Southern Bahia Research Articles

PalinoFLORAS

Descrevemos a criação da Palinoteca da Floresta Atlântica Sul-Baiana (palinoFLORAS), uma coleção botânica associada ao Jardim Botânico FLORAS. Atualmente, a palinoFLORAS conta com três laminários em construção, sendo 54 registros da coleção de referência, 52 da coleção aplicada e 28 da coleção didática. A nova palinoteca tem subsidiado atividades de pesquisa e ensino de palinologia, garantindo a formação de recursos humanos nessa área. Esperamos que tal inciativa suscite a implantação de mais palinotecas no Brasil e, por consequência, promova mais estudos voltados à nossa ainda pouco conhecida palinodiversidade.

Vriesea roberto-seidelii (Bromeliaceae): taxonomy, distribution, and conservation based on new records from the Atlantic Forest of Bahia, Espírito Santo, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Vriesea roberto-seidelii is redescribed based on new specimens from Espírito Santo and from Rio de Janeiro states. It is a poorly recorded species, currently represented only by a few incomplete specimens in Brazilian herbaria. Beside the limited taxonomic treatment, we show illustrated photos with additional material supplied to complement the morphology and geographical distribution. Although originally described as related to V. lancifolia, we believe that this taxon is morphologically more closely related to V. longiscapa, from which it can be distinguished by the size of the flowering plant, size of the inflorescence and peduncle, floral bract and petal characteristics. Our data also indicate that its provenance, as mentioned for the type specimen, is incorrect. Rather than occurring in rocky fields from Chapada Diamantina habitats, the species is confined to sandy coastal plain vegetation from southern Bahia, northern Espírito Santo, and Rio de Janeiro. Pictures of live specimens, updated distributional map, and additional specimens are presented.

Surveillance of Arboviruses in Primates and Sloths in the Atlantic Forest, Bahia, Brazil.

From 2006 through 2014, we conducted seroepidemiological surveys on non-human primates and sloths to investigate the possible circulation of arboviruses in Bahia Atlantic Forest, Brazil. We collected a total of 196 samples from 103 Leontopithecus chrysomelas, 7 Sapajus xanthosternos, 22 Bradypus torquatus and 7 Bradypus variegatus. Serum samples were tested using neutralization test and hemagglutination inhibition test to detect total antibodies against 26 different arboviruses. The overall prevalence of arboviruses was 36.6% (51/139), with the genus Flavivirus having the highest prevalence (33.1%; 46/139), followed by Phlebovirus (5.0%; 7/139), Orthobunyavirus (4.3%; 6/139) and Alphavirus (0.7%; 1/139). Monotypic reactions suggest that the wild animals were exposed naturally to at least twelve arboviruses. Added results from the neutralization test, animals were exposed to thirteen arboviruses. Most of these viruses are maintained in transmission cycles independent of human hosts, although antibodies against dengue virus serotypes 1, 2 and 3 were found in this study. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting exposure to arboviruses in L. chrysomelas, S. xanthosternos and B. torquatus. Our results also highlight that the Southern Bahia Atlantic Forest has a variety of vertebrate hosts and potential vectors, which may support the emergence or re-emergence of arboviruses, including those pathogenic to humans.

On the identity of Adelophryne pachydactyla Hoogmoed, Borges, and Cascon, 1994 (Brachycephaloidea: Eleutherodactylidae).

The use of molecular data for documenting biodiversity has become more common over time as larger datasets can be generated faster. Nevertheless, studies addressing phenotypical data have not become as common. As a collateral effect, many samples used in molecular studies are assigned to a species without checking phenomic characters of the vouchers. Correct specific assignment is paramount for any biological hypothesis. A recent review of Phyzelaphryninae, while producing interesting results, has not specified how some vouchers used in molecular analyses were assigned to each species. Using new sequences from fresh material collected in Southern Bahia, we re-identify Adelophryne specimens based on molecular and morphological grounds. This new taxonomic understanding clarifies the phylogenetic position of A. pachydactyla and highlights a more parsimonious explanation for the evolution of a morphological character-the reduction of a phalange on Finger IV-within Adelophryne.

Hylomyrma villemantae sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a New Ant Species from Mountain Rainforests of the Atlantic Forest Biome

A new species of Myrmicinae, Hylomyrma villemantae Neves and Lacau (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is described after the morphology of the worker. This species is easily distinguished from any other ones in the genus by a unique combination of characters, including the fourth abdominal tergite wholly smooth and shining. This ant is probably endemic from southern Bahia in Brazil. It was collected in a forest remnant of Tropical Mountain Rainforests in the Atlantic Forest biome.

Genetic Characterization of Some Neoponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Populations Within the foetida Species Complex.

The foetida species complex comprises 13 Neotropical species in the ant genus Neoponera. Neoponera villosa Fabricius (1804) , Neoponera inversa Smith (1858), Neoponera bactronica Fernandes, Oliveira & Delabie (2013), and Neoponera curvinodis (Forel, 1899) have had an ambiguous taxonomic status for more than two decades. In southern Bahia, Brazil, these four species are frequently found in sympatry. Here we used Bayesian Inference and maximum likelihood analyses of COI and 16S mtDNA sequence data and conventional cytogenetic data together with observations on morphology to characterize sympatric populations of N. villosa, N. inversa, N. bactronica, and N. curvinodis. Our results showed marked differences in the karyotype of these ants. Both N. curvinodis and N. inversa have chromosome number of 2n = 30. Their chromosome composition, however, is distinct, which indicates that N. curvinodis is more closely related to N. bactronica. These four species clustered into three distinct groups. The close relationship between N. bactronica and N. curvinodis deserves further investigation since it has not been fully resolved here. Our results confirm that N. inversa, N. villosa, N. bactronica + N. curvinodis indeed represent four distinct taxa within the foetida species complex.

Trophic ecology of two Pithecopus species (Anura: Phyllomedusidae) living in syntopy in southern Bahia, Brazil

ABSTRACTTo coexist, two species should use available resources in different ways. These differences may happen in three different dimensions: temporal, spatial and trophic. In frogs, differences in trophic dimensions are mainly due to different sizes and types of ingested prey. We studied the diet of two syntopic Pithecopus species, addressing prey selectivity and sharing of food resources. Fieldwork was undertaken at the Michelin Ecological Reserve, southern Bahia, between the years 2011 and 2012. Stomach contents were retrieved using a flushing procedure and data on prey availability was obtained. Of the 16 invertebrate categories found in the environment, 11 were consumed by P. rohdei and 12 by P. nordestinus, features that characterize a generalist diet. The most abundant category in the diet of P. nordestinus was Diptera while Hemiptera was the most consumed prey category for P. rohdei. Trophic niche overlap was high considering the size of ingested prey and lower for categories. The selectivity index showed that both species used the resources available in the environment in a slightly different way. The differences found concerning trophic ecology of these two species seem to be sufficient to allow coexistence in the studied area.

Amphibians of the Reserva Ecológica Michelin: a high diversity site in the lowland Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, Brazil.

An inventory of the amphibians of the Reserva Ecológica Michelin – REM in southern Bahia, Brazil is presented. Sixty-nine species were recorded during a ten-year sampling period. Amphibians were distributed in two orders (Gymnophiona and Anura), belonging to twelve families [Aromobatidae (1), Bufonidae (3), Centrolenidae (1), Craugastoridae (5), Eleutherodactylidae (3), Hemiphractidae (2), Hylidae (34), Phyllomedusidae (5) Leptodactylidae (7), Microhylidae (4), Odontophrynidae (3) and Caeciliidae (1)]. Fifty per cent of the reproductive modes known for Atlantic forest anurans were recorded. While no threatened species were found at REM, six species are classified as data deficient (DD) by the Brazilian Red List of threatened species and deserve additional attention. Phasmahyla timbo and Vitreorana eurygnatha are listed as endangered in Bahia according to the list of threatened species of the state. Despite a higher diversity of amphibians in the Atlantic forest having been reported for mountainous regions, our results revealed that amphibian richness for lowland forests is also high.

Use of Cetaceans as Bait in Southern Bahia, Brazil, by Expert Fishermen that Market Shark Fins: A Lucrative Trade and Two Threatened Zoological Groups

In Brazil, despite the existence of a federal law prohibiting the capture and harassment of marine mammals, the use of fat as fishing bait has been reported. However, the processes of obtaining and using bait have not been described for southern Bahia state. The objective of this study was to learn how these processes occur in populations of fishermen along the southern coast of the state and how to minimize the negative impacts on the cetacean population. Semi-structured interviews about shark fishing and use of cetaceans as bait were conducted with 65 shark fishers from Ilhéus, Una, and Canavieiras municipalities in Brazil. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with percentage distributions. Fishermen emphasized the adipose tissue of dolphins, whales, and porpoises as preferred bait for catching sharks. Of our sample, 81.5% of fishers knew about the use of fat as bait and 56.9% knew someone who had caught cetaceans. Regarding beached whales, 67.7% reported knowing of their use and 20% had used them. This study shows the interrelation of people’s use of two zoological groups: cetaceans as bait, which represents a threat to the group, and sharks for commercialization, a group in which 75% of species are endangered. It shows the ecological impacts of these interactions. Protection measures will only be effective when they approach the local culture in an integrated manner by considering traditional customs that have developed from centuries of exploitation.

The effectiveness of acoustic indices for forest monitoring in Atlantic rainforest fragments

Forest monitoring is essential to maintain the integrity of protected areas, which has become a more pressing issue due to anthropogenic pressures and global climate change. Birds are widely used for this purpose, and as bird diversity is correlated with acoustic indices, it has been suggested that sounds can be used as an ecological indicator of ecosystem complexity and environmental changes. However, previous studies yield controversial results. Thus, we evaluated the effectiveness of six acoustic indices compared with the results obtained from a traditional point-counts survey for forest monitoring in an Atlantic rainforest fragment in Southern Bahia, Brazil. We also determined differences between acoustic indices calculated in the presence and absence of the researcher in the field to quantify the bias caused by human presence during data collection. There was a moderate correlation between the number of bird species just with the acoustic evenness index, from the six acoustic indices evaluated. We also determined that the presence of the researcher in the field at the point-count survey caused bias in acoustic indices. Therefore, more research must be done with autonomous recording units and the acoustic indices before they can be widely adopted for monitoring purposes in complex and diverse habitats such as the Atlantic tropical rainforest.

Natural infection by Trypanosoma cruzi in dogs located in Ituberá, Southern Bahia, Brazil

Chagas disease, caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is an anthropozoonosis of great importance for public health. Several species of mammals are reservoirs for this parasite, including dogs. The objective of this work was to verify the natural infection by T. cruzi in the population of dogs of the municipality of Ituberá, Bahia. A total of 392 domiciled dogs from all districts of the city were evaluated; five milliliters of blood was collected from the dogs for molecular diagnosis. T. cruzi DNA was amplified through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR); the primers P35 and P36, which amplify a fragment of 330 bp, were used. The PCR products were subjected to 2% agarose gel electrophoresis containing Sybr (Invitrogen). Of the 392 dogs evaluated, only 2 (0.51%) animals, one male and one female, tested positive for T. cruzi. This study concluded that there are dogs naturally infected by T. cruzi in the municipality of Ituberá-Bahia and that this finding is an alert to veterinarians, health professionals, and local health authorities that their own dogs can act as reservoirs of the disease.

Landscape‐scale lidar analysis of aboveground biomass distribution in secondary Brazilian Atlantic Forest

AbstractSecondary forests account for more than half of tropical forests and represent a growing carbon sink, but rates of biomass accumulation vary by a factor of two or more even among plots in the same landscape. To better understand the drivers of this variability, we used airborne lidar to measure forest canopy height and estimate biomass over 4529 ha at Serra do Conduru Park in Southern Bahia, Brazil. We measured trees in 30 georeferenced field plots (0.25‐ha each) to estimate biomass using allometry. Then we estimated aboveground biomass density (ABD) across the lidar study area using a statistical model developed from our field plots. This model related the 95th percentile of the distribution of lidar return heights toABD. We overlaid this map ofABDon a Landsat‐derived forest age map to determine rates of biomass accumulation. We found rapid initial biomass regeneration (~6 Mg/ha yr), which slowed as forests aged. We also observed high variability in both height and biomass across the landscape within forests of similar age. Nevertheless, a regression model that accounted for spatial autocorrelation and included forest age, slope, and distance to roads or open areas explained 62 and 77 percent of the landscape variation inABDand canopy height, respectively. Thus, while there is high spatial heterogeneity in forest recovery, and the drivers of this heterogeneity warrant further investigation, we suggest that a relatively simple set of predictor variables is sufficient to explain the majority of variance in both height andABDin this landscape.

Afro-brazilian women and their path to higher education: reflection on women’s voices in southern Bahia

This article examines the difficulties that Afro-Brazilian women have experienced after gaining admission into the State University of Santa Cruz in southern Bahia. Using the voices of the women whose agency helped them to become university students the article discuss the lack of academic and financial support available to them as they work toward their undergraduate degrees. In 2001, responding to pressure from community activists, including black scholars, black women feminists, and student organizations within several universities, the federal government of Brazil under President Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1995 – 2003) approved laws to remedy racial and socioeconomic inequality. Thus, the affirmative action policy set quotas to expand access to Brazil’s public services and universities for black men and women, indigenous peoples, and people with disabilities.

Contribution of Eucalyptus Harvest Residues and Nitrogen Fertilization to Carbon Stabilization in Ultisols of Southern Bahia

ABSTRACT: Eucalyptus forests in southern Bahia (BA) are planted in soils with a sandy surface layer and humid tropical climate, conditions that lead to soil carbon (C) decomposition. Recent studies have shown that nitrogen (N) may be important for soil C stabilization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of Eucalyptus harvest residues and nitrogen fertilization to C stabilization in Ultisols of southern BA. The experiment was conducted in Eucalyptus clonal plantations cultivated in two regions of [...]

Entomopathogenic fungi associated with citrus blackfly (Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby) in Southern Bahia

ABSTRACT: The Brazilian citrus industry is the world leading producer of concentrated orange juice. The presence of citrus blackfly Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Brazilian citrus orchards has led to agribusiness problems due to damages and inadequate control measures. Entomopathogenic fungi act as natural control in high precipitation regions, being important components of integrated management. The objective of this work was to identify entomopathogenic fungi associated with citrus blackfly in the southern region of the state of Bahia. Orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) and Tahiti lime (Citrus latifolia Tann.) leaves infested with citrus blackfly eggs, nymphs and pupae were collected in orchards in the municipalities of Ilhéus and Laje, Bahia, Brazil. Fragments of fungi colonies were disinfected with 70% alcohol and 2% sodium hypochlorite, and then washed with distilled water. After drying, the material was placed in Petri dishes with PDA and chloramphenicol, which were placed in bio-oxygen demand (BOD) incubators (27 ± 2 ºC, 12-hour photophase) until spore production. After isolation, the fungi were replaced in PDA Petri dishes and kept under continuous fluorescent light for 30 days to stimulate growth and spore production. The fungi isolates were preserved in test tubes containing PDA and mineral oil, and then stored at 18 ºC in a refrigerated incubator. Entomopathogenic fungi Aschersonia cf. aleyrodis Webber and Aegerita webberi Fawcett were associated with citrus blackfly in Southern Bahia.

A new species of Cosmolaelaps Berlese (Acari: Laelapidae) living in the nest of the ant Neoponera inversa (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Brazil

Until now the mite genus Cosmolaelps Berlese was represented in Brazil by eleven species. A new species, based on adults collected exclusively from the brood of the ponerine ant Neoponera inversa (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is described. Colonies of this ant were found in dried cocoa pods fallen on the floor of a cocoa tree plantation in southern Bahia. It is suggested that the mite uses the ant mainly for phoresy as these mostly arboreal ants, commonly change the site of their colony, quickly carrying the brood from one place to another.

Attitudes and Behaviors of Rural Residents Toward Different Motivations for Hunting and Deforestation in Protected Areas of the Northeastern Atlantic Forest, Brazil

Protected areas have become a vital conservation strategy to protect wildlife; however, illegal activities performed by local people within and around protected areas may undermine their conservation goals. We used information from 169 direct interviews with rural residents in order to understand the factors affecting illegal behaviors related to hunting and deforestation in three protected areas and a buffer zone of the Southern Bahian Atlantic Forest. We explored correlations between background factors, attitudes, norms, perceived behavioral control and behaviors toward different motivations for hunting (hunting for consumption, killing animals in retaliation for damage to crops or livestock, and keeping wildlife in captivity as pets), and deforestation based on insights from the Theory of Planned Behavior. Our results suggest that a combination of demographic factors, values held for protected areas and location influenced respondents’ attitudes, descriptive norms, and perceived behavioral control in the study region. We also found that components of the Theory of Planned Behavior such as attitudes and descriptive norms may be good predictors of the studied behaviors. Increasing local support for and compliance with policies of the protected areas is necessary for the long-term efficacy of these areas and for protection of species. Our findings suggest that to change behaviors of residents toward conservation in the study area, management actions should consider people’s attitudes and norms and the combination of background factors that influence these variables.

The Mind of the Copaíba Tree: Notes on Extractivism, Animism, and Ontology from Southern Bahia

This article analyzes ritualized prescriptions for harvesting oleoresin or “oil” from the copaíba tree in Brazil. These harvesting prescriptions involve increasingly complex attributions of mind to the copaíba tree itself. The copaíba tree is widespread throughout the Americas, and for centuries has been well-known for the medicinal oil that can be extracted from its trunk. In Brazil, contemporary knowledge of the copaíba tree is bound up with colonial history and what were often destructive extractivist economies. Whereas historical accounts of the copaíba tree are often limited to mechanistic descriptions for extracting oil, this article examines attributions of mind that harvesters make to the copaíba tree. These attributions can be read from procedures for extracting oil. Such procedures are concerned with moon cycles, tree marking, sexual activity, and gaze. The article shows that such prescriptions have a wide transregional and interethnic distribution, from the Amazon Basin in northern Brazil to the Atlantic Forest on Bahia’s southern coast. New evidence from southern Bahia also involves prescriptions concerning speech and naming, which presuppose that the copaíba tree is sensitive to intentionality and human language. These mind attributions are inferred through pragmatic analysis of the (ontological) presuppositions that are embedded by harvesting prescriptions. The contribution concludes with reflections on the implications of this presuppositional analytic approach for debates concerned with animism and the “ontological turn.”

Variability and correlation of physical attributes of soils cultivated with cacao trees in two climate zones in Southern Bahia, Brazil

Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is a very important crop in Southern Bahia, Brazil, which needs good climate and soil conditions and management for great productivity. In this region, cacao is grown on a large number of soil types, and soil properties have great effects on its sustainability and production potentials. The aim of this study was to evaluate the variability of physical attributes of soils cultivated with cacao in two climate zones in Southern Bahia, Brazil, as well as to evaluate the correlation between these physical attributes. Eighty soil samples were evaluated from 20 cacao farms with cacao agroforestry systems, from the 0–0.1 and 0.1–0.3 m soil layers. The soil analyses comprised granulometry, soil bulk density, particle density, porosity (total, macro, and micro), gravimetric moisture, and soil resistance to penetration. The data were submitted to descriptive statistical analysis and correlation between variables. Most variables had normal distribution (p > 0.05) and high variability. In general, these soils had good physical conditions for the production of cacao, except for the high resistance to root penetration which can be limiting factor. The greatest differences in physical attributes of the soils were: gravimetric moisture, resistance to penetration, macroporosity, and sand content. The correlations between physical attributes of the soils varied according to the sampled layer and the climate zone. The resistance to penetration was not correlated with any of the determined physical attribute.

Springtails (Collembola) Associated with Nests of Fungus-Growing Ants (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini) in Southern Bahia, Brazil

Abstract Four species of Collembola were found in nests of the ant genera Myrmicocrypta, Trachymyrmex and Sericomyrmex of the tribe Attini (Formicidae: Myrmicinae). The panmyrmecophilic collembolan Cyphoderus (Lepidocyrtidae: Cyphoderinae) was the most abundant and was associated with all the ants. The collembolan genus Mucrosomia (Isotomidae: Anurophorinae) was found for the first time in ant nests. This is the first list of springtails found in nests of fungus-growing ants other than those belonging to the genera Atta and Acromyrmex (Formicidae: Myrmicinae).