The Contribution of Aquatic Plants to the Trophic Ecology of a Sand Dune Lizard in Southern Brazil

Bathygobius soporator (popularly known as "Maria da toca") is a species that, although abundant, is little studied in aspects regarding growth, feeding and reproduction in southern Brazil. Studies on trophic ecology still raise questions on the species’ actual diet, especially in the context of algae participating as a food resource or an accidental intake. Thus, this study aims to fill this gap, evaluating the growth, feeding, and reproduction of this species. Monthly samples from two periods (1997-1998 and 2005-2006) were analyzed for growth, feeding, and reproduction parameters, totalizing 1177 individuals evaluated. Our results demonstrate that Bathygobius soporator is a species of fast development, reaching the age of first maturation before the first year of life. It presents a sexual dimorphism, being males larger than females. Reproductive peaks occur in the spring and summer months. The species presented a broad trophic spectrum, including algae as the main food resource, not just an accidental intake. The omnivorous-opportunistic trophic ecology of this species is emphasized, agreeing with the information of previous studies.

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Trophic ecology and the use of shelters and latrines by the Neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis) in the Taquari Valley, Southern Brazil

Iheringia Série Zoologia ◽

10.1590/s0073-47212008000400009 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 98 (4) ◽

pp. 469-474 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Carlos Benhur Kasper ◽

Vinicius Augusto G. Bastazini ◽

Juliana Salvi ◽

Hamilton Cézar Z. Grillo

Keyword(s):

Water Level ◽

Trophic Ecology ◽

Rio Grande ◽

Sample Period ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Rio Grande Do Sul ◽

Scent Marks ◽

Tree Roots ◽

Lontra Longicaudis

This manuscript presents information about the ecology of Lontra longicaudis (Olfers, 1818) in the Taquari Valley, State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. The study was carried out in two areas located in the Forquetinha Creek and in the Forqueta River from January to December 2003. The otters are specialist feeders (Bsta = 0.24), with a diet based mostly on fish, especially those of the families Loricariidae and Cichlidae. Most shelters used by the species were excavated burrows underneath tree roots, while shelters within rocks were used less frequently. The burrows showed great variation in size, being found on average 3.5 m (sd = 3.6 m) away from the margin and 2.5 m (sd = 1.2 m) above the water level. Scent marks were made preferentially on rocks and fallen tree trunks at the edge of the water. There was a tendency to increase the reutilization of latrines in detriment of using new sites throughout the sample period.

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A comparison of foraging between the South American and Cabot's Tern in southern Brazil

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/s1676-06032011000300016 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 189-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hélio Augusto Alves Fracasso ◽

Joaquim Olinto Branco ◽

Edison Barbieri

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Trophic Ecology ◽

South American ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

The South ◽

Santa Catarina ◽

Late Afternoon ◽

Large Populations ◽

Breeding Seasons ◽

Prey Items

Despite being widely distributed in South America and having relatively large populations, little is known about the trophic ecology of the South American Tern (Sterna hirundinacea) and Cabot's Tern (Thalasseus acuflavidus). In Brazil, South American and Terns Cabot's breed in mixed colonies from the state of Espírito Santo to Santa Catarina. Here, we describe results of a study of the feeding ecology of these two species during the reproductive seasons of April to October of 2003, 2005 and 2006 from Cardos Island, Santa Catarina, Brazil. A total of 6248, 5140, and 4006 fishes were delivered to chicks or females by South American Terns; and 1157, 628 and 98 fish and or other prey items by Cabot's Terns during the breeding seasons of 2003, 2005, and 2006, respectively. Prey items identified included eight, seven and nine fish families for South American Terns; and, five, three and two families for Cabot's terns, in the three respective years. The number of food deliveries per chick for South American Terns was between 09:00 and 10:00 am in 2006, and between 11:00 and 12:00 am in 2005. Cabot's Terns chicks were fed in the early hours of the morning until late afternoon.

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Amphibia, Anura, restinga of Baixada do Maciambu, municipality of Palhoça, state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil

Check List ◽

10.15560/6.4.602 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 602 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Milena Wachlevski ◽

Carlos Frederico Duarte Rocha

Keyword(s):

Sand Dune ◽

Pitfall Traps ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Rio Grande Do Sul ◽

Coastal Sand Dune ◽

Santa Catarina ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

First Approximation ◽

Coastal Sand ◽

Janeiro State

Little is known about amphibian communities on Brazilian restingas (coastal sand dune scrublands). This study presents a first approximation to the list of anuran species from the restinga of Baixada do Maciambu, Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. We sampled using three methods (pitfall traps with drift fences, transect of active search, and surveys at breeding sites) from July 2007 to April 2010. We recorded 15 species in six families, of which Hylidae was represented by the greatest number of species. Compared to other Brazilian restinga habitats, the species richness we recorded at the Baixada do Maciambu is similar to that reported for restingas of Rio de Janeiro state, but lower than that reported for restingas in São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul and Bahia states, Brazil.

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Trophic ecology of dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus (Actinopterygii, Epinephelidae) in littoral and neritic habitats of southern Brazil as elucidated by stomach contents and stable isotope analyses

Hydrobiologia ◽

10.1007/s10750-014-2016-0 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 743 (1) ◽

pp. 109-125 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Mario V. Condini ◽

David J. Hoeinghaus ◽

Alexandre M. Garcia

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Trophic Ecology ◽

Stomach Contents ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Stable Isotope Analyses ◽

Dusky Grouper ◽

Isotope Analyses

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Trophic ecology of Loricariichthys melanocheilus Reis & Pereira, 2000 (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) in Ibicuí river, southern Brazil

Acta Scientiarum Biological Sciences ◽

10.4025/actascibiolsci.v38i1.26384 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 67 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Éverton Luís Zardo ◽

Everton Rodolfo Behr

Keyword(s):

Seasonal Variations ◽

Trophic Ecology ◽

Feeding Activity ◽

Stomach Content Analysis ◽

Volumetric Method ◽

Frequency Of Occurrence ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Mean Values ◽

Taxonomic Level ◽

Environmental Variations

Aiming to characterize aspects of the trophic ecology of Loricariichthys melanocheilus in the Ibicuí river, bimonthly samples were taken in lotic and lentic ecosystems. Fish were caught and fixed in 10% formalin and dissected for stomach content analysis. Items were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Stomach fullness (SF), repletion index (RI) and intestinal quotient (IQ) were estimated. Diet was assessed by the frequency of occurrence and the volumetric method, combined to obtain a Alimentary index. Feeding activity was analyzed with mean values of SF, RI and vacuity index (VI), which represents the percentage of empty stomachs. These parameters were compared seasonally, spatially, and according to the circadian rhythm. The main items in the trophic spectrum of L. melanocheilus were detritus, sediment, plant organic matter, nematodes, micro crustaceans (Copepoda, Cladocera) and insects (Diptera, Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera and Odonata). No environmental or seasonal variations were found for the consumed items. Feeding activity showed seasonal and environmental variations according to RI but did not significantly change according to SF. The IQ was 1.51, and showed seasonal variations, indicating changes in the diet.

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Isotopic variation in delphinids from the subtropical western South Atlantic

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315411000610 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 92 (8) ◽

pp. 1689-1698 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Silvina Botta ◽

Aleta A. Hohn ◽

Stephen A. Macko ◽

Eduardo R. Secchi

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Habitat Use ◽

Continental Shelf ◽

Trophic Ecology ◽

Nitrogen Isotope ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Stenella Frontalis ◽

Delphinus Delphis ◽

Coastal Species ◽

Lagenodelphis Hosei

A dual stable isotope approach (δ13C and δ15N) was used to investigate inter- and intra-specific variations in feeding ecology and habitat use of 7 delphinids from coastal/estuarine, continental shelf and offshore marine environments from southern Brazil: Tursiops sp., Orcinus orca, Stenella frontalis, Steno bredanensis, Delphinus delphis, Pseudorca crassidens and Lagenodelphis hosei. Teeth from 50 specimens acquired from stranded animals were analysed in this study. Tursiops sp. and O. orca are the most coastal species, and had the highest δ13C values followed by the continental shelf species S. frontalis, S. bredanensis and D. delphis. Lagenodelphis hosei showed the lowest δ13C value, demonstrating its typical offshore habitat. One group of P. crassidens had the lowest δ15N values, indicating their low trophic level feeding habit while two specimens of the same species showed the highest mean nitrogen isotope value. This first study on stable isotope values of delphinids from southern Brazil provides substantial new information about the trophic ecology, habitat use and feeding environments of these animals.

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Can organic rice crops help conserve aquatic plants in southern Brazil wetlands?

Applied Vegetation Science ◽

10.1111/avsc.12069 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 346-355 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Maria G. Linke ◽

Robson S. Godoy ◽

Ana S. Rolon ◽

Leonardo Maltchik

Keyword(s):

Aquatic Plants ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Organic Rice

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Population ecology of Paepalanthus polyanthus: predispersal hazards and seed production

Acta Botanica Brasilica ◽

10.1590/s0102-33062000000300008 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 317-326 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Tânia Tarabini Castellani ◽

Fernanda Faraco d'Eça-Neves

Keyword(s):

Seed Production ◽

Population Ecology ◽

Sand Dune ◽

Seed Set ◽

Resource Limitation ◽

Seed Rain ◽

Lower Probability ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Herbivore Damage ◽

Low Rate

This study aimed at evaluating seed production and predispersal hazards in a sand dune population of P. polyanthus (Eriocaulaceae) in Southern Brazil. Bad development of flowering capitula was caused by the wind and by interference among umbels. A positive correlation between the proportion of atrophied capitula and the number of capitula/umbels also suggested resource limitation. A caterpillar of a Recurvaria Haworth (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) species that eats flowers and a boring caterpillar (Lepidoptera not identified) were the main herbivores. Plants reproducing during the flowering peak had a lower probability of being damaged by Recurvaria sp., suggesting an escape from herbivores by flowering synchronism. The proportion of capitula damaged by herbivores was low, causing a reduction of about 5% in the seed set/plant. The boring caterpillar may or may not cause umbel abortion. When the abortion occurs, seed production is reduced by 12%. Many capitula with no damage and individual flowers (up to 50%) did not produce seeds. Pollination failure could be related to this low rate of seed set. We discuss the fact that the low recruitment of seedlings reported for populations of P. polyanthus did not seem to be limited by seed rain, which was estimated at an average of 8000 seeds/plant even when herbivore damage occurred.

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