Association of two new Coryphasia species (Araneae, Salticidae) with tank-bromeliads in southeastern Brazil: Habitats and patterns of host plant use

Two allopatric species of Coryphasia (Araneae: Salticidae), both described for the first time in this study, have been found associated with Bromeliaceae in distinct phytophysiognomies (e.g., inselbergs, highland forests and restingas) from southeastern Brazil. In this study, we investigated whether these salticids were associated specifically with bromeliads, and whether they used bromeliads of different species and sizes in distinct geographic regions. The Coryphasia species were rarely found outside bromeliads, occupied larger bromeliad species among those available, and were generally more frequent on bromeliads in open areas, such as inselbergs on mountain tops. The two Coophasia species were observed submerging in phytotelmata, possibly as an anti-predatory behavior. The patterns of spatial and microspatial distribution and the submergence behavior of these species were similar to those of other bromeliad-dwelling salticids, which suggests a convergence among spiders that live on bromeliads.

Geographic range, habitats, and host plants of bromeliad-living jumping spiders (Salticidae)

Although spiders are a very diverse group on vegetation, their associations with plants are poorly known. Some salticid species specifically use Bromeliaceae as host plants in some regions of South America. In this study, I report the geographic range of these spider-bromeliad associations, and whether the spiders inhabit particular bromeliad species and vegetation types, as well as open areas or interior of forests. Nine salticid species were found to be associated with up to 23 bromeliad species in cerrados (savanna-like vegetation), semideciduous and seasonal forests, coastal sand dune vegetation, restingas, inselbergs, highland forests, chacos, and rain forests at 47 localities in Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina. Some species were typically specialists, inhabiting almost exclusively one bromeliad species over a large geographic range (e.g., Psecas chapoda on Bromelia balansae), whereas others were generalists, occurring on up to 7-8 bromeliad species (e.g., Psecas sp., Eustiromastix nativo, and Coryphasia sp. 1). The regional availability of bromeliad species among habitats may explain this pattern of host plant use. More jumping spiders were found on bromeliads in open areas than on bromeliads in the interior of forests. These results show that several jumping spider species may be strictly associated with the Bromeliaceae in the Neotropics. This is one of the few studies to show host-specific associations for spiders on a particular plant type over a wide geographic range.

Analysis of tolerance to copper and zinc in Aechmea blanchetiana grown in vitro

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

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.

Flower mites decrease nectar availability in the rain-forest bromeliad Neoregelia johannis

Nectarivorous flower mites can reduce the volume of nectar available to pollinators. The effects of the flower mite Proctolaelaps sp. on nectar availability in flowers of a melittophilous bromeliad Neoregelia johannis (Bromeliaceae) was evaluated in a coastal rain forest in south-eastern Brazil. In a randomized block experiment utilizing 18 flower pairs, one per bromeliad ramet, pollinators (Bombus morio) and mites were excluded, and then nectar volume, sugar concentration and sugar mass were quantified over the anthesis period. Mites significantly reduced nectar volume early in the morning (6h00-8h00), but not later (10h00-12h00). Mites decreased total volume of nectar available up to 22%. Sugar concentration in nectar was higher earlier in the morning, and decreased between 10h00-12h00. The pronounced consumption of nectar by mites during the period of higher sugar concentration reduced the total amount of sugar available to pollinators by 31%. This is the first study showing that flower mites decrease nectar rewards in a melittophilous plant. Because nectar volume by itself incompletely describes nectar production rates and the effects of nectar removal by flower mites on the availability of sugar, our study highlights the inclusion of sugar content in future studies assessing the effects of thieves on nectar production rates. Copyright © 2010 Cambridge University Press.

Seleção de plantas hospedeiras pela aranha bromelícola Psecas chapoda (Salticidae)

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

Aranhas (Arachnida, Araneae) sobre bromélias em um remanescente de Mata Atlântica no estado do Espírito Santo: associações específicas, arquitetura das bromélias e estrutura de comunidades

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

Estudos taxonômicos e anatômicos em Mayacaceae kunth

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Florística e distribuição de epífitas vasculares em floresta alta de restinga na planície litorânea da praia da fazenda, núcleo Picinguaba, parque estadual Serra do Mar, município de Ubatuba, SP

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Vegetal) - IBRC

Reguladores vegetais no desenvolvimento in vitro de bromélia (Aechmea blanchetiana)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Horticultura) - FCA

O uso de plantas epífitas por aves em uma região de mata atlântica no sudeste do Brasil

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia) - IBRC

Ocorrência de leveduras em espécies vegetais nativas da mata atlântica, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar - Núcleo Picinguaba, São Paulo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Phyllosphere Bacteria Improve Animal Contribution to Plant Nutrition

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

Avaliação da cobertura de formas de vida no estrato herbáceo e sua relação com a diversidade da regeneração natural de lenhosas em Mata Atlântica

A comunidade vegetal pode ser constituída por diversas formas de vida, envolvendo desde plantas vasculares a não vasculares, bem como uma ampla gama de grupos taxonômicos e funcionais. Sendo considerada parte integrante do ciclo de crescimento florestal associados às fases iniciais do estabelecimento e desenvolvimento deste ciclo. Espécies herbáceas e subarbustivas, uma guilda importante, mesmo dentro de formações florestais, possuem um grande poder de colonização e modificação da comunidade, com isso o estabelecimento de indivíduos de porte arbóreo pode ser restringido pelo aumento de biomassa dessas espécies, pois tais vegetais por encobrirem o solo podem inviabilizar o processo germinativo do banco de sementes, transitório ou permanente. Este estudo analisou a relação entre cobertura de Arecaceae, Samambaias, Poaceae e Bromeliaceae, e a densidade e diversidade da regeneração natural de lenhosas em um trecho de Floresta Ombrófila Densa situada no Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho. Formam inventariadas 120 parcelas contidas em 6 transectos. Cada transecto contou com 20 parcelas (1m X 1m), sendo que 10 delas estavam inseridas em locais onde ocorrem manchas de Calathea communis (Maranthaceae) e as outras 10 em locais desprovidos desta espécie. Os indivíduos regenerantes foram divididos em 3 classes de altura, a classe A compreendeu plântulas lenhosas de 10 a 15 cm, a classe B de 16 a 50 cm e a classe C envolveu jovens de 50 a 150 cm.. A quantificação da cobertura das diferentes guildas foi realizada em manchas com presença e ausência de Calathea communis, no interior das parcelas. Através de uma análise de variância, conclui-se que existe uma tendência da Calathea communis interferir na cobertura de todas as formas de vida estudadas. Para as Arecaceae, Samambaias, Poaceae e Bromelias, o teste de ANOVA two-way, mostrou uma variação significativa (p<0,05), em pelo... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)

Epifitismo vascular em duas fisionomias vegetais, floresta paludosa e floresta estacional semidecidual no município de Botucatu, estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)