Lianas da estação ecológica do Noroeste Paulista, São José do Rio Preto/Mirassol, SP, Brasil

Lianas are characteristic, abundant and ecologically important members of tropical forest but they have been neglected in floristics and phytossociological studies. This work presents a floristic survey of the lianas species at Estação Ecológica do Noroeste Paulista (EENP), and a comparison of the list of species recorded in this work with those reported for other fragments of São Paulo state. The EENP (20º48'36'' S and 49º22'50'' W) is at 468 m of altitude and comprises an area of 168,43 ha, divided into three fragments of vegetation. Samples of lianas were collected in the interior and along the edges of the forest fragments. It was identified 105 species: 99 Magnoliopsida (60 genera and 22 families); six Liliopsida (three genera and three families). The richest families in species comprised 59% of the total of lianas sampled. The dendrogram of similarity showed a low similarity between the forest situated in the littoral (Atlantic Forest) and those located in the interior of the state of São Paulo. Some other authors, also analysing the similarity of forest of the interior and Atlantic Forest of São Paulo state, but considering only the trees reported similar result.

Sargassum Filipendula Alginate From Brazil: Seasonal Influence And Characteristics.

The aim of this work is focused on the extraction and characterization of the Brazilian seaweed Sargassum filipendula alginate. Alginates obtained at different seasons were characterized by liquid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The alginate extraction efficiency was about 20%. Different seasons of the year and different stages in the life cycle of Sargassum sp. in southeastern Brazil influenced the M/G and, consequently, the technological properties of extracted alginates.

Produção de serapilheira e decomposição do material foliar em um cerradão na Estação Ecológica de Jataí, município de Luiz Antônio, SP, Brasil

We estimate litter production and leaf decomposition rate in a cerradão area, physiognomy little studied and very threatened in São Paulo State. During the period of study, litter production was 5646.9 kg.ha-1.year-1, which the 'leaf' fraction corresponded to 4081.2 kg.ha¹.year¹; the 'branch' fraction, to 1066.1 kg.ha-1.year-1; the 'reproductive structures' fraction, to 434.1 kg.ha-1.year-1; and the 'miscellaneous' fraction to 65.5 kg.ha-1.year-1. Litter production was highly seasonal and negatively correlated with relative humidity and air temperature. Leaf production was negatively correlated with relative humidity, rainfall, and air temperature. There was no significant difference between litter production found in this study and those in two other sites with cerradão and semideciduous forest, but these physiognomies differed significantly from the cerrado sensu stricto. Leaf decomposition rate (K) was 0.56. Half-life of the decomposing material was 1.8 years and turnover time was 2.3 years.