Do litter manipulations affect leaf functional traits of savanna woody plants?

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Inter- and intra-specific diversity of Cuban Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae) based on morphometric analyses and its relation with geographical distribution

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Recuperação de áreas degradadas através de sistemas agroflorestais: a experiência do Projeto Agrofloresta, sustento da vida

PETROBRAS started in 2003 the implantation of agroforestry systems as an alternative to recuperate degraded areas at Oiteirinhos Farm, of its property, located in the biggest terrestrial field of oil of Brazil, between the cities of Carmópolis and Japaratuba, at Sergipe. The project, idealized by the geologist Ismael Quirino Trindade Neto and called Agrofloresta, sustento da vida, has the model of agroforestry systems developed by Ernst Götsch as technical and theoretical references, which joins agricultural cultures with forest species. In this direction, it was evidenced that the practices adopted in the SAFs allow to join recovery, conservation and production, as it follows the biodiversity and the dynamics of the natural processes as basic principles of the practices adopted. Including social inclusion and economic return, the project expands the environmental aspect, turning into an action focused in sustainable development.

Dinâmica temporal e composição florística da comunidade arbórea de floresta ombrófila densa montana, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, SP, Brasil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação de diferentes técnicas de manejo para o controle de gramíneas invasoras em unidade de conservação de cerrado

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Epifitismo vascular em duas fisionomias vegetais, floresta paludosa e floresta estacional semidecidual no município de Botucatu, estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Fenologia e dendrocronologia de duas espécies de Fabaceae em uma área de cerrado no sudeste do Brasil

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

Taxonomia fenética das séries paleaceoaristatae e pauciaristatae de Stevia Cav. (Asteraceae, Eupatorieae)

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Vegetal) - IBRC

Produção de mudas de espécies florestais de restinga, com base em estudos florísticos e fitossociológicos, visando a recuperação de áreas degradadas, em Ilha Comprida - SP

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

The identity of two obscure names of Violaceae from the Flora Brasiliensis context: nomenclatural novelties within Hybanthus communis

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Costs and benefits of reproducing under unfavorable conditions: an integrated view of ecological and physiological constraints in a cerrado shrub

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Auto/não-auto discriminação de raízes e o reconhecimento parental de Eucalyptus urophylla sob diferentes condições ambientais

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

The importance of mesofauna and decomposition environment on leaf decomposition in three forests in southeastern Brazil

We examined the effects of soil mesofauna and the litter decomposition environment (above and belowground) on leaf decomposition rates in three forest types in southeastern Brazil. To estimate decomposition experimentally, we used litterbags with a standard substrate in a full-factorial experimental design. We used model selection to compare three decomposition models and also to infer the importance of forest type, decomposition environment, mesofauna, and their interactions on the decomposition process. Rather than the frequently used simple and double-exponential models, the best model to describe our dataset was the exponential deceleration model, which assumed a single organic compartment with an exponential decrease of the decomposition rate. Decomposition was higher in the wet than in the seasonal forest, and the differences between forest types were stronger aboveground. Regarding litter decomposition environment, decomposition was predominantly higher below than aboveground, but the magnitude of this effect was higher in the seasonal than in wet forests. Mesofauna exclusion treatments had slower decomposition, except aboveground into the Semi-deciduous Forest, where the mesofauna presence did not affect decomposition. Furthermore, the effect of mesofauna was stronger in the wet forests and belowground. Overall, our results suggest that, in a regional scale, both decomposers activity and the positive effect of soil mesofauna in decomposition are constrained by abiotic factors, such as moisture conditions.

Do extrafloral nectaries present a defensive role against herbivores in two species of the family Bignoniaceae in a Neotropical savannas?

Despite the general belief that the interaction between extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) and ants is mutualistic, the defensive function of EFNs has been poorly documented in South American savannas. In this article, we evaluate the potential impact of EFNs (benefits and costs) on two species of plants from the dry areas of Central Brazil, Anemopaegma album and Anemopaegma scabriusculum (Bignoniaceae). In particular, we characterize the composition of substances secreted by the EFNs, test whether EFNs attract ants, and whether ants actually present a defensive role, leading to reduced herbivory and increased plant fitness. Histochemical analyses indicated that EFNs from both species of Anemopaegma secrete an exudate that is composed of sugars, and potentially lipids and proteins. Furthermore, EFNs from both species were shown to present a significant role in ant attraction. However, contrary to common expectations, ants were not found to protect plants against herbivore attack. No effect was found between ant visitation and flower or fruit production in A. album, while the presence of ants led to a significant decrease in flower production in A. scabriusculum. These results suggest that EFNs might present a similar cost and benefit in A. album, and a higher cost than benefit in A. scabriusculum. Since the ancestor of Anemopaegma occupied humid forests and already presented EFNs that were maintained in subsequent lineages that occupied savannas, we suggest that phylogenetic inertia might explain the presence of EFNs in the species of Anemopaegma in which EFNs lack a defensive function.

Comparing the establishment of an invasive and an endemic palm species in the Atlantic rainforest

Background: Biological invasions are one of the major causes of biodiversity loss, yet remain rather understudied in tropical environments. The Australian palm tree Archontophoenix cunninghamiana was introduced into Brazil for ornamental purposes, but has become an invasive species in urban and suburban forest patches. The substitution of A. cunninghamiana by the native palm Euterpe edulis has been proposed as a management action. Aims: We aimed to evaluate the regeneration potential of these two palm species in an Atlantic forest remnant in south-eastern Brazil where both species occur. Methods: We compared seedling establishment and seed longevity of both species through seed sowing, and also measured the contribution of A. cunninghamiana to the local seed rain and seed bank. Results: Nearly half of the non-anemochoric diaspores collected from the seed rain belonged to A. cunninghamiana, which represented a high propagule pressure in the community. The distribution of the alien palm seeds in the seed rain correlated with the distribution of nearby young and adult individuals inside the forest. Neither A. cunninghamiana nor E. edulis appeared to have a persistent seed bank in a burial experiment; seedling survival experiments suggested a much better performance for A. cunninghamiana, which had a survival rate of ca. 30% compared with a rate of only 3.5% for E. edulis. Conclusions: The results suggest a higher regeneration capacity for the alien palm over the native species when co-occurring in a forest fragment. Management actions are thus proposed to reduce a potential biological invasion process.