individual. The upper montane forests showed structural similarities, such as lower richness, diversity, and effective number of species, and they tended to have higher total densities and total dominance per hectare to montane forests. The most important species in these upper montane forests belong to Austral-Antartic genera or neotropical and pantropical genera that are typical of montane areas. The high number of species shared by these forests suggests past connections between the vegetation in southern Brazilian high-altitude areas.

Abstract The Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest biome has been strongly impacted by human action and by various factors related to economic development. The hawkmoth Adhemarius eurysthenes (Sphingidae, Smerinthinae, Ambulycini) is endemic to the southern portion of this biome, with most of its existing populations within Brazil. Using CAD , wingless , and the barcode region of the mitochondrial COI gene, populations of A. eurysthenes were analyzed phylogeographically to obtain information on their genetic structure and variability, and to explain their spatial distribution. We obtained 14 COI haplotypes of 109 individuals from 10 localities. The population in the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil, showed the highest average genetic distance in relation to other populations. A test of molecular variance using the spatial component (SAMOVA) separated the samples into two groups; again, Espírito Santo was the divergent site. We found no significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances, but did find a tendency toward genetic isolation near the northern limit of the range of A. eurysthenes. We discuss the implementation of the observed patterns for other taxa, in an attempt to support studies on the conservation of Ambulycini in the Atlantic Rain Forest. Espírito Santo proved to be a locality of particular importance for conservation of the endemic Ambulycini in this biome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims - Latitudinal gradients have an important influence on species distribution reflecting the effects of environmental factors such as temperature, rainfall, soil, and geographical distance. In the southeastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest, the role of climatic variables in the floristic composition is better known for altitudinal gradients of the Serra do Mar Mountains rather than for the latitudinal gradient. Here, we investigated the effects of mean annual temperature and rainfall on tree species distribution and composition in a latitudinal gradient in the Atlantic forest. Methods - We calculated each species frequency of occurrence and the latitudinal range. We used multivariate analyses (direct ordination, Hierarchical Clustering followed by Indicator Species analysis and NMDS) to investigate variation in floristic composition, and regression analyses to evaluate mean annual temperatures and rainfall effects on tree species composition along the latitudinal gradient (21°S to 28°S). Key results - A total of 789 species were registered, of which a majority (646 species) were present in less than 20% of the sampled areas, and only four species (0.5%) were present in more than 80% of the sampled areas. Only ten species (1.3%) reached the maximum latitudinal range (~6°). We found a strong correlation between variation in floristic composition and the spatial position in the latitudinal gradient. The cluster analyses detected two main floristic groups, one composed by the forests from Rio de Janeiro (21°S to 23°S) and the second by the forests from São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina States (23°S to 28°S). The multiple regression analysis revealed a strong effect of the climatic variables on the variation of the floristic composition along the latitudinal gradient (r2 = 0.81, P < 0.001), where 62.82% of the variation were explained by mean annual temperature, 8.27% by annual rainfall and 10.45% by both variables together. Conclusions - The restricted distribution of most species may be explained by variations in mean annual temperature and annual rainfall along the latitudinal gradient. For instance, the decreasing mean annual temperature along the coast and the occurrence of frosts at higher latitudes may limit the southward distribution of some species while the lower annual rainfall (with marked seasonality) in the north of the gradient may limit the northward distribution of other species. Although mean annual temperature explained most of the variation in species composition along the latitudinal gradient, the abrupt variation in annual rainfall may explain the high floristic dissimilarity detected in the north of the gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential oil yield and composition of 17 species of the Asteraceae family were evaluated. Samples were obtained by hydrodistillation of the leaves and inflorescences and they were analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. A total of 13 species presented essential oils with yields ranging from 0.06 to 3.36% in fresh samples and from 0.07 to 2.53% in dried samples. Erechtites valerianifolius (Wolf) DC. produced the highest essential oil yield from both fresh and dried samples. Seventy-nine constituents were identified in essential oils from Asteraceae species, mainly consisting of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Questions: We studied the importance of soil properties and neighbouring forest cover in affecting plant community biomass and assembly during the tropical forest restoration process. We also investigated how compositional responses depended on traits expected to influence individual success. Location: Forest restoration sites across anthropogenic grasslands in mixed use agricultural watersheds, eastern São Paulo state, Brazil. Methods: We identified and measured all woody individuals (DBH ≥ 5 cm) in four 200‐m² plots per site. Then we translated these measurements into above‐ground biomass (AGB), and related AGB variability to neighbouring forest cover, soil texture and chemical fertility using mixed effect models. We assessed the effect of these predictors on different species groups, arranged according to variation in wood density, tree height or habitat selectivity, through multivariate abundance models. Results: AGB ranged between 0 and 104.7 t/ha (median of 10.4 t/ha), with high variation within, as well as between, watersheds. Sand percentage, forest cover and the interaction between soil nutrient concentrations and sand percentage were good predictors of measured AGB. The most parsimonious model projected a seven growing seasons AGB recovery of 70.90 t/ha, when a site is on fertile soils with 10% sand and surrounded by forest cover of 50%. In contrast, only 5.24 t/ha is predicted on acidic‐poor soils with 67% sand and 0% forest cover. Increasing forest cover favoured smaller trees and habitat generalists while increasing sand percentage inhibited taller species and forest specialists. Sand percentage constrained softwoods in fertile soils. Conclusion: Our results confirm that the likelihood of restoration to pre‐disturbance conditions is constrained in contexts of higher degradation, such as when agricultural use adversely affects soil properties and/or motivates extreme deforestation. Lower AGB found on sandy soils suggests that forest recovery is sensitive to local drought intensification. Given regional projections for extended dry seasons, restoration approaches could consider targeting alternative reference states, rather than historical/undisturbed ones, under highly altered environments, while aiming to improve soil and microclimate conditions to allow moist tropical forest recovery where feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a checklist for the ferns and lycophytes from Pico Paraná State Park, in Southern Brazil. The Park is entirely located at the Serra do Mar mountains, and represents an important remnant of the Atlantic Rain Forest with altitude achieving 1,887 m. In this locality is the Pico Paraná, the highest mountain in Southern Brazil. This study was focused on the altitudes above 1,000 m, which are mainly represented by dwarf forests and altitudinal fields. A total of 142 species were recorded, three of them (Ceradenia maackii, Diplazium tamandarei, and Stenogrammitis wittigiana) are only found in the park in Southern Brazil. Besides of the checklist of the species, we highlight some important aspects related to endangered species, geographic distribution, and life forms. The high level of endemism, the presence of endangered species, and the phylogenetic diversity as represented by distinct families of ferns and lycophytes show the biogeographic importance of this area for the conservation of these groups of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fritziana is a genus of phytotelm-dwelling frogs that inhabits bamboo and bromeliads in the southern and southeastern portions of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Currently, five species are known, but the existence of undescribed species has been acknowledged. Here, we conducted a species-delimitation analysis of Fritziana using deoxyribonucleic acid sequences comprising two fragments of a mitochondrial gene (16S). The species delimitation analysis (with 16S) with Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony supported the recognition of a new species as an exclusive lineage, sister to all other Fritziana species. Bioacoustic and morphological evidence also support this finding. The new species occurs from 1166 to 2146 m above sea level and inhabits bromeliads from the National Park of Serra dos Órgãos, in the municipality of Teresópolis, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Compared with its congeners, the new species has nostrils narrowly separated, diameter of tympanum equal to or larger than diameter of disc on finger III, subarticular tubercles divided, and venter uniformly beige; advertisement call with notes composed of more than two pulses, and without the longer first pulse group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ozone (O 3 ) hypersensitive species Nicotiana tabacum Bel W3 was used to assess the impact on O 3 contamination profile by a natural gas-powered thermoelectric plant (TP) that provides power to an oil refinery at Cubatão (SE-Brazil). An increase in O 3 levels would represent an even more harmful effect to the Atlantic Rainforest present in the region. The biomonitoring study was performed along TP pre-operation, transition and TP post-operation phases. Tobacco plants were biweekly exposed at urban, industrial and forest areas at different altitudes. O 3 -induced leaf injuries were evaluated at the end of each exposure. N. tabacum plants at forest sites at mountain slope were usually more affected by O 3 , especially at higher layers. As TP started operating, nitrogen dioxide (O 3 precursor) mean concentrations increased considerably (6 ppb to 16 ppb). The contamination of the Atlantic Rainforest by high levels of N created a favourable scenario for an increase in O 3 concentrations. In fact, F200, F300 and F350 sites (forest sites at 200, 300 and 350 m.a.s.l.) had plants showing a significant increase in O 3 -induced leaf injuries. Phytotoxic levels were similar to those found at F700 site (forest site at 700 m.a.s.l.), which were high for the whole study period. The new O 3 contamination profile persisted for F200 and F300 sites during TP post-operation phase. Although slightly lower levels than those seen on transition phase, the intensity of O 3 -injuries remained higher compared to the original conditions. The use of Nicotiana tabacum Bel W3 allowed to see the negative impact on the air quality after TP started operating, contributing to an increase in O 3 concentrations and phytotoxic levels at forest sites at mountain slope. Plant community were then exposed to an even higher harmful effect compared to the first phase. The stability and fitness of the Atlantic Rainforest influenced by the pollution coming from Cubatão are still under potential risk. However, how the vegetation will behave at this new scenario is unknown and requires time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed dispersal is a process that is fundamental to maintenance of forest ecosystems, enabling plants to successfully germinate in sites that are favorable to their growth, minimizing risks of competition, the action of pathogens and predation by herbivores. Intraspecific and seasonal variations in fruit consumption by Didelphis albiventris, and its contribution to dispersal and germination of endozoochorous seeds were analyzed in a Semideciduous seasonal forest. The study was conducted at Morro do Coco, which is a hilly area in the municipal district of Viamão, RS, Brazil, bordering the shore of Guaíba lake (30°16'15"S, 51°02'54"W), between June 2013 and May 2014, with a total sampling effort of 2992 trap-nights. A total of 18 individuals were captured and 24 fecal samples were collected. Fruits were identified in 96% of the samples, corresponding to 18 plant species, belonging to 10 families. The most common species were Ficus cestrifolia and Syagrus romanzoffiana, which occurred in 66% of the samples, followed by Banara parviflora and Cecropia pachystachya, both with a 25% rate of occurrence. There were no differences between the richness of fruit consumed by males and females (t = 0.083; DF = 32; p = 0.934) and there were no seasonal variations (H = 3.165; p = 0.367). The greatest breadth of dietary niche occurred during the summer, when twice as many fruit species were recorded in the diet than during the autumn, which was the season with the smallest breadth. Both germination percentage and germination velocity of Ficus cestrifolia and Psidium sp. seeds increased after passage through the animals' digestive tracts (percentage germination increased more than 40% and velocity was up to 7 times highest). Didelphis albiventris can be considered a frugivorous-omnivorous species, since fruit are an important item of its diet, and it contributes to dispersal of a large quantity of small endozoochorous seeds, increasing both germination percentage and germination velocity of some species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest islands are unique habitats standing out across mountains dominated by rupestrian grassland in southeastern Brazil. In this work we evaluated the relationship between the plant species functional traits (number of ecoregions in which a species occurs, potential height, mean height, mean basal area, mean leaf area) and ecological variables (leaf damage from chewing herbivores, the number of individuals) with environmental parameters (physical and chemical properties of the soil, canopy cover) of the tree communities in an archipelago of montane forest islands immersed in rupestrian grasslands. We found a strong connection between the traits of tree species and environmental parameters; habitats associated with high soil fertility and canopy cover (leaf area index) harbored species with high structural values (i.e., height and basal area), broad distribution among Brazilian ecoregions, high rates of leaf damage from chewing insects and fewer individuals. Habitats with low soil fertility and canopy cover values harbored species with low structural values, restricted geographic distribution and low rates of leaf damage by chewing insects. Although physical parameters play an important role in the establishment of forest islands, our results point to chemical indicators of soil fertility as a relevant environmental promoter, influencing the composition and structure of island tree communities. The impact of local habitat parameters on the tree species functional traits showed that habitat heterogeneity is essential in structuring tree communities in this natural archipelago of forest islands. We advocate that understanding the connection between habitat parameters and species functional traits can help to predict the ecological consequences of anthropogenic or natural impacts to those forests, supporting the development of effective conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ilha Grande is a large continental island (total area of 19,300 ha) situated at the southern coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, in southeast Brazil, within the Atlantic Forest Biome. Here we provide an update to the previous knowledge of the fauna of amphibians and reptiles occurring in Ilha Grande, based on primary data from our own fieldwork and on secondary data (from institutional collections and from the literature). We report the occurrence at Ilha Grande of a total of 74 species, being 34 amphibians (all of them anurans) and 40 reptiles (27 snakes, 11 lizards, one amphisbaenian and one crocodylian). Our survey added 14 species to the herpetofaunal list of Ilha Grande (three of amphibians and eleven of reptiles) and removed one species (the amphibian Cycloramphus fuliginosus) from the previous list. The data indicated that Ilha Grande houses a considerable portion of the Atlantic Forest amphibian and reptile diversity (ca. 6% and 19%, respectively, of the species occurring in this biome) together with high occurrence of species endemic to this biome plus a few amphibian species endemic to this island. Ilha Grande is thus an important reservoir of both biodiversity and endemism of amphibians and reptiles of the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, which highlights the importance of the conservation of the island and of its different habitats along the insular landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]