Atlantic Forest meeting Cerrado: floristic, structure, and species distribution of an ecotonal tree community

We evaluated the floristic and structural composition of a tree community in an ecotone between Cerrado (cerradão) and Atlantic Forest (seasonal semideciduous forest) domains located in Porto Ferreira State Park (PFSP), southeastern Brazil. We compared the floristic relationships of this ecotone with those of previous surveys carried out on the same vegetation types and checked the species distribution among the Brazilian biomes. We sampled all living trees with PBH>10 cm in 64 10x10 m plots (0.64 ha), totaling 1,755 individuals belonging to 101 species and 37 families. The richest families were Myrtaceae (13 spp.) and Fabaceae (11 spp.), and Siparuna guianensis was the most abundant species (188 individuals). We reported two threatened species. A great number of species are widely distributed, occurring in different Brazilian biomes. Floristic similarity values were low among the selected studies, but our sampled community clustered with communities of cerradão and ecotone areas of previous surveys. Our results corroborate that ecotonal areas have great tree diversity and the predominance of widely distributed species. This fact, combined with the vegetation thickening verified through historical photographs, reinforces that the study area belongs to an under-changing ecotone.

Medium-sized and large mammals of the Floresta da Cicuta Area of Relevant Ecological Interest, a protected area in southeastern Brazil

The Atlantic Forest is one of the most biodiverse biomes in the world and has been severely degraded and fragmented, with the extirpation of most medium-sized and large vertebrates from the forest remnants. Here we present the results of a survey of medium-sized and large mammals in an area of protected seasonal semideciduous forest, the Floresta da Cicuta Area of Relevant Ecological Interest (ARIE-FC), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, part the Atlantic Forest biome. We used camera traps (2,257 camera days) and direct observations over a 23-month period. We recorded 19 species (including two domestic species), seven of which are classified as at-risk, such as Leopardus guttulus (Hensel, 1872), Sylvilagus tapetillus Thomas, 1913, Alouatta clamitans Cabrera, 1940, and Chrysocyon brachyurus (Illiger, 1815). A diverse terrestrial mammal assemblage in the ARIE-FC reinforces the importance of small forest fragments for the conservation of biodiversity in human-modified landscapes of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

Population structure of understory, canopy/emergent tree species in Brazilian Atlantic Forest remnants with different Conservation status

The size and spatial structures of populations are a synthesis of demographic attributes and indicators of competitive ability, colonization, and survival. In this study, the objective was to analyze the height and spatial pattern of an understory and canopy/emergent tree populations group in two protected fragments of seasonal semideciduous forest, one with a history of selective logging and another without selective logging evidences. Six species with high importance values (IV) from different guilds were selected and height and spatial pattern analysis was realized in both areas. Then, comparison of results was realized in an area with history of selective logging and another without selective logging evidences. Differences in height and spatial pattern were found between the two areas, including species not directly exploited. In Logged Forest the size structure for all species presented a higher coefficient of skewness, showing a greater proportion of young trees. Random distribution was observed for the majority of species in both areas. Some emergent/canopy species had a deficit of individuals in the largest size classes and the majority of understory species showed more individuals in Logged Forest. Selective Logging changed the pattern of populations. Selecting species based on IV together with spatial patterns data contribute to demonstrating the impacts of exploitation. The Logged Forest is surrounded by an agricultural matrix, limiting arrival and dispersion of propagules of shade-tolerant species. Efforts to connect surroundings fragments to Logged Forest will be necessary.

Evolution of the Semideciduous-Riparian Forest (ecotone Cerrado-Atlantic Forest) during the late Holocene, Southeast of Brazil

The floodplains of meandering rivers in southeastern Brazil represent places where the sedimentary record associated with the history of transition/ecotone areas and exchange of biomes accumulates, such as the Cerrado (Cerradão Forest) and Atlantic Forest (Semideciduous-Riparian Forest). The present study aims to use palynological, isotopic (δ13C, δ15N and 14C), and anthracological indicators in cores taken from three abandoned meander bends to make inferences about environmental evolution, vegetation reconstruction, and climatic inferences. The study area is located in the Mogi Guaçu River Basin, in the countryside of São Paulo State. The studies show that ~2,730 BP (stage I), the area underwent through a more humid climatic phase compared to the current one, which allowed the expansion of the Riparian Semideciduous Forest. After that date, in stage II (1,800 to 510 BP), the percentage of the Cerrado (Cerradão Forest) increased, due to a drier period. From 510 BP to the present day (stage III), humidity has taken place with a new expansion of the Riparian Semideciduous Forest, although elements of Cerrado are present. Microscopic charcoal fragments were found in all stages and may infer the incidence of paleo-wildfires during the Late Holocene. The results indicate that both phytophysiognomies remained for the studied period, varying their expansion depending on the humidity present in each stage. Although lakes formed by abandoned meanders are not areas with the best palynological record, they are frequent environments in the interior of the continents. If properly interpreted, they may provide relevant information to vegetation and climatic changes for the areas. Keywords: paleoenvironmental studies, Holocene, river dynamics, pollen grains, isotopic analysis, charcoal fragments.

Passifloraceae s.s. na Chapada do Araripe, nordeste do Brasil

A Chapada do Araripe, localizada entre os estados do Ceará, Pernambuco e Piauí, abrange diferentes fitofisionomias e é reconhecida pela alta diversidade biológica e endemismos. O objetivo com este levantamento florístico foi identificar as espécies de Passifloraceae s.s. ocorrentes na Chapada do Araripe, bem como conhecer a distribuição geográfica associada aos habitats preferenciais e a fenologia, visando conhecer a flora local. Foram realizadas coletas em campo no período de fevereiro a junho/2020 em vários municípios e a coleção resultante foi depositada no Herbário Caririense Dárdano de Andrade-Lima- HCDAL. As identificações das espécies foram baseadas na análise de características morfológicas das amostras em campo, de exsicatas dos herbários CEN, EAC, HCDAL, HST, IPA, MBM, PEUFR e UFP, complementadas com o auxílio de bibliografias especializadas. Na Chapada do Araripe foram registrados nove táxons de Passiflora, ocorrendo preferencialmente em Floresta Estacional Semidecidual (Mata Seca), mas também há registros na Floresta Ombrófila Densa (Mata Úmida), Savana (Cerrado), Savana Florestada (Cerradão), Savana Estépica (Caatinga/Carrasco), Savana Estépica Arborizada (Caatinga Arbórea). Passifloraceae s.s. está bem representada na Chapada do Araripe e são indicadas coletas inéditas para alguns munícipios. Passifloraceae s.s. in the Chapada do Araripe, Northeast Brazil A B S T R A C TThe Chapada do Araripe is located between the states Ceará, Pernambuco and Piauí, covers different phytophysiognomies and recognized by high biological diversity and endemisms. The aimed with this floristic survey was to identify species of the Passifloraceae s.s. to the Chapada do Araripe, as well as know geographic distribution associated with preferred habitats and phenology, aiming to know better local flora. Field collections were performed from February to June/2020 in several municipalities and the resulting collection is deposited at the Herbário Caririense Dárdano de Andrade Lima-HCDAL. The identifications of the species was based on the analysis of morphological characteristics of samples collected in the field and exsiccates from herbariums CEN, EAC, HCDAL, HST, IPA, MBM, PEUFR and UFP, complementered with assistance of specialized bibliographies. In the Chapada do Araripe nine taxa of Passifora were recorded, preferably occurring in the Dense Ombrophylous Forest (Mata Úmida), but also there are records in the Seasonal Semideciduous Forest (Mata Seca), Savanna (Cerrado), Florested Savanna (Cerradão), Stepic Savanna (Caatinga/Carrasco), Arboreus Stepic Savanna (Caatinga Arbórea) and transition zone of Savanna/ Seasonal Semideciduous Forest. Passifloraceae s.s. is well represented in the Chapada do Araripe, are indicated unpublished collections for some municipalities, in addiction is necessary greater effort to collect in Piaui State.Keywords: Diversity, flora, Neotropical region, vegetation.

Tree species consistent co-occurrence in seasonal tropical forests: an approach through association rules analysis

Aim of study: Aassessing the existence of consistent co-occurrence between tree species that characterize seasonal tropical forests, using the association rules analysis (ARA), that is a novel data mining methodology; and evaluate evaluating the taxonomic and functional similarities between associated species.Area of study: forty-four seasonal forest sites with permanent plots (40.2 ha of total sample) located in Southeast Brazil, from which we obtained species occurrences.Material and methods: we applied association rules analysis (ARA) to the dataset of species occurrence in sites considering the criteria of support equal to or greater than 0.63 and confidence equal to or greater than 0.8 to obtain the first set of associations rules between pairs of species. This set was then submitted to Fisher’s criteria exact p-value less than 0.05, lift equal to or greater than 1.1 and coverage equal to or greater than 0.63. We considered these criteria to be able to select non-random and consistent occurring associations.Main results: We obtained a final result of 238 rules for semideciduous forest and 11 rules for deciduous forests, composed of species characteristic of vegetation types. Co-occurrences are formed mainly by non-confamilial species, which have similar functional characteristics (potential size and wood density). There is a difference in the importance of co-occurrence between forest types, which tends to be less in deciduous forests.Research highlights: The results point to out the feasibility of applying ARA to ecological datasets as a tool for detecting ecological patterns of coexistence between species and the ecosystems functioning.Keywords: data mining; coexistence; semideciduous forests; deciduous forests; biotic interaction.

ECOTONE SOILS IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Texture, base saturation, organic carbon content, and water storage availability of soil are drivers of plant physiognomy and composition of communities. Soil properties in ecotone areas are still poorly studied, and the transition between dry, moist, and semideciduous forests is defined only by climate parameters. The objective of this study was to describe the soil properties of a moist-dry forest ecotone in Northeastern Brazil. Seven soil profiles were dug in a pristine semideciduous forest known as “Agreste”. Four more pedons were described to represent soils of dry forests. Morphology, reactivity, texture, organic matter content, and water storage capacity of the soil horizons were determined. The soils of the study area are derived from granites and granitoids, rocks highly resistant to weathering. Soils of dry forests are loam, neutral to alkaline, and hypereutrophic. Soils of semideciduous forest are sandy, acidic, dystrophic, and have up to 65% higher C content. The rocks act as impermeable layers to water, and consequently, most soils develop stagnic properties in semideciduous forests. Soils are dystrophy and have low CEC and loam texture. These properties are attributed to ferrolysis. Umbrisols and Stagnosols with higher water storage capacity than dry forests soils sustain semideciduous forests in Northeastern Brazil.

Synopsis of Leguminosae from Iguaçu National Park, Paraná, Brazil

The Leguminosae family is one of the most representative in Brazil, with more than 2,800 native species in 222 genera. It is also one of the most representative families in all Brazilian phytogeographic domains, especially in the Atlantic Forest, where the Iguaçu National Park (ParNa Iguaçu) is located. The present study aimed to produce a synopsis of the Leguminosae species, and compare their distribution in three different areas of the park. ParNa has a total area of about 185,000 hectares, its vegetation is predominantly Semideciduous Forest (SF), in the areas of Foz do Iguaçu and Capanema, and a transition from this with Araucaria Forest (AF), in the area of Céu Azul. Fortnightly expeditions were carried out along the main trails of ParNa, from April 2018 to May 2019, there were also surveys in the platforms SpeciesLink, Jabot and the Reflora Virtual Herbarium, in addition to visits to the herbaria EVB, HCF, MBM, PUC-PR and UPCB. Sixty-three native species of Leguminosae distributed in 40 genera were found. The most representative genera were Senegalia with eight species, followed by Machaerium, Mimosa and Desmodium with four species each. Of these species, 24 are new records for ParNa, five were found only in the AF area, 51 only in SF and eight are found in both these vegetational types. Two species are endemic to Paraná, Mimosa prionopus and Senegalia rafinesqueana, and two are threatened, Apuleia leiocarpa and Gleditsia amorphoides. An identification key, scientific illustrations and/or photographs with diagnostic characters of the taxa and comments on the geographical distribution are presented.

Feeding by Florivorous Flies (Tephritidae and Agromyzidae) in Flower Heads of Neotropical Asteraceae (Asterales) from Central Brazil

The four following Diptera families are peculiar because they are predominantly phytophagous: Cecidomyiidae, Agromyzidae, Lonchaeidae and Tephritidae; which is uncommon for dipterans. Tephritine’s larvae, depending on the species, consumes leaves, stems, flowers or roots of their host plants. Some tephritines feeds on flower heads of weed Asteraceae and can act in population suppression of invasive species in cultivated areas. In Mid-West of Brazil, we investigate Tephritinae and Agromyzinae flies in flower heads of Asteraceae species in three different phytophisiognomies in Dourados region, state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Here, 12 florivore fly species (9 Tephritinae, and 3 Melanagromyza spp., Agromizinae, Agromyzidae) are reported for the first time in Mid-West Brazil. We stablish the species of Asteraceae host for Tephritinae (Tephritidae) and for some species of Melanagromyza (Agromyzinae) in environments of Cerrado, Semideciduous Forest, and agroecosystem at Dourados-MS region. The inflorescences of Asteraceae species (± 500 capitula/species) were kept in containers to the emergence of the florivorous flies or their parasitoids. The adult insects after 48 hours were fixed in 80% ethanol for later identification. A total 36 species of Asteraceae were evaluated in the three regions of Dourados-MS, Brazil. Were obtained 120,031 flower heads of Astereceae, emerging 2,698 adults of insects: 833 Tephritinae (Tephritidae), belonging to 7 genera and 9 species; 1,089 Melanagromyza spp. (Agromyzidae) and 776 parasitoids (Hymenoptera) from the tephritines and agromyzines. We found that some florivore fly species needs to be better studied to employ in suppression programs of invasive Asteraceae population in the Neotropical Region.