Fabio Rubio Scarano

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest: A Shrinking Biodiversity Hotspot

The Neotropical Atlantic Forest is one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspot. Originally, the forest extended over 1.5 million km2 along the South American Atlantic coast, covering tropical and subtropical climates across highly heterogeneous relief conditions, which led to outstanding levels of endemism and species richness. Unfortunately, the Atlantic Forest has been historically altered by humans, which has resulted in severe habitat loss and fragmentation. The forest cover is now reduced to around 12% of its original extent, including regenerating areas and degraded forests, which are mostly spread in small fragments. As a result, many species are currently threatened to global extinction, with populations collapsing on local and regional scales. In this chapter, we reviewed the state of the art of Atlantic Forest biodiversity knowledge, pointing out the main achievements obtained by several research groups during the last decades. Additionally, we (1) propose a new sub-division of biogeographical sub-regions into 55 sectors considering 2,650 sub-watersheds, using niche theory and bioclimatic data; (2) describe the original and present distribution of the Atlantic Forest; and (3) relate the forest distribution to elevation and geomorphometric information (aspect and terrain orientation). Forest protection and restoration efforts, and potential ecosystem services are also examined as key topics driving the future of the Atlantic Forest biodiversity.

Rio+20: Lead by example

As host nation of Rio+20, Brazil should choose the right course for its own development, say Fabio Scarano, Andre Guimaraes and Jose Maria da Silva.

Plant-plant associations and population structure of four woody plant species in a patchy coastal vegetation of Southeastern Brazil

Este estudo examinou a estrutura populacional e as associacoes interespecificas entre jovens e adultos de quatro especies arbustivo-arboreas (Andira legalis (Vell.) Toledo, Clusia hilariana Schltdl., Protium icicariba (DC.) Marchand and Vernonia crotonoides Sch. Bip. ex Baker) numa restinga composta por ilhas de vegetacao, no sudeste brasileiro. Foram encontradas 101 ilhas de vegetacao numa grade de 0,5 ha e estas foram divididas em duas distintas classes de tamanho, sendo que ilhas grandes (> 20 m2) contiveram a grande maioria dos individuos adultos das especies estudadas. As especies mais abundantes, P. icicariba (465 individuos) e C. hilariana (312), apresentaram evidencias de ativa regeneracao, enquanto para A. legalis (20) e V. crotonoides (338), esta e possivelmente intermitente ou eventual. Os nichos de regeneracao das quatro especies diferiram, assim como as estrategias de reproducao: por exemplo, 81% das plântulas de C. hilariana foram encontradas dentro de tanques de bromelias enquanto apenas 3% das plântulas de P. icicariba foram encontradas neste habitat. Adicionalmente, 28% dos regenerantes de C. hilariana apresentaram origem vegetativa em contraste com apenas 6% dos regenerantes de P. icicariba. Dentre as associacoes significativas encontradas neste estudo, todas foram positivas. Houve uma associacao positiva entre adultos de C. hilariana e P. icicariba, assim como entre adultos de C. hilariana e jovens de ambas especies. Isso sugere que P. icicariba se estabelece sob o dossel de C. hilariana e mostra a importância de C. hilariana ao gerar area com cobertura vegetal que sera posteriormente ocupada por outras especies lenhosas, o que parece ser um importante processo para a manutencao da diversidade de plantas nesta vegetacao de restinga.

Brazil on the spot: Rio+20, sustainability and a role for science

Rio +20, or the United Nations Conference for Sustainable Development, will take place at the end of this month of June 2012. In this paper, our central argument is that Brazil, as the host of Rio+20, has a historic opportunity to make the conference a success and take a decisive step in becoming a world leader in the shift from the traditional development paradigm to a new, sustainable development paradigm. To do that, Brazil will have to resolve a paradox: on the one hand the country has modern legislation and world class science, and on the other hand very poor social and environmental decision-making in recent times. In this column, we examine the green economy as a trajectory that leads to sustainable development and describe some pilot experiences at the sub-national level in Brazil. We discuss how science, and particularly plant sciences, will be essential to the transition to sustainable development. Finally, we propose immediate actions that we call upon the Brazilian government to commit to and to announce during this pivotal Rio+20 moment, which should serve as a milestone for all nations in building a sustainable future.

Vegetation cover and land use of a protected coastal area and its surroundings, southeast Brazil

cover of the Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park and surroundings. The thematic map generated from the digital classification of the image allowed us to spatially characterize and quantify the different land uses and soil covers of the area. Thirteen classes were identified. The most representative classes in the park were the Clusia (31.99%) and Ericaceae formations (29.14%). More than 90% of the park is occupied by native vegetation and coastal lagoons. The surroundings are very much altered by human activities (e.g. 70.64% is used for agriculture and/or cattle raising). Two hundred and three forest fragments (0.3 to 235 ha) were identified, of which 45.3% are less than 5 ha. Most fragments (56.7%) have a very elongated shape, and are thus submitted to an intense edge effect. The intense fragmentation of the surroundings and the isolation of this protected area can imply, in the long run, the loss of genetic diversity.