Seed dispersal and predation in the endemic Atlantic rainforest palm Astrocaryum aculeatissimum across a gradient of seed disperser abundance

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

Non-Specific Interaction between Ants (Hymenoptera; Formicidae) and Fruits of Syagrus romanzoffiana (Arecaceae) in an Area of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

On the forest floor of a fragment of the Atlantic Forest which is considered to be in a stage of recuperation, located in southeastern Brazil, we recorded 54 species of ants interacting with the fruits of Syagrus romanzoffiana (Arecaceae). Myrmicinae was the subfamily which was the richest in species, followed by Ponerinae, Formicinae, Ecitoninae, Dolichoderinae, Pseudomyrmecinae and Cerapachyinae. The fruits of S. romanzoffiana can be classified according to whether or not they are preyed by the squirrel Sciurus ingrami, and the ant fauna that visits the fruits has an average similarity. Regarding diversity, the data suggest that there is no significant difference between ant assemblages at preyed and non-preyed-upon fruit falls. The results also indicate that there is no specific interaction between the ant fauna that visits the fruits of S. romanzoffiana, as it consists largely of species with omnivorous feeding habits.

Behavior and foraging technique of the Ingram's squirrel Guerlinguetus ingrami (Sciuridae: Rodentia) in an Araucaria moist forest fragment

This work describes the foraging techniques, body positions and behavior of free-ranging Ingram's squirrel Guerlinguetus ingrami Thomas, 1901 in a region of the Araucaria moist forest, in the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil. The animals were observed using the all occurrence sampling method with the aid of binoculars and a digital camcorder. All behaviors were described in diagrams and an ethogram. We recorded five basic body positions, 24 behaviors, two food choices, and three feeding strategies utilized to open fruits of Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham.), the main food source of Ingram's squirrels. We also observed a variance in the animals' stance, which is possibly influenced by predation risk, and discuss the causes of some behaviors.

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.

Forest fragment size and microhabitat effects on palm seed predation

The establishment of plant species depends crucially on where the seeds are deposited. However, since most studies have been conducted in continuous forests, not much is known about the effects of forest fragmentation on the maintenance of abiotic and biotic characteristics in microhabitats and their effects on seed survival. in this study, we evaluated the effects of forest fragmentation on the predation upon the seeds of the palm Syagrus romanzoffiana in three microhabitats (interior forest, forest edge and gaps) in eight fragments of semi-deciduous Atlantic forest ranging in size from 9.5 ha to 33,845 ha in southeastern Brazil. Specifically, we examined the influence of the microhabitat structure, fauna and fragment size on the pattern of seed predation. Fragments < 100 ha showed similar abiotic and biotic characteristics to those of the forest edge, with no seed predation in these areas. Forest fragments 230-380 ha in size did not present safe sites for S. romanzoffiana seed survival and showed high seed predation intensity in all microhabitats evaluated. In fragments larger than 1000 ha, the seed predation was lower, with abiotic and biotic differences among gaps, interior forests and forest edges. In these fragments, the survival of S. romanzoffiana seeds was related to squirrel abundance and interior forest maintenance. Based on these results, we concluded that there are no safe sites for S. romanzoffiana seed establishment in medium- and small-sized fragments as result of the biotic and abiotic pressure, respectively We suggest that on these forest fragments, management plans are needed for the establishment of S. romanzoffiana, such as interior forest improvement and development in small-sized sites in order to minimize the edge effects, and on medium-sized fragments, we suggest post-dispersal seed protection in order to avoid seed predation by vertebrates. our findings also stress the importance of assessing the influence of forest fragmentation on angiosperm reproductive biology as part of the effective planning for the management of fragmented areas. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efeitos da defaunação na herbivoria, pisoteio de plântulas, remoção e predação de sementes na Floresta Atlântica

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

Levantamento e censo de aves e mamíferos cinegéticos no Parque Estadual Turístico do Alto Ribeira (PETAR), SP

Nas florestas Neotropicais, os mamíferos podem desempenhar papéis importantes como predadores e/ou dispersores de sementes, polinizadores, frugívoros, folívoros ou até mesmo predadores de topo e, por isso, são importantes para a manutenção e regeneração das comunidades biológicas. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram: (i) realizar um levantamento da diversidade de espécies de aves e mamíferos cinegéticos no PETAR, (ii) estimar a abundância relativa, densidade, biomassa e tamanho populacional das aves e mamíferos mais avistados, (iii) comparar a diversidade e abundância das espécies estudadas em dois núcleos com diferentes pressões antrópicas. A área de estudo esta localizada na Serra da Paranapiacaba, que é a segunda maior área protegida do estado de São Paulo, possuindo mais de 125 000 ha, onde quatro Unidades de Conservação estão conectadas (Parque Estadual Turístico do Alto Ribeira, Parque Estadual de Intervales, Parque Estadual de Carlos Botelho e Estação Ecológica Xituê). Ligadas a Serra do Mar, estas UC´s formam um grande corredor de biodiversidade que compreende o maior contínuo florestal de Mata Atlântica. O presente estudo segue o mesmo protocolo de amostragem do projeto BIOTA Fapesp (01/14463-05). As espécies alvo da amostragem foram aves de grande porte (Cracídeos, Tinamídeos e Fasianídeos) e mamíferos acima de 1kg, com exceção do esquilo (Guerlinguetus ingrami) que é uma espécie indicadoras de áreas defaunadas. Para o levantamento qualitativo (riqueza) foram utilizadas identificação de pegadas, carcaças, rastros e observações ad libitum. Já o levantamento quantitativo (abundância, densidade, biomassa e tamanho populacional) foi obtido pelo método de transecções lineares, em que para cada indivíduo observado foram obtidas a distância perpendicular animal-trilha, horário do avistamento, número de indivíduos e sua localização... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)