Forest Enclaves Research Articles

Forest Enclave Potential Assessment for Nature Conservation and Recreation in City with Dysfunctional Natural System

Forests are an important component of the natural systems of large cities. Their deficiency limits the proper functioning of these systems and creates a shortage of recreational places for residents needing contact with nature. This can be encountered in Rzeszów, a city in southern Poland with 200,000 inhabitants, which is characterised by the smallest forest area (2.8%) of all province capitals in the country. The natural state of small forest enclaves in this city has not been fully investigated. This has led to incorrect management and nature conservation policies. Therefore, the aim of this research conducted since 2015 was to recognise the potential for conservation and recreational functions using the concept of ecosystem services (ES) and ecosystem disservices (EDS), and to develop recommendations for the optimal use of these areas. This article analyses and compares 14 indicators related to ES and EDS of three out of five larger forest patches in the city. The results of this analysis indicate that the current method for protecting these valuable elements of the natural system does not correspond with their actual conservation potential. The application of the ES and EDS concepts to assess the nature conservation potential allowed us to determine it as high in two forest enclaves where such potential had not been indicated so far, and to identify the highest recreational potential in one of the investigated sites.

Phylogeny, niche modelling and morphology unveil a new lianescent species of Sigmoidotropis (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) across rainforest enclaves within Brazilian dry vegetation

AbstractThe small Neotropical papilionoid legume genus Sigmoidotropis (nine species) has been described only relatively recently as the result of the taxonomic rearrangement of the genus Vigna (subtribe Phaseolinae), based on phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence data. Here, we formally propose a new lianescent species of Sigmoidotropis that occurs disjunctly in enclaves of moist forest of mountainous regions surrounded by dry vegetation at three different localities in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Minas Gerais. Its phylogenetic position and morphological affinities with other genera of Phaseolinae were evaluated by Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses, using sequence data from the nuclear ITS/5.8S and plastid trnK/matK. To better understand this new species’ widely disjunct distribution and a possible connection between its populations in the past, an environmental niche modelling (ENM) analysis was performed. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that Sigmoidotropis appears closest to the genera Ancistrotropis and Delgadoana, together forming the Sigmoid‐keel clade. The new species proposed here is strongly recovered within Sigmoidotropis, being most closely related to S. ekmaniana, S. elegans, and S. megatyla. The ENM indicated changes in the potential distribution of the new species over different climatic periods, with expansion during colder periods and contraction during warmer periods, leading to possible relictual populations in moist forest enclaves. A description of the new species Sigmoidotropis maculata is presented, along with illustrations, a distribution map, taxonomic comments, and conservation status assessment.

Influence of land use enclave distribution on discharge in a small catchment

Abstract According to many authors, hydrological modelling is one of the fundamental techniques for determining the impacts of various environmental changes on the quantitative characteristics of the aquatic environment. This study examines the effects of landscape changes induced by the need to respond to climate change and the natural urban development of the rural setting on the discharge from the small catchment. The SWAT model was applied to a small catchment of Kopaninsky Stream in the traditional agricultural part of the Czech Republic. According to the results, the most effective approach for reducing the consequences of hydrological extremes in the catchment and retaining more water in the landscape is the properly spaced placement of grassland and forest enclaves in the developing urban structure. In practice, each land use category’s overall percentage of representation is less significant than its relative arrangement.

The sicariid spiders in the state of Bahia, Brazil (Arachnida: Araneae).

Sicariidae is a small family of cryptic and recluse spiders, with 178 species grouped into three genera: Hexophtalma, Loxosceles and Sicarius. Only the last two occur in Brazil, where 29 species are recorded, with a greater number of records in the Southeast and South regions. To date, there is no regionalized study of the distribution of these spiders in the Northeast of Brazil. We presented more than four decades of data on the distribution of sicariid spiders in the state of Bahia. Our research aimed to identify and evaluate the distribution of sicariid species in this region, characterizing them in their biomes and phytophysiognomies. Data covers a period from 1983 to 2024, obtained from articles describing species recorded in Bahia and from three scientific collections from Brazilian institutions: Universidade Federal da Bahia (MHNBA); Instituto Butantan (IBSP); Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Maps were produced using the QGIS 3.34.1 software, based on geographic coordinates obtained from the original literature, when provided. Species without information on geographic coordinates were georeferenced using the SpeciesLink (geoLoc tool) for the municipalities. Biomes were consulted on the georeference Brazilian institute website and the phytophysiognomies were ignored when not specified in the data of collections or original literature. We confirmed 14 species of sicariid spiders in the state of Bahia, eight from the genus Loxosceles (i) and six from Sicarius. The species were recorded in 48 municipalities, located mainly in the Caatinga biome. We recorded a distribution expansion of seven species: Loxosceles amazonica, L. chapadensis, L. karstica, L. similis, Sicarius cariri, S. ornatus and S. tropicus. There is a difference in species composition in the two regions separated by the São Francisco River, an important geographic barrier especially for small invertebrates. More than 75% of the species were registered in the east side and about 20% exclusively in the west side: L. boqueirao, L. cardosoi, L.carinhanha. This suggests the need for future studies to evaluate additional variables that determine community structure, especially considering their low vagility and reclusive behavior. Although Sicarius are found almost exclusively in the Caatinga, there are isolated records from Restinga and dry forest enclaves in the Cerrado domain and Atlantic Forest areas. This reinforces the possibility of them being able to adapt to slightly wetter environments erase colonize and survive in seasonally dry rainforest areas. Unlike Sicarius (i), Loxosceles (i) occupy a wide variety of habitats in natural, urban and domiciliary situations. Many of the records here such as for Loxosceles boqueirao, L. cardosoi, L. carinhanha, L. chapadensis, L. karstica and L. troglobia were obtained at caves or nearby areas, which appear to be attractive habitats for these nocturnal spiders.

Disentangling the contemporary and historical effects of landscape on the population genomic variation of two bird species restricted to the highland forest enclaves of northeastern Brazil.

Investigating the impact of landscape features on patterns of genetic variation is crucial to understand spatially dependent evolutionary processes. Here, we assess the population genomic variation of two bird species (Conopophaga cearae and Sclerurus cearensis) through the Caatinga moist forest enclaves in northeastern Brazil. To infer the evolutionary dynamics of bird populations through the Late Quaternary, we used genome-wide polymorphism data obtained from double-digestion restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq), and integrated population structure analyses, historical demography models, paleodistribution modeling, and landscape genetics analyses. We found the population differentiation among enclaves to be significantly related to the geographic distance and historical resistance across the rugged landscape. The climate changes at the end of the Pleistocene to the Holocene likely triggered synchronic population decline in all enclaves for both species. Our findings revealed that both geographic distance and historical connectivity through highlands are important factors that can explain the current patterns of genetic variation. Our results further suggest that levels of population differentiation and connectivity cannot be explained purely on the basis of contemporary environmental conditions. By combining historical demographic analyses and niche modeling predictions in a historical framework, we provide strong evidence that climate fluctuations of the Quaternary promoted population differentiation and a high degree of temporal synchrony among population size changes in both species.

Phylogenetic relationships and systematics of the bamboo‐specialist Amaurospiza blue seedeaters

The Amaurospiza ‘seedeaters’ are bamboo‐specialized mixed strategists, most often found in bamboos in vegetative state, feeding on buds, shoots, petioles and insects. As bamboos die after flowering, birds may wander in search of live vegetative bamboo. The three currently recognized species of Amaurospiza are allopatrically distributed: the Blackish‐blue Seedeater Amaurospiza moesta in the Atlantic Forest of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, and in forest enclaves in the Cerrado; the recently described Carrizal Seedeater Amaurospiza carrizalensis known from a few localities in southeastern Venezuela; and the Blue Seedeater Amaurospiza concolor distributed patchily from Mexico to Peru. Three subspecies are recognized within A. concolor: relicta in southwest Mexico, concolor from southern Mexico to Panama and aequatorialis from southwest Colombia to northwest Peru. Full species status has been advocated for relicta and aequatorialis but evidence supporting their recognition is weak, while relicta was described in the monospecific genus Amaurospizopsis. Here we (1) test the monophyly of Amaurospiza, (2) reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of all its constituent taxa using mitochondrial and nuclear markers, (3) re‐assess species limits in Amaurospiza with the aid of vocalizations and genetic and plumage data, and (4) discuss the link between bamboo life history, biogeographical patterns and extent of genetic differentiation. Amaurospiza was found to be monophyletic in both the ND2 and multilocus analyses. In the ND2 tree A. moesta and A. carrizalensis were sister to each other, A. concolor was found to be paraphyletic because aequatorialis was placed as sister to moesta–carrizalensis, and a clade including nominate concolor and relicta was sister to all the other taxa. The multilocus tree showed the same relationships, but lacked nuclear samples of relicta. Mean ND2 pairwise distance between concolor and aequatorialis (8.3%) was greater than that between moesta and carrizalensis (5.7%), while relicta diverged on average 1.0% from nominate concolor. The South American clade has more slender bills and white underwing coverts, while the Central American clade has thicker bills and bluish underwing coverts. All taxa exhibited typical Amaurospiza songs with quickly delivered, warbled, pure and fairly high‐pitched musical notes. Number of inflections/second exhibited a stepped pattern, with concolor and relicta on the lower end and carrizalensis, aequatorialis and moesta on the upper end. Similarly, moesta, carrizalensis and aequatorialis had overall more inflections per note than concolor and relicta. Linear discriminant analysis using nine acoustic variables correctly assigned all 62 songs to the correct taxon. Morphology, plumage, vocalizations and phylogenetic data indicate that aequatorialis should be afforded full species status as the Ecuadorian Seedeater (A. aequatorialis), suggest keeping relicta as a subspecies of A. concolor and support continued recognition of A. carrizalensis. Our data support merging Amaurospizopsis into Amaurospiza.

Parasitism on bats by bat flies in remnants of a humid forest enclave area in Northeastern Brazil.

Flies are the main bloodsucking ectoparasites of Neotropical bats. The aim of this study was to describe the community of flies on bats from a humid forest enclave, surrounded by the semiarid landscape of the Caatinga domain, in Northeastern Brazil. In addition, we tested the influence of dry and rainy periods on the parasitological indices. Fieldwork was carried out in three anthropized remnants of a humid forest enclave in the Agreste mesoregion of Pernambuco state, Northeastern Brazil. Bats were captured monthly, from August 2018 to July 2019, and the ectoparasites were collected. Overall, 807 bats of 14 species and 11 genera of the families Phyllostomidae (13 spp.) and Vespertilionidae (1 sp.) were captured. Only four bat species had >50 individuals captured, and Carollia perspicillata was the most abundant species (259/807; 32%). Five hundred and seventy-one bat flies from 13 species (11 Streblidae and 2 Nycteribiidae) were collected, of which Trichobius joblingi was the most prevalent fly (197/571; 34.5%). Only the parasitism by T. joblingi was influenced by seasonality, with higher prevalence (P=0.01) and intensity of infestation (P=0.02) in the dry season. No lesions associated with parasitism were observed in any of the captured bats. Our results suggest that the bat-fly relationship can be affected in different ways by environmental variables, depending on the species involved. The results of this work contribute to the knowledge about ectoparasites of bats in the Neotropical region, with emphasis on humid forest enclaves, where studies of the host-parasite-environment relationship are scarce.

Distribution of the greater naked-tailed armadillo Cabassous tatouay (Desmarest, 1804) in South America, with new records and species distribution modeling

ABSTRACT Cabassous tatouay occurs in moist forests, savannas, and grasslands of south, central, and northeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, northeastern Argentina, and Uruguay. Despite its wide distribution range, C. tatouay is scarcely recorded in some regions. This study aimed to: present new records of C. tatouay; compile the localities where the species was recorded according to published scientific accounts; and model its distribution range along South America. We present five new records of C. tatouay from Goiás and Minas Gerais states, Brazil. The review of published accounts resulted in 99 studies, which provided 279 occurrences of C. tatouay to Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The great majority of records are from Brazil, mainly from the Atlantic Forest (119), Cerrado (52), and Pampas (49) biomes. Most records from the Cerrado are placed close to or in transition zones with the Atlantic Forest. Five records are within the Caatinga, but restricted to humid montane forest enclaves. The species distribution models indicate that C. tatouay is probably absent to Amazonia and Pantanal. The higher suitability for the species occurs in eastern Paraguay, northeastern Argentina, and south central Brazil, specifically in the Pampas, Atlantic Forest, and the southern part of the Cerrado.

Determinants of Wellbeing among Agroforestry Farmers in Edo State, Nigeria

A fundamental concern of any government is the wellbeing of its citizens. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the determinants of wellbeing among agroforestry farmers in Edo state, Nigeria. Respondents were selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure to select three forest enclaves based on the number of agroforestry farmers in the enclaves. These enclaves are Sakponba, Ubiaja and Agbede using 50%, 33%and 17% respectively, this percentage was based on the population of the enclave dwellers in each using simple random sampling, and a total of 120 respondents was obtained; data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as multinomial logit and multiple regression. The result reveals that the mean age of the farmers was 45.6years. Majority (85.8 %) were male and 78.3% were married. The mean household size was 5 persons, with 54.2% having household size of between 4 and 6 persons. Majority (84.2%) had formal education. Also, 65.8% had agroforestry farming as primary occupation, with source of income as main reason for involvement in agroforestry and average farm size of 8.4 hectares. Results of multiple regression analysis for relationship between contribution of the independent variable and farmers’ wellbeing reveals a positive and significant relationship between farmers’ level of income; economic and material wellbeing are not signific ant at any alpha level, social wellbeing (r = 0.217, P ≤ 0.10) and psychological wellbeing (r = 0.283, P ≤0.05), respectively. The positive and significant relationship implies that the higher the farmers’ income level, the higher the economic, social and psychological wellbeing of the farmers. The study therefore, recommends that agroforestry support services like incentives, agricultural inputs and provision of soft loans should be provided by government and various NGOs to improve farmers’ income.
 Keywords: Determinants, Agroforestry, Wellbeing, Farmers, Edo State

Parasitism by Bat Flies on Bats in Remnants of a Humid Forest Enclave Area in Northeastern Brazil

Parasitism by Bat Flies on Bats in Remnants of a Humid Forest Enclave Area in Northeastern Brazil

Niche-based processes structure tropical bryophyte assemblages in phytogeographic domains of Brazil

In forest enclaves known as Brejos de Altitude (forest refuges) in northeastern Brazil, floristic affinities are generally explained by historical processes of vicariance. However, for poikilohydric plants with long distance dispersal such as bryophytes, the present work predicts that floristic similarities result from environmental affinities between areas. The floristic relationships of forest refuges with different phytogeographic domains of Brazil were investigated based on the current distribution of bryophytes, and the processes that explain the distribution of species were discussed. A floristic database of 863 bryophyte species from 108 areas, including geoclimatic data, was used in the analysis. The floristic similarity between areas and their relationships with environmental and spatial variables were analyzed. The species composition was found to be distinct between biomes and phytogeographic domains. The floristic difference between the domains was mainly explained by turnover of species. Variables associated with water availability, i.e. aridity and water vapor pressure, drive the bryophyte assembly, leading to the conclusion that niche-based processes explain the distribution of bryophyte species in Brazilian biological refuges and tropical forests.

Anticipated or delayed responses to rainfall: Effects of rainfall on arthropods assemblage in an enclave of evergreen forest

In northeast Brazil, the most part of vegetation is a deciduous seasonally dry tropical forest called of “Caatinga”. Despite the semi-arid areas correspond to most of the caatinga vegetation, there are some areas 500 m above sea level with an annual rainfall up to 1200 mm forming evergreen forest enclaves. Macroarthropod abundance and fauna composition differences in Caatinga are related to seasonal rainfall effects but, this difference is unclear in the enclaves of evergreen forests. Thus, the aim of this study was to measure the effects of rainfall on insect, arachnid, and centipede assemblages in an enclave of evergreen forest within the Caatinga vegetation. We tested the following hypotheses: 1) rainfall changes arthropod abundance and species richness; 2) predator abundance correlate with prey, and 3) abundance arthropod abundance and species richness exhibit a delayed or anticipated response to rainfall. No effects of rainfall on insects and arachnids abudance were observed. There was a significant correlation between prey and predator abundance with changes in dominant species between the rainy and dry seasons. The insects and arachnids can show some anticipated responses to rainfall. The abundance and richness of centipedes were influenced by rainfall whith a delayed response. Our findings indicate that, in evergreen forest enclaves within Caatinga vegetation, the soil arthropods show different responses compared to rainfall than the most common areas of the Caatinga domain and an increase in the detection of insects and arachnids just before the beginning of the rainy season.

Diversity and resource selection of dung beetles in a relictual mountain forest in Brazil

Most of the tropical ecosystems are now altered, consequently modifying the species diversity, composition and feeding behaviours. Precisely, the survival of species is dependent on their characteristics to endure the novel environments immersed in human-dominated landscapes. Thus, comparative studies of how different community attributes and trophic guilds respond to changes in land use would be useful. In this study, we analyzed diversity, composition and food selection of dung beetles in an Atlantic forest enclave (Ombrophilous forest remnant) from North-eastern Brazil. We sampled dung beetles using 60 pitfall traps distributed in our study region. Diversity and composition were estimated by using Hill numbers (or the effective number of species) and biomass of individuals and were compared among three types of vegetation structure (forest, forest edge and open pastures) and four different types of baits (human, pig, chicken and cattle excrements). We found that diversity measures weighted by biomass allowed better detection of the variation between habitat types and food preference than weighted by the number of individuals. The dung beetle biomass indicates that the spatial dominance of open pastures promote a drastic impoverishment of dung beetle diversity and composition. We also found that β diversity shows an evidence of homogenization on the resource food selection, related with the preference in the attraction of dung beetles to exotic omnivores. Our results show that replacing forests with cattle pastures modifies diversity, species composition, and resource food selection patterns, which could affect the ecosystem provision by dung beetles. Despite our study region is immersed in a human-dominated-landscape, forest remnants continue to hold a high diversity assemblage compared with most degraded environments.

Contribution of Agroforestry to Farmers Wellbeing in Forest Enclave, Edo State, Nigeria

Agroforestry has recently been experiencing a surge in interest as a cost-effective means to enhance food security and well-being. Thus there is a need to assess its contribution of to farmer’s wellbeing. Primary data needed for the study were collected through the administration of questionnaires to agroforestry farmers. Purposive random sampling technique was used to select three forest enclaves in Edo state. A simple random sampling technic was used in the selection of respondents and a total number of 120 copies of questionnaires were administered. Datawere analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts and percentages and inferential statistics such as Chi-square, Pearson Product Moment correlations (PPMC). The study revealed that the mean age of the farmers in the area was 45.6years. Majorities (85.8 %) were male and 78.3% were married. with 54.2% having household size of between 4 - 6 persons. Majority (84.2%) had formal education. Also, 65.8% engage in agroforestry farming as their primary occupation. The results showed that there was positive and significant relationship between farmers’involvement in agroforestry and their economic wellbeing (χ2 = 76.27, P ≤ 0.001), material wellbeing (χ2 = 93.77, P ≤ 0.001), social wellbeing (χ2 = 73.00, P ≤ 0.001) and psychological wellbeing (χ2 = 132.63, P ≤ 0.001), respectively. It is therefore recommended that farmers should be encouraged to increase their farm holding and also organized themselves into association for them to have access to mechanized equipment 
 Keyword: Contribution, Agroforestry, Wellbeing, Farmers

A new species of freshwater crab genusFrediusPretzmann, 1967 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Pseudothelphusidae) from a naturally isolated orographic forest enclave within the semiarid Caatinga in Ceará, northeastern Brazil

A new species of freshwater crab, Fredius ibiapaba, is described and illustrated from a mid-altitude forested patch in Ipú (Ibiapaba plateau, Ceará, northeastern Brazil), between 635 to 782 m. The new species can be separated from its congeners by the morphology of its first gonopod: proximal half remarkably swollen, sloping abruptly downwards distally to a nearly right-angular shoulder; mesial lobe much smaller than cephalic spine; cephalic lobe moderately developed; auxiliary lobe lip, delimiting field of apical spines, protruded all the way to distal margin of auxiliary lobe. Comparative 16S rDNA sequencing used to infer the phylogenetic placement of Fredius ibiapaba n. sp. revealed that it is the sister taxon of F. reflexifrons, a species which occurs allopatrically in the Amazon and Atlantic basin’s lowlands (<100 m). Fredius ibiapaba n. sp. and F. reflexifrons are highly dependent upon humidity and most probably were once part of an ancestral population living in a wide humid territory. Shrinking humid forests during several dry periods of the Tertiary and Quaternary likely have resulted in the fragmentation of the ancestral humid area and hence of the ancestral crab population. Fredius reflexifrons evolved and spread in a lowland, humid river basin (Amazon and Atlantic basins), whilst F. ibiapaba n. sp. evolved isolated on the top of a humid plateau. The two species are now separated by a vast intervening area occupied by the semiarid Caatinga

Has a non‐native cichlid of the genus Amatitlania (Actinopterygii, Cichlidae) adapted to the headwaters in Brazilian semi‐arid?

AbstractSeveral fish species from Central America and other regions have been introduced into Brazil. In this study, we evaluated the bioecological aspects of a non‐native cichlid of the genus Amatitlania (convict cichlid) and its possible establishment in high‐altitude forest enclaves of semi‐arid Northeastern Brazil. Specimens of Amatitlania nigrofasciata (Günther, 1867) were captured in a local stream displaying abiotic conditions like those of its natural range of distribution. The individuals collected were predominantly adult, insectivorous and displayed normal length–weight relationships, although we observed some phenotypical plasticity (variation in body depth, and a morphologically abnormal dorsal fin in three cases). Our results indicate that A. nigrofasciata has successfully colonized an Atlantic forest enclave in the Brazilian semi‐arid region, making it necessary to adopt measures to prevent the species from spreading to other water bodies in the surroundings.

Ecological release in lizard endoparasites from the Atlantic Forest, northeast of the Neotropical Region.

We compared lizard endoparasite assemblages between the Atlantic Forest and naturally isolated forest enclaves to test the ecological release hypothesis, which predicts that host specificity should be lower (large niche breadth) and parasite abundance should be greater for parasites from isolated forest enclaves (poor assemblages) than for parasites from the coastal Atlantic Forest (rich assemblages). Parasite richness per specimen showed no difference between the isolated and non-isolated areas. Parasite abundance did not differ between the isolated and non-isolated areas but showed a positive relationship with parasite richness considering all areas (isolated and non-isolated). Furthermore, host specificity was positively related to parasite richness. Considering that host specificity is inversely proportional to the host range infected by a parasite, our results indicate that in assemblages with greater parasite richness, parasites tend to infect a smaller range of hosts than do those in simple assemblages. In summary, our study partially supports the ecological release hypothesis: in assemblages with greater parasite richness, lizard parasites from Atlantic Forest are able to increase their parasite abundance (per host), possibly through facilitated infection; however, the amplitude of infected hosts only expands in poor assemblages (lower parasite richness).

An atypical mating system in a neotropical manakin

Most of the diversity in the mating systems of birds and other animals comes at higher taxonomic levels, such as across orders. Although divergent selective pressures should lead to animal mating systems that diverge sharply from those of close relatives, opportunities to examine the importance of such processes are scarce. We addressed this issue using the Araripe manakin (Antilophia bokermanni), a species endemic to a forest enclave surrounded by xeric shrublands in Brazil. Most manakins exhibit polygynous lekking mating systems that lack territoriality but exhibit strong sexual selection. In sharp contrast, we found that male Araripe manakins defended exclusive territories, and females nested within male territories. However, territoriality and offspring paternity were dissociated: males sired only 7% of nestlings from the nests within their territories and non-territorial males sired numerous nestlings. Moreover, female polyandry was widespread, with most broods exhibiting mixed paternity. Apparently, territories in this species function differently from both lekking arenas and resource-based territories of socially monogamous species. The unexpected territoriality of Araripe manakins and its dissociation from paternity is a unique evolutionary development within the manakin clade. Collectively, our findings underscore how divergences in mating systems might evolve based on selective pressures from novel environmental contexts.

Geographic reconstruction of a Central-West Brazilian landscape devastated during the first half of the 20th century: Mato Grosso de Goiás

In the history of humanity, there are various accounts of ecosystems that were devastated to the detriment of scientific knowledge. In Brazil, the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes are emblematic of this phenomenon. Specifically, within the latter, an environment consisting predominantly of savanna, a large tropical forest enclave existed, known as Mato Grosso de Goiás. This ecosystem was almost devastated by the Brazilian land expansion policies during the first half of the 20th century. The objective of this study is to estimate the extent of the original area of the Mato Grosso de Goiás ecosystem through integration of historical and cartographic data using geoprocessing techniques. The original area was estimated around 26,391 km². These data can aid in the planning of conservation policies for the Cerrado biome. In addition, the used methodology can be adapted to similar studies, especially in the field of environmental science.

A New Species of Proceratophrys (Amphibia: Anura: Odontophrynidae) from the Araripe Plateau, Ceará State, Northeastern Brazil

Abstract Natural rain forest enclaves in northeastern Brazil (called Brejos de Altitude) are present in isolated areas surrounded by the semiarid Caatinga biome. Among these montane areas, the Araripe Plateau in Ceara state harbors Caatinga, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest remnants and is considered a priority area for biodiversity conservation. Herein, we describe a new species of Proceratophrys (Amphibia: Anura: Odontophrynidae; Horned Frogs) endemic to the Araripe Plateau. Based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences, we show that this new species is related to the Amazonian species P. concavitympanum but can be diagnosed based on the row of tubercles on the forearm and by the number, size, and disposition of tubercles on the dorsal region. It is also widely disjunct, known only from the mesic forests of the Araripe Plateau, 2400 km away from the type locality of P. concavitympanum. The new species depends on streams for reproduction and is currently known from an area that is severely impacted by def...