Rodolfo Antônio de Figueiredo

Diversity of vascular plants growing on walls of a Brazilian city

City walls are very specialized environments, conditioned by human activities. There is little information about plants that invade human-made habitats, and no study done in Brazil with plants growing up on walls. The aim of the present study was to survey the wall vascular flora of a Brazilian city, comparing the diversity found in its downtown and neighborhoods. Fieldwork was done in Jundiaí, São Paulo State, where data was collected in downtown and in five neighborhoods. In each place, three transects of 1 km were established and every plant individual was registered. Twenty-eight species were identified, all of them on the downtown transect and most also on the neighborhood transects. Five species were the most frequent, although none were dominant. The diversity indicies of the six transects were not significantly different, with an overall diversity of H′ = 2.93.

Reproductive ecology of the exotic tree Muntingia calabura L. (Muntingiaceae) in southeastern Brazil

The exotic tree Muntingia calabura L. (Muntingiaceae), a species native to Central America, is used as fish feed and fiber and cellulose production in Brazil. This study was carried out in urban areas and verified the reproductive biology of this plant species. Flower and fruit morphology , compatibility system, reproductive phenology, pollination and frugivore animals, and germination of disseminated seeds were recorded by standard field and laboratory procedures. This tree is self-compatible and autonomously self-pollinated, with its flowers being mainly visited by bees and its fruits consumed by birds and bats. Germination of its dispersed seeds is fast and occurs at a high rate. The results of this work suggest that M. calabura is very adaptable to cultivated areas,thus being an excellent choice for urban reforestation. However, its reproductive characteristics place this plant as an invasive species with significant potential in southeastern Brazil.

Feeding visit time of fruit-eating birds in Cerrado plants: revisiting the predation risk model

Fruiting plants that attract frequent visits by fruit-eating birds tend to be predictable patches for a predator. Consequently, the risk of a predator attack increases the longer a bird stays on a fruiting plant. We tested whether large and cryptic species of fruit-eating birds spend more time per feeding visit than smaller and conspicuous ones in fruiting plants of the Brazilian Cerrado. Data were obtained from the literature for eight fruiting plant species and from field observations of birds feeding on fruits of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium (Rutaceae). We searched for a positive linear relationship between the mean visit time and the total length of the species, considering bird color as a covariate. Feeding visits of the large and cryptic bird species lasted longer than feeding visits of small and conspicuous species. Large birds may be safer from predators because large predators are less common. Cryptic birds may be difficult to be detected by predators and, consequently, may be less likely to be attacked by predators than conspicuous birds. Thus, our results provide support to the hypothesis that vulnerable bird species spend less time foraging in fruiting plants.

Aspectos da ecologia reprodutiva de Pera glabrata (Schott) Poepp. ex Baill. (Euphorbiaceae) em uma área de Cerrado no estado de São Paulo

Pera glabrata is a widely distributed tree in Brazil. The plant species is important for conservation and restoration of degraded areas due its presence in impacted environments. Besides, the production and the dispersion of large quantities of seeds, provide food supply for many species of animals. Despite its phytosociological importance, there are no studies addressing its reproductive ecology. The objectives of this study are to characterize the reproductive phenology, floral morphology, breeding system and pollination and seed dispersal of the species. The study was conducted in an area of cerrado in Sao Carlos (SP). It was found that Pera glabrata is dioecious, showing massive flowering and the flowers of both sexes are small, involuted, yellow and with diurnal anthesis. The male flowers provide nectar, and emit a sweet odor, while the female ones do not offer visible reward to visitors. The flowers were visited by 32 small species of Diptera and Hymenoptera. Fruits and seeds were developed through autogamy. Twenty-five bird species visited individuals bearing ripe fruits, and 16 species ingested arilate seeds. In conclusion, Pera glabrata is an autogamous species, with several small insects pollination system and ornithocoric dispersal of its seeds.

Bird frugivory and seed germination of Myrsine umbellata and Myrsine lancifolia (Myrsinaceae) seeds in a cerrado fragment in southeastern Brazil

Birds are known to be important dispersers of plants, since the passage of seeds through the digestive tract often has a positive influence on germination percentage and speed. In this study, proportions of germination in different substrates were compared between Myrsine (Myrsinaceae) seeds collected manually and those ingested by birds. The guilds of birds that fed on M. umbellata and M. lancifolia were identified and comprise 24 and 12 species, respectively. A higher germination proportion was found among seeds defecated by birds and sowed in the study area. The study also found differences between the guilds of frugivores in both synchronopatric species. Therefore, we suggest that M. umbellata and M. lancifolia are important food sources by birds that play a positive influence for enhance germination of Myrsine.

Resiliência em sistemas socioecológicos, paisagem rural e agricultura

O presente artigo e resultado de investigacao teorica e conceitual, pesquisa e analise bibliografica sobre a teoria da resiliencia em sistemas socioecologicos, e de uma breve avaliacao de como esses conceitos vem sendo incorporados e inseridos em pesquisas desenvolvidas em areas rurais, com os objetivos de apresentar conceitos sobre resiliencia em sistemas socioecologicos elevantar os temas vinculados a essa questao na literatura. Foram analisados 34 artigos cientificos publicados na ultima decada, a partir de 12 tematicas relacionadas a resiliencia socioecologica. Conclui-se que esforcos de recuperacao socioecologica podem promover a resiliencia em areas rurais. O caminho para garantir essa resiliencia, em diferentes escalas na paisagem rural, envolve praticas mais sustentaveis e novas tecnologias sociais, melhoria dos sistemas de gestao e governanca, valorizacao da cultura e do modo de vida rural e politicas publicas mais efetivas.

Análise documental e de percepção acerca da gestão de resíduos em um campus universitário (SP, Brasil)

Este trabalho objetiva verificar como e realizada a gestao de residuos, assim como o processo de adequacao ambiental, em um campus universitario no interior do estado de Sao Paulo (Brasil). Trata-se de uma pesquisa documental, de cunho investigativo, partindo da analise de documentos e demais informacoes a respeito do tema. A pesquisa se concentrou nas acoes de comissoes criadas no campus com os objetivos de gerenciamento de residuos, de seguranca laboratorial e de adequacao ambiental. Optou-se em trabalhar com essas comissoes por entendermos que se trata de instâncias de extrema importância para a qualidade dos espacos de trabalho dentro da instituicao, bem como para a manutencao da qualidade ambiental da mesma, tendo em vista a correlacao que ambas estabelecem nesses enfoques. Alem dos documentos, adotou-se o registro fotografico da atual situacao das areas do campus universitario, como ferramenta para visualizacao dos fatos, e posterior discussao e averiguacao com as propostas das comissoes e suas efetivas praticas, bem como dos fatores de impedimento das atividades. Os resultados obtidos possibilitaram uma melhor compreensao dos mecanismos e das dinâmicas de trabalho realizados em torno das atividades ligadas a geracao, armazenamento e descarte correto de substâncias e materiais, assim como dos desafios ainda a serem vencidos. Conclui-se que a gestao de residuos em um campus universitario e essencial para eliminar riscos a comunidade academica e demais frequentadores do campus, assim como ao ambiente que o delimita e suas mediacoes.