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Human activities have triggered profound changes in natural landscapes, resulting in species loss and disruption of pivotal ecological interactions such as insect herbivory. This antagonistic interaction is affected by complex pathways (e.g., abundance of herbivores and predators, plant chemical defenses, and resource availability), but the knowledge regarding how forest loss and fragmentation affect insect herbivory in human‐modified tropical landscapes still remains poorly understood. In this context, we assessed multi‐pathways by which changes in landscape structure likely influence insect herbivory in 20 Atlantic forest fragments in Brazil. Using path analysis, we estimated the direct effects of forest cover and forest edge density, and the indirect effect via canopy openness, number of understory plants and phenolic compounds, on leaf damage in understory plants located in the edge and interior of forest fragments. In particular, plants located in forest edges experienced greater leaf damage than interior ones. We observed that landscape edge density exerted a positive and direct effect on leaf damage in plants sampled at the edge of forest fragments. Our findings also indicated that forest loss and increase of edge density led to an increase in the canopy opening in the forest interior, which causes a reduction in the number of understory plants and, consequently, an increase in leaf damage. In addition, we detected that phenolic compounds negatively influence leaf damage in forest interior plants. Given the increasing forest loss in tropical regions, in which forest fragments become stranded in highly deforested, edge‐dominated and degraded landscapes, our study highlights the pervasive enhancement in insect herbivory in remaining forest fragments—especially along forest edges and canopy gaps in the forest interior. As a result, increased herbivory is likely to affect forest regeneration and accelerate the ecological meltdown processes in these highly deforested and disturbed anthropogenic landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical species richness is threatened by habitat degradation associated with land‐use conversion, yet the consequences for functional diversity remain little understood. Progress has been hindered by difficulties in obtaining comprehensive species‐level trait information to characterize entire assemblages and insufficient appreciation that increasing land‐cover heterogeneity potentially compensates for species loss. We examined the impacts of tropical deforestation associated with land‐use heterogeneity on bird species richness, functional redundancy, functional diversity, and associated components (i.e., alpha diversity, species dissimilarity, and interaction strength of the relationship between abundance and functional dissimilarity). We analyzed over 200 georeferenced bird assemblages in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. We characterized the functional role of the species of each assemblage and modeled biodiversity metrics as a function of forest cover and land‐cover heterogeneity. Replacement of native Atlantic Forest with a mosaic of land uses (e.g., agriculture, pastures, and urbanization) reduced bird species richness in a nonrandom way. Core forest species, or species considered sensitive to edges, tended to be absent in communities in heterogenous environments. Overall, functional diversity and functional redundancy of bird species were not affected by forest loss. However, birds in highly heterogenous habitats were functionally distinct from birds in forest, suggesting a shift in community composition toward mosaic‐exclusive species led by land‐cover heterogeneity. Threatened species of the Atlantic Forest did not seem to tolerate degraded and heterogeneous environments; they remained primarily in areas with large forest tracts. Our results shed light on the complex effects of native forest transformation to mosaics of anthropogenic landscapes and emphasize the importance of considering the effects of deforestation and land‐use heterogeneity when assessing deforestation effects on Neotropical biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf litter breakdown is a critical process in ecosystems, influencing food webs and biogeochemical cycles, particularly in inorganic soils such as those found in highland grassland systems. Our experiment examined the leaf litter breakdown of two species, Eucalyptus grandis (exotic) and Inga uruguensis (native), in the soil of riparian zones at subtropical highland grasslands. During the spring season, fine and coarse mesh litterbags with exotic and native leaf litter were incubated in riparian zones with (n = 3) and without (n = 3) tree and shrub layers, resulting in a total of 72 litter bags. In each sampling site, the dry weight of the natural litter was measured, and soil samples were collected for basic physical–chemical analysis. After 42 days of incubation, the remaining material in litter bags was weighed. Our study provided partial support for our hypothesis that the presence of trees and shrubs in riparian vegetation and edaphic macrofauna would enhance litter breakdown, particularly for high-quality litter. Surprisingly, the chemical and physical properties of the soil and riparian vegetation presence did not have a significant impact on the decomposition process, indicating efficient nutrient cycling in soil systems. However, the presence of edaphic fauna, especially soil macroinvertebrates, played a critical role in facilitating leaf litter breakdown. Additionally, we observed rapid breakdown rates for high-quality litter, aligning with our expectations, despite its exotic origin. Our findings highlight the importance of considering leaf quality and macro-detritivores in studying and managing leaf litter breakdown in riparian ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects of forensic importance can be attracted to crime scenes, thus aiding in the estimation of post-mortem interval (PMI). For this, knowledge about the entomofauna of each particular region is essential, along with their life cycle, ecological and biological characteristics, and taxonomic identity. This study aimed to survey the sarcophagid flies of the genus Peckia Robineau-Desvoidy occurring in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. For this purpose, pig carcasses were used as bait and monitored throughout their decomposition process during both dry and rainy seasons. Seven species of Peckia were recorded: P. chrysostoma (Wiedemann), P. collusor (Curran & Walley), P. lambens (Wiedemann), P. intermutans (Walker), P. pexata (Wulp), P. anguilla (Curran & Walley), and P. tridentata (Hall). The highest occurrence of Peckia species was observed in the gaseous and initial decomposition phases (dry period), as well as advanced decomposition (rainy period). Temperature, humidity, and rainfall showed a tendency to directly influence the duration of the carcass decomposition phases.

The Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest presents great diversity of flora and stand structures, making it difficult for traditional forest inventories to collect reliable and recurrent information to classify forest succession stages. In recent years, remote sensing data have been explored to save time and effort in classifying successional forest stages. However, there is a need to understand if any of these sensors stand out for this purpose. Here, we evaluate the use of multispectral satellite data from four different platforms (CBERS-4A, Landsat-8/OLI, PlanetScope, and Sentinel-2) and airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to classify three forest succession stages in a subtropical ombrophilous mixed forest located in southern Brazil. Different features extracted from multispectral and LiDAR data, such as spectral bands, vegetation indices, texture features, and the canopy height model (CHM) and LiDAR intensity, were explored using two conventional machine learning methods such as random trees (RT) and support vector machine (SVM). The statistically based maximum likelihood (MLC) algorithm was also compared. The classification accuracy was evaluated by generating a confusion matrix and calculating the kappa index and standard deviation based on field measurements and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data. Our results show that the kappa index ranged from 0.48 to 0.95, depending on the chosen dataset and method. The best result was obtained using the SVM algorithm associated with spectral bands, CHM, LiDAR intensity, and vegetation indices, regardless of the sensor. Datasets with Landsat-8 or Sentinel-2 information performed better results than other optical sensors, which may be due to the higher intraclass variability and less spectral bands in CBERS-4A and PlanetScope data. We found that the height information derived from airborne LiDAR and its intensity combined with the multispectral data increased the classification accuracy. However, the results were also satisfactory when using only multispectral data. These results highlight the potential of using freely available satellite information and open-source software to optimize forest inventories and monitoring, enabling a better understanding of forest structure and potentially supporting forest management initiatives and environmental licensing programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Evaluating the population status of crocodylians in protected habitats and providing more information on their distribution and population structure are of utmost importance for conservation strategies for these organisms. Although Caiman latirostris is widely distributed throughout Brazil and South America, information on its populations is still scarce, particularly within protected areas. In this study, we sampled various water bodies within the protected area of Rio Doce State Park (RDSP), to investigate patterns of density and population structure of C. latirostris. We assessed the caimans’ density through spotlight night counts across five lakes within the RDSP, capturing the animals whenever possible for biometric measurements. Our results showed a relative abundance (encounter rate) of 4.01 individuals per kilometer across the water bodies in the RDSP. We found significant differences in the relative abundance of caimans between the studied lakes (p < 0.01). Our findings reveal a heterogeneous distribution of C. latirostris across the study area, which can result from the combined effect of resource availability, anthropogenic impacts, and caiman social hierarchy. The resource availability, historical human activity, and caiman social hierarchy of the different water bodies may have influenced the observed distribution of C. latirostris inside the protected area, but future long-term studies can clarify this pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The family Physaraceae (Physarales, Myxomycetes) is represented in Brazil by eight genera and 75 species. Based on data obtained from the GBIF, SpeciesLink, Flora and Funga do Brasil platforms, collections from the IPA and URM Herbaria and material collected since 1960 deposited in the UFP Herbarium, the microhabitats and distribution of Badhamiopsis (1sp.) and Badhamia (10 spp.) in Brazilian biomes are commented. An identification key for the species and the first report of B. melanospora from the state of Paraíba, B. panicea from the state of Paraná and B. ovispora from Brazil are presented.

Abstract During the Neotropical review of Celtis, a new species (Celtis atlantica) endemic and endangered to southeastern Brazil was discovered. A morphological description, a distribution map, conservation status, taxonomic notes, illustrations, and an identification key of the Celtis from the Southern Cone and Brazil are provided.

Despite the existence of important floristic and forest inventories in the Paraná state, the montane and upper montane ecosystems still give rise to new species and new records of plants. Here, we report for the first time in the Paraná state Hydrocotyle itatiaiensis Brade (Araliaceae), a rare and poorly studied species endemic to montane and upper montane rainforests and highland grasslands of the South and Southeast regions of Brazil. The previously known geographic distribution had a 700 km gap between northern São Paulo and southern Santa Catarina states, which is now filled by the present record. We provide photographs from the field, a map of occurrences, a description, and comments on the morphology, taxonomy, and conservation status of the species. Our new records reinforce the conservation importance of these environments and the need for further floristic sur-veys in the region.

ABSTRACT The type of Elettaria brasiliensis was discovered at the herbarium in Pisa. The Italian naturalist Giuseppe Raddi collected this in Brazil in 1818 and published the name in 1828 and placed it in the genus, the type of which is green cardamom, E. cardamomum, native to Indian subcontinent. A close examination reveals that it belongs in the African-Neotropical genus Renealmia. As the epithet is already occupied, Raddi’s species will be a synonym of Renealmia chrysotricha and thus there is no taxonomic implication of the discovery. This species is endemic in the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil, where the seeds are used for medicinal and other purposes and referred to as Brazilian cardamom. We include a list of eight synonyms, two of which are new, an updated description including recent photographs taken in the wild, a distribution map and a preliminary Red List assessment following IUCN criteria. Lectotypes are designated for Elettaria brasiliensis and Renealmia reticulata and a neotype for Renealmia pycnostachys.

During the first author's doctoral research, in part developed at the New York Botanical Garden and guided by William Wayt Thomas, several new species of Rhynchospora were discovered when revising NY herbarium specimens. In this study, we describe and name one of these species as Rhynchospora waytii, in honor of this renowned sedge specialist and friend. Rhynchospora waytii is closely related to R. nanuzae but displays distinguishing characteristics such as broader leaves, inconspicuous rhizomes, and larger spikelets and stylopodia. It also exhibits a peculiar disjunct distribution, occurring in Brazil and Argentina, which is explored here with models of geographical range evolution and suitable area of occupancy. Our analysis suggests that suitable habitats have historically existed along the Atlantic coast, extending to the La Plata estuary, near the location where the Argentinian specimens were collected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report Rickettsia species from 2,334 ticks collected from environment (1,939 ticks) and animals (395 ticks) in the largest inland fragment of the Atlantic rainforest of southern Brazil and its fragments. Additionally, the DNA infection rates of Amblyomma ovale tick populations in the Neotropics with Rickettsia bellii and Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest were calculated using data from scientific publications, and their correlation was evaluated. From 11 tick species Rickettsia DNA was detected in seven (Amblyomma brasiliense, Amblyomma coelebs, Amblyomma incisum, Amblyomma longirostre, A. ovale, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, Ixodes fuscipes) and was not detected in four species (Amblyomma dubitatum, Ixodes loricatus, Rhipicephalus microplus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato). DNA of five Rickettsia species was detected (R. bellii, Rickettsia amblyommatis, Rickettsia rhipicephali, Rickettsia felis and Rickettsia sp. Aragaoi). To determine the prevalence of Rickettsia DNA positivity according to vector species, ticks were processed individually or in pools of 2–10 individuals (samples). The most prevalent Rickettsia species was R. bellii, found in 112 samples, followed by R. amblyommatis, R. rhipicephali, R. felis and Rickettsia sp. Aragaoi, found in 16, five, two and one sample, respectively. Rickettsia bellii DNA was found in five tick species with the highest infection rate in A. ovale and A. brasiliense. Absence of R. parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest in A. ovale ticks was an unexpected result. Furthermore, a negative correlation was identified between the infection rates (DNA) of R. bellii and/or R. parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest within A. ovale tick populations in the Neotropics. Putting together current knowledge, it can be proposed that, within natural settings, the diversity of rickettsiae and ticks creates a buffering effect on the overgrowth of rickettsiae and episodes of bacteremia in the hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To test whether spatial turnover patterns of mountain madicolous insect communities in the Southern Hemisphere support the 'mountain passes are higher in the Tropic' hypothesis (MPHT). To do this, we compared madicolous communities in the Amazon Mountains (equator) and the Atlantic Forest Mountains (23°S). Location: Brazil. Methods: We characterized madicolous insect communities in two elevational gradients between 90 to 3000 m a.s.l. separated by 23° of latitude, totalling 108 sampling sites. Since the MPHT predicts a more intense turnover along elevational gradients at lower latitudes than at higher latitudes, we evaluated beta diversity in the Amazon mountains, at the equator, and in the Atlantic Forest mountains, in the subtropical region. We quantified multiple‐site abundance‐based dissimilarity to assess whether beta diversity was different between both regions. We also performed constrained ordination (db‐RDA) analyses to assess whether community dissimilarity (balanced variation in abundances) was uniquely or jointly explained by environmental, spatial and/or elevational predictors. Additionally, we independently assessed the relationship between community dissimilarity and altitudinal difference in each region and tested for differences in model parameters between regions. Results: Although we found high species turnover in both regions, the community variation explained by environmental factors and altitude was higher in the Amazon than in the Atlantic Forest, as evidenced by db‐RDA and altitudinal difference models. In general, communities were remarkably constrained by spatial predictors, which result from low dispersion capacity of most madicolous insects and low connectivity of madicolous systems. Consequently, the composition of madicolous insects notably diverged between regions, highlighting the complementarity and high conservation value of both systems. Main Conclusions: Our results indicate that the MPHT explains, at the community level, the differences between low‐ and high‐latitude mountain systems in community turnover along elevational gradients, even within a relatively short latitudinal distance in the Southern Hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elucidation of mechanisms responsible for the reproductive isolation of species is a fundamental part of speciation research. South American poeciliid fishes in the genus Phalloceros represent a promising system in which to study the evolution of reproductive barriers between closely related species. Phalloceros are often found in sympatry with non-sister congeners, and most such species pairs have morphologically divergent female and male genitalia. In recent studies, it has been hypothesized that mismatched genitalia between co-occurring Phalloceros species might act as mechanical barriers to prevent hybridization and might help to explain the diversification of this group. However, this idea has not yet been evaluated empirically with genetic data. Here, we tested this hypothesis using morphological data in conjunction with mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data. Our study focused on Phalloceros anisophallos and Phalloceros leptokeras , two non-sister species that have mismatched genitalia and that occur together in at least four rivers in south-eastern Brazil. Despite the prevalence of hybridization between closely related non-sister species of animals, especially fish, our phylogenetically-based results detected no evidence of mitonuclear discordance and (hence historical hybridization) between the two focal species. Our findings are therefore consistent with the hypothesis that mismatched genitalia prevent hybridization between sympatric species of Phalloceros fishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harvestmen are considered excellent models for investigating defensive behavior, as they can demonstrate primary mechanisms, such as cryptic coloration, and secondary mechanisms, such as the release of odoriferous substances. In our study, we investigated whether the time of the day and sexual dimorphism influence the defensive strategies of the gonyleptid harvestman Pseudopucrolia discrepans (Roewer, 1943). The behavioral trials were carried out with 60 harvestmen (30 males and 30 females) collected from an Atlantic Rainforest fragment in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Of these, 15 males and 15 females were tested during the day and the other 15 males and 15 females were tested at night. The trials simulated attacks by predators and in response to them, P. discrepans demonstrated six different defensive behaviors: freezing, pinching, chemical release, body shaking, thanatosis, and fleeing. During the day, males and females did not show differences in the frequency of the use of defensive behaviors. However, at night, females stood out in relation to males. Thus, we were able to demonstrate that the period of the day influences the behavioral differences in both sexes of P. discrepans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent times, the area burned by wildfires in the Atlantic Rainforest, a biodiversity hotspot, has increased and its occurrence may threaten this biome. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of three fire risk indices for a historical time series in Vale do Paraíba Paulista, southeast Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil. Daily meteorological data from automatic weather stations and hotspots records from INPE fire monitoring program were used to validate the formulas. Three fire risk indices were calculated: Angstron, Monte Alegre Formula (MAF) and Telecyn. We expected that we would find an increase in fire risk in recent years in the region, which we found for some municipalities, and that burning risk would be higher in dry months, which we showed. Moreover, we argued that protected areas surrounding higher fire risk sites are being threatened, especially near São Luiz do Paraitinga and Taubaté. Lastly, considering the higher probability in detecting fire risk in higher classes, Angstron was the most adequate for Campos do Jordão and MAF for Sao Luiz do Paraitinga, Taubaté and Cachoeira Paulista.

The Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest presents great diversity of flora and stand structures, making it difficult for traditional forest inventories to collect reliable and recurrent information to classify forest succession stages. In recent years, remote sensing data have been explored to save time and effort in classifying successional forest stages. However, there is a need to understand if any of these sensors stand out for this purpose. Here, we evaluate the use of multispectral satellite data from four different platforms (CBERS-4A, Landsat-8/OLI, PlanetScope, and Sentinel-2) and airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to classify three forest succession stages in a subtropical ombrophilous mixed forest located in southern Brazil. Different features extracted from multispectral and LiDAR data, such as spectral bands, vegetation indices, texture features, and the canopy height model (CHM) and LiDAR intensity, were explored using two conventional machine learning methods such as random trees (RT) and support vector machine (SVM). The statistically based maximum likelihood (MLC) algorithm was also compared. The classification accuracy was evaluated by generating a confusion matrix and calculating the kappa index and standard deviation based on field measurements and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data. Our results show that the kappa index ranged from 0.48 to 0.95, depending on the chosen dataset and method. The best result was obtained using the SVM algorithm associated with spectral bands, CHM, LiDAR intensity, and vegetation indices, regardless of the sensor. Datasets with Landsat-8 or Sentinel-2 information performed better results than other optical sensors, which may be due to the higher intraclass variability and less spectral bands in CBERS-4A and PlanetScope data. We found that the height information derived from airborne LiDAR and its intensity combined with the multispectral data increased the classification accuracy. However, the results were also satisfactory when using only multispectral data. These results highlight the potential of using freely available satellite information and open-source software to optimize forest inventories and monitoring, enabling a better understanding of forest structure and potentially supporting forest management initiatives and environmental licensing programs.

In order to generate strategies for the use of native species for ecological restoration, this paper presents the effects resulting from planting with facilitating tree species, in different proportions, after 13 years of forest restoration, in an area previously used for cattle buffaloes. The implantation was carried out in the Ombrophilous Dense Forest in the Lowlands, in the Atlantic Rainforest biome of the coastal plain of the state of Paraná and consisted of the plantation of 10 native species, distributed in two treatments: equal (A) and unequal (B) proportions of trees per species. After conducting a forest census, it was identified that the silvicultural expression of the facilitating tree species in the treatments differed significantly, and proportion A contributed to a scenario with greater silvicultural heterogeneity in the areas, which may be beneficial to the evolution of the ecological dynamics of the forest restoration process. In addition, the monitoring of Alchornea glandulosa, Inga edulis, and Myrsine coriacea expressed better development in the area and high resilience to the environmental adversities arising from the cattle ranching activity previously carried out, especially in relation to invasive grasses; therefore, they are recommended for use in the forest restoration of associated ecosystems.

In the present paper we describe Tijucameria gabrieli n. sp., the second species of the genus Tijucameria, which, until today, is recorded only from Brazil. The new species is sympatric with T. mame Mendonça & Fernandes 2005. Both were found in the same locality, known as nook of ‘Paulo and Virginia’, about 650 m a.s.l. in the Tijuca Forest (Rio de Janeiro Municipality). Specimens of T. gabrieli n. sp. were also found in lowland Atlantic Rainforest (Magé Municipality, Rio de Janeiro State) about 40 km from Tijuca Forest. The new species differs from the other species by a singular set of characters represented by dark blue colouration, absence of mucro, size of sensilla and the number of dorsal microchaetae.

Ants have long been known for their associations with other taxa, including macroscopic fungi and symbiotic bacteria. Recently, many ant species have had the composition and function of their bacterial communities investigated. Due to its behavioral and ecological diversity, the subfamily Ponerinae deserves more attention regarding its associated microbiota. Here, we used the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene to characterize the bacterial communities of Odontomachus chelifer (ground-nesting) and Odontomachus hastatus (arboreal), two ponerine trap-jaw species commonly found in the Brazilian savanna ("Cerrado") and Atlantic rainforest. We investigated habitat effects (O. chelifer in the Cerrado and the Atlantic rainforest) and species-specific effects (both species in the Atlantic rainforest) on the bacterial communities' structure (composition and abundance) in two different body parts: cuticle and gaster. Bacterial communities differed in all populations studied. Cuticular communities were more diverse, while gaster communities presented variants common to other ants, including Wolbachia and Candidatus Tokpelaia hoelldoblerii. Odontomachus chelifer populations presented different communities in both body parts, highlighting the influence of habitat type. In the Atlantic rainforest, the outcome depended on the body part targeted. Cuticular communities were similar between species, reinforcing the habitat effect on bacterial communities, which are mainly composed of environmentally acquired taxa. Gaster communities, however, differed between the two Odontomachus species, suggesting species-specific effects and selective filters. Unclassified Firmicutes and uncultured Rhizobiales variants are the main components accounting for the observed differences. Our study indicates that both host species and habitat act synergistically, but to different degrees, to shape the bacterial communities in these Odontomachus species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the existence of important floristic and forest inventories in the Paraná state, the montane and upper montane ecosystems still give rise to new species and new records of plants. Here, we report for the first time in the Paraná state Hydrocotyle itatiaiensis Brade (Araliaceae), a rare and poorly studied species endemic to montane and upper montane rainforests and highland grasslands of the South and Southeast regions of Brazil. The previously known geographic distribution had a 700 km gap between northern São Paulo and southern Santa Catarina states, which is now filled by the present record. We provide photographs from the field, a map of occurrences, a description, and comments on the morphology, taxonomy, and conservation status of the species. Our new records reinforce the conservation importance of these environments and the need for further floristic surveys in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riparian environments are characterized by a gradient of environmental factors perpendicular to the watercourse, as the habitat changes from terrestrial to aquatic. These areas are highly diverse in comparison with adjacent ecosystems specially in arid and semi-arid regions, a pattern that may not be as marked in other climates where humidity and nutrient gradients are not so abrupt. We aimed to evaluate the diversity of small mammals in riparian and nonriparian environments in an area of Atlantic Forest, as well as the association between habitat structure and small mammal assemblages. A survey was conducted between October 2018 and August 2019 by sampling 17 plots—8 in riparian areas and 9 in nonriparian areas. No differences were found in composition and abundance of small mammals between riparian and nonriparian environments, because habitat structure did not differ between these environments. However, small mammal assemblages were structured by habitat characteristics such as understory obstruction, fallen trunks, and altitude. Water deficits are not marked throughout the year in the study area, therefore there is no such distinction between riparian and nonriparian environments. The most important habitat characteristics for the small mammals were those that represent shelter and resources' sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Divergence in seed germination patterns among populations of the same species is important for understanding plant responses to environmental gradients and potential plant sensitivity to climate change. In order to test responses to flooding and decreasing water potentials, over 3 years we germinated and grew seeds from three habitats of Euterpe edulis Mart. occurring along an altitudinal gradient.Seed germination and root growth were evaluated under different water availability treatments: control, flood, −0.4 MPa, −0.8 MPa, in the years 2012, 2013 and 2014, and in the final year of the experiment (2014) at −1.0 MPa and −1.5 MPa.Seeds from the montane habitat did not germinate in the flooding treatment. Seed germination of all three habitats decreased in the −1.5 MPa treatment and the montane habitat had lowest germination in this treatment. Time required for half of the seeds to germinate increased up to −0.8 MPa. Seeds from montane habitats germinated more slowly in all treatments. The only difference in seed germination synchrony was an increase in the submontane population under the flooding treatment. However, synchrony decreased at the lowest water potentials. Roots of the montane population were more vigorous in most treatments, except at −0.8 MPa.The unusual ability of these seeds to germinate at low water potentials might be related to early seed germination at the onset of the rainy season, which potentially decreases seed predation pressure. Seeds of the montane population were more sensitive to both types of water stress. A predicted increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme high rainfall or drought events may predispose early stages of this population to adverse factors that might negatively affect population viability with elevational in future climate change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Torpor and hibernation are energy‐saving heterothermic strategies widespread among mammals, and bats have reports of hibernation in North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. However, to date, there was no evidence of hibernation by bats in South America. We tagged four individuals of Eptesicus brasiliensis and one remained torpid for 13 consecutive days in a tree cavity roost in southern Brazil, showing evidence that bats can hibernate in South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spintherobolus papilliferus is an endangered characid endemic of the Atlantic Rainforest, known from sparse locations in the upper rio Tietê basin around the metropolitan area of São Paulo city, and from an affluent of rio Itapanhaú, a coastal stream in Bertioga, São Paulo State. In 2020, S. papilliferus was sampled from the rio Ribeira de Iguape basin in Juquitiba, São Paulo State, representing a new distributional record. We compared 17 morphometric and six meristic characters from all specimens with data from the rios Tietê and Itapanhaú. An overlap in the morphological data from the three populations was detected, except for five measure whose values are lower in rio Ribeira de Iguape. MANOVA and LDA revealed that this population differs significantly from the other two, showing shallower body and caudal peduncle, among other features. These morphological differences may be due to environmental selective pressures since rio Ribeira de Iguape drainage is marked by fast waters which can influence the shape of fish bodies over time. DNA-barcoding of all Spintherobolus species corroborate that the rio Ribeira de Iguape population belongs to S. papilliferus. We also present a hypothesis for the disjunct distribution of S. papilliferus involving headwater capture and discuss the implications for the conservation of this endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jurasaidae are a small family of elateroid beetles. Jurasai Rosa, et al. 2020 is composed of four species, all occurring in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest and Caatinga biomes. Here, I describe the sixth species of the family, Jurasai ypauoca sp. nov., collected in a sample from a Malaise trap from the continental island of Ilha Grande, Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. I provide detailed illustrations of the new species morphology, along with a map of Jurasaidae species distribution. A key to the identification of Jurasai species is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dryadella (Orchidaceae, Epidendreae) is a Neotropical genus predominantly distributed in the Andean region and the Atlantic rainforest (ARF). Three species occurring in the Brazilian ARF, Dryadella edwallii, D. wuerstlei, and D. zebrina, are challenge to tell apart due to the overlap of morphological characters that define them, so we considered these species as morphotypes. To evaluate the current taxonomic status and to identify suitable characters for the better delimitation of taxon within this group, we measured and analyzed 40 flower characters from 145 individuals of 23 populations distributed throughout the geographical range of this species complex, representing all the morphological diversity of these morphotypes. We performed a principal component analysis (PCA) to summarize all the morphological variations found and a permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) to verify whether the groups formed by the PCA are statistically different. To assess the phenetic relationships among individuals, we generated an unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) dendrogram. As a result, it was possible to clearly differentiate D. wuerstlei from the two other species. The variables that contributed most to the differentiation of the species were the perimeter and area of the sepals (SD1, SD2, SL10); area and width of the apex, mid‐portion, and base of the petals (PT19, PT21, PT22, and PT2); and the measurements of the base and widest portion of the lip blade (LB36, LB38). The second group was formed by all individuals of D. edwallii and D. zebrina which present highly overlapping characters with no clear separation between their populations based on PCA and UPGMA results. With this in view, we considered that D. edwallii and D. zebrina correspond to a single species, while D. wuerstlei should remain recognized as a distinct species. We present a taxonomic circumscription of D. wuerstlei and D. zebrina to clarify the taxonomic delimitation of these taxa, highlighting morphological diagnostic characters and their geographical distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Spintherobolus papilliferus is an endangered characid endemic of the Atlantic Rainforest, known from sparse locations in the upper rio Tietê basin around the metropolitan area of São Paulo city, and from an affluent of rio Itapanhaú, a coastal stream in Bertioga, São Paulo State. In 2020, S. papilliferus was sampled from the rio Ribeira de Iguape basin in Juquitiba, São Paulo State, representing a new distributional record. We compared 17 morphometric and six meristic characters from all specimens with data from the rios Tietê and Itapanhaú. An overlap in the morphological data from the three populations was detected, except for five measure whose values are lower in rio Ribeira de Iguape. MANOVA and LDA revealed that this population differs significantly from the other two, showing shallower body and caudal peduncle, among other features. These morphological differences may be due to environmental selective pressures since rio Ribeira de Iguape drainage is marked by fast waters which can influence the shape of fish bodies over time. DNA-barcoding of all Spintherobolus species corroborate that the rio Ribeira de Iguape population belongs to S. papilliferus. We also present a hypothesis for the disjunct distribution of S. papilliferus involving headwater capture and discuss the implications for the conservation of this endangered species.

Copyright of Ciência Florestal (01039954) is the property of Ciencia Florestal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The class Dacrymycetes has two orders (Dacrymycetales and Unilacrymales), four families, and 13 genera, few of them with available molecular data and then usually of dubious delimitation. Dacrymyces Nees is a polyphyletic genus in Dacrymycetes and was introduced to accommodate one species, D. stillatus Nees, being characterized by a homogeneous composition of the intra-structure and an amphigenous or superior hymenium. In this study, neotropical specimens were added in the phylogeny of the Dacrymycetes, and as a result, Dacrymyces s.s. is emended to include species with resupinate basidiomata, unilateral hymenium, heterogeneous context, and absence of clamp connections. In this new delimitation, the new species Dacrymyces flavobrunneus sp. nov. is described using morphological and molecular data, two new combinations (D. maxidorii comb. nov. and D. spathularia comb. nov.) are proposed based on DNA analyses, and previous combinations and new species (Dacrymyces burdsallii, D. ceraceus, D. cereus, D. confluensunilateral, D. corticioides, D. grandii, D. grandinioides, D. lagerheimii, D. pulchrus, D. sobrius, and D. venustus) are formally included in the genus circumscription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic changes and land usage and cover (LULC) can significantly impact the availability of water resources in a region. On the other hand, water resources are intrinsically linked to economic production. Thus, managing water resources and their know-how on how they are affected by the climate and LULC are essential in regional development. The Global Climatic Model evaluated water resource management on its effects of climatic changes (2019–2099) based on four R epresentative Concentration Pathways (RCP 2.6, 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5) and the impact of changes in LULC in the Hydrographic Basin of the Cubatão River (HBCR), in Brazil. The fragilities of water resource management were observed. The scarcity of precipitation data made a direct impact on the estimated monthly average flow, as the estimated reduction was 45.4 % (RCP 2.6), 41.9 % (RCP 4.5), 43.2 % (RCP 6.0), and 41.7 % (RCP 8.5) by the end of the century. The forecast change in LULC reduces the impact on the decreased average monthly flow to 2.9 % by 2099 (RCP 2.6), 2.5 % (RCP 4.5), and 2.7 % (RCP 6.0 and 8.5). The actual evapotranspiration will be less than 2.4 % (RCP 2.6 and 6.0) and 2.3 % (RCP 4.5 and 8.5) with changes in the LULC in future scenarios. The HBCR already uses the entire status of authorized flow that will further aggravate as population growth continues. The results display faulty water resource maintenance of the basin that indeed will interfere in local economic development. • Climate change models estimate higher precipitation, but it is still insufficient. • Without the management of water resources, economic development is threatened. • The lack of instrument prevents the management of water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cayaponia (Cucurbitaceae) is a genus occurring in American and African continents, and contains bee- and bat-pollinated species. • Two species previously regarded as being bat-pollinated actually are bee-pollinated: Cayaponia cabocla and C. pilosa. • Both Cayaponia species are visited and pollinated by nocturnal and diurnal bees, the nocturnal ones arriving at dawn. • These findings allow to properly place these two Cayaponia species within the current evolutionary hypothesis. The evolution of pollination systems is unclear for many plant taxa due to the scarcity of field observations on floral visitors. Supposed bat- and bee-pollination is reported for species of the genus Cayaponia , but <5 % of these were observed in the field and their pollinators recorded. We studied the pollination biology of two early diverging sister species of Cayaponia, C. cabocla and C. pilosa , recording the floral biology, phenology, breeding system, floral visitors, and floral scent chemistry. Both species are monoecious and have bell-shaped white to greenish flowers. The length of the C. cabocla flowers was 2.33 ± 0.52 cm and of the C. pilosa flowers it was 2.75±0.95 cm. In C. cabocla nectar volume of male flowers was 180±57.15 μl and sugar concentration was 28.75±0.95%, whereas in female flowers the average volume was 46.5 ± 10.24 μl and sugar concentration was 22.5 ± 0.57%. Cayaponia cabocla flowers opened at late night, around 03:30 h, whereas those of C. pilosa opened around noon. Both species bloom in the austral summer (January-February) and depend on bees to set fruit, in addition to having a few floral visitor species in common. Whereas some of the flower traits resemble those of bat-pollinated plants (most notably the large nectar volume and nocturnal anthesis), the floral volatiles of both C. cabocla and C. pilosa are typical of flowers pollinated by bees. This study clarifies the pollination system of two Cayaponia species and provides new information that can be used to reconstruct pollination system transitions in this rich genus of cucurbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A new species of Mahabalella B. Sutton & S. D. Patil was isolated from decaying leaves of an unidentified plant, during a survey in the Charles Darwin Ecological Refuge in Igarassu, Pernambuco, Brazil, in June 2018. The new species is morphologically distinguishable from the other Mahabalella species by the size of their conidia, conidiogenous cells and setae. In this study, the morphological descriptions, illustrations and cultural characteristics for Mahabalella pernambucana are provided, as well as a key to species of this genus. Total DNA from the isolate was extracted, and four genes were partially sequenced (nLSU, ITS cluster, TEF1 alpha, and beta tubulin). Based on the nLSU analysis, the phylogenetic position of the new species was determined within the Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota, as a sister genus to Neotracylla, in the Tracyllaceae family.

Gymnopilus consists of a widely distributed genus of basidiomycetes, especially in tropical regions of the world, such as Japan, Australia, Paraguay, and Brazil. This genus biosynthesizes interesting bioactive compounds, such as sesquiterpenoids, oligoisoprenoids, styrylpyrones, and lectins. In the present study, the aqueous extract of the basidiomata of Gymnopilus imperialis (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes, Agaricales, Hymenogastraceae) was obtained by using the accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) technique, followed by the precipitation of polysaccharide fraction with ethanol. Further purification by freeze-thawing processes, Fehling solution precipitation, and membrane dialysis with different pore sizes yield three main polysaccharide fractions (Gi-MRSW, Gi-PFME, and Gi-SFME). According to monosaccharide composition and 13C-NMR data, the Gi-MRSW and Gi-SFME fractions showed to be composed mainly of β-glucans and Gi-PFME by a heterogalactan. Moreover, the immunomodulatory potential of Gi-MRSW was evaluated using RAW 264.7 murine macrophage as a study model. The nitric oxide production was significantly increased in treated samples, and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) showed that the fraction Gi-MRSW from G. imperialis induces the M1 polarization phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monochilus (Lamiaceae) is an enigmatic genus endemic to Brazil with two rarely collected species currently recognized. Based on morphological features Monochilus is hypothesized to be closely related to Amasonia within subfamily Ajugoideae. However, Monochilus is one of the few genera within Lamiaceae never to be represented in a published molecular phylogenetic study, and thus has an uncertain placement with the subfamily. During recent herbarium exploration in association with the Flora of Brasil 2020 project, new specimens of Monochilus gloxinifolius and M. obovatus were uncovered. Based on this material, a new phylogeny of Ajugoideae was constructed based on nuclear ribosomal ITS and chloroplast matK and trnL-trnF markers. Monochilus, as previously hypothesized, is closely related to Amasonia and placed within Ajugoideae. We discuss the phylogenetic placement of the genus and provide a taxonomic revision with description, distribution maps, an identification key, preliminary conservation assessments, photographic plates, and comments on both the taxonomy and ecology of these two species. Additionally, we provide a lectotypification for M. gloxinifolius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the existing relations between a traditional community and the biodiversity of the Atlantic Rainforest, with emphasis on the knowledge, use and handling of food plants. The community which was studied, Guarda do Embaú, municipal area of Palhoça (SC), is located in the surroundings of a Preservation Unit, the State Park of Serra do Tabuleiro. The ethnobotanical survey of the food species was conducted through semi-structured interviews with key contributors, as well as the description of the phytophysiognomy and mapping of the areas where the species were harvested. Nine interviews were carried out, ascertaining the use of 23 species, being Myrtaceae and Arecaceae the most notable botanical family. The part of the plant most cited for consumption was the fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anurans commonly use sound signals as the main form of communication. This system is diverse in both structure and social functions, and can be used from mate recognition until evaluation of conspecifics. Consequently, when in noisy environments, the main constraint is to correctly identify acoustic signals. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the influence of traffic noise in call parameters of Bokermannohyla hylax. We recorded individuals in collecting sites closer and further from the boulevard, inside the area of Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga, an urban Atlantic Forest fragment at municipality of São Paulo, Brazil. We evaluated if noisy or silent collecting sites influence temporal and spectral variables and signal-to-noise ratio. As expected, we observed influence of collecting site on temporal variables and on signal-to-noise ratio, but not on spectral variables. Spectral traits, unlike temporal ones, are more related to intrinsic aspects of individuals, and consequently they tend to present limited or no modification in face of anthropogenic noise. We also observed an influence of traffic noise on signal-to-noise ratio, which means that if the traffic noise is more intense, individuals increased calling power amplitude. This increase has several implications in different aspects of the life of individuals, even influencing the spent of energy in other anuran life story traits. Consequently, traffic noise can impact the long-term permanence of the species in highly noisy environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Atlantic Rainforest biome, where fire events were originally less frequent, is now increasingly at risk of burning due to anthropogenic influences on the climate and landscape. Identifying fire patterns and their leading causes in tropical forests is essential to improve prevention and fire management. We applied a filtering algorithm to remove redundant heat signals from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) fire foci database, generate fire density maps after validating the data, and build Random forest (RF) regression models to identify fire risk and the variables that best explain the fire patterns. Results showed high redundancy of heat signals and that the minimum detection size for fire scars was lower for forests than other land covers. Mean annual temperature higher than 22ºC was associated with a high risk of fire and tree cover greater than 80% with low fire risk. Our study reveals a fire pattern that can expose the last remnants of the Atlantic Rainforest in Rio de Janeiro to fire, including inside Protected Areas. The redundance in the fire foci dataset was ∼46%; Protected areas have alarmingly high densities of heat signals compared to the unprotected landscape; The minimum fire scar size detected was lower for forests than agriculture or grasslands land cover; Temperature higher than 22 °C was an important threshold to determine fire risk; High tree cover (>80%) characterized areas with the lowest densities of heat signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neocrex erythrops (Sclater, 1867), Paint-billed Crake, is a difficult bird to find and has few, scattered records spread over Brazil. The state of Espírito Santo has only one documented record of this species, which is based on a specimen collected in 1940. After 76 years since this first and only record, we present new records of N. erythrops from Espírito Santo. The new data increase the knowledge of this species in the state.

Despite being considered illegal in Brazil, the hunting of wild animals is a very common practice that influences the conservation of several fauna species. As such, the knowledge and practices associated with hunting activities need to be researched. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate, from an ethnozoological approach, the capture, slaughter and use of wild animals in four Conservation Units (protected areas) in the Atlantic Rainforest in the state of Paraíba. 109 hunters were interviewed, and 156 game animals were registered, which were distributed across the categories: mammals (31), birds (93), reptiles (27) and amphibians (05). The use of wild fauna registered in this study is mainly associated with the consumption of meat; however, the use of animals aspets, trade, zootherapy and control hunting were also recorded. Hunting practices have existed for a long time in the study region and are currently, mainly, motivated by subsistence, excluding occurrences of hunters killing animals that they considered to be dangerous. The socioeconomic situation of hunters and their possible dissonance with the laws that regulate wildlife protection are fundamental aspects that contribute to a better understanding of the barriers and possible methods of wildlife conservative management in the region. The catalog of hunted game animals expands our knowledge about the fauna hunted in the state of Paraíba, where research has not yet been performed on hunting activities in Conservation Units (protected areas) in the Atlantic Rainforest, this being the first evaluation. We hope that our results will contribute to the implementation / improvement of public policies aimed at the management of local wildlife, which endeavor to conserve the region's biodiversity.

Copyright of Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente is the property of Universidade Federal do Parana 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.)

Ecotones between tropical forests and lakes compose an ecosystem interconnection with a high abundance of terrestrial invertebrates, which represent an outstanding resource for the aquatic fauna. However, there is still little quantitative information on tropical forest contribution in terms of invertebrate inputs into lacustrine systems and the factors controlling this flux.To quantify the terrestrial invertebrate contribution into tropical lakes, we selected six lakes located in the Atlantic rainforest, south‐eastern Brazil, and used pan traps placed in the lakeshore. We focused on total abundance, biomass, and richness of insect orders. To assess the influence of forest and lake morphometry on terrestrial invertebrate inputs into lakes, we measured the forest–lake distance and considered the morphometric characteristics of each lake.Distance from forest negatively affected the invertebrate biomass reaching the lakes. The dissimilarity across different ecotones also increased with distance from the forest. Perimeter‐to‐area ratio negatively affected the invertebrate abundance, suggesting that more dendritic lakes receive more invertebrates from the forest.We estimated that annually, on average 21 tons of terrestrial invertebrates fall into the studied lakes, representing a massive food resource for the aquatic ecosystem. Hence, if the distance from the forest increases due, for instance, to severe drought or deforestation, it will create an herbaceous environment unable to provide such a quantity of insects to the water ecosystems, compromising aquatic and terrestrial trophic webs dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anuran larvae in aquatic environments are important prey items for several vertebrate and invertebrate species. Besides avoiding predation, there are some strategies that may reduce the physical damage in those tadpoles that survive the predation attempt. For example, the injured tadpole tail can regrow after a predator bite, but few studies have examined the consequences of such injury. We examined the consequences of three levels of injury to the tail and how this influenced development and feeding behavior of tadpoles of the Neotropical elegant treefrog, Dendropsophus elegans. We collected spawns and kept them in the laboratory until tadpoles reached Gosner’s stages 28 to 35. Then, they were separated in four experimental groups: individuals with tail trimmed in 30, 50 or 70 % of its length, and a control group, with no tail removing. We counted the days until metamorphosis, calculated the Scaled Mass Index (SMI) through weight and length of newly-metamorphosed, and evaluated the feeding frequency to evaluate the influence of tail amputation on them. We found that the time until metamorphosis was positively related to the extent of the amputation, but SMI and feeding behavior were not influenced. As the time to metamorphose is related to the survivorship chances of individuals: i.e., if the aquatic environment is with high density of predators, it would be advantageous to rapidly metamorphose out of the water. However, tail injury delays the metamorphose process, which could influence the survival of the individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new southernmost record of Thismia panamensis (Standl.) Jonker in Brazil extends the occurrence of this species to the Atlantic Rainforest. This species was found in Parque Estadual Serra da Baitaca, in Paraná state, where other new records of mycoheterotrophic plants have recently been made. The new record highlights the wide distribution of the species, as it occurs in different ecosystems along a significant latitudinal gradient.

The geographical distribution of the weevil Cissoanthonomus tuberculipennis Hustache, 1939 is extended in Brazil, with new records from the municipalities of Charqueada and Piracicaba, state of São Paulo. These are the second and third records of C. tuberculipennis in Brazil. The specimens were collected from infested fruits of Cardiospermum grandiflorum Sw. (Sapindaceae) in riparian forests along watercourses.