Genetic structure in a tropical lek-breeding bird, the blue manakin (Chiroxiphia caudata) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Determining the genetic structure of tropical bird populations is important for assessing potential genetic effects of future habitat fragmentation and for testing hypotheses about evolutionary mechanisms promoting diversification. Here we used 10 microsatellite DNA loci to describe levels of genetic differentiation for five populations of the lek-mating blue manakin (Chiroxiphia caudata), sampled along a 414-km transect within the largest remaining continuous tract of the highly endangered Atlantic Forest habitat in southeast Brazil. We found small but significant levels of differentiation between most populations. F-ST values varied from 0.0 to 0.023 (overall F-ST = 0.012) that conformed to a strong isolation by distance relationship, suggesting that observed levels of differentiation are a result of migration-drift equilibrium. N(e)m values estimated using a coalescent-based method were small (<= 2 migrants per generation) and close to the minimum level required to maintain genetic similarity between populations. An implication of these results is that if future habitat fragmentation reduces dispersal between populations to even a small extent, then individual populations may undergo a loss of genetic diversity due to an increase in the relative importance of drift, since inbreeding effective population sizes are relatively small (N-e similar to 1000). Our findings also demonstrate that population structuring can occur in a tropical bird in continuous habitat in the absence of geographical barriers possibly due to behavioural features of the species.

Humidity levels drive reproductive modes and phylogenetic diversity of amphibians in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

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

Phylogeography of endemic toads and post-Pliocene persistence of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

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

Stability Predicts Genetic Diversity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Hotspot

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

Reproductive biology of an endemic Physalaemus of the Brazilian Atlantic forest, and the trade-off between clutch and egg size in terrestrial breeders of the P. signifer group

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

Gene and species trees of a Neotropical group of treefrogs: Genetic diversification in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and the origin of a polyploid species

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

Geographic Distribution and Morphological Variation of Striped and Nonstriped Populations of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Treefrog Hypsiboas bischoffi (Anura: Hylidae)

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

Palm harvesting affects seed predation of Euterpe edulis, a threatened palm of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

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

Spatial distribution of arboviral mosquito vectors (Diptera, Culicidae) in Vale do Ribeira in the South-eastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest

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

Palm heart harvesting in the Brazilian Atlantic forest: changes in industry structure and the illegal trade

1. Until the late 1960s, Euterpe edulis was the most important edible palm species in the Brazilian markets. Since then, overharvesting of natural stands and the limited scope of plantations have caused the industry to shift to the multistemmed E, oleracea from the Amazon river estuary.2, As a result of the relocation of the industry, the structure of the palm harvesting industry has changed and illegal trade has continued to exploit the remaining natural stands of E, edulis.3, it is suggested that, to avoid the total harvesting of E. edulis and to achieve sustainable management of the palm heart, it will be necessary to diversify the local economy, create incentives for small land owners to improve their management practices, while keeping their competitiveness against the illegal trade, create the incentive of new sources of palm hearts and create a 'green stamping' For management palms.4, Transformation of the illegal structure of the palm heart industry is probably the only solution to avoid the total depletion of the wild stands of E. edulis.

Natural History of the Lutz's Frog Cycloramphus lutzorum Heyer, 1983 (Anura: Cycloramphidae) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Description of the Advertisement Call, Tadpole, and Karyotype

We describe the advertisement call, tadpole, karyotype, and additional information on the natural history of Cycloramphus lutzorum from southern Brazil. Sonograms were generated from digitally recorded calls. Tadpoles were collected in the field for description in the lab, and an adult was collected for karyotyping. Data on seasonal activity were gathered monthly from November 2005 to November 2007. All tadpoles (N = 21), juveniles (N = 18), and adults (N = 52) were found exclusively in streams. Reproduction, as identified by calling frogs, occurred from July through November. Frogs call all day long, but mostly at dusk, from rock crevices inside the stream edges near the splash zone. The call is short and loud, with 11 pulsed notes, of 491-641 ms, with a dominant frequency of 0.98-1.39 kHz. We describe the exotrophic and semiterrestrial tadpoles, always found in constantly humid vertical rock walls in the stream. Tadpoles of C. lutzorum are recognized by differences in labial tooth row formula, eye diameter, body shape, position of nares, and development of tail. Like congeneric species, the karyotype of C. lutzorum comprises 26 metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes. Cycloramphus lutzorum is restricted to and adapted for living in fast flowing streams, many of which are threatened by deforestation, pollution, and habitat loss. Therefore, we recommend the status of C. lutzorum be changed from its current "Data Deficient" to "Near Threatened (NT)" in the IUCN species red list.

Utilization of epiphytes by birds in a Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes constitute a great part of the vegetation biomass in Neotropical forests, offering a large variety of resources to birds. Despite their structural and ecological importance, few studies investigated the use of epiphytes by birds in the Neotropical region. We studied the bird species that exploit vascular epiphytes (and hemi-epiphytes) in an Atlantic forest site in southeastern Brazil. The resources exploited, seasonal variation in the use of epiphytes, the frequency of foraging and selectivity in epiphytes, and the relationship between the use of epiphytes and the participation in mixed-species bird flocks were investigated. After 360 h of observations along trails crossing the forest, 24 bird species (12 families) were recorded in a total of 74 events of epiphyte exploitation. Thamnophilidae (four species), Trochiliclae, Thraupidae and Furnariidae (three species) were the richest bird families in our sample, while Furnariidae and Dendrocolaptidae were the more frequently recorded families. Plants in the Bromeliaceae and Araceae families were the most abundant and more frequently exploited epiphytes. Nectar, water, nest material and invertebrates were the most frequently exploited resources, mainly from Bromeliaceae. None of the species for which we had enough data revealed to be a frequent user of epiphytes for foraging or selective to any epiphyte group. The White-eyed Foliage-gleaner (Automolus leucophthalmus; Furnariidae), a common participant of understory mixed-species flocks, exploited epiphytes more frequently when associated with mixed-species flocks. The utilization of epiphytes was opportunistic for most of the bird species recorded and occurred throughout the year with no seasonal variation.

Adenopygus: a new genus and two new species of Luzarinae cricket of Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Orthoptera: Grylloidea)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)