A predominância do filtro ambiental local na montagem de uma floresta tropical de ambiente estressante

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estrutura da população de Coleodactylus natalensis Freire, 1999 (Squamata: Sphaerodactylidae) no Parque Estadual Dunas de Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Coleodactylus natalensis Freire, 1999, an endemic species of Atlantic Forest fragments around the Natal municipality, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil, has as type locality the Parque Estadual Dunas de Natal (05º48 S to 05º53 S and 35º09 W to 35º12 W), one of the largest restinga (herb and shrub association on sand dunes along the Brazilian coastline) associate fragment, surrounded by urban zone, placed on setentrional Atlantic Forest limits. We made estimates on populational density, spatial distribution, habitat and microhabitat preferences and feeding ecological aspects like sazonal and sexual variations on diet, prey electivities and niche breadth. We randomly sampled ninety-six 50m2 quadrants in each of the four habitats identified in the study area. Were collected 49 specimens and their stomach contents were analyzed; prey items found were correlated with leaf-litter invertebrates from habitat samples. We found a 98,5 ± 75,5 individuals/ha density, in grouped distribution pattern on densest habitats and random distribution on others habitats. This species lives mostly on leaf-litter in forest habitats, in higher humidity points, with lower temperatures, deeper leaf litter and lower sea level elevations than the randomly chosen points in the study area. Isopoda and Aranae were the most important prey categories in numeric, frequency and volumetric terms. Niche breadth has an intermediate value and was variable in sexual and in habitat terms. There was no correlation between morfometric measures and prey size on diet. The C. natalensis population studied seems to be diet opportunist, although selects larger prey items. The Parque Estadual das Dunas do Natal has several indications of anthropic pressure from the surrounding urban area that may affects the local C. natalensis population. Thus, the fragility of this species calls for urgent conservation efforts

Dinâmica espaço-temporal em uma guilda de borboletas frugívoras no limite norte da floresta atlântica nordestina

The extent of the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest, a global biodiversity hotspot, has been reduced to less than 7% of its original range. Yet, it contains one of the richest butterfly fauna in the world. Butterflies are commonly used as environmental indicators, mostly because of their strict association with host plants, microclimate and resource availability. This research describes diversity, composition and species richness of frugivorous butterflies in a forest fragment in the Brazilian Northeast. It compares communities in different physiognomies and seasons. The climate in the study area is classified as tropical rainy, with two well defined seasons. Butterfly captures were made with 60 Van Someren-Rydon traps, randomly located within six different habitat units (10 traps per unit) that varied from very open (e.g. coconut plantation) to forest interior. Sampling was made between January and December 2008, for five days each month. I captured 12090 individuals from 32 species. The most abundant species were Taygetis laches, Opsiphanes invirae and Hamadryas februa, which accounted for 70% of all captures. Similarity analysis identified two main groups, one of species associated with open or disturbed areas and a second by species associated with shaded areas. There was a strong seasonal component in species composition, with less species and lower abundance in the dry season and more species and higher abundance in the rainy season. K-means analysis indicates that choice of habitat units overestimated faunal perceptions, suggesting less distinct units. The species Taygetis virgilia, Hamadryas chloe, Callicore pygas e Morpho achilles were associated with less disturbed habitats, while Yphthimoides sp, Historis odius, H. acheronta, Hamadryas feronia e Siderone marthesia likey indicate open or disturbed habitats. This research brings important information for conservation of frugivorous butterflies, and will serve as baseline for future projects in environmental monitoring

Rubiaceae em um remanescente de floresta atlântica no Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária do Rio Grande do Norte

A rede de marcação e recaptura: o caso de borboletas do gênero heliconius

(The Mark and Recapture Network: a Heliconius case study). The current pace of habitat destruction, especially in tropical landscapes, has increased the need for understanding minimum patch requirements and patch distance as tools for conserving species in forest remnants. Mark recapture and tagging studies have been instrumental in providing parameters for functional models. Because of their popularity, ease of manipulation and well known biology, butterflies have become model in studies of spatial structure. Yet, most studies on butterflies movement have focused on temperate species that live in open habitats, in which forest patches are barrier to movement. This study aimed to view and review data from mark-recapture as a network in two species of butterfly (Heliconius erato and Heliconius melpomene). A work of marking and recapture of the species was carried out in an Atlantic forest reserve located about 20km from the city of Natal (RN). Mark recapture studies were conducted in 3 weekly visits during January-February and July-August in 2007 and 2008. Captures were more common in two sections of the dirt road, with minimal collection in the forest trail. The spatial spread of captures was similar in the two species. Yet, distances between recaptures seem to be greater for Heliconius erato than for Heliconius melpomene. In addition, the erato network is more disconnected, suggesting that this specie has shorter traveling patches. Moving on to the network, both species have similar number of links (N) and unweighed vertices (L). However, melpomene has a weighed network 50% more connections than erato. These network metrics suggest that erato has more compartmentalized network and restricted movement than melpomene. Thus, erato has a larger number of disconnected components, nC, in the network, and a smaller network diameter. The frequency distribution of network connectivity for both species was better explained by a Power-law than by a random, Poissom distribution, showing that the Power-law provides a better fit than the Poisson for both species. Moreover, the Powerlaw erato is much better adjusted than in melpomene, which should be linked to the small movements that erato makes in the network

Biologia populacional comparada de duas espécies de heliconius (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) em um ambiente sazonal de floresta atlântica do nordeste brasileiro

Tropical environments often face strong seasonal variations in climate, such as alternate periods of dry and rain, that may often be important influence in the annual X the organisms lives. Here we assess how population dynamics of two butterfly species (Heliconius erato and Heliconius mepomene) respond to environmental and seasonal variations. A mark-release-recapture study carried out in an Atlantic forest reserve, 15 Km from Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, for 3 years, during the dry and rainy season, with three visits weekly done. Information such as species, wing lenght, site of capture, pollen load and phenotype (number of spots) (in H. erato only) were noted for each capture. Seasonal variation exists in capture rates of the two species, with great capture rates during the rainy season. Despite finding differences in the mean density of individuals of the two species among the different collection areas, this difference was only significant between floodplain and central areas, and no influence of seasonality was observed in the mean density between the areas. Seasonality in wing size was only observed for H. erato, with larger wings during the rainy season. Females carried larger pollen loads than males both species, but species were similar. Only males differed seasonally, with larger pollen loads during the rainy season. The distribution of the number of wing spots did not vary between the dry and rainy seasons, and the number of spots in males and females was similar. Therefore, we conclude that there was a strong influence of seasonal variation in the population dynamic of the two Heliconius species, as well as in several aspects of their biology

Estudos in silico da proteína AlkB e prospecção de bactérias alcanotróficas em solos da bacia petrolífera potiguar

Some microorganisms from virgin ecosystems are able to use petroleum it as source of carbon and energy. The knowledge of microbial biodiversity can help to reveal new metabolic systems for utilization alkanes with biotechnological importance. The aim of this study is: i) Accomplish an in silico study of the AlkB protein aimed to understand the probable mechanism involved on selectivity of alkanes in Gram positive and Gram negative bactéria. ii) prospect and analyze the response of the microbial alkanotrophics communities in soil and mangrove sediments of BPP RN and soil of Atlantic forest in the Horto Dois Irmãos Reserve area/PE using the molecular biomarker, gene alkB; with the PCR and PCR-DGGE approach

Padrão de atividades do sagüi callithrix jacchus numa área de caatinga

Callithrix jacchus, as the other species in the family Callitrichidae, lives in social groups. The groups cam be found in different habitats, whose distinct floristic physiognomies and communities are intrinsically related to their behavioral ecology and social relations. Our objective was to describe the social relations and feeding behavior of Callithrix jacchus in the Bioma Caatinga. We observed a group at the FLONA (National Forest IBAMA), in Açu-RN, in northeastern Brazil, compose of five adults (2 females and 3 males) at the beginning of the study. The birth of five animals was registered along the study. The following behavioral categories were registered along eleven months, once a week, through instantaneous focal animal sampling: social grooming, contact, proximity, foraging, feeding, locomotion and rest. Foraging presented the highest levels comparing to other activities, and was more frequent in the dry season. Social grooming was the second more frequent activity, with higher levels in the rainy season, and between the reproductive couple. We found similar results for proximity. The most explored feeding item was the gum, specially in the rainy season. The most explored species for exudates feeding were Cirus limon (limão) and Pitecolobiun foliolosum (jurema branca). The comparision of fruit and insect ingestion between the seasons showed higher percentage for both in the dry season. The general activity pattern was similar to what is registeded in groups the inhabit the Atlantic Forest. These results indicate the flexibility of the species which survives and reproduces in such physically and biologically different environments

Agroindústria canavieira e unidade de conservação: Impactos Sociais na comunidade de pescadores de Baía Formosa (RN)

The conservation unities emerged in response to the environmental damages. In the Atlantic Forest of the Brazilian Northeast, the most of the damages come from the sugar-cane agro-industry, especially by the deforestation for the introduction of sugar-cane fields and installation of the industry structure. Besides the damages over the biodiversity, there are critical social problems that affect the communities which survive using directly or indirectly the biome from the Atlantic Forest. The objective of this research is to analyze the social impacts on the fishermen of Baía Formosa/RN generated by the changes and socio-environmental transformations occurred starting the installation of a sugar-cane factory and the creation of a conservation area in the municipality of Baía Formosa/RN community. The research is based on a qualitative and diachronic perspective, for both approach, it was used the method of oral history in conjunction with the literature search and some technical and research tools such as direct observation, interview, records images and recordings . The results show that social and symbolic practices of the community in the conservation unit Mata Estrela last more strongly presented. Today fewer natural resources are used, due to factors such as limit access to forest and disappearance of some natural resources by deforestation. It is believed that the loss of free access to space for the community is the most significant negative impact, as promoted changes in the relationship of the community with the Star Forest that contributed to the fading of their social and symbolic practices. The loss of free access caused the decline in the practice of agriculture, which resulted in the loss of one of the means of social reproduction of the community

Ecologia de comunidades e comportamento reprodutivo de anfíbios anuros em savana amazônica

The Amazon savannas occur as isolated patches throughout extensive areas of forest in the states of Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, and Roraima. There is a considerable variation in the composition of anuran assemblages in the localities and phytophysiognomies of Amazon savannas and given the absence of studies on reproductive behavior, a systematic and geographically wide sampling has been carried out in the Amapá savanna, located in the Eastern Amazon. The study was conducted in a savanna area in the state of Amapá to examine the composition, ecology, and reproductive behavior of anuran amphibians. We carried out 24 field trips in each phytophysiognomy (gramineous-woody savana, gramineous-herbaceous-woody savana, park savana, and arboreal savanna); for analysis of reproductive behavior observations were made during the period January to December 2013, lasting four consecutive days. Samples were collected by active and acoustic search along 20 plots of 100x50 meters. Twenty-one anuran species were recorded, of which four are new records for the state of Amapá: Dendropsophus walfordi, Scinax fuscomarginatus, Pseudopaludicola boliviana e Elachistocleis helianneae. The KruskalWallis ANOVA revealed significant differences between richness and species diversity in the phytophysiognomies (p < 0.05). The Bray-Curtis similarity coefficient divided the phytophysiognomies into three groups: arboreal savana, gramineous-woody savanna and gramineous-herbaceous-woody savanna, and park savanna. According to the non-metric multidimensional scaling, the structure of the anuran community resulted in a separation into three phytophysiognomies, with significant differences in the structure of communities (ANOSIM, R = 0.823; p < 0.001). In the study of community ecology, the results obtained for spatial, temporal, and trophic niche breadth suggest that the assemblage of anurans of the Amapá savanna is not composed of predominantly generalist species. Also, the presence of other specialist anurans may explain the processes of speciation associated with the isolation of habitats, resulting in heterogeneity and spatial discontinuity in the phytophysiognomies with open formations. The null model analysis revealed that the community is structured based on temporal and trophic niche, indicating a significant influence of contemporary ecological factors on the assemblage. The absence of structure based on spatial niche might be explained by the spatial segregation in the distribution and occupation of anurans in the different phytophysiognomies of the Amapá savanna. Regarding the reproductive behavior of anurans, 11 species were classified as having a long breeding season, intrinsically associated with the rainy season and the reproductive mode of most species that lay egg clutches in lentic water bodies. Six reproductive modes were recorded and parental care was observed in Leptodactylus macrosternum and L. podicipinus, whose reproductive mode is characterized by foam nests. Regarding behavioral reproductive strategies, calling males were observed in all species of anurans, satellite males were recorded only for D. walfordi, Hypsiboas multifasciatus, S. nebulosus and S. fuscomarginatus; active search for females was observed for Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis and L. fuscus, and male displacement was recorded only for Rhinella major and R. margaritifera. Of the reproductive behaviors observed, throat and vocal sac display is associated with courtship and territorial behavior exhibited by males. In addition to courtship behavior, visual signals associated with courtship strategies were recorded for the anurans of the Amapá savanna.

Dinâmica espaço-temporal em uma guilda de borboletas frugívoras no limite norte da Floresta Atlântica Nordestina

The extent of the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest, a global biodiversity hotspot, has been reduced to less than 7% of its original range. Yet, it contains one of the richest butterfly fauna in the world. Butterflies are commonly used as environmental indicators, mostly because of their strict association with host plants, microclimate and resource availability. This research describes diversity, composition and species richness of frugivorous butterflies in a forest fragment in the Brazilian Northeast. It compares communities in different physiognomies and seasons. The climate in the study area is classified as tropical rainy, with two well defined seasons. Butterfly captures were made with 60 Van Someren-Rydon traps, randomly located within six different habitat units (10 traps per unit) that varied from very open (e.g. coconut plantation) to forest interior. Sampling was made between January and December 2008, for five days each month. I captured 12090 individuals from 32 species. The most abundant species were Taygetis laches, Opsiphanes invirae and Hamadryas februa, which accounted for 70% of all captures. Similarity analysis identified two main groups, one of species associated with open or disturbed areas and a second by species associated with shaded areas. There was a strong seasonal component in species composition, with less species and lower abundance in the dry season and more species and higher abundance in the rainy season. K-means analysis indicates that choice of habitat units overestimated faunal perceptions, suggesting less distinct units. The species Taygetis virgilia, Hamadryas chloe, Callicore pygas e Morpho achilles were associated with less disturbed habitats, while Yphthimoides sp, Historis odius, H. acheronta, Hamadryas feronia e Siderone marthesia likey indicate open or disturbed habitats. This research brings important information for conservation of frugivorous butterflies, and will serve as baseline for future projects in environmental monitoring

Rubiaceae em um remanescente de floresta atlântica no Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária do Rio Grande do Norte

A rede de marcação e recaptura: o caso de borboletas do gênero heliconius

(The Mark and Recapture Network: a Heliconius case study). The current pace of habitat destruction, especially in tropical landscapes, has increased the need for understanding minimum patch requirements and patch distance as tools for conserving species in forest remnants. Mark recapture and tagging studies have been instrumental in providing parameters for functional models. Because of their popularity, ease of manipulation and well known biology, butterflies have become model in studies of spatial structure. Yet, most studies on butterflies movement have focused on temperate species that live in open habitats, in which forest patches are barrier to movement. This study aimed to view and review data from mark-recapture as a network in two species of butterfly (Heliconius erato and Heliconius melpomene). A work of marking and recapture of the species was carried out in an Atlantic forest reserve located about 20km from the city of Natal (RN). Mark recapture studies were conducted in 3 weekly visits during January-February and July-August in 2007 and 2008. Captures were more common in two sections of the dirt road, with minimal collection in the forest trail. The spatial spread of captures was similar in the two species. Yet, distances between recaptures seem to be greater for Heliconius erato than for Heliconius melpomene. In addition, the erato network is more disconnected, suggesting that this specie has shorter traveling patches. Moving on to the network, both species have similar number of links (N) and unweighed vertices (L). However, melpomene has a weighed network 50% more connections than erato. These network metrics suggest that erato has more compartmentalized network and restricted movement than melpomene. Thus, erato has a larger number of disconnected components, nC, in the network, and a smaller network diameter. The frequency distribution of network connectivity for both species was better explained by a Power-law than by a random, Poissom distribution, showing that the Power-law provides a better fit than the Poisson for both species. Moreover, the Powerlaw erato is much better adjusted than in melpomene, which should be linked to the small movements that erato makes in the network

Estudo de ß-glucanas extraídas dos fungos Geastrum saccatum e Polyporos dermoporus: características químicas e atividades biológicas

Fungal polysaccharides have received a great deal of attention due to itsbecause of their potential use in a wide rangegreat variety fromof industries. Some studies have demonstrated that polysaccharides extracted offrom basidiomycetes they have presented significant properties as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-tumoral properties. In spite of thisDespite these potential properties, these mushrooms have not been insufficiently investigated, and the great number of antibiotics number produced forby these organisms suggests that they canmay be a new source of bioactives composites source. In tThe present work, reports onlated the chemical composition, potential antioxidant, antiinflammatory and citotoxycity of extracted polymers extracted offrom the fruits bodies of the fungiius Geastrum saccatum and Polyporus dermoporus, native mushrooms of the Atlantic forest inof the state of the Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The Cchemical analyses had revealed ademonstrated text of total sugar rates of 65% and 49%, and proteins of 7.0% for in extracts of G. saccatum and P. dermoporus extracts, respectively. The analyses ofNMR spectroscopy of RMN had demonstrated that these extracts are composites forof a complex involving β- glucans and- proteins complex. The inhibition of the formation of superoxide radicals formation was of 88.4% in G. saccatum and 83.3% in P. dermoporus, and 75 and 100% for inhibition of hydroxyls radicals inhibition. TopicalThe topic application of extracts the 10, 30 and 50 mg/kg extract in BALBc mice with cutaneous inflammation induced byfor croton oil demonstrated to inhibitedion of ear edema of ear and cells polimorfonuclears cells atin the inflamed siteplace, being this reply more effective in lower concentrations being more effective. The evaluation of the glucans of G. saccatum and P. dermoporus glucans under induced pleurisy for carrageenan-induced pleurisya of showed the antiinflammatory action of these composites., being analyzed tThe frame number in the pleural exudates and thedosage of nitric oxide dosage was also analyzed. The cytotoxic action of these polymers was analyzed throughthrough the mitochondrial function (MTT). The incubation of the glucans with mononuclear cells of the peripheral blood demonstrated that the extracted glucans extracted fromof G. saccatum havepossess a moderate cytotoxic action. These results suggest that these mushrooms possess polymers formed byfor a complex glucana-protein complex, with antiinflammatory and antioxidant actions

Flebotomíneos (Diptera: Psychodidae) em um sistema agroflorestal da Região Metropolitana de Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Sandflies stand out as important vectors of leishmaniasis. The females need to ingest blood meals, enabling them to transmit protozoa of the genus Leishmania, which may give rise to visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL), in addition to transmitting other parasites. Leishmaniasis are important infirmities, distributed worldwide, whose infection results from the interaction of reservoir animals, the vector insect, parasitic protozoa and the healthy host. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil, these insects are important transmitters of VL, which usually presents in the most serious form. It occurs mainly in metropolitan areas, with the dog as its main reservoir and Lutzomyia longipalpis as the vector. ATL is most present in the highland areas of the state. In addition to hematophagia, engaged in by the females, both sexes need to ingest carbohydrates, which are essential to the sand flies energy requirements and may interfere in the development of Leishmania. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence and abundance of sand flies in different environments on the farm belonging to the Empresa de Pesquisas Agropecuárias do RN (Institute of Agricultural Research of RN), in the municipality of Parnamirim, in order to relate this occurrence with climatological and biological references and eating habits. Three consecutive monthly collections were carried out with CDC traps in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest, in a residence, on a goat breeding farm and on cashew, dwarf and giant coconut, mango, banana, eucalyptus, acacia and bean plantations. A total of 1241 sandflies from eight species (Lutzomyia evandroi, Lutzomyia longipalpis, Lutzomyia shannoni, Lutzomyia sordellii Lutzomyia walkeri, Lutzomyia wellcomei, Lutzomyia whitmani, and Lutzomyia intermedia) were collected, most in the forest environment. L. longipalpis, the main VL transmitter, was confirmed as a species adapted to anthropic environments, whereas others such as L. wellcomei, the vector of ATL, occurred predominantly in forests. Carbohydrate characterization of the sand flies and plants of the region demonstrated that a number of exotic plants such as hay and eucalyptus may play some role in the adaptation of these species to modified environments. Breeding in laboratory showed a mean biological cycle of 53.5 days from egg to adulthood for L. shannoni and the possibility of diapause behavior in L. wellcomei. This study serves as a source of information that may contribute to the epidemiological vigilance of tegumentary and visceral leishmaniasis in the state, given that it analyzes the bioecology of transmitting species, as well as their potential to adapt to new environments