Effects of forest fragmentation, anthropogenic edges and fruit colour on the consumption of ornithocoric fruits

We investigated effects of fruit colour (red, black or white), habitat (anthropogenic edges and forest interior) and fragment size on the removal of artificial fruits in semideciduous forests in south-east Brazil. Eight forest fragments ranging from 251 to 36,000 ha were used. We used artificial fruits, which were placed on shrubs between I and 2 m in height and checked after 48 and 96 h for peck marks in the fruits. All three variables affected the probability of consumption of our fruit models. Red and black fruits were statistically more pecked than the white fruits. The probability of fruit consumption was lower in the interior than at the edge and less in small than in large fragments. However, the decrease fruit consumption in small compared with large fragments was more accentuated for red and black fruits than for white fruits. Our results show that habitat reduction and edges affect the chances of a fruit being eaten by birds, which may ultimately affect plant fitness in forest fragments. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fish-assemblage structure of the Corumbatai river basin, São Paulo State, Brazil: characterization and anthropogenic disturbances

O rio Corumbataí é um dos principais tributários da margem direita do rio Piracicaba que é um tributário do rio Tietê. O rio Corumbataí integra a bacia do rio Paraná e é regionalmente importante não só por possuir águas de boa qualidade, mas também por possuir elementos raros na paisagem local. Este estudo visou caracterizar as assembléias de peixes do rio Corumbataí e fornecer dados que contribuam para uma avaliação da sua qualidade ambiental. Na bacia do rio Corumbataí, foram amostrados 4 rios principais, cada um com 3 pontos de coleta. Vinte e quatro amostras foram coletadas durante os meses de março a julho e de setembro a dezembro de 2001. Dados bióticos foram avaliados por medidas de diversidade. Um modelo linear ANCOVA foi utilizado para testar a hipótese de variação espaço-temporal nas assembléias de peixes, com a riqueza de espécies como variável resposta, ordem do rio como fator e temperatura e logaritmo natural do número de indivíduos como covariáveis. Esta análise mostrou uma variação espaço-temporal que é corroborada por conceitos exaustivamente discutidos na literatura, tais como relação espécie-área e o conceito de rio contínuo. Dados provenientes do rio Ribeirão Claro mostraram um padrão diferente quando comparados com os outros rios. Esta diferença foi provavelmente devido à interferência humana e atesta o processo de fragmentação de hábitats aquáticos que podem ter levado a um isolamento das populações locais de peixes.

Perceptions of environmental change and use of traditional knowledge to plan riparian forest restoration with relocated communities in Alcantara, Eastern Amazon

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Analysis of effectiveness of three forest interventionist techniques and proposal of a new and integrated model of forest restoration

We assessed the efficacy of three different forest intervention techniques, in terms of phytosociological and edaphic responses, that were implemented in 2007. In a farm where trees are planted and managed for cellulose production as well as set aside for environmental conservation, four stands were analysed: three of them were considered degraded and were managed using different intervention techniques (transposition, perch, and abandonment), and a fourth stand comprising pristine vegetation was considered a control (reference). Floristic and phytosociology data were collected in three 10 × 10 m plots established in each stand. Also, a total of 48 soil samples were collected to analyse physical and chemical attributes of the topsoil for the different stands. In terms of biodiversity, all the treatments showed significantly lower values when compared to the reference area. However, the soils in all the treatment and reference stands are similar in terms of physical and chemical attributes. Taking into account the specificities of each restoration technique, we verified that the integrated use of a set of management practices, constituted by the (1) abandonment of the area and (2) following a selective killing of the eucalyptus, is the most suitable and promising model to provide fast and effective restoration in terms of environmental indicators.

Dominance of legume trees alters nutrient relations in mixed species forest restoration plantings within seven years

Failures in reforestation are often attributed to nutrient limitation for tree growth. We compared tree performance and nitrogen and phosphorus relations in adjacent mixed-species plantings of contrasting composition, established for forest restoration on Ultisol soil, originally covered by tropical semi-deciduous Atlantic Forest in Southeast Brazil. Nutrient relations of four tree species occurring in both planting mixtures were compared between a legume-dominated, species-poor direct seeding mixture of early-successional species ("legume mixture"), and a species-diverse, legume-poor mixture of all successional groups ("diverse mixture"). After 7 years, the legume mixture had 6-fold higher abundance of N(2)-fixing trees, 177% higher total tree basal area, 22% lower litter C/N, six-fold higher in situ soil resin-nitrate, and 40% lower in situ soil resin-P, compared to the diverse mixture. In the legume mixture, non-N(2)-fixing legume Schizolobium parahyba (Fabaceae-Caesalpinioideae) had significantly lower proportional N resorption, and both naturally regenerating non-legume trees had significantly higher leaf N concentrations, and higher proportional P resorption, than in the diverse mixture. This demonstrate forms of plastic adjustment in all three non-N(2)-fixing species to diverged nutrient relations between mixtures. By contrast, leaf nutrient relations in N(2)-fixing Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Fabaceae-Mimosoideae) did not respond to planting mixtures. Rapid N accumulation in the legume mixture caused excess soil nitrification over nitrate immobilization and tighter P recycling compared with the diverse mixture. The legume mixture succeeded in accelerating tree growth and canopy closure, but may imply periods of N losses and possibly P limitation. Incorporation of species with efficient nitrate uptake and P mobilization from resistant soil pools offers potential to optimize these tradeoffs.

Attraction of fruit-eating bats with essential oils of fruits: A potential tool for forest restoration

Previous tests with essential oils from ripe chiropterochoric fruits suggested they can be used to attract and capture fruit-eating bats inside forest remnants. Here we evaluated the efficiency of these oils to attract frugivorous bats to open areas. We performed field tests with artificial fruits impregnated with essential oils of the genera Piper or Ficus that were attached to two groups of mist-nets set 50 m outside the border of a forest remnant. One group of artificial fruits received the corresponding oil isolated through hydrodistillation and the other received water only. Fruits with oils attracted significantly more fruit-eating bats, especially Artibeus lituratus that regularly crosses open habitats to reach other forest remnants. The highly significant attraction of A. lituratus by the oil of Piper was unexpected, since this bat is a specialist on Ficus fruits. We hypothesize that in habitats with no fruit available it is possible to attract frugivorous bats with the odor of several ripe fruit species. Furthermore, we verified that almost half of the individuals captured defecated seeds, indicating that the oils also attract recently fed bats, even when their preferred food is available nearby. This technique potentially may increase seed rain at specific locations, being particularly promising to restoration projects.

Priority areas for riparian forest restoration in southeastern Brazil

Riparian forest restoration projects in the Tropics are complex, demanding longterm research, continuous human efforts and correct use of financial resources. This paper presents an approach to rank priority areas for riparian forest restoration on the upper section of the Pardo River watershed, in São Paulo, Brazil, using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Pardo River watershed is specially important, since it is the major source of drinking water supply for the region and water for domestic and industrial use within Botucatu and surrounding. Results indicated that riparian restoration should involve 81,27% of the protected area and could be made in three phases, allocating resources according to a priority scale.

Species Diversity of Myrmecofauna and Araneofauna Associated with Agroecosystem and Forest Fragments and their Interaction with Carabidae and Staphylinidae (Coleoptera)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Performance, incidence of metabolic disturbances and endocrine variables of food-restricted male broiler chickens

1. This experiment was carried out to evaluate the productive and physiological consequences of a slight but long term food restriction of male broiler chickens from 2 commercial strains.2. Cobb-500 and Ross chickens were submitted to a 20% food restriction from 8 to 21 d of age. Strain, food programme and their interactive effects were analysed in terms of consequences upon performance, mortality, incidence of sudden death syndrome (SDS) and ascites syndrome (AS), index of right cardiac hypertrophy and plasma concentrations of hormones related to metabolism and growth (T-3, T-4, T-3:T-4 ratio, IGF-I and GH).3. Although some catch-up growth was observed by refeeding previously restricted birds after 22 d of rearing, food restriction decreased (P less than or equal to 0.05) body weight at market age (42 d) irrespective of the strain, but improved (P less than or equal to 0.05) food conversion.4. The incidence of mortality was not high in non-restricted birds but SDS and AS caused more than 50% of deaths. Hypertrophic cardiac index was observed in chickens of both strains after 4 weeks of age and was higher in ad libitum fed birds.5. During the period of food restriction, plasma T-3 and IGF-I concentrations decreased whereas plasma T-4 and GH concentrations increased compared to those of the age-matched ad libitum fed counterparts. During the subsequent ad libitum feeding period, few differences in circulating hormone concentrations were observed, except for the higher mean CH litres in previously food-restricted chickens at 35 d of age.6. These results indicate that even a non-severe food restriction negatively affects body weight of 42-d-old male broilers but these are benefits with improved food efficiency and diminished mortality from metabolic disturbances. The hormone results suggest that the degree of food restriction applied was not severe because there was a very fast adaptive response with small and transient alterations in T-3, T-4 and GH plasma concentrations during the period of compensatory growth.

Seed survival and dispersal of an endemic Atlantic forest palm: the combined effects of defaunation and forest fragmentation

About 45 palm species occur in the Atlantic forest of Brazil, and most of them are affected by loss of seed dispersers resulting from forest fragmentation and hunting. Here we report the effects of habitat loss and defaunation on the seed dispersal system of an endemic palm, Astrocaryum aculeatissimum. We evaluated seed removal, insect and rodent seed predation, and scatter-hoarding in nine sites, ranging from 19 ha to 79 000 ha. We report the seedling, juvenile and adult palm densities in this range of sites. Endocarps remaining beneath the parent palm had a higher probability of being preyed upon by insects in small, mostly fragmented and more defaunated sites. The frequency of successful seed removal, scatter-hoarding and consumption by rodents increased in the larger, less defaunated sites. Successful removal and dispersal collapsed in small (< 1000 ha), highly defaunated sites and frequently resulted in low densities of both seedlings and juveniles. Our results indicate that a large fraction of Atlantic forest palms that rely on scatter-hoarding rodents may become regionally extinct due to forest fragmentation and defaunation. Current management practices including palm extraction and hunting pressure have a lasting effect on Atlantic forest palm regeneration by severely limiting successful recruitment of prereproductive individuals.(c) 2006 the Linnean Society of London.

Physical activity attenuates neuropsychiatric disturbances and caregiver burden in patients with dementia

INTRODUCTION: A significant benefit from physical activity has recently been described in some patients who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of physical activity on neuropsychiatric disturbances in demented patients and on the mental burden of their caregivers. METHODS: Assisted by a public geriatric psychiatry clinical unit, we studied 59 patients with dementia. Patients were divided into three groups according to their diagnosis and level of physical activity. Data were assessed through a semi-structured interview. Patients were evaluated with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, the Mini-Sleep Questionnaire and the Baecke Questionnaire. The data were statistically analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and linear regression, with the level of significance set at 5%. RESULTS: Patients with Alzheimer's or vascular dementia who engaged in physical activity had fewer neuropsychiatric symptoms than those who did not. When compared to the control group, the caregivers of patients with vascular dementia who engaged in physical activity had a reduced burden. CONCLUSION: The regular practice of physical activity seems to contribute to a reduction in neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia patients and to attenuate the burden of the caregivers of those patients.

Succession and management of tropical dry forests in the Americas: Review and new perspectives

Understanding tropical forest succession is critical for the development of tropical forest conservation strategies worldwide, given that tropical secondary forests can be considered the forests of the future. Tropical dry forests (TDF) are among the most threatened tropical ecosystems, there are more secondary forests and forest restoration efforts that require a better understanding of successional processes. The main goal of this synthesis for this special issue on the ecology and management of tropical dry forests in the Americas is to present a summarized review of the current knowledge of the ecology and management implications associated to TDF succession. We explore specific issues associated to tropical dry forest succession with emphasis on the use of chronosequences, plant diversity and composition, plant phenology and remote sensing, pollination, and animal-plant interactions; all under the integrating umbrella of ecosystem succession. We also emphasize the need to conduct socio-ecological research to understand changes in land-use history and its effects on succession and forest regeneration of TDF. We close this paper with some thoughts and ideas associated with the strong need for an integrating dimension not considered until today: the role of cyberinfrastructure and eco-informatics as a tool to support sound conservation, management and understanding of TDF in the Americas. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of a multimodal exercise program on sleep disturbances and instrumental activities of daily living performance on Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease patients

Aim: To assess the contribution of a multimodal exercise program on the sleep disturbances (SD) and on the performance of instrumental activities daily living (IADL) in patients with clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease patients (PD). Methods: A total of 42 consecutive patients (23 training group, 19 control group) with PD and 35 demented patients with AD (19 trained group, 16 control group) were recruited. Participants in both training groups carried out three 1-h sessions per week of a multimodal exercise program for 6 months. The Pfeffer Questionnaire for Instrumental Activities and the Mini-Sleep Questionnaire were used to assess the effects of the program on IADL and SD respectively. Results: Two-way ancova showed interactions in IADL and SD. Significant improvements were observed for these variables in both intervention groups, and maintenance or worsening was observed in control groups. The analysis of effect size showed these improvements. Conclusion: The present study results show that a mild to moderate intensity of multimodal physical exercises carried out on a regular basis over 6 months can contribute to reducing IADL deficits and attenuating SD. © 2013 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Soil erodibility assessment in a pasture and forest remnant using the inderbitzen device

Brazil has the largest cattle herd in the world with approximately 200 million head. An important feature of the Brazilian cattle industry is that most of its herd is raised on pasture, which constitutes one of the most economical and practical ways to produce and provide food for cattle. However, this production model is mishandled and can lead to soil degradation. Maintaining soil quality is essential for the conservation of natural ecosystems and the areas of production, thus soil quality improves the conditions for biogeochemical cycles. In this context, the objective of this study was to develop a device for testing the Inderbitzen way of assessing soil erodibility in two situations of usage and occupation. Therefore, one area was used as a sample collection occupied by grazing and the other as a forest fragment; both located in the city of Sorocaba in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Thus, we concluded that the proposed device - the Inderbitzen - proved capable of assessing soil erodibility of the pasture and remnant forest. Accordingly, there was a tendency for a smaller loss of forest soils in the remnant when compared to the degraded pasture. The greatest resistance of the soil erosion in the forest remnant may be associated with the amount of organic matter released by the forest litter in all its diversity, influencing the quality of the structure of aggregates. © 2013 WIT Press.

Seasonal variation in leaf traits between congeneric savanna and forest trees in Central Brazil: Implications for forest expansion into savanna

The ecology of forest and savanna trees species will largely determine the structure and dynamics of the forest-savanna boundaries, but little is known about the constraints to leaf trait variation imposed by selective forces and evolutionary history during the process of savanna invasion by forest species. We compared seasonal patterns in leaf traits related to leaf structure, carbon assimilation, water, and nutrient relations in 10 congeneric species pairs, each containing one savanna species and one forest species. All individuals were growing in dystrophic oxisols in a fire-protected savanna of Central Brazil. We tested the hypothesis that forest species would be more constrained by seasonal drought and nutrient-poor soils than their savanna congeners. We also hypothesized that habitat, rather than phylogeny, would explain more of the interspecific variance in leaf traits of the studied species. We found that throughout the year forest trees had higher specific leaf area (SLA) but lower integrated water use efficiency than savanna trees. Forest and savanna species maintained similar values of predawn and midday leaf water potential along the year. Lower values were measured in the dry season. However, this was achieved by a stronger regulation of stomatal conductance and of CO2 assimilation on an area basis (A area) in forest trees, particularly toward the end of the dry season. Relative to savanna trees, forest trees maintained similar (P, K, Ca, and Mg) or slightly higher (N) leaf nutrient concentrations. For the majority of traits, more variance was explained by phylogeny, than by habitat of origin, with the exception of SLA, leaf N concentration, and A area, which were apparently subjected to different selective pressures in the savanna and forest environments. In conclusion, water shortage during extended droughts would be more limiting for forest trees than nutrient-poor soils. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.