			Home About us Contact

Atlantic Forest (atlantic + forest)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Life Sciences	81%

Distribution within Life Sciences

Conservation Science	8%

Kinds of Atlantic Forest

brazilian atlantic forest

Selected Abstracts

Conservation of Brazilian Amphibians

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2005
DÉBORA L. SILVANO
The Brazilian Official List of Threatened Species and the results of a workshop for the Global Amphibian Assessment indicate that 26 species are threatened. The majority of these occur in the Atlantic Forest, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. The main threat to amphibians is the destruction of their habitats through deforestation, conversion into agricultural land, mining, wildfires, and infrastructure development and urbanization. In Brazil little is known about other causes of amphibian decline observed worldwide, such as pesticides, infectious diseases, climate change, invasive species, or wildlife trade. Brazilian conservation policies include such important legal instruments as the Official List of Threatened Species and the selection of priority areas for conservation measures in all of Brazil's major biomes. Although there is little information on geographic distributions and the natural history and ecology of the large majority of the currently recognized species, a number of important regional studies for amphibian conservation are under way. New species are discovered each year. Resumen:,Brasil es el líder mundial en diversidad de anfibios, con 765 especies, la mayoría de las cuales han sido descritas en los últimos 40 años. La Lista Brasileña Oficial de Especies Amenazadas y los resultados de un taller para la Evaluación Global de Anfibios indican que 26 especies están amenazadas, la mayoría de ellas ocurre en el Bosque Atlántico, uno de los sitios de importancia para la biodiversidad global. La principal amenaza a los anfibios es la destrucción de sus hábitats por la deforestación, conversión a tierras agrícolas, minería, fuego no controlado, desarrollo de infraestructura y urbanización. En Brasil se conoce poco sobre otras causas de la declinación de anfibios observadas en todo el mundo, como pesticidas, enfermedades infecciosas, cambio climático, especies invasoras o comercio de vida silvestre. Las políticas Brasileñas de conservación incluyen importantes instrumentos legales como la Lista Oficial de Especies Amenazadas y la selección de áreas prioritarias para la conservación en todos lo biomas principales de Brasil. Existe escasa información sobre la distribución geográfica y la historia natural y ecología de la gran mayoría de las especies reconocidas actualmente, aunque se está desarrollando un importante número de estudios regionales para la conservación de anfibios. Cada año se descubren nuevas especies. [source]

Influence of the human activity in the Atlantic Forest and in the prevalence of etiological agents of dermatophytosis in a coastal city of Southern Brazil [Ubatuba (São Paulo)]

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 8 2008
Roseli Santos De Freitas MA
No abstract is available for this article. [source]

Birds and army ants in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

JOURNAL OF FIELD ORNITHOLOGY, Issue 4 2009
Christiana M. A. Faria
ABSTRACT Little is known about the birds associated with army-ant swarms in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Our objectives were to locate and monitor army-ant swarms in the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil and to identify the species of birds that attended the swarms and exhibited bivouac-checking behavior. From July 2004 to August 2005, we located 49 swarms of army ants, including 28 Eciton burchelli, 19 Labidus praedator, and 2 Eciton vagans swarms. No birds were present at 17 (35%) swarms. At 32 swarms where birds were present, 22 (69%) were E. burchelli swarms and 10 (31%) were L. praedator swarms. No birds were observed at the two E. vagans swarms. We identified 66 species of birds attending the swarms, but only 43 species were observed foraging on prey flushed by the ants. Eighteen of these species had not been previously reported to forage in association with army-ant swarms. Most birds observed during our study attended army-ant swarms opportunistically, with White-shouldered Fire-eyes (Pyriglena leucoptera) the only obligate ant follower. Our observations suggest that the arthropods and other organisms flushed by army ants represent an important food resource for several species of birds in the Atlantic forest ecosystem. RESUMEN Se conoce poco sobre las aves asociadas con los enjambres de las hormigas soldado en el bosque Atlántico de Brasil. Nuestros objetivos fueron de localizar y monitorear los enjambres de las hormigas soldado en el bosque húmedo del Atlántico en Brasil e identificar las especies de aves que se encontraban junto con los enjambres y que chequeaban a los vivaques de las hormigas. Desde Julio 2004 hasta Agosto 2005, localizamos 49 enjambres de hormigas soldado, incluyendo a 28 enjambres de Eciton burchelli, 19 de Labidus praedator, y dos de Eciton vagans. No detectamos aves en 17 (35%) de los enjambres. En 32 enjambres donde encontramos aves, 22 (69%) eran enjambres de E. burchelli y 10 (31%) eran enjambres de L. praedator. No observamos aves en los dos enjambres de E. vagans. Identificamos 66 especies de aves junto con los enjambres, pero solo 43 especies fueron observadas comiendo las presas ahuyentadas por las hormigas. Dieciocho de estas especies no habían sido anteriormente reportadas forrajeando en conjunto con los enjambres de las hormigas soldado. La mayoría de las aves observadas durante nuestro estudio forrajeaban junto con las hormigas de manera oportunística, con Pyriglena leucoptera siendo la única especie que forrajeaba obligatoriamente con las hormigas soldado. Nuestras observaciones sugieren que los artrópodos y otros organismos que son ahuyentados por las hormigas soldado representan un recurso de comida para una variedad de especies de aves en el ecosistema del bosque Atlántico. [source]

PERMANENT GENETIC RESOURCES: Characterization of eight microsatellite loci in the woolly mouse opossum, Micoureus paraguayanus, isolated from Micoureus demerarae

MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 2 2008
I. M. G. DIAS
Abstract Eight novel microsatellite markers were isolated from the woolly mouse opossum from the Amazon Forest in Peru, Micoureus demerarae, using a partial genomic DNA library and an enrichment protocol. These loci were polymorphic in M. demerarae and Micoureus paraguayanus populations from the Atlantic Forest in Brazil with the number of alleles ranging from two to 23. Those eight loci plus another five already described for M. paraguayanus will allow for the evaluation of genetic diversity of populations from the ,Rio Doce' Park, one of the last Atlantic Forest fragments in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. [source]

Impact of yellow fever outbreaks on two howler monkey species (Alouatta guariba clamitans and A. caraya) in Misiones, Argentina

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2010
Ingrid Holzmann
Abstract Two yellow fever outbreaks (YFOs) ocurred in northeastern Argentina between November 2007 and October 2008, seriously affecting populations of two howler monkey species: the brown howler Alouatta guariba clamitans and the black howler Alouatta caraya. Both howlers live syntopically in El Piñalito Provincial Park, Misiones, where four groups (36 individuals) were studied since January 2005. The first dead howlers were found on January 20, 2008, in El Piñalito. Systematic searches found 14 dead howlers within the area (12 from the study groups and two from neighboring groups), with only two young seen on January 25, 2008, and none found since up to December 2008. In October 2008, another YFO hit howler monkey populations from El Soberbio, Misiones. Overall, 59 howlers were found dead in Misiones from November 2007 to December 2008. Thanks to the alert of the howler's death in El Piñalito, a prompt human vaccination campaign started in the area. Wild howler monkey populations from both species are in a delicate situation in Misiones, especially the brown howler, an already endangered species in Argentina and endemic to the Atlantic Forest. If we add the recurrence of YFOs to the reduction of suitable habitat to small fragments, it could be only a matter of time until howler populations disappear from the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest in Misiones. Am. J. Primatol. 72:475,480, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Are howler monkey species ecologically equivalent?

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
Alouatta caraya, Trophic niche overlap in syntopic Alouatta guariba clamitans
Abstract According to the principle of competitive exclusion, niche differentiation allows the stable coexistence of closely related species. We analyzed dietary profile and diversity, and dietary overlap between syntopic brown howlers (BR; Alouatta guariba clamitans) and black and gold howlers (BLG; A. caraya) in the Atlantic Forest of NE Argentina, with the objective of evaluating the degree of trophic niche overlap and potential interspecific competition for food. During 12 months, we collected data on feeding behavior of two groups of each howler species using the scan sampling method, together with data on food availability. Both at the group- and species-level, we analyzed feeding behavior in terms of monthly percentages of time spent feeding on each food type and specific food item, dietary diversity (Shannon index H,), and we estimated dietary overlap using the percentage index and the Morisita,Horn index (CH). Across months, both howlers showed species-specific preferences for certain food items, and BLG had a more diverse diet (mean±SE, H,=2.77±0.08) than BR (H,=2.39±0.09). However, diets of both species overlapped extensively (percentage index=45.64±2.97%; CH=0.6±0.05) and diets of conspecific groups did not overlap more than diets of groups of different species. Given their high degree of trophic overlap, syntopic BR and BLG meet one of the conditions necessary for interspecific food competition to occur. Although at present we lack direct evidence for interspecific competition in these howler species, we conclude that high levels of niche overlap may have an important role in maintaining the essentially parapatric distribution of howler species throughout the Neotropics. Am. J. Primatol. 72:173,186, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Population genetic studies of Alouatta belzebul from the Amazonian and Atlantic Forests

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2008
F.F. Nascimento
Abstract Cytochrome b DNA sequence data (ca. 1,140,bp) of 66 Alouatta belzebul from the Amazonian and the Atlantic Forests of Brazil were used for phylogenetic reconstructions and population studies. Our sample consisted of 60 specimens from the Amazonian Forest (captured in 1984 and 1998 in Pará-PA state) and six specimens from the Atlantic Forest (Paraíba-PB state). We found 32 haplotypes, 23 in PA-1984 (with 12 present in more than one individual), 11 in PA-1998 (with two present in more than one individual), and a single haplotype in the PB sample. Animals from PA-1984 and PA-1998 shared three haplotypes while animals from Pará and Paraíba did not share any haplotype. We found 57 variable sites, consisting of 53 transitions and four transversions, with most replacements occurring at third codon position (77.19%) and less frequently at first and second positions (10.53 and 12.28%, respectively). Genetic distance between all haplotypes varied between 0 and 1.2%. Nucleotide diversity estimates between PA-1984 haplotypes and PA-1998 haplotypes were the same (,=0.01), and haplotype diversity estimates were very similar (h=0.96 and 0.93 for PA-1984 and PA-1998, respectively). Maximum parsimony, median-joining, split decomposition, and TCS showed that PA and PB haplotypes had not drastically diverged and that subsequent radiation within these regions was not apparent. No temporal structure was found between PA-1984 and PA-1998. The sum of square deviation estimate for PA-1984 equaled 0.01 (P=0.23), in agreement with a hypothetical model of sudden expansion contrary to PA-1998 whose sum of square deviation estimate (0.40; P=0.04) was not compatible with this model, although the small sample size of PA-1998 as well as the smaller area of capture could have also accounted for this result. Fu's Fs and R2 statistical neutrality tests corroborated these propositions. Lack of drastic differentiation was attributable to the once existing connection between the Atlantic and the Amazonian forests at a non-distant past. Am. J. Primatol. 70:423,431, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Contributions of ethnobiology to the conservation of tropical rivers and streams

AQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 3 2008
R.A.M. Silvano
Abstract 1.This study aimed to link basic ethnobiological research on local ecological knowledge (LEK) to the conservation of Brazilian streams, based on two case studies: original data on LEK of fishermen about freshwater fish in the Negro River, Amazon, and previously published data about LEK of farmers on the ecological relationship between forest and streams in the Macabuzinho catchment, Atlantic Forest. 2.Information was obtained from fishermen through interviews using standard questionnaires containing open-ended questions. Informants for interview were selected either following some defined criteria or applying the ,snowball' method. 3.Fishermen's LEK about the diets and habitats of 14 fish species in the Negro River provided new biological information on plant species that are eaten by fish, in addition to confirming some ecological patterns from the biological literature, such as dependence of fish on forests as food sources. 4.In the Atlantic Forest, a comparison between farmers' LEK and a rapid stream assessment in the farmers' properties indicated that farmers tended to overestimate the ecological integrity of their streams. Farmers recognized at least 11 forest attributes that correspond to the scientific concept of ecosystem services. Such information may be useful to promote or enhance dialogue among farmers, scientists and managers. 5.These results may contribute to the devising of ecosystem management measures in the Negro River, aimed to conserve both rivers and their associated floodplain forests, involving local fishermen. In the Atlantic Forest, we proposed some initiatives, such as to allow direct economic use of their forests to conciliate conflicting perceptions of farmers about ecological benefits versus economic losses from reforestation. Despite their cultural, environmental and geographical differences, the two study cases are complementary and cost-effective and promising approaches to including LEK in the design of ecological research. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Occasional intraguild predation structuring small mammal assemblages: the marsupial Didelphis aurita in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

AUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2009
MAÍRA C. MOURA
Abstract The didelphid marsupial, Didelphis aurita, is suggested as an intraguild predator and as key-species in small mammal assemblages of the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The field experiments required to test this hypothesis are complex to implement, but the recent revival of regression methods offers a viable alternative. Here we use the dynamic and static regression methods to determine the importance of D. aurita as a competitor and intraguild predator. Capture,recapture data from two localities in the Rio de Janeiro State were used, Garrafão (municipality of Guapimirim), a coastal forest of the Serra do Mar, and Barra de Maricá, a costal sand dune vegetation. Population and microhabitat variables were monitored from April 1997 to April 2003 in Garrafão, and from January 1986 to July 1990 in Barra de Maricá. Microhabitat variables were related to Canopy, Plant, Litter and Rock covers, Obstruction from 0 to 1.5 m, and Number of logs. Exploitation competition was tested by the dynamic method, which models the effects of D. aurita on the per capita growth rate of a species. Interference by predation or competition was tested by the static method, where the abundance of D. aurita at trap stations was regressed against the abundance of other small mammals, after removal of any variation associated with microhabitat factors. Exploitation competition was not detected, but the interference of D. aurita was pervasive, affecting all small mammals studied in the two localities. The clear avoidance of D. aurita by all small mammals tested in two localities of different physiognomies indicates that it functions as an intraguild predator, even if actual predation by D. aurita is an occasional event. [source]

Population structure in the catfish Trichogenes longipinnis: drift offset by asymmetrical migration in a tiny geographic range

BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 2 2009
KELLY R. ZAMUDIO
Based on population genetic theory and empirical studies of small populations, we expect that species with very small ranges (narrow endemics) will exhibit reduced genetic diversity, increasing their susceptibility to the negative effects of genetic homogeneity. Although this pattern of reduced diversity applies to most narrow endemics, conservation biologists have yet to identify a general pattern for the degree of spatial population genetic structure expected in species with very small ranges. In part, this is because the degree of population structure within narrow endemics will be highly variable depending on the equilibrium between the homogenizing effects of dispersal and the diversifying effects of drift and local selection in small populations, thus precluding general predictions about the relative importance of small range, small population sizes, and habitat patchiness for maintaining genetic diversity in narrowly-distributed species. We document a striking example of high population structure in the tiny geographic range of a stream-dwelling catfish, Trichogenes longipinnis, endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The maintenance of this diversity results from a combination of asymmetrical and limited dispersal, and drift in small populations. Our results highlight the need to understand population structure, and not only overall genetic diversity, of narrowly-distributed species for their conservation planning. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 97, 259,274. [source]

Edge Effects and Seedling Bank Depletion: The Role Played by the Early Successional Palm Attalea oleifera (Arecaceae) in the Atlantic Forest

BIOTROPICA, Issue 2 2010
Antônio Venceslau Aguiar
ABSTRACT In this study, we examined the impacts of Attalea oleifera on the structure of seedling bank and discuss potential mechanisms of palm influence. Seed rain, seedling bank, and palm leaf fall were assessed beneath the canopy and in the vicinity of 16 adult palms across the edges of a large fragment (3500 ha) of the Atlantic forest. Moreover, we examined A. oleifera impacts on seed germination and seedling mortality by experimentally submitting seeds and seedlings to prolonged palm-leaf covering. As expected, seedling bank beneath the adults exhibited reduced abundance and species richness at local and habitat scale. Small to large seeds (3.1,30 mm) were underrepresented in the seed rain below adults palms, while experimental leaf covering drastically reduced both seed germination and seedling survivorship. A. oleifera leaf fall occurred over the whole year (3.6±2.7 leaves/individual/yr), which resulted in deep leaf litter mounds (10.7±9.2 cm). Finally, adult palm density (21.6±11.9 individuals/ha) correlated negatively with seedling density across Attalea clusters. Our results suggest that A. oleifera exerts negative effects on the seedling bank by reducing seedling abundance and richness as a consequence of two complementary mechanisms: impoverished and size-biased seed rain plus reduced seed germination and increased seedling mortality due to prolonged covering by fallen leaves. Abstract in Portuguese is available at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/btp [source]

Seed Dispersal of the Palm Syagrus romanzoffiana by Tapirs in the Semi-deciduous Atlantic Forest of Argentina

BIOTROPICA, Issue 4 2009
Mariano I. Giombini
ABSTRACT Vertebrates play a fundamental role in the dispersal of Neotropical trees, generating different seed shadows according to their physical and behavioral features. Tapirs are capable of consuming great quantities of large fruits, and they defecate seeds far from parent trees. For instance, intact seeds of the palm Syagrus romanzoffiana have been found in tapir dung piles in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, suggesting that tapirs effectively disperse this species. However, recruitment was not examined therein. We studied tapir endozoochory of large and medium seeds in the semi-deciduous Atlantic Forest of Argentina by examining dung piles found within Iguazu National Park. We recorded dung-pile positions to evaluate the spatial distribution. We also counted the number of juveniles in 2 × 2 m quadrats placed on old dung piles in latrines, beneath adults and in random sites to estimate recruitment levels. Syagrus romanzoffiana seeds were present in 98 percent of dung piles, averaging >200 seeds/dung pile, indicating that this species constitutes the main fruit component in the tapir's diet. Dung piles showed a clumped deposition pattern reflecting the use of latrines. Juvenile recruitment in latrines was 21 times higher than that of under-adult sites and 500 times greater than in random sites, and correlated with the frequency of use of the areas. We concluded that the lowland tapir is a major disperser of S. romanzoffiana. Given that this palm can be considered a keystone species, a disruption of this interaction might affect the entire community of frugivores in the long term. [source]

Importance of Interhabitat Gaps and Stepping-Stones for Lesser Woodcreepers (Xiphorhynchus fuscus) in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil

BIOTROPICA, Issue 3 2008
Danilo Boscolo
ABSTRACT Translocation experiments showed that a woodcreeper bird species is able to move between isolated forest fragments, but this ability is limited by increasing interpatch distances. Larger distances (> 100 m) were overcome by using small stepping-stones (isolated trees), which enhance connectivity and are useful for the species conservation in fragmented landscapes. RESUMO Experimentos de translocação demonstraram que uma espécie de arapaçu é capaz de mover-se entre fragmentos florestais, mas essa habilidade é limitada por seu isolamento. Distâncias maiores que 100 m foram vencidas com o uso de árvores isoladas, as quais aumentam a conectividade e são úteis para a conservação dessa espécie em paisagens fragmentadas. [source]

Bat Species Richness in Atlantic Forest: What Is the Minimum Sampling Effort?

BIOTROPICA, Issue 2 2003
Helena Godoy Bergallo
ABSTRACT Species lists are sources of information for studies of both conservation and macroecology. It is, however, important to differentiate between relatively complete lists and extremely incomplete ones. The aim of this study was to evaluate how sampling effort typically used in inventories affects the number of bat species captured in areas of Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. We also evaluated if the number of sampled sites, size of the sampled area, and sampling effort (net hours) affect species richness. We used previously reported data from studies in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais States, and our own data collected during 1989 and 2001. Nonlinear models fit well the data for Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais States and all states together, but not for São Paulo State. Genera richness showed a similar pattern to that of species richness. The model used to explain the relationship between species richness and size of the study area, number of sites, and sampling effort sampled was significant. The number of sites sampled explained a significant part of the variation observed; however, other variables contributed nothing to the model, suggesting that capturing beta diversity is the most important aspect of biodiversity surveys for bats, and that increasing net hours at a given location is much more inefficient than distributing net hours across locations. We suggest 1000 captures as the minimum necessary when sampling with mist nets to capture the majority of phyllostomid species for a given site (alpha diversity). In addition, we suggest that shifting the position of the mist nets between nights will increase the probability of capturing more species. RESUMO As listas de espécies são fontes de informações para estudos, tanto de conservação quanto de macroecologia. Entretanto, é importante diferenciar entre listas relativamente completas daquelas seriamente incompletas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar como o esforco amostral mínimo tipicamente usado em inventários afeta o número de especies de morcegos capturados em áreas de Mata Atlãntica do sudeste do Brasil. Nós também avaliamos se o número de pontos amostrados, o tamanho da área amostrada e o esforço de captura (hora-rede) afetam a riqueza de espécies. Nós usamos dados disponíveis de estudos desenvolvidos nos estados do Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo e Minas Gerais, e os nossos próprios dados coletados de 1989 a 2001. Modelos não-lineares se ajustaram para os estados do Rio de Janeiro e Minas Gerais e todos os estados juntos, mas não para o Estado de São Paulo. A riqueza de g,neros mostrou o mesmo padrão da riqueza de espécies. O modelo usado para expliçãr a relacao entre riqueza de espécies e tamanho da área de estudo, número de pontos amostrados e esforço amostral foi significative. O número de pontos amostrados explicou uma parte significante da variação observada. Contudo, as outras variáveis não contribuiram para o modelo, sugerindo que capturar a diversidade Beta é o aspecto mais importante de inventários de biodiversidade para morcegos, e que o aumento de horas-rede numa dada localidade é muito mais ineficiente do que distribuir horas-rede entre localidades. Nós sugerimos 1000 capturas como o mínimo necessário para amostrar, com redes de neblina, a maioria das espécies de filostomídeos de uma dada área (diversidade Alfa). Adicionalmente, sugerimos que mudando a posição das redes entre noites aumentará a probabilidade de capturar um maior número de espéciesS. [source]

Jaguar (Panthera onca) Food Habits in Atlantic Rain Forest of Southeastern Brazil,

BIOTROPICA, Issue 4 2001
Ricardo C. Garla
ABSTRACT Between January and December 1996, the food habits of a relict population of jaguars were studied in 220 km2 Linhares Forest Preserve, which comprises much of the remaining old-growth Atlantic Forest of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Fecal analysis indicated opportunistic feeding on 24 prey species (N= 101 scats). Mammals represented 87 percent of the total items, followed by reptiles (9.8%) and birds (2.8%). Considering prey weight, 23.4 percent of the items weighed 1,3 kg, 40.5 percent were 3,10 kg, and 27.7 percent weighed more than 10 kg. Analysis of relative prey frequency and biomass indicated that the diet was concentrated in two prey types: long-nosed armadillo and white-lipped peccary. Literature data suggest that forest jaguars rely on the same mammal prey over their entire geographic range. RESUMES Entre janeiro e dezembro de 1996, os hábiros alimentares de uma populaçáo da onga pinrada foram estudados na Reserva Florestal de Linhares (220 km2), que cornpreende 25 porcento da floresra Atlintica primlria remanescente do Esrado do Espirito Santo, Brasil. A andise de fezes indicou o consumo de 24 esptcies de presas (N = 101 arnosrras). Mamiferos representaram 87 porcento do total de itens, seguidos por rtpteis (9.8%) e aves (2.8%). Considerando o peso das presas 23.4 porcento dos itens pesavam entre 1 e 3 kg, 40.5 porcenro de 3 a 10 kg, e 27.7 porcento acima de 10 kg. De acordo com a análise de freqütncia relariva de ocorrsncia e a estimariva de biomassa relativa, a dieta concentra-se em dois itens: o tatu galinha e queixada. A onga pintada parece basear sua dieta nas mesmas esptcies de mamiferos ao longo de sua distribuig8o geogrlfica. [source]

Population genetic studies of Alouatta belzebul from the Amazonian and Atlantic Forests

Patterns of Floristic Differentiation among Atlantic Forests in Southeastern Brazil and the Influence of Climate,

BIOTROPICA, Issue 4b 2000
Ary T. Oliveira-Filho
ABSTRACT The tree flora of southeastern Brazilian Atlantic forests was investigated according to two main aspects: (a) the variations in floristic composition of bodi rain and semi-deciduous forests were analyzed in terms of geographic and climatic variables by performing multivariate analyses on 125 existing floristic checklists; and (b) the links of both rain and semi-deciduous forests to Amazonian forests and Cerrados (woody savanna) were assessed. All analyses were performed at the species, genus, and family levels. The information obtained for the 125 forest areas was organized into an environmental database containing geographic and climatic records, and a floristic database containing binary presence records for 2532 species, 520 genera, and 106 families. Canonical correspondence analyses (CCA) were utilized to assess the relationship between geographic and climatic variables, and tree flora composition. Venn diagrams and cluster analyses were used to assess the floristic links to Amazonian forests and Cerrados. The following patterns were detected at all three taxonomic levels: (a) the differentiation between rain and semi-deciduous forests is floristically consistent and strongly correlated with rainfall regime, although transitions may be abrupt to gradual; (b) a north,south differentiation exists for both rain and semi-deciduous forests, probably caused by variations in both temperature and rainfall regime; (c) The flora of semi-deciduous forests also changes with increasing distance from the ocean and the associated increasing rainfall seasonality; and (d) elevation and associated temperatures are strongly correlated with the internal differentiation of both rain and semi-deciduous forests. To a considerable extent, the tree flora of semi-deciduous forests is a subset of the rain forest flora, probably extracting species that are able to cope with a longer dry season. There is greater floristic similarity at the species level between Atlantic rain and semi-deciduous forests than between any of these and either Amazonian rain forests or Cerrados. Nevertheless, semi-deciduous forests and Cerrados show stronger links, particularly at the generic and familial levels. Therefore, rhere is little floristic ground for viewing Atlantic rain forests as being closer to their Amazonian counterparts than to the adjacent semi-deciduous forests. The most appropriate view of rain and semi-deciduous forests in southeastern Brazil is that of a continuum in tree species distribution. We suggest that the definition of Atlantic forests should be as comprehensive as that of Amazonian forests. RESUMO A flora arbórea das florestas Atlãnticas do sudeste do Brasil é investigada sob dois aspectos principals: (a) as varia¸ões em composi¸ão florística de florestas ombrófilas e semidecíduas são analisadas sob a ótica de variáveis geográficas e climáticas por meio de análises multivariadas de 125 listagens florísticas existentes na literatura; e (b) os la¸os das florestas ombrófilas e semidecíduas com as florestas Amazõnicas e cerrados são avaliados. Todas análises foram feitas nos níveis de espécie, gênero e família. A informa¸ão obtida para as 125 áreas de floresta foi organizada em um banco de dados ambientais, contendo registros geográficos e climáticos, e um banco de dados florísticos, contendo registros binários de presen¸a para 2532 espécies, 520 gêneros e 106 famílias. Análises de correspondência canõnica (ACC) foram utilizadas para avaliar as rela¸ões entre variáveis geográficas e climáticas e a composi¸ão da flora arbórea. Diagramas de Venn e análises de agrupamento foram utilizados para avaliar os la¸os florísticos com florestas Amazõnicas e cerrados. Os seguintes padrões foram detectados para todos os níveis taxonõmicos: (a) A diferencia¸ão entre florestas ombrófilas e semidecíduas é floristicamente consistente e fortemente correlacionada com o regime de chuvas, embora as transi¸ões possam ser abruptas a graduais; (b) Há uma diferencia¸ão norte-sul tanto para florestas ombrófilas como semidecíduas, provavelmente causada por varia¸ões em temperatura e regime de chuvas; (c) A flora das florestas semidecíduas também muda com a distãncia do oceano e o correspondente aumento da dura¸ão da esta¸ão seca; e (d) Altitude e suas correspondentes varia¸ões de temperatura são fortemente correlacionadas com a diferencia¸ão interna tanto das florestas ombrófilas como semidecíduas. A flora arbórea das florestas semidecíduas é, em boa medida, um sub-conjunto da flora das florestas ombrófilas, provavelmente extraindo espécies capazes de enfrentar uma esta¸ão seca mais prolongada. Há mais similaridade florística, no nível de espécies, entre florestas Atlãnticas ombrófilas e semidecíduas do que entre qualquer destas e as florestas Amazõnicas, ou mesmo os cerrados. No entanto, florestas semidecíduas e cerrados mostram la¸os florísticos mais fortes, particularmente nos níveis de gênero e família. Portanto, há pouco fundamento florístico para se pensar nas florestas ombrófilas Atlãnticas como mais próximas de suas correspondentes Amazõnicas do que de suas vizinhas semidecíduas. A abordagem mais correta para florestas ombrófilas e semidecíduas do sudeste brasileiro é de um contínue de distribui¸ão de espécies. Sugerimos, portanto, que a defini¸ão de florestas Atlãnticas deve ser tão abrangente quanto a das florestas Amazõnicas. [source]

Regional assessment of the impact of climatic change on the distribution of a tropical conifer in the lowlands of South America

DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 6 2007
Marie-Pierre Ledru
Abstract For decades, palynologists working in tropical South America are using the genus Podocarpus as a climate indicator although without referring to any modern data concerning its distribution and limiting factors. With the aim to characterize the modern and past distribution of the southern conifer Podocarpus in Brazil and to obtain new information on the distribution of the Atlantic rainforest during the Quaternary, we examined herbarium data to locate the populations of three Brazilian endemic Podocarpus species: P. sellowii, P. lambertii, and P. brasiliensis, and extracted DNA from fresh leaves from 26 populations. Our conclusions are drawn in the light of the combination of these three disciplines: botany, palynology, and genetics. We find that the modern distribution of endemic Podocarpus populations shows that they are widely dispersed in eastern Brazil, from north to south and reveals that the expansion of Podocarpus recorded in single Amazonian pollen records may have come from either western or eastern populations. Genetic analysis enabled us to delimit regional expansion: between 5° and 15° S grouping northern and central populations of P. sellowii expanded c. 16,000 years ago; between 15° and 23° S populations of either P. lambertii or sellowii expanded at different times since at least the last glaciation; and between 23° and 30° S, P. lambertii appeared during the recent expansion of the Araucaria forest. The combination of botany, pollen, and molecular analysis proved to be a rapid tool for inferring distribution borders for sparse populations and their regional evolution within tropical ecosystems. Today the refugia of rainforest communities we identified are crucial hotspots to allow the Atlantic forest to survive under unfavourable climatic conditions and, as such, offer the only possible opportunity for this type of forest to expand in the event of a future climate change. [source]

Effect of selective logging on forest structure and nutrient cycling in a seasonally dry Brazilian Atlantic forest

JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2006
Dora Maria Villela
Abstract Aim, The Brazilian Atlantic forest covers c. 10% of its original extent, and some areas are still being logged. Although several ecological studies in Atlantic forest have been published over the past two to three decades, there has been little research on forest dynamics and there is a particular lack of information on the effects of disturbance. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of selective logging on forest structure, floristic composition soil nutrients, litterfall and litter layer in a seasonally dry Atlantic forest. Location, The Mata do Carvão is located in the Guaxindiba Ecological Reserve in São Francisco do ltabapoana district (21°24, S, 41°04, W), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methods, Four plots (50 × 50 m) were set up in 1995 in each of two stands: unlogged and logged. In each plot, all trees , 10 cm d.b.h. were enumerated, identified and measured. Vouchers were lodged at UENF Herbarium. Five surface soil samples were collected in each plot in the dry season (in October 1995). Litterfall was collected in eight traps (0.50 m2) in each plot over a year from 14 November 1995 to 11 November 1996. The litter layer was sampled in eight quadrats (0.25 m2) in each plot in the dry and wet seasons. Soils were air-dried, sieved, and chemically analysed. The litter was dried (80 °C), sorted into six fractions, weighed and bulked samples analysed for nutrients. Results, Forest stands did not differ in stem density and total basal area, with a total of 1137 individuals sampled in 1996 (564 unlogged and 573 logged), and a total basal area of 15 m2 (unlogged) and 13.0 m2 (logged). However, unlogged stands had more large trees (, 30 cm in d.b.h.) and greater mean canopy height. Among the families, Rutaceae and Leguminosae were the most abundant families in both sites, although the Rutaceae had a higher density in unlogged and Leguminosae in the logged stand. The species diversity index was similar between stands. Late-successional species, such as Metrodorea nigra var. brevifolia and Paratecoma peroba, were less abundant in the logged stand. Selective logging did not affect nutrient concentrations in the soil or in the litter. However, quantities of the nutrients in the total litterfall and in the leaf litterfall and litter layer were higher in unlogged than in logged stands, mainly as a result of fallen M. nigra leaves. Metrodorea nigra was considered a key species in the nutrients dynamics in Carvão forest. Main conclusions, Despite the fact that effects on tree diversity and soil nutrients were not clear, selective logging in this Atlantic forest altered canopy structure, increased the relative abundance of some early-secondary species and decreased the litter input and stock of nutrients. Detailed information on the influence of logging on the distribution and structure of plant populations and in nutrient processes is fundamental for a sustainable logging system to be developed. [source]

Combining mitochondrial DNA sequences and morphological data to infer species boundaries: phylogeography of lanceheaded pitvipers in the Brazilian Atlantic forest, and the status of Bothrops pradoi (Squamata: Serpentes: Viperidae)

JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2001
G. Puorto
Phylogeographic studies using mitochondrial DNA sequence information are frequently used as the principal source of evidence to infer species boundaries. However, a critical analysis of further evidence is essential to test whether different haplotype clades identify different species. We demonstrate a hypothesis-testing approach, using a combination of phylogeographic methods, multivariate morphometrics and matrix association tests, to investigate species boundaries in eastern Brazilian pitvipers conventionally assigned to the species Bothrops leucurus and B. pradoi. Two basal haplotype clades with partly overlapping geographical distributions are identified, which could either represent two partly sympatric species, or multiple haplotypes within one organismal lineage. We use partial Mantel matrix association tests to verify whether generalized morphology, or any of four supposedly diagnostic characters for the two species, show any association with mtDNA variation. Negative results lead to the conclusion that the haplotype clades do not denote independently evolving organismal lineages, and do not constitute separate species under any criterion. [source]

Birds and army ants in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

Distribution, abundance, and conservation of Vinaceous Amazons (Amazona vinacea) in Argentina and Paraguay

JOURNAL OF FIELD ORNITHOLOGY, Issue 1 2007
Kristina Cockle
ABSTRACT Vinaceous Amazons (Amazona vinacea) are endemic to the Atlantic forest of southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and the province of Misiones in Argentina. We searched for Vinaceous Amazons throughout the western part of its range in Argentina and Paraguay during 1639 days of fieldwork from 1997 to 2006. These parrots have disappeared from most areas where they were historically recorded in these countries, and are now limited to a few sites in northeastern Paraguay and central Misiones (Argentina). We estimate the minimum remaining populations at 220 individuals in Paraguay and 203 individuals in Argentina. Important sites for the species are (1) the farming area from San Pedro to Tobuna (Misiones, Argentina) and (2) the Itaipú reserves complex and Reserva Natural Privada Itabó (Paraguay). In our surveys, Vinaceous Amazons were absent from the largest tracts of forest in Misiones, and were most often observed feeding, roosting, and nesting in small forest remnants and in agricultural areas that included forest fragments and isolated trees. Threats to amazons in these areas include nest poaching, forest clearing, and being shot as a crop pest. We confirmed 40 Vinaceous Amazons kept as pets in 35 homes between San Pedro and Tobuna. Environmental education and law enforcement are urgently needed to reduce threats in populated areas, and subsistence farmers need technical and logistical support to slow or stop the conversion of forest into cropland. Finally, additional study is needed to determine this amazon's habitat preferences, nest site requirements, and demography in different habitats. SINOPSIS El loro vinoso (Amazona vinacea) es endémico del bosque Atlántico del sudeste de Brasil, este de Paraguay, y la provincia de Misiones en Argentina. Buscamos esta especie durante 1639 días de trabajo de campo de 1997 a 2006, a lo largo de la porción oeste de su distribución, en Argentina y Paraguay. A. vinacea ha desaparecido de la mayor parte de las áreas donde ha sido registrada históricamente en estos paises, y permanece sólo en algunos pocos sitios del noroeste de Paraguay y del centro de Misiones (Argentina). Estimamos el tamaño mínimo de las poblaciones remanentes en 220 individuos en Paraguay y 203 individuos en Argentina. Los sitios importantes para la especie son: (1) la zona rural de San Pedro a Tobuna (Misiones, Argentina) y (2) el complejo de reservas de Itaipú y la Reserva Natural Privada Itabó (Paraguay). A. vinacea no fue encontrada en los tractos más grandes de bosque durante nuestras prospecciones en Misiones. Mayormente fue observada alimentándose, durmiendo y nidificando en pequeños remanentes boscosos y en hábitats antropogénicos. Las amenazas en estos hábitats incluyen robo de pichones de los nidos, deforestación, y cacería por daño a cultivos. Confirmamos la existencia de 40 ejemplares cautivos como mascotas en 35 hogares de San Pedro y Tobuna. Para reducir las amenazas se requieren urgentemente educación ambiental y fortalecimiento legal en las áreas pobladas. Es necesario proveer de apoyo técnico y logístico a los agricultores de subsistencia para reducir la conversión de bosques a cultivos. Finalmente, estudios futuros deberían tratar la preferencia de hábitat del loro, sus requerimientos de nidificación, y su demografía en distintos hábitats. [source]

First record of tool use by wild populations of the yellow-breasted capuchin monkey (Cebus xanthosternos) and new records for the bearded capuchin (Cebus libidinosus)

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2009
Gustavo Rodrigues Canale
Abstract Reports on use of stones as hammers and anvils to open hard nuts by wild capuchin monkeys are scarce and limited to Cebus libidinosus. Here, we report for the first time data on tool use,stones as hammer and anvils to open nuts,in wild C. xanthosternos and a description of new tool using sites for C. libidinosus. Our records were made by visiting anvil sites and by information obtained from local residents. We surveyed three different biomes: Caatinga (dry forest and thorn scrub), Cerrado (Brazilian bush savannah), and Atlantic forest (wet forest), all records of tool use were from Caatinga or transitional areas between habitats. The behavior is suggested to be routinely performed and widespread among several populations. The fruits of six plant species in different localities were opened with hammer stones by C. xanthosternos. Hammer stones were of similar weigh as those described in other studies of C. libidinosus. Conditions found in Caatinga, such as a more frequent use of the ground by the monkeys and/or food scarcity, may play an important role in the acquisition of nut-cracking behavior. The absence of more reports of nut cracking and other forms of tool use in other species of wild Cebus is likely to result from a lack of surveys in very dry and food limited habitats or intrinsic characteristics of other Cebus species. Am. J. Primatol. 71:366,372, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Key tree species for the golden-headed lion tamarin and implications for shade-cocoa management in southern Bahia, Brazil

ANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 1 2010
L. C. Oliveira
Abstract The golden-headed lion tamarin Leontopithecus chrysomelas occurs in the Atlantic forest of southern Bahia, Brazil, where shade-cocoa agroforestry (known as cabruca) predominates. The economic decline of the cocoa industry has caused many landowners to convert cabruca into cattle pasture or diversify their plantations with other crops. These and prior anthropogenic disturbances such as habitat fragmentation are threatening lion tamarin persistence. For some lion tamarin groups, cabruca comprises a large part of their home range. Considering these factors, the maintenance of the biological diversity in cabruca favorable to golden-headed lion tamarins is of considerable interest to their long-term survival. Here we identify plant species that provide food and sleeping sites for the lion tamarins and examine their occurrence in cabruca plantations, in order to investigate alternatives for conservation management practices that benefit both lion tamarins and cabruca. We determined the total number of trees and the frequency of individuals and species used for food and sleeping sites by lion tamarins in Una Biological Reserve, Bahia, from 1998 to 2006. We used this information to compare the richness and frequency of use across habitats (cabruca, mature and secondary) and to create a ranking index considering various components of a tree species' utility to the lion tamarins. Lion tamarins used 155 tree species, 93 for food and 93 for sleeping sites. Fifty-five species were ranked as ,Extremely Valuable,' eight as ,Valuable' and 92 as ,Of Interest.' Of 48 families, Myrtaceae and Sapotaceae were used the most. Cabruca contained fewer individual trees used by lion tamarins, but the highest frequency of use per tree compared with other habitats, indicating the large influence of single trees in these plantations. Using the key tree species identified in our study in the management of cabruca would be of considerable benefit to the long-term survival of lion tamarins [source]

Edge Effects and Seedling Bank Depletion: The Role Played by the Early Successional Palm Attalea oleifera (Arecaceae) in the Atlantic Forest

Persisting Hyper-abundance of Leaf-cutting Ants (Atta spp.) at the Edge of an Old Atlantic Forest Fragment

BIOTROPICA, Issue 6 2009
Sebastian T. Meyer
ABSTRACT Leaf-cutting ants (LCAs) profoundly benefit from edge creation in Neotropical forests, where they act as a keystone species and disturbance agent. In view of their poorly explored population dynamics, the question arises whether high densities of LCAs are a transitional or a persisting phenomenon. We studied the temporal variation of LCA colony densities at the edge of the Brazilian Atlantic forest. At physically stable edges of an old forest fragment, densities of Atta cephalotes and Atta sexdens (11 and five times higher in a 50 m edge zone in comparison with the forest interior) persisted over a 4-yr interval (2001,2005) with no significant difference in densities between years. Species-specific per colony growth rates ranged from 12 to ,5 percent/yr, suggesting that populations were approximately at equilibrium. High rates of colony turnover (little less than 50% in 4 yr) indicated an average colony life span of about 7 yr,a life expectancy considerably lower than previous estimates for Atta colonies. Stable, hyper-abundant populations of LCAs accord with the constantly high availability of palatable pioneer vegetation (the preferred food source of LCAs) at forest edges and are expected to persist in time as long as forests are characterized by high edge to interior ratios, with potentially long-lasting consequences for the ecosystem. [source]

THE GEOGRAPHICAL PATTERN OF SPECIATION AND FLORAL DIVERSIFICATION IN THE NEOTROPICS: THE TRIBE SINNINGIEAE (GESNERIACEAE) AS A CASE STUDY

EVOLUTION, Issue 7 2007
Mathieu Perret
The geographical pattern of speciation and the relationship between floral variation and species ranges were investigated in the tribe Sinningieae (Gesneriaceae), which is found mainly in the Atlantic forests of Brazil. Geographical distribution data recorded on a grid system of 0.5 × 0.5 degree intervals and a near-complete species-level phylogenetic tree of Sinningieae inferred from a simultaneous analysis of seven DNA regions were used to address the role of geographical isolation in speciation. Geographical range overlaps between sister lineages were measured across all nodes in the phylogenetic tree and analyzed in relation to relative ages estimated from branch lengths. Although there are several cases of species sympatry in Sinningieae, patterns of sympatry between sister taxa support the predominance of allopatric speciation. The pattern of sympatry between sister taxa is consistent with range shifts following allopatric speciation, except in one clade, in which the overlapping distribution of recent sister species indicates speciation within a restricted geographical area and involving changes in pollinators and habitats. The relationship between floral divergence and regional sympatry was also examined by analyzing floral contrasts, phenological overlap, and the degree of sympatry between sister clades. Morphological contrast between flowers is not increased in sympatry and phenological divergence is more apparent between allopatric clades than between sympatric clades. Therefore, our results failed to indicate a tendency for sympatric taxa to minimize morphological and phenological overlap (geographic exclusion and/or character displacement hypotheses). Instead, they point toward adaptation in phenology to local conditions and buildup of sympatries at random with respect to flower morphology. Additional studies at a lower geographical scale are needed to identify truely coexisting species and the components of their reproductive isolation. [source]

Assessing the impact of deforestation and climate change on the range size and environmental niche of bird species in the Atlantic forests, Brazil

JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 7 2010
Bette A. Loiselle
Abstract Aim, Habitat loss and climate change are two major drivers of biological diversity. Here we quantify how deforestation has already changed, and how future climate scenarios may change, environmental conditions within the highly disturbed Atlantic forests of Brazil. We also examine how environmental conditions have been altered within the range of selected bird species. Location, Atlantic forests of south-eastern Brazil. Methods, The historical distribution of 21 bird species was estimated using Maxent. After superimposing the present-day forest cover, we examined the environmental niches hypothesized to be occupied by these birds pre- and post-deforestation using environmental niche factor analysis (ENFA). ENFA was also used to compare conditions in the entire Atlantic forest ecosystem pre- and post-deforestation. The relative influence of land use and climate change on environmental conditions was examined using analysis of similarity and principal components analysis. Results, Deforestation in the region has resulted in a decrease in suitable habitat of between 78% and 93% for the Atlantic forest birds included here. Further, Atlantic forest birds today experience generally wetter and less seasonal forest environments than they did historically. Models of future environmental conditions within forest remnants suggest generally warmer conditions and lower annual variation in rainfall due to greater precipitation in the driest quarter of the year. We found that deforestation resulted in a greater divergence of environmental conditions within Atlantic forests than that predicted by climate change. Main conclusions, The changes in environmental conditions that have occurred with large-scale deforestation suggest that selective regimes may have shifted and, as a consequence, spatial patterns of intra-specific variation in morphology, behaviour and genes have probably been altered. Although the observed shifts in available environmental conditions resulting from deforestation are greater than those predicted by climate change, the latter will result in novel environments that exceed temperatures in any present-day climates and may lead to biotic attrition unless organisms can adapt to these warmer conditions. Conserving intra-specific diversity over the long term will require considering both how changes in the recent past have influenced contemporary populations and the impact of future environmental change. [source]