Atlantic Forest Area Research Articles

New records of the Tabebuia Alliance (Bignoniaceae) for the state of Paraiba, northeastern Brazil

This study presents 3 new records of the Tabebuia Alliance (Bignoniaceae) for the state of Paraiba, northeastern Brazil: Godmania dardanoi (J. C. Gomes) A. H. Gentry, Handroanthus umbellatus (Sond.) Mattos and Tabebuia stenocalyx Sprague & Stapf. These species were found in preserved areas of Atlantic rain forest, growing in swampy areas, on sandy and clay soils, and flowering between December and June. For each new record for the state of Paraiba, we present detailed descriptions, taxonomic notes, geographic distribution and photographs.

New species and new geographical record of Ochrotrichia Mosely 1934 Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) from Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil

Ochrotrichia, with about 160 extant species in the New World, is the most diverse genus assigned to the Ochrotrichiinae. Despite its diversity, only eight species were previously recorded from Brazil, only one from Rio de Janeiro state. In this paper, we describe three new species from Parque Nacional da Tijuca, an Atlantic Forest area at Rio de Janeiro. Ochrotrichia nematomorpha sp. nov. is placed within the O. xena Group, having a plate-like tergum X, with an unusual phallus which is slender and pointed apically. Ochrotrichia sagitta sp. nov. and O. taunay sp. nov. belong to the O. aldama Group, each having a divided tergum X, but being distinguished from the others in this group by the arrowhead-like apex of left lateral process of tergum X (O. sagitta) and the presence of two dorsal spine-like projections on tergum X (O. taunay). Furthermore, O. caatinga Souza, Santos Takiya, 2014 is reported for the first time from Rio de Janeiro state.

Influence of light on lignin-degrading activities of fungal genus Polyporus s. str.

Six strains belonging to five species of Polyporus (P. arcularius, P. arcularioides, P. tricholoma, P. cfr. tricholoma, and P. varius), collected from an Atlantic Forest area in Misiones (Argentina), where species usually grow exposed to high temperatures and humidity, were identified by morphological and molecular analyses. P. tricholoma (BAFC 4536) and P. arcularioides (BAFC 4534) were selected by their lignin-degrading enzyme production, their ability to produce primordial of basidiomes under submerged fermentation, and the decrease in lignin content caused in Poplar wood (up to 29% after 45 days). Among several variables evaluated with a Plackett-Burman design (glucose, copper, vanillic acid and manganese concentration, incubation period, and light incidence), the most important factor affecting laccase and Mn-peroxidase (MnP) production by both strains, was light incidence. Light induced fruit body development but diminished laccase and MnP production. Moreover, a modified isoenzymatic laccase pattern was observed, showing additional isoenzymes when fungi were cultivated under darkness and differences in optimal temperature. Although the studied strains did not produce high laccase and MnP titers (uppermost detected 4230 and 90 U L-1 , respectively), their laccases showed thermal stability and optimal temperature above 70 °C, representing an interesting source in the search of thermo-tolerant enzymes for biotechnological applications.

Cytogenetic analyses in Trinomys (Echimyidae, Rodentia), with description of new karyotypes.

Trinomys Thomas (1921) is a terrestrial genus of spiny rats endemic to the Brazilian areas of Atlantic Forest and the transitional areas of Cerrado and Caatinga. Although most species have been already karyotyped, the available cytogenetic information is mostly restricted to diploid and fundamental numbers. We analyzed the chromosomes of two Trinomys species: Trinomys moojeni (2n = 56, FN = 106) and Trinomys setosus setosus (2n = 56, FN = 106 and 2n = 56, FN = 108). Our analyses included GTG- and CBG-banding, silver-staining of the nucleolar organizer regions, and chromosome mapping of telomeres and 45S rDNA by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Comparative GTG- and CBG-banding suggested that the interspecific variation may be due to rearrangements such as pericentric inversions, centromere repositioning, and heterochromatin variation. We report two new karyotypes for T. s. setosus and describe for the first time the banding patterns of the two Trinomys species.

Anurans from preserved and disturbed areas of Atlantic Forest in the region of Etá Farm, municipality of Sete Barras, state of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract: We provide information on the diversity and natural history of anurans from preserved and disturbed habitats in the region of Etá Farm, municipality of Sete Barras, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The region is covered by rainforest and plantations of banana and peach palm. From April, 2013 to March, 2014 we sampled amphibians mainly with pitfall traps with drift fences and visual and auditory surveys. A total of 9813 individuals of 36 species of anurans from nine families were recorded in this study. A larger number of species was found in forests (29 species), followed by peach palm plantations (21 species), and banana plantations (17 species). The areas of peach palm plantation and forests showed the greatest similarity in species composition. The vegetation type with the highest number of exclusive species was the forest, whereas only four species were exclusive of the peach palm plantation, and none was exclusive of the banana plantation. Species accumulation curves indicated that our sampling effort was not enough to sample all the species that occur in the region. Our results reinforce the importance of forested habitats for the maintenance of anuran diversity in the Atlantic forest. The preservation of large fragments of forest in the region of Etá Farm is necessary to preserve the diverse amphibian fauna of this region.

Samambaias e licófitas do Parque Estadual Turístico do Alto Ribeira, Iporanga, SP, Brasil

O Parque Estadual Turístico do Alto Ribeira é um importante remanescente de Floresta Atlântica, pois abriga grande biodiversidade e, junto com outras Unidades de Conservação em seu entorno, constitui um dos maiores maciços desta formação no país. O Parque está localizado na porção sudeste do Estado de São Paulo e é predominantemente constituído por Floresta Atlântica, a qual é responsávelpor abrigar um importante número de espécies de samambaias e licófitas, onde estas plantas consttuem um elemento conspícuo da flora no subosque. Embora muitos levantamentos florísticos tenhamsido publicados para áreas de Floresta Atlântica do Estado de São Paulo, poucos fornecem meios paraa identificação das espécies. O objetivo principal no presente estudo é apresentar uma chave para a identificação de 251 espécies de samambaias e licófitas encontradas no Parque. Além disso, foram feitastambém comparações entre as espécies encontradas e taxa próximos, além de dados sobre os ambientes de ocorrência das espécies na área de estudo.

Management practices may lead to loss of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity in protected areas of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Abstract The symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are among the ecologically most significant organisms in terrestrial ecosystems, but little is known about how soil AM fungal community composition responds to conservation management and different degrees of human impact on natural ecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of the management practices on the AM fungi community structure in protected areas of the Atlantic Forest in Northeast Brazil. During two seasons we assessed AM fungal diversity and mycorrhizal root colonization status in five strict-protected and five sustainable-use areas along a 900 km transect. The sampling effort was sufficient to recover more than 85% of the AM fungal species present in the protected areas. Fifty-six AM fungal species and morphotypes were identified. Most species belonged to Glomerales and Gigasporales, but all orders of Glomeromycotina were registered. Species diversity and mycorrhizal colonization were significantly higher in the strict-protection management areas, though the areas had the same richness and spore density. Seasonality and spatial distances did not affect the AM fungal community composition. Our results show that the conservation management, vegetation and soil characteristics are important local factors influencing AM fungal communities. This work provides a better understanding of AM fungal community structure in natural ecosystems and provides insight into distribution patterns at a broad landscape scale.

Ticks parasitizing wild mammals in Atlantic Forest areas in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Mammals captured in the Serra dos Órgãos National Park (PARNASO) and the Pedra Branca State Park (PBSP) between 2012 and 2015 were examined for the presence of ticks. In total, 140 mammals were examined, and 34 specimens were found to be parasitized by ticks. Didelphis aurita, Akodon montensis and Oligoryzomys nigripes were the species most parasitized. From these specimens, 146 ticks were collected, including 10 larvae. The ticks belonged to eight species: one in the genus Ixodes and seven in the genus Amblyomma. This study reports new associations of ticks and wild mammals in Brazil.

Distribution and conservation of Aniba Aubl. (Lauraceae Jussieu) species in Brazil

Abstract: This study conducts a biogeographical review of Aniba in Brazil, including its actual and potential distribution, and a review on the species conservation status. The potential distribution of each Aniba species was modeled using the Brazilian Plants and Fungi Biogeography system, which is interconnected with the SpeciesLink network. A consensus model based on up to five algorithms was used to model the potential distribution of each species. The endemism, conservation status and rarity of each species in Brazil were also analyzed. A total of 3059 records of 30 Brazilian Aniba species were found. In total, 16.1% of the records were excluded because of the lack of valid names, and 53.4% were excluded because of the lack of georeference and name of the person who identified the record. The consensus model showed good results for species with 20 or more pixels. The other species had many errors, and their models could only be used to determine new areas for collections. Nine species were endemic to Brazil, and only three species showed no indicator of rarity. The geographical distribution of Brazilian Aniba species shows a predominantly Amazonian pattern. Only four species are not actually found in the Amazon. Some Amazonian species may also be found in Atlantic Forest areas, and many other species have the potential to live there. Our results indicate that only three species have no conservation problems, whereas 14 species have conservation problems, and 13 other species require further population studies to be best evaluated.

Effect of humans and pumas on the temporal activity of ocelots in protected areas of Atlantic Forest

Temporal segregation may be one of the most effective mechanism adopted by a subordinate species to reduce competition with a dominant species. We hypothesized temporal segregation by ocelots as the main strategy of reducing direct contact with pumas and humans in Atlantic Forest protected areas. Through a standardized camera trap protocol, we measured the degree of activity overlap between ocelots and pumas and between ocelots and humans using circular statistics. Additionally, we investigated predictor variables that may influence the temporal activity of ocelots. Ocelots and pumas showed nocturnal and cathemeral activity, respectively, whereas humans were diurnal. Although the coefficient of overlap between the activity of ocelots and pumas was high (Δ^1 = 0.74), the Mardia-Watson-Wheeler test showed significant dissimilarities between their daily distributions of records (W = 5.86; d.f. = 2; P = 0.05). The coefficient of overlap between the activity of ocelots and humans was low (Δ^4 = 0.32) as also revealed by the Mardia-Watson-Wheeler test (W = 179.51; d.f. = 2; P < 0.001). Ocelots enhanced their nocturnal activity in sites where occupancy probability of pumas was high and either in sites with more pasture or near human settlements. Our finding suggests that temporal segregation may be one mechanism adopted by ocelots to allow its coexistence with pumas and humans in Atlantic Forest remnants. However, it is unknown whether temporal segregation per se will be enough to guarantee long-term persistence of ocelots in the current degraded scenario of the Atlantic Forest.

Bat richness (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in an area of montane Atlantic Forest in the Serra da Mantiqueira, state of Minas Gerais, southeast Brazil

Abstract: In recent years there has been an increase in research interest in remnants of Atlantic Forest above 500 m a.s.l., such as in the Serra da Mantiqueira, which is considered a priority area for conservation. The chiropterofauna of the Serra da Mantiqueira remains relatively under-studied, and here we present a list of bat species from the "Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural (RPPN) Cachoeira do Tombo", a private conservation unit located in an area of montane Atlantic Forest in the Serra da Mantiqueira. Bats were captured with mist nets along trails and near a diurnal roost. A total of 498 individuals of 19 bat species belonging to the families Phyllostomidae, Vespertilionidae and Molossidae were captured. Phyllostomidae were captured only along the trails, Molossidae were captured only in the diurnal roost and Vespertilionidae were captured in both. The species accumulation curves did not show stabilizing trends. However, 80% of the expected richness was sampled and the species richness of bats found is similar to other studies previously carried out in the region. In contrast to other inventories carried out in the Atlantic Forest, Desmodus rotundus was the species most frequently captured along the trails. A large number of individuals of Molossus aztecus sheltering in man-made structures were caught, constituting an unusual event. Additionally, here we report cohabitation of this species with Molossus molossus for the first time. Our results show that this area, which appears on the map of environmental conflicts for the state of Minas Gerais, has a rich chiropterofauna and also further corroborate the importance of using mist-nets at roosts to increase the probability of capturing the richness and abundance of insectivorous bats present in the area.

The bats of Rio Grande do Norte state, northeastern Brazil

Abstract Rio Grande do Norte is one of the smallest states in Brazil but has a rich diversity of ecosystems, including Caatinga vegetation, remnants of Atlantic Forest, coastal habitats, mangroves and large karstic areas with caves. However, its chiropteran fauna is little known, and the state contains conspicuous gaps of information on the occurrence and distribution of bats in Brazil. In order to reduce this information gap, based on a review of scientific literature and regional mammal collections, we list 42 species of bats, including new occurrences for 13 species and discussion on their conservation status. Results show that more than half (54%) of the recorded species are phyllostomid bats, and about one third of the bats in the state roosts in underground cavities. The Caatinga harbored the highest bat richness in the state, including the occurrence of four vulnerable species (Furipterus horrens, Lonchorhina aurita, Natalus macrourus and Xeronycteris vieirai). The Atlantic Forest needs to be more sampled, including mangroves, coastal habitats and areas of Caatinga in the central region of the state (Borborema highlands), which are virtually unsurveyed. Although the recent increase of studies on bats in the state, future studies should complement conventional mistnetting with active roost search and bioacoustical records in order to obtain better data for unraveling the bat fauna of Rio Grande do Norte.

Long-term stability of the hawkmoth fauna (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae) in a protected area of Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest

Hawkmoths are an important component of tropical ecosystems, with significant roles as herbivores and pollinators. These moths can be used as indicators in biodiversity assessments because they can be easily sampled and identified. However, hawkmoths have seldom been surveyed over the long term for this purpose, especially in the Neotropical region. Considering that long-term datasets are of indisputable importance for understanding and monitoring temporal changes in biodiversity, this study assessed long-term changes in the hawkmoth fauna in a protected Atlantic Rain Forest area over a period of 64 years. We used historical and recent empirical datasets to ask whether faunal-diversity patterns and species composition have changed over time. We used individual- and sample-based rarefaction and extrapolation curves based on Hill number (diversity order of q = 0) to compare species richness, and the probability version of the abundance-based Chao-Jaccard index to assess beta diversity over time. To assess changes in faunal composition, we conducted a nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis and performed an analysis of similarities to test whether the community composition has changed. Our results clearly showed long-term stability of the hawkmoth community over the 64 years, despite the growing human-induced landscape changes that occurred in the region surrounding the study area during the last 6 decades. This study emphasizes the importance of large remnants of Atlantic Forest for long-term maintenance of both functional diversity and ecosystem functioning.

Regeneração de agroflorestas: a importância da cobertura arbórea na transição florestal

Este estudo analisou e descreveu a composição, riqueza e diversidade de espécies do componente arbustivo-arbóreo nos diferentes estratos florestais de um sistema agroflorestal abandonado (~3 ha), situado em área urbana de Floresta Atlântica, no município de Juiz de Fora (MG), Brasil. Partiu-se da premissa de que o estrato arbóreo remanescente tende a auxiliar o processo de regeneração natural e sucessão florestal. Foram alocadas aleatoriamente 25 parcelas de 20 x 20 m para a análise do estrato arbóreo e subparcelas de 5 x 5 m para a análise do estrato regenerante. Observou-se uma comunidade com forte dominância específica e baixo índice de diversidade de espécies (H’) em comparação com florestas secundárias de mesma fitofisionomia na região. As análises demonstraram que a presença de indivíduos de grande porte que remanesceram no local após o processo de desbaste do sub-bosque tende a auxiliar e acelerar o processo de regeneração natural e sucessão ecológica.

Molecular phylogeny of Neotropical rock frogs reveals a long history of vicariant diversification in the Atlantic forest

The Brazilian Atlantic coastal forest is one of the most heterogeneous morphoclimatic domains on earth and is thus an excellent region in which to examine the role that habitat heterogeneity plays in shaping diversification of lineages and species. Here we present a molecular phylogeny of the rock frogs of the genus Thoropa Cope, 1865, native to the Atlantic forest and extending to adjacent campo rupestre of Brazil. The goal of this study is to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the genus using multilocus molecular phylogenetic analyses. Our topology reveals 12 highly supported lineages among the four nominal species included in the study. Species T. saxatilis and T. megatympanum are monophyletic. Thoropa taophora is also monophyletic, but nested within T. miliaris. Populations of T. miliaris cluster in five geographically distinct lineages, with low support for relationships among them. Although all 12 lineages are geographically structured, some T. miliaris lineages have syntopic distributions with others, likely reflecting a secondary contact zone between divergent lineages. We discuss a biogeographic scenario that best explains the order of divergence and the distribution of species in Atlantic forest and adjacent areas, and outline the implications of our findings for the taxonomy of Thoropa.

Traditional botanical knowledge of medicinal plants in a “quilombola” community in the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil

Plant resources are essential to the survival of the human species, and they play several important roles in maintaining the quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants in the Ipiranga quilombola community on the south shore of the state of Paraiba, northeast of Brazil. Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews that were performed with the head of the family for all the domestic units in the community (total of 100 individuals). Data were qualitative and quantitative (Use-Value index and informant consensus factor) analyzed. A total of 69 species belonging to 38 families were mentioned by the respondents. Only two medicinal species (Stryphnodendron pulcherrimum (Willd.) Hochr and Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart. ex DC.) Mattos) are found in the surrounded Atlantic Forest area. All the other medicinal species are cultivated in backyards. The species with the highest Use-Values were Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) B.L. Burtt. & R.M. Sm. (colony). The medicinal species were indicated for the treatment of 66 diseases, which were classified into 14 categories of body systems. Respiratory system disorders (0.54), gastrointestinal system disorders (0.43), and a genitourinary system disorder (0.42) were the categories with the highest consensus values among the respondents. The research showed that despite having a health center close to the community, the Ipiranga community still uses medicinal plants to cure diseases, with most species being cultivated in backyards.

Fruit production along roads and footpaths in an Atlantic rain forest area

ABSTRACTBackground: Pathways (footpaths and roads) in forests are associated with edge effects, affecting forest structure and composition and associated wildlife. However, little is known about how edge effects along pathways may impact the dynamics of fruit production and their availability for frugivores.Aim: We related pathway width as a proxy for edge effects to fruit production. Our underlying hypothesis was that pathway width would be positively related to fruit production.Methods: We observed fruit production along three pathways of different widths – 2, 10 and 20 m wide – and in a control area of undisturbed forest in an Atlantic rain forest stand monthly over a 2-year period.Results: The number of species and individuals-bearing fruit was higher along the wider pathways than along the narrowest pathway and in the control area. The amount of zoochorous fruits was higher in the control area than along pathways, and the widest pathway had higher non-zoochorous fruits production. Fruiting peaks occurred along pathways, while fruiting in the control area was aseasonal.Conclusions: Pathway width is related to fruit type and its quantity and temporal availability. These effects extend towards the forest interior beyond 35 m. The presence of paths affects food resources for frugivores and thus can contribute to reconfiguring the spatio-temporal distribution of the fauna.

Seedling Community in a Patchy Tropical Vegetation Under the Influence of Bamboos

As a group adapted to invade disturbed sites, bamboos can dominate extensive areas and, thus, alter vegetation structure and dynamics. However, the effect of bamboo expansion associated to human activity on seedling communities in tropical forests remains poorly known. We investigated the correlation of the native bamboo Guadua tagoara presence for a year on the abundance, richness, diversity, dominance, evenness, emergence, mortality, and growth of the first months of the native seedlings establishment in an Atlantic forest area, São Paulo State, Brazil. Bamboo presence favored the initial establishment of the palm Euterpe edulis seedlings but altered seedling community structure as a whole. Species richness did not differ between bamboo and nonbamboo dominated habitats, but abundance, diversity, and evenness did. Bamboo habitats showed higher seedling abundance, emergence, and mortality than in habitats without bamboos. However, diversity was lower in these habitats. Our results shed light on the role of bamboo presence in limiting early establishment of native seedlings but favoring the first months of establishment of E. edulis, the dominant species in bamboo habitats (70%). Therefore, the monitoring of more specific variables could be included (i.e., bamboo culm density, soil type, decomposition of organic matter, fauna living, or foraging in bamboos) in future studies to better understand the consequences of bamboo dominance on the recruitment and dynamics of tropical forests biodiversity in the long term.

Mamíferos de uma floresta de Restinga em Mataraca, Paraíba, Nordeste do Brasil e suas afinidades com áreas de Restinga no Brasil

Abstract The Restinga forests are plant formations associated to the Atlantic Forest which still have not been much studied in terms of their mastofauna. The objective of the present work was to list for the first time the mammal species found in a Restinga on northeastern Brazil and show the similarities on species composition to other areas of the same environment and of Atlantic Forest. Our records were based on several complementary approaches: field survey, interviews, and museum collections. Subsequently, we performed similarity analysis between Restinga areas along Brazil and Atlantic Forest areas. We found a total of 30 species of mammals distributed in 28 genera, 16 families and 7 orders for Restinga of Mataraca. Species richness was similar to other Restinga areas and similarity analyzes pointed out that Restingas are more closely related to adjacent Atlantic Forest areas than to other Restingas in the country. This suggests that Restingas do not exhibit an autochthone fauna, but rather a faunal subsample of neighbor Atlantic Forest. Therefore, conservations policies for the Restinga habitat depends not only on actions focused on this habitat, but on initiatives that encompass nearby Atlantic Forest remnants, allowing the connectivity between these habitats.

Nectar ecology of the endemic epiphytic hummingbird-pollinated bromeliad Vriesea altodaserrae: secretion dynamics and pollinator visitation pattern

ABSTRACT Hummingbirds are the main pollinators of most bromeliad species, whose nectar traits usually respond to the selective pressures imposed by pollinators. Considering the specialization of hummingbird-pollinated bromeliads, we expect a close relationship between nectar ecophysiology and the needs of the main pollinators. In this sense, we studied the nectar ecology of the endemic epiphytic bromeliad Vriesea altodaserrae by assessing its nectar traits to address the following questions: i) do flowers respond to successive experimental removals of nectar? ii) is hummingbird visitation frequency related to nectar secretion pattern? We found that V. altodaserrae depended completely on hummingbirds for sexual reproduction, and nectar composition was consistent with that of most hummingbird-pollinated species. Most of the nectar was secreted at bud stage and, if not removed, flowers reabsorb it at the end of their lifespan. Total nectar production did not change after successive removals, and nectar secretion rhythm did not affect the frequency of hummingbird visits. Vriesea altodaserrae was visited by two-thirds of the hummingbird species recorded at the study site, but especially by those of Trochilinae subfamily, suggesting specialization for this group of hummingbirds and highlighting the importance this endemic bromeliad as a keystone species in areas of highland Atlantic forest.