scholarly journals Does landscape context affect pollination-related functional diversity and richness of understory flowers in forest fragments of Atlantic Rainforest in southeastern Brazil?

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karoline Baptista de Lima ◽  
Patrícia Alves Ferreira ◽  
Milton Groppo ◽  
Renato Goldenberg ◽  
Emerson Ricardo Pansarin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Landscape Heterogeneity ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Information Criterion ◽  
Flowering Plant ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Forest Fragments

Abstract Background How landscape modifications affect functional diversity of floral characteristics pertinent to pollinators is poorly known. Flowers possess functional traits that sometimes coevolved with pollinators, crucial for the maintenance of both pollinator and plant communities. We evaluated how richness and functional diversity of available understory flowers respond to forest cover and landscape heterogeneity in a multiscale analysis. Plants in bloom were sampled from 25 landscapes in the understory of Atlantic Forest fragments in Brazil. Species were classified into functional groups regarding flower characteristics relevant to pollination. Landscape heterogeneity and forest cover were measured in buffers ranging from 200 to 2000 m from sampling units and their correlation with plant richness and functional diversity was assessed using generalized linear models and further model selection through Akaike’s second-order information criterion. Results Plants’ richness and functional diversity were affected negatively by forest cover. The former responded to forest cover at a regional scale while the latter responded at a local scale. Higher landscape heterogeneity increased richness and functional diversity. Conclusions Our results showed that forest cover and landscape heterogeneity are important to support biodiversity related to pollination, mostly due to the availability of diversified resources and nesting sites associated to different land-uses for pollinators and flowering plant communities. These findings should highlight, along with forest cover, landscape heterogeneity as an environmental management priority in rural tropical areas for mitigating the loss of plant biodiversity and enhancing ecosystem functioning.

scholarly journals Bee responses to landscape composition on coupled and decoupled multiscale approaches

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lazaro Carneiro ◽  
Milton Cezar Ribeiro ◽  
Willian Moura de Aguiar ◽  
Camila de Fátima Priante ◽  
Wilson Frantine-Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Landscape Heterogeneity ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Landscape Composition ◽  
Landscape Context ◽  
Multiscale Approach ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Scale Of Effect

Abstract ContextMultiscale approaches are essential for understanding ecological processes and detecting the scale of effect. However, nested multiscale approaches retain the effect of the landscape attributes from the smaller spatial scales into the larger ones. Thus, decoupling local vs. regional scales can reveal detailed ecological responses to landscape context, but this multiscale approach is poorly explored. ObjectivesWe evaluated the scale of effect of the forest cover (%) and landscape heterogeneity on Euglossini bees combining coupled and decoupled multiscale approaches. MethodsThe Euglossini males were sampled in forest patches from 15 landscapes within the Atlantic Forest, southeast Brazil. For simplicity, we defined that the coupled approaches represented the local scales and decoupled approaches the regional scales. We decoupled the scales by cutting out the smaller scales inserted into larger ones. We estimated the relationship of the bee community attributes with forest cover (%) and landscape heterogeneity in local and regional scales using Generalized Linear Models. ResultsWe found positive effects of landscape heterogeneity on species richness for regional scales. Forest cover and landscape heterogeneity in local scales showed positive effects on the euglossine abundances. The scale of effect for euglossine richness was higher than species abundances. ConclusionsCombining coupled and decoupled multiscale approaches showed adequate capture of the scale of effect of the landscape composition on bee communities. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to measure the influence of the landscape context on biodiversity. Maintaining landscapes with larger forest cover and spatial heterogeneity is essential to keep euglossine species requirements.

scholarly journals Assessing the impact of different landscape features on post-fire forest recovery with multitemporal remote sensing data: the case of Mount Taygetos (southern Greece)

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia Christopoulou ◽  
Giorgos Mallinis ◽  
Emmanuel Vassilakis ◽  
Georgios-Pavlos Farangitakis ◽  
Nikolaos M. Fyllas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Landscape Heterogeneity ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Forest Recovery ◽  
Basement Rock ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Landscape Characteristics ◽  
The Impact

Fires affecting large areas usually create a mosaic of recovering plant communities reflecting their pre-fire composition and local conditions of burning. However, post-fire recovery patterns may also reveal the effects of landscape heterogeneity on the natural regeneration process of plant communities. This study combines field data and remote sensing image interpretation techniques to assess the role of various landscape characteristics in the post-fire recovery process in a mountainous region of Greece burned by a severe wildfire. Remote sensing techniques were used to accurately map secluded, large burned areas. By introducing a temporal component, we explored the correlation between post-fire regeneration and underlying topography, soils and basement rock. Pre-fire forest cover was reduced by more than half 8 years after fire. Regarding the dominant pre-fire forest trees, Abies cephalonica did not regenerate well after fire and most pre-fire stands were converted to grasslands and shrublands. In contrast, Pinus nigra regenerated sufficiently to return to its pre-fire cover, especially in areas underlain by softer basement rock. The use of different time series of high-resolution images improved the quality of the results obtained, justifying their use despite their high cost.

scholarly journals Influence of landscape structure on the abundance of Desmodus rotundus (Geoffroy 1810) in northeastern Yucatan, Mexico

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (17) ◽  
pp. 263
Author(s):  
Beatriz Bolívar-Cimé ◽  
Rafael Flores-Peredo ◽  
Scarlett Aislinn García-Ortíz ◽  
Rene Murrieta-Galindo ◽  
Javier Laborde
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fragmentation ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Landscape Heterogeneity ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Fragmented Landscape ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Semideciduous Forest ◽  
Desmodus Rotundus ◽  
Landscape Characteristics ◽  
Vampire Bat

Although the transformation of landscapes by human activity can negatively affect the populations of several bat species, other species may benefit from these transformations. One of such species is the vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, which can often be found in landscapes dominated by livestock activities. Furthermore, there are certain structural landscape characteristics that could be positively influencing the abundance of the vampire bat. To assess this possibility, eight sampling sites in northeastern Yucatan, Mexico were monitored from June 2010 to February 2012. Four sites were located in forest fragments amongst a highly fragmented landscape dominated by pastures dedicated to livestock activities, and four sites were located within continuous tropical semideciduous forest with almost no fragmentation. Forest fragmentation was characterized around the sampling sites within a 2.5 km radius using SPOT images from 2010, and five landscape variables were calculated using FRAGSTATS. The results showed that landscape heterogeneity and an agricultural aggregation index both had a significant effect on the abundance of the vampire bat. Our results showed that D. rotundusabundance in northeastern Yucatan, Mexico was favored by extensive pastures as well as by landscape characteristics associated with intense forest fragmentation. However, the presence of some remnants of forest cover probably enhance the movements and persistence of this species. To reduce the negative impact of the vampire bat presence in these areas dedicated to livestock ranching activities, effective preventive vaccination campaigns could be an important strategy. 

scholarly journals Landscape Structure Is a Major Driver of Bee Functional Diversity in Crops

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeferson G. E. Coutinho ◽  
Juliana Hipólito ◽  
Rafaela L. S. Santos ◽  
Eduardo F. Moreira ◽  
Danilo Boscolo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Landscape Structure ◽  
Landscape Heterogeneity ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Information Criterion ◽  
Wild Plants ◽  
Functional Composition ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Functional Richness ◽  
Negative Effect

Land-use change is having a negative effect on pollinator communities, and these changes in community structure may have unexpected impacts on the functional composition of those communities. Such changes in functional composition may impact the capacity of these assemblages to deliver pollination services, affecting the reproduction of native and wild plants. However, elucidating those relationships requires studies in multiple spatial scales because effects and consequences are different considering biological groups and interactions. In that sense, by using a multi-trait approach, we evaluated whether the landscape structure and/or local environmental characteristics could explain the functional richness, divergence, and dispersion of bee communities in agroecosystems. In addition, we investigated to what extent this approach helps to predict effects on pollination services. This study was conducted in an agroecosystem situated in the Chapada Diamantina region, State of Bahia, Brazil. Bees were collected using two complementary techniques in 27 sample units. They were classified according to their response traits (e.g., body size, nesting location) and effect traits (e.g., means of pollen transportation, specialty in obtaining resources). The Akaike information criterion was used to select the best models created through the additive combination of landscape descriptors (landscape diversity, mean patch shape, and local vegetation structure) at the local, proximal, and broad landscape levels. Our results indicate that both landscape heterogeneity and configuration matter in explaining the three properties of bee functional diversity. We indicate that functional diversity is positively correlated with compositional and configurational heterogeneity. These results suggest that landscape and local scale management to promote functional diversity in pollinator communities may be an effective mechanism for supporting increased pollination services.

Modeling cetacean habitat use in an urban coastal area in southeastern Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 642 ◽  
pp. 227-240
Author(s):  
L Lodi ◽  
R Tardin ◽  
G Maricato
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Buffer Zone ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
Few Data

Most studies of cetacean habitat use do not consider the influence of anthropogenic activities. We investigated the influence of environmental and anthropogenic variables on habitat use by humpback Megaptera novaeangliae and Bryde’s whales Balaenoptera brydei off the coast of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Although there are 2 marine protected areas (MPAs) in this area, few data are available on cetacean habitat use or on the overlap of different cetacean species within these MPAs. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the MPAs and propose a buffer zone to better protect the biodiversity of the study area. We conducted systematic surveys and developed spatial eigenvector generalized linear models to characterize habitat use by the species in the study area. Habitat use by humpback whales was influenced only by depth, whereas for Bryde’s whales there was the additional influence of anthropogenic variables. For Bryde’s whales, which use the area for feeding, sea surface temperature and the distance to anchorages had a major influence on habitat use. We also showed that neither of the MPAs in the study area adequately protects the hotspots of either whale species. Most of the humpback whale grid cells with high sighting predictions were located within 2 km of the MPAs, while areas of high sighting prediction of Bryde’s whales were located up to 5 km from the MPAs, closer to beaches. Our findings provide important insights for the delimitation of protected areas and zoning of the MPAs.

Comparing the potential reproductive phenology between restored areas and native tropical forest fragments in Southeastern Brazil

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Débora Cristina Rother ◽  
Igor Lopes Ferreira Sousa ◽  
Eliana Gressler ◽  
Ana Paula Liboni ◽  
Vinícius Castro Souza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Reproductive Phenology ◽  
Forest Fragments

scholarly journals Soil Mycobiome Is Shaped by Vegetation and Microhabitats: A Regional-Scale Study in Southeastern Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 587
Author(s):  
Danielle Hamae Yamauchi ◽  
Hans Garcia Garces ◽  
Marcus de Melo Teixeira ◽  
Gabriel Fellipe Barros Rodrigues ◽  
Leila Sabrina Ullmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Community ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Transitional Region ◽  
Illumina Platform ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Life On Earth

Soil is the principal habitat and reservoir of fungi that act on ecological processes vital for life on Earth. Understanding soil fungal community structures and the patterns of species distribution is crucial, considering climatic change and the increasing anthropic impacts affecting nature. We evaluated the soil fungal diversity in southeastern Brazil, in a transitional region that harbors patches of distinct biomes and ecoregions. The samples originated from eight habitats, namely: semi-deciduous forest, Brazilian savanna, pasture, coffee and sugarcane plantation, abandoned buildings, owls’ and armadillos’ burrows. Forty-four soil samples collected in two periods were evaluated by metagenomic approaches, focusing on the high-throughput DNA sequencing of the ITS2 rDNA region in the Illumina platform. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was used for vegetation cover analysis. NDVI values showed a linear relationship with both diversity and richness, reinforcing the importance of a healthy vegetation for the establishment of a diverse and complex fungal community. The owls’ burrows presented a peculiar fungal composition, including high rates of Onygenales, commonly associated with keratinous animal wastes, and Trichosporonales, a group of basidiomycetous yeasts. Levels of organic matter and copper influenced all guild communities analyzed, supporting them as important drivers in shaping the fungal communities’ structures.

scholarly journals Shifts in soil and plant functional diversity along an altitudinal gradient in the French Alps

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexia Stokes ◽  
Guillermo Angeles ◽  
Fabien Anthelme ◽  
Eduardo Aranda-Delgado ◽  
Isabelle Barois ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Community ◽  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Temperate Climate ◽  
Biophysical Properties ◽  
Tropical Zone ◽  
Soil Microbial

Abstract Objectives Altitude integrates changes in environmental conditions that determine shifts in vegetation, including temperature, precipitation, solar radiation and edaphogenetic processes. In turn, vegetation alters soil biophysical properties through litter input, root growth, microbial and macrofaunal interactions. The belowground traits of plant communities modify soil processes in different ways, but it is not known how root traits influence soil biota at the community level. We collected data to investigate how elevation affects belowground community traits and soil microbial and faunal communities. This dataset comprises data from a temperate climate in France and a twin study was performed in a tropical zone in Mexico. Data description The paper describes soil physical and chemical properties, climatic variables, plant community composition and species abundance, plant community traits, soil microbial functional diversity and macrofaunal abundance and diversity. Data are provided for six elevations (1400–2400 m) ranging from montane forest to alpine prairie. We focused on soil biophysical properties beneath three dominant plant species that structure local vegetation. These data are useful for understanding how shifts in vegetation communities affect belowground processes, such as water infiltration, soil aggregation and carbon storage. Data will also help researchers understand how plant communities adjust to a changing climate/environment.

Bird Extinctions in Atlantic Forest Fragments of the Viçosa Region, Southeastern Brazil

2003 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 1827-1839 ◽  
Author(s):  
RÔMULO RIBON ◽  
JOSÉ EDUARDO SIMON ◽  
GERALDO THEODORO DE MATTOS
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Forest Fragments
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