Desmopsisterriflora, an extraordinary new species of Annonaceae with flagelliflory.

Flagelliflory refers to the production of inflorescences exclusively on long, whip-like branches which emerge from the main trunk and extend along the ground or below it. It is the rarest type of cauliflory and only a few cases have been reported in the world. Here, a new species of Annonaceae with flagelliflory is described and illustrated. The phylogenetic relationships of the new species were inferred using a hybrid-capture phylogenomic approach and we present some notes on its reproductive ecology and pollen characteristics. The new species, namely Desmopsisterriflorasp. nov., is part of a clade composed of Mexican species of Stenanona with long, awned petals. Desmopsisterriflora is distinguished by its flageliflorous inflorescences, basely fused sepals, thick red petals, reduced number of ovules per carpel, pollen grains with a weakly rugulate to fossulate exine ornamentation, and its globose, apiculate fruits with a woody testa. The morphological characteristics of the flagella suggest that these are specialized branches rather than inflorescences, and the absence of ramiflory implies an exclusively reproductive function. The flowers are infrequently visited by insects, their potential pollinators being flies and ants.

Response of dung beetle diversity to remediation of soil ecosystems in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Background: Efforts to alleviate the negative effects of oil spills in the Ecuadorian Amazon include remediation activities such as cleaning, reshaping, and revegetation of polluted areas. However, studies of the diversity of biological communities in these hydrocarbon-degraded ecosystems have never been carried out. Here, we evaluated the diversity of dung beetles on remediated soil ecosystems (Agricultural Soils and Sensitive Ecosystems) and on non-contaminated soils (Natural Forests and Palm Plantations). Methodology: The study was conducted in Sucumbíos and Orellana provinces, in the Ecuadorian Amazon at four sampling sites per ecosystem type (a total of 16 sites). At each sampling site, six pitfall traps remained active for 120 consecutive h per month for 1 year. Results: We collected 37 species and 7,506 individuals of dung beetles. We observed significant differences in mean species abundance, richness, and diversity between non-contaminated soil ecosystems and remediated soil ecosystems, with Natural Forests presenting the highest values, and Agricultural Soils the lowest values. Regarding sampling month, we also found significant differences among ecosystems, which were also higher in Natural Forests. Discussion: The results suggest that hydrocarbon-degraded ecosystems tend to conserve lower beetle diversity one year after remediation highlighting the importance of Natural Forests for the conservation of tropical biodiversity. Therefore, dung beetle diversity could be used for future landscape management of these hydrocarbon-degraded ecosystems.

Revegetación natural de áreas afectadas por minería de oro en la selva pluvial tropical del Chocó, Colombia / Natural revegetation of areas impacted by gold mining in the tropical rain forest of Chocó, Colombia

Introducción: La minería de oro a cielo abierto ocasiona impactos drásticos sobre los bosques naturales en regiones tropicales de alta biodiversidad, y la eficiencia de "revegetación", un proceso de resembrar y reconstruir el suelo, continúa siendo poco estudiado. Objetivo: Evaluar el efecto del tiempo sucesional y la distancia al bosque de referencia sobre la estructura biológica y composición de especies en minas de oro revegetadas. Métodos: Realizamos inventarios de vegetación en minas abandonadas en el bosque tropical lluvioso de Chocó, Colombia. Las minas contaban con 6, 10, 15, 19 y 24 años de sucesión natural. En cada escenario, establecimos cuatro parcelas de 2×50 m: a 50 m y 100 m de distancia desde el borde bosque-mina (ecotono). Resultados: Se identificaron 300 especies (193 géneros y 75 familias). La riqueza, diversidad y equitatividad cambian poco con el tiempo sucesional en las minas, pero alcanzan valores superiores en el bosque de referencia. La composición de especies es similar entre las minas con distinto tiempo sucesional, pero difiere ampliamente del bosque de referencia (solo 7 % de semejanza). La calidad del sustrato y las estrategias reproductivas de plantas herbáceas (principalmente Cyperaceae y Melastomataceae) y arbóreas (Cespedesia spathulata y Miconia reducens) que crecen espontáneamente en las minas, juegan un papel importante en la revegetación natural temprana. Conclusiones: 24 años de sucesión natural es poco tiempo para apreciar una recuperación sustancial de la vegetación en las minas si se compara con el bosque, y la distancia desde el ecotono parece no tener efecto significativo; sin embargo, la calidad de sustrato y estrategias reproductivas de plantas herbáceas son importantes en la etapa temprana de recuperación de las áreas impactadas por la minería de oro en Chocó.

Introduction: Open pit gold mining causes drastic impacts on natural forests in tropical regions of high biodiversity, and the efficacy of "revegetation", a process of replanting and rebuilding the soil, is still poorly studied. Objective: To evaluate the effect of successional time, and distance to the reference forest, on the biological structure and species composition of revegetated gold mines. Methods: We inventoried the adjacent forest and abandoned gold mines in the tropical rain forest of Chocó, Colombia. The mines had 6, 10, 15, 19 and 24 years of natural succession. In each scenario, we set four 2 × 50 m plots: two 50 m and two 100 m from the forest-mine edge (ecotone). Results: We identified 300 plant species (193 genera, 75 families). The richness, diversity and evenness changed little with successional time in the mines but reached higher values in the forest. The species composition was similar between the mines with different successional times but differed widely from the forest (only 7 % similarity). The substrate quality and reproductive strategies of herbaceous plants (mainly Cyperaceae and Melastomataceae) and trees (Cespedesia spathulata and Miconia reducens) that grow spontaneously in the mines, play an important role on the early natural revegetation. Conclusions: The 24 years of natural succession have been insufficient to reach a community of a complexity similar to that of the forest, and distance from the ecotone has no significant effect; however, the substrate quality and reproductive strategies of herbaceous plants are important in the early stages of mine recovery in the Chocó.

Host plant richness and environment in tropical forest transformation systems shape arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal richness.

Transformation of tropical lowland rain forests into rubber tree and oil palm plantations is the cause of massive loss of vegetation diversity. The consequences for associated mycorrhizal fungi are not fully understood. We hypothesized that generalist arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are resistant to removal of host species richness and that forest conversion to oil palm and rubber leads to loss of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) species with host preferences. Plant identities and AMF species were determined by molecular barcoding of 112 roots collected in three land-use systems (rain forest, rubber tree and oil palm plantation) in two landscapes on Sumatra (Indonesia), a world hotspot of forest transformation. The collected roots were from 43 forest plant species, in addition to rubber trees and oil palms. We detected 28 AMF species of which about 75% were present in forest trees and 25% shared among the land use systems. Only one AMF species present in plantation roots was not detected in the analyzed forest roots. Host specificity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was not detected. Oil palm and rubber tree roots exhibited a strong reduction in AMF richness compared with roots from rainforests and were differentiated by soil resources. On basis of an individual root, oil palm had a lower AMF species richness than forest or rubber tree roots. Our results demonstrate that tropical AMF communities are shaped by two mechanisms: (i) root habitat diversity as the result of plant diversity and (ii) habitat properties as the result of plant traits or environmental conditions and management. Collectively, deterioration of habitat diversity and properties exacerbates impoverishment of AMF assemblages.

Experimental Release of Orphaned Wild Felids into a Tropical Rainforest in Southwestern Costa Rica.

A 3- to 4-mo-old male ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and a 6- to 8-mo-old female margay (Leopardus weidii) were brought in from the wild, held in captivity, and rehabilitated for 906 and 709 days, respectively, at the Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center in Costa Rica. During captivity, both cats were kept as isolated as possible from humans and fed appropriate live wild prey. After maturing and demonstrating the ability to capture and feed on live prey, the cats were radio-collared, released at a national wildlife refuge previously assessed for predator and prey occurrence, and monitored. After 54 days, the ocelot was trapped while preying on chickens in a nearby community, and after 20 days, the margay was found dead, likely due to ocelot predation. Avoiding habituation to humans, assuring hunting abilities, and assessing release sites likely is not sufficient to assure successful release of these species, and more experimental releases with innovative and detailed protocols and monitoring are needed.

DNA Barcoding Reveals Generalization and Host Overlap in Hummingbird Flower Mites: Implications for the Mating Rendezvous Hypothesis.

AbstractHummingbird flower mites are assumed to monopolize single host plant species owing to sexual selection for unique mating rendezvous sites. We tested the main assumption of the mating rendezvous hypothesis-extreme host specialization-by reconstructing interactions among tropical hummingbird flower mites and their host plants using DNA barcoding and taxonomic identifications. We collected 10,654 mites from 489 flowers. We extracted DNA from 1,928 mite specimens and amplified the cytochrome c oxidase I (CO1) DNA barcode. We analyzed the network structure to assess the degree of generalization or specialization of mites to their host plants. We recorded 18 species of hummingbird flower mites from three genera (Proctolaelaps, Rhinoseius, and Tropicoseius) interacting with 14 species of plants. We found that generalist mites are common, and congeneric mite species often share host plants. Our results challenge the assumption of strict specialization that supports this system as an example of mating rendezvous evolution.

Rare and common species contribute disproportionately to the functional variation within tropical forests.

Understanding how functional traits and functional entities (FEs, i.e., unique combinations of functional traits) are distributed within plant communities can contribute to the understanding of vegetation properties and changes in species composition. We utilized investigation data on woody plants (including trees, shrubs and lianas) from 17 1-ha plots across six old-growth tropical forest types on Hainan island, China. Plant species were categorized as common (>1 individuals/ha) and rare species (≤1 individuals/ha) according to their abundance to determine how they contributed to different ecosystem functions. First, we assessed the differences in traits between common and rare species, and second, we examined functional redundancy, functional over-redundancy, and functional vulnerability for common and rare species of the forests. We found that both common species and rare species in each of the forest types were placed into just a few FEs, leading to functional over-redundancy and resulting in functional vulnerability. Rare species tended to have different trait values than those of common species, and were differently distributed among FEs, indicating different contributions to ecosystem functioning. Our results highlighted the disproportionate contribution of rare species in all of the studied forests. Rare species are more likely than common species to possess unique FEs, and thus, they have a disproportionately large contribution to community trait space. The loss of such species may impact the functioning, redundancy, and resilience of tropical forests.

Revison of Metaplagia Coquillett (Diptera: Tachinidae) with description of five new species from Area de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica.

BACKGROUND: We revise the genus Metaplagia Coquillett, 1895 and describe five new species from Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica. All new species were reared from an ongoing inventory of wild-caught caterpillars spanning a variety of species within the family Sphingidae (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Our study provides a concise description of each new species using morphology, life history, molecular data and photographic documentation. In addition to the new species, the authors provide a re-description of the genus and a revised key to the species of Metaplagia. NEW INFORMATION: The following five new species of Metaplagia are described: Metaplagia leahdennisae Fleming & Wood sp. n., Metaplagia lindarobinsonae Fleming & Wood sp. n., Metaplagia paulinesaribasae Fleming & Wood sp. n., Metaplagia robinsherwoodae Fleming & Wood sp. n. and Metaplagia svetlanakozikae Fleming & Wood sp. n.The following is proposed by Fleming & Wood as new combination of Plagiomima Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1891: Plagiomima latifrons (Reinhard, 1956) comb. n.

A NEW RECORD FOR THE MILK FROG Trachycephalus coriaceus (ANURA: HYLIDAE) FROM TELES PIRES RIVER, SOUTH AMAZONIA, BRAZIL / Un nuevo registro de la rana lechera Trachycephalus coriaceus (Anura: Hylidae) para el río Teles Pires, sur de la Amazonia, Brasil

ABSTRACT Herein, we report a new record of the milk frog Trachycephalus coriaceus for the Brazilian southern Amazonia and provide an updated geographic distribution map. We collected one specimen of T. coriaceus on 8 november 2016, during a nocturnal survey inside a dense ombrophilous forest in the right bank of the Teles Pires River, municipality ofJacareacanga, southern of Pará State. The record of T. coriaceus to Jacareacanga is the first to the State. The disjoint geographic distribution of this species along de Amazonia may just reflect the paucity of amphibian knowledge throughout this biome and the difficulty to detect this species in the field, given its explosive reproductive behavior.

RESUMEN Aquí, informamos sobre un nuevo registro de la rana lechera Trachycephalus coriaceus para el sur de la Amazonía brasileña y proporcionamos un mapa actualizado de su distribución geográfica. Recolectamos un espécimen de esta especie el 8 de noviembre de 2016, durante un muestreo nocturno dentro de un bosque denso ombrófilo en la margen derecha del río Teles Pires, municipio de Jacareacanga, al sur del estado de Pará. El registro de T. coriaceus en Jacareacanga es el primero en este estado. La distribución geográfica disyunta de esta especie a lo largo de Amazonia puede reflejar la escasez de conocimiento de anfibios en todo este bioma y la dificultad de detectar esta especie en campo, debido a su comportamiento reproductivo explosivo.

Land snails and slugs of Bau limestone hills, Sarawak (Malaysia, Borneo), with the descriptions of 13 new species.

This study presents a list of land snails and slugs found on limestone hills in the District of Bau, the state of Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo. Systematic and random sampling for land snails was conducted at eight limestone outcrops, namely, Gunung Stulang, Padang Pan, Gunung Kapor, Gunung Lobang Angin, Gunung Doya, Gunung Batu, Bukit Sekunyit and Gunung Sebayat. A total of 122 land snail species was documented with photographs of each species. Of the 122 species collected, 13 are new to science, namely, Acmella bauensis sp. nov., Japonia bauensis sp. nov., Plectostoma margaretchanae sp. nov., Microcystina arabii sp. nov., Microcystina atoni sp. nov., Microcystina paripari sp. nov., Microcystina lirata sp. nov., Microcystina oswaldbrakeni sp. nov., Microcystina kilat sp. nov., Philalanka jambusanensis sp. nov., Everettia microrhytida sp. nov., Everettia minuta sp. nov., and Paralaoma sarawakensis sp. nov.

Biodiversity and Spatiotemporal Variation of Longhorn Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Tropical Forest of Thailand.

Longhorn beetles are highly diversified and important for agriculture and health of the environment. However, the fauna and ecology of these beetles are not well known in Thailand. This study is the first to report the biodiversity, elevation, and seasonal distribution of longhorn beetles. Specimens were collected by malaise traps from 41 localities in 24 national parks throughout the country during 2006-2009. The traps were operated at each site for 12 consecutive months with a monthly service. A total of 199 morphotaxa in 36 tribes of 6 subfamilies were identified from 1376 specimens. Of these, 40.7% and 14.5% of total taxa were singletons and doubletons, respectively. The Shannon diversity index and observed species richness at Panernthung, Loei Forest Unit and Mae Fang Hotspring were high at 0.96 (30), 0.88 (50), and 0.86 (34), respectively. Local richness ranged between 3 and 50 species, while the species richness estimator showed between 6 and 1275 species. The most relatively abundant species, Nupserha lenita, Pterolophia sp.1, Oberea sp.3, Acalolepta pseudospeciosa, and Ac. rustricatrix represented 4.80%, 4.80%, 4.80%, 4.5%, and 4.43% of the species, respectively. The species with the widest distribution range of percentage of species occurrence (% SO) was Pt. sp.1 (63.4%), followed by Ac. rustricatrix (39%) and Moechotypa suffusa (39%). In a significantly negative relationship between species richness and elevation (p > 0.05, R2 = 0.04), the species richness pattern showed a hump-shaped curve that peaked at the middle elevation (501-1000 m asl). Regarding seasonal variation, most of the species occurred during the hot season (March-April) and peaked in early rainy season (May), while a low number of species were found during the mid-rainy (June-October) and cold season (November-February). Ordination analysis indicated that the distribution of most species was associated with regions and forest type, and most of the species correlated with forest located at middle and low elevation. The results of this study indicated the very high biodiversity of longhorn beetles in Thailand, which suggests that an understanding of their seasonal and elevational distribution will be of value to agriculture management and conservation. They also indicated that malaise traps are appropriate for the evaluation of biodiversity.

Mantled Howler Monkeys (Alouatta palliata) in a Costa Rican Forest Fragment Do Not Modify Activity Budgets or Spatial Cohesion in Response to Anthropogenic Edges.

Forest fragmentation increases forest edge relative to forest interior, with lower vegetation quality common for primates in edge zones. Because most primates live in human-modified tropical forests within 1 km of their edges, it is critical to understand how primates cope with edge effects. Few studies have investigated how primates inhabiting a fragment alter their behaviour across forest edge and interior zones. Here we investigate how anthropogenic edges affect the activity and spatial cohesion of mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) at the La Suerte Biological Research Station (LSBRS), a Costa Rican forest fragment. We predicted the monkeys would spend greater proportions of their activity budget feeding and resting and a lower proportion travelling in edge compared to forest interior to compensate for lower resource availability in the edge. We also predicted that spatial cohesion would be lower in the edge to mitigate feeding competition. We collected data on activity and spatial cohesion (nearest neighbour distance; number of individuals within 5 m) in forest edge and interior zones via instantaneous sampling of focal animals. Contrary to predictions, the monkeys spent equal proportions of time feeding, resting and travelling in forest edge and interior. Similarly, there were no biologically meaningful differences in the number of individuals or the distance between nearest neighbours in the edge (1.0 individuals; 1.56 m) versus the interior (0.8 individuals; 1.73 m). Our results indicate that A. palliata at LSBRS do not adjust their activity or spatial cohesion patterns in response to anthropogenic edge effects, suggesting that the monkeys here exhibit less behavioural flexibility than A. palliata at some other sites. To develop effective primate conservation plans, it is therefore crucial to study primate species' responses to fragmentation across their geographic range.

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) From the Southwestern Brazilian Amazon: Liberdade and Gregório Rivers.

The mosquito community from remote locations toward the southern border of the Brazilian State of Amazonas, in four localities along the Liberdade and Gregório Rivers, was sampled using CDC and Malaise traps, complemented with net sweeping and immature collections. During May 2011, 190 collections yielded 13,012 mosquitoes, from 15 genera and 112 different species, together with 10 morphospecies, which may represent new undescribed taxa. Among the species collected, there are two new geographical distribution records for the State of Amazonas. Culex, the most abundant genus, also had the highest number of species. Both Aedes and Uranotaenia had the second highest number of species, although they were the second and seventh most abundant, respectively. The most abundant species were Aedes (Ochlerotatus) fulvus (Wiedemann), Aedes (Ochlerotatus) nubilus (Theobald), Culex (Culex) mollis Dyar & Knab, Nyssorhynchus (Nyssorhynchus) oswaldoi sensu lato, Culex (Melanoconion) pedroi Sirivanakarn & Belkin, and Culex (Melanoconion) gnomatos Sallum, Hutchings & Ferreira. The epidemiological implications of mosquito species are discussed and compared with other mosquito inventories from the Amazon region. These results represent the first standardized mosquito inventories of the Liberdade and Gregório Rivers, with the identification of 112 species and 10 morphospecies, within the municipalities of Ipixuna and Eirunepé, from which we have only few records in the published literature.

Revision of Telothyria van der Wulp (Diptera: Tachinidae) and twenty-five new species from Area de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica with a key to Mesoamerican species.

BACKGROUND: We describe 25 new species in the genus Telothyria van der Wulp, 1890 from Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica. All species herein described were reared from an ongoing inventory of wild-caught caterpillars spanning two families (Lepidoptera: Crambidae, and Tortricidae). Our study provides a concise description of each new species using morphology, life history, molecular data, and photographic documentation; a redescription of the genus, and its type species as well as a revised key to species of Telothyria occurring in the Mesoamerican region. We also suggest seven new synonymies resulting in 11 new combinations. NEW INFORMATION: The following 25 new species of Telothyria are described: T. aidani sp. n., T. alexanderi sp. n., T. auranticrus sp. n., T. auriolus sp. n., T. bicuspidata sp. n., T. carolinacanoae sp. n., T. clavata sp. n., T. cristata sp. n., T. diniamartinezae sp. n., T. duniagarciae sp. n., T. duvalierbricenoi sp. n., T. eldaarayae sp. n., T. erythropyga sp. n., T. fimbriata sp. n., T. fulgida sp. n., T. gloriashihezarae sp. n., T. grisea sp. n., T. harryramirezi sp. n., T. incisa sp. n., T. manuelpereirai sp. n., T. obscura sp. n., T. omissa sp. n., T. osvaldoespinozai sp. n., T. peltata sp. n., and T. ricardocaleroi sp. n.The following are proposed by Fleming & Wood as new generic synonyms of Telothyria: Comatacta Coquillett Syn. n., Floradalia Thompson Syn. n., Ptilomyia Curran Syn. n., Ptilomyiopsis Townsend Syn. n., Ptilomyoides Curran Syn. n., Euptilomyia Syn. n., Eutelothyria Townsend Syn. n.The following new combinations are proposed as a result of the new synonymies: Telothyria bequaerti (Curran, 1925) Comb. n., Telothyria cruenta (Giglio-Tos, 1893) Comb. n., Telothyria frontalis (Townsend, 1939) Comb. n., Telothyria insularis (Curran, 1927) Comb. n., Telothyria itaquaquecetubae (Townsend, 1931) Comb. n., Telothyria major (Thompson, 1963) Comb. n., Telothyria micropalpus (Curran, 1925) Comb. n., Telothyria minor (Thompson, 1963) Comb. n., Telothyria nautlana (Townsend, 1908) Comb. n., Telothyria plumata (Curran, 1925) Comb. n., Telothyria trinitatis (Thompson, 1963) Comb. n., Telothyria variegata (Fabricius, 1805) Comb. n. Musca tricincta Fabricius is synonymized under Telothyria variegata Fabricius, Syn. n. Telothyria schineri Fleming & Wood nom. n. is proposed as a replacement name for Miltogramma brevipennis Schiner.Additionally we provide redescriptions of two previously named species: the type species Telothyria cupreiventris (van der Wulp) due to its being the type species, and Telothyria relicta (van der Wulp) due to its having been reared as an outcome of the inventory.

Conspectus of flora, fauna and micro-climate data in Tasik Kenyir from Mac 2015-February 2016.

This data article presents the diversity of flora and selected fauna in Tasik Kenyir, Malaysia. This man-made lake once suffered huge loss of biodiversity for allowing an earth-dam construction during 1980s. Series of publications on different types of target taxa have been published separately after the post-dam construction. A biodiversity assessment was conducted in Tasik Kenyir from March 2015 until February 2016. The one year assessment were compiled with the previous published data to document and updated the biodiversity checklist in the lake. The data show that Tasik Kenyir is occupied by 113 tree species, 217 butterfly species, 35 bee species, 26 reptile species, 267 aves species and 153 mammal species. The micro-climate data was downloaded from the Malaysian Meteorological Department and analysed in R Studio to highlight the relationship between climate data and biodiversity data.

Modifications of the rain forest frugivore community are associated with reduced seed removal at the community level.

Tropical rain forests worldwide are under increasing pressure from human activities, which are altering key ecosystem processes such as plant-animal interactions. However, while the direct impact of anthropogenic disturbance on animal communities has been well studied, the consequences of such defaunation for mutualistic interactions such as seed dispersal remains chiefly understood at the plant species level. We asked whether communities of endozoochorous tree species had altered seed removal in forests affected by hunting and logging and if this could be related to modifications of the frugivore community. At two contrasting forest sites in French Guiana, Nouragues (protected) and Montagne de Kaw (hunted and partly logged), we focused on four families of animal-dispersed trees (Sapotaceae, Myristicaceae, Burseraceae, and Fabaceae), which represent 88% of all endozoochorous trees that were fruiting at the time and location of the study. We assessed the abundance of the seed dispersers and predators of these four focal families by conducting diurnal distance sampling along line transects. Densities of several key seed dispersers such as large-bodied primates were greatly reduced at Montagne de Kaw, where the specialist frugivore Ateles paniscus is probably extinct. In parallel, we estimated seed removal rates from fruit and seed counts conducted in 1-m2 quadrats placed on the ground beneath fruiting trees. Seed removal rates dropped from 77% at Nouragues to 47 % at Montagne de Kaw, confirming that the loss of frugivores associated with human disturbance impacts seed removal at the community level. In contrast to Sapotaceae, whose seeds are dispersed by mammals only, weaker declines in seed removal for Burseraceae and Myristicaceae suggest that some compensation may occur for these bird- and mammal-dispersed families, possibly because of the high abundance of Toucans at the disturbed site. The defaunation process currently occurring across many tropical forests could dramatically reduce the diversity of entire communities of animal-dispersed trees through seed removal limitation.

Evaluating spatial coverage of data on the aboveground biomass in undisturbed forests in the Brazilian Amazon.

BACKGROUND: Brazilian Amazon forests contain a large stock of carbon that could be released into the atmosphere as a result of land use and cover change. To quantify the carbon stocks, Brazil has forest inventory plots from different sources, but they are unstandardized and not always available to the scientific community. Considering the Brazilian Amazon extension, the use of remote sensing, combined with forest inventory plots, is one of the best options to estimate forest aboveground biomass (AGB). Nevertheless, the combination of limited forest inventory data and different remote sensing products has resulted in significant differences in the spatial distribution of AGB estimates. This study evaluates the spatial coverage of AGB data (forest inventory plots, AGB maps and remote sensing products) in undisturbed forests in the Brazilian Amazon. Additionally, we analyze the interconnection between these data and AGB stakeholders producing the information. Specifically, we provide the first benchmark of the existing field plots in terms of their size, frequency, and spatial distribution. RESULTS: We synthesized the coverage of forest inventory plots, AGB maps and airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) transects of the Brazilian Amazon. Although several extensive forest inventories have been implemented, these AGB data cover a small fraction of this region (e.g., central Amazon remains largely uncovered). Although the use of new technology such as airborne LiDAR cover a significant extension of AGB surveys, these data and forest plots represent only 1% of the entire forest area of the Brazilian Amazon. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that several institutions involved in forest inventories of the Brazilian Amazon have different goals, protocols, and time frames for forest surveys, forest inventory data of the Brazilian Amazon remain unstandardized. Research funding agencies have a very important role in establishing a clear sharing policy to make data free and open as well as in harmonizing the collection procedure. Nevertheless, the use of old and new forest inventory plots combined with airborne LiDAR data and satellite images will likely reduce the uncertainty of the AGB distribution of the Brazilian Amazon.

A new species of Trismegistomya Reinhard (Diptera: Tachinidae) from Area de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica.

BACKGROUND: The New World genus Trismegistomya Reinhard, 1967b (Diptera: Tachinidae) previously included only the type species Trismegistomya pumilis (Reinhard, 1967a) from Arizona, U.S.A. NEW INFORMATION: We describe a new species of Trismegistomya, Trismegistomya jimoharai Fleming & Wood sp. n., from Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica, reared from wild-caught caterpillars of Melipotis januaris (Guenée, 1852) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae). Our study provides a concise description of the new species using morphology, life history, molecular data and photographic documentation. In addition to the new species description, we provide a redescription of the genus, as well as of its type species Trismegistomya pumilis.

Mapping the Evolution of Mercury (Hg) Research in the Amazon (1991⁻2017): A Scientometric Analysis.

Because the Amazon rain forest is ecologically relevant on a global scale, we applied scientometric techniques to integrate studies dealing with mercury research in this unique ecosystem between 1991 and 2017. Using a combination of co-authorship and co-citation analyses, keyword mapping and overlay visualization of topics in the field, this article identified three major areas in the 26-year period of mercury research: (1) human exposure to mercury (artisanal small-scale gold mining-ASGM) and methylmercury through fish consumption, and their respective risks for human health; (2) mercury accumulation in the environment and its relation to ASGM and atmospheric concentration; and (3) mercury geochemistry and its presence in soils, sediments, and water. The paper also identified the leading institutions related to the published research and respective influential scholars in the context of this study. Overall, the analyses revealed patterns of convergence and divergence between authors, specialization, and interdisciplinary engagement in mercury investigation, thus highlighting strengths and weaknesses of research topics in the field. This scientometric approach could be a useful tool to monitor/assess the implementation of the Minamata Convention.

Soil fertility and flood regime are correlated with phylogenetic structure of Amazonian palm communities.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Identifying the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity requires understanding of how evolutionary processes interact with abiotic conditions to structure communities. Edaphic gradients are strongly associated with floristic patterns but, compared with climatic gradients, have received relatively little attention. We asked (1) How does the phylogenetic composition of palm communities vary along edaphic gradients within major habitat types? and (2) To what extent are phylogenetic patterns determined by (a) habitat specialists, (b) small versus large palms, and (c) hyperdiverse genera? METHODS: We paired data on palm community composition from 501 transects of 0.25 ha located in two main habitat types (non-inundated uplands and seasonally inundated floodplains) in western Amazonian rain forests with information on soil chemistry, climate, phylogeny and metrics of plant size. We focused on exchangeable base concentration (cmol+ kg-1) as a metric of soil fertility and a floristic index of inundation intensity. We used a null model approach to quantify the standard effect size of mean phylogenetic distance for each transect (a metric of phylogenetic community composition) and related this value to edaphic variables using generalized linear mixed models, including a term for spatial autocorrelation. KEY RESULTS: Overall, we recorded 112 008 individuals belonging to 110 species. Palm communities in non-inundated upland transects (but not floodplain transects) were more phylogenetically clustered in areas of low soil fertility, measured as exchangeable base concentration. In contrast, floodplain transects with more severe flood regimes (as inferred from floristic structure) tended to be phylogenetically clustered. Nearly half of the species recorded (44 %) were upland specialists while 18 % were floodplain specialists. In both habitat types, phylogenetic clustering was largely due to the co-occurrence of small-sized habitat specialists belonging to two hyperdiverse genera (Bactris and Geonoma). CONCLUSIONS: Edaphic conditions are associated with the phylogenetic community structure of palms across western Amazonia, and different factors (specifically, soil fertility and inundation intensity) appear to underlie diversity patterns in non-inundated upland versus floodplain habitats. By linking edaphic gradients with palm community phylogenetic structure, our study reinforces the need to integrate edaphic conditions in eco-evolutionary studies in order to better understand the processes that generate and maintain tropical forest diversity. Our results suggest a role for edaphic niche conservatism in the evolution and distribution of Amazonian palms, a finding with potential relevance for other clades.