Carnivore mammals in a fragmented landscape in northeast of Sao Paulo State, Brazil

Sao Paulo is the most developed state in Brazil and little of its native vegetation remains. In Luiz Antonio and Santa Rita do Passa Quatro municipalities, only small fragments of cerrado (Brazilian savanna) physiognomies (cerrado, cerrado sensu stricto) and of semideciduous forest have been left, surrounded by eucalyptus silviculture and sugar-cane agriculture. However, that vegetation mosaic still shelters large mammals, including several carnivore species. To detect the carnivores present in such a mosaic area (50,000 ha), and to find out how they use the landscape, we recorded them through 21 camera traps and 21 track plots, during 18 months. Species richness, diversity and relative frequency were evaluated according to the habitat. Ten species were recorded, some of them locally threatened to extinction (Puma concolor, Leopardus pardalis, Chrysocyon brachyurus). Species diversity did not significantly differ among fragments, and although most species preferred one or another habitat, the carnivore community as a whole explored all the study area regardless of the vegetation cover;eucalyptus plantations were as used by the carnivores as the native fragments. Therefore, it seems possible to maintain such animals in agricultural landscapes, where some large native fragments are left and the matrix is permeable to native fauna.

A new species of the genus Mezilaurus Taubert (Lauraceae) for the Brazilian flora

(A new species of the genus Mezilaurus Taubert (Lauraceae) for the brazilian flora). The species was named Mezilaurus vanderwerffii F. M. Alves & J.B. Baitello and is characterized by leaves with dense, glandular dots on the adaxial surface. The species is reported for Cerrado, Cerradao, and Semideciduous Forest surrounding the Pantanal Matogrossense

Frugivory by phyllostomid bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in a restored area in Southeast Brazil

We studied the potential contribution of frugivorous bats to the reestablishment of vegetational diversity in a restored area. We analysed the diets of the bat species and the differences between them in the consumption of fruits of autochtonous and allochthonous species. Planted (autochtonous) species were the basis of diets, especially Solanum mauritianum and Cecropia pachystachya, whereas for allochthonous species we found that Piperaceae to be of particular importance. Carollia perspicillata was the main seed disperser for allochthonous species, and potentially the most important bat in the promotion of vegetation diversity in the study area. Our results suggest that frugivorous bats are especially important in the reestablishment of vegetation in disturbed areas, and that restorarion efforts should focus on the planting of different zoochorous species that would guarantee a high year-round fruit production, thereby facilitating natural plant reestablishment by frugivorous bats in regenerating areas. (C) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Within-canopy sesquiterpene ozonolysis in Amazonia

Through rapid reactions with ozone, which can initiate the formation of secondary organic aerosols, the emission of sesquiterpenes from vegetation in Amazonia may have significant impacts on tropospheric chemistry and climate. Little is known, however, about sesquiterpene emissions, transport, and chemistry within plant canopies owing to analytical difficulties stemming from very low ambient concentrations, high reactivities, and sampling losses. Here, we present ambient sesquiterpene concentration measurements obtained during the 2010 dry season within and above a primary tropical forest canopy in Amazonia. We show that by peaking at night instead of during the day, and near the ground instead of within the canopy, sesquiterpene concentrations followed a pattern different from that of monoterpenes, suggesting that unlike monoterpene emissions, which are mainly light dependent, sesquiterpene emissions are mainly temperature dependent. In addition, we observed that sesquiterpene concentrations were inversely related with ozone (with respect to time of day and vertical concentration), suggesting that ambient concentrations are highly sensitive to ozone. These conclusions are supported by experiments in a tropical rain forest mesocosm, where little atmospheric oxidation occurs and sesquiterpene and monoterpene concentrations followed similar diurnal patterns. We estimate that the daytime dry season ozone flux of -0.6 to -1.5 nmol m(-2) s(-1) due to in-canopy sesquiterpene reactivity could account for 7%-28% of the net ozone flux. Our study provides experimental evidence that a large fraction of total plant sesquiterpene emissions (46%-61% by mass) undergo within-canopy ozonolysis, which may benefit plants by reducing ozone uptake and its associated oxidative damage.

The status of soil phosphate fractions and the ability of fungi to dissolve hardly soluble phosphates

Brazilian soils predominantly consist of iron and aluminum oxides and have a low phosphorus content. The present study was carried out in order to assess the status of phosphate fractions in pasture, forest and agricultural soils and the ability of soil fungi to solubilize iron and aluminum phosphates. The abundance of P fractions in the soils studied occurred in the following order: Fe-P > reductant-soluble Fe-P > occluded Fe-P > occluded Al-P > Al-P > Ca-P. of the 481 fungi isolated, 33 showed the ability to solubilize the inorganic phosphates in culture. of these, 14 were considered to be high or very high solubilizers based on a solubilization capacity > 1000 mu g PO43- ml(-1). Isolate F-111 was the only one that dissolved all the insoluble phosphates used. Nine isolates solubilized both Al-P and Ca-P, and four other isolates only solubilized Ca-P. The highest number of isolates with high solubilization capacity were detected in pasture soil, followed by tropical rain forest and forest patch soils. Pasture soil presented both the largest contents of insoluble phosphates and the largest number of fungal isolates with phosphate-solubilizing ability. The range and size of P fractions influenced the number of fungi and their ability to solubilize hardly soluble phosphates. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Utilização de métodos estatísticos multivariados na caracterização do mosaico sucessional em floresta semidecídual

O presente trabalho objetivou verificar a possibilidade da utilização de métodos estatísticos multivariados na caracterização das fases do desenvolvimento do mosaico sucessional de um trecho de floresta estacional semidecidual, através de variáveis estruturais. Foram alocadas parcelas de 10 m x 10 m, em que se procedeu à análise estrutural, ou seja, levantamento fitossociológico acrescido das variáveis Porcentagem de Cobertura (PC), Altura do Dossel (AD) e Cobertura por Lianas (CL). Os métodos estatísticos empregados foram Análise de Componentes Principais e Análise de Agrupamento, mais especificamente Classificação Hierárquica Ascendente. O primeiro componente principal explicou 43,96% da variância total, enquanto o segundo, 25,66%. As variáveis Área Basal (AB), Diâmetro Médio (DM) e Dominância Média (DOM) apresentaram correlações positivas entre si superiores a 0,75, podendo ser DM e DOM consideradas como um grupo de variáveis. As variáveis Número de Indivíduos (NI) e Número de Espécies (NE) apresentaram correlação 0,60, enquanto AD, CL e PC baixas correlações com as demais, indicando a importância da inclusão destas na análise. A classificação hierárquica e a partição dos grupos em quatro foram feitas considerando os dois primeiros eixos fatoriais. Os resultados indicaram dois comportamentos diferenciados: 1) valores baixos para AD e AB: Grupo 1, com valores baixos também para NI, NE e PC (fase de clareira); e Grupo 2, com valores elevados para NI e CL e baixos para DOM e DM (fase de construção); e 2) valores altos para AD e AB: Grupo 3, com valores altos também para NI, NE e PC e valor baixo para CL (fase madura); e Grupo 4, com valores elevados para DOM e DM e mais baixos para CL (fase de degradação). Os métodos estatísticos multivariados permitiram caracterizar as fases do desenvolvimento do mosaico sucessional, através das variáveis estruturais. A forma como foram estimadas as variáveis AD, CL e PC, porém, deve ser aprimorada, assim como é preciso incluir variáveis que discriminem melhor cada fase.

Mamíferos de médio e grande porte e sua relação com o mosaico de habitats na cuesta de Botucatu, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Evidence of ecotypic differentiation between populations of the tree species Parapiptadenia rigida due to flooding

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Antiulcerogenic and analgesic effects of Maytenus aquifolium, Sorocea bomplandii and Zolernia ilicifolia

Maytenus aquifolium (Celastraceae), Sorocea bomplandii (Moraceae) and Zolernia ilicifolia (Fabaceae) are native plants from the Tropical Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlantica, Brazil) known a 'espinheira-santa'. These plants are traditionally used as analgesic and antiulcerogenic medicine, with the same traditional uses of the true 'espinheira-santa' (Maytenus ilicifolia, Celastraceae), an efficient antiulcerogenic agent. Pharmacological and toxicological studies with these plants have not been carried out. The purpose in this study was to evaluate the efficacy (analgesic and antiulcerogenic activities), safety (acute toxicity) and quality (phytochemical profile) of these three plants. The analgesic effect was analyzed by writhing and tail flick tests, while anti Ulcerogenic effect was performed through ulcer induction by ethanol and indomethacin/bethanecol assays. LD., and acute toxic effects, as well as phytochemical profiles of all plants also were carried. Surprisingly, the three plants showed analgesic and antiulcerogenic effects at dose of 1000 mg/kg, v.o. Maytenus aquifolium lowering all ulcerogenic parameters (ethanol test), but increased the ulcerogenic effects in the indoniethacin/bethanecol test. Sorocea bomplandii produced antiulcerogenic effects in both experimental models used, while Zolernia ilicifolia showed significant effects only in indomethacin/bethanecol-induced gastric lesions. Pre-treatment with Zolernia ilicifolia induced someone toxic effects, A phytochemical profile for each plant species was determined and its main chemical classes of compounds were described. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecologia morfofuncional de plântulas de espécies arbóreas da Estação Ecológica do Panga, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Influência da abertura de trilhas antrópicas e clareiras naturais na fenologia reprodutiva de Gymnanthes concolor (Spreng.) Müll. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae)

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

Florística de uma Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, localizada em ecótono savânico-florestal, no município de Bauru, SP, Brasil

Informações florísticas escassas, referentes ao município de Bauru, e a elaboração de hipóteses sobre mecanismos de ocupação de fitocenoses florestais por espécies savânicas, representaram as principais questões motivadoras do presente estudo, desenvolvido em dois fragmentos de floresta estacional semidecidual (5 ha e 7 ha) mantidos pelo Jardim Botânico de Bauru, que abriga também savana florestada. O material botânico foi coletado a partir de caminhadas ao acaso e em parcelas implantadas durante estudo fitossociológico. Foram encontradas 264 espécies arbustivo-arbóreas, pertencentes a 58 famílias. Dessas espécies 126 foram coletadas apenas na fitocenose florestal, e 66 espécies foram coletadas em ambas as fitocenoses. As duas famílias com o maior número de espécies foram Rubiaceae (25 espécies) e Myrtaceae (21 espécies). Foi realizada análise de similaridade florística, a partir do índice de Jaccard (SJ), entre a floresta do JBMB e outros 11 remanescentes florestais, alguns dos quais, sob influência florística savânica. A riqueza florística dos fragmentos florestais do JBMB sofreu incremento, pela ocupação de espécies savânicas, oriundas da savana florestada contígua. Incêndios pretéritos, além da ocorrência de microambientes distintos, representaram prováveis fatores de facilitação para a invasão dessas espécies savânicas.

Flora vascular da Mata da Pavuna, Botucatu, SP, Brasil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Gap size measurement: the proposal of a new field method

In the tropical Atlantic Forest, 42 canopy gaps had their areas estimated using four different field methods of measurement: Runkle, Brokaw and Green [Runkle, J.R., 1981. Gap formation in some old-growth forests of the eastern United States. Ecology 62, 1041-1051; Brokaw, N.V.L., 1982. The definition of treefall gap and its effect on measures of forest dynamics. Biotropica 14, 158-160; Green, P.T., 1996. Canopy Gaps in rain forest on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: size distribution and methods of measurement. J. Trop. Ecol. 12, 427-434] and a new method proposed in this work. It was found that within the same gap delimitation, average gap size varied from 56.0 up to 88.3 m(3) while total sum of gap area varied from 2351.3 to 3707.9 m(3) Differences among all methods and between pairs of method proved to be statistically significant. As a consequence, gap size-class distribution was also different between methods. When one method is held as a standard, deviation on average values of gap size ranged between 11.8 and 59.7% as deviations on single gap size can reach 172.8%. Implications on forest dynamics were expressed by the forest turnover rate that was 24% faster or 15% slower depending on the method adopted for gap measurement. Based on my results and on methods' evaluation, the use of a new method is proposed here for future research involving the measure of gap size in forest ecosystems. Finally, it is concluded that forest comparisons disregarding the influence of different methods of gap measurement should be reconsidered. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Frugivoria e dispersão de sementes pelo lagarto teiú Tupinambis merianae (Reptilia: Teiidae)

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