Acute effects of a pilates method session on flexibility and performance in practitioners of an extreme conditioning program: A preliminary study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of Pilates exercises on flexibility and performance in practitioners of an extreme conditioning program (ECP). The hypothesis adopted was that Pilates could activate deeper muscles and improve the stability of core muscles. METHODS: This was an observational cross-sectional study with individuals practicing an ECP submitted to a Pilates method (PM) exercise session. The Wells bench test was used to assess flexibility, while performance was evaluated using the Wall Ball exercise commonly performed by ECP practitioners. The perception of effort was measured using the Borg scale. RESULTS: A single session of PM exercises was able to significantly improve flexibility immediately after the exercises (p < 0.001) and performance in one of the movements of the ECP (p < 0.001), as well as decrease the perception of effort. CONCLUSION: An acute intervention with Pilates exercises promoted improvement in performance of the CrossFit Wall Ball exercise.

Plasticizer concentration effect on films and coatings based on poly(vinyl alcohol) and cationic starch blends.

Films based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and cationic starch (CS) were combined with different percentages of sorbitol (S; 15.0, 22.5, and 30.0% w v-1) to assess the effect of plasticizer on the films. Spectroscopic analyses confirmed the interaction between them. However, micrographs indicated the formation of sorbitol crystals on the surface of the films, especially at higher sorbitol concentrations. The blends presented low water vapor transmission rate values, reaching (7.703 ± 0.000) g h-1 m-2 (PVA75CS25S15), and low solubility values for the films containing higher CS amounts. The lack of statistical differences in most parameters suggests that no significant gain comes from increasing the amount of sorbitol at percentages higher than 15%. As a coating, the blend PVA75CS25S15 successfully decreased the loss of moisture content in acerolas by 1.15 times (compared to the control), confirming the suitability of this matrix as a fruit coating.

One-pot synthesis of γ-lactams from ketoaziridines.

The remarkable biological activities of γ-lactams have stimulated the search for efficient synthetic methods to achieve these scaffolds. In this work, we have developed a simple one-pot diastereoselective synthesis of new γ-lactams from ketoaziridines with moderate to good yields via the Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction, followed by an intramolecular ester-aziridine cyclization and its opening in situ. Preliminary efforts towards an enantioselective version of this method are also reported.

Hitting the Road: Haplotype Diversity of Fire Ants Nesting on Disturbed Atlantic Forest Habitats.

Ants of the genus Solenopsis are globally distributed, presenting high diversity and many generalist species. In South America, the dominant species is Solenopsis saevissima (Smith, 1855), commonly found nesting in grassy fields surrounding humanized areas. In spite of being so common, there has been no research evaluating the effect of human disturbances on the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype diversity in this species. In this context, we here characterized the mtDNA haplotype diversity in S. saevissima nests by highway roadsides, dust roads, and forest borders of Atlantic Forest, based on partial sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). Based on the facts that the species is a rapid colonizer of disturbed habitats, we specifically probed how the genetic diversity of native S. saevissima is impacted by highways and roads infrastructure expanding around the rainforest. Species diagnosis was established both by morphological characters and obtained mtDNA COI sequences. Overall, the species exhibited high haplotypes and nucleotide diversity, particularly around forest borders; though all haplotypes seemed closely related across the different habitats. We identified seven mitochondrial haplotypes (H1 to H7), where haplotype H1 was exclusively found in highway roadside nests, and H7 on dust roads; the remaining haplotypes were recorded from all habitats. Haplotype H1 was geographically isolated to the south of the Atlantic Forest, supporting previous suggestions that it acts as a biogeographical barrier. The pattern is suggestive of a recent species expansion, probably resulting from extensive habitat fragmentation. Taken together, our data demonstrates fire ant haplotypes prevailing in some anthropized habitats, characterizing how a native species lining the remnants of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest might be a concern for environmental conservation.

Carboxymethylcellulose hydrogels crosslinked with keratin nanoparticles for efficient prednisolone delivery.

Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and keratin nanoparticle (KNP) hydrogels were obtained, characterized, and applied as drug delivery systems (DDSs) for the first time. Lyophilized CMC/KNP mixtures containing 10, 25, and 50 wt% of KNPs were kept at 170 °C for 90 min to crosslink CMC chains through a solid-state reaction with the KNPs. The hydrogels were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, thermal analyses, X-ray diffraction, mechanical measurements, and scanning electron microscopy. The infrared spectra indicated the formation of ester and amide linkages between crosslinked CMC and KNPs. The elastic modulus of the hydrogel containing 10 wt% KNPs was 2-fold higher than that of the hydrogel containing 50 wt% KNPs. The mechanical properties influenced the hydrogel stability and water uptake. The anti-inflammatory prednisolone (PRED) drug was incorporated into the hydrogels, and the release mechanism was investigated. The hydrogels supported PRED release by drug desorption for approximately 360 h. A sustained release mechanism was achieved. The CMC/KNP and CMC/KNP/PRED hydrogels were cytocompatible toward mammalian cells. The CMC/KNP/PRED set imparted the highest cell viability after 7 days of incubation. This study showed a straightforward procedure to create DDSs (chemically crosslinked) based on polysaccharides and proteins for efficient PRED delivery.

Fire ants: What do rural and urban areas show us about occurrence, diversity, and ancestral state reconstruction?

In South America, Solenopsis saevissima and S. invicta are the most common fire ants. Nests are founded in areas under anthropic interference like urban or rural areas, but S. invicta is found preferentially in those with the greatest anthropic interference. However, we do not know the rates at which they exist in anthropized areas next to high density of native vegetation. Areas with 60 to 90% of native Atlantic Forest were selected to verify the occurrence of both species in rural and urban areas. We investigated the molecular diversity and applied the reconstruction of the ancestral state analysis for each species. A total of 186 nests were analyzed and we found that the two species had the same proportion in the urban area. However, S. saevissima had a higher rate of prevalence in the rural area, in addition to having a greater number of haplotypes and ancestry associated with this type of habitat for the region. S. invicta had the same number of haplotypes in both rural and urban regions, and less haplotypic diversity. We conclude that S. saevissima is a species typically associated with rural areas and S. invicta, although present, is not dominant in urban areas.

ATLANTIC ANTS: a data set of ants in Atlantic Forests of South America.

Ants, an ecologically successful and numerically dominant group of animals, play key ecological roles as soil engineers, predators, nutrient recyclers, and regulators of plant growth and reproduction in most terrestrial ecosystems. Further, ants are widely used as bioindicators of the ecological impact of land use. We gathered information of ant species in the Atlantic Forest of South America. The ATLANTIC ANTS data set, which is part of the ATLANTIC SERIES data papers, is a compilation of ant records from collections (18,713 records), unpublished data (29,651 records), and published sources (106,910 records; 1,059 references), including papers, theses, dissertations, and book chapters published from 1886 to 2020. In total, the data set contains 153,818 ant records from 7,636 study locations in the Atlantic Forest, representing 10 subfamilies, 99 genera, 1,114 ant species identified with updated taxonomic certainty, and 2,235 morphospecies codes. Our data set reflects the heterogeneity in ant records, which include ants sampled at the beginning of the taxonomic history of myrmecology (the 19th and 20th centuries) and more recent ant surveys designed to address specific questions in ecology and biology. The data set can be used by researchers to develop strategies to deal with different macroecological and region-wide questions, focusing on assemblages, species occurrences, and distribution patterns. Furthermore, the data can be used to assess the consequences of changes in land use in the Atlantic Forest on different ecological processes. No copyright restrictions apply to the use of this data set, but we request that authors cite this data paper when using these data in publications or teaching events.

Brazilian Sign Language teaching in undergraduate nursing courses.

OBJECTIVE: to characterize the Brazilian Sign Language teaching in undergraduate nursing courses. METHOD: a cross-sectional study, carried out on the curriculum matrices of 553 higher education nursing courses. Data collection took place through access to the websites of the Ministry of Education and educational institutions. RESULTS: the nursing courses that offered Libras were located predominantly in the Southeast (36%), coming from private institutions (87.2%). Most Libras courses (82%) were offered on a mandatory basis in the second half of the course (46.7%). The semester in which the offer was most frequent was the eighth (15.9%). There was an association (p <0.001) between the offer of course and the variable "public or private category". CONCLUSIONS: there was a predominance of Libras course in private institutions, in the Southeast region, with a 40-hour workload, offered in the second half of the course.

B-cell compartment abnormalities are associated with ACLF and mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Liver cirrhosis profoundly affects the immune system, leading to an immunological imbalance known as cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction. AIMS: This study aimed to investigate B-cell disturbances in patients with acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis and assess relationships with prognosis and mortality. METHODS: The study included 39 patients with AD of cirrhosis, 29 patients with stable cirrhosis (SC), and 30 healthy controls (CTR). Circulating B-cell subsets and cytokine plasma levels were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Cirrhotic groups showed higher percentages of naïve B cells, and lower percentages of CD27+ memory B cells (MBCs) than CTR. Further analysis comparing SC and AD revealed that the latter had higher frequencies of double-negative (DN) B cells and plasmablasts. Patients with more advanced liver disease exhibited a B-cell maturation shift toward MBCs and plasmablasts. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) was associated with higher DN frequency. The Kaplan-Meier one-year survival probability was 92.9% in patients with >1.3% of transitional B cells and 27.3% in patients with <1.3%. CONCLUSIONS: B-cell subsets are markedly altered in cirrhotic patients, and cell profiles differ between stable and decompensated liver disease. Increased frequencies of DN B cells and reduced proportions of transitional B cells may be of great relevance in predicting ACLF and mortality, respectively.

Patterns of dendritic cell and monocyte subsets are associated with disease severity and mortality in liver cirrhosis patients.

Liver cirrhosis is often complicated by an immunological imbalance known as cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate disturbances in circulating monocytes and dendritic cells in patients with acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis. The sample included 39 adult cirrhotic patients hospitalized for AD, 29 patients with stable cirrhosis (SC), and 30 healthy controls (CTR). Flow cytometry was used to analyze monocyte and dendritic cell subsets in whole blood and quantify cytokines in plasma samples. Cirrhotic groups showed higher frequencies of intermediate monocytes (iMo) than CTR. AD patients had lower percentages of nonclassical monocytes than CTR and SC. Cirrhotic patients had a profound reduction in absolute and relative dendritic cell numbers compared with CTR and showed higher plasmacytoid/classical dendritic cell ratios. Increased plasma levels of IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17A, elevated percentages of CD62L+ monocytes, and reduced HLA-DR expression on classical monocytes (cMo) were also observed in cirrhotic patients. Patients with more advanced liver disease showed increased cMo and reduced tissue macrophages (TiMas) frequencies. It was found that cMo percentages greater than 90.0% within the monocyte compartment and iMo and TiMas percentages lower than 5.7% and 8.6%, respectively, were associated with increased 90-day mortality. Monocytes and dendritic cells are deeply altered in cirrhotic patients, and subset profiles differ between stable and advanced liver disease. High cMo and low TiMas frequencies may be useful biomarkers of disease severity and mortality in liver cirrhosis.

Brazilian Sign Language teaching in undergraduate nursing courses / Enseñanza del Lenguaje Brasileño de Signos en cursos de graduación en enfermería / Ensino da Língua Brasileira de Sinais nos cursos de graduação em enfermagem

ABSTRACT Objective: to characterize the Brazilian Sign Language teaching in undergraduate nursing courses. Method: a cross-sectional study, carried out on the curriculum matrices of 553 higher education nursing courses. Data collection took place through access to the websites of the Ministry of Education and educational institutions. Results: the nursing courses that offered Libras were located predominantly in the Southeast (36%), coming from private institutions (87.2%). Most Libras courses (82%) were offered on a mandatory basis in the second half of the course (46.7%). The semester in which the offer was most frequent was the eighth (15.9%). There was an association (p <0.001) between the offer of course and the variable "public or private category". Conclusions: there was a predominance of Libras course in private institutions, in the Southeast region, with a 40-hour workload, offered in the second half of the course.

RESUMEN Objetivo: caracterizar la enseñanza de la Lengua de Signos Brasileña en cursos de pregrado en enfermería. Método: estudio transversal, realizado en las matrices curriculares de 553 cursos de enfermería de educación superior. La recopilación de datos se realizó mediante el acceso a los sitios web del Ministerio de Educación y las instituciones educativas. Resultados: los cursos de enfermería que ofrecieron la disciplina Libra se ubicaron predominantemente en el Sureste (36%), provenientes de instituciones privadas (87,2%). La mayoría de las asignaturas Libras (82%) se ofertaron, de forma obligatoria, en la segunda mitad del curso (46,7%) y el semestre en el que más se presentó la oferta fue el octavo (15,9%). Hubo asociación (p <0,001) entre la oferta de disciplina y la variable "categoría pública o privada". Conclusiones: predominó la oferta de la disciplina Libra en instituciones privadas de Sureste, con una carga de trabajo de 40 horas, ofrecida en la segunda mitad del curso.

RESUMO Objetivo: caracterizar o ensino da Língua Brasileira de Sinais nos cursos de graduação em enfermagem. Método: estudo transversal, realizado nas matrizes curriculares de 553 cursos superiores de enfermagem. A coleta dos dados ocorreu por meio do acesso aos websites do Ministério da Educação e das instituições de ensino. Resultados: os cursos de enfermagem que ofereciam disciplina de Libras se localizavam, predominantemente, no Sudeste (36%), oriundos de instituições privadas (87,2%). A maioria das disciplinas de Libras (82%) foi ofertada, de forma obrigatória, na segunda metade do curso (46,7%) e o semestre no qual mais ocorreu a oferta foi o oitavo (15,9%). Houve associação (p<0,001) entre a oferta de disciplina e a variável "categoria pública ou privada". Conclusões: houve predomínio de oferta de disciplina de Libras em instituições privadas na Região Sudeste, com carga horária de 40 horas, ofertada na segunda metade do curso.

Improved antioxidant activity of a starch and gelatin-based biodegradable coating containing Tetradenia riparia extract.

The incorporation of plant-based extracts into polymer-based coatings is an efficient alternative to increase the shelf-life of stored fruit and to decrease or even prevent bacterial growth. Considering strawberries, it is also important to preserve their high antioxidant activity. Hence, this work evaluated the efficiency of a coating based on native cassava starch (NCS), gelatin, and sorbitol, containing different concentrations of Tetradenia riparia extract, in delaying the ripening process of strawberries stored under refrigerated conditions, and in preventing bacterial growth and antioxidant activity losses. Both concentrations of extract (500 or 1000 µg mL-1) increased the thickness, opacity, and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of the films when compared to the film without extract, but decreased the solubility. Even though the film without extract was expected to create a more efficient barrier to the coated fruits, the films containing the extract led to similar results of soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), and vitamin C. Nevertheless, the extract incorporation improved the control over bacterial growth, and preserved the high antioxidant activity of the strawberries within ten days of storage.

Association between Frozen Shoulder and Thyroid Diseases: Strengthening the Evidences.

Objective To clarify the association of thyroid disorders and primary frozen shoulder by comparing this group with controls without shoulder disease and with patients with rotator cuff tears. Methods We evaluated 166 patients who presented frozen shoulder with treatment in progress or already treated, which were compared with 129 patients with diagnosis of rotator cuff tears and 251 control subjects. All of the participants answered the questionnaire on the following variables: age, gender, body mass index (BMI), occupation, physical activity, presence of thyroid disorders and other comorbidities, smoking and use of alcohol. Results When comparing the frozen shoulder group with the control and rotator cuff groups, there is a specific association between the presence of thyroid disorders and frozen shoulder. By calculating relative risk, it is possible to state that an individual with thyropathy has 2.69 more chance of developing frozen shoulder. Also, there was an association with gender, since women with frozen shoulder exceeded significantly the risk. Conclusions Thyroid disorders, especially hypothyroidism and the presence of benign thyroid nodules, are risk factors significantly associated with frozen shoulder, rising the chances to 2.69 times of developing frozen shoulder. This is the first study that uses, in addition to the control group, a second group with rotator cuff tears, so it was shown that there is a specific association of thyroid disorders and frozen shoulder, but not with shoulder disorders in general.

Association between Frozen Shoulder and Thyroid Diseases: Strengthening the Evidences / Associação entre ombro congelado e tireopatias: Reforçando as evidências

Abstract Objective To clarify the association of thyroid disorders and primary frozen shoulder by comparing this group with controls without shoulder disease and with patients with rotator cuff tears. Methods We evaluated 166 patients who presented frozen shoulder with treatment in progress or already treated, which were compared with 129 patients with diagnosis of rotator cuff tears and 251 control subjects. All of the participants answered the questionnaire on the following variables: age, gender, body mass index (BMI), occupation, physical activity, presence of thyroid disorders and other comorbidities, smoking and use of alcohol. Results When comparing the frozen shoulder group with the control and rotator cuff groups, there is a specific association between the presence of thyroid disorders and frozen shoulder. By calculating relative risk, it is possible to state that an individual with thyropathy has 2.69 more chance of developing frozen shoulder. Also, there was an association with gender, since women with frozen shoulder exceeded significantly the risk. Conclusions Thyroid disorders, especially hypothyroidism and the presence of benign thyroid nodules, are risk factors significantly associated with frozen shoulder, rising the chances to 2.69 times of developing frozen shoulder. This is the first study that uses, in addition to the control group, a second group with rotator cuff tears, so it was shown that there is a specific association of thyroid disorders and frozen shoulder, but not with shoulder disorders in general.

Resumo Objetivo Verificar a asssociação entre tireopatias e ombro congelado primário, comparando com grupo controle e com grupo de pacientes com lesão no manguito rotador. Métodos Foram avaliados 166 pacientes com diagnóstico de ombro congelado primário com tratamento em andamento ou já tratados. Este grupo foi comparado com 129 pacientes com diagnóstico de lesão de manguito rotador e com um terceiro grupo controle formado por 251 indivíduos sem acometimento dos ombros. Todos os participantes responderam questionário sobre as seguintes variáveis: idade, gênero, índice de massa corpórea (IMC), profissão, atividade física, presença de tireopatia e de outras comorbidades, hábito tabagista e etilismo. Resultados Quando comparamos o grupo de ombro congelado com os grupos controle e lesão de manguito rotador, percebemos que existe uma associação específica entre presença de doenças da tireoide (tireoidite, hipotireoidismo, hipertireoidismo, nódulos e câncer) e ombro congelado. Através do cálculo do risco relativo, é possível afirmar que um indivíduo com tireopatia tem probabilidade 2.69 maior de desenvolver ombro congelado. Também houve associação com gênero, já que as mulheres com ombro congelado elevam significativamente esse risco. Conclusão Os distúrbios da tireoide, especialmente o hipotireoidismo e a presença de nódulos tireoidianos benignos, são fatores de risco significativamente associados ao ombro congelado, aumentando as chances em 2,69 vezes de desenvolver a doença. Este é o primeiro estudo que utiliza, além do grupo controle, um segundo grupo com lesões do manguito rotador, de modo que foi demonstrada uma associação específica de distúrbios da tireoide e ombro congelado.

Shelf-life of guavas coated with biodegradable starch and cellulose-based films.

Guava is a perishable fruit susceptible to post-harvest losses. So, the development of biodegradable films based on acetylated cassava starch (ACS) and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) could be an alternative to increase guavas (Psidium guajava L.) shelf life. Films were characterized by solubility, opacity, water vapor transport, and thickness. Mass loss, texture, titratable acidity, soluble solids, vitamin C, and skin color of the fruits were analyzed. The films with higher HEC concentration were more transparent and hygroscopic. Guava coated with 75% HEC and 25% ACS or 100% HEC films increased firmness, maintained green skin color and reduced ripeness, lasting for 13 days, ensuring that the ACS and HEC based films can increase guavas shelf life, besides decrease environmental impacts of non-biodegradable packages.

Phylogeny and biogeography of Astraea with new insights into the evolutionary history of Crotoneae (Euphorbiaceae).

We investigated species relationships in Astraea, a primarily Neotropical genus of tribe Crotoneae centered in Brazil, using data from the nuclear ribosomal ITS, and the plastid trnL-trnF and psbA-trnH spacers. With all species of Astraea sampled, along with representatives from across Crotoneae, the evolutionary history of Astraea was interpreted in a broader framework, as well as divergence time estimates and reconstructions of ancestral areas and morphological character states for Crotoneae. Our results show that Astraea is monophyletic, consisting of three main clades, and that most of its diversification took place from the Oligocene to the Pliocene, coincident with the formation of the South American "dry diagonal". As for Crotoneae, our data show incongruent phylogenetic positions between the nuclear and chloroplast data for most of its genera, and that the ancestor of the tribe was probably arborescent and might have occupied the Amazon Basin, most likely in moist forest, from which it spread throughout South America in the early Eocene. Ancestral state reconstruction recovered deeply lobed leaves and staminate petals bearing moniliform trichomes as putative synapomorphies for Astraea, whereas the absence or strong reduction of pistillate petals is widespread in Crotoneae and may be a synapomorphy for the tribe.

Effect of gelatin and casein additions on starch edible biodegradable films for fruit surface coating.

Coating fruits surface with biodegradable films obtained from starch is an alternative to delay the fruit ripening process. This study aimed to develop a biodegradable film from a polymer blend consisting of natural cassava starch, casein, and gelatin, and using sorbitol as the plasticizer. Among all the prepared biodegradable films (BFs), the one with desirable results in thickness, opacity, solubility, and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) analyzes was based on a high concentration of starch, and casein, and low concentration of gelatin. Also, this film had the lowest solubility among all of them. Guava fruit coated with this film showed a two-day increase in shelf-life when compared to non-coated guavas. The increase in shelf-life was due to the extremely low water vapor transmission rate of the films, decreasing the fruits' mass loss, and, consequently, retarding their senescence. These results indicate that the biodegradable film is a promising material for fruit coating.

Synthesis and characterization of a low solubility edible film based on native cassava starch.

Films based on cassava starch have been widely used for fruit coating; however, it is necessary to incorporate other polymers in order to improve mechanical properties, once starch only leads to highly hydrophilic films, compromising their application. In this way, a polymeric blend based on cassava starch, chitosan and gelatin was combined with a plasticizer to produce biodegradable films with satisfactory mechanical and barrier properties, in order to be used as fruit coating. The films were prepared by casting method and a statistical design of 23 was used to evaluate the effect of each polymer and what their combinations would influence over the final product. The formation of a physical blend was confirmed by FTIR. It showed low solubility, varying (10 ±â€¯2) % a (23 ±â€¯4) %, Opacity ranging from (1.06 ±â€¯0.04) to (1.55 ±â€¯0.13) AU x nm/mm, thickness from (0.20 ±â€¯0.01) mm to (0.44 ±â€¯0.03) mm and water vapor transmission rate ranging from 25 ±â€¯0.2 to 30 ±â€¯1.4 g s-1 m-2. Lower amounts of starch led to more flexible, less opaque and soluble films, while the combination of higher levels of starch and chitosan was responsible for lowering films water vapor transmission rate. Thus, the films showed interesting properties for fruit surface coating.

Allelopathic activity and chemical constituents of extracts from roots of Euphorbia heterophylla L.

Euphorbia heterophylla L. is regarded as a major weed worldwide. Its high aggressiveness in agricultural environment prompted us to investigate the allelopatic activity and chemical constitution of extracts from roots of this plant. Hexane extract showed low phytotoxic activity. Methanol extract at 2.0 mg mL-1 inhibited 100% of germination, root and shoot growth of the indicator plants Sorghum bicolor and Lactuca sativa. ß-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and esters of lupeol, germanicol, taraxasterol, pseudotaraxasterol, α-amyrin and ß-amyrin were isolated from the hexane extract and their structures elucidated on the basis of MS and 1H, 13C and DEPT-135 NMR data. GC-MS analysis of the derivatized methanol extract allowed for identifying a series of allelopathic organic acids potentially involved in allelopathic interactions of E. heterophylla. This is the first study on the allelopathic activity of extracts and identification of metabolites from roots of E. heterophylla.

Winged ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) presence in twigs on the leaf litter of Atlantic Forest / Colônias de formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) com alados em galhos na serapilheira de Floresta Atlântica

Abstract: In the leaf litter, ants have various nesting resources available, such as live or dead trunks, twigs, leaves, fruits and seeds. On the twigs, there are adults and immature individuals, but also the queen and winged. The production of wings requires time and energy from the colony. The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of winged in ant colonies in twigs on the leaf litter. Our prediction is that the richness and abundance of winged in twigs are the greatest in rainy months. We collected all twigs with ants in 552 plots with 16 m2, totaling 8,832 m2 of leaf litter, in areas located in the Brazilian Atlantic Domain. We compared the species richness and the number of colonies with and without winged, as well as the number of winged over a year. In total, we collected 1,521 twigs with colonies belonging to 92 species of ants. The rate of twigs with winged was low, about 12%. In colonies with winged, the total number of twigs, species and amount of winged does not differ between the months considered dry and rainy. The majority of winged species are leaf litter dwellers, such as Linepithema neotropicum, recorded with the highest amount of winged irrespective of the period. Arboreal species colonized 15% of the twigs and, in 1/3 of these species, winged were recorded as part of the composition of the colony. Although winged represent a small percentage of the colony in twigs, our results indicate that this feature is important for the life cycle of 44% of the species that occupy twigs, considering that winged are fundamental for the dispersion of the colony.

Resumo: Na serapilheira as formigas têm disponíveis diversos recursos de nidificação, como troncos e galhos vivos ou mortos, folhas, frutos e sementes. Nos galhos são encontrados indivíduos adultos e imaturos, mas também rainha e alados. A produção de alados exige tempo e energia por parte da colônia. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a presença de alados em colônias de formigas em galhos na serapilheira. Nossa hipótese é que a riqueza e abundância de alados em galhos são maiores nos meses chuvosos. Nós coletamos todos os galhos com formigas em 552 parcelas de 16 m2, totalizando 8.832 m2 de serapilheira em áreas localizadas no Domínio Atlântico brasileiro. Comparamos a riqueza de espécies e o número de galhos com e sem alados, bem como o número de alados ao longo de um ano. No total coletamos 1.521 galhos com colônias, pertencentes a 92 espécies de formigas; a taxa de galhos com alados foi baixa, cerca de 12%. Nas colônias com alados, o número total de galhos, espécies e quantidade de alados não diferem entre os meses secos ou chuvosos. A maioria das espécies com alados é habitante da serapilheira, como Linepithema neotropicum, registrada com a maior quantidade de alados, independente do período. Espécies arborícolas colonizaram 15% dos galhos e, em 1/3 dessas espécies, alados foram registrados fazendo parte da composição da colônia. Apesar de os alados representarem uma pequena porcentagem da colônia em galhos, nossos resultados indicam que este recurso é importante para o ciclo de vida de 50% das espécies que os ocupam, considerando que alados são fundamentais para a dispersão da colônia.