Northwestern Amazonia Research Articles

A Grammar of Hup (review)

Reviewed by: A Grammar of Hup Frank Seifart A Grammar of Hup. Patience Epps. Mouton Grammar Library 43. With accompanying CD-ROM. Berlin and New York: Mouton de Gruyter, 2008. Pp. xxiii + 983. $237.00, €148.00 (cloth). This comprehensive grammar of the Hup language, spoken in the Brazil-Colombia frontier region in northwestern Amazonia, is a highly valuable contribution to the growing number of descriptions of Amazonian languages, as well as to typologically oriented grammars of hitherto undescribed or underdescribed languages in general. It is a revised version of the author’s doctoral dissertation, for which she received the prestigious Pāṇini Award of the Association for Linguistic Typology (Mithun 2008). The grammar is written in a clear and accessible style throughout, avoiding obscure terms and introducing basic features early on, achieving a text that is coherent and easy to read. The grammar is clearly structured into eighteen chapters, and includes a detailed table of contents, an author index, and a subject index, making it easy to locate relevant information. Chapter 1 is an introduction to the Hup language and its speakers, chapter 2 deals with phonology, and chapter 3 with general morphological characteristics. Chapters 4–7 describe nouns, nominal morphology, and noun phrases. The complex structure of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are dealt with in chapters 8–15. Finally, there are chapters on negation (chapter 16), the structure of simple clauses (chapter 17), and clause combining (chapter 18). With over one thousand pages, the author presents an enormous amount of information on the Hup language, making it now probably the best-described language of the region. But the grammar does not stop there: it discusses this information from typological, cultural, areal, and historical-comparative perspectives, placing the description in broader, theoretically interesting contexts, and providing explanations for unusual patterns. Many of these discussions are contained in “comparative notes” and “historical notes” that are interspersed in the text (and would have been well worth mentioning in the table of contents or in a separate list). Given the breath of coverage, only a small selection of topics can be mentioned here. Based on a critical review of existing hypotheses about the genetic affiliation of Hup and the analyses of new data, Epps confirms the genetic link between Hup, Nadëb, Dâw, and Yuhup. Epps proposes to name this family “Nadahup” and to avoid “Makú,” which has been used by linguists to refer to a number of different groupings (including Nadahup) and is considered by indigenous people to be an ethnic slur. For these reasons, it is hoped that this new term will catch on, despite the known difficulty of changing such labels. Epps goes on to convincingly show that the previously suggested inclusion of Puinave and the Kakua-Nukak languages in the Nadahup family is unfounded (see also Girón Higuita 2008:419–39). This lays to rest hypotheses launched about a hundred years ago based on incomplete data (Koch-Grünberg 1906; Rivet and Tastevin 1920) that had been cited in numerous places. Throughout the book, Epps puts due emphasis on the importance of the cultural context of Hup to explain certain linguistic facts. The approximately fifteen hundred Hup are a seminomadic people relying more on hunting and gathering than on agriculture. They have a subordinate position within the regional ethnic hierarchy, in particular vis-à- vis Tukano-speaking agriculturalist “River Indians,” with whom they maintain close [End Page 176] socioeconomic relations. Hup is still acquired by virtually all children as a first language; among adults, there is a high degree of bilingualism in Tukano. Like neighboring groups, the Hup have a strong sense of language as a marker of ethnic identity. This explains why there are surprisingly few lexical loans despite heavy areal influence with respect to structures and sometimes individual categories. Areally diffused features of Hup include, for example, nominal classification, evidentiality, and morphemic nasality. Phonology is treated as a stepchild in many grammars, but certainly not in this one. The description of the complex phonology of Hup is thorough and supported by phonetic analyses, illustrated in waveforms, pitch graphs, and spectograms. There is a limited, two-way tone system, realized on syllables bearing primary stress...

Urbanidade rural, território e sustentabilidade: relações decontato em uma comunidade indígena no noroeste amazônico

Este artigo objetiva discutir representações de urbanidade rural, território e sustentabilidade no contexto de relações estabelecidas entre a sociedade indígena e a não-indígena, ou entre diferentes grupos étnicos que habitam o Distrito de Iauaretê, situado na Terra Indígena do Alto Rio Negro, no noroeste amazônico. Objetiva também discutir as relações dos moradores desta localidade com o ambiente por eles ocupado.

Impact of biomass burning aerosol on the monsoon circulation transition over Amazonia

Ensemble simulations of a regional climate model (RegCM3) forced by aerosol radiative forcing suggest that biomass burning aerosols can work against the seasonal monsoon circulation transition, thus re‐enforce the dry season rainfall pattern for Southern Amazonia. Strongly absorbing smoke aerosols warm and stabilize the lower troposphere within the smoke center in southern Amazonia (where aerosol optical depth >0.3). These changes increase the surface pressure in the smoke center, weaken the southward surface pressure gradient between northern and southern Amazonia, and consequently induce an anomalous moisture divergence in the smoke center and an anomalous convergence in northwestern Amazonia (5°S‐5°N, 60°W‐70°W). The increased atmospheric thermodynamic stability, surface pressure, and divergent flow in Southern Amazonia may inhibit synoptic cyclonic activities propagated from extratropical South America, and re‐enforce winter‐like synoptic cyclonic activities and rainfall in southeastern Brazil, Paraguay and northeastern Argentina.

Modeling the Geographical Distribution and Fundamental Niches of Cacajao spp. and Chiropotes israelita in Northwestern Amazonia via a Maximum Entropy Algorithm

We modeled the geographical distribution of 4 pithecine primate species: brown-backed bearded sakis (Chiropotes israelita) and 3 black uakaris (Cacajao melanocephalus, C. hosomi, and C. ayresi) that inhabit remote regions of western Amazonas, Brazil. We applied a maximum entropy algorithm modeling program (MAXENT) to field data Boubli collected from 1991 to 2007. We used 23 environmental coverage variables to model the distribution of the primates. The layers were related to precipitation, temperature, topography, and ecological bioregions or Ecoregions. The predicted distribution for Cacajao hosomi was strongly associated with the Negro-Branco Moist Forest and Guianan Highlands Moist Forests Ecoregions, and the Worldclim variables Bio3 (isothermality), Bio4 (temperature seasonality) and Bio17 (precipitation of the driest quarter). Cacajao melanocephalus was strongly associated with Japura/ Solimoes-Negro Moist Forests, Caqueta Moist Forests, Purus Varzea Flooded Forests, Rio Negro Campinaranas, and Cordillera Oriental Montane Forests, Ecoregions. Cacajao ayresi was strongly associated with Negro-Branco Moist Forest and Rio Negro Campinarana Ecoregions as well as Worldclim Bio3 (isothermality). Chiropotes israelita was also strongly associated with Worldclim Bio3 (isothermality) followed by the Negro Branco Moist Forests and Guianan Piedmont and Lowland Moist Forests Ecoregion, and to the Guianan Highland moist forests. These results show a great overlap between the bearded saki and 2 black uakaris, Cacajao hosomi and C. ayresi. Given that one cannot attribute the separation between the species in the Rio Negro-Rio Branco interfluvium to the existence of geographical barriers such as rivers, we suggest that the present geographical boundaries and thus coexistence of the 3 pithecines north of the Rio Negro is maintained by competitive exclusion or stochastic events. Until more surveys are conducted, the present geographical distributions of the pithecines and the mechanism maintaining their boundaries in the Rio Negro-Rio Branco interfluvium will remain uncertain. One important contribution of our model is to identify areas of higher probability of occurrence that might be helpful in guiding future survey expeditions and choices of areas for future conservation of pithecines.

Comparison of Precipitation Datasets over the Tropical South American and African Continents

Abstract Six rainfall datasets are compared over the Amazon basin, Northeast Brazil, and the Congo basin. These datasets include three gauge-only precipitation products from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC), Global Precipitation Climatology Center (GPCC), and Brazilian Weather Forecast and Climate Studies Center (CLMNLS), and three combined gauge and satellite precipitation datasets from the CPC Merged Analysis of Precipitation (CMAP), Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP), and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) product. The pattern of the annual precipitation is consistently represented by these data, despite the differences in methods and periods of averaging. Quantitatively, the differences in annual precipitation among these datasets are 5% more than the Amazon domain (0°–15°S, 50°–70°W), 22% more than Northeast Brazil (5°–10°S, 35°–45°W), and 11% more than the Congo domain (5°N–10°S, 15°–30°E). Over the Amazon domain the rainfall variation is well correlated between CPC, TRMM, GPCP, and GPCC (r 2 > 0.9) except for the northwestern Amazon, whereas CMAP and CLMNLS were different from these four datasets. Over the Congo basin, the coefficient of determination between these rainfall datasets is generally below 0.7. The empirical orthogonal functions analysis suggests large discrepancies in interannual and decadal variations of rainfall among these datasets, especially for the Congo basin and for the South American region after 1998. In general, CMAP, GPCC, TRMM, and GPCP significantly agree over the tropical areas in South America.

Cárie dentária e necessidade de tratamento odontológico entre os índios Baniwa do Alto Rio Negro, Amazonas

Epidemiologic research conducted with Indian communities in Brazil has shown strong correlation between the deterioration of their oral health and the consumption of industrial products, sugar in particular, added to the lack of structure of oral health care. This study was carried out among the Baniwa Indians from the Tunuí-Cachoeira region, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Northwestern Amazon, Brazil. A cross-sectional survey was conducted according to the criteria established by the WHO, focusing on dental caries and need for dental treatment. A total of 590 individuals were examined (49.2% of the population older than 2 years). The mean numbers of teeth with caries were 6.0, 8.2 and 22.1 in the age groups 12-14, 15-19 and more than 50 years respectively. In children with deciduous dentition the highest mean value of decayed, missing and filled teeth (5.3) was observed in children age 5. From the total of examined people, 73.6% showed some need for surgery-restoration. The individuals between 15-19 years of age show the highest need for restorations. The DFMT index for the Baniwa can be considered high. The results show that it is necessary to expand public health control measures related to oral heath, taking into consideration the complex socio-cultural reality of the Northwestern Amazon region.

Naturally acquired humoral and cellular immune responses to Plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein 9 in Northwestern Amazon individuals

Antibody and T-cell reactivities to Plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein 9 (PvMSP9) were evaluated in a cross-sectional study of individuals naturally exposed to malaria infections living in Ribeirinha, a native riverine community and in Colina, a transmigrant community, Rondonia, Brazil. The antibody responses to PvMSP9-RIRII and PvMSP9-Nt domains in Ribeirinha were higher compared with Colina and correlated with age and time of malaria exposure. IgG2 was most prevalent for PvMSP9-RII in both communities, and IgG1 was the predominant isotype for PvMSP9-Nt and PvMSP9-RIRII in Ribeirinha. IFN-γ and IL-4 predominated in Ribeirinha, while IFN-γ predominated in Colina. Variation in exposure to P. vivax likely accounts for the differences observed in cytokine and antibody levels between the two populations studied.

Wood density and stocks of coarse woody debris in a northwestern Amazonian landscape

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is a rarely studied component of the carbon cycle. We report the first measurements of both CWD wood density and necromass in humid, lowland northwestern Amazonia, using both line-intersect and plot-based methods. Average CWD densities were not significantly different between clay-rich and white sand unflooded forests, but lower in floodplain forest (p ≤ 0.001). Necromass of CWD lying on the ground was also lower in the floodplain (10.3 ± 6.1 Mg·ha–1, mean ± 1 SE) than in the clay-rich (30.9 ± 5.4) and white sand (45.8 ± 7.3) forests (p ≤ 0.001, using the line-intersect method). These patterns are likely driven by disturbance history, species composition, and decomposition rates. Plot-based data showed that standing and fallen CWD together accounted for 6.4%–15.4% of total coarse aboveground vegetative mass (trees ≥10 cm diameter). Across humid, lowland neotropical forests, we show that wood densities of intact and partially decayed CWD are significantly related with live wood density at the same site (p = 0.026 and 0.003, respectively). We show that these relationships can be applied generally to estimate CWD wood density for humid, lowland neotropical forests wherever destructive sampling is not possible.

Growth and wood density predict tree mortality in Amazon forests

Summary Tree mortality is an important process in forest ecology. We explored the extent to which tropical tree death is a predictable outcome of taxon and individual level properties by means of mixed‐species logistic regression, for trees ≥ 10 cm in diameter. We worked in two lowland forest regions with markedly different floristic composition and dynamic regimes – the high wood density, low‐mortality northeastern (NE) Amazon (in eastern Venezuela), and the low wood density, high‐mortality northwestern (NW) Amazon (in northern Peru). Among those genera that are shared between regions there were no detectable regional differences in mortality rates. This suggests that floristic compositional differences are a major driver of the twofold regional contrast in stand‐level mortality. In NE forests, mortality risk of individual trees is best predicted by low taxon‐level wood density, slow relative growth, and large size, reflecting phylogenetically determined life‐history strategy, physiological stress and senescence. In NW forests, trees with low wood density and slow relative growth are also at most risk, but probability of death is independent of tree size, indicating that senescence is unimportant in this region. Synthesis. This study shows that despite fundamental floristic and dynamic differences between the two Amazonian regions, mortality risk can be predicted with mixed‐species, individual‐based statistical models and that the predictors are remarkably similar, such that tree growth and wood density both play important roles.

Cosmologia, ambiente e saúde: mitos e ritos alimentares Baniwa

The Baniwa people, a member of the Aruak group which lives in the northwestern Amazon, has a rich mythic tradition that influences how the political, ethical, and practical dimensions of their social life are expressed and that guides the ancestral knowledge that guarantees the group's survival under adverse environmental conditions. The article analyzes myths and rites built around fish as a food source; these have an intimate relationship with cosmological explanations of the origin of the gods, water bodies, and the micro-ecosystems that foster the reproduction of aquatic fauna. Baniwa mythology draws an association between the reproductive processes of fish and a set of social relations involving human and nonhuman societies. Predation and edibility--notions underlying food rites--are viewed as part of a set of practices meant to produce and maintain kinship alliances, ease the food/prey peril, and maintain the cosmic balance that sustains life.

A calibration method for the crown illumination index for assessing forest light environments

The crown illumination index (CII) is an ordinal scale frequently used to qualitatively assess the light environment within a forest. Although this method provides a simple and rapid approach, it can be subjective and needs to be calibrated against quantitative measurements of canopy structure. A study was undertaken in north-western Amazonia to provide a means to calibrate the CII in tropical forests. Hemispherical photographs were taken to represent each CII class, which were then analysed using HemiView 2.1 software in order to calculate light availability factors. The proportion of visible sky and indirect, direct and global site factors (the proportion of indirect, direct and total radiation reaching a point, compared to an open location) were all found to correlate strongly with CII class and therefore offer a viable method for calibration. CII classes could only be weakly defined with respect to leaf area index (LAI), however, and so conversion of CII to LAI or vice versa is problematic. The results of this study provide a quantified description of each index class, significantly improving interpretation of the crown illumination index.

Edaphic niche differentiation among Polybotrya ferns in western Amazonia: implications for coexistence and speciation

To study the degree of edaphic specialization in Amazonian plants, the distribution patterns of seven species of Polybotrya ferns were studied in 109 sites in a climatically uniform area of northwestern Amazonia (Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru). The two most abundant species of Polybotrya were found in about two‐thirds of the sites with almost 7000 individuals each, the rarest species occurred in just one site with 40 individuals. Each of the seven species appeared to have a unique realised niche, when niche dimensions were defined by gradients in soil texture, soil cation content, and inundation. The species also differed in how broadly or narrowly they were distributed along each gradient. Some species were practically never found in the same sites, whereas others co‐occurred with a high frequency, in spite of showing clearly different abundance patterns among sites. A single site only contains a small part of the edaphic variation present in the landscape, and a small proportion of any species’ niche space, so broad‐scale studies are needed to adequately describe and compare species’ niches and to assess to what degree niche differences promote species coexistence. The distribution patterns in Polybotrya are consistent with, but do not prove, that ecological speciation may have been important in the radiation of the genus. If such a pattern is found to be common in other Amazonian plants, this would indicate that each evolutionary lineage has adapted to the available habitats largely independently of the others.

Geographical and environmental controls of palm beta diversity in paleo-riverine terrace forests in Amazonian Peru

The palm (Arecaceae) community on low paleo-riverine terraces (terrace forest) in the north-western Amazon, is described, and we assessed the importance of environmental differences and geographic distance as drivers of its local (25 m 2 grain and 0 –500 m extent) and regional scale (500 m 2 grain and 0.3 –143 km extent) beta diversity using ordination, multiple regressions on distance matrices and Indicator Species Analysis. A total of 15,869 individuals and 37 species of palm were sampled in 10 terrace forest transects, while 3758 individuals and 21 species were sampled in two adjacent floodplain forest transects for comparison. The terrace and floodplain forest were clearly different in their diversity and floristic composition. The relative importance of geographical distance and environmental difference as controls of terrace forest beta diversity was scale dependent, with environmental differences, notably in soil moisture, dominating at local scales and geographical distance dominating at regional scales. In fact, none of the environmental factors had a significant influence on regional-scale beta diversity. The geographical distance decay in floristic similarity was markedly steeper at local scale () 0.25 km ) 1 ) than at regional scale ( ) 0.003 km ) 1 ). Such a nonlinear decay is expected if simple dispersal limitation controls beta diversity. However, the absent flattening of the distance decay at the largest distances and the sub-Andean affinities of the westernmost palm communities suggest that large-scale biogeographical processes also contribute to the regional-scale beta diversity. Hereby our results indicate that not only local environment, but also dispersal limitation and biogeographical history can be important controls of the diversity and composition of local plant communities.

Activity and ranging patterns of Colombian woolly monkeys in north-western Amazonia

In this study, I revise three aspects of the socioecology of woolly monkeys (genus Lagothrix) that might give us a better understanding of the patterns found in this species: (1) the association between temporal variation in fruit abundance and diet, activity, and ranging patterns; (2) the individual trade-offs associated with living in small or large groups, and (3) the relationship between social dominance and foraging success. Using behavioral and ecological data collected during 3 years in Tinigua Park, Colombia, I found that woolly monkeys tend to avoid open-degraded forests, where fruit production is generally lower than it is in mature forests. Diet and activity budgets were highly associated with temporal patterns of fruit production. Daily path length was positively correlated with group size and monthly fruit abundance, and negatively correlated with habitat quality. I found differences in activity budgets and the diet preferences of different age/sex classes. For example, adult males rest more and juveniles play more than other classes. Juveniles and adult females without infants look for arthropods more often than adult males and females with young infants, who showed the highest frequencies of fruit feeding. Dominant adult males were not consistently the most efficient foragers on fruits according to two different indexes. Most of these results are consistent with the expectations from strong intra-group competition for resources. However, females with infants received benefits during feeding similar to those of dominant adult males, which may be mediated by differential aggression from males to other group members (juveniles and females without infants).

Refractive Status of Indigenous People in the Northwestern Amazon Region of Brazil

The purpose of this study was to investigate the refractive status of the illiterate indigenous people of the upper Rio Negro region of the Amazon rain forest in northwestern Brazil. From an overall sample of 486 people, 259 indigenous people and 78 Brazilians between 12 and 59 years of age with no compromising optical opacities were refracted with cycloplegic retinoscopy. Subjects were categorized as indigenous if they had at least three generations of indigenous ancestry with no folklore suggesting other ancestors. Myopia was rare among the indigenous population. Only 2.7% of eyes showed myopia of -1.00 D or more and 1.6% (four people) had bilateral myopia of -1.00 D or more. Half of this small group were the only educated indigenous people examined. The prevalence of astigmatism and anisometropia equal to or >1.00 D was 15.5% and 8.2%, respectively. Most of the astigmatism in the indigenous people had an against-the-rule axis. Age was not associated with the refractive errors of the indigenous people. Brazilians from the small city in which the study was performed had higher rates of myopia (6.4% of eyes and 5.1% of subjects bilaterally). Older preeducation adults also had a very low prevalence of myopia (3.2% of eyes and 2.0% of subjects), whereas the younger, slightly educated Brazilians had a higher prevalence of myopia (11.3% of eyes and 9.7% of subjects). The low prevalence of myopia in the illiterate indigenous people is consistent with other studies and suggests that myopia is related to literacy. The generational change among the local mixed race Brazilians further supports this conclusion. The relatively high rates of astigmatism and anisometropia in the indigenous people were unusual for a predominantly emmetropic sample.

Variation in wood density determines spatial patterns inAmazonian forest biomass

AbstractUncertainty in biomass estimates is one of the greatest limitations to models of carbon flux in tropical forests. Previous comparisons of field‐based estimates of the aboveground biomass (AGB) of trees greater than 10 cm diameter within Amazonia have been limited by the paucity of data for western Amazon forests, and the use of site‐specific methods to estimate biomass from inventory data. In addition, the role of regional variation in stand‐level wood specific gravity has not previously been considered. Using data from 56 mature forest plots across Amazonia, we consider the relative roles of species composition (wood specific gravity) and forest structure (basal area) in determining variation in AGB.Mean stand‐level wood specific gravity, on a per stem basis, is 15.8% higher in forests in central and eastern, compared with northwestern Amazonia. This pattern is due to the higher diversity and abundance of taxa with high specific gravity values in central and eastern Amazonia, and the greater diversity and abundance of taxa with low specific gravity values in western Amazonia. For two estimates of AGB derived using different allometric equations, basal area explains 51.7% and 63.4%, and stand‐level specific gravity 45.4% and 29.7%, of the total variation in AGB. The variation in specific gravity is important because it determines the regional scale, spatial pattern of AGB. When weighting by specific gravity is included, central and eastern Amazon forests have significantly higher AGB than stands in northwest or southwest Amazonia. The regional‐scale pattern of species composition therefore defines a broad gradient of AGB across Amazonia.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), Cyanogenic Potential, and Predation in Northwestern Amazonia: The Tukanoan Perspective

The Tukanoans of northwestern Amazonia cultivate high-cyanogenic potential cassava, which provides 80% of their dietary energy. In an effort to understand why the Tukanoans cultivate primarily high-rather than low-cyanogenic potential cassava, which requires far less processing before consumption, this paper seeks to determine whether the Tukanoans discern a difference in levels of predation on high-and low-cyanogenic potential cassava. Given the potential protection afforded by high-cyanogenic potential, it was hypothesized that the Tukanoans would report higher predation upon low-cyanogenic potential cassava in comparison to high-cyanogenic potential cassava. Both unstructured interviews and pile-sort exercises were conducted to address this question. The unstructured interviews provide some support for the hypothesis, while the pile-sort interviews did not support the hypothesis. These data demonstrate that while the Tukanoans are cognizant of differences in predation on different cassava cultivars, resistance to predation may not be a characteristic of paramount concern in cultivar selection.

Soils Utilized for Gardens by Tukanoans in Northwestern Amazonia and their Impact on Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) Cultivar Selection

Soils Utilized for Gardens by Tukanoans in Northwestern Amazonia and their Impact on Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) Cultivar Selection

Do rare species have any place in multivariate analysis for bioassessment?

Cao et al. (2001) have recently published an assessment of the place of rare species in multivariate analyses associated with bioassessment. This assessment follows their earlier comments on this subject (Cao et al. 1998, Cao and Williams 1999) and criticism of their viewpoint (Marchant 1999). In their earlier comments Cao et al. (1998) claimed that elimination of rare species from data sets unduly biases the similarity measures used in multivariate analyses of community composition and results in an ‘‘unacceptable loss of ecological information’’. Marchant (1999) refuted this claim by noting that when rare taxa are eliminated from data sets the trends displayed by multivariate analyses are unaltered and that benthic data sets, both from freshwater and marine habitats, commonly contain much redundant information. If, as Cao et al. (1998) claimed, rare species are vital for multivariate analysis, then logically the less rare species and the common species must also be vital. In other words, all species are vital and, as Marchant (1999) noted, this amounts to saying that no redundancy exists. Such a claim is contrary to common experience. Cao et al. (2001) admitted that rare species may not be important when environmental gradients are strong. However, they suggested that rare species respond to different gradients, perhaps less important and subtle ones or those related to human impacts. They provided little evidence from the literature that such situations exist but they quoted a paper by Faith and Norris (1989) as supporting this view. Faith and Norris (1989) reanalyzed a study conducted in the La Trobe catchment of eastern Victoria, Australia (Metzeling et al. 1984, Marchant et al. 1985). Using all 269 taxa (mostly at genus or species level) Faith and Norris (1989) compared ordinations with and without rare taxa, as well as ordinations based solely on rare taxa (those with total abundances ,0.5% of the total abundance of all taxa). They showed that inclusion of rare taxa resulted in a greater number of sig-

Lowland floristic assessment of Pico da Neblina National Park, Brazil

Pico da Neblina National Park, located in north-western Amazonia,Brazil, is characterized by considerable habitat diversity resulting from anorographic zonation of vegetation (from 100 to 3,014 m above sealevel) and a mosaic pattern of soil types with lowland primary tropicalrainforest being the predominant ecosystem. A tree inventory of the lowlandareas of the Park was conducted as part of an ecological study of primates. Twohectares of forest were inventoried within the limits of a 500 hectare studysite. There were 1569 trees with diameter at breast height ≥10 cm in the sample (minimum of 229 species in 45 families). Thetree species Eperua leucantha and Hevea cf.brasiliensis dominated the forest accounting for 29% of thesampled trees. Three forest types were represented: chavascal, terra firme andcaatinga. Caatinga was the least diverse forest (H′ = 0.9), andterrafirme the most diverse (H′ = 1.5). Low diversity in caatinga wasassociated with high species dominance by Eperua leucantha, Micrandrasprucei and Hevea cf. brasiliensis whichtogether accounted for 66% of all sampled trees in one caatinga plot.Compared to Amazonian forests elsewhere, the ranking order of plant families inPico da Neblina was peculiar in that Leguminosae sensulatuand Euphorbiaceae dominated the sample accounting for 52% of all markedtrees. Such families were represented by few tree species, all of which werecharacterized by dry, large-seeded sclerocarpic fruits. The consequentlow availability of fleshy fruits in the forest is suggested as a possiblecontributing factor to the observed low abundance and diversity of primates inthe lowlands of Pico da Neblina.