Brazilian Forest Research Articles

Typification of names in Pachira aquatica Aubl. (Malvaceae, Bombacoideae) with a new combination and new status from the Brazilian Amazon forest

A new combination and a new status, Pachira manausensis, is here proposed. After making field observations and analyzing type and herbarium specimens, we realized that P. aquatica var. manausensis should be treated as a species due to many morphological and distribution differences compared to the typical variety. We provide detailed descriptions and a distribution map, table, key, and plate to distinguish both species using morphological characteristics. Typifications and nomenclatural notes for related names were performed.

Biomass and vegetation index by remote sensing in different caatinga forest areas

ABSTRACT: Continued unsustainable exploitation of natural resources promotes environmental degradation and threatens the preservation of dry forests around the world. This situation exposes the fragility and the necessity to study landscape transformations. In addition, it is necessary to consider the biomass quantity and to establish strategies to monitor natural and anthropic disturbances. Thus, this research analyzed the relationship between vegetation index and the estimated biomass using allometric equations in different Brazilian caatinga forest areas from satellite images. This procedure is performed by estimating the biomass from 9 dry tropical forest fragments using allometric equations. Area delimitations were obtained from the Embrapa collection of dendrometric data collected in the period between 2011 and 2012. Spectral variables were obtained from the orthorectified images of the RapidEye satellite. The aboveground biomass ranged from 6.88 to 123.82 Mg.ha-1. SAVI values were L = 1 and L = 0.5, while NDVI and EVI ranged from 0.1835 to 0.4294, 0.2197 to 0.5019, 0.3622 to 0.7584, and 0.0987 to 0.3169, respectively. Relationships among the estimated biomass and the vegetation indexes were moderate, with correlation coefficients (Rs) varying between 0.64 and 0.58. The best adjusted equation was the SAVI equation, for which the coefficient of determination was R² = 0.50, R2aj = 0.49, RMSE = 17.18 Mg.ha-1 and mean absolute error of prediction (MAE) = 14.07 Mg.ha-1, confirming the importance of the Savi index in estimating the caatinga aboveground biomass.

A taxonomic account of Myrcia (Myrtaceae) at the sites of the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Amazonas, Brazil

Abstract Myrcia is the sole genus of the Myrciinae, one of the nine subtribes of Myrteae (Myrtaceae). The Amazon forest holds about one-quarter of the Brazilian species of Myrcia, but the genus is still understudied in this whole region. In this context, this study presents a floristic survey of Myrcia in the permanent plots of the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP), in Amazonas state, Brazil. The genus is represented by 36 species in the study area, comprehending 32% of its total richness in the Brazilian Amazon forest, with 19 of them endemic to this domain. Myrcia neospeciosa is reported as a new occurrence for Amazonas state and M. grandis is recorded for the first time from upland terra firme forests on clayish soils. Myrcia cuspidata, a species with calyptrate flowers, is classified under Myrcia sect. Aulomyrcia, representing the second taxon of the genus with this feature removed from Myrcia sect. Calyptranthes. Finally, morphological aspects of the infra-generic categories of Myrcia are reported more overlapping than previously thought. A map containing the location of the study area, an identification key, descriptions, comments, and figures are provided.

Structuring of the epigeal fauna in restoration of Brazilian semiarid forest in the short term

Context The Caatinga biome, located in the Brazilian semiarid region, has few remnants of riparian forest. Thus, it is essential to know the effectiveness of strategies aimed at forest recovery. Aims The objective of this study was to investigate the use of the epigeal fauna as a bioindicator tool of soil quality and ecosystem sustainability to determine the best native forest restoration strategy in the Caatinga in Belém do São Francisco, Pernambuco, Brazil. Methods In areas previously dominated by Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC., three treatments were installed: conventional planting of native species (P), planting of native species in islands (applied nucleation, N), and natural regeneration (NR). These restoration treatments were compared with an area of high P. juliflora dominance (PJ). Epigeal fauna were captured in two periods of the year (wet and dry seasons) using pitfall traps in a completely randomised design. We estimated the total abundance, richness, diversity, and evenness, as well as the trophic guilds of the epigeal fauna. Key results The epigeal fauna organisms were distributed in 22 taxonomic groups. The Saprophagous Diplopoda group was exclusive to PJ. The Predator Pseudocorpionida group was not observed in the NR area in any period. Cluster analysis revealed more dissimilarity of the NR with the other areas. Conclusions In the short term (less than 2 years), P increased the diversity and richness of the epigeal fauna and promoted better structuring of the Microphagous/Saprophagous (Entomobryomorpha, Poduromorpha, and Symphypleona) trophic guild, while NR promoted better structuring of the Herbivorous (Auchenorryhncha and Heteroptera) and Saprophagous/Predator (Formicidae and Coleoptera) trophic guilds. Implications In the short term, conventional planting benefited the epigeal fauna due to the high diversity of planted species.

Diversidade e capacidades enzimáticas de fungos associados ao trato digestivo da fase larval de um inseto triturador em Cerrado e Floresta Amazônica, Brasil

Abstract Tropical biomes such as Brazilian Cerrado and Amazon Forest have a great diversity of fungi and insects. Interactions between these organisms can be beneficial to both partners. In streams, these interactions contribute to litter decomposition. Studying the digestive tract (DT) of shredder insects as a habitat for fungal microorganisms is an opportunity to obtain fungal strains with biotechnological potential, which may help to understand the symbiotic relationships between these organisms in tropical forests. This study investigated the fungal community in the DT of larvae of Triplectides (Trichoptera: Leptoceridae) collected in low-order streams in the Cerrado and Amazon Forest biomes in Brazil. Forty-nine fungal isolates were obtained and identified among 32 species and 12 genera. The genus Roussoella was only found in the DT of insects in Amazon Forest streams, while 7 genera only occurred in the DT of insects in Cerrado streams. The genus Penicillium (40%) was the most frequent. In the Cerrado, 78% were producers of CMCase, more than two-fold that in the Amazon Forest (35%). And 62% were producers of xylanase, in the Cerrado and 71% in the Amazon Forest. In this context, the fungal community in the DT of Triplectides larvae may play an important role in the insect diet by breaking down lignocellulosic material.

Bryophytes in Amazon savannas: richness and composition in disjunct areas in the Eastern Amazon

The Brazilian Amazon forests are interspersed by savanna ecosystems distributed in the states of Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia and Roraima, presenting different distribution patterns. The objective of this work was to evaluate the richness, composition and floristic similarity of the bryophyte flora from five disjunct savanna areas in the eastern Amazon and compare the richness with those of other savannas in Brazil. The collections were carried out from 2017 to 2018 in five localities of the eastern Amazon. Twenty-two species of mosses and 22 species of liverworts were registered. The composition was expected for savanna ecosystems with 27 species of generalists and 16 sun specialists. There was a striking floristic difference between the areas, and the clusters showed that the eastern Amazon savannas are formed by different compositions related to their area. This study made it possible to discover one new record for the state of Pará, five new records for the state of Amapá and one new record for the North region.

How long does it take to decompose all litter in Brazilian savanna forest?

Background: Litter is an important component of ecosystems, and its characteristics (e.g., production, decomposition, and nutrient and carbon content) are relevant for the ecological maintenance of different ecosystems. Previous studies on decomposition patterns have focused only on short time periods. Furthermore, there is no information regarding the actual decomposition time of organic matter in the Brazilian savanna biome known as the Cerrado. Thus, analysis of the total decomposition time can provide reliable estimates for other models. This study aimed to evaluate total litter decomposition (100%) and its relationship with seasonality and floristic composition in the savanna forest (Cerradão) formation in central Brazil. Litter bags were randomly distributed over the soil, with 10 samples collected per quarter from August 2014 to May 2020. Single- and double-entry linear regression models were used to analyze the total litter decomposition. Results: The half-life (time for which 50% of the litter was decomposed) occurred at 360 days, and 100% of litter decomposition occurred at 2070 days. The single-entry model was more satisfactory for estimating the decomposition speed. There was a positive correlation between litter decomposition and precipitation, and the floristic composition helped to explain the litter decomposition trends. Conclusion: Litter decomposition in the Cerradão is related to floristic diversity (quality of the material) and to the synergism of factors that occur mainly in the rainy season. Thus, the results of this study can contribute to conservation initiatives.

Impactos do reflorestamento nas perdas de solo e de carbono orgânico do solo

ABSTRACT Water erosion is a serious environmental problem that causes soil degradation, compromises its fertility and causes soil organic carbon (SOC) losses. Reforestation, encouraged by Brazilian environmental legislation, is a way to reduce water erosion. However, in tropical and subtropical regions, there is little information on the impact of reforestation on soil loss rates and SOC. Therefore, this study aimed to apply the Erosion Potential Method, combined with multitemporal data from soil samples collected in situ, to estimate and spatialize soil and SOC losses in a predominantly agricultural Brazilian watershed that showed high rates of reforestation in the period studied from 2011 to 2019. The determination of the EPM parameters was carried out with the aid of a Geographic Information System and the soil loss estimate was validated with information from a hydrosedimentological collection station. The results showed that between 2011 and 2019 water erosion was reduced by 27.5%, while carbon losses were reduced by 32.7%. Among the evaluated crops, corn showed the highest soil and SOC losses, while coffee and forest areas exhibited the lowest rates. Reforestation of the basin is the main factor responsible for the reduction of soil losses. This process was initiated seeking to meet the requirements of the Brazilian Forest Code, which highlights the positive role that public policies can play in environmental conservation when respected and well applied.

A EDUCAÇÃO INDÍGENA PELAS POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS NO BRASIL

Xenophobia, prejudice, and the desire to deforest virgin Brazilian forests meant that the Portuguese colonizers did not see the importance of the indigenous culture, its medicinal and climatic knowledge, among many others, for the preservation of nature. The importance of the indigenous school lies in rescuing the cultural identity lost due to the impositions of the dominators. The present study, through bibliographical and documentary research, aims to discuss indigenous education in Brazil today, its advances and difficulties. Thus, it was found that there is neglect of government in relation to indigenous education, not being respected all the rich knowledge of this people from Brazil. There was also a need for more public policies aimed at the preservation of indigenous cultural heritage, and the enforcement of existing legislation, especially educational ones.

Anti-Hyperglycemic Potential and Chemical Constituents of Aristolochia Triangularis Cham. Leaves: A Medicinal Species Native to Brazilian Forests

Anti-Hyperglycemic Potential and Chemical Constituents of Aristolochia Triangularis Cham. Leaves: A Medicinal Species Native to Brazilian Forests

Influência da altitude e sazonalidade na riqueza de espécies e densidade de ninhos de cupins em um ambiente de serra da Caatinga Brasileira

ABSTRACT The variation in altitude drives the richness and density of species in tropical ecosystems. The diversity and richness of termites are influenced by the variations in temperature, humidity, and soil properties according to altitude elevation. This is well known for rainy forests and little information is found for semiarid areas of Brazil. In this study, we aimed to identify species richness and encounters density of termites in a hill inserted in the Caatinga Brazilian forest. We found variation in the composition of species as a function of altitude (in a comparison of top and foot of the hill) and in periods of the wet and dry, with an increase in the season wet. The increase the diversity in this period and altitude elevations can be explained by the increases in humidity after rainfalls and maintenance of temperature enabled by the conditions in the hill’s top. Our findings provide valuable information regarding termite diversity in semiarid areas as a function of elevation and contribute to other studies that are expanding our understanding of how elevation can affect these organisms.

DP 0262 - The State of the Art of Environmental Economic Water and Forest Accounts in Brazil: overview and evolution

This paper aims to report the construction process of Environmental Economic Accounts for Water in Brazil and its institutional articulation between national and international public and private institutions, who participated in this construction effort. It also presents the current stage of construction of the Environmental Economic Accounts for Forest in Brazil.

Successional and Intraspecific Variations in Leaf Traits, Spectral Reflectance Indices and Herbivory in a Brazilian Tropical Dry Forest

Leaf traits are good indicators of ecosystem functioning and can affect herbivory and leaf reflectance patterns, allowing a better understanding of changes in environmental conditions, such those observed during forest natural regeneration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intraspecific variation in leaf traits and their influence on the pattern of herbivory and leaf reflectance in three species distributed along a successional gradient (early, intermediate and late stages) in a tropical dry forest (TDF) in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. We sampled individuals of the following abundant tree species that occurred in multiple successional stages: Cenostigma pluviosum, Handroanthus ochraceus, and Tabebuia reticulata. We collected 10 leaves from each tree to determine the contents of chlorophyll a, b, and total, carotenoids and water, as well as the percentage of leaf area removed by herbivores and leaf specific mass (LSM). We also measured five spectral reflectance indices (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index-NDVI, Simple Ratio-SR, modified Normalized Difference-nND, modified SR-mSR and Water Index-WI) using a portable spectrometer. Our results showed intraspecific differences in most leaf traits along the successional gradient, suggesting that local adaptation may play an important role in plant community assembly. However, herbivory only differed for H. ochraceus in early and intermediate stages, but it was not affected by the leaf traits considered here. Spectral reflectance indices also differed among successional stage for all species together and for each species separately, except for T. reticulata in intermediate and late stages. Thus, leaf spectral signatures may be an important tool to the remote detection of different successional stages in TDFs, with implications for forest management.

Physicomechanical characterization and wood machining from 10 12-year-old Hevea progeny clones with potential for furniture

The objective of this work was to evaluate the physical, mechanical, and wood machining properties of 10 clonal progenies with 12 years of age aiming to produce furniture. A total of 10 progenies and three trees per progenies were used, totalling 30 trees analyzed. The basic density ranged from 0.404 g.cm-3 (IAC 301) to 0.495 g.cm-3 (IAC 326), being it considered a light wood. The anisotropy coefficient values ranged from 1.05 (IAC 40) to 1.68 (PB 330) considered low to medium dimensional instability allowing the use of wood to produce furniture with low dimensional movements. In the compression test most clones fall under class C30. For MOR and MOE, it was observed greater values for IAC 326 (11666 MPa) and GT1 (9575 MPa). In wood machining tests, slightly raised large and few defects on the surface, being them considered easy to work. The results obtained for Hevea brasiliensis, 12 years old, allow us to affirm that wood from a younger age is an alternative for furniture production and will consequently contribute to the reduction of the exploitation and degradation of native forests in Brazil for this purpose.

Remineralizer and controlled-release fertilizer increase Mimosa scabrella Benth. seedlings growth

Contextualization: M. scabrella is a native tree species of the Brazilian Mixed Ombrophilous Forest, with a high ecological importance and economic potential. Knowledge gap: There is a lack of information about the use of resources that favour the seedlings production of this species. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the most appropriate doses of controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) combined with the addition of remineralizer for production of M. scabrella seedlings. Methodology: Seedlings were produced using four doses of CRF (0, 4, 8, and 12 kg m-3) and four doses of remineralizer (0 %, 10 %, 20 %, and 30 %), in a 4 x 4 factorial scheme. At 180 days of seedling production, growth in height and stem diameter, shoot (SDB), root (RDB) and total biomass (TDB), and Dickson quality index (DQI) were evaluated. Results and conclusions: The use of remineralizer provided an increase in density and water retention capacity of substrates, as well as a reduction of macroporosity and total porosity. Combined with doses of 4 and 8 kg m-3, CRF contributed to the increase of biomass and DQI. The addition of 10 % remineralizer, associated with 4.0 kg m-3 CRF, provides adequate growth to produce M. scabrella seedlings. Above this percentage of remineralizer and CRF dose, species growth rate is reduced.

State-led social and environmental policy failure in a Brazilian forest frontier: Sustainable Development Project in Anapu, Pará

In this paper we analyze transformations within a land reform settlement in the Brazilian Amazon, with special land-use regulations targeting forest conservation. We conducted long-term action research in the Virola-Jatobá Sustainable Development Project (PDS), where peasant farmers who were the early settlers of the area, and more recent occupants allied to illegal loggers, land grabbers and speculators adopt antagonistic positions and challenge respective entitlements towards land and forest. In this research we highlight issues of power asymmetry and social injustice when assessing how social relations and environmental conditions in the study area are affected by land use and forest conservation policies since year 2000, when the scheme was established. The PDS situation approached a collapse in late 2017 when the integrity of its forests and the beliefs and practices of vulnerable local residents were damaged. This case study empirically demonstrates that Amazon forest frontier systems have a limited capacity to endure extreme perturbations in the social and ecological interconnected domains. We argue that when a threshold is reached in systems featuring heavily institutionalized social asymmetries that constrain the action of vulnerable resource users, few conditions remain to reorganize the constituent setup through adaptive changes in the same regime or state. Reaching this stage will likely result in drastic changes that will lock the system into a pathway that compromises human wellbeing and the provision of ecosystem services. The fundamental nature of a tenurial scheme that combines social justice and environmental conservation tends thus to be lost for good, to enter a new regime with fewer options and novelties in social-ecological advances, reflecting the overall setbacks currently experienced in Brazilian policy.

PROCESS OF POSSIBLE CURE OF YELLOW FEVER INFECTION THROUGH LYOPHILIZATION OF THE LIQUID DRUG OF THE MITIGATIONAL VIRUS AND ITS ADMINISTRATION IN THE FOREST THROUGH SPRAYING

The research opted for the general purpose of formulating the drug on a large scale and its dissemination after lyophilization by spraying. And for the following specific objectives: to apply the methodology in a specific laboratory; evaluate the level of cure by spraying the mosquito on a large scale; determine the possible cure through research. The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the main transmitter of the yellow fever virus in cities, this virus is also present in forests, the virus in turn contaminates the mosquito which in turn stings the monkey, which then begins to suffer from the disease. Then the problem arises: a virus-free insect that sucks the blood of this contaminated primate starts charging the yellow fever cause. And then you can pass it on to another monkey, which can spread it to another mosquito, in the forest regions, the insects of the genera Haemagogus or Sabethes bite monkeys with the disease and then pass it on to humans in the vicinity. It is plausible that Aedes Aegypti disseminates yellow fever in the cities, it is a vicious circle that has occurred for many, many years in the Brazilian forests. Mosquitoes of the genera Haemagogus and Sabethes only circulate through areas of forest. Now, if a person visits a forest or lives near another, for example, they may be bitten by one of those infected mosquitoes. And there, you run the risk of having wild yellow fever.

Forest-to-pasture conversion modifies the soil bacterial community in Brazilian dry forest Caatinga

Soils comprise a huge fraction of the world's biodiversity, contributing to several crucial ecosystem functions. However, how the forest-to-pasture conversion impact soil bacterial diversity remains poorly understood, mainly in the Caatinga biome, the largest tropical dry forest of the world. Here, we hypothesized that forest-to-pasture conversion would shape the microbial community. Thus, the soil bacterial community was assessed using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing into the Illumina MiSeq platform. Then, we analyzed ecological patterns and correlated the bacterial community with environmental parameters in forest, and two distinct pastures areas, one less productive and another more productive. The variation in soil properties in pastures and forest influenced the structure and diversity of the bacterial community. Thus, the more productive pasture positively influenced the proportion of specialists and the co-occurrence network compared to the less productive pasture. Also, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia were abundant under forest, while Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Chloroflexi were abundant under pastures. Also, the more productive pasture presented a higher bacterial diversity, which is important since that a more stable and connected bacterial community could benefit the agricultural environment and enhance plant performance, as can be observed by the highest network complexity in this pasture. Together, our findings elucidate a significant shift in soil bacterial communities as a consequence of forest-to-pasture conversion and bring important information for the development of preservation strategies.

First record of the interaction between the arthropod-pathogenic fungus Gibellula and a new species of harvestman Auranus (Stygnidae) narrowly endemic to the Brazilian rain forest.

Harvestmen are one of the largest groups of arachnids with more than 6,500 species distributed in 1,500 genera and 50 families. However, the interactions between harvestmen and arthropod-pathogenic fungi have rarely been studied. Certain previous studies report that fungal attack represents one of the most important factors for the mortality of harvestmen, but the fungus has rarely been identified, and most of the important information about the fungus-host interactions remains unrecorded. In the present study, we have described the new species Auranus quilombola sp. nov. and reported its interactions with the arthropod-pathogenic fungus Gibellula sp. Auranus quilombola sp. nov. belongs to the family Stygnidae, and it is endemic to the humid mountain forests of Cear state, Brazil in an area of endemism known as Brejos Cearenses. The species is related to five other species of Auranus, all of which have been recorded from the Amazon rainforest. A taxonomic description of this new species and its biogeographic implications have also been discussed in this paper.

Seedling physiological responses from Ceiba glaziovii (Kutze) K. Skum. to intermittent drought events

The Brazilian Dry Tropical Forest, called Caatinga, has several environmental conditions limiting plant growth and development, requiring the plants that inhabit this phytogeographic domain, physiological and morphological traits to guarantee the perpetuation and survival of the species. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the growth parameters in Ceiba glaziovii, a tree species that occurs in the Caatinga, submitted to intermittent drought. For such seedling of C. glaziovii were subjected to different cycles of irrigation suspension [Control- daily irrigation, S7- irrigation every seven days and SS - total suspension of irrigation until signs of wilt appear]. Height, number of leaves, stem diameter, dry matter of the various organs, root / shoot ratio, leaf area, and the index of plasticity were evaluated. The prolongation of intermittent drought had a significant reducing effect on the growth rates, dry matter production and leaf area of stressed C. glaziovii seedlings compared to daily watering ones. Plant height and stem diameter were the most plastic traits found (IP>0,8). Thus, watering intervals above seven days may severely compromise the production of C. glaziovii seedlings, affecting the growth rates until the accumulation of dry matter. These results demonstrate that this species does not show great tolerance to drought stress during the initial period of its development, suggesting for cultivation of seedlings an adequate water availability or an interval of up to seven days between watering.