Estimating abundance and spatial distribution patterns of the bubble crab Dotilla fenestrata (Crustacea : Brachyura)

The bubble crab Dotilla fenestrata forms very dense populations on the sand flats of the eastern coast of Inhaca Island, Mozambique, making it an interesting biological model to examine spatial distribution patterns and test the relative efficiency of common sampling methods. Due to its apparent ecological importance within the sandy intertidal community, understanding the factors ruling the dynamics of Dotilla populations is also a key issue. In this study, different techniques of estimating crab density are described, and the trends of spatial distribution of the different population categories are shown. The studied populations are arranged in discrete patches located at the well-drained crests of nearly parallel mega sand ripples. For a given sample size, there was an obvious gain in precision by using a stratified random sampling technique, considering discrete patches as strata, compared to the simple random design. Density average and variance differed considerably among patches since juveniles and ovigerous females were found clumped, with higher densities at the lower and upper shore levels, respectively. Burrow counting was found to be an adequate method for large-scale sampling, although consistently underestimating actual crab density by nearly half. Regression analyses suggested that crabs smaller than 2.9 mm carapace width tend to be undetected in visual burrow counts. A visual survey of sampling plots over several patches of a large Dotilla population showed that crab density varied in an interesting oscillating pattern, apparently following the topography of the sand flat. Patches extending to the lower shore contained higher densities than those mostly covering the higher shore. Within-patch density variability also pointed to the same trend, but the density increment towards the lowest shore level varied greatly among the patches compared.

Biologia do caranguejo-uçá, Ucides cordatus (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura), na Baía da Babitonga, Santa Catarina, Brasil

O objetivo deste estudo é caracterizar pela primeira vez alguns aspectos da reprodução do caranguejo-uçá em manguezais da Baía da Babitonga (Santa Catarina). Além disso, a densidade e o tamanho do estoque deste recurso pesqueiro foram também estimados. Os exemplares foram coletados mensalmente, de maio de 2002 a abril de 2003, em duas áreas distintas: Iperoba e Palmital; um total de 2265 espécimes (1623 machos e 642 fêmeas) foi analisado. Os machos com gônadas maturas foram registrados durante todo o ano, enquanto as fêmeas com gônadas maturas ocorreram em apenas cinco meses. As fêmeas ovígeras foram registradas apenas em dezembro e janeiro. O etograma do fenômeno de migração reprodutiva (andada) esteve em concordância com a maior atividade de caranguejos associada às luas cheias e novas, com maior intensidade em dezembro e janeiro, relacionados ao verão austral. A densidade total no Manguezal de Iperoba foi de 2,05 ± 0,97 ind./m², não diferindo significativamente daquela registrada para o Manguezal do Palmital (2,06 ± 1,08 ind./m²) (p < 0,05). A média global para a estimativa de densidade na Baia da Babitonga foi de 2,05 ± 1,00 ind./m², correspondendo a 1,42 ± 0,89 ind./m² com base nas galerias abertas e 0,64 ± 0,63 ind./m² para as galerias fechadas.

Germination of Albizia hassleri seeds at different temperatures, under laboratory conditions

The objective of this study was to analyze the germination of seeds of Albizia hassleri under different temperatures. A completely random design arranged as a split plot for temperatures regimes, with 11 seed lots and four replications of 15 seeds was used. The plot was represented by the various lots and the sub plots for different temperatures. The means were compared by Scott-Knott test at 5% probability. The temperatures used were: a) constant: 20, 25 and 30 degrees C, and b) alternating: 20-30 and 25-35 degrees C. For all 11 seed lots the mean germination was 90%, speed germination index (IVG) was 5.059, fresh matter of seedlings (MMF) was 0.0628 g and dry matter (MMS) 0.0499 g. The variation coefficient (CV) between plots ranged from 8.48% for germination to 51.71% for dry matter of seedlings and sub plot of 6.77% to 60.45% for germination and MMS. These high values of CV, tested for MMS and MMF, indicate low repeatability of results within each treatment. In general, the IVG obtained at temperatures of 20 and 25 degrees C was lower than those in temperatures of 30, 20-30 and 25-35 degrees C. The best temperature for IVG was the alternating 25-35 degrees C and constant 30 degrees C. The germination test can be conducted at 30, 20-30 and 25-35 degrees C for 19 days.

Electrical conductivity test in the evaluation of physiological quality in seeds of Zeyheria tuberculosa

The electrical conductivity test is still an excellent tool to evaluate the effect of seeds of various forest and agricultural species and recent studies have been conducted aiming at verifying its application in forest seeds. The objective of this study was to establish a specific methodology to test the electrical conductivity of forest seeds of Zeyheria tuberculosis. Four lots of seeds were used, which were submitted to the germination test, evaluating the percentage of germination, germination speed index and dry mass of seedlings. For the electrical conductivity test, five replicates of 20 seeds installed in three volumes of deionized water (75, 100 and 125 mL) were used and eight periods for seed imbibitions (2, 4, 6, 12, 18, 24, 48 and 72 hour) at 25 degrees C were allowed. The statistical design used was completely random; the comparison of means was performed by Tukey test at 5 % probability. Lot II showed higher germination percentage and speed. The electrical conductivity test allows discrimination of the same batch by the germination test under laboratory conditions. It was possible to separate the seed lot presenting better physiological quality (lot II) from among the other lots. It was recommended the use of 75 or 125 mL of deionized water at a temperature of 25 degrees C to perform the electrical conductivity test.

Seedlings production of Tabebuia heptaphylla in different substrates and levels of irrigation, in greenhouse conditions

The objective of this research was to evaluate the growth of Tabebuia heptaphylla seedlings in distinct substrates with different amounts of urban waste compost and the relation between this growth and irrigation. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with a factorial arrangement of 15 substrates and 2 irrigation levels. The substrates were composed by the combination of different materials: urban waste, tanned cattle manure, vermiculite, soil and the commercial form Plantmax (R). For the study of the seedlings development, the following characteristics were evaluated: plant height, stem diameter at soil level, number of leaves, above ground dry matter, root system dry matter, relation between plant height and stem base diameter, Dickson quality index and relation between plant height and above ground dry matter. Evaluations of plant height, stem diameter at soil level and number of leaves were made at 75, 90, 105, 120, 135 and 150 days after sowing. According to the results, it was concluded that urban waste compost does not increase plant development. Significant differences in relation to the irrigation levels were found, with better results for the 150% irrigation level compared to 100% evapotranspiration.

Genetic parameters of andrological traits in bovine

The sexual precocity and fertility of bovines have great impact on the economic success of commercial cattle herds, where some reproductive traits have been adopted as selection criteria. However, the majority of these traits depend on reproductive events of the females and, with exception of the scrotal circumference, few studies approach others andrological traits. The estimation of heritabilities and genetic correlations of testicular and seminal traits and also sexual behaviour, will allow to provide alternatives for the design of more appropriate selection strategies for fertility, together with other economic traits.

A critical analysis of isolation of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis from soil

The present review is a critical analysis of positive and negative reports of the isolation of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis from soil. The strains isolated from soil or soil-contaminated material (dogfood, penguin feces) by Batista et al. in Recife, Brazil, Negroni in the Argentinian Chaco, Albornoz in rural Venezuela, Silva-Vergara et al, in Ibia, Brazil, Ferreira et al, in Uberlandia, Brazil, and Gezuele et al. at the Uruguayan base in the Antarctic region, presented mycological characteristics consistent with P. brasiliensis. In most of these studies, morphological characterization was complemented with an evaluation of virulence and antigenicity, and biochemical or molecular analysis. These isolations, therefore, can be considered true, supporting the concept of soil as an important element in the ecology of the pathogen. The large number of negative reports in attempts involving soil samples and the low repeatability of isolation of the fungus from the same area indicate that the specific conditions supporting growth of the pathogen in soil have not been fully clarified.

Leaf trait variation on Erythroxylum tortuosum (Erythroxylaceae) and its relationship with oviposition preference and stress by a host-specific leaf miner

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

Phylogeny of Celastraceae Subfamily Salacioideae and Tribe Lophopetaleae Inferred from Morphological Characters and Nuclear and Plastid Genes

The phylogeny of Celastraceae subfamily Salacioideae (ca. 255 species in the Old and New World tropics) and tribe Lophopetaleae (ca. 29 species in southern Asia and the Austral-Pacific) was inferred using morphological characters together with plastid (matK, trnL-F) and nuclear (ITS and 26S rDNA) genes. Brassiantha, a monotypic genus endemic to New Guinea, is inferred to be more closely related to the clade of Dicarpellum (New Caledonia) and Hypsophila (Queensland, Australia) than it is to Hippocrateoideae or Salacioideae. This unambiguously supported resolution indicates that a nectary disk positioned outside the stamens has been convergently derived in these two lineages. The clade of Kokoona and Lophopetalum is resolved as more closely related to Breria and Elaeodendron than it is to Hippocrateoideae or Salacioideae. Sarawakodendron, a monotypic genus endemic to Borneo, is resolved as sister to Salacioideae. Salacioideae are inferred to have an Old World origin that was followed by a single successful radiation within Central and South America. We infer that capsular fruits are primitive within the clade of Hippocrateoideae + Sarawakodendron + Salacioideae, with berries a synapomorphy for Salacioideae. Based on the resolution of Sarawakodendron as sister to Salacioideae, we hypothesize that the filaments of Sarawakodendron arils are homologous to the spiral filaments in the mucilagenous pulp of Salacioideae.

Delimitation of the Segregate Genera of Maytenus s. l. (Celastraceae) Based on Morphological and Molecular Characters

Maytenus s. l. (including Gymnosporia) is a morphologically diverse genus of about 300 species that is widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics of both the Old and New Worlds. Its delimitation has been extensively debated and despite the segregation of Gymnosporia, Maytenus s. s. remains a heterogeneous, polyphyletic group. To delimit natural segregate genera we increased taxon sampling and generated sequences from two nuclear gene regions (ITS and 26S rDNA) and two plastid loci (matK and trnL-F) to analyze together with morphological characters. Both Moya and Tricerma were found to be nested within the New World Maytenus and are recognized as synonyms of Maytenus s. s.. In contrast, the three New World species of Gymnosporia are recognized as a new genus that is closely related to Gyminda. Haydenia is erected for these three species: H. gentryi, H. haberiana, and H. urbaniana. One or more previously proposed or novel genera are required to accommodate the systematically difficult African Maytenus. Putterlickia, and most likely Gloveria, are nested within Gymnosporia and should be synonymized with that genus. New binomials are required for four Chinese and one Rapan species of Gymnosporia that have been previously treated only as Maytenus: Gymnosporia austroyunnanensis, G. confertiflora, G. dongfangensis, G. guangxiensis, and G. pertinax. Austral-Pacific Maytenus are transferred to Denhamia, requiring eight new binomials: Denhamia bilocularis, D. cunninghamii, D. cupularis, D. disperma, D. fasciculiflora, D. ferdinandii, D. fournieri, and D. silvestris. Existing intrageneric classifications of Gymnosporia and Maytenus s. s. were not supported in their entirety. Gymnosporia is inferred to have had an African origin followed by dispersals to Madagascar, southeast Asia and the Austral-Pacific.

Linking frugivore activity to early recruitment of a bird dispersed tree, Eugenia umbelliflora (Myrtaceae) in the Atlantic rainforest

Seed dispersal by animals is a complex process involving several distinct stages: fruit removal by frugivores, seed delivery in different microhabitats, seed germination, seedling establishment, and adult recruitment. Nevertheless, studies conducted until now have provided scarce information concerning the sequence of stages in a plant's life cycle in its entirety. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the immediate consequences of frugivore activity for Eugenia umbelliflora ( Myrtaceae) early recruitment by measuring the relative importance of each fruit-eating bird species on the establishment of new seedlings in scrub and low restinga vegetation in the Atlantic rainforest, Brazil. We conducted focal tree observations on E. umbelliflora trees recording birds' feeding behaviour and post-feeding movements. We also recorded the fate of dispersed seeds in scrub and low restinga vegetation. We recorded 17 bird species interacting with fruits in 55 h of observation. Only 30% of the handled fruits were successfully removed. From 108 post flight movements of exit from the fruiting trees, 30.6% were to scrub and 69.4% to low restinga forest. Proportion of seed germination was higher in low restinga than in the scrub vegetation. Incorporating the probabilities of seeds' removal, deposition, and germination in both sites, we found that the relative importance of each frugivorous bird as seed dispersers varies largely among species. Turdus amaurochalinus and Turdus rufiventris were the best dispersers, together representing almost 12% probability of seed germination following removal. Our results show the importance of assessing the overall consequence of seed dispersal within the framework of disperser effectiveness, providing a more comprehensive and realistic evaluation of the relative importance of different seed dispersers on plant population dynamics.

Testing the quick meal hypothesis: the effect of pulp on hoarding and seed predation of Hymenaea courbaril by red-rumped agoutis (Dasyprocta leporina)

Red-rumped agoutis (Dasyprocta leporina) are important seed dispersers/predators of Neotropical large-seeded plants. Several species of seeds cached by agoutis have an edible reward, in contrast to temperate rodent-dispersed diaspores. The quick meal hypothesis states that the presence of a reward such as edible pulp will enhance the efficiency of rodents as seed disperses by satiating the animal and, consequently, reducing seed predation and enhancing hoarding. In this study, this hypothesis was tested using as the reference system the pulp and seeds of Hymenaea courbaril. Seeds with and without pulp were offered to agoutis and the behaviour of each individual was recorded. Since the probability of predation and hoarding were complementary, we used the probability of predation. The proportion of agoutis that preyed on at least one seed was similar for seeds with (42.8% of individuals) and without (40.0% of individuals) pulp. In agoutis that preyed upon at least one seed, the probability that they killed a seed did not differ between seeds with (0.17 +/- 0.03) and without (0.20 +/- 0.08) pulp. Hence, these results do not support the 'quick meal hypothesis'.

Range extension of the Peale's Free-tailed Bat Nyctinomops aurispinosus (Molossidae) in Brazil

Há uma grande lacuna no conhecimento da biologia e corologia de Nyctinomops aurispinosus. Nesta comunicação, nós apresentamos o registro mais austral deste molossídeo, realizado na cidade de Curitiba (25° 25' S e 49° 15' W, 920 m), estado do Paraná, Brasil, e sumarizamos a distribuição geográfica conhecida para a espécie na América do Sul.

Bromeliad architectural complexity and vertical distribution predict spider abundance and richness

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

Rhodophyta de ambientes lóticos de unidades de conservação da região sul do Brasil

Species of Rhodophyta from 10 Conservation Units from the south region of Brazil were surveyed. The samplings were carried out in 105 stream reaches, consisting of 10 m length transects. The floristic survey involved 80 populations, representing three genera, Batrachospermum, Kumanoa and Hildenbrandia plus the 'Chantransia' stages. Batrachospermum was represented by five species (B. arcuatum Kylin, B. atrum (Hudson) Harvey, B. helminthosum Bory, B. keratophytum Bory and B. puiggarianum Grunow in Wittrock & Nordstedt). The genus Kumanoa was represented by K. abilii (Reis) Necchi Junior & Vis and K. ambigua (Montagne) Entwisle et al., while Hildenbrandia only by H. angolensis W.West & G.S.West. Our results confirm Batachospermum as the best represented genus, in terms of species number, among freshwater Rhdophyta. B. arcuatum was a new record for the south region of Brazil, thus extending its austral distribution range.