Patterns of Ant Diversity in the Natural Grasslands of Southern Brazil

Despite the large number of studies investigating ant diversity in Brazilian biomes, no ant-related studies have been carried out in Campos Gerais, a grassland physiognomy in Paraná state. The present study is the first inventory of the ant fauna in one of the few conservation units protecting the Campos Gerais landscape, the Guartelá State Park (PEG). Sixty samples were collected from different habitats within PEG using pitfall traps. Qualitative samples of leaf litter were collected from forest fragments and submitted to Winkler extractors. In addition, manual qualitative sampling was carried out in the various physiognomies within the PEG. A total of 163 species was collected and sorted into 43 genera and nine subfamilies. Five genera and 28 species were recorded for the first time in the state of Paraná. Out of these, 17 species were also recorded for the first time in the Southern Region of Brazil and two were recorded for the first time to the country. The significant species richness in the PEG and the high number of new records is a strong sign of this ecosystem’s potential to reveal taxonomic novelties. These results suggest that PEG, and the Campos Gerais as a whole, should be the target of greater conservation efforts to preserve native remnants.

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Two new species of Margyricarpus (Rosaceae, Sanguisorbeae) from high-elevation grasslands in southern Brazil, and other notes on the genus Margyricarpus

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.496.3.7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 496 (3) ◽

pp. 281-293

Author(s):

LUÍS A. FUNEZ ◽

GUSTAVO HASSEMER ◽

NIVALDO PERONI ◽

ELISANDRO R. DRECHSLER-SANTOS

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

South America ◽

Species Complex ◽

High Elevation ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Distribution Map ◽

Natural Grasslands ◽

Two New Species

Margyricarpus pinnatus is a poorly understood entity from natural grasslands of South America that it better considered as a species complex. In this work we contribute to the advancement of the taxonomic knowledge of this challenging species complex by describing two new species of Margyricarpus from southern Brazil. We present field photographs, illustrations, a distribution map and ecologic and conservation notes on the new species.

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Shifts in composition of avian communities related to temperate-grassland afforestation in southeastern South America

Iheringia Série Zoologia ◽

10.1590/s0073-47212013000100002 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 103 (1) ◽

pp. 12-19 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Rafael A. Dias ◽

Vinicius A. G. Bastazini ◽

Maycon S. S. Gonçalves ◽

Felipe C. Bonow ◽

Sandra C. Müller

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Grassland Birds ◽

Tree Plantations ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Grassland Bird ◽

Natural Grasslands ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Eucalyptus Plantations ◽

Regional Population ◽

The Impact

Afforestation of temperate grasslands with fast-growing trees for industrial pulpwood production is spreading in South America. Despite high afforestation rates resulting from governmental policies that stimulate pulpwood production in grasslands of southern Brazil and Uruguay, the impact of this activity on biodiversity remains to be properly assessed. We used an Impact-Reference study design to evaluate how grassland afforestation affects the composition of grassland bird assemblages. We sampled eucalyptus plantations and neighboring natural grasslands in southern Brazil from 2006-2009, and relied on nested sampling and analysis to separate the effects of afforestation from the natural variability of grasslands. We recorded a significant difference in composition between assemblages from grasslands and tree plantations. Species adapted to open, treeless areas tended to be negatively affected in relation to edge or forest birds in eucalyptus plantations. Afforestation is systematically replacing the bird assemblage of hilltop grasslands by a collection of common edge and forest species that occur in nearby riverine and hillside forests. Although most grassland birds negatively affected by tree plantations are common and widespread, observed and predicted afforestation rates in southeastern South America may result in regional population reductions in the near future.

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Small-scale drivers on plant and ant diversity in a grassland habitat through a multifaceted approach

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.12517 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. e12517

Author(s):

Michele Mugnai ◽

Clara Frasconi Wendt ◽

Paride Balzani ◽

Giulio Ferretti ◽

Matteo Dal Cin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Diversity ◽

Wide Distribution ◽

Small Scale ◽

Ant Communities ◽

Multifaceted Approach ◽

Ant Community ◽

Community Interest ◽

Natural Grasslands ◽

High Conservation ◽

Ant Diversity

Semi-natural grasslands are characterized by high biodiversity and require multifaceted approaches to monitor their biodiversity. Moreover, grasslands comprise a multitude of microhabitats, making the scale of investigation of fundamental importance. Despite their wide distribution, grasslands are highly threatened and are considered of high conservation priority by Directive no. 92/43/EEC. Here, we investigate the effects of small-scale ecological differences between two ecosites present within the EU habitat of Community Interest of semi-natural dry grasslands on calcareous substrates (6210 according to Dir. 92/43/EEC) occurring on a Mediterranean mountain. We measured taxonomic and functional diversity of plant and ant communities, evaluating the differences among the two ecosites, how these differences are influenced by the environment and whether vegetation affects composition of the ant community. Our results show that taxonomic and functional diversity of plant and ant communities are influenced by the environment. While vegetation has no effect on ant communities, we found plant and ant community composition differed across the two ecosites, filtering ant and plant species according to their functional traits, even at a small spatial scale. Our findings imply that small-scale monitoring is needed to effectively conserve priority habitats, especially for those that comprise multiple microhabitats.

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Levantamento do patrimônio geológico na “APA da Escarpa Devoniana” em Ponta Grossa, Sul do Brasil

Terr Plural ◽

10.5212/terraplural.v.14.2014808.039 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

pp. 1-18

Author(s):

Maysa Folmann

Keyword(s):

Environmental Protection ◽

Geological Heritage ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Conservation Unit ◽

Environmental Conflicts ◽

Natural Grasslands ◽

Environmental Protection Area ◽

Special Area ◽

Protection Area

This paper presents a geological heritage survey of the ‘Environmental Protection Area (EPA) of the Devonian Escarpment’ within the boundaries of Ponta Grossa (Southern Brazil), a region of notable geodiversity where socio-environmental conflicts are aggravated. The EPA is a conservation unit that embraces part of the Campos Gerais do Paraná, a rich geodiversity area that holds the last remnants of natural grasslands of the region. Consisting of the primordial stage of a geoconservation strategy, the survey for the inventory becomes an important tool to affect the geoheritage protection. Sixty geological interest sites are presented with their main features, use recommendations, and were classified in geological thematic categories. These actions can guide the next steps for geoconservation of this special area.

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414 The potential use of vegetation index to estimate crude protein on natural grasslands of Southern Brazil.

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/sky404.443 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 96 (suppl_3) ◽

pp. 204-205 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

C Bremm ◽

D Cybis Fontana ◽

C Bredemeier ◽

A Heemann Junges ◽

L Pigatto Schaparini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Crude Protein ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Natural Grasslands ◽

Potential Use

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Changes in land use affect anuran helminths in the South Brazilian grasslands

Journal of Helminthology ◽

10.1017/s0022149x20000905 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 94 ◽

Author(s):

A.A.B. Portela ◽

T.G. dos Santos ◽

L.A. dos Anjos

Keyword(s):

Helminth Infection ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Taxonomic Composition ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Intensity Of Infection ◽

Helminth Communities ◽

Native Grasslands ◽

Natural Grasslands ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Agricultural Areas

Abstract Degradation and habitat loss of natural grasslands in Southern Brazil has a negative impact on native organisms, potentially including the composition of anuran helminth communities. Here, we characterized the richness, abundance, taxonomic composition, prevalence and intensity of helminth infection in four anuran species. Host anurans were collected in 34 ponds (19 in native grasslands with livestock and 15 in agricultural cultivation) from the highland grasslands in the Brazilian states of Santa Catarina and Paraná. Our results showed a significant difference between native grasslands with livestock and agricultural cultivation regarding the structure of helminth communities for the hosts Aplastodiscus perviridis and Pseudis cardosoi. We also found a greater prevalence and intensity of infection in anurans in areas of agricultural cultivation than in native grasslands with livestock. We found that the environmental descriptors (local and landscape) seem to explain most of the differences in anuran parasitism recorded between native grasslands with livestock and agricultural areas. Thus, we emphasized that the loss of grassy habitat due to conversion to agricultural cultivation can alter helminth communities in anurans, with further work needed to understand the mechanisms involved.

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