Restinga De Jurubatiba Research Articles

Germination biology and seedling growth of Clusia hilariana Schltdl., a dominant CAM‐tree of drought‐prone sandy coastal plains

AbstractThe spatial and temporal fluctuations of water availability can be an obstacle for recruitment of many species in the restinga and might restrict seed germination and seedling growth in specific regeneration safe‐sites. Clusiahilariana is one of the most dominant species of Restinga de Jurubatiba. This species has a high proportion of seedling establishment occurring inside the tanks of soil bromeliads underneath vegetation patches. Given the thin seed coats, the fast germination time and seed dispersal of C. hilariana during the dry season, we hypothesized that their major regeneration niche (the tanks of soil bromeliads) is related to susceptibility of seed germination and also seedling growth to low water availability. To test this hypothesis, seeds were germinated under decreasing water potentials using PEG 6000 solutions and seedlings were grown under varying water regimes. The percentage of seed germination progressively decreased at lower water potentials. After 38 days in −1.0 MPa no seeds germinated. However, approximately 90% of seeds germinated when transferred to Ψ = 0 MPa. The relative growth rates of seedlings of C. hilariana did not differ between water treatments. Thus, the major regeneration niche of C. hilariana is not a consequence of a high sensitivity of seeds and seedlings to water shortage. Nonetheless, C. hilariana showed an array of seed and seedling traits that may help to overcome establishment constraints of the harsh environment of restingas.

Hydrological connectivity in coastal inland systems: lessons from a Neotropical fish metacommunity

de Macedo‐Soares PHM, Petry AC, Farjalla VF, Caramaschi EP. Hydrological connectivity in coastal inland systems: lessons from a Neotropical fish metacommunity. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 7–18. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/SAbstract – We assessed the influence of hydrological connectivity in structuring fish communities through seasonal samplings of environmental variables and fishes in a coastal lagoon and associated pools in the Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park, Brazil. Community structure attributes such as species richness, numerical density and biomass, Shannon–Wiener diversity index and evenness were compared between periods of the lowest and highest hydrological connectivity, while the environmental gradient and fish zonation were explored through ordination techniques. The greater hydrological connectivity established in the rainy season promoted the homogenisation of most environmental variables and fish species, which differed markedly from the arrangement observed in the dry season. Despite variation in fish species composition, community attributes showed non‐significant differences between the dry and rainy seasons. The patterns of composition and numerical density in pools were strongly influenced by local factors, especially salinity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorous concentration and water colour in the dry season, in addition to total nitrogen concentration and depth in the rainy season. Comparable to the role played by flood pulses in river‐floodplain systems, the hydrological connectivity in these tropical coastal waterbodies seems to strongly influence fish community structure, and, therefore to determine regional biodiversity.

Ecologia e variação espacial de Naupactus lar Germar (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae) no Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba, RJ

O presente trabalho teve como objetivos descrever o padrao de variacao espacial na coloracao de N. lar no Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba e estudar aspectos da sua ecologia e de seu comportamento. O trabalho foi realizado de fevereiro de 2003 a maio de 2004, em excursoes bimestrais a quatro diferentes areas do parque, vistoriando um total de 120 plantas de Byrsonima sericea, um de seus principais hospedeiros. Foram encontrados quatro tipos de coloracao (amarelo, rosa, laranja e branco), sendo que nem todas as formas ocorreram juntas no mesmo local. Quase todos os machos adultos observados em campo apresentaram coloracao amarela, com excecao de um individuo alaranjado. Ja as femeas apresentaram todos os padroes de cores citados. Cruzamentos realizados em laboratorio demonstraram que individuos de diferentes coloracoes e/ou diferentes areas copulam normalmente entre si, indicando nao haver barreira mecânica ou comportamental que impeca a copula entre as diferentes formas. Adultos de N. lar ocorreram o ano todo, apresentando as maiores abundâncias entre outubro e fevereiro, e as mais baixas, entre abril e agosto. Tanto a porcentagem de ocupacao das plantas, quanto a densidade de individuos de N. lar nas plantas acompanharam o padrao de sua flutuacao populacional. Assim, parece que N. lar apresenta uma estacao reprodutiva por ano, entre os meses de outubro e fevereiro, epoca coincidente com a estacao chuvosa e emissao de ramos novos pela planta de alimentacao.

A história do nome do Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba

Este texto resgata a concepcao do nome da Unidade de Conservacao de protecao integral que abriga a area de restinga em melhor estado de preservacao no mundo: O Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba. O autor, responsavel pela proposicao do nome, discorre nesse texto acerca das opcoes possiveis quando da epoca da criacao do PARNA Jurubatiba, alem de fazer um breve relato sobre a importância ecossistemica da regiao.

Birds foraging for fruits and insects in shrubby restinga vegetation, southeastern Brazil

Understanding how birds use vegetation to obtain food resources has implications for habitat conservation and management. Restinga is a poorly known and threatened tropical habitat, associated to the Atlantic forest, that could benefit from this kind of information to know which plants can be used and dispersed by birds that can help on the maintenance of this habitat. Frugivorous and insectivorous birds are important components of tropical ecosystems, such as restinga. To provide more information regarding the ecology of restinga, we studied the feeding behavior and spatial use of this vegetation by birds at Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park, southeastern Brazil. We found that feeding behavior was similar to that recorded for the same species in other vegetation types. In addition, spatial use of the restinga vegetation by the most abundant species did not overlap greatly, except for two insectivorous species that used different foraging maneuvers and two frugivorous birds that foraged in flocks. The two most abundant species were generalists in their diet and were capable of feeding at the ground level on sand substrate.

Spatiotemporal Variation in Fish Assemblage in a Coastal Lagoon without Direct Contact with the Sea (Southeastern Brazil)

Abstract The Cabiunas Lagoon is a narrow water body that is perpendicular to the sea and isolated from it by a sandbank. Before 1991, the sandbank was sometimes opened for a few days by local residents, but at present seawater only enters by limited groundwater seepage or by overtopping the sea barrier in storms. In 1998 the Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park was established, including the Cabiu nas Lagoon. Studies on the structure and spatial distribution of the fish assemblage were performed between 1991 and 1994; we carried out one year (2001–2002) of monthly monitoring of the lagoon to identify spatiotemporal variations in the lagoon fish assemblage. The closed sandbank altered salinity content, and favoured oligohaline conditions and the increase of the aquatic macrophyte abundance, promoting freshwater species dominance and reduction of the marine dependent and some coastal lagoon resident species of fish adapted to paralic ecosystems. Two freshwater, two coastal lagoon resident, and five marine d...

A new species of Pacholenus Schoenherr from southeastern Brazil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Molytinae), and new occurrences of species of the genus

A new species of Pacholenus Schoenherr from southeastern Brazil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Molytinae), and new occurrences of species of the genus. Pacholenus monteiroi sp. nov. (type-locality Brazil, Rio de Janeiro state, Carapebus, Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba) is described and illustrated. The weevil develops as a stem gall-former in Calyptranthes brasiliensis Spreng (Myrtaceae). The new species is easily distinguished from the other five known of the genus by the presence of a prominent supra-ocular ridge. An updated key for identification for all species of Pacholenus is provided. Three species of Pacholenus are presently recorded for the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo; P. pelliceus and P. monteiroi occur in both states, while P. penicillus is only known from Rio de Janeiro; P. hispidus occurs in São Paulo, being the most widespread species of the genus, ranging from Minas Gerais south to Santa Catarina.

Predação de sementes de Allagoptera arenaria (Gomes) O'Kuntze (Arecaceae) por Pachymerus nucleorum Fabricius (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae)

A predacao de sementes da palmeira Allagoptera arenaria (Gomes) O'Kuntze, 1891(Arecaceae) por Pachymerus nucleorum Fabricius, 1972 foi avaliada de setembro de 2003 a setembro de 2005 no Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba (RJ). A biologia e o comportamento de P. nucleorum em A. arenaria e as taxas de predacao de sementes foram descritas. Frutos encontrados sob 50 palmeiras foram coletados, mensalmente, em cada uma das duas areas amostradas no PNRJ (mata de cordao arenoso e formacao arbustiva aberta de Clusia Sclthdl, Clusiaceae). A avaliacao dos cocos predados foi feita a partir da contagem dos orificios de saida dos bruquineos no campo, da emergencia dos insetos no laboratorio e da abertura dos frutos remanescentes. Atraves de observacoes e experimentos em 60 infrutescencias, verificou-se que a oviposicao de Pachymerus nucleorum em A. arenaria ocorre na infrutescencia ainda em desenvolvimento diferentemente de registros na literatura em outras especies de palmeiras, onde a oviposicao ocorre nos frutos no chao. A predacao dos frutos por P. nucleorum foi de 29,3% na area de mata de cordao arenoso e 20,6% na formacao arbustiva aberta de Clusia. O ciclo de vida de P. nucleorum foi bastante longo e com amplitudes bem grandes dentro de uma mesma amostra, o que sugere uma possivel diapausa em alguma fase do seu ciclo de vida.

Composição, abundância e notas sobre a ecologia de espécies de larvas de lepidópteros associadas a cinco espécies de plantas hospedeiras no Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba, RJ

In order to describe the species composition, temporal occurrence and ecological aspects of larvae associated with five plant species: Erythroxylum ovalifolium and E. subsessile (Erythroxylaceae), Manilkara subsericea (Sapotaceae), Protium icicariba and P. heptaphyllum (Burseraceae), 1.680 plants were bimonthly surveyed from July of 2003 to August of 2005 in the Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba (PNRJ). Thirty two species of Lepidoptera were reared from these five host plants, and the most abundant four species belonged to the Elachistidae. Manilkara subsericea showed the greatest number of Lepidoptera species associated, 14 species, followed by E. ovalifolium (10 species), P. icicariba (seven species), E. subsessile (six species) and P. heptaphyllum (two species). Only one out of the 32 species of Lepidoptera was gregarious and 56% used any kind of shelter to get food or for defence. Six Lepidoptera species (27%) were polyphagous, three (14%) oligophagous and 13 (59%) had just only one host plant species recorded. The most abundant species of moths exhibitted two reproductives periods in the year, predominantly in winter and autumn. Abiotic factors, such as strong insolation during spring and summer in the open scrub vegetation of restinga, may be very important in producing this temporal pattern of insect reproduction, but we cannot neglect biotic factors like natural enemies.

Insetos fitófagos associados ao murici da praia, Byrsonima sericea (Malpighiaceae), na Restinga de Jurubatiba (RJ)

This work aimed to investigate the composition, abundance and some behavioral aspects of phytophagous species associated with murici da praia, Byrsonima sericea (Malpighiaceae), in the National Park of Restinga de Jurubatiba, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. During 14 months, from April 2003 to May 2004, bimonthly surveys were conducted on 120 plants, while observations on B. sericea insects were made since November 2000. An overall of 45 associated insect species were found, being 20 exophytic lepidopteran caterpillars, 17 exophytic Coleoptera, four leaf miners and four galling species. Lius sp. (Buprestidae), a leaf miner beetle, was the most abundant and frequent species, followed by the caterpillar Gonioterma indecora (Elachistidae). A comparison between lepidopteran caterpillars on B. sericea in the restinga and other Byrsonima species of the cerrado vegetation showed low insect similarities between these and B. sericea, which also had the lowest species richness. Both caterpillars and leaf miners abundance peaked between June and August, prior to the leaf flush, while the abundance of exophytic Coleoptera immatures increased simultaneously with leaf production. Possible explanations for the temporal distribution patterns of insects on B. sericea are discussed and a brief description of the ecological aspects is given for the main identified phytophagous insect species.

Potential role of frugivorous birds (Passeriformes) on seed dispersal of six plant species a restinga habitat, southeastern Brazil

Restingas are considered stressful habitats associated with the Brazilian Atlantic forest, and their ecological interactions are poorly known. The goal of the present study was to determine the potential role of frugivorous birds as seed dispersers in a restinga habitat. Data were collected in Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba, southeastern Brazil, where the main physiognomy (Open Clusia Formation) is characterized by the presence of patches of vegetation covering 20 to 48 % of the sandy soil and reaching a height of 5 m. Birds were captured with mist nets (12 x 2.5 m; 36 mm mesh; 1,680 net-hrs) and had their fecal and regurgitate samples inspected for seeds. Six plant species found in these bird samples were studied. The germination of seeds obtained from plants was compared to those from the birds. Both groups of seeds were set on Petri dishes at room temperature and washed when infected with fungi. In general, there was no effect on germination rate, and the effect on germination speed was negative. Germination of seeds from Pilosocereus arrabidae treated by the birds seemed to be influenced by storage of defecated seeds, while few Miconia cinnamomifolia seeds both from plants and from birds germinated. Ocotea notata presented a great variation in time to the onset of germination, perhaps an advantage against dissecation. Aechmea nudicaulis, Clusia hilariana and Erythroxylum subsessile probably take advantage of the arrival to favorable microhabitats, not by the gut effect on the seeds. All plant species studied are numerically important for the community and some of them are main actors in the succession of vegetation patches. Among the birds, Mimus gilvus is an important resident species, endemic to restingas in Brazil, while Turdus amaurochalinus is a visitor and may be important for plants that fructify during its passage by the study site. Although the effect of pulp removal was only tested for one species (Achmea nudicaulis) in the present study, we confirmed that the tested effect of restinga frugivorous birds on seed germination was generally null. Although there is a need for more detailed studies on specific animal-plant interactions on this habitat, the overall effect of the birds on seed dispersal in restinga is probably positive.

Diet and foraging of the endemic lizard Cnemidophorus littoralis (Squamata, Teiidae) in the restinga de Jurubatiba, Macaé, RJ

We investigated the diet and foraging of the endemic teiid lizard Cnemidophorus littoralis in a restinga habitat in Jurubatiba, Macaé - RJ. The stomach contents were removed, analyzed and identified to the Order level. There was no relationship between C. littoralis morphological variables and number, length or volume of preys. Termites (48.7%) and larvae (35.5%) were the most important prey items which occurred in the examined lizards' stomachs. The diet did not differ between males and females. Cnemidophorus littoralis is an active forager and predominantly consumes relatively sedentary prey or prey that is aggregated in the environment. We also found an intact and undigested hatchling of the crepuscular/nocturnal gekkonid lizard Hemidactylus mabouia in the stomach of an adult male of C. littoralis, which indicates that C. littoralis is a potential source of mortality for individuals of H. mabouia in the restinga de Jurubatiba.

Habitat use by Oryzomys subflavus (Rodentia) in an open shrubland formation in Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park, RJ, Brazil

The Restinga de Jurubatiba has at least 10 plant formations, including open Clusia shrubland. This formation is composed of dense shrubs of many shapes and sizes, where Clusia hilariana is one of the most important plant species. Shrublands with Clusia (CC) are poorer in plant species and less dense than shrublands without Clusia (SC). Oryzomys subflavus (Rodentia) is the most abundant small mammal species in the open Clusia shrubland. We tested the hypothesis that the abundance of rodents would increase with the size of the patch and would be higher in SC shrublands. Rodents were captured, marked and released in three 780-m-long transects. At each capture site, we evaluated the shape of the shrubland patch, calculated the area and noted the category of the shrubland. Using ANCOVA, we ascertained whether the abundance of Oryzomys subflavus increased with the sampled area and used CC and SC shrublands differently. We also verified if the size of patches used by rodents varies in the same frequency as the size of available shrublands. Rodent abundance was found to increase significantly with the area. There were no differences in the size of the patches used by rodents and the frequency of the size of available patches. This finding indicates that O. subflavus, in the study area, is a generalist species that uses its habitat according to availability.

Biology and Seasonality of Fulcidax monstrosa (F.) (Chrysomelidae: Chlamisinae)

Abstract The phenology of Fulcidax monstrosa (F.) on its host plant Byrsonima sericea DC. was studied from November 2000 to June 2003 at the Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During this period, observations on the biology and behavior of the species were also conducted in the field and in laboratory. The female lays single eggs on young stems of its host plant and covers them with feces, building an excremental shell. The hatched larva remains within it and adds more of its own feces to the case as it grows. After a maximum of four months, the larva pupates within the case, which remains closed for another four months before adult emergence. Diapause seems to occur in the adult stage inside the pupal case before emergence. Fulcidax monstrosa is a univoltine species and showed a highly seasonal distribution along the years for all stages of development. Climatic factors as well as resource availability are suggested to influence the species seasonality.

Relative efficiency of anuran sampling methods in a restinga habitat (Jurubatiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

Studies on anurans in restinga habitats are few and, as a result, there is little information on which methods are more efficient for sampling them in this environment. Ten methods are usually used for sampling anuran communities in tropical and sub-tropical areas. In this study we evaluate which methods are more appropriate for this purpose in the restinga environment of Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba. We analyzed six methods among those usually used for anuran samplings. For each method, we recorded the total amount of time spent (in min.), the number of researchers involved, and the number of species captured. We calculated a capture efficiency index (time necessary for a researcher to capture an individual frog) in order to make comparable the data obtained. Of the methods analyzed, the species inventory (9.7 min/searcher /ind.- MSI; richness = 6; abundance = 23) and the breeding site survey (9.5 MSI; richness = 4; abundance = 22) were the most efficient. The visual encounter inventory (45.0 MSI) and patch sampling (65.0 MSI) methods were of comparatively lower efficiency restinga, whereas the plot sampling and the pit-fall traps with drift-fence methods resulted in no frog capture. We conclude that there is a considerable difference in efficiency of methods used in the restinga environment and that the complete species inventory method is highly efficient for sampling frogs in the restinga studied and may be so in other restinga environments. Methods that are usually efficient in forested areas seem to be of little value in open restinga habitats.

Análise florística das pteridófitas do Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

O Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba, localizado no norte do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, abrange os municípios de Macaé, Carapebus e Quissamã. Foram registradas para a área de estudo 12 famílias com 21 gêneros e 32 espécies. As famílias encontradas foram Blechnaceae, Cyatheaceae, Davalliaceae, Dennstaedtiaceae, Dryopteridaceae, Gleicheniaceae, Lycopodiaceae, Polypodiaceae, Pteridaceae, Salviniaceae, Schizaeaceae e Thelypteridaceae. Dessas, as mais representativas em número de espécies foram Polypodiaceae (5 spp.) e Pteridaceae (5 spp.). Os gêneros com maior número de espécies foram Nephrolepis, Polypodium e Thelypteris. Das 32 espécies registradas, 23 são ervas terrestres, três são ervas epífitas, três ervas aquáticas, duas arborescentes e uma erva hemiepífita. A maior riqueza de espécies e famílias foi registrada para a formação de mata periodicamente inundada e a menor, para a formação arbustiva fechada de pós-praia. Há baixa similaridade entre a flora pteridofítica de diferentes áreas de restingas analisadas e entre as restingas e a mata atlântica. Blechnum serrulatum e Polypodium triseriale são espécies de ocorrência comum em áreas de restingas. Das 32 espécies inventariadas, 17 possuem usos atribuídos (medicinais, ornamentais e comestíveis).

Patterns of infestation by chigger mites in four diurnal lizard species from a Restinga habitat (Jurubatiba) of southeastern Brazil.

We studied the parasitism by larvae of the chigger mite Eutrombicula alfreddugesi on the lizard community of Restinga de Jurubatiba, Rio de Janeiro State, Southeastern Brazil. We investigated the patterns of infestation (prevalence and intensity) of chigger mites in four sympatric lizards: Tropidurus torquatus, Mabuya agilis, M. macrorhyncha and Cnemidophorus littoralis. All lizards collected were checked for the presence of mites, which were counted under stereomicroscope. We tested the relationship between intensity of infestation and lizard body size for each species using regression analysis. The prevalences and mean intensities (+ one standard deviation) of infestation on each host species were, respectively: 100%; 86.4 + 94.6 in T. torquatus (n = 62); 100%; 20.9 + 9.3 in M. agilis (n = 7); 100%; 11.1 + 13.1 in M. macrorhyncha (n = 12); and 95.2%; 19.1 + 16.8 in C. littoralis (n = 21). Only for C. littoralis did body size significantly affect the intensity of infestation (r = 0.27, p = 0.02). For all lizard species, the body parts where chiggers occurred with the highest intensity were those of skin folds and joint regions.