Genetic diversity of Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville determined by AFLP molecular markers

Bark extracts of Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart) Coville a Leguminosae species, well known in Brazil as barbatimao, are popularly used as healing agent. The objective of this work was to determine the genetic diversity of S. adstringens populations and to correlate genetic distances to the production of tannins. S. adstringens accessions from populations found in Cerrado regions in the states of Goias, Minas Gerais and São Paulo were analyzed using the AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) technique. A total of 236 polymorphic bands were scored and higher proportion of genetic diversity was found inter populations (70.9%), rather than intra populations (29.1%). F-ST value was found to be significantly greater than zero (0.2906), demonstrating the complex genetic structure of S. adstringens populations. Accessions collected in Cristalina, GO, showed higher percentage of polymorphic loci (87.3%) and the highest genetic diversity. The lowest genetic variability was detected among accessions from the population growing in Caldas Novas, GO. The genetic distance among populations was estimated using the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA), which grouped populations into 3 clusters. Moreover, chemotypes with tannin concentration above 40% showed higher genetic similarity. AFLP analysis proved to be an efficient gene mapping technique to determine the genetic diversity among remaining populations of S. adstringens. Obtained results may be employed to implement further strategies for the conservation of this medicinal plant. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feeding ecology of a selective folivore, the thin-spined porcupine (Chaetomys subspinosus) in the Atlantic forest

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

Tillage and phosphorus management effects on enzyme-labile bioactive phosphorus availability in Cerrado Oxisols

Phosphorus (P) is an essential element in crop nutrition, which can be growth limiting or an environmental contaminant, if present in excess. Tillage practices have a direct effect on the behavior and availability of soil P. Sorption and availability of various P forms were evaluated in an incubation-fractionation study of three soils, a Typic Paleudults (CR soil) and two Cerrado Oxisols (Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo [LVA] and Latossolo Vermelho [LV]) with distinct biogeochemical characteristics and tillage management history. Phosphate and myo-inositol hexakisphosphate (mIPH) were strongly sorbed by the soils. Maximum adsorption capacities (S(max)) were 2.2-6.9, 3.3-7.8, and 1.6-19.8 mmol kg(-1) for phosphate in the 0-40 cm depths of the CR, LV, and LVA soils, respectively. For mIPH, S. were 1.2-3.7, 3.7-5.5, and 4.6-5.2 mmol kg(-1). Saturation indices reflected the long-term effect of repeated manure applications on the Paleudults and the near saturation of its P holding capacity, in contrast to the recently cultivated Cerrado soils. Tillage method appeared to have altered P retention characteristics of the near-surface zone very slightly, while increases in ligand-exchangeable (EEP;) and enzyme-labile organic P (EDTA-PHP) forms were observed in no-till Oxisols. In the Paleudults, added manure P increased bioactive P fractions and P saturation of no-till near-surface soil zone. Estimates of all bioactive P fractions using the ligand-based enzymatic assay showed it to be an effective method for assessing P availability in soil and developing sustainable P management strategies, particularly in Cerrado Oxisols that were low in organic matter while having an extensive P-fixing capacity. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Sistemas agroflorestais e seus efeitos sobre os atributos químicos em Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo do Cerrado piauiense

This study aimed to quantify the effects of agroforestry systems (AFS), with different periods of adoption, and slash and burn agriculture (SB) on the chemical attributes of an Ultisol in the 'Cerrado' of Piaui State, Brazil. In two distinct climatic seasons (dry and rainy) four systems were studied: AFS with six (AFS6) and thirteen years (AFS13) of adoption, an area under SB and a native forest (NF), as a reference. In the AFS, in all depths, higher reduction in the Al3+ and H+ + Al3+ contents were observed as well as an increase of pH value and contents of nutrients (N, P, Ca, Mg and K) and organic carbon in soil. In the soil under SB, only in superficial layers, the ash deposited on the soil caused an increase in contents of nutrients, except for P, which was higher in all the depths. There was significant seasonal effect in the contents of nutrients, reducing in the rainy season. Agroforestry systems promoted increase in the nutrient contents of an Ultisol and can be considered useful to improve soil chemical quality in areas of 'Cerrado' of Piau State, Brazil.

Adubação nitrogenada e idade de corte na produção de matéria seca do capim-elefante no Cerrado

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the application of N fertilizer and the cutting age on the dry biomass production of elephant grass. The experiment was performed with the variety Paraiso and planted in a Ferralsol in 2008 in the district of Gurupi (State of Tocantins). Four different rates of urea application were tested (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha(-1)) and harvests were made at 120, 150 or 180 days after germination (DAG) of the setts. The dry matter and total N accumulation were evaluated. Dry matter production increased with dose of N, the greatest effect being observed at 180 DAG. There was a linear increase in dry matter (R-2 = 0.75**) and N accumulation (R-2 = 0.96**) permitting a productivity of 34 t ha(-1) of dry matter and an accumulation of 471 kg N ha(-1). The N utilization efficiency (biomass production per unit of applied N) increased with plant age. The higher efficiency of N use favored the quality of biomass production for energy production owing to the higher fibre content.

Permanent Genetic Resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 May 2009-31 July 2009

This article documents the addition of 512 microsatellite marker loci and nine pairs of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) sequencing primers to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Alcippe morrisonia morrisonia, Bashania fangiana, Bashania fargesii, Chaetodon vagabundus, Colletes floralis, Coluber constrictor flaviventris, Coptotermes gestroi, Crotophaga major, Cyprinella lutrensis, Danaus plexippus, Fagus grandifolia, Falco tinnunculus, Fletcherimyia fletcheri, Hydrilla verticillata, Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus, Leavenworthia alabamica, Marmosops incanus, Miichthys miiuy, Nasua nasua, Noturus exilis, Odontesthes bonariensis, Quadrula fragosa, Pinctada maxima, Pseudaletia separata, Pseudoperonospora cubensis, Podocarpus elatus, Portunus trituberculatus, Rhagoletis cerasi, Rhinella schneideri, Sarracenia alata, Skeletonema marinoi, Sminthurus viridis, Syngnathus abaster, Uroteuthis (Photololigo) chinensis, Verticillium dahliae, Wasmannia auropunctata, and Zygochlamys patagonica. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Chaetodon baronessa, Falco columbarius, Falco eleonorae, Falco naumanni, Falco peregrinus, Falco subbuteo, Didelphis aurita, Gracilinanus microtarsus, Marmosops paulensis, Monodelphis Americana, Odontesthes hatcheri, Podocarpus grayi, Podocarpus lawrencei, Podocarpus smithii, Portunus pelagicus, Syngnathus acus, Syngnathus typhle,Uroteuthis (Photololigo) edulis, Uroteuthis (Photololigo) duvauceli and Verticillium albo-atrum. This article also documents the addition of nine sequencing primer pairs and sixteen allele specific primers or probes for Oncorhynchus mykiss and Oncorhynchus tshawytscha; these primers and assays were cross-tested in both species.

The reproductive biology of Cybistax antisyphilitica (Bignoniaceae), a characteristic tree of the South American savannah-like "Cerrado" vegetation

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

Cytotoxicity of Active Ingredients Extracted from Plants of the Brazilian "Cerrado"

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

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) within various phytophysiognomies of a Cerrado reserve in UberlA cent ndia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The frog Dermatonotus muelleri (Boettger 1885) (Anura Microhylidae) shifts its search tactics in response to two different prey distributions

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Associação micorízica em espécies arbóreas, atividade microbiana e fertilidade do solo em áreas degradadas de cerrado

The recuperation of areas used during the construction of the hydroelectric plant, especially in 'borrowed areas', is a difficult and long process since all vegetation and the fertile layer of soil were removed. Interventions in these degraded areas could accelerate the revegetation process. The objective of this research was to evaluate the association of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in tree species, microbial activity (basal respiration) and fertility of 'cerrado' degraded areas. Soil from two areas, pasture soil and exposed subsoil, were utilized. Organic and mineral fertilization, and liming, were added to the pit for better seedlings' initial growth, where 50 mL of preserved cerrado soil was applied as inoculum of microorganisms. Seedlings of 11 tree species were planted: Anadenanthera falcata (Benth.) Speg ('angico-preto'), Acacia polyphylla D. C. ('monjoleiro'), Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville ('barbatimao'), Dimorphandra mollis Benth ('faveiro'), Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart. ex Hayne ('jatoba-de-cerrado'), Dipteryx alata Vog. ('baru'), Machaerium acutifolium Vogel ('jacaranda-do-campo'), Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi ('aroeirapimenteira'), Magonia pubescens St. Hil. ('tingui'), Lafoensia pacari St. Hil. ('dedaleira') and Tabebuia aurea (Manso) Benth. & Hook ('ipe-amarelo'). Twelve months later, root samples were colleted at the depth of 0-0.10 m and used for evaluations. The subsoil, as compared to pasture soil, was poor in organic matter and presented less microbial activity. The highest mycorrhizal colonization was seen in the species Acacia polyphylla D. C. (monjoleiro), Magonia pubescens St. Hil. (tingui), Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart. ex Hayne (jatoba-de-cerrado) and Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (aroeira-pimenteira). These species could be indicated in revegetation projects in 'cerrado' degraded areas. Plants from both areas showed seedlings form high mycorrhizal colonization and low numbers of spores.

Spider assemblages in widely-separated patches of cerrado in São Paulo State, Brazil.

Brazilian cerrado is a biologically-rich, poorly understood, yet rapidly disappearing habitat. Composition of the spider assemblages from areas of cerrado from three separate sites in the State of São Paulo, Brazil were sampled by beating the canopies and adjacent shrubs of three Myrcia (Myrtaceae; "myrtle") tree species. These produced a total of 859 spiders 'belonging to 21 families and 75 species. The most undisturbed and densest cerrado habitat had the largest number and greatest diversity of spider species, encompassing stalkers, ambushers, space web-weavers, and foliage runners. The other two areas were dominated by foliage runners. Spider distribution in this natural and complex habitat was evaluated by classifying the samples into 12 habitat/microhabitat groups according to local of the patch, tree species, and microhabitat (target tree or adjacent shrub). Correspondence analysis was used for ordination of species and groups based on their abundance. Environmental factors such as patches type (p=0.027) and plant species (p=0.046) had significant effects in explaining the ordination. Canonical correspondence analysis was applied for relating the patterns in species richness and/or abundance to the significant environmental factors. A comparison of the results showed that the family composition among the patches is rather similar, and there is a tendency of spiders species overlap an interregional level (patches effect, p=0.027). However, the most similar spider assemblages living on woody vegetation occurred in Myrcia venulosa and Myrcia guianensis at São Carlos and Pirassununga, demonstrating an interregional similarity (plant species effect, p=0.046) that indicates an association between spiders and particular vegetation.

Effects of cumulative doses of vinasse on soil microorganisms in cerrado

Counts of colony forming units of actinomycetes, bacteria and filamentous fungi were determined in cerrado soil treated with vinasse (processed sugar cane effluent) for 5 yr, using doses of 20 l m-2a-1 and 50 l m-2a-1. A temporary increase in the counts of actinomycetes and bacteria for some months after the addition of vinasse was observed. An increased number of fungi was detected throughout the experiment together with qualitative changes in the population. The most abundant fungi in cerrado soil not treated with vinasse (control soil) were Chaetomium, yeasts, Mucor, Penicillium and Trichoderma, while in vinasse treated soils, the same genera adding Verticillium, with the exception of yeasts, were the most common fungi. -Author

Effects of vinasse upon the decomposition rate of Ocotea pulchella leaves in cerrado soil

Ocotea pulchella leaves placed on soil treated with vinasse lost 64.48% of their organic matter, whereas the leaves sampled in the control parcels lost 70.68%, after one year. -from Authors

Ecology and conservation of the jacutinga Pipile jacutinga in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

The jacutinga Pipile jacutinga was formerly one of the most abundant game bird cracids in the Atlantic forest of Brazil. Nowadays this species is vulnerable to extinction due to hunting and habitat loss. The ecology of the jacutinga was studied at Parque Estadual Intervales, Sao Paulo, Brazil from October 1993 to December 1995 and in adjacent areas. Jacutingas were observed to feed mainly on the sugar-rich fruit of 41 species. We recorded a low index of abundance for the jacutinga (0.018) or c.1.7 birds/km2 at Intervales, one of the best protected areas within their range. Surveys carried out in the Atlantic forest of Sao Paulo found jacutinga populations in 14 localities. Probably < 1500 birds survive in the best protected areas. The species' stronghold in southeastern Brazil is in the mountains of Serra de Paranapiacaba, an area protected by several parks suffering from hunting and palm heart harvesting and threatened by a hydroelectric project.