Fernando Pedroni

Seasonal diet of capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) in a semideciduous forest in south-east Brazil

The diet of capuchin monkeys, Cebus apella , in a 250 ha semideciduous forest in south-east Brazil was studied for 44 consecutive months. Based on 367 feeding bouts the diet of capuchins was 53.9% fruit pulp, 16.0% seeds, 11.1% flowers, 6.3% leaves and new shoots, 1.5% roots and 13.9% corn from plantations surrounding the forest. Seventy-one plant species were consumed by capuchins. Food availability was markedly seasonal. During the dry season the fleshy fruit availability decreased, and at that time the capuchins became seed predators and flowereaters. Several fruits eaten by capuchins in the dry season were not consumed by other frugivorous vertebrates, such as howler monkeys, parrots or squirrels, allowing capuchins to avoid competition with other arboreal frugivores. In semideciduous forests where fleshy fruits are less abundant than in the wet forests capuchins are important seed predators.

Predation on palm nuts ( Syagrus romanzoffiana ) by squirrels ( Sciurus ingrami ) in south-east Brazil

Although Terborgh (1986) suggested that palm nuts are a keystone plant resource for frugivore communities in tropical forests, few studies exist on seed ecology of palm fruit crop (Bradford & Smith 1977, Pifiero etal. 1984, Vandermeer et ali. 1979). Janzen (1983) suggested that seed predators have a major impact on the structure of plant communities in tropical forests. Squirrels are regarded as important seed dispersers and seed predators (Glanz et ail. 1982, Janzen 1972) depending on the habitat and the fruit availability. These rodents frequently consume hard nuts and their distribution may be related to the distribution of food sources such as palms (Glanz 1982). This paper investigates the utilization of the fruits of the geriva, ySyagrus romnanZoffiana (Cham.) Glassmnan by squirrels in a tropical upland semideciduous forest in south-east Brazil. Field observations were made from August 1988 to May 1990 in the 250 ha Santa Genebra Reserve in Campinas (22? 49 S, 470 07 W), Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The climate of the region is characterized by one dry (April to September) and one rainy (October to March) season; annual rainfall during the study period was 1366 mm. The feeding assemblage that utilizes Sjyagruis fruits in Santa Genebra is composed of squirrels Seiinrus ingrami Thomas, a small species about 34 cm in length (H. Bergallo, unpub.), capuchin monkeys Cebus apella Linne and brown howler monkeys Aloucattafiusca Ihering. &yagrus rotinanzofJiana is a common palmi in semideciduous forests in south-east Brazil (H. F. Leitao-Filho, pers. comm.). The fruit is an ovoid drupe 2.5 cm in diameter, with a soft exocarp and woody endocarp. Individuals of this species produce fruit all the year round, each plant producing two bunches at a timie.

Composição florística de um trecho de floresta ripária na Mata Atlântica em Picinguaba, Ubatuba, SP

O presente trabalho trata do estudo floristico da vegetacao arborea que ocorre ao longo de um trecho das margens do rio da Fazenda, localizado no Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, Nucleo de Picinguaba, no litoral norte do estado de Sao Paulo, municipio de Ubatuba (44°48 W e 23°22 S). Para a realizacao do levantamento, foram alocadas 40 parcelas de 10 m x 10 m, ao longo de um trecho do rio, sendo amostrados todos individuos com perimetro a altura do peito maior ou igual a 20 cm (DAP = 6,36 cm). Os 673 individuos amostrados distribuiram-se entre 120 especies, 83 generos e 37 familias. Myrtaceae foi a familia de maior riqueza, com 28 especies, seguida por Fabaceae (11), Rubiaceae e Lauraceae (8 cada uma). Euterpe edulis Mart. (Arecaceae), Chrysophyllum flexuosum Mart. (Sapotaceae), Coussarea nodosa Mull. Arg. (Rubiaceae) e Sloanea guianensis Benth. (Elaeocarpaceae) foram as populacoes com maior numero de individuos. O indice de diversidade de Shannon encontrado foi H = 4,07 nats/individuo, mostrando a grande diversidade da vegetacao na area de estudo. As informacoes obtidas neste trabalho ressaltam a alta complexidade da Floresta Pluvial Tropical da Encosta Atlântica ao longo de sua extensao e fornecem dados para estudos comparativos com outros trechos de Mata Atlântica ou mesmo com outras formacoes florestais.

Florística e fitossociologia em parcelas permanentes da Mata Atlântica do sudeste do Brasil ao longo de um gradiente altitudinal

This paper summarizes floristic and phytossociology data of 11, out of 14 plots of 1 ha, allocated along an altitudinal gradient in the Serra do Mar, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The study was conducted at Serra do Mar State Park and the plots start at the sea level (10 m - plot of Restinga Forest that occurs at Praia da Fazenda, Picinguaba, municipality of Ubatuba) up to 1100 m above sea level (the Montane Ombrophilous Dense occurs alongside the Itamambuca Trail, municipality of Sao Luis do Paraitinga). The Restinga Forest occurs in Pleistocenic Coastal Plain where the soil is classified as a sandy Quartzipsamment (Quartzenic Neosol), while along the slopes of the Serra do Mar, the Ombrophylus Dense Forest grows on the top of a pre-Cambrian crystalline basement with granitic rocks, where the soil is a sandy-loam Dystrophic Inceptisol (Cambisol/Latosol). In all 14 plots soils are acidic (pH 3 - 4), chemically poor, with high dilution of nutrients and high saturation of aluminum. In the Restinga and at the foot of the slope the climate is Tropical/Subtropical Humid (Af/Cfa), with no dry season, an average annual rainfall over 2,200 mm and an average annual temperature of 22 oC. Towards the top of the Serra do Mar there is a gradual cooling along the slope, but there is no reduction in rainfall, so at 1,100 m above sea level the climate is classified as Humid Subtropical (Cfa/Cfb), with no dry season and an average annual temperature of 17 oC. It is important to remark that, almost daily, from 400 m above sea level up to the top of slopes the mountains are covered by a dense fog. In the 14 plots 21,733 individuals with DBH > 4.8 cm, including trees, palms and ferns, were marked, measured and sampled. The average number of individuals sampled in each plot was 1264 ind.ha-1(± 218 SE 95%). Within the parameters considered trees prevailed (71% in the Montane ODF to 90% in the Restinga Forest), followed by palms (10% in the RF and 25% in the Montane Ombrophilous Dense Forest/ODF) and ferns (0% % in the RF and 4% in the Montane ODF). Regarding these proportions the Exploited Lowlands ODF differs from the others with only 1.8% of palm trees and striking 10% of ferns. The forest canopy is irregular with heights ranging from 7 to 9 m, rarely emergent trees reach 18 m, and due to this irregularity of the canopy the amount of light that gets through sets conditions for the development of hundreds of epiphytic species. Aside from Montana ODF, where the number of dead trees was more than 5% of individuals sampled, in the other phytophysiognomies this value was below 2.5%. In the 11 plots where the floristic study was conducted we found 562 species in 195 genera and 68 families. Only seven species - Euterpe edulis Mart. (Arecaceae), Calyptranthes lucida Mart. ex DC. and Marlierea tomentosa Cambess (both Myrtaceae), Guapira opposita (Vell.) Reitz (Nyctaginaceae), Cupania oblongifolia Mart. (Sapindaceae), Cecropia glaziovii Snethl. and Coussapoa microcarpa (Schott) Rizzini (both Urticaceae) - occurred from Restinga to Montane ODF, while 12 other species did not occur only in the Restinga Forest. Families with the greatest number of species are Myrtaceae (133 spp), Fabaceae (47 spp), Rubiaceae (49) and Lauraceae (49) throughout the gradient and Monimiaceae (21) specifically in portions Montane ODF. Only in the F plot, where logging has occurred between 1950 and 1985, the abundance of palm trees has been replaced by Cyatheaceae. The study shows a peak of diversity and richness, Shannon-Weiner index (H) ranging from 3.96 to 4.48 nats.ind-1, in the intermediate altitudes (300 to 400 m) along the slope. Several explanations for this result are raised here, including the fact that these elevations are within the limits expansions and retractions of the different phytophysiognomies of the Atlantic ODF due to climate fluctuations during the Pleistocene. The results presented in this paper demonstrate the extraordinary richness of tree species of the Atlantic Rainforest from the northeastern coast of the State of Sao Paulo, reinforcing the importance of its conservation throughout the altitudinal gradient. The richness of this forest justifies a long term commitment to study its dynamics and functioning through permanent plots, and monitor the impacts of climate change in this vegetation.

Phenology of a tree community in a cerrado sensu stricto, Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso State, Brasil

We observed leaf and reproductive phenology and analyzed the relationship among phenophases and abiotic variables (rainfall, temperature and photoperiod) and investigated the occurrence of seasonality. The local climate is characterized by marked wet (October-April) and dry seasons (May-September). From October 2005 to September 2007, 1221 individuals of 84 species were observed monthly for changes in leaf fall, leaf flush, flowering and fruiting. Deciduous (44%) and brevideciduous (16%) species were predominant in the area. The leaf fall was negatively correlated with rainfall and photoperiod, with mean date in August. Leaf flush was positively correlated with temperature. Flowering and fruiting were observed in both years for 69 species. Flowering occurred mainly at the dry season (July-August) and was inversely correlated with rainfall. The zoochorous species were predominant in the community. Fruiting of anemochorous species was inversely correlated with rainfall. Fruiting of zoochorous species occurred continually throughout the year and was negatively correlated with rainfall and positively with temperature. Our results suggest overall seasonal patterns with peaks of vegetative and reproductive activity occurring between dry and wet seasons. These phenological patterns have been demonstrated to be common in Brazilian savanna, and suggest that the timing of seed dispersal, germination and young seedling development is a major factor responsible for synchronized ripening of fruits at the beginning of the rainy season.

Disturbances, elevation, topography and spatial proximity drive vegetation patterns along an altitudinal gradient of a top biodiversity hotspot

The correlation between vegetation patterns (species distribution and richness) and altitudinal variation has been widely reported for tropical forests, thereby providing theoretical basis for biodiversity conservation. However, this relationship may have been oversimplified, as many other factors may influence vegetation patterns, such as disturbances, topography and geographic distance. Considering these other factors, our primary question was: is there a vegetation pattern associated with substantial altitudinal variation (10–1,093xa0m a.s.l.) in the Atlantic Rainforest—a top hotspot for biodiversity conservation—and, if so, what are the main factors driving this pattern? We addressed this question by sampling 11 1-ha plots, applying multivariate methods, correlations and variance partitioning. The Restinga (forest on sandbanks along the coastal plains of Brazil) and a lowland area that was selectively logged 40xa0years ago were floristically isolated from the other plots. The maximum species richness (>200 spp. per hectare) occurred at approximately 350xa0m a.s.l. (submontane forest). Gaps, multiple stemmed trees, average elevation and the standard deviation of the slope significantly affected the vegetation pattern. Spatial proximity also influenced the vegetation pattern as a structuring environmental variable or via dispersal constraints. Our results clarify, for the first time, the key variables that drive species distribution and richness across a large altitudinal range within the Atlantic Rainforest.

Florestas de restinga e de terras baixas na planície costeira do sudeste do Brasil: vegetação e heterogeneidade ambiental

Foram avaliadas semelhancas floristicas entre duas fisionomias de Floresta Atlântica na regiao costeira do Brasil, denominadas Floresta de Restinga e Floresta das Terras Baixas. A hipotese era que, devido a diferenca nos processos geomorfologicos, essas duas florestas difeririam em variaveis fisico-quimicas dos solos, composicao floristica, biomassa aerea e producao de serapilheira. O trabalho foi conduzido em uma area de 1 ha (100 × 100 m) em cada tipo de floresta, no municipio de Ubatuba, Sao Paulo. Foram registrados e medidos todos os individuos arboreos com DAP > 4,8 cm e coletadas amostras de solo e serapilheira. As analises de agrupamento e de ordenacao indicaram que os solos e principalmente a floraxa0distribuem-se como grupos bem definidos, concordando com a hipotese de distincao entre as duas florestas. A diversidade de especies foi maior (p 0,05) entre as duas florestas. Esse aparente paradoxo poderia ser explicado supondo-se que, uma vez que especies diferentes consigam se estabelecer na Restinga ou nas Terras Baixas e encontrem um espectro favoravel de condicoes e recursos, elas tenderiam a persistir e se desenvolver naquele local; nesse caso, embora as condicoes edaficas difiram entre as duas areas, cada especie responderia de modo particular a essas variacoes, de modo que as florestas poderiam atingir valores semelhantes de biomassa e producao de serapilheira. E provavel que o filtro ambiental condicionado pelos solos esteja sendo importante para a forte separacao floristica entre essas duas florestas.It was evaluated the floristic similarity between two Atlantic Rainforest physiognomies in Brazilian coast area, herein called Restinga and Lowland forests. The hypothesis was that, due the differences in geomorphologic processes, these forests would differ on soil physical and chemical properties, floristic composition, live above-ground biomass and litterfall production. It was sampled 1 ha (100 × 100 m) for each site located in Ubatuba, Sao Paulo state, SE Brazil. Within each hectare it was recorded trees with DBH > 4.8 cm in all 10 × 10 m contiguous plots, and collected soil and litterfall samples. The cluster and ordination analyses indicated the two communities as distinct groups considering soil and floristic composition, agreeing with the initial hypothesis. Species diversity was higher (p 0.05) between the two forests. This apparent paradox could be explained assuming that, since different species establish themselves in the Restinga or Lowland forests and find a favorable spectrum of conditions and resources, they would tend to persist and to develop in that place; even so the edaphic conditions differ between the Restinga and Lowland forests, each species could respond in a particular way to these variations, and then both forests could reach similar values of biomass and litterfall production. It is probable that the environmental filter conditioned by soils has being important for the strong floristic segregation between these two forests.

Fogo e dinâmica da comunidade lenhosa em cerrado sentido restrito, Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso

Studies on the dynamics and structure of woody vegetation after natural fires in Parque Estadual da Serra Azul have shown that fire affects plant survival and growth. The response of vegetation to fire depends on intensity, frequency and duration of burning. Ten plots (20 × 50 m) (Area 1) were burned in 2002 and 2005. Another ten plots (Area 2) were burned in 2002, 2005 and 2007. In January 2009, in Area 1, tree mortality was lower (2.0%) and recruitment (3.7%) higher than that observed Area 2 (4.3% and 0.05% respectively). Plant mortality decreased with increasing size class. In Area 2, there was a reduction in plant size (height and diameter). The resprouting pattern after fire was related to plant size. Smaller size classes had higher proportions of resprouting at the base of the stem while the larger size classes had more resprouts at the tree crown. In Area 2, species richness was reduced (estimated by Jacknife and Chao 2). Our results suggest that the tolerance of adult trees and smaller plants due to resprouting may explain the persistence of the woody cerrado community submitted to a fire regime interval over five years.

Floristic and phytosociology in permanent plots of the Atlantic Rainforest along an altitudinal gradient in southeastern Brazil

This paper summarizes floristic and phytossociology data of 11, out of 14 plots of 1 ha, allocated along an altitudinal gradient in the Serra do Mar, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The study was conducted at Serra do Mar State Park and the plots start at the sea level (10 m - plot of Restinga Forest that occurs at Praia da Fazenda, Picinguaba, municipality of Ubatuba) up to 1100 m above sea level (the Montane Ombrophilous Dense occurs alongside the Itamambuca Trail, municipality of Sao Luis do Paraitinga). The Restinga Forest occurs in Pleistocenic Coastal Plain where the soil is classified as a sandy Quartzipsamment (Quartzenic Neosol), while along the slopes of the Serra do Mar, the Ombrophylus Dense Forest grows on the top of a pre-Cambrian crystalline basement with granitic rocks, where the soil is a sandy-loam Dystrophic Inceptisol (Cambisol/Latosol). In all 14 plots soils are acidic (pH 3 - 4), chemically poor, with high dilution of nutrients and high saturation of aluminum. In the Restinga and at the foot of the slope the climate is Tropical/Subtropical Humid (Af/Cfa), with no dry season, an average annual rainfall over 2,200 mm and an average annual temperature of 22 oC. Towards the top of the Serra do Mar there is a gradual cooling along the slope, but there is no reduction in rainfall, so at 1,100 m above sea level the climate is classified as Humid Subtropical (Cfa/Cfb), with no dry season and an average annual temperature of 17 oC. It is important to remark that, almost daily, from 400 m above sea level up to the top of slopes the mountains are covered by a dense fog. In the 14 plots 21,733 individuals with DBH > 4.8 cm, including trees, palms and ferns, were marked, measured and sampled. The average number of individuals sampled in each plot was 1264 ind.ha-1(± 218 SE 95%). Within the parameters considered trees prevailed (71% in the Montane ODF to 90% in the Restinga Forest), followed by palms (10% in the RF and 25% in the Montane Ombrophilous Dense Forest/ODF) and ferns (0% % in the RF and 4% in the Montane ODF). Regarding these proportions the Exploited Lowlands ODF differs from the others with only 1.8% of palm trees and striking 10% of ferns. The forest canopy is irregular with heights ranging from 7 to 9 m, rarely emergent trees reach 18 m, and due to this irregularity of the canopy the amount of light that gets through sets conditions for the development of hundreds of epiphytic species. Aside from Montana ODF, where the number of dead trees was more than 5% of individuals sampled, in the other phytophysiognomies this value was below 2.5%. In the 11 plots where the floristic study was conducted we found 562 species in 195 genera and 68 families. Only seven species - Euterpe edulis Mart. (Arecaceae), Calyptranthes lucida Mart. ex DC. and Marlierea tomentosa Cambess (both Myrtaceae), Guapira opposita (Vell.) Reitz (Nyctaginaceae), Cupania oblongifolia Mart. (Sapindaceae), Cecropia glaziovii Snethl. and Coussapoa microcarpa (Schott) Rizzini (both Urticaceae) - occurred from Restinga to Montane ODF, while 12 other species did not occur only in the Restinga Forest. Families with the greatest number of species are Myrtaceae (133 spp), Fabaceae (47 spp), Rubiaceae (49) and Lauraceae (49) throughout the gradient and Monimiaceae (21) specifically in portions Montane ODF. Only in the F plot, where logging has occurred between 1950 and 1985, the abundance of palm trees has been replaced by Cyatheaceae. The study shows a peak of diversity and richness, Shannon-Weiner index (H) ranging from 3.96 to 4.48 nats.ind-1, in the intermediate altitudes (300 to 400 m) along the slope. Several explanations for this result are raised here, including the fact that these elevations are within the limits expansions and retractions of the different phytophysiognomies of the Atlantic ODF due to climate fluctuations during the Pleistocene. The results presented in this paper demonstrate the extraordinary richness of tree species of the Atlantic Rainforest from the northeastern coast of the State of Sao Paulo, reinforcing the importance of its conservation throughout the altitudinal gradient. The richness of this forest justifies a long term commitment to study its dynamics and functioning through permanent plots, and monitor the impacts of climate change in this vegetation.

Predação pós-dispersão de sementes do angico Anadenanthera falcata (Benth.) Speg. (Leguminosae-Mimosoideae) em mata de galeria em Barra do Garças, MT

Seed predation is one of the bottlenecks for the regeneration of tropical trees. The influence of post-dispersal seed predation of A. falcata on seedling recruitment was studied in a gallery forest in Parque Estadual da Serra Azul (PESA) in Barra do Garcas, MT. Field experiments were designed to assess the differences in post-dispersal seed predation by vertebrates and invertebrates with regards to temporal and spatial variation, leaf litter and distance from parent tree. Ants Solenopsis (Diplorhoptrum) sp. were the main seed predator of A. falcata. Seed mortality by insects varied through the fruiting season; it was more intense at the beginning and at the end of the fruiting season. The survivorship of seed did not vary among different microhabitats and was independent of litter cover and proximity to an adult fruiting tree. The results of this study indicated that predation by ants can limit the recruitment of A. falcata. However, rainfall reduces predation rate by promoting seed germination and favouring seedling recruitment of A. falcata.