Predicting the potential distribution of the alien invasive American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) in Brazil

The non-native invasive anuran Lithobates catesbeianus is presently distributed in Brazil, especially in the Atlantic Rainforest biodiversity hotspot. Here, we use a maximum entropy ecological niche modeling algorithm (i) to model the North American native geographic distribution of this species and (ii) to project that model onto the whole of Brazil. After applying a threshold value that balances commission and omission errors, the projection results suggested high probabilities of occurrence mostly in southern and southeastern Brazil. We also present the first report on the species known distribution in Brazil, showing good agreement with model predictions. If the predictive map is interpreted as depicting invasiveness potential of L. catesbeianus, strategies to prevent further invasion in Brazil should be focused especially in the Atlantic Rainforest biodiversity hotspot.

CONDITION of Hoplias aff. malabaricus (BLOCH, 1794) IN TWO COASTAL STREAMS of ITANHAEM RIVER BASIN, BRAZIL

The main purpose of this research was to measure the condition of the fish species Hoplias aff. malabaricus collected in Aguapeu River (black waters) and Branco River (white waters), which belong to Itanhaem River basin, a coastal watershed in São Paulo state, Brazil. Individuals of Hoplias aff. malabaricus were sampled by using gill nets, monthly from March 2001 to February 2002. The Condition Factor was obtained through the length-weight relationship, assuming that the higher the mass for a given length, the better the condition of the fish. The Condition Factor was compared among fishes from both rivers, resulting that Branco River individuals have significantly lower condition. Limnological aspects were studied from May 2001 to November 2002 and some show significant differences between Aguapeu River and Branco River. These were salinity, do and total organic N, which the higher values being observed in Branco River propably due to estuarine waters influence. However, the lower condition of the Branco River fishes should also be an effect of a disturbance due to the sand mining in this river, since this activity cause important alterations to the environment, affecting the whole biota, included aquatic macrophytes, invertebrates and fishes.

Cyanobacteria from coastal lagoons in southern Brazil: non-heterocytous filamentous organisms

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ecology of a stream from upper Paraná River basin inhabited by Aspidoras fuscoguttatus Nijssen & Isbrüker, 1976 (Siluriformes, Callichthyidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Fish assemblages in stream stretches occupied by cattail (Typhaceae, Angiospermae) stands in Southeast Brazil

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

Cyanobacteria from coastal lagoons of Southern Brazil: coccoid organisms

Considering the great ecological importance of the cyanobacteria and the need for more detailed information about these organisms in Brazilian waters, this paper provides taxonomic information about the unicellular cyanobacteria flora in lagoon systems along the coastal plains of Rio Grande do Sul State. Sampling was performed in different freshwater bodies along the eastern (Casamento Lake area) and western (near the city of Tapes) banks of the Patos Lagoon (30º40' S-30º10' S and 50º30' W-51º30' W). The samples were collected once in the rainy season and once in the dry season (from May 2003 to December 2003) using a plankton net (25 µm mesh) in pelagic and littoral zones, and by squeezing the submerged parts of aquatic macrophytes. Thirty one species belonging to the families Synechoccocaceae (7 taxa), Merismopediaceae (12 taxa), Chamaesiphonaceae (1 taxon), Microcystaceae (4) and Chroococcaceae (7 taxa) were identified. Among these species, five are reported for the first time in Rio Grande do Sul State: Chamaesiphon amethystinus (Rostafinski) Lemmermann, Chroococcus minimus (Keissler) Lemmermann, Coelomoron pusillum (Van Goor) Komárek, Coelosphaerium kuetzingeanum Naegeli, and Cyanodictyon tubiforme Cronberg.

Temporary fragmentation of a marginal lake and its effects on zooplankton community structure and organization

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

Pelagic and littoral cladocerans (Crustacea, Anomopoda and Ctenopoda) from reservoirs of the Northwest of São Paulo State, Brazil

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

Análise de crescimento em Heteranthera reniformis, sob diferentes teores de Ca, Mg e S

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Alocação de biomassa e nutrientes em Heteranthera reniformis sob o efeito de N, P e K

Este trabalho objetivou estudar a distribuição de biomassa e nutrientes entre os componentes vegetativos de Heteranthera reniformis sob o efeito de diferentes concentrações de N, P e K. As plantas foram cultivadas em vasos plásticos preenchidos com pedra rolada, em soluções nutritivas a 80% da concentração original de Sarruge, sendo esta a solução-base. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, com quatro níveis (0, 25, 50 e 75% da solução-base) avaliados individualmente em N, P e K, além da testemunha (100% da solução-base), com quatro repetições no período de 35 dias. As maiores áreas foliares ocorreram em soluções com 75% de P e 50% de N e K. A solução com 50% de N proporcionou a maior biomassa seca de plantas. A contribuição do caule na alocação de recursos apresentou resultados que variaram entre 55,5 e 74,5% em relação à matéria seca total referente ao nível 0 e 75% de N; a contribuição de raízes reduziu com o aumento da concentração de N, bem como de P e K. As maiores contribuições de raízes ocorreram nas ausências de N (26,8%) e P (19,2%), os quais foram maiores em relação aos seus respectivos níveis mais concentrados. Os teores de N, P e K corresponderam a uma ordem crescente em folha, caule e raízes, em que os maiores teores foram obtidos nos níveis de 50 a 125 mg L-1 de N, 5 a 15 mg L-1 de P e 100 a 150 mg L- 1 de K.

Composição química de macrófitas aquáticas flutuantes utilizadas no tratamento de efluentes de aqüicultura

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar a composição química de duas espécies de macrófitas aquáticas flutuantes (Eichhornia crassipes e Pistia stratiotes), utilizadas no tratamento de efluentes de aqüicultura, e inferir as possibilidades de aproveitamento desses vegetais. E. crassipes apresentou os maiores conteúdos de cálcio (1,51%), magnésio (3.916,67 mg kg-1), manganês (1.233,33 mg kg-1), zinco (81,83 mg kg-1), ferro (5.425,00 mg kg¹) e cobre (25,83 mg kg-1). Na biomassa de P. stratiotes foram obtidos os maiores valores de matéria mineral (18,95%), fósforo (0,38%), nitrogênio (2,40%), proteína bruta (15,02%) e aminoácidos, à exceção de ácido aspártico e triptofano.

Digestibilidade aparente de macrófitas aquáticas pela tilápia-do-nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) e qualidade da água em relação às concentrações de nutrientes

Objetivou-se com este estudo determinar os coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente (CDA) da proteína bruta e dos aminoácidos de duas espécies de macrófitas aquáticas flutuantes (Eichhornia crassipes e Pistia stratiotes) pela tilápia-do-nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) e verificar a qualidade da água dos aquários de digestibilidade em relação às concentrações de nitrogênio e fósforo. Foram elaboradas três rações, marcadas com 0,10% de óxido de cromo-III, sendo uma ração-referência (purificada) e as demais contendo 30% de cada uma das macrófitas aquáticas. As tilápias-do-nilo (58,8 + 18,5 g) foram alimentadas até a saciedade aparente e a coleta de fezes foi feita pelo sistema Guelph modificado. Os CDA médios da proteína e dos aminoácidos foram, respectivamente, 93,17 e 93,32% para a ração-referência; 59,23 e 60,35% para E. crassipes; e 52,24 e 57,40% para P. stratiotes. Não foram constatadas diferenças significativas entre os valores de CDA da proteína e dos aminoácidos dos ingredientes vegetais. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram reduzida eficiência da tilápia-do-nilo em assimilar a maioria dos aminoácidos de E. crassipes e P. stratiotes. As excretas das tilápias-do-nilo contribuíram para o aumento das concentrações de nitrogênio e fósforo na água dos aquários, independentemente da ração fornecida.

Host specificity of Metriona elatior, a potential biological control agent of tropical soda apple, Solanum viarum, in the USA

The leaf beetle Metriona elatior from Brazil-Argentina was screened in the Florida (USA) State quarantine facility as a potential biological control agent of tropical soda apple, Solanum viarum, a recently arrived weed species. Multiple-choice host-specificity tests were conducted in small cages (60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm) using 95 plant species in 29 families. Adults fed heavily on the main target weed (S. viarum), and on turkeyberry, Solanum torvum (noxious weed of Asiatic origin); fed moderately on red soda apple, Solanum capsicoides (weed of South American origin), and eggplant, Solanum melongena (economic crop); and fed lightly on aquatic soda apple, Solanum tampicense (weed of Mexican-Caribbean-Central American origin), and on silverleaf nightshade, Solanum elaeagnifolium (native weed widely distributed). M. elatior adults laid 84 to 97% of their egg masses on S. viarum, and 3 to 16% on S. melongena. Non-choice host-specificity tests were also conducted in quarantine in which M. elatior adults and neonate larvae were exposed to 17 and 19 plant species, respectively. Tests with the neonates indicate that this insect was able to complete its development on S. viarum, S. torvum, S. melongena, and S. capsicoides. Although some adult feeding and oviposition occurred on S. melongena in quarantine on potted plants in small cages, no feeding or oviposition by M. elatior was observed in field experiments conducted in Brazil. Surveys in unsprayed S. melongena fields in Argentina and Brazil indicated that M. elatior is not a pest of S. melongena in South America. The evidence obtained from the South-American field surveys, Brazil open-field experiments, and Florida quarantine host specificity tests indicate that M. elatior causes significant feeding damage to S. viarum, and does not represent a threat to S. melongena crops in the USA. Therefore an application for permission to release M. elatior against S. viarum in the USA was submitted in October 1998.

Food web structure in a tropical stream ecosystem

This study investigated the structure and properties of a tropical stream food web in a small spatial scale, characterizing its planktonic, epiphytic and benthic compartments. The study was carried out in the Potreirinho Creek, a second-order stream located in the south-east of Brazil. Some attributes of the three subwebs and of the conglomerate food web, composed by the trophic links of the three compartments plus the fish species, were determined. Among compartments, the food webs showed considerable variation in structure. The epiphytic food web was consistently more complex than the planktonic and benthic webs. The values of number of species, number of links and maximum food chain length were significantly higher in the epiphytic compartment than in the other two. Otherwise, the connectance was significantly lower in epiphyton. The significant differences of most food web parameters were determined by the increase in the number of trophic species, represented mainly by basal and intermediate species. High species richness, detritus-based system and high degree of omnivory characterized the stream food web studied. The aquatic macrophytes probably provide a substratum more stable and structurally complex than the sediment. We suggest that the greater species richness and trophic complexity in the epiphytic subweb might be due to the higher degree of habitat complexity supported by macrophyte substrate. Despite differences observed in the structure of the three subwebs, they are highly connected by trophic interactions, mainly by fishes. The high degree of fish omnivory associated with their movements at different spatial scales suggests that these animals have a significant role in the food web dynamic of Potreirinho Creek. This interface between macrophytes and the interconnections resultant from fish foraging, diluted the compartmentalization of the Potreirinho food web.

Os efeitos da ação antrópica sobre a distribuição de macroinvertebrados no Rio Guareí, São Paulo

In this study, it was examined, during the period from March to December 2006, the effects of human disturbance on themacroinvertebrates that live near macrophytes in Guare River, São Paulo State - Brazil. It was questioned if the high conductivityrecorded in Guare River affected the distribution of the macroinvertebrates and what were the most important variables thataffect macroinvertebrates in a river with a strong nutrient concentration. The objective of this study was to investigate theeffects of environmental variables on densities and composition of the macroinvertebrates. Three stands of aquatic plantswere sampled with with 0.25 mm mesh net on a 0.07 m2 square metal frame. Air and water temperature, depth, pH, electricalconductivity, suspended solids, dissolved oxygen and macrophyte biomass were measured. A canonical correspondence analysis(CCA) was performed using the density of the macroinvertebrates and environmental variables. Chironomidae, Culicidae,Acanthagrion, Coryphaeschna, Erythrodiplax, Miathyria marcella, Micrathyria, Gastropoda, Ostracoda and Hemiptera werethe only taxa that showed significant correlation with the axes. From the results, we can conclude that the high conductivity recordedin Guare River due to the high amount of organic matter released during its course did not significantly affected thedistribution of the macroinvertebrates during the studied period. However, the ACC recorded that oxygen was the most significantenvironmental factor for the density variance of the macroinvertebrates, especially larval Odonata.