Northern Pantanal Region Research Articles

Reproduction phenology of a high conservation priority cracid – the Bare‑faced Curassow (Crax fasciolata; Aves, Galliformes, Cracidae)

Knowledge of the reproductive biology of Bare-faced Curassows (BFC) from their natural habitats is very limited. Our study covers a two-and-a-half year breeding phenology on BFC in the northern Pantanal (Mato Grosso State, Brazil) with the main objective of collecting information on reproduction biology to contribute to future conservation management strategies of this cracid, which received a recent status of "High Conservation Priority". The study was conducted at the SESC Pantanal, Baía das Pedras, Mato Grosso, Brazil (16°29′55″S, 56°24′46″W), a private protected area of approximately 4,200 ha. Between July 2015 and December 2017, 37 sampling locations were monitored with camera traps placed in a regular grid with a spacing of 1 km. Offspring were detected at least once at 8 locations, namely, in March, April, and May 2016 and in June, July, October, and November 2017, always together with parent(s). Territorial overlap between different family groups was detected. The camera trap dataset was supplemented by data from Citizen Science Projects (i.e., eBird) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Based on feather developmental stages and body size, offspring were classified into different age classes. Age determination indicates that breeding occurs year-round in the northern Pantanal region, supported by eBird and GBIF data. The use of a grid-based design for future camera-trapping studies of BFCs is strongly recommended. Our study is of biological relevance for conservation management projects since data were collected in an area with low anthropogenic disturbance and intact ecosystem services.

First report of Typophorus florigradus Bechyné & Špringlová, 1961 (Chrysomelidae, Eumolpinae) on Callisthene fasciculata (Spr.) Mart. (Vochysiaceae) in the Brazilian Pantanal

Typophorus florigradus Bechyné & Špringlová, 1961 (Chrysomelidae, Eumolpinae) has been described based on material sampled from flowers of Convolvulaceae and Commelinaceae species in Utinga, state of Pará, Brazil, in 1960. After its description, there have been no new reports about its behavior or host plants. The present note thus aims to record its abundant presence in canopies of Callisthene fasciculata (Spr.) Mart. (Vochysiaceae) in the northern Pantanal region of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Aboveground Carbon Storage and Cycling of Flooded and Upland Forests of the Brazilian Pantanal

Tropical forests and savanna (cerrado) are important carbon (C) sinks; however, few data exist for seasonally flooded forests. We quantified the annual rates of aboveground net primary production (ANPP) over a five-year period for two forests, an upland mixed forest and a seasonally flooded cerrado forest, located in the northern Pantanal region of Brazil. We hypothesized that rates of ANPP would be higher for the mixed forest than the cerrado forest because seasonal flooding can limit rates of tree growth. ANPP was calculated as the sum of the annual litter production measured from litterfall traps and the stem growth increment measured from dendrometers and tree density. ANPP varied between 3.8–5.5 MgC ha−1 y−1 for the flooded forest and 1.6–4.6 MgC ha−1 y−1 for the upland forest. Litter production accounted for 57% of the ANPP, and the difference in ANPP between the upland and flooded forests was due to consistently higher litter production in the flooded forest. Annual variations in ANPP were not correlated with annual precipitation, presumably because the hydrology of these sites is driven more by the flood stage of the Cuiaba River than by local precipitation. However, consistent declines in forest floor litter mass occurred at both sites, suggesting that C storage may be responding to some unknown disturbance that occurred prior to our sampling campaign. Seasonal variation in rainfall exerted an important control on litter production dynamics, with leaf litter production increasing during the dry season and stem and reproductive litter production increasing during the wet season. While there are few studies of seasonally flooded tropical forests, our data suggest that the seasonally flooded and upland forests of the northern Pantanal can act as appreciable aboveground C sinks.

Canopy Ant Assemblage (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Two Vegetation Formations in the Northern Brazilian Pantanal

The landscape of the northern Pantanal region is a mosaic of fields and forests, distributed according to topography and hydrology of this floodplain, resulting in a particular pattern of vegetation distribution. Among the forest formations, mixedspecies and monodominant landscape units can be found which are associated with floodable or non-floodable habitats. Our study tested the hypothesis that forest formations with greater tree richness and which are non floodable (cordilheiras) maintain distinct richness and composition in canopy ant assemblages in relation to the seasonally floodable monodominant forests (cambarazais). Sampling was performed in 10 sample areas (five cambarazais and five cordilheiras) by means of canopy insecticide fogging during the dry and high water seasons of the Pantanal’s hydrological cycle. The canopy ant assemblages revealed 105 species belonging to 30 genera and nine subfamilies. Myrmicinae (41 spp.), Formicinae (20 spp.) and Pseudomyrmecinae (17 spp.) predominated. Our results revealed that the composition of canopy ant assemblages varied between cambarazal and cordilheira forests, as well as between the dry and high water periods. Nevertheless, the richness was homogeneous between these forests and in the dry and high water periods. These results show the specificity of each forest, as well as its structure, in maintaining distinct compositions in ant assemblages in canopies in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso.

Phenology of Promestosoma boggianii (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae) in a Neotropical floodplain

Studies that address biodiversity and its supporting mechanisms in different ecosystems are fundamental to understanding the relationships between species and the prevailing environmental conditions within each habitat type. This study presents information on the phenology of Promestosomaboggianii (Silvestri, 1898) and its association with seasonal flood and dry events in a floodplain of Mato Grosso’s northern Pantanal region, Brazil. Sampling was carried out in three areas located between the Bento Gomes and Cuiabá rivers, on the Porto Cercado Road, Poconé-MT. Each sample area was composed of two treatments: (I) floodable habitats and (NI) non-floodable habitats. Three quadrats (10 x 10 m) were established within each treatment, with sampling carried out using pitfall traps and mini-Winkler extractors during the dry season, rising water, high water and receding water phases for the duration of two hydrological cycles within the Pantanal (2010/2011 and 2011/2012). A total of 295 P.boggianii individuals were sampled at different stages of development (except stages I and II), distributed between the rising water (209 ind., 70.8%), dry (76 ind., 25.8%) and receding water (10 ind., 3.4%) seasons. No specimens were sampled during the high water season. The higher abundances recorded between the dry and rising water seasons, primarily at early stages of development, indicate that P.boggianii is characterized as a univoltine species in these habitats. The data demonstrate that individuals of P.boggianii were more abundant in floodable habitats. In addition, the results show that the life cycle of this diplopod is sinchronized to the seasonal nature of this floodable environment, as a strategy to survive the extreme conditions of terrestrial and aquatic phases Brazil’s northern Pantanal region.

Temporal and spatial variation of Myriapoda (Diplopoda and Chilopoda) assemblages in a Neotropical floodplain

Abstract: Myriapods constitute important edaphic macrofauna taxa which dwell in different trophic levels and influence the dynamics of these environments. This study evaluated the variation in composition, richness and abundance of edaphic myriapod assemblages as a function of the distribution and structure of flooded and non-flooded habitats (spatial variation) and hydrological seasonality (temporal variation) in a floodplain of the northern Pantanal region of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Sampling was carried out in three areas of the Poconé Pantanal, along an altitudinal and inundation gradient consisting of inundated and non-inundated habitats and different vegetation formations. Three quadrats (10 x 10 m) were delimited within each habitat type, where sampling was performed using pitfall traps and mini-Winkler extractors during the dry, rising water, high water and receding water periods of two hydrological cycles within the Pantanal (2010/2011 and 2011/2012). A total of 549 millipedes were collected, consisting of 407 Diplopoda and 142 Chilopoda distributed in six orders, 12 families and 20 species. The assemblages composition varied throughout the seasonal periods, indicating that the rising water and dry periods differed from the high water and receding water periods. In addition to the variation between seasonal periods, myriapod richness and abundance also varied in relation to areas consisting of different vegetation formations. Thus, it can be concluded that the hydrological seasonality associated with the inundation gradient and different vegetation types were determinant in the heterogeneous spatial and temporal distribution of myriapod assemblages, validating that the conservation of these invertebrates in the Pantanal is directly linked to the preservation of vegetation, and consequently, ecosystem integrity.

Migration patterns and seasonal forest use by birds in the Brazilian Pantanal

SummaryThe use of forest habitats and migratory patterns are still unclear for tropical birds. Some are described herein for the Pantanal wetlands of Brazil. Thus, our aim was to describe different patterns of forest habitat use by birds and classify the birds’ migration patterns for the northern Pantanal region, Brazil. From September 1999 to December 2003, we sampled four forest types, during which we collected standardised data with mist-net captures and point counts, with additionalad lib.observations. We recorded 214 bird species: 113 (52.8%) were total habitat generalists; 41 (19.2%) were forest generalists; 19 (8.9%) were flooded habitat specialists; and 28 (13.1%) were not classified due to the low number of records; three other categories of habitat use divide the remaining 6% of records. About half of the species showed some migratory behaviour, these were classified by us according to the season they spent in the area: 121 species (56.5%) asresidents, 28 (13.1%) asrun-off and dry migrants, 11 (5.1%) asrun-off(winter)migrants, eight (3.7%) asdry(breeding)migrants, eight (3.7%) asdry and flooding(summer)migrants, eight (3.7%) asflooding migrants, three (1.4%) asflooding and run-off migrants, and 27 (12.6%) asuncommon. We constructed community occupancy models with six of the eight patterns of migration described; flooding migrants and run-off migrants were not modelled since the few species recorded also had very few detections. As expected, the model confirmed that species from all six tested migration patterns arrive and depart from the Pantanal across the seasons. Contrary to most Neotropical forests, there was a high percentage (43.5%) of non-resident species. The results show the need of investing heavily in preserving different landscape units within the Pantanal, but also in the surrounding Cerrado region, in order to conserve resident and short distance intra-tropical migrants.

A tracer‐based simulation approach to quantify seasonal dynamics of surface‐groundwater interactions in the Pantanal wetland

AbstractThe Pantanal wetland is one of the least explored regions of South America. It is characterized by an outstanding flora and fauna adapted to a seasonal flood pulse controlled by a dry and a wet season within each year. The resulting inundation covers in average an area of approximately 150 000 km2 and is seen as the most important driver for ecological integrity. Evaporation from the large floodplain is supposed to influence the climate of the whole continent. The regional groundwater is connected to the surface water and plays an important role for the characteristic flooding regime by regulating the wetland's water table. The water balance assessment of the wetland and the internal water exchange between surface and groundwater is therefore of high relevance for the conservation of the Pantanal biodiversity. Despite of its importance, water balance studies including groundwater–surface water interactions based on field data are rarely undertaken. This is mainly due to the remoteness and difficulty in accessing this area, which results in lack of data. In our study, we developed a new tracer‐based model to simulate the spatio–temporal surface and subsurface fluxes for a range of water bodies. The model was able to simulate these fluxes considering a dynamic simulation of inflow and outflow using a newly collected 2‐year dataset of water levels, stable water isotopes and chloride collected from several water bodies in the northern Pantanal region. Quantitative differences between water bodies according to their location in the floodplain were determined by the flooding regime and connectivity as well as site‐specific characteristics, such as hydraulic conductivity and water depth. Our model simulated water balance fluxes with a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.61, whereas it simulated stable water isotopic compositions better than chloride. We present the first study based on field data for the Pantanal, which is able to quantify water balances fluxes. Because their representation in global climate and land cover products is insufficient, our simulation results are valuable for validating large‐scale models. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ticks infesting bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in the Brazilian Pantanal

Ticks associated with bats have been poorly documented in the Neotropical Zoogeographical Region. In this study, a total of 1028 bats were sampled for tick infestations in the southern portion of the Brazilian Pantanal. A total of 368 ticks, morphologically identified as Ornithodoros hasei (n = 364) and O. mimon (n = 4), were collected from the following bat species: Artibeus planirostris, Platyrrhinus lineatus, Phyllostomus hastatus, Mimon crenulatum and Noctilio albiventris. Morphological identification of O. hasei was confirmed by molecular analysis. Regarding the most abundant bat species, only 40 (6.2%) out of 650 A. planirostris were infested by O. hasei, with a mean intensity of 7.2 ticks per infested bat, or a mean abundance of 0.44 ticks per sampled bat. Noteworthy, one single P. hastatus was infested by 55 O. hasei larvae, in contrast to the 2.5-7.2 range of mean intensity values for the whole study. As a complement to the present study, a total of 8 museum bat specimens (6 Noctilio albiventris and 2 N. leporinus), collected in the northern region of Pantanal, were examined for tick infestations. These bats contained 176 ticks, which were all morphologically identified as O. hasei larvae. Mean intensity of infestation was 22, with a range of 1-46 ticks per infested bat. Our results suggest that A. planirostris might play an important role in the natural life cycle of O. hasei in the Pantanal.

Molecular detection of Ehrlichia canisin dogs from the Pantanal of Mato Grosso State, Brazil

The present study evaluated the presence of Ehrlichia DNA in the blood samples of 320 dogs from the urban and rural areas of the municipality of Poconé, Pantanal region, Mato Grosso state, by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), targeting the ehrlichial dsb gene. Risk factors for infection in dogs were also evaluated. Forty-eight (15%, 95% CI: 11.4-19.5%) dogs were positive: 25 (15.6%, 95% CI: 10.4-22.2%) from the urban area and 23 (14.4%, 95% CI: 9.3-20.8%) from the rural area (P > 0.05). Partial DNA sequence obtained from PCR products of 18 samples from the urban area and 16 samples from the rural area were 100% identical to E. canis from Brazil and the USA. This study reports the first E. canis molecular detection in dogs from the northern Pantanal region.

Systematic revision of the Potamotrygon motoro (Müller & Henle, 1841) species complex in the Paraná-Paraguay basin, with description of two new ocellated species (Chondrichthyes: Myliobatiformes: Potamotrygonidae)

A systematic revision of the Potamotrygon motoro (Müller & Henle, 1841) species complex in the Paraná-Paraguay basin based on morphological characters was undertaken. Morphological systems analyzed include external morphology, coloration, dermal denticles, and spines, canals of the ventral lateral-line system, and skeletal components. Potamotrygon motoro is widely distributed in the Paraná-Paraguay basin and some of its diagnostic characters are: ocelli present on dorsal disc tricolored, well-defined and evenly distributed, with diameter similar or greater than eye-length; ventral coloration with relatively large whitish central region, with gray or brown area predominant on outer ventral disc margins; dermal denticles well-developed and star-shaped over central disc; labial grooves absent; monognathic heterodonty present in upper and lower jaws of adults. Potamotrygon pauckei Castex, 1963 and Potamotrygon labradori Castex, Maciel & Achenbach, 1963, are synonymized with P. motoro; Potamotrygon alba Castex, 1963, is a nomen dubium in accordance with previous authors. Additionally, two new ocellated species of Potamotrygon from the Paraná-Paraguay basin are described: Potamotrygon pantanensis, sp. nov. and Potamotrygon amandae, sp. nov. These are described and compared with P. motoro and other congeners. Potamotrygon pantanensis, sp. nov. is described from the northern Pantanal region; Potamotrygon amandae, sp. nov. is widespread in the Paraná-Paraguay basin.

Spatial diversity patterns of birds in a vegetation mosaic of the Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil

In this contribution we characterize the spatial diversity of bird populations in a heterogeneous landscape with respect to vegetation in the northern Pantanal region of Brazil. The method of additive partitioning of species diversity (γ = α + β) was used. Samples were collected in a grid with 30 sampling plots within a 25 km2 area (5 x 5 km). A total of 163 bird species were found, comprising 114 resident species and 49 regional migrants. Most species were restricted spatially, with 58% found in a maximum of five sampling plots, while 15% were found in only one plot. The beta diversity comprised 77% of total diversity and was lower for residents than for regional migrants (66% and 88%, respectively). This suggests greater spatial heterogeneity in diversity patterns for regional migrants. Seasonal availability of resources caused by changing water levels as well as anthropogenic influences may also play a role in species diversity patterns by influencing species composition across sampling plots. High beta diversity and species-specific habitat occupancy suggest that conservation and management strategies should be implemented at a regional spatial scale and focus on the conservation of this environmental mosaic.

Entomofauna associada à matéria orgânica em bainhas foliares de <i>Attalea phalerata </i>Mart. Arecaceae), na região norte do Pantanal de Mato Grosso

Espécies arbóreas que acumulam matéria orgânica suspensa possuem maior diversidade de habitats, propiciando abrigo, local de nidificação e refúgio a uma diversa fauna de artrópodes. No Pantanal, as palmeiras são consideradas espécies-chave, formando adensamentos monodominantes, e devido a presença de bainhas foliares aderidas ao caule mesmo após a morte de suas folhas, geram um importante habitat explorado por diversos táxons. Com o objetivo de inventariar a entomofauna associada à matéria orgânica em bainhas foliares de Attalea phalerata Mart. (Arecaceae), foram amostradas 40 palmeiras em duas áreas, natural e manejada, ao longo dos quatro períodos sazonais do Pantanal mato-grossense. Em cada área foram selecionadas cinco palmeiras para amostragem da matéria orgânica acumulada em três bainhas foliares, distribuídas em diferentes alturas em relação ao solo. Coletou-se 4.588 insetos, distribuídos em 13 ordens taxonômicas, dos quais 2.658 indivíduos (58,0%) na área natural, e 1.930 indivíduos (42,0%) na área manejada. Collembola (1.507 ind.; 32,8%), Coleoptera (1.004 ind.; 21,9%), Formicidae (642 ind.; 14,0%), Diptera (543 ind.; 11,8%) e Psocoptera (290 ind.; 6,3%), corresponderam a 87,0% dos indivíduos amostrados. Os adultos de Coleoptera estão distribuídos em 18 famílias, dos quais 71,6% correspondem a predadores, sendo Staphylinidae (73,0%) a família mais representativa. Dentre os períodos sazonais avaliados, 72,5% dos insetos foram coletados durante a cheia e apenas 27,5% nos períodos de vazante, seca e enchente. Os dados obtidos foram comparados aos estudos desenvolvidos na mesma área em serapilheira, solo e copa. Os resultados demonstram que A. phalerata sustenta uma rica e abundante entomofauna que utiliza a matéria orgânica acumulada em suas bainhas foliares, tanto como recurso alimentar, quanto local de reprodução.

CALCINOSE ENZOÓTICA EM BUBALUS BUBALIS NO PANTANAL NORTE MATOGROSSENSE, BRASIL

This study reports the epidemiological, clinical and biochemical analysis as well as postmortem and histological changes observed in buffaloes with weight loss, which were raised in a farm in northern Pantanal region, in Mato Grosso State, Brazil. These results were consistent with the diagnosis of enzootic calcinosis. Solanum malacoxylon was found in the pastures. During rainy seasons, female buffaloes developed locomotion abnormalities and reduced milk production. Other evidence included arched backs and difficulty as regards rising, kneeling while rising, and feeding. Two out of four female buffaloes revealed high serum concentrations of phosphorus. Severe changes were observed, such as poor body condition and large rigid arteries with irregular intimal surface. Histological exams detected extensive chondroid metaplasia and discreet signs of calcification along the aorta.

A Mayfly from Tropical Brazil Capable of Tolerating Short-Term Dehydration

The mayfly Cloeodes hydation (Baetidae, Ephemeroptera) inhabits ephemeral, rain-filled rock pools as well as pools, springs, and brooks of longer duration in savanna woodlands of the northern Pantanal region, Brazil. Larvae have the ability to tolerate repeated exposure to air for up to 9 h at a time, as confirmed by laboratory experiments. This tolerance is apparently advantageous in the highly dynamic, unpredictable habitat conditions, especially when pools are successively wet and dry almost daily during the end of the rainy season. Survival of larvae depended on the presence of sediment, and was always followed by moulting. Inducible and repeated moulting showed that numbers of moults and instars were not always indicative of development. We present data on C. hydation abundance in 2 rock pools throughout 1 y. From these data, larval development was estimated to require between 19 and 25 d (24-29°C).

Mercury contamination in the northern Pantanal region Mato Grosso, Brazil : W. Von Tumpling Jr, R.-D. Wilken & J. Einax, Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 52(1–2), 1995, pp 127–134

Mercury contamination in the northern Pantanal region Mato Grosso, Brazil : W. Von Tumpling Jr, R.-D. Wilken & J. Einax, Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 52(1–2), 1995, pp 127–134

Mercury contamination in the northern Pantanal region Mato Grosso, Brazil

In gold mining areas around the world, mercury is used to separate gold by amalgamation. This often causes mercury contamination. Such a situation near the goldmines in the Poconé area, Mato Grosso, Brazil was investigated. Concentrations of mercury were determined in water, sediment and air. The results obtained in water showed elevated mercury concentrations of between 18 and 160 ng/l (filtered) compared to 25 ± 0.9 ng/l in a reference site. In sediments, total mercury concentrations were in the range from 23 to 198 ng/g (dw). Results of speciation analyses in water and sediment samples from two small rivers showed that only 10 to 50% of the mercury is easily reducible. At the beginning of the rainy season, volatile mercury concentrations of up to 8 ng/l resulted from leaching the tailings by the rain. In the ambient air near the gold mine region, concentrations of up to 6 ng/m 3 mercury were detected. Two meters above contaminated tailings, the values found were ten times higher. These results provide first information on transformations of mercury species and their pathways under tropical conditions.