Reproductive phenology of Miconia mirabilis (Melastomataceae) within three distinct physiognomies of Atlantic Forest, Bahia, Brazil

Although Miconia mirabilis is a very common species in disturbed forest areas and is known for providing food resources for the local fauna, little is known about its reproductive phenology and other ecological aspects. The present study compares intra- and inter-annual patterns in the reproductive phenophases of that species in three distinct physiognomies of Atlantic Forest in Southeastern Bahia based on semi-quantitative observations conducted over a period of three years. We searched for possiblerelationships with climatic variables, differences among sites and synchrony. Both the flowering and fruiting strategies of M. mirabilis were classified as annual extended in all three study sites. We found no significant differences among years. Despite low seasonality of the regional climate, intensities of the different phenophases were negatively correlated with day length and temperature. In general, inter- and intra-population synchrony for flowering and fruiting was high (between 0.65 and 0.78), except for inundated forest, probably due to the stress caused by flooding. Given that Miconia mirabilis has the potential to be an important food resource for the local fauna due to the large quantities of flowers and fruits produced and their almost year-round availability, and its capacity for occupying impoverished areas, the species may be considered in restoration programs as a potentially interesting species capable of attracting frugivores to disturbed areas.

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Structure of mutualistic ant–treehopper interactions in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467416000183 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 250-259 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yve Eligiêr Alves Gadelha ◽

Wesley Dáttilo ◽

Olivia Evangelista ◽

Benedito Cortês Lopes

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Forest ◽

Food Resource ◽

Recruitment Strategy ◽

Foraging Strategies ◽

Brazilian Atlantic Forest ◽

Ecological Interactions ◽

Tropical Environments ◽

Study Sites ◽

Number Of Individuals

Abstract:Ant–treehopper mutualisms are centred on the availability of honeydew, a sugary fluid offered by treehoppers to attract ants, which respond by defending their hosts against predators and parasitoids. However, due to differences in the treehopper social behaviour (i.e. the amount of food resource available) ants can monopolize treehopper aggregations in many ways. Here we evaluated the topological structure of quantitative ant–treehopper interaction networks in three Brazilian Atlantic Forest localities. Moreover, we specifically investigated the role of ant recruitment strategy and treehopper behaviour in the structure of these networks. For this, we sampled ant–treehopper interactions along representative transects (6 km per site) within each studied site and recorded the mean number of individuals of treehopper and ant species. We found that independent of variation in environmental factors among study sites, ant–treehopper networks were highly compartmentalized (Mean ± SD: Q = 0.34 ± 0.1) when compared with null models, and exhibit low connectance (C = 0.18 ± 0.01) and specialization (H2’ = 0.36 ± 0.08) values. In addition, we also observed that larger aggregations of treehoppers interacted with a higher number of ant species and ants that were locally dominant and showed massive recruitment interacted with a larger number of treehopper species. In summary, our results illustrate the importance of foraging strategies in shaping ecological interactions in tropical environments.

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Are post-dispersed seeds of <i>Eucalyptus globulus</i> predated in the introduced range? Evidence from an experiment in Portugal

Web Ecology ◽

10.5194/we-18-67-2018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 67-79 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ernesto Deus ◽

Joaquim S. Silva ◽

Hélia Marchante ◽

Elizabete Marchante ◽

Catarina Félix

Keyword(s):

Spatial Variation ◽

Seed Predation ◽

Eucalyptus Globulus ◽

Common Species ◽

Local Fauna ◽

Seed Predator ◽

Acacia Dealbata ◽

Seed Predators ◽

Introduced Range ◽

Study Sites

Abstract. Plantations of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. have been expanding rapidly worldwide. The species is considered invasive in several regions. While in the native range, post-dispersal seed predation is known to severely limit eucalypt recruitment, there is no experimental evidence of seed predation in the introduced range. We hypothesised that E. globulus seeds largely escape predation in Portugal, which may explain its prolific recruitment in some locations. We tested this hypothesis in central Portugal by exposing E. globulus seeds to the local fauna. For comparison purposes, we also used seeds from locally common species: Acacia dealbata Link (alien, larger, elaiosome-bearing seeds) and Cistus salviifolius L. (native, similarly sized seeds). We installed 30 feeding stations across three study sites, each one dominated by one study species. Each feeding station featured four feeders with different animal-access treatments: invertebrates; vertebrates; full access; no access (control). We placed five seeds of each plant species every day in each feeder and registered the number of seeds missing, eaten and elaiosome detached over 9 summer days. Eucalyptus globulus seeds were highly attractive to fauna in the three sites. Nearly half of E. globulus seeds were predated or removed, thus contradicting our hypothesis. Surprisingly, E. globulus and A. dealbata seeds were used by animals in similar proportions and C. salviifolius seeds were the least preferred. Vertebrates were the predominant seed predators and preferred the alien seeds. Invertebrates used all seed species in similar proportions. We found spatial variation regarding the predominant type of seed predators and the levels of seed predation according to the following patterns: predominance of vertebrates; predominance of invertebrates; negligible seed predator activity. Locations with negligible seed predation were abundant and scattered across the study area. Such spatial variation may help to explain the heterogeneous recruitment patterns of E. globulus seedlings found in previous studies.

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Are orchid bees at risk? First comparative survey suggests declining populations of forest-dependent species

Brazilian Journal of Biology ◽

10.1590/s1519-69842013000200017 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 73 (2) ◽

pp. 367-374 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

A Nemésio

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Forest ◽

Anthropogenic Disturbances ◽

The Other ◽

Orchid Bees ◽

Orchid Bee ◽

Disturbed Areas ◽

Eastern Brazil ◽

Forest Remnants ◽

Declining Populations ◽

Comparative Survey

The two largest Atlantic Forest remnants in the state of Espírito Santo, eastern Brazil, namely ‘Reserva Biológica de Sooretama’ (REBIO Sooretama) and ‘Reserva Natural Vale’ (RNV), were surveyed for their orchid-bee faunas. Seventeen scent baits were used to attract orchid-bee males. Three-thousand, two hundred and twenty-five males belonging to 24 species were actively collected with insect nets during 100 hours in March, April and December, 2009. In comparison with a previous study in the same area twelve years before, it is evident that the abundance of all forest-dependent orchid bees analysed declined around 50%, and it was statistically significant (P = 0.022) for Euglossa marianae Nemésio, 2011, the most sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances of all Atlantic Forest orchid bees. On the other hand, the abundance of populations of species tolerant to open or disturbed areas rose. Possible explanations are discussed.

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Ethnobotany of rural people from the boundaries of Carlos Botelho State Park, São Paulo State, Brazil

Acta Botanica Brasilica ◽

10.1590/s0102-33062006000400014 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 899-909 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Natalia Hanazaki ◽

Vinícius Castro Souza ◽

Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues

Keyword(s):

Common Species ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Economic Activities ◽

Plant Resources ◽

Conservation Area ◽

Rural People ◽

Successional Stages ◽

Disturbed Forest ◽

The Relationship ◽

Area Data

In this article we describe and analyze the use of plant resources in a region nearby a conservation area. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, in which we asked the interviewees to free list the plants known. Species cited were identified through collection of botanical samples, and field observations. Fifty-eight inhabitants were interviewed; banana farming, cattle ranching, and extracting palm hearts are their main economic activities. A total of 248 ethnospecies were mentioned, including over 200 botanical species. Plants were grouped into four habitats (A = well-preserved forest; B = disturbed forest in old successional stages; C = recently disturbed environments; D = cultivated areas and home gardens). Highest diversity is known for plants from A habitats, followed by C+D, and finally by B areas; however, a higher number of species is expected in B areas when compared to C+D. There is a small number of common species, and comparable proportions of intermediate and rare species, for all habitats. Common species occur in all types of habitats. Local knowledge of plants from well-preserved habitats is more diverse than for plants from other areas, suggesting that the relationship between inhabitants and the conservation area is still intense.

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Materials on the ecology of background species of reptiles in the Tambov Region

Samara Journal of Science ◽

10.17816/snv2021101121 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 135-141

Author(s):

Aleksey Vladimirovich Podolsky

Keyword(s):

Deciduous Forest ◽

Common Species ◽

Wide Distribution ◽

Anthropogenic Factors ◽

State Nature Reserve ◽

Sand Lizard ◽

Field Season ◽

Grass Snake ◽

Lacerta Agilis ◽

Study Sites

The paper presents data on the ecology of two common species of reptiles in the Tambov Region: the sand lizard, Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758, and the common grass snake, Natrix natrix (Linnaeus, 1758). The material was collected in the Michurinsky, Pervomaysky, Tambovsky and Inzhavinsky (on the territory of the Voroninsky State Nature Reserve) Districts of the Tambov Region during the 2019 field season. Field observations and accounting for the numbers of animals on the routes were carried out in the most typical biotopes for the study sites: in pine forest, deciduous forest, in steppe areas affected to varying degrees by anthropogenic transformation, in floodplains of rivers and along the shores of lakes and artificial reservoirs. Information on the following aspects of the ecology of these reptile species in the region is presented and discussed: habitat distribution and numbers, seasonal and diurnal activity, phenology of reproduction and development and the influence of anthropogenic factors. All materials obtained as a result of our own research are compared with the data of the literature sources cited in the paper. On the basis of wide distribution in the region, relatively high numbers and trends to synanthropy it is stated that the state of the populations of the sand lizard and common grass snake in the region in the present conditions is safe and special measures for their protection are not required.

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Bionomy of Mosquitoes in Bamboo Internodes in an Atlantic Forest Remnant of the State of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association ◽

10.2987/21-7044 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 37 (4) ◽

pp. 208-215

Author(s):

Amanda Queiroz Bastos ◽

Paulo José Leite ◽

Cecilia Ferreira de Mello ◽

Daniele Aguiar Maia ◽

Sergio Lisboa Machado ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Forest ◽

Rio De Janeiro ◽

Adult Stage ◽

Mosquito Species ◽

Common Species ◽

Complex Environments ◽

Ecological Studies ◽

Immature Development ◽

Forest Remnant ◽

Mosquito Oviposition

ABSTRACT Living bamboo stalks are one of the most specialized habitats for mosquito oviposition and immature development. Most of the mosquito species that breed in these habitats are sylvatic, and some are of importance for public health as possible vectors of pathogens. Perforated internodes are a very specialized environment due to the difficulty of access. Furthermore, due to their relatively simple fauna, they represent a valuable model for ecological studies that may be applicable to more complex environments. This study aims to assess the mosquito bionomics of species raised in bamboo internodes. Therefore, the diversity of mosquito species and the influence of abiotic variables (pH and temperature) on the distribution of mosquitoes that breed in this habitat were analyzed. The study area is a fragment of Atlantic Forest within the Association of da Armada (ATA) in Nova Iguaçu, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Immature mosquitoes were sampled with suction tubes (mouth aspirators) between August 2017 and July 2018. A total of 3,170 larvae were collected in 5 bamboo plants, each with 8 stalks perforated. Of these, 688 larvae reached the adult stage, representing 10 genera and 19 species. The most common species were Culex neglectus (43%), Trichoprosopon digitatum (22%), Culex iridescens (8%), Sabethes identicus (7%), and Orthopodomyia albicosta (7%). The richness of the immatures collected in the ATA was 19 species, with a diversity of 1.10 and Shannon evenness of 0.57. A diverse composition of Culicidae in bamboo stalks was found, although dominance was low.

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Richness, abundance, and mass in snake assemblages from two Atlantic Rainforest sites (Ilha do Cardoso, São Paulo) with differences in environmental productivity

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/s1676-06032008000300011 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 117-122 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Carlos Frederico Duarte Rocha ◽

Helena Godoy Bergallo ◽

Carla Fabiane Vera y Conde ◽

Emerson Brum Bittencourt ◽

Hilda de Carvalho Santos

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Forest ◽

Small Mammals ◽

Total Mass ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

São Paulo ◽

Lowland Forest ◽

Fruit Availability ◽

Paulo State ◽

Study Sites ◽

Capture Rates

We analyzed richness, composition and mass of snakes in two sites in the Atlantic forest of Ilha do Cardoso (25º 03' S and 47º 53' W), an island (22,500 ha), Cananéia municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil. A monthly index of arthropod availability (in mm³) was estimated in each site through capture rates in pit-fall traps. Fallen fruits were collected along trails in the study sites (mass of fruit gave an index of fruit availability) and small mammals were sampled in grids with 120 traps which covered the lowland (5.2 ha) and in the slope forests (3.6ha). The abundance and mass of small mammals were standardized for the size of each sampled area (in g.ha-1). To sample snakes we established 20 pit-fall traps in each area and performed monthly transects in four consecutive days (totaling 1000 m long) along trails in the study sites. Snakes found were measured, weighted marked and released. Abundance and total mass of snakes were standardized by the size of each area. The areas differed consistently in in the productivity of arthropods, fruits and small mammals, and also in richness, composition and total mass of snakes. We found 36 individuals (total mass = 9884 g) of 12 snake species belonging to three Families (Colubridae, Elapidae and Viperidae) in the lowland forest, whereas in the slope forest we sampled only 9 individuals of 2 species (total mass = 1820 g). Our results suggest that the area of lowland forest, showing higher productivity of arthropods, fruits and small mammals, maintains a snake community with a higher richness, diversity and biomass than its slope forest counterpart.

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Community Ecology of Stream Fishes: Concepts, Approaches, and Techniques

Community Ecology of Stream Fishes: Concepts, Approaches, and Techniques ◽

10.47886/9781934874141.ch21 ◽

2010 ◽

Keyword(s):

Fish Community ◽

Larval Fish ◽

Rank Order ◽

Food Resource ◽

Rio Grande ◽

Reproductive Phenology ◽

Comparative Genomic ◽

Spawning Cues ◽

Long Term Studies

<em>Abstract</em>.—Timing of reproduction differs among fish species in nearly all rivers, and reproductive phenology is predicted to strongly influence freshwater fish community structure in some systems. Despite its potential importance, few long-term studies of reproductive phenology in river fishes have been conducted in a community context. Here, we evaluated timing and sequence of reproduction of fishes in the Rio Grande, New Mexico over 9 years. Dates and rank order of first appearance of larvae varied among species and years, but three consistent spawning guilds were evident: early season, late season, and species that were intermediate in rank order of spawning. We hypothesized that appropriate reproductive timing enhanced recruitment to the extent that spawning cues predicted future availability of critical resources for larvae. Analysis of historical discharge records indicated that present and future discharge exhibited positive autocorrelation for up to 90 d. Likewise, larval fish densities were highest at moderate flows and coincident with high food resource abundance. However, stable isotope data for larval and adult fishes indicated considerable overlap in food resource use among larvae and adult fishes. There may be pressure for spawning time to converge among species to match the appearance of seasonal resources, but to diverge to lessen competition among young-of-year fishes in a classical trade-off scenario. More long-term studies are needed, and we propose that an integrated research program that combines detailed analysis of reproductive phenology, food web dynamics, and comparative genomic analyses could forge connections between environmental variation in spawning cues, recruitment success, and community assembly in river fishes. Such an integrated program could lead to better predictions about fish community responses to global warming, especially in vulnerable arid-land systems like the Rio Grande.

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The Parasites of the Muskrat (Ondatra zibethica L.) in the British Isles

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182000022563 ◽

1936 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 395-402 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Tom Warwick

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Rattus Norvegicus ◽

Common Species ◽

Helminth Fauna ◽

Water Vole ◽

British Isles ◽

Local Fauna ◽

Capillaria Hepatica ◽

Arvicola Amphibius ◽

Taenia Taeniaeformis

Of the five species of helminths of the British muskrat (Ondatra zibethica L.), two (Notocotylus quinqueserialis and Hymenolepis evaginata) have been introduced with the animal. The three other species of helminths (Capillaria hepatica, Taenia taeniaeformis larva and T. tenuicollis larva) have probably been largely re-acquired from the local fauna. All of the three common species of ectoparasites [Laelaps multispinosus (Tetragonyssus spiniger), Listrophorus validus and Dermacarus n.sp.] occur in North America. Three other species (Tyroglyphus sp., Myobia n.sp., Polyplax sp.) have occurred as single individuals, the last species having probably been acquired from the water vole. Introduction into Britain has greatly depleted the original helminth fauna as regards number of species and individuals; but not so with the ectoparasites. Lists of the parasites hitherto recorded from the muskrat are given and those found in brown rats (Rattus norvegicus Erx.) and water voles (Arvicola amphibius amphibius L.).

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Impact of distance to mature forest on the recolonisation of bryophytes in a regenerating Tasmanian wet eucalypt forest

Australian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1071/bt13250 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 61 (8) ◽

pp. 633 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Thomas P. Baker ◽

Gregory J. Jordan ◽

Patrick J. Dalton ◽

Susan C. Baker

Keyword(s):

Edge Effect ◽

Dispersal Distance ◽

Mature Forest ◽

Eucalypt Forest ◽

Native Forests ◽

Disturbed Areas ◽

Disturbed Forest ◽

Microclimate Conditions ◽

Ideal Group

Forest influence is a type of edge effect that occurs when mature forests affect the recolonisation of adjacent disturbed areas. This can be driven by changes in microclimate conditions near the edge or by an increase in establishment ability with proximity to a propagule source. Bryophyte recolonisation is sensitive to both microclimate and dispersal distance, therefore they are an ideal group to examine how strong forest influence is and over what distance it operates. Responses to forest influence are known to be highly species dependent; therefore, we tested whether distance affects the recolonisation ability of a range of bryophytes. As well as examining a range of species, we tested whether forest influence operated differently on two types of substrate used by bryophytes (logs and ground). For most of the species examined, establishment rates in disturbed forest diminished further away from the mature edge. The influence of unlogged mature forest on bryophyte establishment in harvested forest occurred up to 50 m. Species varied in their response to distance, and the relationships with distance were stronger on the ground compared with log substrates. These results support the concept of forest influence, with areas closer to mature forest experiencing more substantial re-establishment. These findings are relevant to conservation of bryophytes in managed native forests.

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