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Background and Aims Flower–visitor interactions comprise a continuum of behaviours, from mutualistic partners to antagonistic visitors. Despite being relatively frequent in natural communities, florivory remains unexplored, especially when comprising abiotic factors, spatio-temporal variations and global environmental changes. Here, we addressed the variation of florivory driven by changes in elevation and temporal flower availability. We expect decreased floral resources as elevation increases – due to environmental constraints – which may affect plant–florivore interactions. Yet if floral resources decrease but florivores remain constant, then we may expect an increase in florivory with increasing elevation in the community. Methods The flowering phenology of plant individuals was recorded in the Neotropical campo rupestre vegetation, in southeastern Brazil. Damage by florivores was recorded in plots at elevations ranging from 823 to 1411 m using two response variables as a proxy for florivory: the proportion of attacked flowers per plant and the proportion of petal removal on single flowers. Key Results Flower attack increased with elevation and damage was intensified in species with longer flowering periods. Conversely, longer flowering periods resulted in higher levels of petal removal with decreasing elevation. The temporal availability of flowers affected florivory, with the proportion of attacked flowers being more intense when there were fewer flowered individuals in the community. Petal removal on single flowers was intensified in plots with a larger number of individuals flowering, and with more species co-flowering. Conclusions This study provides one of the broadest records of a commonly neglected interaction of insects feeding on floral structures, quantifying the combined effect of floral display and availability along an elevation gradient in a highly biodiverse mountaintop community. These findings contribute to filling the gap in the understanding of florivory dynamics, focusing on a tropical mountaintop scenario facing imminent environmental changes and excessive natural resource exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transferring topsoil to severely degraded areas, such as mined areas, is an effective restoration technique. However, topsoil from pristine areas is a limited resource, making it important to seek techniques that optimize its use. Thus, this study assessed the effects of adding a small topsoil volume (10 L/m2 or 1 cm layer), a seed mix of 14 species, and litter (30 L/m2) alone and in different combinations in the restoration of a rupestrian grassland area degraded by bauxite mining. The substrate in the degraded area was turned prior to applying treatments. Vegetation cover, density of individuals, and species richness were measured 30 months after the experiment was set up. The isolated use of each material and the simultaneous addition of topsoil to the seed mix were not effective. The simultaneous use of topsoil, litter, and seed mix provided the best result, presenting the highest vegetation coverage (60%), density (67 ind/m2), and species richness (26 in 12 m2). Although, to a lesser extent, the combination of seed mix and litter also presented satisfactory results. The combination of the three materials promoted the revegetation of an area that had been without vegetation for around 50 years, presenting a density of individuals and species richness comparable to those obtained with the use of thick topsoil layers (15–30 cm). Furthermore, the topsoil volume used was optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Land use change and occupation have led to modifications in the environment causing loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services throughout the planet. Some environments with high economic relevance, such as the ferruginous campo rupestre (rupestrian grassland known as Canga in Brazil), are even more susceptible to severe impacts due to their extreme habitat conditions and low resilience. The determination of reference ecosystems based on the intrinsic characteristics of the ecosystem is essential for conservation as well as to the implementation of ecological restoration. We proposed the reference ecosystem of the three main types of habitats of the ferruginous campo rupestre based on their floristic composition. We described the floristic composition of each habitat and evaluated the physicochemical properties of the soils and the relationship between plants and soils. All three habitats showed high diversity of plant species and many endemic species, such as Chamaecrista choriophylla, Cuphea pseudovaccinium, Lychnophora pinaster, and Vellozia subalata. The distribution of vegetation was strongly related with the edaphic characteristics, with a set of species more adapted to high concentration of base saturation, fine sand, organic carbon, and iron, while another set of species succeeded in more acidic soils with higher S and silt concentration. We provide support for the contention that the ferruginous campo rupestre is a mosaic of different habitats shaped by intrinsic local conditions. Failure to recognize the floristic composition of each particular habitat can lead to inappropriate restoration, increased habitat homogenization and increased loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. This study also advances the knowledge base for building the reference ecosystem for the different types of ferruginous campo rupestre habitats, as well as a key database for highlighting those species contribute most to community assembly in this diverse and threatened tropical mountain ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A functional approach to understand natural plant communities helps elucidate the dynamics of environmental filters and community assembly. Species classification into functional groups allows the translation of ecological complexity into simplified and applicable knowledge. Here, we developed a plant functional type (PFT) system to investigate whether functional structure (PFT composition and abundance) of plant communities varies between substrate types and plant physiognomies in an old climatically buffered infertile landscape (OCBIL), namely Brazilian campo rupestre. We sampled the herbaceous and shrubby vegetation and collected soil variables in four different plant physiognomies growing in quartzitic and ferruginous substrates. We classified the sampled species according to life‐history traits related to species persistence, reproduction, and biological interactions. Functional dissimilarity among plant physiognomies and the two substrate types and the role of soil factors affecting the dissimilarities were assessed. Pollination and seed dispersal syndromes, mycorrhizal association, and reproductive phenology were the main traits defining the PFTs. We found distinct functional structure between plant communities of different substrates and physiognomies, with a marked influence of chemical and physical soil factors. Also, we defined main PFTs profiles for each physiognomy, identifying core PFTs with basic combinations of traits, common to all or almost all physiognomies. The functional perspective proposed by this study provides applicable knowledge to the restoration and conservation of campo rupestre ecosystem, reinforcing the importance of habitat heterogeneity for maintaining its functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of research. Intraspecific differences in plant reproductive traits affect ecological interactions at the population level, leading to evolutionary shifts. Abiotic and biotic factors exert strong selective pressures on functional traits, such as phenology, affecting reproductive success and thereby plant fitness. Here we evaluated the occurrence of intraspecific variation in the reproductive ecology and reproductive success among three naturally isolated populations of Microlicia laniflora , a narrow-endemic shrub from Brazilian campo rupestre. We asked (i) do isolated populations of M. laniflora differ in their reproductive phenology, floral biology, pollination, and reproductive success and (ii) which abiotic and biotic factors are related to interpopulation differences in reproductive success? Methodology. We sampled three sites varying in altitude and local environment in a tropical mountain vegetation system, the campos rupestres of Serra do Cipó, and tested for interpopulation differences in reproductive phenology, floral biology, pollination interactions, and reproductive success. Pivotal results. Microlicia laniflora populations differed in their reproductive phenology, pollination (frequency of visits and pollinators), and reproductive success, mainly between the lowest-altitude site and the two higher-altitude sites. Flowering and fruiting phenology were strongly seasonal, driven primarily by temperature variation during the reproductive season, with earlier flowering at the higher-altitude sites. There, lower temperatures, larger floral displays, and a higher frequency of pollinator visits positively influenced reproductive success. Conclusions. Our results support the assumption that abiotic and biotic factors jointly act as selective pressures driving phenology and shaping plant reproductive ecology. Our findings evidence the central role played by interpopulation variability in flowering phenology and in pollinator attraction in the evolution of floral and reproductive traits of plant species that are spatially isolated in stressful and megadiverse environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Large-scale mining operations, such as those associated with iron extraction, disturb soils and vegetation and create the need for effective rehabilitation practices. The Iron Quadrangle region of southeastern Brazil is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots; however, iron mining activities threaten many natural and seminatural ecosystem types in which many rare/protected species occur. The Iron Quadrangle has four main ecosystem types: Atlantic Forest (AF), ferruginous rupestrian grassland with dense vegetation (FRG-D); ferruginous rupestrian grassland with sparse vegetation (FRG-S); and quartzite rupestrian grassland (QRG). To support rehabilitation and monitoring plans, we evaluated reference areas and identified soil and vegetative attributes that best differentiated between these four ecosystems. We measured thirty-four physical, chemical, and biological soil properties and two vegetation parameters and, using a multivariate analysis, detected: 1) correlations between properties and 2) differences between areas. We identified twelve properties that best differentiated the areas (in order from most to least relevant): nickel content; exchangeable aluminum; clay content; above-ground vegetation volume; aluminum saturation; particle density; bulk density; arsenic content; zinc content; lead content, fine sand plus silt content; and fine sand content. Soil physicochemical properties proved to be more sensitive to differences in ecosystem type, and in particular, parameters related to fertility and the presence of metals and semi-metals differentiated the AF from the FRG-D and FRG-S. Soil physical properties, including fine sand and silt content, were most important for differentiating QRG from the other ecosystems, possibly resulting from the exposure of quartzite material to erosive processes. This study demonstrates the importance of identifying appropriate reference areas for post-mining reclamation.

Natural fires represent a frequent and widespread disturbance in many environments around the world and consequently plays important roles on ecosystem dynamics. The goal of our study was to evaluate the short-term effects of fire on termites in a tropical mountain ecosystem of the Brazilian Cerrado (savanna). Termites were sampled in unburned and burned areas 2 weeks after an extensive fire event. Sampling method consisted of toilet paper baits placed at three elevations: 800 m (Cerrado woodland habitat), 1100 and 1400 m (campo rupestre vegetation type). A total of 19 termite species were sampled, of which 15 occurred at 800 m, eight at 1100 m, and two at 1400 m. Average termite species richness and bait colonization were lower at 1400 m compared with the other elevations, which did not differ from each other. No effect of fire on average species richness and bait colonization was found for any elevation. As termites are known to be strongly affected by climate, soil, and vegetation, termite assemblages are probably being filtered physiologically by environmental conditions along the elevation gradient. The high tolerance of termites to fire effects is likely associated with the strategy of many collected species in constructing hard clay mounds, either above or below ground, or taking shelter in mounds built by other termite species to escape fire. We conclude that while termites are sensitive to environmental changes in conditions along the elevation gradient, they are also highly tolerant to fire in this tropical mountain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Morphological traits allow for plant persistence in various environments differing in edaphic and climatic aspects, and their values are normally the result of the diversity of genera and species occurring in a certain region. Myrteae, a widespread tribe of Myrtaceae, is found in varied environmental conditions ranging from dry to wet environments; thus, it is a potential study group for understanding trait variation. Aims: Considering that functional-trait variation can be selected by environmental filters, and also be affected by phylogenetic aspects, we used the diversity of the Myrteae group present in different vegetation types in north-eastern Brazil to understand the role of the environment and genus in trait variation. Methods: Two morphological traits, namely, wood density and specific leaf area, were sampled in 29 species from 6 genera in the following four vegetation types: savanna, seasonally dry tropical forest, rupestrian grassland and humid forest. We assessed how variation in the two traits was related to genus and environmental conditions. Key results: The studied species showed trait variation depending on the environment and genus. Wood density was mainly determined by genus, whereas specific leaf area was mostly influenced by the environment. Conclusion: The most important determinant of interspecific trait variation differed between wood density and specific leaf area in this study. Wood density was strongly related to genus, suggesting it is a conserved trait in Myrteae, whereas specific leaf area tended to be more variable. Implications: Our results contribute to understanding the causes of morphological and genetic variability in Myrteae. Specific leaf-area and wood-density data of 29 species of Myrteae (Myrtaceae) were evaluated in humid and dry tropical environments to understand the role of the environment and genus in trait variation. We found inter- and intra-specific variation among populations of different vegetation types. The wood density was mainly determined by the genus, whereas specific leaf area was mostly influenced by the environment. Our results contribute to understanding the causes of morphological and genetic variability in Myrteae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in rates of habitat loss requires an understanding of how biodiversity is distributed. Campo rupestre is an old, climatically buffered, and infertile landscape located in Brazil. Considered a biodiversity hotspot, the campo rupestre is mainly threatened by mining activity that requires a large operating area. Campo rupestre is known for its restricted distribution area and high abiotic heterogeneity, which modulates species coexistence and richness. To recognise the association between habitat type and plant communities, we propose to describe the floristic composition of herbaceous and shrub components in four habitats of the campo rupestre comprising quartzite and ferruginous substrate. We classified habitat types by the main surface soil features. In each habitat, we sampled ten 100-m2 plots to access information on the shrub and ten 1-m2 plots for the herbaceous component. Altogether we sampled 153 species, belonging to 38 families. The cluster analysis ordered by Sorensen metric indicates a clear distinction of species composition in the shrub component in the four habitats. However, the floristic composition of the herbaceous component was similar between the four habitats but showed a distinction when contrasting with the substrate type. Our results highlight the local taxonomic distinction between habitat types and substrates, indicating that the ecological distinction among substrate types of the campo rupestre cannot be overlooked in conservation and restoration actions.

Modern UAS (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) or just drones have emerged with the primary goal of producing maps and imagery with extremely high spatial resolution. The refined information provides a good opportunity to quantify the distribution of vegetation across heterogeneous landscapes, revealing an important strategy for biodiversity conservation. We investigate whether computer vision and machine learning techniques (Object-Based Image Analysis—OBIA method, associated with Random Forest classifier) are effective to classify heterogeneous vegetation arising from ultrahigh-resolution data generated by UAS images. We focus our fieldwork in a highly diverse, seasonally dry, complex mountaintop vegetation system, the campo rupestre or rupestrian grassland, located at Serra do Cipó, Espinhaço Range, Southeastern Brazil. According to our results, all classifications received general accuracy above 0.95, indicating that the methodological approach enabled the identification of subtle variations in species composition, the capture of detailed vegetation and landscape features, and the recognition of vegetation types’ phenophases. Therefore, our study demonstrated that the machine learning approach and combination between OBIA method and Random Forest classifier, generated extremely high accuracy classification, reducing the misclassified pixels, and providing valuable data for the classification of complex vegetation systems such as the campo rupestre mountaintop grassland.

Global sustainability rests on a myriad of benefits provided by natural ecosystems that support human livelihoods and well-being, from biodiversity persistence to climate regulation. The undeniable importance of conserving tropical forests has drawn most of the conservation spotlight towards it. However, open ecosystems such as the Brazilian Campo Rupestre (rupestrian grassland), have been historically overlooked despite their high diversity and key associated ecosystem services. We highlight major current threats to the persistence of the Campo Rupestre emphasizing its ecological, social, cultural, geo-environmental, and economic importance. We call attention to the importance of the Campo Rupestre as a reservoir of biodiversity and ecosystem services and offer priority actions that resulted from discussions involving scientists, industry representatives, environmental managers, and other members of civil society. Proposed actions include efforts related to ecological restoration, sustainable ecotourism, protection of traditional ecological knowledge, identification of emerging research questions, and development of tailored public policies. Such issues are integrated into a framework that collectively represents a road map to safeguard the Campo Rupestre from further degradation and steer its historical overexploitation towards sustainable management. Safeguarding the future of non-forest biomes like this poses a challenge to current paradigms of nature conservation. By establishing priorities and guidelines, we propose an actionable plan, which we hope can support informed decision-making policy towards a sustainable use of the Campo Rupestre.

Hemiparasitic plants can reduce photosynthesis and alter the host plant's foliar traits. This relationship may be more intense in ecosystems with nutritionally poor soil, such as the campo rupestre, known for its high endemism. This work evaluated the impact of a generalist hemiparasitic species (Struthanthus flexicaulis) on the physiology as well as physical and chemical traits of a native species (Baccharis dracunculifolia) frequently found in the campo rupestre. We planted twenty 60-day-old B. dracunculifolia individuals in a campo rupestre area. Two year after planting, during the 2019 dry season, we evaluated the water potential (Ψw), photosynthetic efficiency (PE), specific leaf area (SLA) and succulence (SU) of parasitized and non-parasitized host plants. These parameters were measured again in the dry season of 2020, when we also measured chlorophyll, nitrogen balance index (NBI) and phenolic content of leaves of the same individuals. Parasitized individuals had a higher Ψw and PE compared to non-parasitized individuals during the most critical period of the day (12:00 pm to 3:00 pm). However, towards the end of the day, parasitized individuals had lower Ψw and PE than non-parasitized ones. There was no effect of parasitism on SLA and SU. Parasitized plants had higher NBI and lower phenolic content than non-parasitized plants. We concluded that S. flexicaulis parasitism interfered in the physiology and chemical leaf traits of B. dracunculifolia. Parasitism, while momentarily increasing the PE and Ψw of parasitized individuals, can cause physiological imbalances, which could negatively affect the development and lead to the death of the host plant over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ants are among the most abundant organisms on Earth, being adapted for living on different solid surfaces. However, in some habitats, like riparian forests and flooded plains, water can be a constant obstacle, and overcoming this obstacle can be essential to determine the persistence of ants in such habitats. While most ant species avoid the water during a flood by foraging at higher elevations or climbing on trees, a few species developed ways to overcome this obstacle by swimming. Here, we report, for the first time, ants of the species Linepthema micans (Forel 1908) performing rafts. We observed 14 rafts in three consecutive days at approximately 1400 meters a.s.l. in Serra do Cipó, Brazil. Notably, this is the first record of ant rafting in tropical mountaintop grasslands, which are extreme habitats with shallow and sandy soils, and where small temporary water pools are extremely common in the wet season.

The campo rupestre is a Neotropical OCBIL (old, climatically buffered infertile landscape), a grassy-shrub vegetation with high species richness and endemism, characterized by rocky outcrops surrounded by grasslands distributed in South American ancient mountaintops. We tested one OCBIL prediction: the prevalence of long-distance pollinators ensuring cross-pollination across the archipelago-like landscapes of the campo rupestre. We described the pollination systems and tested whether their frequency differed across vegetation types and elevation, focusing on long-distance systems. We performed non-systematic and systematic surveys of plants and plant-pollinator interactions across the elevation gradient and vegetation types. We also reviewed the literature on campo rupestre pollination and applied an accuracy criterion to infer 11 pollination systems. The bee system was split into large bee (long-distance) and small bee (shorter distances) to test the prevalence of long-distance pollination systems. We surveyed 413 pollinator species, mostly bees (220) and flies (69). Among the 636 plant species studied, the bee pollination system was dominant (56%), followed by wind and hummingbird. Wind, small-bee and fly pollination systems increased with elevation, and small-bee and wind pollination systems prevailed in grasslands. Large-bee and hummingbird long-distance pollination systems remained unchanged with elevation and were more frequent in the highly isolated rocky outcrops corroborating the OCBIL theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Old, climatically buffered and infertile landscapes (OCBILs) are remarkably species-diverse, but the assembly of their ecological communities is largely unknown. Our goal was to understand how edaphic filters drive the functional structure of plant communities in an ancient and nutrient-impoverished ecosystem. We carried out a functional screening across four types of campo rupestre habitats with different edaphic conditions. We investigated trait–soil relationships for ironstone and quartzitic substrate to obtain the optimal trait values of each condition. In addition, we built unipartite networks to explore trait–trait relationships to assess functional coordination among organs. Lower soil pH and less soil water retention potential increased the proportion of smaller leaves, tissue dry mass and tissue density, resulting in more resource-conservative plant species and communities. Trait functions were tightly correlated among organs at both the plot and the individual level, indicating a trend of phenotypic integration. Architectural traits were central to coordination, suggesting their key role in integrating sap transport, mechanical support and leaf display. We conclude that the trait adjustments in response to soil parameters are important for the coexistence of a large number of species in the campo rupestre ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Cerrado (Brazilian Savanna) biome suffers intense degradation due to several anthropic activities and its recovery is extremely important for the restoration of environmental quality. Therefore, the present study tested the survival and growth of seedlings of the grass Schizachyrium tenerum produced by the division of clumps. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse using Reddish Oxisol, dystrophic of “cerrado sensu stricto” and Litholic Neosol dystrophic of quartzitic rupestrian grassland with and without the addition of limestone and NPK. Survival of S. tenerum was also compared between being grown in a greenhouse and directly in the field in full sun. Seedlings of S. tenerum had greater survival, total growth, number of tillers and accumulation of biomass when cultivated in Reddish Oxisol and Reddish Oxisol with limestone added than in the other treatments. Seedling survival was three times greater when grown in a greenhouse than in full sun.

Ecological communities vary considerably in space and time and understanding such changes has fundamental relevance for ecology and conservation sciences. Mountains provide an excellent scenario for studies addressing spatial and temporal variation, as they vary in conditions and resources in a small geographic region. Here, we aimed to understand the patterns of variation in ant metacommunity composition across time and along an elevational gradient in a tropical mountain, focusing both on the taxonomic and functional facets of diversity. We used a β-diversity metric and broke it into nestedness and turnover to estimate short-term temporal changes in ant metacommunity composition. We tested the following hypotheses: (i) taxonomic and functional temporal β-diversity increase along the elevational gradient and (ii) turnover is the main component driving taxonomic temporal β-diversity and nestedness for functional temporal β-diversity. Rejecting our first hypothesis, we found that both taxonomic and functional temporal β-diversity did not increase with elevation. Yet, the values were always high, indicating that both species and functional traits are highly variable over time. In accordance with our second hypothesis, we found that turnover was the main component of taxonomic β-diversity. Yet adding complexity to our hypothesis, the contribution of nestedness to functional β-diversity decreased with increasing elevation. These results suggest that at low elevations, the turnover in species composition may then cause changes in trait composition because of the loss of some traits, yet preserving the most common functions (nested functional communities), while at high elevations functional capabilities may change over time (turnover of traits). In the context of global warming, where tropical mountain insects are expected to change their distributional range upwards, it is extremely important to consider the importance of the turnover on the temporal variation in functional traits and functions of ant metacommunity at higher elevations.

Tomoplagia (Diptera: Tephritidae) are endophagous herbivores on flowerheads of Asteraceae, with varying levels of host specialization. We isolated, characterized, and tested the heterologous amplification for sets of microsatellites of three species from this genus associated with native hosts in the Espinhaço mountain range, Brazil. We used two protocols to build microsatellite-enriched libraries and characterized 12 polymorphic loci for each fruit-fly species. The samples of T. grandis, a monophagous species, presented a lower number of alleles than the samples of the oligophagous species T. incompleta and T. bicolor. The average observed heterozygosity did not vary among species and the high values of Polymorphism Information Content suggest that the characterized microsatellite loci are quite informative. The primers developed for each Tomoplagia species failed to amplify the microsatellite loci for the other two species, which indicates a low conservation of the flanking nucleotide sequences in the three evaluated species. The sets of polymorphic microsatellites characterized for these species of Tomoplagia may be used in future ecological and evolutionary studies that aim to detect patterns of diversity on a fine scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire is an important disturbance in terrestrial ecosystems and plays a key role in the germination process and seedling establishment of many species. In grassland ecosystems, seeds normally tolerate heat-shocks associated with low intensity fires but are negatively affected by higher heat doses. Additionally, smoke-stimulated germination is not commonly recognized as important in neotropical grasslands. This may result from a negative relationship between the ability to resprout after fire and fire-stimulated germination ability, as many species in these grasslands regenerate well after fire by resprouting. To ascertain the role of heat and smoke in the post-fire germination response of campo rupestre vegetation, we exposed seeds of nine species (that regenerate after fire by resprouting) to various treatments related to fire (heat, smoke, and heat plus smoke) and analysed their germination behaviour. Our results suggest that these species have high seed germination in the absence of specific dormancy breaking conditions and/or that stimulated germination triggered by fire-related cues is not common. Additionally, while seeds from some species can withstand temperatures of 80 °C for 5 min without affecting germination, most species are negatively affected by higher heat doses. However, our results suggest an important role of smoke enhancing germination rate (speed) of campo rupestre species. In view of the characteristics of campo rupestre environmental conditions and vegetation, we provide a novel outlook of enhanced germination rate by smoke as an important mechanism for seed regeneration after fire of campo rupestre's species that resprout, particularly for seeds resulting from post-fire seed dispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the patterns of taxonomic (TD) and functional (FD) α and β‐diversities of ants in a mountainous landscape along three dimensions, namely one temporal (seasonal) and two spatial dimensions: between habitats – grassland and forest habitats (horizontal), and among elevation bands (vertical). In addition, we tested the effects of environmental variables (mean elevation and temperature, and normalised difference vegetation index – NDVI) on taxonomic and functional α‐ and β‐diversities.β diversities among the two spatial dimensions are the main components of TD. Conversely, FD is almost entirely composed by the α‐diversity component, with a very low contribution of β‐diversity.Regarding environmental drivers, the decrease in temperature caused by increased elevations and seasonal variations had a negative effect on taxonomic α‐diversity. There were no effects of environmental variables on ant functional α‐diversity.Despite the high turnover of ant species occurring along spatial dimensions, the communities were functionally redundant. The changes in species richness and composition patterns in this mountain were strongly influenced by variables correlated with elevation and habitat structure.Species composition changed across all dimensions, but the core traits and functions remained unchanged. Differences observed in the composition of ant communities over relatively short geographic distances highlight the importance to conserve the entire mountain, ensuring the maintenance of the ant diversity and associated ecosystem functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in relief in montane areas, with increasing altitude, provide different biotic and abiotic conditions, acting on the species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The objective of this work was to determine the influence of altitude, edaphic factors, and vegetation on the AMF species in a mountainous area. The list of AMF species was obtained from morphological identification of the spores, with 72 species recovered from field samples and trap cultures. Lower levels of Shannon's diversity occurred only at lower altitude; however, there was no difference in AMF richness. The structure of the AMF assembly between the two highest altitudes was similar and differed in relation to the lower altitude. There was variation in the distribution of AMF species, which was related to soil texture and chemical factors along the altitude gradient. Some species, genera, and families were indicative of a certain altitude, showing the preference of fungi for certain environmental conditions, which may aid in decisions to conserve montane ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We summarize a long-term ecological research in a megadiverse montane grassland. • We provide data on climate, soil, plant communities, plant mutualists and antagonists. • Our goal is to integrate information into global mountain assessment networks. Campo rupestre is a megadiverse vegetation mosaic dominating one of the world's geologically oldest tropical mountains. The campo rupestre hosts nearly 15% of Brazil's flora, with 40% of endemism in an area smaller than 1% of the national territory. Here, we summarize and explain the rationale underlying the long-term ecological research at Serra do Cipó (LTER-CRSC), in southeastern Brazil. The LTER-CRSC is a multi-taxa monitoring initiative focused on ecological patterns and processes along elevational gradients. We explain the standardized sampling methods of the LTER-CRSC and provide original data on climate, soil, and biodiversity along an elevational gradient. In our view, the LTER-CRSC offers a remarkable opportunity to improve predictions on how global change drivers affect biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in tropical, snow-free mountains. Our ultimate goal is to integrate the data from this study into a growing database from global mountain assessment networks and LTERs. We hope this initiative will stimulate collaboration and lead to further LTER sites being established in tropical mountains. Such efforts are needed as a basis for scientifically-based policy making, especially aimed at mitigating the effects of global change on tropical biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Stream site classification is a fundamental step in defining reference conditions for freshwater bioassessments globally. Landscape regionalisation and stream typology approaches have both been used to determine classes that reduce inherent environmental variation and to show classes with ecological meaning. We evaluated the applicability of ecoregion and stream typology approaches in a river basin located between the Neotropical Savanna and the Atlantic Forest biomes in south-eastern Brazil. We delimited two ecoregions and assessed whether stream types within each ecoregion would further reduce environmental and macroinvertebrate assemblage variability. In addition, we determined indicator taxa for each of the reference condition classes. Our results confirm the importance of defining ecoregions a priori and for using a nested a posteriori stream typology approach for further explaining macroinvertebrate assemblage variation. Geology and natural vegetation physiognomy were the key ecoregion factors likely to influence macroinvertebrate assemblages, and stream dimension attributes best delimited meaningful stream types. Although stream classification is a very important step in any monitoring, management or restoration program, it has been widely neglected in many tropical regions. In this study we demonstrated how it can be conducted to determine macroinvertebrate assemblage potentials even with a relatively limited number of sites. Landscape regions (ecoregions) and stream types were used to determine classes to reduce natural environmental and biological variation in a Brazilian river basin. We found that delimiting ecoregions by mapped information, followed by defining stream types from environmental data collected at stream sites, explained macroinvertebrate assemblage variation better than either alone. In addition, we determined indicator taxa for each of the resulting three stream classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: Climate tends to explain phenological variations in tropical ecosystems. However, water availability and nutrient content in soil strongly affect plant communities, especially those on old, climatically buffered, infertile landscapes (OCBILs), and may impact these ecosystems’ plant reproductive phenology over time. Here, we compare the reproductive phenology of sandy and stony tropical grasslands, two co‐occurring herbaceous communities of the campo rupestreOCBILs. We asked whether flowering, fruiting and dispersal are seasonal in both grasslands, and whether these phenophases differ due to variations in soil properties. We also asked whether the phenological strategies and the number of flowers and fruits differ between these two grasslands as soil conditions vary. Location: Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods: The phenology of herbaceous species of sandy and stony grasslands was monitored monthly over two consecutive years. Results: Plants on sandy and stony grasslands flowered and fruited throughout the year. We did not find a distinct seasonal pattern at the community level of either studied grassland. However, flowering, fruiting and seed dissemination occurred in stony grasslands mainly during the rainy season, while sandy grassland species flowered in both seasons and fruited and disseminated seed mainly during the dry season, as observed in other savanna vegetation types in the Cerrado. Flower and fruit production was higher in sandy grasslands than in stony grasslands, which may be linked to higher water retention in sandy grassland soils. In both communities, species of Cyperaceae, Eriocaulaceae and Xyridaceae contributed most to overall production, whereas Poaceae and Velloziaceae, two important families in campo rupestre, barely participated in the reproductive phenology during our 2‐yr survey. Conclusions: Despite a strong seasonal climate, there was no reproductive seasonal pattern at the community level in campo rupestre. This first investigation of Neotropical grassland phenology indicates that the differences in soil content may constrain the grassland reproductive phenology and restrict reproduction of stony grassland species to the most favourable season. Further studies of grassland phenology are necessary to disentangle the relative importance of soil, climate and other triggers, especially fire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the role of the environmental drivers that determine plant population dynamics is essential to promote the conservation of target species and their habitats. Vellozia aff. sincorana is an endemic key species from the rupestrian grasslands (campos rupestres) of the Chapada Diamantina region in the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado). The branches are important in the local culture and are harvested to light wood stoves. Synchronized flowering is triggered by fire, and no flowers have been recorded in the absence of a recent fire. We built matrix population models to project the demography of six V. aff. sincorana populations, three that had recently burned and three that had not burned for four years. Based on local harvesting practices and our population models, we assessed the long-term effects of two common harvesting techniques and different fire intervals on this species’ demography. Fire is necessary for the long-term persistence of V. aff. sincorana populations; adult survival is the most important vital rate for population persistence and it is mostly unaffected by fire. Recent fires primarily caused increases in reproductive rates, and populations are projected to decrease in size (λ < 1) under fire intervals longer than 25 years. Harvest effects depend on its frequency and intensity; our models indicated that harvesting may be sustainable as long as it is low-intensity and fire also occurs periodically. As in many other fire-prone ecosystems, this species benefits from fire occurrence. These results indicate that the ‘zero-fire’ policy currently in place in the Brazilian savanna is inadequate for the conservation of this, and probably many other, Cerrado species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intense harvesting of inflorescences prior to seed setting and the persistent use of fire to boost flowering are considered to be the main factors driving starflower species to extinction along the Espinhaço mountain range, in eastern Brazil. In this study we experimentally reproduced these traditional management practices upon a natural population of the starflower Comanthera elegantula (Ruhland) L.R. Parra & Giul. (Eriocaulacece) using eight distinct treatments consisting of ‘fire', “harvest” and the combined absence of these interventions over two years, in order to assess their effects on seedling recruitment. The study was conducted at the central Espinhaço range region, in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Our results show that the extractive management practices interfere with the recruitment dynamics of C. elegantula , with fire significantly reducing the competing herbaceous cover and stimulating seedling recruitment. An intermittent fire regime seem to favor seedling establishment and growth, while sequential fire episodes seem to negatively impact the progression of seedling cohorts and the regrowth of the herbaceous cover. Additional seed input took place at local scale, probably through dispersion from outer sources and/or from seed banks. Seed pool depletion isto be expected under a persistent and efficient inflorescence collection regime and may ultimately contribute to population senescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial patterns of dioecious species can be determined by their nutritional requirements and intraspecific competition, apart from being a response to environmental heterogeneity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the spatial pattern of populations of a dioecious shrub reporting to sex and reproductive stage patterns of individuals. Sampling was carried out in three areas located in the meridional portion of Serra do Espinhaço , where in individuals of the studied species were mapped. The spatial pattern was determined through O-ring analysis and Ripley's K-function and the distribution of individuals' frequencies was verified through x 2 test. Populations in two areas showed an aggregate spatial pattern tending towards random or uniform according to the observed scale. Male and female adults presented an aggregate pattern at smaller scales, while random and uniform patterns were verified above 20 m for individuals of both sexes of the areas A 2 and A 3 . Young individuals presented an aggregate pattern in all areas and spatial independence in relation to adult individuals, especially female plants. The interactions between individuals of both genders presented spatial independence with respect to spatial distribution. Baccharis platypoda showed characteristics in accordance with the spatial distribution of savannic and dioecious species, whereas the population was aggregated tending towards random at greater spatial scales. Young individuals showed an aggregated pattern at different scales compared to adults, without positive association between them. Female and male adult individuals presented similar characteristics, confirming that adult individuals at greater scales are randomly distributed despite their distinct preferences for environments with moisture variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Models of costs and benefits of dormancy (D) predict that the evolutionarily stable strategy in long-term stable environments is for non-dormancy (ND), but this prediction remains to be tested empirically. We reviewed seed traits of species in the climatically buffered, geologically stable and nutrient-impoverished campo rupestre grasslands in Brazil to test the hypothesis that ND is favoured over D. We examined the relative importance of life-history traits and phylogeny in driving the evolution of D and assessed seed viability at the community level. Methods Germination and viability data were retrieved from 67 publications and ND/D was determined for 168 species in 25 angiosperm families. We also obtained the percentage of embryoless, viable and dormant seeds for 74 species. Frequencies of species with dormant and non-dormant seeds were compared with global databases of dormancy distribution. Key Results The majority of campo rupestre taxa (62·5 %) had non-dormant seeds, and the ND/D ratio was the highest for any vegetation type on Earth. Dormancy was unrelated to other species life-history traits, suggesting that contemporary factors are poor predictors of D. We found a significant phylogenetic structure in the dormancy categorical trait. Dormancy diversity was highly skewed towards the root of the phylogenetic tree and there was a strong phylogenetic signal in the data, suggesting a major role of phylogeny in determining the evolution of D versus ND and seed viability. Quantitative analysis of the data revealed that at least half of the seeds produced by 46 % of the surveyed populations were embryoless and/or otherwise non-viable. Conclusions Our results support the view that long-term climatic and geological stability favour ND. Seed viability data show that campo rupestre species have a markedly low investment in regeneration from seeds, highlighting the need for specific in situ and ex situ conservation strategies to avoid loss of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutualistic interaction networks have been shown to be structurally conserved over space and time while pairwise interactions show high variability. In such networks, modularity is the division of species into compartments, or modules, where species within modules share more interactions with each other than they do with species from other modules. Such a modular structure is common in mutualistic networks and several evolutionary and ecological mechanisms have been proposed as underlying drivers. One prominent explanation is the existence of pollination syndromes where flowers tend to attract certain pollinators as determined by a set of traits. We investigate the modularity of seven community level plant-pollinator networks sampled in rupestrian grasslands, or campos rupestres, in SE Brazil. Defining pollination systems as corresponding groups of flower syndromes and pollinator functional groups, we test the two hypotheses that (1) interacting species from the same pollination system are more often assigned to the same module than interacting species from different pollination systems and; that (2) interactions between species from the same pollination system are more consistent across space than interactions between species from different pollination systems. Specifically we ask (1) whether networks are consistently modular across space; (2) whether interactions among species of the same pollination system occur more often inside modules, compared to interactions among species of different pollination systems, and finally; (3) whether the spatial variation in interaction identity, i.e., spatial interaction rewiring, is affected by trait complementarity among species as indicated by pollination systems. We confirm that networks are consistently modular across space and that interactions within pollination systems principally occur inside modules. Despite a strong tendency, we did not find a significant effect of pollination systems on the spatial consistency of pairwise interactions. These results indicate that the spatial rewiring of interactions could be constrained by pollination systems, resulting in conserved network structures in spite of high variation in pairwise interactions. Our findings suggest a relevant role of pollination systems in structuring plant-pollinator networks and we argue that structural patterns at the sub-network level can help us to fully understand how and why interactions vary across space and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The description and understanding of plant communities is fundamental for the implementation of conservation or restoration programs, especially when these communities are highly threatened and need to be restored. Campos rupestres, some Neotropical mountain grasslands located in central Brazil and part of the Cerrado biome (covering 2 million km) host unique plant communities, currently threatened by quarrying and mining. The grassy matrix of campos rupestres, has long been considered a rich mosaic under the control of local topography and the nature of substrate, but this affirmation has not been well studied. We analyzed whether plant communities varied in relation to edaphic factors within the stony substrate and the sandy substrate of this grassy matrix. We selected 5 sites where occur both grasslands on stony substrate and on sandy substrate, and we carried out vegetation surveys and soil analyses. We counted 222 plant species within our communities, among which 38.6% are exclusively found on campos rupestres. Our results show that both soil-types are strongly acidic, nutrient poor and exhibit a seasonal variation. Phosphorus increases and pH and organic carbon decrease during the dry season. Stony soils are slightly richer in nutrients than sandy soils and differences in soil granulometry and composition have led to the formation of distinct plant communities. Some species are confined to either one or the other grassland-type, which makes the plant composition of each community unique. Variations in edaphic factors generate heterogeneous grasslands favorable to a high plant diversity. Conservation programs and restoration actions have to maintain or recreate this heterogeneity. The presence of distinct plant communities implies that different strategies might be adopted to improve the restoration of these ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Campo rupestre vegetation tends return to an unburned state after a wildifre • Species composition did not affect functional diversity in Campo rupestre vegetation • Plant cover reestablished in a period of two years after wildfire • Cover reestablishment was driven mainly by cespitose hemicryptophyte High heterogeneity of the floristic component and rapid post-burn vegetation recovery have been reported for Campo rupestre , an azonal peinobiome characterized by a fire-prone vegetation establishing on nutrient-impoverished soils. Although these two key conditions are already known for Campo rupestre , the relationship between them still poorly understood. To test whether floristic composition influences the pattern of post-fire regeneration, we monitored the vegetation recovery of three floristically dissimilar Campo rupestre sites for two consecutive years following wildfires. For each site, we conducted species similarity ordination, rank-abundance distribution, divergence from species to life-form diversity analyses (with an index of diversity divergence) and plant cover in twenty 1 m × 1m plots (10 in burned and 10 in unburned patches). The plots were resampled every four months from December 2015 (one month after wildfire) to November 2017 (24 months after wildfire), totaling seven temporal measurements. We found that the burned grasslands tended to return to a pre-fire state that is similar to control plots that did not burn in 2015. However, each community presented different trajectories in floristic transitions and different degrees of species similarity in relation to an adjacent unburned area. Despite these floristic differences, the three sites reached similar plant cover measures in relation to the non-burned areas. No differences were found for life-form diversity and abundance distribution between communities, suggesting that the differences in floristic composition did not alter the abundance and diversity of functional groups. We conclude that, despite differences in the floristic component, there is high functional redundancy among Campo rupestre communities periodically exposed to wildfires, leading to a similar dynamic of plant recovery during post-fire regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Five of the fourteen studied species show potential for use in direct seeding. • There was no relationship between germinability under controlled conditions and establishment percentage in the degraded area. • Direct seeding in post-mine areas without substrate interventions is not effective. • The incorporation of plant residues (litter) to the substrate facilitates plant establishment. • Direct seeding with native species from different functional groups and higher plant density may cost less than traditional planting of seedlings. Direct seeding in the restoration of degraded areas requires less financial investment and facilitates the use of greater diversity of species from different functional groups than traditional planting of seedlings. However, the application of this technique in the ecological restoration of post-mined areas in grassland environments is still poorly investigated. This study evaluated seed germination under controlled conditions, seedling establishment and associated costs of 14 species native to the Brazilian campos rupestres through direct seeding in a post-mined area. The effects of the incorporation of plant material (litter) to the degraded substrate on plant establishment were also measured. Under controlled conditions, 64% (9 out of 14) of the evaluated species showed germinability between 30 and 77%. Under field conditions, one year after, it was observed that the incorporation of plant litter to the substrate allowed the establishment of 49 individuals m−2 of nine species, four of which with establishment percentage and cost per seedling of, respectively, 1.4–6.2% and US$ 0.006–0.09. In the other treatments, no significant plant establishment was observed. Despite the low percentage of establishment, direct seeding combined with the incorporation of plant litter to the substrate allowed the revegetation of a post-mined area with viable cost. The use of suitable species for direct seeding combined with techniques that promote improvements in substrate conditions is critical to increase establishment success using direct seeding in the ecological restoration of campos rupestres post-mined areas. Further studies on techniques to improve substrate quality and seed germination of native species of campos rupestres are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]