André Felippe Nunes-Freitas

Volume de água armazenado no tanque de bromélias, em restingas da costa brasileira

Many bromeliad species store rain water in tanks, as a result of the spiraled distribution of their leaves. The aim of this study was to evaluate how much water is stored and what is the maximum volume of water possible to be stored in different tank-bromeliad species in 13 different Brazilian restingas. The species were recorded in 100 plots of 100 m2, in each restinga habitat. For each bromeliad species, the effective and the maximum water stored in the tanks were measured. We found 32 tank-bromeliad species and 59,007 bromeliad rosettes, with a maximum volume estimated in 44,388 liters, and approximately 17,000 liters of effective water stored. We found interspecific difference in effective and maximum volume of water stored. Aechmea aquilega, A. blanchetiana and Hohenbergia castelanosii had the highest effective water volume stored in their tanks. Only A. nudicaulis and Billbergia amoena showed differences among their populations in all analyzed parameters. The restingas of Marica, Prado, Trancoso and Jurubatiba had the highest volumes.ha-1 of water stored inside bromeliad tanks. The maximum water volume stored in the bromeliad tanks varied among species due to morphological differences in shape and size parameters.

Species composition of Bromeliaceae and their distribution at the Massambaba restinga in Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

We studied some ecological parameters such as richness, abundance, density, biomass and variation in species composition in four vegetation zones and in a zone with anthropic disturbance in the Massambaba Restinga in Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro State. We sampled 100 plots of 100 m(2) (10 x 10 m) recording the bromeliad species and their abundance. We found a total of seven bromeliad species, with Vriesea neoglutinosa (5647 ramets) and Tillandsia stricta (1277 ramets) being the most abundant. The vegetation zone called Clusia shrubs had the highest richness (S = 5) and density (6360 ramets.ha(-1)) of bromeliads. The differences found in abundance and variation in species composition among vegetation zones seems to be related to the vegetation structure of each zone.

Bromeliaceae da restinga da Reserva Biológica Estadual da Praia do Sul: composição, abundância e similaridade da comunidade

ABSTRACT – (Bromeliaceae of the Praia do Sul State Biological Reserve restinga: community composition, abundance and similarity).The Praia do Sul State Biological Reserve (Ilha Grande, RJ) is an important remnant of Restinga habitat in Rio de Janeiro State . Restingavegetation is not homogeneous and it is distributed in different vegetation zones, each zone having different topography, physi ognomyand flora. We analyzed ecological parameters of the bromeliad community such as richness, abundance, density, biomass and varia tion inspecies composition in four vegetation zones. We sampled 150 plots of 100 m 2 (10×10 m), distributed in the four vegetation zones,recording the bromeliad species and their abundance, and measuring the height, dbh, and density of the trees. We tested differe nces inramet abundance and vegetation complexity between the four vegetation zones with ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test. We found a to talof 16 bromeliad species, with different abundances and distribution patterns between the four vegetation zones, and with significantdifferences in abundance between species. The data indicate that the high species richness found in the Biological Reserve is r elated tolocal heterogeneity and complexity. The differences found between vegetation zones seem to be related to the vegetation structu re of eachzone.

Calliphorid fly (Diptera, Calliphoridae) attraction to different colored traps in the Tingua Biological Reserve, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The present study intended to analyze calliphorid attraction to traps painted in a variety of colors and the calliphorid constancy index in the Tingua Biological Reserve, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. The Diptera were collected monthly in the Reserve, between 2002 and 2005, totaling 24 samplings. Four traps containing sardines as bait were painted olive green, blood red, black, or white and exposed for 48 h at four equidistant points, 50 m from each other. To determine the calliphorid species constancy, the Bodenheirmer constancy index was used throughout the study. To analyze differences in the total abundance between species and in their color selection, an ANCOVA test with a significance level of 5 % and a Tukey post-test were used, considering the categories species and color as cofactors and climatic variables as co-variables (temperature, relative humidity and precipitation), since the samples were collected over two years. 10,444 insects were captured. Of these, 56 % belonged to the Calliphoridae family, totaling 13 species, with the most frequent species being Laneela nigripes (28.5 %), Hemilucilia semidiaphana (17 %), and Mesembrinella sp. (16.4 %). The other species had frequencies lower than 12 %. Nine species were considered constant, two accessories, and two accidental. The data indicated that the most frequent species presented significant differences between themselves concerning abundance over the captured months, however, the Tukey post-test indicated differences only between a few of them. The black trap presented the higher relative calliphorid frequency (27.34 %), followed by green (25 %), red (24.0 %), and white (23.7 %), although the species abundance in the different colored traps did not differ significantly among themselves. Therefore, there was no Calliphorid flies preference for any of the tested colors.

Bromeliaceae da Ilha Grande, RJ: revisão da lista de espécies

Ilha Grande, located at the Southern coast of Rio de Janeiro State, is constantly punctuated as an important area for conservational purposes, specially because it is a representative fragment of Atlantic forest and presents a high number of studies about the local fauna and flora. The aim of this study is to analyze the current knowledge of Bromeliaceae family at this island, and understand how the increase of the familys species list occurred through out the amount of time and sampling effort of this study. A total of 58 species of Bromeliaceae were listed for Ilha Grande, and 47 of them were sampled using only the methodology adopted at this study and, therefore, constitute new records for Ilha Grande.

Revisiting the hypothesis for increasing liana abundance in seasonal forests: a theoretical review

BackgroundA decade ago, to address the question, “Why are lianas most abundant in seasonal tropical forests across the globe?”, the Mechanistic Explanation of Liana Global Abundance (MELGA) relied on the assumption that lianas have deeper roots than trees and are able to tap water from relatively deeper soil layers, giving them a competitive advantage during drought.ScopeWe assess whether the assumption that lianas have deep roots is corroborated by the literature. We accessed the initial MELGA paper and evaluated all papers citing it. To date, we found that two papers tested the MELGA, and only one corroborated it.ConclusionsDeeper roots in lianas are not the single mechanism explaining liana success, due to limited empirical support. Instead, we propose that while liana success in seasonal forests may relate to deep roots for some species, it should not be viewed as the exclusive result of a single trait but as the possible result of multiple traits such as hydraulic redistribution, multifocal growing, drought resilience, higher water storage capacity, and acquisitive resource syndrome. Additional hypotheses should be evaluated along with predicted changes in plant community structure. These hypotheses should stimulate research on the mechanisms driving liana success in tropical forests.

Characterization of spontaneous nuclei of Clidemia urceolata DC. in disturbed areas of the Atlantic Forest

Clidemia urceolata DC. is a pioneer species of the family Melastomataceae which colonizes spontaneously abandoned pastures. It forms nuclei of different sizes, where other species of advanced successional groups can be observed, constituting a facilitative species. The present study aimed to quantify and characterize the nuclei in the watershed of Barra Mansa river, Rio de Janeiro state (6.839 ha) (22 o 32’40’’ 22o 40’60’’S e 44 o 12’ 44o 06’20’’W), which is a tributary of Paraiba do Sul river. They were geographically referenced and characterized regarding to the size of Clidemia urceolata individuals (low: H <0,60 m; medium: 0,60 <H <1,20 m; and high: H ≥ 1,20m), densification (scattered, medium and dense), area of the nuclei (small: ≤ 500 m 2 ; medium: 500 to 2000 m 2 ; and large: ≥ 2000 m 2 ) and development stage (initial, intermediate and advanced). 26 nuclei were identified, adding up to 7,9 ha. There was the prevalence of nuclei with medium

Reproductive phenology and flower visitors' guild of Canistropsis microps (Bromeliaceae) in an Atlantic Rainforest of southeastern Brazil

The reproductive phenology and guild of the floral visitors of Canistropsis microps in an Atlantic Forest area in Ilha Grande, RJ were studied for 4 years. The rates of flowering, fruiting and mortality were related to air temperature, rainfall and photoperiod. To register the flower visitors, observations were carried out for 5 days in each reproductive season. The flowering and fruiting occurred in the rainy season and were positively related to the studied climatic variables, whereas the highest mortality rates occurred in the dry season and were negatively related to the climatic variables. The guild of floral visitors of C. microps was composed of Hymenoptera, characterizing the species as a melittophilous plant. These results indicate that the rainy season presents more favourable conditions for investment in sexual reproduction, besides being the period in which potential pollinators have larger population densities and a longer period of activity.