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To achieve the ambitious goals of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, restoration frameworks should embrace the diversity of ecosystems found on Earth, including open-canopy ecosystems, which have been largely overlooked. Considering the paucity of scientific foundations promoting restoration science, policy, and practice for open tropical ecosystems, we provide overarching guidelines to restore the campo rupestre, a Neotropical, open megadiverse grassland that has been increasingly threatened by multiple human activities, especially mining. Restoration techniques for tropical grasslands are still at its infancy, and attempts to restore campo rupestre have had, so far, low to moderate success, highlighting the need for a tailored restoration framework. In a scenario of increasing degradation and scarcity of on-site restoration experiments, we propose 10 principles to improve our ability to plan, implement, and monitor restoration in campo rupestre: (1) include socioeconomic dimensions, (2) implement active restoration, (3) keep low soil fertility, (4) restore disturbance regimes, (5) address genetic structure and adaptation potential, (6) restore geographically restricted and specialized ecological interactions, (7) incorporate functional approaches, (8) use seed-based restoration strategies to enhance biodiversity, (9) translocation is inevitable, and (10) long-term monitoring is mandatory. Our principles represent the best available evidence to support better science and practice for the restoration of campo rupestre and, to some extent, can be useful for other megadiverse, fire-prone, and nutrient-poor ecosystems.

Advancing functional ecology depends fundamentally on the availability of data on reproductive traits, including those from tropical plants, which have been historically underrepresented in global trait databases. Although some valuable databases have been created recently, they are mainly restricted to temperate areas and vegetative traits such as leaf and wood traits. Here, we present Rock n' Seeds, a database of seed functional traits and germination experiments from Brazilian rock outcrop vegetation, recognized as outstanding centers of diversity and endemism. Data were compiled through a systematic literature search, resulting in 103 publications from which seed functional traits were extracted. The database includes information on 16 functional traits for 383 taxa from 148 genera, 50 families, and 25 orders. These 16 traits include two dispersal, six production, four morphological, two biophysical, and two germination traits-the major axes of the seed ecological spectrum. The database also provides raw data for 48 germination experiments, for a total of 10,187 records for 281 taxa. Germination experiments in the database assessed the effect of a wide range of abiotic and biotic factors on germination and different dormancy-breaking treatments. Notably, 8255 of these records include daily germination counts. This input will facilitate synthesizing germination data and using this database for a myriad of ecological questions. Given the variety of seed traits and the extensive germination information made available by this database, we expect it to be a valuable resource advancing comparative functional ecology and guiding seed-based restoration and biodiversity conservation in tropical megadiverse ecosystems. There are no copyright restrictions on the data; please cite this paper when using the current data in publications; also the authors would appreciate notification of how the data are used in publications.O avanço da ecologia funcional depende fundamentalmente da disponibilidade de dados sobre traços reprodutivos, incluindo dados de plantas tropicais, que têm sido historicamente subrepresentados em bancos de dados de traços funcionais globais. Embora alguns bancos de dados valiosos tenham sido criados recentemente, eles são restritos principalmente a áreas temperadas e a traços vegetativos, como traços de folhas e madeira. Neste artigo apresentamos Rock n’ Seeds, um banco de dados de traços funcionais de sementes e experimentos de germinação de vegetações associadas a afloramentos rochosos do Brasil, os quais são reconhecidos como centros notáveis de diversidade e endemismo. Os dados foram compilados através de uma revisão sistemática na literatura, resultando em 103 publicações das quais foram extraídos os traços funcionais das sementes. O banco de dados inclui informações de 16 traços funcionais para 383 taxa de 148 gêneros, 50 famílias e 25 ordens. Estes dezesseis traços incluem dois traços de dispersão, seis de produção, quatro morfológicos, dois biofísicos e dois germinativos; os eixos principais do espectro ecológico da semente. O banco de dados também fornece os dados brutos para 48 experimentos de germinação para um total de 10.187 registros para 281 taxa. Os experimentos de germinação no banco de dados avaliaram o efeito de uma ampla gama de fatores abióticos e bióticos sobre a germinação e diferentes tratamentos de quebra de dormência. Particularmente, 8.255 desses registros incluem a contagem diária da germinação. Estas informações facilitarão a síntese de dados de germinação e a utilização deste banco de dados para uma grande variedade de questões ecológicas. Dada a variedade de traços das sementes e as amplas informações sobre germinação disponibilizadas por este banco de dados, esperamos que ele seja um recurso valioso para o avanço da ecologia funcional comparativa e para orientar a restauração baseada em sementes e a conservação da biodiversidade em ecossistemas tropicais megadiversos. Não há restrições de direitos autorais sobre os dados; favor citar este artigo ao utilizar os dados nas publicações e os autores agradeceriam uma notificação de como os dados são utilizados nas publicações.El avance de la ecología funcional depende fundamentalmente de la disponibilidad de datos sobre rasgos reproductivos-incluyendo los de las plantas tropicales-los cuales han estado poco representados en las bases de datos globales de rasgos. Aunque recientemente se han creado algunas bases de datos valiosas, estas se encuentran restringidas principalmente a las zonas templadas y a los rasgos vegetativos, como los de las hojas y la madera. En este artículo presentamos Rock n' Seeds, una base de datos de rasgos funcionales de semillas y experimentos de germinación de la vegetación asociada a afloramientos rocosos de Brasil, los cuales son destacados centros de diversidad y endemismo. Los datos se recopilaron mediante una búsqueda bibliográfica sistemática, que dio como resultado 103 publicaciones de las que se extrajeron los rasgos funcionales de las semillas. La base de datos incluye información de dieciséis rasgos funcionales para 383 taxones de 148 géneros, 50 familias y 25 órdenes. Estos rasgos incluyen dos rasgos de dispersión, seis de producción, cuatro morfológicos, dos biofísicos y dos de germinación; siendo estos los principales ejes del espectro ecológico de las semillas. La base de datos también proporciona los datos brutos de 48 experimentos de germinación, para un total de 10.187 registros de 281 taxones. Dichos experimentos de germinación evaluaron el efecto de una amplia gama de factores abióticos y bióticos sobre la germinación y de diferentes tratamientos para romper la dormancia. En particular, 8.255 de estos registros cuentan con conteos diarios de germinación. Esto facilitará la síntesis de los datos de germinación y el uso de esta base de datos para una gran diversidad de preguntas ecológicas. Dada la variedad de rasgos de las semillas y la amplia información sobre germinación que ofrece esta base de datos, esperamos que sea un recurso valioso para el avance de la ecología funcional comparativa y para orientar la restauración basada en semillas y la conservación de la biodiversidad en ecosistemas tropicales megadiversos. No hay restricciones de derechos de autor sobre los datos; se solicita citar este documento cuando se utilicen los datos en publicaciones y los autores agradecerán ser notificados sobre cómo se utilizan los datos en las publicaciones.

This paper is an introduction to the special issue of the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society entitled OCBIL theory: a new science for old ecosystems. Firstly, we elaborate on the origins and development of OCBIL theory, which argues that landscape age, climatic buffering and soil fertility are key environmental dimensions shaping ecological and evolutionary processes across different scales. We then consider the 21 contributions made in this special issue in terms of cutting edge advances in the Southern Hemisphere that test, explore and apply aspects of OCBIL theory at the end of its first decade of formal publication. More attempts at refutation are urged, as untested aspects remain controversial. Lastly, a concluding discussion is offered on promising new lines of enquiry to develop the theory further and ensure its global application to pressing conservation issues facing biological and cultural diversity. Although OCBILs are absent or rare in much of the postglacial and periglacial Northern Hemisphere, we demonstrate, in south-west Europe and North America, starting with California, that they are likely to be found, thus extending the implications and applications of OCBIL theory in new directions. We also propose that, in many ways, Noongar Aboriginal cosmology from south-west Australia has developed sophisticated insights about ancient uplands that are precursors to key ideas in OCBIL theory.

OCBIL theory was introduced as a contribution towards understanding the evolution, ecology and conservation of the biological and cultural diversity of old, climatically buffered, infertile landscapes (OCBILs), especially in the Southern Hemisphere. The theory addresses some of the most intransigent environmental and cultural trends of our time – the ongoing decline of biodiversity and cultural diversity of First Nations. Here we reflect on OCBILs, the origins of the theory, and its principal hypotheses in biological, anthropological and conservation applications. The discovery that threatened plant species are concentrated in the Southwest Australian Floristic Region (SWAFR) on infertile, phosphorous-impoverished uplands within 500 km of the coast formed the foundational framework for OCBIL theory and led to the development of testable hypotheses that a growing literature is addressing. Currently, OCBILs are recognized in 15 Global Biodiversity Hotspots and eight other regions. The SWAFR, Greater Cape Floristic Region of South Africa and South America’s campos rupestres (montane grasslands) are those regions that have most comprehensively been investigated in the context of OCBIL theory. We summarize 12 evolutionary, ecological and cultural hypotheses and ten conservation-management hypotheses being investigated as recent contributions to the OCBIL literature.

Few ecologists and evolutionary biologists are familiar with the ecology and evolution of the campo rupestre, an ancient azonal peinobiome characterized by a fire-prone, nutrient-impoverished, montane vegetation mosaic, home to thousands of endemics and climate refugia. With the goal of providing a synthetic view of the campo rupestre, we provide a brief historical account of the biological research, revisit its geographical distribution and identify knowledge gaps. The azonal campo rupestre is distributed as isolated and naturally fragmented sky islands, mostly in Central and Eastern Brazil and in the Guyana Shield, with significant areas across the Amazon, Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga and Pantanal. Our proposal to elevate campo rupestre to the level of biome is expected to improve communication among scientists and consolidate the use of the term campo rupestre in the ecological and evolutionary literature, as is the case for analogous ecosystems, such as kwongan, fynbos, páramos and tepuis. Based on the identification of knowledge gaps, we propose a research programme comprising ten key topics that can foster our understanding of the ecology and evolution of campo rupestre and, potentially, support conservation strategies.

Seed dispersal benefits plants and frugivores, and potentially drives co-evolution, with consequences to diversification evidenced for, e.g., primates. Evidence for macro-coevolutionary patterns in multi-specific, plant-animal mutualisms is scarce, and the mechanisms driving them remain unexplored. We tested for phylogenetic congruences in primate-plant interactions and showed strong co-phylogenetic signals across Neotropical forests, suggesting that both primates and plants share evolutionary history. Phylogenetic congruence between Platyrrhini and Angiosperms was driven by the most generalist primates, modulated by their functional traits, interacting with a wide-range of Angiosperms. Consistently similar eco-evolutionary dynamics seem to be operating irrespective of local assemblages, since co-phylogenetic signal emerged independently across three Neotropical regions. Our analysis supports the idea that macroevolutionary, coevolved patterns among interacting mutualistic partners are driven by super-generalist taxa. Trait convergence among multiple partners within multi-specific assemblages appears as a mechanism favouring these likely coevolved outcomes

Background: Inselbergs (granitic and gneissic rock outcrops) are common elements in the Atlantic Forest and present large taxonomic (TD), functional (FD) and phylogenetic (PD) diversity.Aims: We in...

The bee tribe Eucerini is a large monophyletic taxon occurring in all continents, except Oceania and Antarctica, but far more diverse in the Americas and, especially, in the Neotropics. The phylogenetic relationships within its subtribe Eucerina, which contains the bulk of Eucerini diversity, is poorly understood, this being especially true for the relationships among its Neotropical representatives, which have been poorly represented in all phylogenetic studies, including Eucerini, to date. This leads to a generalized lack of confidence on the monophyly of the groups currently accepted as genera and subgenera. Here, a phylogenetic study based on three molecular markers (COI, 18S, and 28S, totalling about 1700 bp) and 58 morphological characters is presented as a contribution to the understanding of the relationships of the so‐called Thygater‐Trichocerapis group, and especially of the genus Thygater Holmberg, which has not previously been extensively sampled. Representatives of Trichocerapis, including its monotypic subgenus T. (Dithygater), are included for the first time in a phylogenetic study. The main results were: (i) support for the monophyly of the Thygater‐Trichocerapis group; (ii) support for the monophyly of Thygater; (iii) recognition of two main clades in Thygater, each one containing the type species of one of the previously recognized subgenera; and (iv) additional support for the position of Alloscirtetica as sister to all remaining Eucerina. Based on these results a redefinition of the scope of the two subgenera of Thygater is proposed, with changes in the subordination of three of its species, T. (Nectarodiaeta) chaetaspis comb.n., T. (Nectarodiaeta) paranaensis comb.n. and T. (Thygater) mexicana comb.n.

Species from OCBILs (old, climatically buffered, infertile landscapes) are expected to exhibit reduced dispersability, linked to long-term stable environmental conditions. We tested the prediction of limited dispersability in plant communities in campo rupestre, a megadiverse OCBIL grassland. In a field experiment, we sampled sticky and funnel traps for 12 months along paired preserved and disturbed plots to estimate and compare annual seed density and richness. Our community-level seed rain assessment suggested widespread seed limitation in both preserved and disturbed areas, expressed by the low seed density in traps (average of 2.6 seeds/m2/day) and remarkably low seed density found for 90% of the morphospecies. Although seed density in campo rupestre was much lower than for other grasslands, species richness (92 seed morphospecies) was the highest reported in the literature. Higher seed density and species richness were captured in funnel traps, especially during the rainy season. Approximately 32% of morphospecies were registered exclusively in disturbed plots and 25% exclusively in preserved plots. This limited seed dispersability is of particular relevance for a better understanding of seed ecology and resilience in campo rupestre and may partially explain the poor recovery of these disturbed areas after soil removal.

Herbivory is ubiquitous. Despite being a potential driver of plant distribution and performance, herbivory remains largely undocumented. Some early attempts have been made to review, globally, how much leaf area is removed through insect feeding. Kozlov et al., in one of the most comprehensive reviews regarding global patterns of herbivory, have compiled published studies regarding foliar removal and sampled data on global herbivory levels using a standardized protocol. However, in the review by Kozlov et al., only 15 sampling sites, comprising 33 plant species, were evaluated in tropical areas around the globe. In Brazil, which ranks first in terms of plant biodiversity, with a total of 46,097 species, almost half (43%) being endemic, a single data point was sampled, covering only two plant species. In an attempt to increase knowledge regarding herbivory in tropical plant species and to provide the raw data needed to test general hypotheses related to plant–herbivore interactions across large spatial scales, we proposed a joint, collaborative network to evaluate tropical herbivory. This network allowed us to update and expand the data on insect herbivory in tropical and temperate plant species. Our data set, collected with a standardized protocol, covers 45 sampling sites from nine countries and includes leaf herbivory measurements of 57,239 leaves from 209 species of vascular plants belonging to 65 families from tropical and temperate regions. They expand previous data sets by including a total of 32 sampling sites from tropical areas around the globe, comprising 152 species, 146 of them being sampled in Brazil. For temperate areas, it includes 13 sampling sites, comprising 59 species. Thus, when compared to the most recent comprehensive review of insect herbivory (Kozlov et al.), our data set has increased the base of available data for the tropical plants more than 460% (from 33 to 152 species) and the Brazilian sampling was increased 7,300% (from 2 to 146 species). Data on precise levels of herbivory are presented for more than 57,000 leaves worldwide. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this paper when using the current data in publications; the authors request to be informed how the data is used in the publications.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T10:48:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-02-01 Fundação Grupo Boticário de Proteção à Natureza Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Multiple environmental cues may break seed physical dormancy (PY) in fire-prone ecosystems, but disentangling the roles of such cues remains challenging. Current research has mostly focused on the role of high temperatures (heat shocks) in PY alleviation, while post-fire environmental conditions are less understood. Here, we examined the role of post-fire temperature fluctuation on seed germination and viability of Cerrado legume shrubs. Specifically, we investigated (1) whether PY is broken by temperature fluctuation; (2) whether seed viability is affected by temperature fluctuations; and (3) micromorphological changes in the seed coat following exposure to temperature fluctuation. Seeds of nine legume species were collected in frequently burned Cerrado savannas. We simulated post-fire temperature fluctuation in germination chambers, with daily temperature fluctuation ranging from 18 to 55 °C for 90 days; controls consisted of untreated seeds (room temperature). We conducted germination trials with unblocked and blocked hilar region of seeds. In addition, seed samples were fixed and subjected to micromorphological analysis. Instead of dormancy break, three species showed decreased seed germination for both unblocked and blocked hilar regions, while other two species showed decreased germination in blocked seeds only. Nevertheless, random cracks formed across the seed coat were found in control and treated seeds, which displayed a proportion of nondormant seeds. Within nondormant seeds, both hilar and extra-hilar regions (such as the pleurogram) may take part on water uptake. Despite the lack of dormancy break, most Cerrado legume seeds persisted viable after post-fire temperature fluctuation, thus avoiding establishment under hazardous conditions. Seed tolerance to heat shocks and post-fire temperature fluctuation likely drives regeneration from seed in burned Cerrado areas. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Instituto de Biociências Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Av. 24-A 1515 Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Faculdade de Engenharia de Ilha Solteira Departamento de Biologia e Zootecnia, Av. Brasil 56, Centro Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Departamento de Genética Ecologia e Evolução, CP 486 Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Instituto de Biociências Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Av. 24-A 1515 Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Faculdade de Engenharia de Ilha Solteira Departamento de Biologia e Zootecnia, Av. Brasil 56, Centro Fundação Grupo Boticário de Proteção à Natureza: 0153_2011_PR FAPESP: 2015/06743-0 CNPq: 455183/2014-7

Refereed/Peer-reviewed

International audience

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T01:36:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-01-01 The historical focus in research and policy on forest restoration and temperate ecosystems has created misunderstandings for the restoration of tropical and subtropical old-growth grassy biomes (TGB). Such misconceptions have detrimental consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human livelihoods in woodlands, savannas, and grasslands worldwide. Here, we demystify TGB restoration myths to promote a positive agenda to increase the likelihood of success of ambitious landscape-scale restoration goals of nonforest ecosystems. The 10 TGB restoration myths are: (1) grasslands originate from degraded forests, (2) tree cover is a reliable indicator of habitat quality, (3) planting trees is always good for biodiversity and ecosystem services, (4) grasslands are biodiversity-poor and provide few ecosystem services, (5) enhancing plant nutrition is needed in restoration, (6) disturbance is detrimental, (7) techniques used to restore temperate grasslands also work for TGB, (8) grasslands represent early stages of forest succession, (9) grassland restoration is only about grasses, and (10) grassland restoration is fast. By demystifying TGB restoration, we hope that policymakers, scientists, and restorationists come to understand and embrace the value of these ecosystems and are motivated to establish policies, standards, indicators, and techniques that enhance the success of TGB restoration. We must abandon misperceptions and misunderstandings of TGB ecology that result in ill-conceived policies and build an informed and compelling global ecosystem restoration agenda that maintains and improves the well-being of all inhabitants of grassy biomes. Departamento de Genética Ecologia e Evolução Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627 School of Biological Sciences University of Western Australia Department of Biological Sciences University of Cape Town Floresta Estadual de Assis Instituto Florestal do Estado de São Paulo, P.O. Box 104 Lab of Vegetation Ecology Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Av. 24A, 1515 Centre for Functional Biodiversity School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu-Natal Department of Plant Biology Institute of Biology University of Campinas—UNICAMP Departamento de Botânica Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500 Departamento de Ciências Ambientais (DCA) Instituto de Florestas (IF) Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro—UFRRJ, BR 465, Km 07 Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management North-West University Department of Plant Sciences University of California Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE) Avignon Université UMR CNRS IRD Aix Marseille Université IUT Site Agroparc, BP 61207 Lab of Vegetation Ecology Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Av. 24A, 1515

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-10T17:34:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-07-01 In the recent past, wildfires have received much attention both by science and by the media, especially in relation to deforestation, degradation and climate change and when affecting fire-sensitive ecosystems. On the other hand, fire is a natural process in many ecosystems, in particular those to be considered fire-dependent; here, maintaining natural fire regimes is important to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem services. In many regions of the world we are still in the need for a better understanding of fire effects on plant populations, communities and ecosystems. For instance, responses of individuals and populations to heat and fire can differ among distinct fire-prone ecosystems, and community level responses often vary depending on historical disturbance regimes or the fire regime as such. Effects on ecosystem processes, e.g. on carbon cycles, can vary greatly in scale and are even more difficult to predict. This adds up to uncertainties regarding appropriate fire management strategies, both in fire-prone and fire-sensitive ecosystems. Here, we introduce a set of opinion papers on fires in Brazil and a forthcoming Virtual Special Issue of Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants on Fire and vegetation, with contributions expected from a broad range of topics related to fire, plants, and vegetation. This special issue will contribute to the development not only of more knowledge on fire effects on plants and vegetation, but also to advances in fire management policies in different ecosystems around the world. The main issue, after all, is to go beyond simple classification of fires as 'good' or 'bad', but rather to develop strategies to deal with changing fire regimes and their effects in a dynamic world increasingly modified by human actions. Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Dept Bot, Av Bento Goncalves 9500, BR-91501970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Ctr Ecol Synth & Conservat, Dept Genet Ecol & Evolucao, Av Antonio Carlos 6627, BR-31270901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Fac Ciencias Agr & Vet, Dept Biol, Via Acesso Prof Paulo Donato Castellane S-N, BR-14884000 Jaboticabal, Brazil TU Bergakad Freiberg, Inst Biosci, Leipziger Str 29, D-09599 Freiberg, Germany Univ Estadual Paulista, Fac Ciencias Agr & Vet, Dept Biol, Via Acesso Prof Paulo Donato Castellane S-N, BR-14884000 Jaboticabal, Brazil

In this study, we analysed the processes resulting in the origin of two endemic sister species of bumblebees in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We studied the historical distribution pattern of Bomb...

From 50 to 90% of wild plant species worldwide produce seeds that are dormant upon maturity, with specific dormancy traits driven by species' occurrence geography, growth form, and genetic factors. While dormancy is a beneficial adaptation for intact natural systems, it can limit plant recruitment in restoration scenarios because seeds may take several seasons to lose dormancy and consequently show low or erratic germination. During this time, seed predation, weed competition, soil erosion, and seed viability loss can lead to plant re‐establishment failure. Understanding and considering seed dormancy and germination traits in restoration planning are thus critical to ensuring effective seed management and seed use efficiency. There are five known dormancy classes (physiological, physical, combinational, morphological, and morphophysiological), each requiring specific cues to alleviate dormancy and enable germination. The dormancy status of a seed can be determined through a series of simple steps that account for initial seed quality and assess germination across a range of environmental conditions. In this article, we outline the steps of the dormancy classification process and the various corresponding methodologies for ex situ dormancy alleviation. We also highlight the importance of record‐keeping and reporting of seed accession information (e.g. geographic coordinates of the seed collection location, cleaning and quality information, storage conditions, and dormancy testing data) to ensure that these factors are adequately considered in restoration planning.

The functional mechanisms behind species coexistence are important to understand community assembly in heterogeneous, nutrient-poor, and species-rich communities. Here, we studied the water relations and photosynthetic performance in species from contrasting microhabitats in the campo rupestre, a megadiverse montane, fire-prone grassland that establishes on extremely nutrient-impoverished soils in eastern Brazil. Through a phylogenetically-controlled study, we tested the hypotheses that (1) species from xeric microhabitats show a more pronounced decrease in water potential during the dry season compared to species from mesic microhabitats, and (2) stronger water deficits in xeric microhabitats result in higher photoinhibition compared to species from mesic microhabitats. For all 12 Melastomataceae species, we measured pre-dawn and mid-day xylem water potential (ψx), leaf relative water content (RWC), succulence, photosystem II potential quantum yield (Fv/Fm), and light-response curves in both rainy and dry seasons. We found that species from xeric microhabitats consistently had lower values of xylem water potential compared to species from mesic microhabitats. This pattern was also temporally consistent, showing that species from xeric microhabitats had lower xylem water potential in both seasons. No differences were found in RWC and succulence between seasons or microhabitats, despite receiving similar incident light intensities. The photosynthetic variables contributed little to species segregation in the two microhabitats, but species from xeric microhabitats showed lower Fv/Fm at the dry season. These results support the idea of hydrological niche segregation in campo rupestre and suggest that functional divergences and convergences may help stabilizing species coexistence. Therefore, our study adds evidence that differences in water economy strategies also help explain segregated distribution of species along functional gradients (niche partitioning) in the megadiverse campo rupestre.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T17:35:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-01-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) The years 2011–2020 represent the United Nations Decade of Biodiversity, aiming to inspire worldwide actions to support biodiversity conservation. This Special Issue illustrates the current knowledge of plant life in campo rupestre, a megadiverse, highly-endemic vegetation complex, and one under alarming and unprecedented threats. The major research areas grouping the 27 contributions to the Special Issue are: i) plant diversity, ii) species coexistence, regeneration niche and climate change, iii) ecology of species interactions, iv) plant life on canga, and v) fire, regeneration ecology, and conservation. We highlight knowledge gaps in plant life in campo rupestre and suggest priority avenues of future research and steps forward to understand and preserve ancient ecosystems worldwide. Such efforts include the need to: 1) better assess the ecology of herbaceous species, 2) understand the effects of global change drivers on the vulnerability of endemic species, 3) understand how plant functional diversity and plant–animal interactions shape community structure and function, 4) apply new technologies (cameras, drones and remote sensing proxies) to understand plant phenology in space and time, 5) unravel diversification patterns and distinguish paleoendemism from neoendemism, 6) to disentangle the ecological and evolutionary role of fire, 7) gain insight into the factors that limit ecological restoration in degraded campo rupestre, 8) increase awareness and value of ecosystem services, 9) identify essential variables, key measures and areas to conserve campo rupestre, 10) promote reviews and research comparing old ecosystems. Therefore, burgeoning literature on campo rupestre will benefit from long-term multi- and trans-disciplinary research investigating a wide array of topics, from plant ecology to ecosystem functioning to biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration. All knowledge must reach stakeholders, and it should be translated into an ecosystem services assessment for guiding the rational stewardship of campo rupestre and for benefiting local people. A key step forward in the understanding of plant life in campo rupestre is the OCBIL Theory (old, climatically-buffered, infertile landscapes), which provides a theoretical framework of testable hypotheses and cross-continental comparisons. We anticipate this Special Issue will foster collaborative research leading to a deeper understanding and appreciation of one of the world's most ancient ecosystems. UNESP Universidade Estadual Paulista Instituto de Biociências Departamento de Botânica Laboratório de Fenologia Departamento de Botânica Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais UNESP Universidade Estadual Paulista Instituto de Biociências Departamento de Botânica Laboratório de Fenologia

The extent of specialization/generalization continuum in fruit-frugivore interactions at the individual level remains poorly explored. Here, we investigated the interactions between the Neotropical treelet Miconia irwinii (Melastomataceae) and its avian seed dispersers in Brazilian campo rupestre. We built an individual-based network to derive plant degree of interaction specialization regarding disperser species. Then, we explored how intraspecific variation in interaction niche breadth relates to fruit availability on individual plants in varying densities of fruiting conspecific neighbors, and how these factors affect the quantity of viable seeds dispersed. We predicted broader interaction niche breadths for individuals with larger fruit crops in denser fruiting neighborhoods. The downscaled network included nine bird species and 15 plants, which varied nearly five-fold in their degree of interaction specialization. We found positive effects of crop size on visitation and fruit removal rates, but not on degree of interaction specialization. Conversely, we found that an increase in the density of conspecific fruiting neighbors both increased visitation rate and reduced plant degree of interaction specialization. We suggest that tracking fruit-rich patches by avian frugivore species is the main driver of density-dependent intraspecific variation in plants' interaction niche breadth. Our study shed some light on the overlooked fitness consequences of intraspecific variation in interaction niches by showing that individuals along the specialization/generalization continuum may have their seed dispersed with similar effectiveness. Our study exemplifies how individual-based networks linking plants to frugivore species that differ in their seed dispersal effectiveness can advance our understanding of intraspecific variation in the outcomes of fruit-frugivore interactions.

Flowering and fruiting are key events in the life history of plants, and both are critical to their reproductive success. Besides the role of evolutionary history, plant reproductive phenology is regulated by abiotic factors and shaped by biotic interactions with pollinators and seed dispersers. In Melastomataceae, a dominant Neotropical clade, the reproductive systems vary from allogamous with biotic pollination to apomitic, and seed dispersal varies from dry (self-dispersed) to fleshy fruits (animal-dispersed). Such variety of reproductive strategies is likely to affect flowering and fruiting phenologies. In this study, we described the reproductive phenology of 81 Melastomataceae species occurring in two biodiversity hotspots: the Atlantic rainforest and the campo rupestre. We aim to disentangle the role of abiotic and biotic factors defining flowering and fruiting times of Melastomataceae species, considering the contrasting breeding and seed dispersal systems, and their evolutionary history. In both vegetation types, pollinator-dependent species had a higher flowering seasonality than pollinator-independent ones. Flowering patterns also presented phylogenetic signal regardless of vegetation type. Fruiting of fleshy-fruited species was seasonal in campo rupestre but not in Atlantic rainforest; the fruiting of dry-fruited species was also not seasonal in both vegetation. Fruiting showed a low phylogenetic signal, probably because the influence of environment and dispersal agents on fruiting time is stronger than the phylogenetic affinity. Considering these ecophylogenetic patterns, our results indicate that flowering may be shaped by the different reproductive strategies of Melastomataceae lineages, while the fruiting patterns may be governed mainly by the seed dispersal strategy and flowering time, with smaller phylogenetic influence. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T15:38:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-04-01 Fundação Grupo Boticário de Proteção à Natureza Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Flammable ecosystems host plants with different strategies in response to fire, such as increasing germination after the exposure to smoke and dormancy breaking by heat shocks. Cerrado is a fire-prone ecosystem, but less is known about fire-related germination cues compared to Mediterranean-like ecosystems. Here, we hypothesize that seeds with a permeable tegument (Melastomataceae) respond positively to smoke (increase in germination), while species with physical dormancy (Fabaceae) have dormancy broken by exposure to high temperatures. We exposed seeds from Fabaceae and Melastomataceae species to high temperatures and smoke solution to simulate fire. Finally, we combined the two treatments (heat shock + smoke). Our results showed that seeds of two legumes (Harpalyce sp. and Mimosa leiocephala) had their physical dormancy broken when exposed to high temperatures, while one Fabaceae (Mimosa somnians) and two Melastomataceae showed an increase in germination when exposed to smoke solution. Lastly, four Fabaceae and two Melastomataceae species responded when combining heat shock and smoke. Contrary to our predictions, the responses to fire stimuli in Cerrado species did not show a clear response pattern, as those found in Mediterranean vegetation, probably due to differences in fire regime. However, we showed novel results about smoke stimulation for some species and positive effects of combined treatments. Thus, Cerrado seeds differ in response to fire, showing that cues for germination are more complex than previously thought, differing from other fire-prone ecosystems. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Instituto de Biociências Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Av. 24-A 1515 Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Departamento de Botânica, CEP 486 Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Instituto de Biociências Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Av. 24-A 1515 Fundação Grupo Boticário de Proteção à Natureza: 0153_2011_PR FAPESP: 2015/06743-0 CNPq: 455183/2014-7

Ex situ seed conservation is an effective strategy to help safeguarding plants from extinction. The updated Global Strategy for Plant Conservation’s (GSPC) Target 8 aims to include 75% of threatened plant species in ex situ collections by 2020, preferably in the country of origin. Halfway through the updated GSPC program, we evaluate the current state of knowledge and practice of ex situ seed conservation of threatened species from megadiverse Brazilian flora, contributing to this Target. We identify knowledge gaps and costs to achieve Target 8 through seed banking in Brazil within the time constraints of the GSPC and in a scenario of recent science budget funding cuts. Knowledge on seed storage behavior is available only for 24 Brazilian species (1.3%). Seed desiccation tolerance was concluded for 175 of 228 species, feasibly allowing safe storage of most Brazilian species at sub-zero temperatures. However, only 26 species (1.3%) are effectively banked in research institutions. Surprisingly, the percentage of banked threatened species hardly increased in the first 5 years since the update of the Target (0.55%, 2011–2015), and Brazil now faces the challenge of banking almost 1500 species during 2016–2020. Despite a major lack of commitment of Brazilian institutions and of knowledge to achieve the Target, the costs for banking the remaining species were estimated to be only US$3.9 million. We call for a nationwide coordinated effort of government agencies, policy makers and research institutions to include ex situ seed conservation in the environmental agenda to pursue achievement of the Target by 2020.

A new species of Mydrosomella Michener, 1986 - M. caatinguensis Ferrari, Arantes et Silveira sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The bees were collected in the municipalities of Remigio and Sume, in the state of Paraiba, and Caninde de Sao Francisco, state of Sergipe, all in the semiarid domain of Caatinga, in northeastern Brazil. The type series of the species includes five females collected in Malaise traps and one male captured on flowers of Waltheria indica Linnaeus (Malvaceae). Mydrosomella caatinguensis sp. nov. can be differentiated from the other known species in the genus by the mostly yellow pilosity, single preapical tooth on the female mandible, enlarged ocelli, and absence of arolia. This is the third species described in the genus and the only one recorded in a tropical region. An identification key to all Mydrosomella species is given.

Biotic seed dispersal is a key process maintaining biodiversity in tropical forests where most trees produce vertebrate-dispersed seeds. Existing meta-analyses suggest an overall positive effect of vertebrate gut passage on seed germination, but no significant effects for non-flying mammals. However, previous meta-analyses combined rodents (seed predators) and primates (seed dispersers) into the non-flying mammals category, which may confound specific effects of each group on seed germination. However positive effects of monkeys on germination had previously been found in some studies. Here we disentangle the role of Neotropical primates as contributors to seed dispersal in tropical forests by running a meta-analysis to determine the overall magnitude of gut passage effects on seed germination percentage and mean time to germination. We also compare effect sizes as a function of different feeding guilds, gut complexities, and seed size. Our results show a strong, positive effect of primates on seed germination percentage and on the number of days to first germination. Strictly frugivorous monkeys, the group most threatened by extinction, showed the highest dispersal quality, increasing germination percentage by 75%. Primates that include insects in their diets had no average effect on germination percentage or time. Gut passage had different outcomes on seeds with different sizes; both large and small seeds showed similar increases in germination percentages after gut passage, but only large seeds germinated faster than control seeds after gut passage. Our results show a relevant role for primates in providing high seed dispersal quality and as drivers of forest regeneration. The combined effects of defaunation and forest fragmentation may result in decreased regeneration of trees, which has the potential to affect negatively both forest structure and ecosystem processes. Finally, we provide general guidelines for standardizing research on seed dispersal by primates.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-04T12:34:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-01-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) Inselbergs, isolated rock outcrops that rise above the surrounding landscape, harbor a highly diverse flora. Differences in slope, water availability, soil depth and sun exposure result in the creation of microhabitats characterized by distinct resource availability, where unique plant communities are found. However, there is a lack of studies examining specific traits structuring communities in each microhabitat. We investigated the leaf anatomical structure of Brazilian inselberg species by comparing leaf anatomical traits of plants occurring in two microhabitats with contrasting resource availability: monocot mats (MM; extremely stressful) and shallow depressions (SD; less stressful). We hypothesized that species in the contrasting microhabitats would show different arrays of leaf anatomical traits. Seventeen quantitative and qualitative anatomical traits that have functional significance were analyzed. Firstly, we qualitatively evaluated leaf structural features, and then measured and compared tissues between plants in SD and in MM, using ANOVA and ordination analyses. An ANOSIM was also run to look for differences between the two groups. Our results show that most of the species growing in MM showed more conservative traits related to water retention and drought resistance, whereas species growing in SD showed more diversified resource strategies. These findings reinforce the heterogeneous aspect of inselberg vegetation in Brazil, which is under variable degree of environmental stress. Univ Rostock, Inst Biowissensch Allgemeine & Spezielle Bot, Wismarsche Str 45-46, D-18051 Rostock, Germany Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Ciencias Biol, Fac Ciencias & Letras, Av Dom Antonio 2100, BR-19806900 Assis, SP, Brazil Univ Fed Minas Gerais, ICB, Dept Bot, CP 486, BR-30161970 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Biol, Fac Ciencias Agr & Vet, Via Acesso Prof Paulo Donato Castellane S-N, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Ciencias Biol, Fac Ciencias & Letras, Av Dom Antonio 2100, BR-19806900 Assis, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Biol, Fac Ciencias Agr & Vet, Via Acesso Prof Paulo Donato Castellane S-N, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst): 290155/2014-2 CNPq: 290155/2014-2

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-04T12:33:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-11-01 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Large vertebrates are important elements of mutualistic interactions and provide positive impacts on plant population and community dynamics. Despite the increasing interest on vertebrate frugivory we are still not able to disentangle the real contribution of seed dispersal to Neotropical forest functioning. Consuming fruits does not imply effective seed dispersal and many variables, such as seed size and animal diet, may influence the outcome of plant-animal interactions. Here, we performed a comprehensive literature search on seed dispersal by Neotropical vertebrates (with a focus on primates) to closely approach their role as seed dispersers, hypothesizing frugivory degree and seed size as main drivers of fruit handling behavior and diversity of dispersed seeds. We found that the great majority of seeds manipulated by Neotropical primates, with exception to the seed predators pitheciins, were swallowed and passed intact through their gut. Larger seeds (> 12 mm) tended of being ingested exclusively by primates and other large vertebrates, such as tapirs and peccaries. Furthermore, primate feeding guild had a great influence on the richness and sizes of seeds dispersed, as primarily frugivores dispersed more species and had higher probabilities of ingesting larger seeds when compared to other feeding guilds. Organizing available knowledge and filling the main knowledge gaps allowed us to validate common sense assumptions and ultimately draw new conclusions about the role played by primates together with other major frugivores in Neotropical forests. Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zool, Av 24 A,1515,CP199, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Dept Bot, Av Antonio Carlos 6627, BR-31270901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil Univ Montana, Div Biol Sci, 32 Campus Dr, Missoula, MT 59812 USA Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zool, Av 24 A,1515,CP199, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil FAPESP: 2017/07954-0

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) represents small, random variations in traits, presumably with bilateral symmetry, and is widely used as a tool to measure developmental instability in plants and animals. Because FA is a quick, simple and reliable measure, it has been frequently used for monitoring levels of environmental stress. This study investigated whether FA can be used as a predictor of individual developmental instability for four sympatric Melastomataceae species. To achieve that aim, 20 individuals of Trembleya laniflora, T. parviflora, Lavoisiera campos-portoana and Tibouchina heteromalla were marked in southeastern Brazil and monitored before and during the flowering season. The FA index was calculated as the mean of the difference in the width or length between the left and right sides measured for each leaf or flower. All studied species exhibited asymmetry in the leaves and flowers, but the leaves of L. campos-portoana and the petal width of T. heteromalla exhibited directional asymmetry, also an indicator of developmental instability. The highest level of leaf asymmetry was found in T. heteromalla and on flowers of L. campos-portoana. None of the studied species exhibited a significant relationship between the FA level of the leaves and flowers on an individual basis, indicating that environmental and/or genetic sources of stress might act differently on different plant traits. For the studied species, measurements of FA can be suggested as useful tools to biomonitor levels of stress experienced by both leaves and flowers within the Melastomataceae family.

The Atlantic forest is among the hottest hotspots for biodiversity conservation. Within this biome, inselbergs are isolated granitic and gneiss rocks that rise sharply above the lowland surrounding forests. Due to prevailing stressful conditions and resource paucity of inselbergs, distinguished plant communities are formed in these rocky-associated vegetation, which comprise unusually high levels of endemic and threatened species. Here, we evaluated the importance of competitiveness:stress-tolerance:ruderalism ecological strategies in different vegetation patches on the inselberg, tested for a connection between patch structure and functional traits, and compared the variation in functional traits between native and an exotic species, which represents a major threat to inselberg communities. Despite the stressful conditions of inselbergs, we found a relatively high diversity of ecological strategies, but most species and patches lied between the S and C strategy. The invasive Melinis repens, in turn, was functionally distinctive from native communities, with the predominance of traits associated with ruderalism. We also found that most functional traits significantly correlated with at least one environmental driver, highlighting their role in structuring plant communities in this heterogeneous environment. Since inselberg patches were spatially heterogeneous, and the variation in resource availability implies in favouring different ecological strategies, some patch types were more invasive-prone than others. Our data provide significant advances for identifying the environmental drivers of biological invasion in resource-limited environments. We argue that further trait-based approaches will become critical for developing conservation and management strategies for inselberg plant communities, especially in the context of rapid habitat loss and fragmentation of the Atlantic forest.

The effects of fire on the vegetation vary across continents. However, in Neotropical fire-prone grasslands, the relationship between fire and seed germination is still poorly understood, while their regeneration, especially after strong anthropogenic disturbance, is challenging for their conservation. In the present study, we assessed diversity of germination strategies in 15 dominant herbaceous species from Neotropical altitudinal grasslands (locally known as campos rupestres). We exposed seeds to several fire-related treatments. We also compared germination between regularly and post-fire fruiting species. Finally, we investigated the diversity of dormancy classes aiming at better understanding the biogeography and phylogeny of seed dormancy. Germination strategies varied among families. Velloziaceae and Xyridaceae produced non-dormant, fast-germinating seeds. Cyperaceae and Poaceae showed an extremely low or null germination due to a high proportion of unviable or embryo-less seeds. The seeds of campo rupestre grasslands are fire resistant, but there is no evidence that fire triggers germination in this fire-prone ecosystem. Although heat and charred wood did not promote germination, smoke enhanced germination in one grass species and decreased the mean germination time and improved synchrony in Xyridaceae and Velloziaceae. Fire had a positive effect on post-fire regeneration by stimulating fruit set in some Cyperaceae and Poaceae species. These species produced faster germinating seeds with higher germination percentage and synchrony compared to regularly fruiting Cyperaceae and Poaceae species. This strategy of dispersion and regeneration seems to be an alternative to the production of seeds with germination triggered by fire. Physiological dormancy is reported for the first time in several clades of Neotropical plants. Our data help advance the knowledge on the role of fire in the regeneration of Neotropical grasslands.

International audience; 1. Ontogenetic shifts in plants are ubiquitous, but their ecological and evolutionary significance remain largely unknown. Juveniles have few opportunities to accumulate sufficient biomass to withstand damage, whereas adults allocate resources to reproduction. Thus, age-specific environmental filters are expected to drive selection towards specific resource-investment strategies for each developmental stage. 2. We tested whether species exhibited strategies that favour faster rates of biomass accumulation during early developmental stages to cope with vulnerability, shifting towards habitat-dependent strategies to optimise resource acquisition and use later on. We also hypothesised that juveniles exhibit greater intraspecific variability of strategies than adults, as a result of continuous filtering of traits throughout the plant's development towards adulthood. 3. We measured key leaf traits-leaf area (LA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and specific leaf area (SLA)-and calculated scores for competitor (C), stress-tolerator (S), ruderal (R) strategies of the CSR system for juveniles of 54 species and conspecific adults of 27 species naturally occurring either in unproductive (grassland) or productive (forest) habitats. 4. Juveniles exhibited higher SLA and LA and lower LDMC, and thus a more R-strategy in both habitats when compared with adults, but were not necessarily "R" in absolute terms. We also found smaller intraspecific variation for the R-strategy in adults compared with juveniles in both habitats, whereas the variation of the other strategies was habitat dependent. 5. Ontogenetic shifts in ecological strategies appear to have been selected as a response to ontogeny-dependent filters. Thus, strategies that favour less costly leaves and faster growth rates (relatively R-selected) in juveniles shift towards C and/or S strategies in adulthood, depending on habitat productivity. Nevertheless, habitat-dependent specialisation seems to be a major driver of ecological strategy selection in juveniles. Our study reveals ontogeny-dependent strategies, offering a new approach to integrate plant development and functional specialisation.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:52:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-01-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) The fine-scale effects of fire and the consequences for seed survival are poorly understood, especially in the Cerrado (Brazilian savannas). Thus, we investigated whether vegetation gaps (bare soil patches) influence the survival of exposed seeds during fire events in the Cerrado by serving as safe sites. We performed field fire experiments in Central Brazil to examine how gap size (% of bare soil) influences fire heat (fire temperatures and residence time) and seed survival (Experiment 1) and to determine how seed survival is affected by fixed conditions: gaps vs grass tussocks during fires (Experiment 2). We used seeds of two common Cerrado legumes, Mimosa leiocephala Benth. and Harpalyce brasiliana Benth. Seed survival was analysed using GLMMs with a binomial distribution. In Experiment 1, seeds survived (38 and 35% for M. leiocephala and H. brasiliana respectively) only when the gaps had >40% of bare soil. In Experiment 2, all seeds under grass tussocks died when exposed to fire, whereas up to 40% of seeds survived in vegetation gaps, relative to their respective controls. Because vegetation gaps influence fire heat, they are important as safe sites for seed survival in the Cerrado, allowing a significant proportion of seeds to survive when exposed at the soil surface. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Instituto de Biociências Departamento de Botânica, Av. 24-A 1515 Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Departamento de Botânica, CP 486 Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Instituto de Biociências Departamento de Botânica, Av. 24-A 1515 FAPESP: 2015/06743-0 CNPq: 455183/2014-7 CNPq: 476334/2011-0

Understanding factors that modulate plant development is still a challenging task in plant biology. Although research has highlighted the role of abiotic and biotic factors in determining final plant structure, we know little of how these factors combine to produce specific developmental patterns. Here, we studied patterns of cell and tissue organisation in galled and non-galled organs of Baccharis reticularia, a Neotropical shrub that hosts over ten species of galling insects. We employed qualitative and quantitative approaches to understand patterns of growth and differentiation in its four most abundant gall morphotypes. We compared two leaf galls induced by sap-sucking Hemiptera and stem galls induced by a Lepidopteran and a Dipteran, Cecidomyiidae. The hypotheses tested were: (i) the more complex the galls, the more distinct they are from their non-galled host; (ii) galls induced on less plastic host organs, e.g. stems, develop under more morphogenetic constraints and, therefore, should be more similar among themselves than galls induced on more plastic organs. We also evaluated the plant sex preference of gall-inducing insects for oviposition. Simple galls were qualitative and quantitatively more similar to non-galled organs than complex galls, thereby supporting the first hypothesis. Unexpectedly, stem galls had more similarities between them than to their host organ, hence only partially supporting the second hypothesis. Similarity among stem galls may be caused by the restrictive pattern of host stems. The opposite trend was observed for host leaves, which generate either similar or distinct gall morphotypes due to their higher phenotypic plasticity. The Relative Distance of Plasticity Index for non-galled stems and stem galls ranged from 0.02 to 0.42. Our results strongly suggest that both tissue plasticity and gall inducer identity interact to determine plant developmental patterns, and therefore, final gall structure.

Previous studies have shown a nonrandom pattern of ovule fate probabilities according to ovule position in legume pods. Here, we tested how ovule position within the pods of two Fabaceae affects its fate. We expected higher proportion of well-formed seeds near the fruit tips and of unfertilized and aborted ovules near fruit bases. We collected pods of Poincianella pyramidalis and Anandenanthera colubrina in a seasonal dry forest in northeastern Brazil and recorded total pod length and ovule number, position, and fate (unfertilized, well formed, aborted, and predated). The proportion of well-formed ovules at fruit tips was significantly higher than at fruit bases in P. pyramidalis. The opposite pattern was found for unfertilized and aborted ovules, thus corroborating our hypothesis. However, the probability of seed predation in A. colubrina was significantly higher in pod tips, thus providing moderate support for our hypotheses. Interspecific differences in the patterns of ovule fate are likely to be driven by species pollination systems.

This study aimed to evaluate the importance of wild bee and feral honeybee visits for cotton production on conventional and organic farms. Experiments were conducted in Brazil, on a conventional cotton farm in Mato Grosso state in the Amazon biome and on an organic farm in Paraíba state in the Caatinga biome. On the conventional farm, bee assemblage and cotton production were measured near to and far from natural vegetation. Bee richness, fibre fraction, seed number and yield (Kg/ha) were higher by 57.14, 1.95, 17.77 and 18.44% respectively in plots near natural vegetation, but bee abundance did not vary with distance to natural vegetation. On the organic farm, because the cropping area is surrounded by natural vegetation, pollination deficit was evaluated using an exclusion experiment where cotton production of flowers bagged to prevent bee visitation (spontaneous self-pollination) was compared to production of flowers open to bee visitation (open pollination). Open pollinated flowers had higher average boll weight, fibre weight and seed number. Although cotton is not directly dependent on bee pollination, bees increased cotton production on the organic farm by more than 12% for fibre weight and over 17% for seed number. Our data confirm the importance of maintaining communities of pollinators on cotton farms, especially for organic production.

The bee genus Caupolicana Spinola is most diverse in temperate South America, and poorly represented in Brazil, where only two species (C. gaullei Vachal and C. lugubris Smith) were hitherto known. Here, a third species of the genus (C. rupestris Zama, Ferrari, Coelho and Silveira sp. nov.) in that country, is being described, from the ‘rocky fields’ of Minas Gerais state. Additionally, the male terminalia and the female of C. gaullei are described for the first time. A key to the Brazilian species of Caupolicana is also given.

The floral biology of Tococa guianensis was studied in the “campo rupestre” vegetation of the Rio Preto State Park, Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil, by observing pollen availability and viability and behavior of floral visitors along the day. Flower visitors were grouped as effective, occasional or nectar robbers according to their behavior and pollen carriage. The flowers of T. guianensis presented herkogamy during anthesis and produced large amounts of viable pollen grains as floral rewards. Anthesis begins around 04:30 h and stigma receptivity starts at 05:45 h. Initially, herkogamy is caused by style deflection to either right or left positions. During the course of the day the style turns upright, approaching the stigma to the stamens. Bees were the most abundant visitors, especially Bombus atratus and B. morio, which were considered as effective pollinators because of their visitation behavior and morphology that makes pollen deposition on the stigma possible. Frieseomelitta varia and Augochloropsis cf. smithiana were considered occasional pollinators. Floral visits were more frequent in the morning, declining in frequency as both pollen quantity and viability decrease along the day. Keywords: Bombus, buzz-pollination, melittophily, pollen viability.

We review the patterns of fruit maturation, dispersal, germination, seed bank formation, and seedling establishment of the Melastomataceae in two Neotropical biodiversity hotspots, the Brazilian cerrado and the Atlantic rainforest. Studies on seed biology of the Melastomataceae are relevant because this family is ubiquitous, species-rich, and dominant in these two hotspots, and its increased relative importance is anticipated under the current scenario of habitat loss and forest fragmentation. The life-history traits of this pioneer-dominated family are quite variable in terms of fruiting phenology and seedling establishment, but less so for dispersal ecology and seed germination. Our knowledge of this seed biology is used to infer on the predicted impacts of global change and forest fragmentation for tropical forest and cerrado melastomes. Species in the Melastomataceae may be key in restoration ecology, and we discuss how seed- and seedling-based restoration techniques can assist ecosystem reco...

Trembleya laniflora is an endemic shrub from neotropical montane rocky savannas of southeastern Brazil. It has been indicated as a potential candidate for ecological restoration of abandoned iron-ore mines due to heavy metal accumulation. Here, we evaluated the seed germination requirements of T. laniflora. Seeds collected in 2005 and 2008 were set to germinate under a broad range of temperature and light conditions. Seed viability was estimated by dissecting seeds under a dissecting microscope for embryo presence/absence. Seeds were photoblastic and optimum temperature range was 20–25°C, coinciding with the onset of the rainy season. Seeds were viable after 42 months of storage, which together with small seeds that easily get buried and light requirement for germination suggest formation of soil seed banks. Except the large fraction of embryoless seeds, almost all tested seeds germinated when incubated under light conditions; therefore, T. laniflora should be regarded to have nondormant seeds. Easiness of burial resulting from small seed size and positive photoblastism may both contribute to incorporation into soil seed banks. Our data suggest that the long-term storage of T. laniflora seeds provides a useful strategy for plant reintroduction.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of ants as secondary seed dispersers of six primarily bird-dispersed Miconia species in the cerrados of southeastern Brazil. Vertebrate exclosure and seed germination experiments were performed for M. albicans, M. alborufescens, M. corallina, M. ferruginata, M. ibaguensis, and M. irwinii. Excluding vertebrates did not significantly alter fruit removal rate for any of the Miconia species relative to open controls. Fruits on stalks and fallen fruits were removed and transported to nests mainly by species of Atta, Acromyrmex, and Ectatomma (dispersal distance ranging from 0.1 to 45.2 m), while Camponotus ants tended to be observed removing the fruit pulp (seed cleaning) where the fruits were found. Seed manipulation by Atta decreased germination of M. irwinii, but not M. ferruginata. Germination did not occur in intact fruits, and thus seed cleaning was an important service provided by the ants. Ant nest soils did not inhibit germination of any of the Miconia species, suggesting they are a good substrate for long-lived Miconia seeds. We conclude that ant activity could have important effects on the fate of Miconia seeds adapted for bird dispersal. Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o papel de formigas como dispersoras secundarias de sementes de seis especies ornitocoricas de Miconia em um cerrado no sudeste brasileiro. Experimentos de exclusao de vertebrados e de germinacao de sementes foram realizados para M. albicans, M. alborufescens, M. corallina, M. ferruginata, M. ibaguensis e M. irwinii. A exclusao de vertebrados nao alterou a taxa de remocao de frutos para nenhuma especie de Miconia em relacao ao controle aberto. Frutos nos pedicelos e caidos ao solo foram removidos e transportados para os ninhos de especies de Atta, Acromyrmex, e Ectatomma (distâncias de dispersao variando entre 0,1 a 45,2 m), enquanto especies de Camponotus foram observadas despolpando as sementes nos locais onde encontraram os frutos. A manipulacao das sementes por Atta diminuiu a germinacao de M. irwinii, mas nao de M. ferruginata. A germinacao nao ocorreu dentro de frutos intactos e, portanto, a limpeza de sementes e um importante servico fornecido pelas formigas. Os solos dos formigueiros nao inibiram a germinacao de sementes de nenhuma especie de Miconia, sugerindo que estes sao bons substratos para as sementes longevas de Miconia. Concluimos que a atividade de formigas pode ter importantes efeitos sobre o destino das sementes de Miconia adaptadas para a dispersao por aves.

The study of nematodes parasitizing native plants plays a crucial role in understanding plant–pathogen interactions. In the present study we describe the patterns of attack by an undescribed species of Ditylenchus occurring in Miconia albicans (Melastomataceae), a widespread, native shrub from the Brazilian cerrado. We also tested the hypothesis that nematode-induced leaf galls negatively correlate to host plant performance and that gall density is a function of host plant density. We collected paired healthy and attacked shoots from 28 individuals of M. albicans and estimated the leaf area lost to nematode-induced galls in up to 10 leaves per shoot. We analyzed the relationships between leaf area lost to nematode galls and reproductive traits. Nematode attack levels were also compared to the spatial distribution of the host plant. Inflorescence length and fruit production were significantly reduced in attacked shoots compared with healthy shoots. Seeds from attacked shoots showed no significant reduction in germinability or germination time when compared with seeds collected from healthy shoots. Gall density was positively correlated with host density. Despite being seldom studied in tropical ecosystems, nematodes may play an important role in plant fitness and in structuring tropical communities.

We tested the regeneration niche hypothesis by comparing the germination ecology of two sympatric Diplusodon species differing in their geographic range and microhabitat. Diplusodon orbicularis is an endemic shrub achieving high densities on sandy soils, whereas Diplusodon hirsutus has a wider geographic range and establishes on rocky outcrops. Seeds were set to germinate under constant temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C under 12 h light/12 h dark conditions. Light induced germination in both species, but germination under darkness was also observed. Optimum conditions for germination were 25°C/light for both species. The lack of differences in soil temperatures between rocky outcrops and sandy soils provides evidence of no temperature-dependent microhabitat selection. Unexpectedly, germinability of the more widespread species was lower than that of the endemic congener. Higher germinability of D. orbicularis may account for higher densities when compared with D. hirsutus. Our results provide limited support for the role of germination in contributing to ecological breadth and geographic range.

Understanding the life history and ecophysiology of native species is crucial for the restoration of fragmented landscapes, such as the Atlantic Forest. In the present study, we examined the reproductive phenology and specific germination requirements of Pseudananas sagenarius (Bromeliaceae), an understory perennial herb from semi-deciduous tropical forests. The reproductive phenology was followed for 24 months and the effects of light and temperature on germination were evaluated under constant temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C for both light and dark conditions. Seeds were also stored for 24 and 36 months before being allowed to germinate at optimum conditions. The reproduction of P. sagenarius was supra-annual, extended, irregular and non-synchronic, with seed dispersal occurring at the onset of the rainy season. Seeds are small, orthodox and photoblastic, and the optimum temperature for germination was 25°C, which is consistent with the soil surface temperature at dispersal. Stored seeds showed a minor decrease in germinability, but maintained their viability after 36 months. Recruitment from seed is likely to occur at the onset of the rainy season or after gap formation. Our results suggest that P. sagenarius has the potential to form seedling banks and that seeds retain their germinative potential after storage.

A second species of Actenosigynes from the Mantiqueira mountain range, in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, is described. This new taxon can be readily distinguished from the type species of the genus, A. fulvoniger (Michener, 1989), by its entirely black-pubescent mesosoma and by the light-yellow pilosity on its terga, among other characters. Females of the two known species are illustrated for the first time and a key is presented for their identification. Analysis of the pollen extracted from the scopa of the holotype of the new species and field observations of A. fulvoniger indicate that both species of Actenosigynes are oligolectic on flowers of Loasaceae as pollen sources. This presumed couple of sister species is the first example of a speciation event related to the isolation of populations of temperate and subtropical bee species on the top of southeastern-Brazilian mountains. It suggests that complexes of sibling species may exist among the other bee species with similar disjunct distribution.

The increasing anthropogenic pressure in the rare rupestrian fields in southeastern Brazil has led to the expansion of degraded areas on the extremely nutrient-deficient quartzitic soils. On the other hand, the use of rupestrian field native species in reclamation programmes has been hampered by the lack of studies involving seedling physiological ecology. The present study evaluated biomass allocation and seedling growth rate during early seedling growth of four Fabaceae shrubs: Collaea cipoensis , Calliandra fasciculata , Chamaecrista ramosa , and Mimosa foliolosa . The following hypotheses were tested: (i) species proportionally allocate higher biomass to the roots, presenting a high root/shoot ratio; and (ii) species exhibit low phenotypic variation because they have adapted to poor nutritional environments. A 12-month greenhouse experiment was carried out to evaluate seedling growth and biomass allocation performance in substrates with contrasting levels of soil fertility. The four species studied presented values of root/shoot ratio lower than one in both fertility conditions of the substrate. Growth parameters for Collaea and Calliandra increased with increasing soil fertility, while no differences were observed for Mimosa and Chamaecrista . Although the four species are naturally adapted to low nutritional quality soils, seedling development was not hindered by high fertility substrate conditions. Despite the remarkable differences in fertility between the substrates, the responsiveness in growth and allocation in Chamaecrista and Mimosa was lower than that expected if the species would exhibit high phenotypic variation. The implications for rupestrian field restoration are discussed.