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Fluid-feeding herbivores directly affect host plants through sap consumption. Moreover, they establish mutualistic relationships with ants, which might generate additional reproductive costs related to pollinator repellence. Here we studied the drivers of variation in the outcomes of these interactions from the perspective of Psittacanthus robustus, a hummingbird-pollinated mistletoe. We hypothesized that associations between fluid-feeding insects and ants should indirectly decrease mistletoe reproduction by repelling pollinators, and directly by reducing seed size, germination, and establishment of plants presenting denser herbivore aggregations. First, we manipulated the presence of the ant Camponotus rufipes on mistletoe inflorescences to assess their effects on visitation behavior of pollinators. We correlated fruit production and fruit and seed size to abundance of fluid-feeding insects on plants. Moreover, we conducted a field experiment assessing the effects of aggregation size of fluid-feeding herbivores on seed germination and seedling establishment. Ant presence on inflorescences did not affect the visitation rates of the main pollinator, the hummingbird Eupetomena macroura. Abundance of fluid-feeding herbivores did not explain variation in fruit crop size. However, we observed a significant reduction in seed size in those plants hosting larger aggregations of fluid-feeding herbivores. The reduction in seed size did not translate into a significant decrease in seed germination nor a decrease in seedling establishment. Our results dispute previous studies highlighting negative indirect effects on plant–pollinator interactions mediated by the presence of ant–trophobiont mutualisms. Likewise, our study underscores the need of assessing fluid-feeding herbivore effects on crucial stages of the host plant life cycle to clarify fitness consequences of multitrophic interactions.

Ground-dwelling ants are active foragers that may extend their foraging area into the vegetation, although the factors affecting their diversity in the suspended litter of understorey plants remain overlooked. To evaluate the influence of the distance between strata, litter biomass and plant size on the ant fauna, the litter ant assemblage of the suspended stratum was compared with the ground immediately below the understorey treeletErythrochiton brasiliensis(Rutaceae) in an Atlantic Forest, south-eastern Brazil. We collected 1364 ants from 26 ant species. The suspended litter ant assemblage represented a subset of the ground-dwelling ants present in soil litter. The beta diversity results primarily from the high ant species turnover among individual suspended-litter samples, and among ground-litter samples, while species turnover among suspended-ground pairs is lower. Additionally, plant height was not important in determining the species turnover between strata. However, plant height positively correlated with ant species richness, probably because of the increased number of microhabitats. These results suggest that suspended litter in the forest understorey can provide the conditions for ground-dwelling ants to forage and nest, functioning as a vertical extension of resources and microhabitat conditions present in the ground litter.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T11:57:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-04-09 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) Background and Aims Much of our understanding of the ecology and evolution of seed dispersal in the Neotropics is founded on studies involving the animal-dispersed, hyperdiverse plant clade Miconia (Melastomataceae). Nonetheless, no formal attempt has been made to establish its relevance as a model system or indeed provide evidence of the role of frugivores as Miconia seed dispersers. Methods We built three Miconia databases (fruit phenology/diaspore traits, fruit-frugivore interactions and effects on seed germination after gut passage) to determine how Miconia fruiting phenology and fruit traits for >350 species interact with and shape patterns of frugivore selection. In addition, we conducted a meta-analysis evaluating the effects of animal gut passage/seed handling on Miconia germination. Key Results Miconia produce numerous small berries that enclose numerous tiny seeds within water- and sugar-rich pulps. In addition, coexisting species provide sequential, year long availability of fruits within communities, with many species producing fruits in periods of resource scarcity. From 2396 pairwise interactions, we identified 646 animal frugivore species in five classes, 22 orders and 60 families, including birds, mammals, reptiles, fish and ants that consume Miconia fruits. Endozoochory is the main dispersal mechanism, but gut passage effects on germination were specific to animal clades; birds, monkeys and ants reduced seed germination percentages, while opossums increased it. Conclusions The sequential fruiting phenologies and wide taxonomic and functional diversity of animal vectors associated with Miconia fruits underscore the likely keystone role that this plant clade plays in the Neotropics. By producing fruits morphologically and chemically accessible to a variety of animals, Miconia species ensure short- and long-distance seed dispersal and constitute reliable resources that sustain entire frugivore assemblages. Penn State Univ, Dept Biol, University Pk, PA 16802 USA Penn State Univ, Ecol Program, University Pk, PA 16802 USA Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Ctr Ecol Synth & Conservat, Dept Genet Ecol & Evolucao, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias Rio Claro, Dept Biodiversidade, Rio Claro, Brazil Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Dept Bot, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias Rio Claro, Dept Biodiversidade, Rio Claro, Brazil

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. Long Term Ecological Research PELD-CRSC-17 Conselho Nacional de Pesquisas CNPq/MCTI Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo 2013/50155-0, 2010/51307-0, 2019/07773-1

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:53:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-08-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) Rupestrian grasslands are biodiverse, evolutionary old vegetation complexes that harbor more than 5000 species of vascular plants and one of the highest levels of plant endemism in the world. Growing on nutrient–impoverished soils and under harsh environmental conditions, these mountaintop ecosystems were once spared from major human interventions of agriculture and intensive cattle ranching. However, in Brazil, rupestrian grasslands have experienced one of the most extreme land use changes among all Brazilian ecosystems, suffering from ill policies leading to intense mining activities, uncontrolled tourism, and unplanned road construction. Indeed, the discovery of large mineral reserves, the adoption of ineffective conservation policies, and, going forward, climate change, are threatening this hyper-diverse ecosystem. Here, we shed light on the severe threats imposed by land-use changes in this ecosystem, modeling its future distribution under different scenarios. We uncover a catastrophic forecast that, if not halted, will lead to the loss of 82% of this unique ecosystem in the future, impacting ecosystem services at regional scales, including water and food security potentially affecting more than 50 million persons. Departamento de Biologia Geral Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Department of Biology Stanford University Laboratório de Fenologia Departamento de Botânica Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista UNESP Departamento de Demografia Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Departamento de Zoologia Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP 486 Instituto de Geociências Pós-Graduação em Análise e Modelagem de Sistemas Ambientais Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Departamento de Botânica Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Laboratório de Fenologia Departamento de Botânica Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista UNESP CNPq: 154664/2016-2 CNPq: 441515/2016-9

Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-26T17:48:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-01-01 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Assessment of host infection and distribution patterns are crucial to understand the underling mechanisms that shape parasitic plant spread in natural ecosystems. However, such data remain scarce for mistletoes inhabiting Brazilian campo rupestre vegetation, old-growth montane fire-prone grasslands. We evaluated the host range and distribution patterns of the mistletoe Psittacanthus robustus (Loranthaceae) at seven 1-ha plots located at in Serra do Cipo, southeastern Brazil. We investigate if the frequency of parasitism by P. robustus is directly related to the relative abundance of host tree species in the community, and how prevalence and intensity of infection vary among different host tree species. Average mistletoe density was 120 individuals ha(-1), which parasitized eight host species, including trees and shrubs in five families. Four tree species, Vochysia thyrsoidea, Qualea cordata (Vochysiaceae), Trembleya laniflora and Miconia ferruginata (Melastomataceae), comprised 95% of infected individuals. Twenty two percent of 1,108 trees sampled were parasitized by P. robustus, with host specificity within species in Myrtales Clade. Prevalence increased with host height for all tree species, with a highly aggregated distribution in few taller host trees within rocky outcrop patches in campo rupestre. The unveiling patterns of host infection and mistletoe distribution, support future studies addressing plant-plant, bird-plant and fire-plant interactions that might shape infection dynamics of this widespread mistletoe species in campo rupestre. (c) 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Programa Posgrad Ecol, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP, Brazil Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Inst Ciencias Biol, Dept Bot, BR-31270901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zool, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Dept Biol Anim, CP 6109, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zool, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil FAPESP: 2007/59444-4

The extent of specialization/generalization continuum in fruit-frugivore interactions at the individual level remains poorly explored. Here, we investigated the interactions between the Neotropical treelet Miconia irwinii (Melastomataceae) and its avian seed dispersers in Brazilian campo rupestre. We built an individual-based network to derive plant degree of interaction specialization regarding disperser species. Then, we explored how intraspecific variation in interaction niche breadth relates to fruit availability on individual plants in varying densities of fruiting conspecific neighbors, and how these factors affect the quantity of viable seeds dispersed. We predicted broader interaction niche breadths for individuals with larger fruit crops in denser fruiting neighborhoods. The downscaled network included nine bird species and 15 plants, which varied nearly five-fold in their degree of interaction specialization. We found positive effects of crop size on visitation and fruit removal rates, but not on degree of interaction specialization. Conversely, we found that an increase in the density of conspecific fruiting neighbors both increased visitation rate and reduced plant degree of interaction specialization. We suggest that tracking fruit-rich patches by avian frugivore species is the main driver of density-dependent intraspecific variation in plants' interaction niche breadth. Our study shed some light on the overlooked fitness consequences of intraspecific variation in interaction niches by showing that individuals along the specialization/generalization continuum may have their seed dispersed with similar effectiveness. Our study exemplifies how individual-based networks linking plants to frugivore species that differ in their seed dispersal effectiveness can advance our understanding of intraspecific variation in the outcomes of fruit-frugivore interactions.

International audience; Questions: Anthropogenic disturbances are known to be followed by extremely poor recovery in edaphic grasslands. However, the role of interactions with diaspore predators and secondary dispersers, which compose the dispersal filter and modulate plant community recovery, has been overlooked. We performed field experiments to investigate how soil disturbances affect diaspore interactions with the ground‐foraging fauna to better understand how disturbance influences regeneration potential.Location: Campo rupestre vegetation, megadiverse edaphic grasslands, southeastern Brazil.Methods: We used diaspores from five native species to compare removal rates between disturbed (top soil removal) and preserved sites; we also controlled invertebrate and vertebrate access to determine their role. In addition, we assessed differences in the diaspore removal effectiveness (DRE) and the structure of animal–diaspore interactions through network based‐approach.Results: For three species, the average diaspore removal rates was relatively high (between 30% and 70%). Invertebrates were the most common removal agents in both disturbed and preserved sites. Interactions with foraging fauna and removal rates were 20% smaller in disturbed sites. Considering all diaspore removal events in disturbed sites, 24% resulted in the displacement from disturbed to preserved sites, but no diaspore was transported from preserved to disturbed ones. The animal–diaspore network was exclusively composed by ant–diaspore interactions and was more diverse and robust in preserved sites compared with disturbed ones. Seed predator ants (Pheidole and Dorymyrmex) were more common in disturbed sites. Furthermore, significant differences were found in the DRE between ant species and site types, suggesting specificity in the provision of dispersal services.Conclusions: Topsoil removal affected removal proportions, DRE and ant–diaspore interaction network structure. The lack of diaspore dispersal towards disturbed sites indicates that soil removal affects secondary seed removal dynamics, impeding recovery potential. Disturbance negatively affected diaspore fate by reshaping interactions with ground‐foraging secondary seed dispersers and predators, constraining the development of seed bank and thus impacting upon vegetation dynamics and resilience.

Ex situ seed conservation is an effective strategy to help safeguarding plants from extinction. The updated Global Strategy for Plant Conservation’s (GSPC) Target 8 aims to include 75% of threatened plant species in ex situ collections by 2020, preferably in the country of origin. Halfway through the updated GSPC program, we evaluate the current state of knowledge and practice of ex situ seed conservation of threatened species from megadiverse Brazilian flora, contributing to this Target. We identify knowledge gaps and costs to achieve Target 8 through seed banking in Brazil within the time constraints of the GSPC and in a scenario of recent science budget funding cuts. Knowledge on seed storage behavior is available only for 24 Brazilian species (1.3%). Seed desiccation tolerance was concluded for 175 of 228 species, feasibly allowing safe storage of most Brazilian species at sub-zero temperatures. However, only 26 species (1.3%) are effectively banked in research institutions. Surprisingly, the percentage of banked threatened species hardly increased in the first 5 years since the update of the Target (0.55%, 2011–2015), and Brazil now faces the challenge of banking almost 1500 species during 2016–2020. Despite a major lack of commitment of Brazilian institutions and of knowledge to achieve the Target, the costs for banking the remaining species were estimated to be only US$3.9 million. We call for a nationwide coordinated effort of government agencies, policy makers and research institutions to include ex situ seed conservation in the environmental agenda to pursue achievement of the Target by 2020.

Avian predators may represent an important selective pressure favouring the evolution of aposematic colouration in millipedes that present chemical defences. However, the role of their warning colouration in predator avoidance remains poorly explored under field conditions, especially in Neotropical forests. Thus, to evaluate the hypothesis of the predator avoidance, we conducted a factorial experiment utilizing artificial replicas of millipedes constructed from plasticine and placed in the natural habitat of Odontopeltis aleijadinho (Polydesmida, Chelodesmidae), an Atlantic Forest endemic aposematic millipede. We assessed patterns of attack to aposematic and non-aposematic replicas applied with repugnant fluid extracted from living millipedes and two control treatments, distributed as a total of 300 replicas exposed for 48 h on the forest floor. The average percentage of replicas attacked was nearly 10-fold higher on those non-aposematic control replicas (13.3% ± 3.3%) than on aposematic replicas (1.3% ± 0.9%). In 24 replicas attacked by avian predators, no effect of millipede repugnant fluid was found, but the effect of colouration pattern was statistically significant. Our data support the hypothesis that a warning colouration pattern involving yellow spots symmetrically distributed along the millipede body can mediate avian predator avoidance.

The balance between the costs and benefits of fleshy fruit production depends on the feeding behavior of their seed dispersers, which might effectively disperse seeds to farther areas or drop beneath parent plants some diaspores they handle during frugivory bouts. Nevertheless, the consequences of variation in fruit handling by primary seed dispersers on the secondary removal of diaspores remains poorly understood. We conducted a field study to determine how variation in fruit handling by avian frugivores affects short-term secondary removal of Miconia irwinii (Melastomataceae) diaspores by the ground-dwelling fauna in campo rupestre vegetation, southeastern Brazil. We conducted factorial experiments manipulating: (1) different outcomes of primary fruit/seed removal by birds, (2) distances of diaspore deposition from conspecifics, and (3) the access of ants and vertebrates to diaspores. We showed that secondary removal of diaspores was highly variable at the population scale, with an overall low removal rate by the ground-dwelling fauna (13% seeds, 19% fruits). However, we found that gut-passed seeds embedded in bird feces were less removed than seeds expelled from fruits. Gut-passed seeds were more likely to be removed by ant species acting as secondary dispersers, whereas pulp-free seeds dropped by birds were likely to interact with potential seed predators, including ants and rodents. We found no clear effect of dispersal from parent plant vicinity on seed removal, but fruit removal was significantly higher near parent plants. Partially defleshed fruits were more removed than intact fruits. The removal of fruits by ant and vertebrate rescuers, including lizards and birds, might reduce the costs of interactions with less effective dispersers that drop partially defleshed fruits under parent plants. Our study highlights that variation in fruit handling by primary avian seed dispersers mediate subsequent interactions among discarded diaspores and ground-dwelling animals, potentially affecting final seed fates. Moreover, we argue that escape-related benefits of dispersal can be contingent on how primary dispersers handle and discard seeds.

Cecropia are pioneer successional trees frequently associated with ants. Generally a single dominant colony of Azteca ant inhabits each mature Cecropia tree, but other ant species may be found living or foraging on the same tree. In this study, we assessed the diversity of ant species on Cecropia pachystachya trees in two sites in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: a dust-free roadside and a dusty roadside. We also investigated the influence of tree architecture on ant species richness. We found a total of 24 ant species distributed in 11 genera and five subfamilies on C. pachystachya trees; 18 in the dust-free roadside and 14 in the dusty roadside. We found up to five ant species on a single tree, but only Azteca alfari was frequently encountered. Ant species richness per tree did not differ significantly between sites and was related to tree architectural traits. On the other hand, ant species composition on trees differed significantly between sites. Our study indicates that heavy dust deposition on Cecropia trees may affect associated ant communities, not by changing ant species richness, but by causing different species to live and forage on trees under different dust exposure.

Background Patients undergoing bariatric surgery often complain of bad breath. However, the relationship between bariatric surgery and halitosis is relatively unknown. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and compare the occurrence of halitosis among patients before and after a specific type of bariatric surgery, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and its relationship with the tongue coating index, plaque index, and salivary flow rate. Methods A total of 62 patients with good oral health and in treatment for obesity at the walk-in clinic of Santa Casa Hospital, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, were selected. Of this sample, 31 were bariatric surgery candidates (control group) and 31 had already undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (case group). After completing a questionnaire, all patients underwent an oral clinical examination. Halitosis was measured using an organoleptic scale and a portable sulfide monitor. Results The Spearman correlation demonstrated a strong positive relation between the organoleptic rates and the concentration of volatile sulfur compounds determined using the sulfide monitor (r s = .58; P = .0001). No difference was found in the prevalence of halitosis between the 2 groups ( P = .48). Only the salivary flow rate was significantly reduced in the control group compared with the case group ( P = .02). In the case group, the concentration of volatile sulfur compounds correlated negatively with the salivary flow rate ( P = .04) and positively with the tongue coating index ( P = .005). The tongue coating index was significantly increased in those patients who did not brush the tongue ( P P = .02). Conclusion These data suggest that no significant association exists between halitosis and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. However, they do highlight the possible effect of this surgery on the oral cavity.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:44:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-12-01 Ant-plant associations are an outstanding model to study the entangled ecological interactions that structure communities. However, most studies of plant-animal networks focus on only one type of resource that mediates these interactions (e.g, nectar or fruits), leading to a biased understanding of community structure. New approaches, however, have made possible to study several interaction types simultaneously through multilayer networks models. Here, we use this approach to ask whether the structural patterns described to date for antplant networks hold when multiple interactions with plant-derived food rewards are considered. We tested whether networks characterized by different resource types differ in specialization and resource partitioning among ants, and whether the identity of the core ant species is similar among resource types. We monitored ant interactions with extrafloral nectaries, flowers, and fruits, as well as trophobiont hemipterans feeding on plants, for one year, in seven rupestrian grassland (campo rupestre) sites in southeastern Brazil. We found a highly tangled ant-plant network in which plants offering different resource types are connected by a few central ant species. The multilayer network had low modularity and specialization, but ant specialization and niche overlap differed according to the type of resource used. Beyond detecting structural differences across networks, our study demonstrates empirically that the core of most central ant species is similar across them. We suggest that foraging strategies of ant species, such as massive recruitment, may determine specialization and resource partitioning in ant-plant interactions. As this core of ant species is involved in multiple ecosystem functions, it may drive the diversity and evolution of the entire campo rupestre community. Graduate School in Ecology Conservation And Wildlife Management Federal University of Minas Gerais Minas Gerais Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Arizona Department of Botany Federal University of Minas Gerais Minas Gerais Department of Ecology São Paulo State University (UNESP) Department of Ecology São Paulo State University (UNESP)

Botanists, ecologists and evolutionary biologists are familiar with the astonishing species richness and endemism of the fynbos of the Cape Floristic Region and the ancient and unique flora of the kwongkan of south-western Australia. These regions represent old climatically-buffered infertile landscapes (OCBILs) that are the basis of a general hypothesis to explain their richness and endemism. However, few ecologists are familiar with the campo rupestre of central and eastern Brazil, an extremely old mountaintop ecosystem that is both a museum of ancient lineages and a cradle of continuing diversification of endemic lineages. Diversification of some lineages of campo rupestre pre-dates diversification of lowland cerrado, suggesting it may be the most ancient open vegetation in eastern South America. This vegetation comprises more than 5000 plant species, nearly 15 % of Brazil’s plant diversity, in an area corresponding to 0.78 % of its surface. Reviewing empirical data, we scrutinise five predictions of the OCBIL theory, and show that campo rupestre is fully comparable to and remarkably convergent with both fynbos and kwongkan, and fulfills the criteria for a classic OCBIL. The increasing threats to campo rupestre are compromising ecosystem services and we argue for the implementation of more effective conservation and restoration strategies.

Nectarivorous flower mites can reduce the volume of nectar available to pollinators. The effects of the flower miteProctolaelapssp. on nectar availability in flowers of a melittophilous bromeliadNeoregelia johannis(Bromeliaceae) was evaluated in a coastal rain forest in south-eastern Brazil. In a randomized block experiment utilizing 18 flower pairs, one per bromeliad ramet, pollinators (Bombus morio) and mites were excluded, and then nectar volume, sugar concentration and sugar mass were quantified over the anthesis period. Mites significantly reduced nectar volume early in the morning (6h00–8h00), but not later (10h00–12h00). Mites decreased total volume of nectar available up to 22%. Sugar concentration in nectar was higher earlier in the morning, and decreased between 10h00–12h00. The pronounced consumption of nectar by mites during the period of higher sugar concentration reduced the total amount of sugar available to pollinators by 31%. This is the first study showing that flower mites decrease nectar rewards in a melittophilous plant. Because nectar volume by itself incompletely describes nectar production rates and the effects of nectar removal by flower mites on the availability of sugar, our study highlights the inclusion of sugar content in future studies assessing the effects of thieves on nectar production rates.

Nectarivorous flower mites (Mesostigmata: Melicharidae) live mostly on hummingbird-pollinated plants in the New World. We observed Proctolaelaps sp. living on Neoregeliajohannis (Bromeliaceae) in a coastal rain forest site in south-eastern Brazil. Flower anthesis of this bromeliad lasted a single day. We recorded mites moving into, feeding from, presumably mating and reproducing, and exiting bromeliad flowers within just a single day. We observed three ant species predating flower mites on bromeliads. The main visitor was the bumblebee Bombus morio, which always landed on the inflorescence to access nectar inside the bromeliad flowers. We found Proctolaelaps sp. mites on 47% of 38 bumblebees inspected, with each Bombus hosting 2 mites on average; only adults and mostly female mites (93%) usually found on the bumblebees’ gula region of the head. This is the first study to document nectarivorous flower mites living on a melittophilous host plant using bumblebees for phoretic dispersal.

Mutualisms such as animal pollination and seed dispersal, and protection of plants and insects by ants are ubiquitous in terrestrial ecosystems. Currently, mutualistic interactions among plants and animals are recognized for their paramount importance in biodiversity maintenance, especially in tropical ecosystems. In this chapter, we review the literature and present unpublished data on the ecology of mutualistic interactions among free-living species in Brazilian megadiverse montane Rupestrian Grasslands, the Campo Rupestre. We focus on interactions between plants and their pollinators and seed dispersers, and also interactions between ants, myrmecophilous plants and trophobiont insects. We provide basic information on mutualistic interactions, including data on natural history in addition to more advanced studies using network-based approaches. Only in the past decade mutualistic interactions have become intensively studied in Campo Rupestre, but information is still scattered and concentrated for a few localities. Pollination is an important process for reproduction of most plant species studied so far, with bees and hummingbirds acting as the main pollinators. Seemingly, animal pollination is more important than seed dispersal for gene flow across plant populations. Most vertebrate seed dispersal is carried out by non-specialized avian frugivorous, but also by short-distance seed dispersers such as ants and lizards. Moreover, ants are diversified and abundant group that seem to play a major role in these ecosystems, acting as secondary seed dispersers, as nectar thieves, and as bodyguards of plants and insects. We conclude this chapter by pointing out some gaps in our knowledge and proposing avenues for future research.

Territory size is an important ecological attribute of populations that has been considered a factor determines population density. Antbirds is a large group of mainly insectivorous Neotropical passerines, usually well represented in bird communities from forested landscapes in Neotropical region. Territory sizes for three Antbirds, Thamnophilus caerulescens (Vieillot, 1816) (Variable Antshrike), Dysithamnus mentalis (Temmink, 1823) (Plain Antvireo) e Pyriglena leucoptera (Vieillot, 1818) (White-shouldered Fire-eye), were mapped and their area estimated by the convex polygon method in a 50 ha forest fragment, in southeastern Brazil. The three species presented small territories of similar sizes (< 2 ha) both during the non-reproductive and the reproductive seasons of 2000-2001. Territories overlapped considerably among species but not intraspecifically. Territory sizes increased with body mass of the three species studied (P. leucoptera > T. caerulescens > D. mentalis). We failed to find any effect on territory size for the three species associated with forest edge or distance to the dirt road.O tamanho do território é um importante atributo ecológico das populações, sendo considerado um fator que pode determinar densidades populacionais. Os Thamnophilidae formam um grupo diverso de pássaros insetívoros, usualmente representativos nas comunidades de aves em florestas da região Neotropical. Neste estudo estimamos o tamanho de território de três espécies de Thamnophilidae, Thamnophilus caerulescens (Vieillot, 1816) (Choca-da-mata), Dysithamnus mentalis (Temmink, 1823) (Choquinha-lisa) e Pyriglena leucoptera (Vieillot, 1818) (Papa-taoca-do-sul), através do método de polígono convexo, em um fragmento de Mata Atlântica no sudeste do Brasil. Os territórios foram pequenos (< 2 ha) para as três espécies e não variaram significativamente entre as estações não reprodutiva e reprodutiva. Os territórios sobrepuseram-se consideravelmente entre as três espécies, mas não em cada espécie. O tamanho dos territórios aumentou com a massa corporal das três espécies (P. leucoptera > T. caerulescens > D. mentalis). Não foi observada nenhuma relação entre o tamanho do território e sua distância à borda da mata e à estrada para as três espécies.

Urban avifaunal surveys in Brazil have been increasing in recent years, despite none of them consisting of long-term studies indicating events of regional colonization and/or missing species. Here, we present an avifaunal survey of an urbanized ecosystem in southeastern Brazil, carried out along 30 years, on the campus of the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, municipality of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais state. Inside the campus there is a forest reserve adjacent to a small lake. The inventory was mainly based on opportunistic records from the years 1982-2013. We recorded 134 bird species along the past 30 years. However, the present avifauna is composed of 123 species. A total of 97 species was recorded in the reserve, including the forest fragment and the adjacent lake, of which 44 were exclusive to this area. Nevertheless, the majority of the current species found in the study area is forest independent (N = 51) or semi-dependent (N = 46). There is a predominance of insectivorous (N = 43) and omnivorous (N = 29) species. The current avifauna is represented by 15 migratory species, which can be found both in the urbanized area and in the forest remnant. However, the majority of the species (N = 75) is resident in the area, including three invasive species, whereas few others (N = 28) are occasional visitors. The remaining species were probably introduced in the area. There were 11 cases of disappearing species, which include typical forest birds, and also species typical of wetlands and rural environments. We also comment on recent colonization and on the possible effects of isolation on birds. Probably, the majority of forest-dependents are on the brink of extinction in the forest fragment. Thus, the species' list provided here can be useful as a database for monitoring long-term effects of urbanization on this bird community. Levantamentos da avifauna urbana no Brasil tem aumentado nos últimos anos, embora nenhum deles consista de estudos a longo prazo que indiquem eventos de colonizações regionais ou desaparecimento de espécies. Neste estudo, apresentamos um levantamento da avifauna de um ecossistema urbano do sudeste brasileiro, efetuado ao longo de 30 anos, no campus da Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, município de Belo Horizonte, estado de Minas Gerais. Dentro do campus há uma pequena reserva florestal adjacente a um pequeno lago. O inventário foi baseado principalmente em registros aleatórios ao longo de 1982-2013. Foram registradas 134 espécies de aves neste período. Entretanto, a avifauna atual é composta por 123 espécies. Um total de 97 espécies foi registrado na reserva, representada pelo fragmento florestal e pelo lago adjacente, das quais 44 foram exclusivas a esta área. Todavia, a maior parte das espécies de aves que ocorrem atualmente na área de estudo é independente (N = 51) ou semi-dependente (N = 46) de florestas. Há um predomínio de espécies insetívoras (N = 43) e onívoras (N = 29). A avifauna atual é representada por 15 espécies migratórias, que podem ser encontradas tanto na área urbanizada quanto no remanescente florestal. Entretanto, a maioria das espécies (N = 75) é residente na área, incluindo três invasoras, enquanto outras (N = 28) são representadas por visitantes ocasionais. O restante das espécies foi possivelmente introduzido na área. Houve 11 casos de desaparecimento de espécies, que incluem espécies típicas de matas, áreas úmidas e ambientes rurais. Também comentamos sobre colonizações recentes e sobre possíveis efeitos do isolamento nas aves. Provavelmente, a maior parte das espécies dependentes de florestas está próxima à extinção local no fragmento florestal. Assim, o presente levantamento pode ser útil como uma base de informações para monitoramentos de longo prazo sobre os efeitos da urbanização sobre esta comunidade de aves.

The genus Brachycephalus Fitzinger, 1826 comprises 17 tiny species, eight of which were described only in the past 10 years (Frost 2012). Vocal communication is still poorly studied in this group, and despite its importance for taxonomic studies (e.g. Padial & De La Riva 2009) only two species of the group have had their calls described (Pombal et al. 1994; Verdade et al. 2008).

Timorus sarcophagoides, new species (type-locality: Brazil, Minas Gerais, Santana do Riacho - Serra do Cipo, 43 o 35'W19 o 17'S, 1200–1300m ASL), is described and illustrated. The new species can be distinguished mainly from the other spe-cies of the genus by the sexual dimorphism of the male rostrum armed with a hooked tubercle at the base of the dorsalcarina, while the tubercle is ab sent in the female and the corresponding region of the carina is only tumid. The new specieshas a striking pattern of coloration and behavior that mimics flesh-flies in the family Sarcophagidae. Observations on thenatural history of the new species are reported and discussed. Key words: mimicry, natural history, Sarcophagidae, Serra do Cipo, taxonomy, Timorus , Zygopini Resumo Timorus sarcophagoides, nova especie (Localidade-tipo: Brasil, Minas Gerais, Santana do Riacho - Serra do Cipo,43 o 35'W 19 17'S, 1200–1300m), e descrita e ilustrada. A nova especie pode ser distinguida das outras especies do generoprincipalmente pelo marcante dimorfismo sexual no rostro dos machos armados com um tuberculo em forma de ganchona base dorsal da carina, enquanto nas femeas o tuberculo e ausente e a regiao correspondente da carina e apenas intu-mescida. A nova especie possui um notavel padrao de coloracao e comportamento que mimetiza moscas da familia Sar-cophagidae. Observacoes sobre a historia natural da nova especie sao apresentadas e discutidas.