Diversidade de Formicidae (Hymenoptera) em um fragmento de Floresta Estacional Semidecídua no Noroeste do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil.

(Ant diversity (Hymenoptera) in a fragment of Semidecidual Seasonal Forest in Northwest of São Paulo State, Brazil). Due to scarce knowledge about ant fauna from Northwestern São Paulo State, the present study aimed to know the taxonomic diversity of Formicidae, relating the results to climatic variation along of one year. The samples were gotten monthly, using pitfall traps. It was sampled 25 species of 15 genera and seven subfamilies. Myrmicinae was the sampled richest subfamily, follows by Formicinae and Ponerinae. According Wilcoxon test, the species richness, equability and diversity estimated by Simpson index were significantly higher in the rain season. The obtained results suggest that the abundance of ants is significantly related to the temperature variation, while the ant assemblage structure is related to thermal and pluviometric variations.

A comparative analysis reveals weak relationships between ecological factors and beta diversity of stream insect metacommunities at two spatial levels

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) assemblages associated with Nidularium and Vriesea bromeliads in Serra do Mar, Atlantic Forest, Brazil

Background: The most substantial and best preserved area of Atlantic Forest is within the biogeographical sub-region of Serra do Mar. The topographic complexity of the region creates a diverse array of microclimates, which can affect species distribution and diversity inside the forest. Given that Atlantic Forest includes highly heterogeneous environments, a diverse and medically important Culicidae assemblage, and possible species co-occurrence, we evaluated mosquito assemblages from bromeliad phytotelmata in Serra do Mar (southeastern Brazil). Methods: Larvae and pupae were collected monthly from Nidularium and Vriesea bromeliads between July 2008 and June 2009. Collection sites were divided into landscape categories (lowland, hillslope and hilltop) based on elevation and slope. Correlations between bromeliad mosquito assemblage and environmental variables were assessed using multivariate redundancy analysis. Differences in species diversity between bromeliads within each category of elevation were explored using the Renyi diversity index. Univariate binary logistic regression analyses were used to assess species co-occurrence. Results: A total of 2,024 mosquitoes belonging to 22 species were collected. Landscape categories (pseudo-F value = 1.89, p = 0.04), bromeliad water volume (pseudo-F = 2.99, p = 0.03) and bromeliad fullness (Pseudo-F = 4.47, p < 0.01) influenced mosquito assemblage structure. Renyi diversity index show that lowland possesses the highest diversity indices. The presence of An. homunculus was associated with Cx. ocellatus and the presence of An. cruzii was associated with Cx. neglectus, Cx. inimitabilis fuscatus and Cx. worontzowi. Anopheles cruzii and An. homunculus were taken from the same bromeliad, however, the co-occurrence between those two species was not statistically significant. Conclusions: One of the main findings of our study was that differences in species among mosquito assemblages were influenced by landscape characteristics. The bromeliad factor that influenced mosquito abundance and assemblage structure was fullness. The findings of the current study raise important questions about the role of An. homunculus in the transmission of Plasmodium in Serra do Mar, southeastern Atlantic Forest.

Large Mammals in an Agroforestry Mosaic in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

The forest-like characteristics of agroforestry systems create a unique opportunity to combine agricultural production with biodiversity conservation in human-modified tropical landscapes. The cacao-growing region in southern Bahia, Brazil, encompasses Atlantic forest remnants and large extensions of agroforests, locally known as cabrucas, and harbors several endemic large mammals. Based on the differences between cabrucas and forests, we hypothesized that: (1) non-native and non-arboreal mammals are more frequent, whereas exclusively arboreal and hunted mammals are less frequent in cabrucas than forests; (2) the two systems differ in mammal assemblage structure, but not in species richness; and (3) mammal assemblage structure is more variable among cabrucas than forests. We used camera-traps to sample mammals in nine pairs of cabruca-forest sites. The high conservation value of agroforests was supported by the presence of species of conservation concern in cabrucas, and similar species richness and composition between forests and cabrucas. Arboreal species were less frequently recorded, however, and a non-native and a terrestrial species adapted to open environments (Cerdocyon thous) were more frequently recorded in cabrucas. Factors that may overestimate the conservation value of cabrucas are: the high proportion of total forest cover in the study landscape, the impoverishment of large mammal fauna in forest, and uncertainty about the long-term maintenance of agroforestry systems. Our results highlight the importance of agroforests and forest remnants for providing connectivity in human-modified tropical forest landscapes, and the importance of controlling hunting and dogs to increase the value of agroforestry mosaics.

Taxonomic sufficiency of polychaete taxocenes for estuary monitoring

The polychaetes assemblage structure was used in order to investigate taxonomic sufficiency in a heavily polluted tropical bay. Species abundance was aggregated into progressively higher taxa matrices (genus, family, order) and was analyzed using univariate and multivariate techniques. Polychaetes distribution in Guanabara Bay (GB) was in accordance with a pollution gradient, probably ruled by the organic enrichment, consequent effects of hypoxia and altered redox conditions coupled with prevailing patterns of circulation. Within the sectors of GB, an increasing gradient in species richness and occurrence was observed, ranging from the azoic and impoverished stations in the inner sector to a well-structured community in terms of species composition and abundance inhabiting the outer sector. Multivariate statistical analysis showed similar results when species were aggregated into genera and families, while greater difference occurred at coarser taxonomic identification (order). The literature about taxonomic sufficiency has demonstrated that faunal patterns at different taxonomic levels tend to become similar with increased pollution. In GB, an analysis carried out solely at family level is perfectly adequate to describe the environmental gradient, considered a useful tool for a quick environmental assessment. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of the combined disposal of sewage and brine on meiofauna

[EN] Confluence of anthropogenic influences is common in coastal areas (e.g., disposal of different pollutants like industrial and domestic sewage, brine, etc.). In this study we assessed whether the combined disposal of domestic sewage and brine altered patterns in the abundance and assemblage structure of subtidal meiofauna inhabiting sandy seabeds. Samples were collected in May 2008 and January 2009 at varying distances (0, 15, and 30 m) from the discharge point. Meiofaunal abundances were consistently larger at 0 m (1663.05 ± 1076.86 ind 10 cm?2, mean ± standard error) than at 15 m (471.21 ± 307.97 ind 10 cm?2) and 30 m (316.50 ± 256.85 ind 10 cm?2) from the discharge outfall. This pattern was particularly accentuated for nematodes. Proximity to the discharge point also altered patterns in meiofaunal assemblage structure, though temporal shifts in the sedimentary composition also contributed to explain differences in the meiofaunal assemblage structure. As a result, meiofauna may be a reliable tool for monitoring studies of the combined disposal of sewage and brine as long as potential confounding factors (here temporal changes in grain size composition) are considered.

Comparison of epifaunal assemblages between Cymodocea nodosa and Caulerpa prolifera meadows in Gran Canaria (eastern Atlantic)

Máster en Oceanografía

Colonization of gastropods on subtidal reefs depends on density in adjacent habitats, not on disturbance regime

[EN] Habitats dominated by algal canopies are often altered by physical disturbances of varying severity, changing environmental conditions and biological processes. We used Artificial Seaweed Units (ASUs) to test whether severity of physical disturbances on algal canopies affects the post-disturbance colonization of gastropods on subtidal reefs. Specifically, we examined patterns of assemblage structure of gastropods to test the hypothesis that the extent and intensity of canopy removal affects the post-disturbance colonization of ASUs, testing the consistency of these effects among four regions encompassing a 68 latitudinal gradient in southwestern Australia. Because adjacent habitats can act as a source of new colonists (either as drifting migrants or as a source of propagules) from the perimeter surrounding perturbed areas, we also predicted that patterns of colonization (types and total abundances of colonizers) were influenced by the available pool of individuals at the scale of reefs. Three reefs were selected within each region. On each reef, ASUs were placed in the centre of circular canopy clearings of different size (0, 3, 13 and 50 m2) and intensity (50% vs 100%), and retrieved after 3 months. Resulting assemblages occupying the ASUs were quantitatively representative of the adjacent (undisturbed), algal-associated, assemblages at the scale of reef. Within reefs, recruited assemblages largely mimicked those associated with erect red algae. However, neither disturbance size nor intensity affected the colonization patterns across reefs and regions. These results suggest that algal-associated gastropods, regardless of the prevalent mode of dispersion, are resilient to physical disturbances to canopies across broad geographical regions as long as the pool of potential colonists is maintained. A high dispersal ability of gastropods likely ensures a quick colonization of recovering algal habitats.

Effects of artificial defences and flooding on coastal habitats and assemblages

Since large stretches of European coasts are already retreating and projected scenarios are worsening, many artificial structures, such as breakwaters and seawalls, are built as tool against coastal erosion. However artificial structures produce widespread changes that alter the coastal zones and affect the biological communities. My doctoral thesis analyses the consequences of different options for coastal protection, namely hard engineering ‘artificial defences’ (i.e. impact of human-made structures) and ‘no-defence’ (i.e. impact of seawater inundation). I investigated two new aspects of the potential impact of coastal defences. The first was the effect of artificial hard substrates on the fish communities structure. In particular I was interested to test if the differences among breakwaters and natural rocky reef would change depending on the nature of the surrounding habitat of the artificial structure (prevalent sandy rather than rocky). The second was the effect on the native natural sandy habitats of the organic detritus derived from hard-bottom species (green algae and mussels) detached from breakwaters. Furthermore, I investigated the ecological implication of the “no-defend” option, which allow the inundation of coastal habitats. The focus of this study was the potential effect of seawater intrusion on the degradation process of marine, salt-marsh and terrestrial detritus, including changes on the breakdown rates and the associated macrofauna. The PhD research was conducted in three areas along European coasts: North Adriatic sea, Sicilian coast and South-West England where different habitats (coastal, estuarine), biological communities (soft-bottom macro-benthos; rocky-coastal fishes; estuarine macro-invertebrates) and processes (organic enrichment; assemblage structure; leaf-litter breakdown) were analyzed. The research was carried out through manipulative and descriptive field-experiments in which specific hypothesis were tested by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Species Assemblages of Leptocephali in the Southwestern Sargasso Sea

Catches of leptocephali of shelf and slope marine eels of the Chlopsidae, Congridae, Moringuidae, Muraenidae, and Ophichthidae collected during a survey in the southwestern Sargasso Sea in late September and early October 1984 were analyzed to learn about their reproductive ecology and larval transport. Sampling along a transect from the Florida Current (FC) out across the southwestern Sargasso Sea and in the Northwest Providence Channel (NWPC) of the Northern Bahamas enabled the evaluation of the larval distributions, abundances and size ranges, regional assemblage structure, and the apparent spawning areas of these marine eels. Distinctly different assemblages observed in the FC and NWPC included the congrid genera Heteroconger, Paraconger, Uroconger, and many ophichthid species, which were rare or absent offshore. Other taxa of congrids, chlopsids, muraenids and moringuids were present in all areas, but the smallest specimens of most taxa were only caught at the NWPC or FC stations. Multivariate analyses reflected higher richness and abundance in the FC and NWPC and also similar species compositions in offshore areas. The patterns of distribution of these leptocephali differed from those of anguillid, nettastomatid, and mesopelagic eel leptocephali collected in the same survey. These findings support the hypothesis that most taxa of marine eels spawn close to their adult habitats, and indicate that despite high biodiversity of marine eels in the Northern Bahamas, only some species of leptocephali appear to get transported far offshore by ocean currents.

Ground beetle (Carabidae) abundance data from north-eastern Australian rainforest, between June 2008 - January 2010, using pitfall traps

Understanding how the environment influences patterns of diversity is vital for effective conservation management, especially in a changing global climate. While assemblage structure and species richness patterns are often correlated with current environmental factors, historical influences may also be considerable, especially for taxa with poor dispersal abilities. Mountain-top regions throughout tropical rainforests can act as important refugia for taxa characterised by low dispersal capacities such as flightless ground beetles (Carabidae), an ecologically significant predatory group. We surveyed flightless ground beetles along elevational gradients in five different subregions within the Australian Wet Tropics World Heritage Area to investigate (1) whether the diversity and composition of flightless ground beetles are elevationally stratified, and, if so, (2) what environmental factors (other than elevation per se) are associated with these patterns. Generalised linear models and model averaging techniques were used to relate patterns of diversity to environmental factors. Unlike most taxonomic groups, flightless ground beetles increased in species richness and abundance with elevation. Additionally, each subregion consisted of distinct assemblages containing a high level of regional endemic species. Species richness was most strongly positively associated with the historical climatic conditions and negatively associated with severity of recent disturbance (treefalls) and current climatic conditions. Assemblage composition was associated with latitude and current and historical climatic conditions. Our results suggest that distributional patterns of flightless ground beetles are not only likely to be associated with factors that change with elevation (current climatic conditions), but also factors that are independent of elevation (recent disturbance and historical climatic conditions). Variation in historical vegetation stability explained both species richness and assemblage composition patterns, probably reflecting the significance of upland refugia at a geographic time scale. These findings are important for conservation management as upland habitats are under threat from climate change.

Fauna associated with Bathymodiolus azoricus mussel beds within hydrothermal fields of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Structure of assemblages associated with mussel aggregations of Bathymodiolus azoricus was investigated. Mussel beds were found on hydrothermal vent fields on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Menez Gwen, Lucky Strike, and Rainbow) at depths 850-2400 m. The community structure of the mussel bed assemblages varied between studied areas. Large number of species was unique to mussel beds of the Menez Gwen field; the most observed taxa were not specialized hydrothermal species. All other nonunique species were found within the Lucky Strike region. The lowest mussel assemblage structure evenness was observed in the shallowest Menez Gwen area (850 m depth). We assume that two types of mussel assemblages (nematode-dominated and copepod-dominated) exist within the Lucky Strike field. The assemblages of B. azoricus differ significantly from assemblages of B. thermophilus inhabiting Pacific hydrothermal vents.

Counts of harpacticoid copepods associated with cold-water coral substrates obtained from several Belgica cruises, Porcupine Seabight (North-East Atlantic)

The influence of microhabitat type on the diversity and community structure of the harpacticoid copepod fauna associated with a cold-water coral degradation zone was investigated in the Porcupine Seabight (North-East Atlantic). Three substrate types were distinguished: dead fragments of the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa, skeletons of the glass sponge Aphrocallistes bocagei and the underlying sediment. At the family level, it appears that coral fragments and underlying sediment do not harbour distinctly diVerent assemblages, with Ectinosomatidae, Ameiridae, Pseudotachidiidae, Argestidae and Miraciidae as most abundant. Conclusions on assemblage structure and diversity of the sponge skeletons are limited as only two samples were available. Similarity analysis at species level showed a strong variation in the sediment samples, which did not harbour a distinctly different assemblage in opposition to the coral and sponge samples. Several factors (sediment infill on the hard substrates, mobility of the copepods, limited sample sizes) are proposed to explain this apparent lack of a distinct difference between the microhabitats. Coral fragments and sediment were both characterised by high species diversity and low species dominance, which might indicate that copepod diversity is not substantially influenced by hydrodynamic stress. The additive partitioning of species diversity showed that by adding locations species richness was greatly enhanced. The harpacticoid community in the cold-water coral degradation zone is highly diverse and includes 157 species, 62 genera and 19 families. Information from neighbouring soft-bottom regions is necessary to assess whether total species diversity is increased by the presence of these complex habitatproviding substrates.

Restauración del medio marino en la reserva marina de Tabarca (Alicante, España): estructura y variaciones temporales de la ictiofauna asociada al arrecife artificial

El arrecife artificial de Tabarca se diseñó e instaló principalmente con el objetivo de impedir la pesca de arrastre ilegal sobre las praderas de Posidonia oceanica. Además se diseñó un arrecife alveolar experimental para estudiar sus efectos sobre la ictiofauna litoral y sus posibilidades como lugar de pesca alternativo a la flota artesanal de Tabarca. La ictiofauna asociada al arrecife artificial de Tabarca se estudió mediante censos visuales durante tres años consecutivos entre 1990 y 1992, con una frecuencia estacional. Los resultados muestran una estructura de la comunidad condicionada por el diseño y emplazamiento de los módulos. La dinámica temporal manifiesta una clara diferencia según consideremos el poblamiento total o sólo el residente: el primero refleja una pauta muy fluctuante, poco predecible; el poblamiento residente muestra una tendencia hacia la estructuración, con un aumento progresivo de especies sedentarias predadoras, y un incremento significativo de la biomasa. Estos resultados refuerzan las interpretaciones que dan un papel condicionante al tamaño del arrecife artificial y a su localización.

Effects of thallus disturbance on abundance and biomass of soft-bottom species in Kongsfjorden in summer 2013

The effects of biotic disturbances, like seaweed whiplash, on the diversity of benthic communities are well documented for temperate coastal systems, yet missing for Arctic benthos. In Arctic soft-bottom habitats, kelp thalli occur either continuously (e.g. trapped by sediment) or sporadically (by drifting on the sediment) after detachment from rocky shores. To explore whether a kelp thallus can disturb the structure and diversity of a coastal Arctic soft-bottom assemblage, we continuously fixed a single thallus of the kelp Saccharina latissima to or sporadically (i.e. biweekly) moved it on the sediment and compared treatment effects to unmanipulated plots (= controls). On 6 September 2013 (i.e. after 73 days of manipulation), one sediment core was taken from each of the 30 plots (n = 10), from which the number of individuals of each of the 45 encountered animal species were recorded. The continuous presence of an experimentally fixed kelp thallus significantly reduced the number of individuals on average by 27 %. This disturbance effect was even stronger, on average 49 %, where a kelp thallus was biweekly moved on the sediment. Likewise, taxon richness was lowered by an average of 19 and 36 % where a S. latissima thallus was continuously or sporadically present, respectively. While the composition of taxa was also significantly different among all treatment groups, evenness and biomass were unaffected by kelp treatments. We conclude that the presence and already movements of a single kelp thallus can promote small scale patchiness in near-shore soft-bottom assemblage structure and diversity and exemplify a significant connection between rocky and sedimentary coastal habitats.