scholarly journals Nest Population Structure and Wood Litter Consumption by Microcerotermes indistinctus (Isoptera) in a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest, Northeastern Brazil

Insects ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reberth R. B. Barca ◽  
Emanuelly F. Lucena ◽  
Alexandre Vasconcellos
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Population Size ◽  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Arid Region ◽  
Dry Tropical Forest ◽  
Seasonally Dry ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Semi Arid Region ◽  
Semi Arid

Termites are abundant arthropods in tropical ecosystems and actively participate in the process of litter decomposition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the population structure of Microcerotermes indistinctus in arboreal nests and to estimate their contribution to the consumption of wood litter in an area of Caatinga, a type of seasonally dry tropical forest located in the Brazilian semi-arid region. The populations of fifteen nests were quantified and separated into castes, “larvae”, and eggs. Wood blocks of four typical Caatinga species were offered to termites under laboratory conditions. Litter production was estimated in the area over the course of one year. The mean population size of M. indistinctus was 73,897 individuals/nest, while the mean nest density in the area was 25 active nests/ha. Total consumption of the four types of wood was estimated to be 10.5 mg of wood/g termite (fresh weight)/day. Based on consumption and population size, M. indistinctus consumes 0.35% of the total litter and 1.71% of the annual production of branches and twigs in the area. Wood-consuming termites are highly affected by anthropogenic disturbances in the semi-arid region of Brazil, putting the ecosystem services they perform related to the process of litter decomposition at risk.

Estimating Tree Volume of Dry Tropical Forest in the Brazilian Semi-Arid Region: A Comparison Between Regression and Artificial Neural Networks

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Robson B. de Lima ◽  
Rinaldo L. Caraciolo Ferreira ◽  
José A. Aleixo da Silva ◽  
Francisco T. Alves Júnior ◽  
Cinthia P. de Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Artificial Neural Networks ◽  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Arid Region ◽  
Dry Tropical Forest ◽  
Artificial Neural ◽  
Semi Arid Region ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Potential for nutrient contribution from litter in a seasonally dry forest

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 269 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Fredson Bezerra Lopes ◽  
Eunice Maia Andrade ◽  
Lindbergue Araújo Crisóstomo ◽  
Meilla Marielle Araújo Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Dynamics ◽  
Tropical Dry Forest ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Seasonally Dry ◽  
Time Variations ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Semi Arid Region ◽  
Seasonally Dry Forest ◽  
Semi Arid

Litter is the most important way of transferring essential elements from vegetation to the soil. This is due to nutrient cycling, a process by which decomposition of the litter adds nutrients to the soil. An understanding of this process goes beyond the need for knowledge of nutrient dynamics, since it is a question of understanding the way in which ecosystems function in the search for a correct use of natural resources. The aim of this study was to quantify the average concentrations of the following nutrients: Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), and Organic Carbon (C) in litter remaining in an area of tropical dry forest - Caatinga. The work was carried out on the Elias Andrade Private Natural Heritage Reserve (PNHR) of the Irmãos Andrade Farm, located in the semi-arid region of the State of Ceará. In February 2009, 48 nylon litter bags were randomly distributed, each containing 30 g of litter collected in the area of the Reserve. Every two months, from February 2009 to January 2011, four bags were randomly collected. Over time, variations were seen in the average levels of N, P and K for the litter in the nylon bags. The nutrient with the greatest contribution to the system from the litter was Nitrogen, followed by K and P. The highest N content occurred at the beginning of the experiment. The C content decreased over the study period. The mean C to N ratio of the litter was 21, which was in the borderline range between the processes of mineralisation and immobilisation.

scholarly journals Effects Of Land Use On The Nature And Population Of Microorganisms In The Semi-Arid Region Of North-Eastern Nigeria

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 224-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
HS Bello ◽  
T Isa ◽  
MA Isa ◽  
K Akinmuisere
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Arid Region ◽  
Microbial Population ◽  
Gum Arabic ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Semi Arid Region ◽  
Effects Of Land Use ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Composite Samples

This study was aim to investigate the effects of land use on the nature and population of microorganisms in soil from five different farms within University of Maiduguri, Borno State. A total of ten composite samples were obtained and analyzed in the laboratory. The total microbial population was consistently higher in the grazing reserved land with mean of 105x104CFU/g than in cultivated farms with means of 84.5x104CFU/g, 66x104CFU/g and 66x104CFU/g, for cereal (sorghum), beans and tomato farms respectively. The site with the least microbial population was gum-Arabic plantation with the mean of 29x104CFU/g. Bacteria were the most dominant species at all sites regardless of depths. International Journal of Environment, Volume-2, Issue-1, Sep-Nov 2013, Pages 224-230 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v2i1.9223

Weak to no effects of litter biomass and mixing on litter decomposition in a seasonally dry tropical forest

Pedobiologia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
pp. 20-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anderson R. Gripp ◽  
Francisco de Assis Esteves ◽  
Luciana S. Carneiro ◽  
Rafael D. Guariento ◽  
Marcos Paulo Figueiredo-Barros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest ◽  
Dry Tropical Forest ◽  
Seasonally Dry ◽  
Litter Biomass

scholarly journals Aspects of the feeding and population structure of Leporinus piau Fowler, 1941 (Actinopterygii, Characiformes, Anostomidae) of Taperoá II Dam, semi arid region of Paraíba, Brazildoi: 10.5007/2175-7925.2010v23n2p101

Biotemas ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Karla Araújo Montenegro ◽  
Jane Enisa Ribeiro Torelli ◽  
Randolpho Sávio de Araújo Marinho ◽  
Maria Cristina Crispim ◽  
Malva Isabel Medina Hernandez
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Arid Region ◽  
Semi Arid Region ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Scorpion diversity in two types of seasonally dry tropical forest in the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 340-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Felipe Rodrigues Carmo ◽  
Heyde Polyana Amorim ◽  
Simão Dias Vasconcelos
Keyword(s):  
Arid Region ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Pitfall Traps ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Seasonally Dry ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Semi Arid Region ◽  
Semi Arid

Knowledge on arthropod assemblages in the Brazilian semideciduous dry forest (caatinga) is scarce, despite the increasing exposure to degradation due to human activities such as logging and intensive agriculture. We performed a short-term survey on the diversity of scorpions in two types of caatinga (hipoxerophytic and hiperxerophytic) in Pernambuco State, Northeastern Brazil. A combination of active collection and pitfall traps was used to sample soil scorpions. Six species belonging to two families were registered: Bothriurus asper, Bothriurus rochai (Bothriuridae), Tityus stigmurus, Tityus pusillus, Rhopalurus rochai and Ananteris franckei (Buthidae). There was no significant difference in the richness and the abundance of scorpions in the two types of caatinga. Bothriurus asper was the most abundant species in both environments. Regarding constancy, all species were classified as accidental.

The Molecular Characterization and Biological Assessment of the Leaves Extracts of Loofah Reveal their Nutraceutical Potential

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takoua Ben Hlel ◽  
Feten Belhadj ◽  
Fatih Gül ◽  
Muhammed Altun ◽  
Ayşe Şahin Yağlıoğlu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Phenolic Compounds ◽  
Hela Cell ◽  
Arid Region ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Biological Assessment ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Hela Cell Lines ◽  
Semi Arid Region ◽  
Semi Arid

Background:: Luffa cylindrica is a plant that is widely distributed in Africa and Asia and it can be grown in regions with tropical or subtropical climates. Few patents dealt with Loofah biological properties, including some functional foods formulated from its leaves. Objective:: This study aimed to structurally and functionally characterize the bioactive compounds of L. cylindrica leaves grown in two different environments. Methods:: The extracts of L. cylindrica leaves collected from two Tunisian locations: Essouasi (LE), a semi-arid region and Medenine (LM) an arid region, were investigated for their phenolic compounds and fatty acids using HPLC/TOF-MS and GCMS techniques respectively. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity was evaluated with DPPH, Chelating effect, Hydroxyl radical and Superoxide anion scavenging activities while the anticancer activity against HeLa cell lines was assessed using xCELLigence real time cell analyzer and lactate dehydrogenase cytotoxicity assay. Results:: The antiproliferative capacity of both extracts was time and dose-dependent with LE presenting the lowest HeLa cell index (CI = 0.035 ± 0.018, 250 μg/ml). LE also showed the best cytotoxic capacity (56.49 ± 0.8%) and antioxidant potential (IC50 = 54.41 ± 1.12 μg/ml for DPPH and 12.12 ± 0.07 μg/ml for chelating effet). 14 phenolic compounds were detected in LE with ferulic acid being the major compound (5128.5 ± 4.09 μg Phenols/g) while LM had only 6 phenolics. GCMS analysis showed the presence of omega-3 fatty acids in LE. Conclusions:: Our findings suggest that L. cylindrica leaves, especially when collected from semi-arid regions, are promising for formulating nutraceuticals of interest.

PALEOCLIMATIC AND PALEOECOLOGICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF A MIDDLE TO LATE EOCENE SOUTH AMERICAN SEASONALLY DRY TROPICAL FOREST

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camila Martínez ◽  
◽  
Carlos Jaramillo ◽  
Jhonatan Martínez Murcia ◽  
Federico Moreno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Late Eocene ◽  
South American ◽  
Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest ◽  
Dry Tropical Forest ◽  
Seasonally Dry
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