Seasonal Semideciduous Forest Research Articles

Artificial Intelligence Procedures for Tree Taper Estimation within a Complex Vegetation Mosaic in Brazil.

Tree stem form in native tropical forests is very irregular, posing a challenge to establishing taper equations that can accurately predict the diameter at any height along the stem and subsequently merchantable volume. Artificial intelligence approaches can be useful techniques in minimizing estimation errors within complex variations of vegetation. We evaluated the performance of Random Forest® regression tree and Artificial Neural Network procedures in modelling stem taper. Diameters and volume outside bark were compared to a traditional taper-based equation across a tropical Brazilian savanna, a seasonal semi-deciduous forest and a rainforest. Neural network models were found to be more accurate than the traditional taper equation. Random forest showed trends in the residuals from the diameter prediction and provided the least precise and accurate estimations for all forest types. This study provides insights into the superiority of a neural network, which provided advantages regarding the handling of local effects.

Does Atta laevigata (Smith, 1858) act as Solanum lycocarpum seed dispersers?

Ants can act as seed dispersers, modifying their distribution, affecting the reproductive success and the vegetation spatial structure. The leaf-cutting ants function, as dispersers of non-myrmecochorous plants, is little known. This work aimed to evaluate descriptively the Atta laevigata interaction with Solanum lycocarpum diaspores. The observations were carried out, throughout 10 days, in a secondary fragment of Semidecidual Seasonal Forest in Ivinhema, MS. To determine the removal rate, 500 seeds were taken from ripe fruits, dried, labeled and distributed in groups ranged from five to 50 seeds, totaling 100 seeds per foraging trail. Groups of 30 seeds with pulp were also distributed every 1.0 m on the trails. Individuals of different sizes presented different interactions to the fruits and seeds, smaller workers carried pulp or seeds separately, medium workers carried seeds with pulp or cleaned them before carry to the nest and the largest workers carried the seeds to the nest. Atta laevigata acted primarily as predators, with few seeds discarded. Their actions may interfere in the native vegetation regeneration, with a significant role in removing S. lycocarpum seeds, a pioneer species, and in population control for this species by the severe predation of seeds. However, the remaining1.6% intact seeds allows germination, with the A. laevigata acting as a seed dispersers over short distances for this species, favoring the S. lycocarpum dispersion.

Mapping tree species in tropical seasonal semi-deciduous forests with hyperspectral and multispectral data

Abstract Accurately mapping the spatial distribution of tree species in tropical environments provides valuable insights for ecologists and forest managers. This process may play an important role in reducing fieldwork costs, monitoring changes in canopy biodiversity, and locating parent trees to collect seeds for forest restoration efforts. However, mapping tree species in tropical forests with remote sensing data is a challenge because of high floristic and spectral diversity. In this research, we discriminated and mapped tree species in tropical seasonal semi-deciduous forests (Brazilian Atlantic Forest Biome) by using airborne hyperspectral and simulated multispectral data in the 450 to 2400 nm wavelength range. After quantifying the spectral variability within and among individual tree crowns of eight species, three supervised machine learning classifiers were applied to discriminate the species at the pixel level. Linear Discriminant Analysis outperformed Support Vector Machines with Linear and Radial Basis Function (RBF-SVMs) kernels and Random Forests in almost all the tested cases. An average classification accuracy of 70% was obtained when using the visible/near-infrared (VNIR, 450–919 nm) bands. The inclusion of shortwave infrared bands (SWIR, 1045–2400 nm) increased the accuracy to 84%. Narrow-band vegetation indices (VIs) were also tested and increased the classification accuracy by up to 5% when combined with VNIR features. Furthermore, the spectral bands of the WorldView-3 (WV-3) satellite sensor were simulated for classification purposes. WV-3 VNIR bands provided an accuracy of 57.4%, which increased to 74.8% when using WV-3 SWIR bands. We also tested the production of species maps by using an object-oriented approach that integrated a novel segmentation algorithm that was tailored to delineate tree crowns and label high class membership pixels inside each object. In this scenario, RBF-SVMs produced the best species maps, correctly identifying 84.9% of crowns with hyperspectral data and 78.5% with simulated WV-3 data. The use of a reduced set of hyperspectral bands, which were selected with stepwise regression, did not significantly affect the classification accuracies but allowed us to depict the most important wavelengths to discriminate the species. These wavelengths were located around the green reflectance peak (550 nm), at the red absorption feature (650 nm) and in the SWIR range at 1200, 1700, 2100 and 2300 nm. These encouraging results suggest the feasibility of the proposed approach for mapping pioneering and climax tree species in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Biome, highlighting its potential use in forest recovery and inventory initiatives.

COMPOSIÇÃO FLORÍSTICA E CARACTERIZAÇÃO SUCESSIONAL COMO SUBSÍDIO PARA CONSERVAÇÃO E MANEJO DO PNMCBio, SOROCABA - SP

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509821125O trabalho foi realizado no Parque Natural Municipal Corredores da Biodiversidade (PNMCBio), em Sorocaba -SP, com o objetivo de avaliar a composição florística do componente arbóreo e o estágio sucessional de uma área de floresta nativa de aproximadamente 31 hectares. Para tanto, foram alocadas 64 parcelas de tamanho 10 x 10 m, distribuídas aleatoriamente na área, sendo coletados todos os indivíduos com CAP igual ou maior que 15 cm. Estimou-se a diversidade por meio do índice de diversidade de Shannon (H’) e a equabilidade por meio do índice de Pielou (J’). As espécies foram caracterizadas nos grupos sucessionais, síndrome de dispersão, categorias de ameaça, amplitude de distribuição e indicadoras do estágio de regeneração. Foram amostrados 1088 indivíduos, distribuídos em 79 espécies, 54 gêneros e 29 famílias, sendo o H’ estimado em 3,421 e o J’ em 0,78, valores próximos aos encontrados em outras áreas de formações vegetacionais similares. Foram identificadas quatro espécies ameaçadas de extinção, 11 espécies endêmicas da Mata Atlântica e duas espécies restritas à Floresta Estacional Semidecidual no domínio da Mata Atlântica. O fragmento encontra-se em estágio médio de regeneração, sendo de suma importância sua conservação e manejo para a manutenção da biodiversidade local e regional.

ANÁLISE ECOFISIOLÓGICA DE GENIPA AMERICANA L. EM BANCO DE SEMENTES INDUZIDO

RESUMO Este trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de estudar o comportamento de sementes de G. americana L. (Rubiaceae) em bancos de sementes induzidos. A pesquisa foi realizada no município de Lavras - MG em uma floresta estacional semidecídua da Universidade Federal de Lavras. As sementes coletadas foram beneficiadas e caracterizadas quanto ao conteúdo de água, viabilidade e tolerância à dessecação. Foram instalados bancos de sementes induzidos em duas áreas distintas (topo de morro e mata ciliar) localizados no sub-bosque da floresta. As sementes foram acondicionadas em redes de náilon e cobertas com camada de serapilheira previamente removida para instalação das redes. Foi realizada avaliação mensal da germinação, emergência das plântulas, conteúdo de água das sementes e do solo e a caracterização do crescimento inicial das plântulas. Foi observado que sementes de G. americana formam banco de sementes transitório, com manutenção de sua viabilidade somente até o quarto mês após dispostas em ambiente natural. De modo geral, o banco de sementes na área de mata ciliar foi o que apresentou o maior potencial para o estabelecimento de plântulas em ambiente natural o que está de acordo com as características ecológicas dessa espécie.

Quiropterofauna da Fazenda Santo Antônio dos Ipês, Jaú, estado de São Paulo, Brasil

http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2016v29n1p97O presente estudo registrou as espécies de morcegos que ocorrem na Fazenda Santo Antônio dos Ipês, Jaú, SP, Brasil, com a finalidade de identificar os itens alimentares consumidos por esses animais e avaliar a presença do vírus rábico nos mesmos. Vinte e uma noites de captura, distribuídas em cinco áreas da fazenda, foram realizadas utilizando redes de neblina entre novembro de 2009 e julho de 2011. Após um esforço de captura de 18217,5 m2.h, 580 morcegos de 16 espécies foram capturados. Sturnira lilium (n = 184), Artibeus lituratus (n = 134) e Carollia perspicillata (n = 126) foram as espécies mais abundantes. Dois indivíduos de Lasiurus ega foram adicionados ao inventário através de observação em abrigo, totalizando assim 17 espécies amostradas. Os itens alimentares mais consumidos foram os frutos de Solanaceae e de Piperaceae, e os frutos de Muntingia calabura os menos consumidos. Nenhum dos 132 indivíduos analisados para o vírus rábico apresentou resultado positivo. A Fazenda Santo Antônio dos Ipês é uma importante área, pois abriga a Reserva Ecológica Amadeu Botelho (uma Unidade de Conservação) que é o último resquício de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual da região de Jaú e que serve como refúgio para animais silvestres incluindo morcegos.

Influence of bryophyte biomass and organic matter quantity on the abundance and richness of oligochaetes in forest streams with different phytophysiognomies in southeastern Brazil

<p>Aquatic oligochaetes can be found associated with different types of substrates; including bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) adhered to stones in lotic ecosystems. However, little information is available on the association between oligochaetes and bryophytes in tropical region. Therefore, the aims of this study were: to investigate whether the assemblages of oligochaetes respond to variation in the biomass of bryophytes and quantity of particulate organic matter (POM) present on these plants; verify differences in the composition of oligochaetes in streams flowing through areas with two phytophysiognomies (rocky field and seasonal semideciduous forest). The samples were collected from five first-order streams in the southeast of the state of Minas Gerais. Six samples of bryophytes adhered to stones were obtained from each stream. A total of 1586 oligochaetes were collected and 11 taxa were identified, belonging to the families Naididae and Enchytraeidae. The most abundant taxa were <em>Bothrioneurum</em> (37.95%) and Enchytraeidae (33.01%). A positive relation was observed between oligochaete abundance and POM in two streams (Ibitipoca I and Ibitipoca III) and a positive relation was found between oligochaete abundance and bryophyte biomass in one stream (Ibitipoca I). The composition of the fauna varied within and between the phytophysiognomies studied. The results show that the oligochaetes find favorable conditions to establish themselves in bryophytes, evidencing the ecological importance of these plants as habitat for invertebrates.</p>

Life history ofAdenostemma brasilianum(Pers.) Cass. (Eupatorieae, Asteraceae): A psychophilous herbaceous species of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest understory1

Abstract Adenostemma brasilianum is an herbaceous asteracean pollinated by male Ithomiinae butterflies. These insects feed on the nectar, which contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and depend on these compounds for their defense and reproduction. The life history of this species was described from seedlings to the death of adult plants. In addition, we analyzed its reproductive phenology and identified herbivores. The study was conducted in southeastern Brazil, in a semideciduous seasonal forest fragment. Fifty plants with up to two pairs of well-defined leaves were monitored, on which we observed buds, flowers, dispersed diaspores, and herbivores. We labeled 140 capitula in the bud stage and monitored them from anthesis of the first flowers to diaspore dispersal. Adenostemma brasilianum is biennial and monocarpic, and establishes a seedling bank within about 9 months (from February to October, in the first year of life). Plant mortality resulting from physical damage was high (46%) at the beginning of the r...

ALGUNOS ASPECTOS SOBRE LA TEMPERATURA DE HOJAS PERTENECIENTES A PLANTAS DE LA REGIÓN XEROFÍTICA DE SANTA MARTA (COLOMBIA)

Leaf temperatures of several plant species of the xerophytic vegetation near Santa Marta (Colombia) were studied during the dry and the wet season. The leaves of species growing in a cactus thorn scrub reached very high temperatures, especially in the dry season, while leaf temperatures of plants in the area of a disappeared semi-deciduous seasonal forest were lower because of more favorable conditions of water supply and microclimate.

INSELBERGS AS A SOURCE OF β DIVERSITY IN A VEGETATION MATRIX IN COQUEIRAL, MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509820649This study aimed to answer the following question: Does habitat heterogeneity affect the tree community? To answer that question, we evaluated the influence of the species composition and structure of the tree community of inselbergs on the tree community of the matrix where the inselberg is located. The correlations between environmental and vegetation gradients were analyzed by canonical correspondence analysis of a species composition matrix constructed from abundance data of 40 plots sampled in two areas, one composed of seasonal semideciduous forest (SSF) and another with riparian forests, a vegetation corridor, and inselbergs. A similarity dendrogram of the four areas was calculated using the Dice-Sorensen index and UPGMA linkage method. The species indicator analysis was used to evaluate which species were characteristic of each area sampled. The eigenvalues of the first two axes were high indicating high species turnover. The correlations between environmental variables and plots indicated the formation of three groups: the first one formed by the SSF patch plots with high clay content; the second group formed by the vegetation corridor and inselberg plots, which did not separate as sharply as the first group, with a small separation in organic matter content; and the third group, formed by the riparian forest plots, which are located in areas of highest soil fertility, with high content of calcium, sum of bases and base saturation. The results showed high species turnover among areas, indicating that even though the areas are geographically close, the occurrence of inselbergs increased habitat heterogeneity, directly affecting the variation in species composition and community structure among areas.

Diversity and Temporal Variation in the Orchid Bee Community (Hymenoptera: Apidae) of a Remnant of a Neotropical Seasonal Semi-deciduous Forest

Multiple biotic and abiotic variables control the composition, diversity, and temporal fluctuations of insect communities. In particular, the assembly of bee communities is strongly influenced by climatic factors as well as variation in food resource availability, which in turn also fluctuates in response to the same factors. The goal of the present study was to investigate the species composition, the species richness and the abundance of the euglossine bees in a remnant of the seasonal semi-deciduous forest of northeastern Sao Paulo state, and evaluate the temporal variation in those parameters over time. From January to December 1990, males of euglossine bees were sampled using three aromatic baits. We collected 643 males belonging to 12 species and three genera. Euglossa imperialis Cockerell was the most abundant species, followed by Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier and Euglossa melanotricha Moure. The composition and species richness showed temporal variation throughout the year, with the highest values being observed during the rainiest months. Such variations occurred by the presence of males from six species which were sampled only during the rainiest months. Of the five most abundant species, Eg. imperialis and Eg. melanotricha were the only species sampled throughout the year. Only El. nigrita and Eg. melanotricha , had the monthly abundance of males correlated with precipitation. Based on the assumption that male euglossine capture rates reflect actual abundance at the sampled habitats, we believe that Eg. imperialis , usually represented by few male in other studies, has a population very well established in the habitat here studied.

Lycophytes and ferns composition of Atlantic Forest conservation units in western Paraná with comparisons to other areas in southern Brazil

This study surveyed lycophyte and fern species in four forest fragments in western Parana, Brazil, and compared them to 15 other fragments with different plant formations from the Atlantic Forest biome in southern Brazil. In total, five lycophyte species (in two families and two genera) and 98 species and two varieties of ferns (in 16 families and 38 genera) were registered in the four fragments. The most represented families were Pteridaceae (23 spp.), Polypodiaceae (18 spp.), Aspleniaceae (13 spp.), and Thelypteridaceae (11 spp.). Asplenium (12 spp.), Thelypteris (10 spp.), and Blechnum (seven spp.) were among the most represented genera. The occurrence of Dicksonia sellowiana was noteworthy because it was associated with seasonal semideciduous forest and is threatened in Brazil. Similarity among areas was determined by a cluster analysis (UPGMA and Sorensen’s index) and the relation between similarity and geographic distance was determined through Matel’s analysis. The analyses revealed greater similarity among the four study areas and, for these areas as a whole, greater similarity to fragments in Rio Grande do Sul, which is evidence that these areas have similar environmental conditions.

Biologia reprodutiva de Cordiera macrophylla (K. Schum.) Kuntze (Rubiaceae), espécie dioica da região sudoeste do Estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil

RESUMO O gênero Cordiera (Rubiaceae) possui aproximadamente 25 espécies e ampla distribuição no Brasil. Seus representantes são árvores ou arbustos dioicos, com flores funcionalmente unissexuadas. Este estudo foi realizado em dois fragmentos de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, no município de Tangará da Serra, MT. Foram investigadas a fenologia reprodutiva, a razão sexual, a morfologia e a biologia floral, o sistema e o sucesso reprodutivo. Cordiera macrophylla floresceu de julho a setembro, durante a estação seca, com pico sincrônico entre flores pistiladas e estaminadas. Flores estaminadas florescem antecipadamente e por um período mais prolongado que as pistiladas. A antese das flores pistiladas apresentou maior longevidade. A razão sexual foi de 1:1. Flores estaminadas são dispostas em inflorescências umbeliformes e as pistiladas são unifloras, ambas semelhantes morfologicamente. Os frutos são bagas verrucosas, polispérmicas. A taxa de formação de frutos por polinização natural foi de 95%, evidenciando a dependência dos polinizadores para a manutenção da espécie. O sucesso reprodutivo também foi alto, confirmando que a associação entre morfologia e biologia floral favoreceu a espécie nas áreas estudadas.

Phenology of two Ficus species in seasonal semi-deciduous forest in Southern Brazil

We analyzed the phenology of Ficus adhatodifolia Schott ex Spreng. (23 fig tree) and F. eximia Schott (12 fig tree) for 74 months in a remnant of seasonal semi-deciduous forest (23° 27'S and 51° 15'W), Southern Brazil and discussed their importance to frugivorous. Leaf drop, leaf flush, syconia production and dispersal were recorded. These phenophases occurred year-round, but seasonal peaks were recorded in both leaf phenophases for F. eximia and leaf flushing for F. adhatodifolia. Climatic variables analyzed were positively correlated with reproductive phenophases of F. adhatodifolia and negatively correlated with the vegetative phenophases of F. eximia. In despite of environmental seasonality, little seasonality in the phenology of two species was observed, especially in the reproductive phenology. Both species were important to frugivorous, but F. adhatodifolia can play a relevant role in the remnant.

Habitat selection by owls in a seasonal semi-deciduous forest in southern Brazil.

This paper tested the hypothesis that the structural components of vegetation have impact over the distribution of owl species in a fragment of a semi-deciduous seasonal forest. This paper also determined which vegetation variables contributed to the spatial distribution of owl species. It was developed in the Perobas Biological Reserve (PBR) between September and December 2011. To conduct the owl census, a playback technique was applied at hearing points distributed to cover different vegetation types in the study area. A total of 56 individual owls of six species were recorded: Tropical Screech-Owl (Megascops choliba), Black-capped Screech-Owl (Megascops atricapilla), Tawny-browed Owl (Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana), Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum), Mottled Owl (Strix virgata) and Stygian Owl (Asio stygius). The results suggest that the variables of vegetation structure have impact on the occurrence of owls. The canopy height, the presence of hollow trees, fallen trees and glades are the most important structural components influencing owl distribution in the sampled area.

Floristic patterns of epiphytes in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a biodiversity hotspot

To assess the main factors driving epiphytic angiosperm distribution throughout the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, we compiled 57 floristic surveys and analysed species composition under the influence of environmental variables, space and vegetation type using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), similarity (Sorensen) and Mantel's tests. The indicator value index (IndVal) was used to find indicator species of each Brazilian Atlantic Forest vegetation type. Group sharpness analysis was performed in order to determine the appropriate group partition level. CCA showed a separation of the epiphytic flora reflecting temperature and rainfall gradients. Mantel's test showed that environment and space were highly correlated with floristic similarity. Cluster analysis, indicating floristic similarity, resolved five groups, mainly grouped by region. Clear differentiation of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest epiphytic flora on a north–south axis with a strong correlation with temperature and rainfall gradients was found. The role of space and environment on species composition varied according to distinct epiphytic species groups. In particular, for Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae, the main factor associated with floristic similarity was space. Indicator species were found for all vegetation types apart from the Seasonal Semideciduous Forest that seemed to represent a subset of a more humid forest type. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 179, 587–601.

Regrowth in post-fire area in a fragment of semideciduous seasonal forest in Viçosa-MG

The sprouting is the typical response of pointers to death of trees as a result of fire, courts, diseases or physiological disorders. The present work aimed to study the regrowth ability of species remaining trees in a Seasonal Forest Semidecidual degraded by fire and assess the importance of resprouting ability in the area of recovery. The fire resulted in the destruction of 12 hectares of native vegetation, with differential levels of degradation. The study focused on the section where the effect of the fire was more severe, with total destruction of the vegetation cover. The area a complete survey of all species showing budding was performed. The diameter (cm) at the base of the bud, using a caliper, and the height (m) of the sprout with the aid of a tape was measured. It was observed that the sprouting capacity varies with the tree species and the size/age of the plant. Mabea fistulifera and Dalbergia nigra showed a higher number of shoots; Anadenanthera macrocarpa and Piptadenia gonoacantha the greatest height and diameter, the first of which also had the highest number of shoots per array; Aegiphila sellowiana showed high potential for regrowth both the stem and the roots. The widespread occurrence of grasses, especially the grass ( Melinis minutiflora ) represents a physical impediment and reduces the brightness to the by sprouting roots. Additional keywords: budding; forest fire; natural regeneration; secondary succession.

PRODUÇÃO DE SERAPILHEIRA EM FLORESTA ESTACIONAL SEMIDECIDUAL E EM PLANTIOS DE <i>Pterogyne nitens </i>Tull. e<i> Eucalyptus urophylla</i> S. T. Blake NO SUDOESTE DA BAHIA

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509819614A serapilheira constitui um dos principais componentes responsáveis pela manutenção da capacidade produtiva de sítios florestais e, sendo assim, o conhecimento da sua produção e composição pode fornecer subsídios para adequação de técnicas de manejo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar mensalmente a serapilheira produzida em uma Floresta Estacional Semidecidual (mata de cipó) e dois plantios florestais puros (de Pterogyne nitens e de Eucalyptus urophylla), localizados no município de Vitória da Conquista - BA, assim como analisar a influência de fatores climáticos nessa produção. As amostras da serapilheira foram coletadas durante dez meses, por meio de coletores quadrados com 0,25 m2. Os materiais coletados foram triados (frações: folhas, galhos, casca e estruturas reprodutivas) e secos em estufa a 60oC. As produções mensais médias de serapilheira foram de 544,6, 522,6 e 179,5 kg ha-1 nas áreas de mata de cipó, Eucalyptus urophylla e Pinus nitens, respectivamente. As folhas representaram maior proporção da serapilheira produzida nas três coberturas (65% do total). A produção mensal média de folhas foi superior na mata nativa, seguida do Eucalyptus urophylla e Pinus nitens. O aporte de galhos foi significativamente menor no povoamento de Pinus nitens e não variou entre mata de cipó e Eucalyptus urophylla. A produção de materiais reprodutivos variou na ordem: Eucalyptus urophylla > mata de cipó > Pinus nitens. A fração casca não variou entre mata de cipó e Pinus nitens, sendo superior no Eucalyptus urophylla. Em todas as coberturas estudadas verificou-se correlação significativa negativa entre produção total e temperatura média do ar. Apenas no plantio de Pinus nitens foram verificadas associações significativas do aporte de serapilheira com as variáveis precipitação e velocidade do vento. O Eucalyptus urophylla e a mata de cipó apresentam similaridade quanto à produção média de serapilheira, sendo cerca de 67% superior a produção de Pinus nitens. A variação temporal do aporte de serapilheira de Pinus nitens mostra-se bem mais sensível à influência de variáveis climáticas que a mata de cipó e o Eucalyptus urophylla. A contribuição das frações da serapilheira obedeceu a uma mesma ordem em todas as coberturas estudadas: folhas > galhos > estruturas reprodutivas > cascas.

Aves de rapina (Cathartiformes, Accipitriformes, Strigiformes e Falconiformes) na Reserva Biológica das Perobas, Paraná, Brasil, e seu entorno

In recent decades, the northwest of the state of Parana, Brazil, has undergone a dramatic suppression and fragmentation of its primary vegetation, currently there remains small and sparse forest fragments. From this perspective, this study aimed to do an inventory of and analyze the assembly of birds of prey (Cathartiformes, Accipitriformes, Strigiformes, and Falconiformes) in the Perobas Biological Reserve, a conservation area of 8,716 ha, which represents one of the last remnants with significant extent of semideciduous seasonal forest in Parana. The counting method by fixed sites, as well as hearing sites and playback, was used to sample the bird of prey species in the reserve, from June 2009 to January 2012, with a total sampling effort of 210 h. Altogether 25 raptor species were surveyed, a value corresponding to 37% of the species richness known for Parana. Among the records, 3 species are worth highlighting, Spizaetus melanoleucus, Asio flammeus, and Strix virgata, listed in the current Red Book of Endangered Fauna in Parana and poorly documented in the region. About 70% of the observed species have habits associated with forest environments, while 30% are associated with open areas, such as pastures and farmland surrounding the forest. These results reaffirm the importance of this reserve for the conservation and preservation of many bird species, especially those rare and regionally endangered.

ESTUDO DO COMPORTAMENTO DO FOGO EM UM TRECHO DE FLORESTA

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509819605O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o comportamento do fogo em um trecho de Floresta Estacional Semidecídua, usando as variáveis: intensidade do fogo, tempo de queima, material combustível, poder calorífico e calor liberado por área. Foram instaladas 10 parcelas de 5 x 5 m interdistantes em 1 m, perfazendo um total de 250 m2, em um fragmento denominado “Reserva da Biologia”, pertencente à Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Minas Gerais, (20º35’-28º50’S e 42º45’-43º00’W) onde foi realizada a queima controlada utilizando a técnica do fogo a favor do vento, obedecendo ao sentido do aclive. Determinou-se a quantidade de matéria seca, velocidade de propagação do fogo, intensidade, calor liberado e poder calorífico. O tempo de duração da queima variou entre as parcelas de 3’30” a 9’18”. A velocidade do vento, temperatura e umidade relativa do ar no dia da queima permaneceram constantes em todas as parcelas, apresentando valores de 3,5 m s-1 Norte, 20ºC e 79%, respectivamente. Os parâmetros do comportamento do fogo variaram entre as parcelas em: 0,32 a 1,10 kg m-2 para materialcombustível, 11,94 a 75,79 Kcal s-1 m-1 para a intensidade de queima e 1111 a 3789 Kcal m-2 para o calor liberado por área. Os valores médios para velocidade de propagação e poder calorífico foram 0,017 m s-1 e 4411 Kcal Kg-1, respectivamente. As condições climáticas de Viçosa em 2005 foram atípicas em relação aos outros anos, não apresentando nenhum mês seco. Esta condição interferiu nos parâmetros do comportamento do fogo, fazendo com que a queima fosse classificada como de baixa intensidade.