The context of the size and distance of Atlantic Forest fragments in a small city in Southern Brazil

The Atlantic Forest is highly anthropized, this reduce the areas of native vegetation and impacts the biodiversity of the biome. The objective of this study is to analyze forest remnants with native vegetation characteristics using a free GIS. This analysis takes place using landscape metrics and was based on the supervised vectorization of land use in the municipality of California, PR. The area of the vectored polygons was obtained and a classified, and then the calculation was made with the nearest neighbor index, mean distance observed, Patton diversity index and the perimeter/area ratio of forest fragments. The results show that most of the fragments have an area smaller than 1 ha, the fragments with more significant area (<50 ha) represent more than 16% of the native vegetation area. The small fragments are important to maintain the connectivity, since the withdrawal of these increases the mean distance observed and nearest neighbor index. Most of the fragments are elongated and amorphous in accordance with the perimeter/area ratio and the Patton diversity index respectively, this may demonstrate the fragments may be subject to edge effects. Even with these characteristics, these fragments may be part of what is planned in public policy for preservation in the Atlantic Forest in the state of Paraná. Therefore, even small fragments with little core area are important for maintaining biodiversity, especially in a highly anthropogenic landscape.

Reproductive success and genetic diversity of Psychotria hastisepala (Rubiaceae), in fragmented Atlantic forest, Southeastearn Brazil

The impacts of forest fragmentation on both reproductive biology and genetic diversity of native plant species is hardly understood, despite some studies have analyzed this current worldwide problem. Since this constitutes one of the main threats to seasonal semi-deciduous forests in Southeastern Brazil, we investigated the reproductive success and the genetic diversity of a distylous, understory shrub (Psychotria hastisepala) within this context of forest fragmentation. For this study, a set of seven forest fragments of sizes ranging from 4.1 to 168.7 hectares were chosen. The intervenient matrix comprised pastures (25-50%), monocultures (33-50%) and rural roads and buildings (14-28.5%). Overall, 91 plants (54 for the short-styled morph and 37 for the long-styled morph; mean of 6.5 plants per fragment) were investigated. To evaluate reproductive success, we quantified fruit and seed production under natural pollination; to evaluate genetic diversity and population structure, we employed ISSR markers on genomic DNA. Plants with the short-styled morph exhibited a significantly higher reproductive success than those with the long-styled morph; there was no association between seed production and size of the forest fragment. Levels of genetic diversity were positively associated with the number of plants per fragment; but they were not related to flower morph. AMOVA showed that about 65% of the overall genetic variation was attributed to the differences between plants within fragments. The results suggested that populations of P. hastisepala were susceptible to decline owing to forest fragmentation. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (1): 309-319. Epub 2014 March 01.

Los impactos de la fragmentación de los bosques tanto en la biología reproductiva como en la diversidad genética de las especies de plantas nativas apenas se entienden, a pesar de que algunos estudios han analizado este problema mundial. Dado que esto constituye una de las principales amenazas para los bosques semi-deciduos estacionales en el sureste de Brasil, se investigó el éxito reproductivo y la diversidad genética de un arbusto de sotobosque, Psychotria hastisepala, en un bosque fragmentado. Para este estudio, se seleccionaron siete fragmentos de tamaños que van desde 4.1 hasta 168.7 hectáreas. La matriz intervenida comprende pastos (25-50%), monocultivos (33-50%) y carreteras y edificios rurales (14-28.5%). En total, 91 plantas fueron investigadas (54 morfos florales brevistilo y 37 longistilo, con una media de 6.5 plantas por fragmento). Para evaluar el éxito reproductivo, se cuantificó la producción de frutos y semillas de plantas con polinización natural; para evaluar la diversidad genética y la estructura poblacional, se emplearon marcadores ISSR en el ADN genómico. Las plantas con morfo brevistilo exhibieron un éxito reproductivo significativamente más alto que las longistilo, no hubo asociación entre la producción de semillas y el tamaño del fragmento de bosque. Los niveles de diversidad genética se asociaron positivamente con el número de plantas por fragmento, pero que no estaban relacionados con los morfos florales. AMOVA mostró que alrededor del 65% de la variación genética en general se atribuyó a las diferencias entre plantas dentro de fragmentos. Los resultados sugieren que las poblaciones de P. hastisepala fueron susceptibles a disminuir debido a la fragmentación de los bosques.

Abundância e frugivoria da quiropterofauna (Mammalia, chiroptera) de um fragmento no noroeste do Estado do Paraná, Brasil / Chiropterofauna abundance and frugivory in a forest remnant in northwestern Paraná State, Brazil

A abundância e a frugivoria de morcegos que compõem a taxocenose em uma área de mata ripária, à margem esquerda do rio Ivaí, foram foco do presente estudo. O Recanto Marista possui 57,6 hectares, dos quais 40,8 são cobertos por Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, situado no município de Doutor Camargo, região Noroeste do Estado do Paraná. Foram realizadas 14 noites de capturas de morcegos de maio de 2007 a janeiro de 2008, com redesneblina (7 x 2,5 m), totalizando 13.475 m² h de esforço amostral, distribuído em 72h de esforço. Foram capturados 193 indivíduos, representantes de dez espécies, pertencentes a duas famílias: Phyllostomidae (Artibeus lituratus, Sturnira lilium, Carollia perspicillata, Artibeus cf. fimbriatus, Artibeus planirotris, Desmodus rotundus e Pygoderma bilabiatum) e Vespertilionidae (Myotis nigricans, Eptesicus sp. e Lasiurus blossevillii). Um representante da família Molossidae (Molossus rufus) foi encontrado morto no solo. Foram consumidos frutos pertencentes às famílias Moraceae (Ficus guaranitica, Ficus insipida, Ficus sp. e Maclura tinctoria), Solanaceae (Solanum aspero-lanatum e Solanum sp.), Piperaceae (Piper aduncum, Piper amalago e Piper sp.) e Urticaceae (Cecropia pachystachya e Cecropia sp.).

This study aims to evaluate the abundance and frugivory of bats from the Recanto Marista, a small riparian forest remnant in the margins of the Ivaí river. The Recanto Marista has 57.6 ha, of which 40.8 ha are covered by semideciduous seasonal forest and is located in the Doutor Camargo municipality. Collections were conducted from May 2007 to January 2008 using mist nets (7 x 2.5 m) totaling 13,475 m² h and comprising about 72 hours. Ten species were found pertaining to two families, Phyllostomidae (Artibeus lituratus, Sturnira lilium, Carollia perspicillata, Artibeus cf. fimbriatus, Artibeus planirotris, Desmodus rotundus and Pygoderma bilabiatum) and Vespertilionidae (Myotis nigricans, Eptesicus sp. and Lasiurus blossevillii) totaling 193 specimens. One Molossus rufus individual was found dead on the ground. Fruits pertaining to the families Moraceae (Ficus guaranitica, Ficus insipida, Ficus sp. and Maclura tinctoria), Solanaceae (Solanum aspero-lanatum and Solanum sp.), Piperaceae (Piper aduncum, Piper amalago and Piper sp.) and Urticaceae (Cecropia pachystachya and Cecropia sp.) made part of the diet of the captured bat species.

Fruit consumption by four woodpecker species (PICIDAE: AVES) in semideciduous seasonal forest remnants of South Brazil

Este estudio se realizó entre 1990 y 1997, en dos fragmentos del bosque estacional semidecidual en el Estado de Paraná, Brasil, y examinó el consumo de frutas por cuatro especies de carpinteros (Melanerpes flavifrons, Veniliornis spilogaster, Colaptes melanochloros y Celeus flavescens). La dieta de estas especies fue evaluada a través de dos métodos complementarios: registros visuales y análisis de muestras fecales. Se obtuvieron 41 registros visuales y 23 muestras fecales, de que más de la mitad contenían semillas de un o más especies, en cantidades variables (1 a 100). En todo, fueron identificadas trece especies de frutas, cuyas características se presentan y discuten. Al contrario de lo esperado, el consumo de frutas fue más grande durante el periodo de menos disponibilidad de este recurso en las áreas estudiadas, es decir, entre octubre y marzo. Desde que éste es el periodo en que la mayoría de estas aves se reproducen, y también la cumbre de disponibilidad de insectos, se discute el consumo de frutas cuanto a balanceo nutritivo y enérgico, sobre todo para las aves jóvenes que se mantienen en el nido. Datos sobre la captura de estas especies son presentados en detalle, con el objetivo de estimular otros estudios que pueden contribuir para el mejor entendimiento de la biología de los Picidae neotropicales.