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Agricultural expansion has markedly reduced forests and reconfigured landscapes. These changes incur a well‐known detrimental impact on the biodiversity of local forest patches, but the effects on species persistence in entire landscapes comprised of multiple patches are debated. Using data from ants collected in the Amazonian deforestation arc in Brazil, we investigated how regional diversity is affected by habitat loss, fragmentation, and cattle grazing, and how species respond to deforestation both locally and regionally. We also investigated how the heterogeneity in species distribution (beta‐diversity) buffers landscapes against local diversity losses. We used hierarchical multi‐species occupancy models to estimate these effects while controlling for errors in species detection. The vast majority of the 251 ant species found in our study were negatively affected by both habitat loss and cattle at local forest patches, drastically reducing diversity at these patches compared to continuous forests. Despite local declines in diversity, however, heavily fragmented landscapes could still retain most species due to the high heterogeneity in species distribution. We found that beta‐diversity is the main component of regional diversity. Results from several studies suggest that this component is maximized when remnant primary habitats in a landscape are spread across vast areas. Although preserving local diversity may be important for the adequate functioning of the ecosystem locally, our results indicate that the maintenance of many small forest patches in a landscape can buffer regional biodiversity against local species losses. Our results suggest that even small forest remnants in otherwise deforested landscapes can collectively prevent most regional‐scale species extirpations, and therefore also merit conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural commodity production is one the main drivers of deforestation in Legal Brazilian Amazonia resulting in a deforested and/or fragmented landscape formed by forest remnants of different sizes and shape embedded within the agricultural matrix. As an ecosystem engineer and a crucial seed predator, white‐lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) play a pivotal role in forest structure, biodiversity, and nutrient cycling. However, they are highly sensitive to habitat fragmentation and hunting pressure. White‐lipped peccaries are, therefore, a wide‐ranging "landscape species," the spatial and ecological requirements of which can be used to guide conservation planning in human‐modified landscapes. Using data from GPS‐tracked individuals in large‐scale mechanized agriculture landscapes in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil's largest soybean and maize producer, we investiated the home range size and resource selection during both the crop and non‐crop season. We observed a seasonal variation in home range size and an increased selection for croplands during the crop season. White‐lipped peccaries favored native vegetation patches and also exhibited avoidance of locations distant from perennial water bodies and distant cropland locations far from forest remmants. This study can contribute to inform effective conservation strategies and land management practices aimed at preserving suitable habitats and promoting wildlife coexistence with working agricultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is a significant contributor to disability in Brazil, with most Brazilians affected by depression receiving no treatment. As the community, including family and friends, plays a crucial role in providing support for someone with depression, it is important that evidence-based resources are available to support people who wish to help. The aim of this study was to culturally adapt the English-language mental health first aid guidelines for assisting a person with depression for the Brazilian culture. Methods: A Delphi expert consensus study was conducted, with two expert panels; health professionals (n = 29) and people with lived experience of depression (n = 28). One hundred and seventy-four statements from the English-language guidelines were translated into Brazilian Portuguese and administered as a survey. Participants were asked to rate statements based on how appropriate those statements were for the Brazilian culture and to suggest new statements if appropriate. Results: Data were collected over two survey rounds. Consensus was achieved on 143 statements. A total of 133 statements were adopted from the English-language guidelines, whereas 10 new endorsed statements were generated from suggestions of the two expert panels. Conclusions: There were similarities between the English-language and Brazilian guidelines, mainly related to family involvement and the value of empathy. More research on dissemination and incorporation of the guidelines into the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training course for Brazil is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wholesale conversion of natural Amazonian ecosystems has been encouraged by Brazil's extreme antienvironmental government, and historical forest loss explains municipal-scale voting prevalence. Embracing a new administration would strengthen local-to-regional governance, suppress illegal land grabbing, deforestation, logging, and gold mining, thereby protecting the world's most species-rich forest domain and ensuring global sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the species–area relationship is well known, it may interact with and be augmented or cancelled out by other factors, such as local human disturbance. We used data on site occupancy of the Endangered blonde capuchin monkey (Sapajus flavius) based primarily on a standardized program of local interviews to model the influence of past human disturbance on the occurrence of this species across remaining forest patches of northeastern Brazil within the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga biomes. To do so, we assessed environmental covariates that best represent the history of human impacts. We then used single‐species occupancy models to assess site occupancy, while controlling for detection error during sampling. Surprisingly, we obtained a higher occupancy rate in the more arid Caatinga remnants than in the more mesic Atlantic Forest. Habitat patch size, history of site protection, and annual precipitation were the best predictors of local occupancy. Historical human disturbance, including subsistence hunting, has exerted considerable impact on the modern distribution of the blonde capuchin, whose geographic range largely spans a region historically lacking any wildlife protection. Matrix vegetation structure across the Caatinga, which so far has averted large‐scale mechanized agriculture, also creates a benign landscape that likely benefits contemporary capuchin occupancy. Local extinctions of this endangered primate will most likely continue unabated unless a ban on hunting in remaining Atlantic Forest and Caatinga fragments can be enforced. Highlights: The dry forest Caatinga had more fragments with this blonde capuchin monkey than the humid tropical Atlantic Forest.The landscape that averted large‐scale mechanized agriculture benefits contemporary capuchin occupancy.Larger patches with a positive historical of protection are more capable to shelter this endangered primate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suicide is a major public health concern in Brazil, with nearly 115,000 Brazilians dying by suicide in 2010–2019. As support for individuals at risk of suicide may come from the community, particularly family and friends, it is fundamental that evidence-based programs or resources to improve such support are in place when needed. This study aimed to culturally adapt the mental health first aid guidelines for assisting a person at risk of suicide used in English-speaking countries for Brazil. Methods: A Delphi expert consensus study was conducted among a diverse range of Brazilian health professionals and individuals with lived experience of suicide (n = 60). A total of 161 items from the mental health first aid questionnaire used in English-speaking countries were translated and used in the Brazilian questionnaire. Participants were asked to rate the appropriateness of those items to the Brazilian culture and to recommend any new items when appropriate. Results: Data were collected over two survey rounds. Consensus was achieved on 145 items. While 123 out of 161 items were adopted from the English guidelines, 22 new endorsed items were created from the expert panel comments. Conclusions: Even though there were similarities among the Brazilian and English-language guidelines, the adapted guidelines incorporated actions that were specific to the Brazilian culture, such as new items emphasising the role of family and friends. Further research is warranted on dissemination and uptake of the guidelines in Brazil as well as research into incorporation of the guidelines into Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traumatic events increase the risk of mental disorders. In a country with relatively under-developed mental health support systems, services to assist people who have experienced potentially traumatic events may be unavailable. In such situations, people in the community become key sources of support. However, they do not always have the knowledge and skills to offer effective help. This study reports on the cultural adaptation for Brazil of the English-language mental health first aid guidelines for helping someone who has experienced a potentially traumatic event. Methods: A Delphi expert consensus study with two expert panels, one comprising health professionals with experience in the treatment of trauma (n = 33) and the other comprising people with lived experience, (n = 29) was conducted. A questionnaire containing 131 statements from the English language guidelines was translated into Brazilian Portuguese. Participants were asked to rate the importance of actions to be taken to help a person who has experienced a potentially traumatic event and to suggest new items where appropriate. Results: Data were collected over two survey rounds. A total of 149 items were included in the final guidelines (110 items from the English-language guidelines and 39 new items created from expert panel comments, in the second round). Immediate action items were endorsed by both panels, while items related to encouraging victims were rejected by the professional panel. The suggested statements mostly related to providing psychological support and attending to the person's subjective experience rather than providing material or structural support. Conclusion: While there were many similarities with the English-language guidelines for high-income countries, the guidelines also incorporate actions of importance for Brazil, including the emphasis on the first aider's management of the person's subjective experiences. These guidelines may inform Mental Health First Aid training for Brazil and may also be used as standalone resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Locally abundant species are typically widespread, while locally scarce species are geographically restricted—the so‐called abundance‐occupancy relationships (AORs). AORs help explain the drivers of species rarity and community assembly, but little is known about how variation around such relationship is driven by species traits and niche‐based processes, particularly in tropical woody plants. We tested the hypothesis that AORs in tropical dryland woody plants are positive and mediated by niche and functional traits along environmental gradients. Location: The Caatinga dry forest and Cerrado savannah, Brazil. Methods: We aggregated abundance and occurrence data into grid‐cells representing local (10‐km) to landscape scales (50‐km). We calculated species mean relative abundance at occupied grid‐cells (local abundance) and the proportion of grid‐cells occupied (occupancy), and estimated their niche breadth and marginality along multivariate environmental gradients. Results: AORs were positive but weak at different scales in both regions due to some locally abundant but geographically restricted species, with most species being both locally and geographically rare. Cross‐species variation in local abundance was largely unpredictable, but occupancy was strongly driven by niche and functional traits, with a prominent negative effect of niche marginality. Geographically restricted species were associated with rare habitats, such as wetter and less intensively used habitats. Large seeds and abiotic dispersal favoured occupancy in Caatinga at small and large spatial scales, respectively, whereas species with conservative leaves were more widespread across scales in Cerrado. Main conclusions: Woody plants in dry tropical biotas exhibit weak AORs, a pattern likely related to low habitat availability and dispersal limitation. Caatinga and Cerrado biotas emerge as environmentally structured at multiple spatial scales, with several habitat‐specialist rare species bearing specific regenerative and resource‐use traits and relying on conditions threatened by climate change and land‐use intensification. Examining AORs through the lens of niche, functional traits and spatial scales enables mapping patterns and drivers of species commonness and rarity, enhancing understanding of species assembly and providing tools for biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Amazon rainforest is considered the largest reservoir of culicids and arboviruses in the world. It has been under intense human‐driven alteration, especially in the so‐called 'Arc of Deforestation', located in the eastern and southern regions. The emergence and transmission of infectious diseases are increasing, potentially due to land‐use change. We used landscape‐scale mosquito surveillance across a forest fragmentation gradient in the southern Amazon to evaluate the relationship between forest disturbance and the composition and structure of mosquito communities with a particular focus on the potential for arbovirus emergence in the region. Generalized linear models and logistic regression were used to associate the degree of landscape disturbance with arbovirus vectors' richness and abundance. A total of 1,960 culicids, belonging to 50 species, were collected from 2015 to 2016. Among these species, 20 have been associated with the transmission of arboviruses. Our results show an association of land use, more specifically small size of forest remnants with more irregular shape and higher edge density, with the increase of arbovirus vectors' richness and abundance. Six species of mosquito vectors exhibited a higher probability of occurrence in landscapes with medium or high degrees of disturbance. Our results indicate that land‐use change influences mosquito communities with potential implications for the emergence of arboviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Harmful use of alcohol is highly prevalent around the world and results in a large disease burden. Most people who meet the criteria for an alcohol use disorder do not receive treatment. Those in a person's social network can be useful in recognizing a problem and encouraging the person to seek treatment. However, many people lack the knowledge and skills to do this effectively. This study reports on the cultural adaptation for Brazil of the 2009 English-language mental health first aid guidelines for helping someone with problem drinking. Methods: A Delphi expert consensus study with two expert panels, one comprising health professionals with experience in the treatment of problem drinking and the other comprising people with lived experience was conducted. Participants rated the importance of actions to be taken to help a person with problem drinking. Results: Over two rounds, 60 participants (30 professionals and 30 people with lived experience) rated 197 items. A total of 166 items were included in the final guidelines. Conclusions: While there were many similarities with the English-language guidelines for high-income countries, the guidelines also incorporate actions of importance for Brazil, including compulsory treatment and different approaches to dealing with people with problem drinking. Further research is necessary to assess their impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximizing biodiversity persistence in heterogeneous human-modified landscapes is hindered by the complex interactions between habitat quality and configuration of native and non-native habitats. Here we examined these complex interactions considering avian diversity across 26 sampling sites, each of which comprised of three sampling points located across a gradient of disturbance: core native habitat fragment, fragment edge, and non-native adjacent matrix. The 78 sampling points were further nested within three neotropical biomes—Amazonia, Cerrado and Pantanal—in central-western Brazil. Matrix type consisted of cattle pastures in the Amazon and teak plantations in the Pantanal and Cerrado. We considered the interactive effects of (1) disturbance-context: fragment core, edge and adjacent matrix, (2) matrix type: tree plantation or cattle pastures, both subject to varying land-use intensity, and (3) native habitat configuration (fragment size, shape and isolation) on bird species richness, abundance and composition. Based on point-count surveys, we recorded 210 bird species. Bird species richness and abundance declined across the disturbance gradient, while genus composition only differed within the adjacent matrix, particularly cattle-pastures. The effect of native habitat area was positive but only detected at fragment edges. Overall bird diversity increased at sites characterized by higher availability of either relict trees within pasture landscapes or old-growth trees within teak plantation landscapes. The core of native fragments played a primary role in ensuring the persistence of bird diversity, regardless of fragment size. In contrast to pastures, tree plantations likely harbour a higher proportion of forest-dependent species while bird diversity can be further enhanced by reduced management intensity in both matrix types. Strategies to maximize avian persistence should not only include retaining native habitats, but also maximizing the size of core native habitats. Likewise, more structurally complex matrix types should be encouraged while maintaining low levels of land-use intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The future of tropical forest biodiversity will largely depend on human-modified landscapes. We investigated how medium- to large-bodied mammals respond to factors at local (habitat type), intermediate (land use heterogeneity, forest cover and human population density) and large spatial scales (overall forest cover) in agroforestry landscapes. We surveyed mammals using camera traps in traditional cacao agroforests (cabrucas), intensified cacao agroforests, and forest remnants within two large Atlantic Forest landscapes of southern Bahia, Brazil, representing both high and low forest cover. At the local scale, habitat types differed in their potential to harbour mammal species, with forest remnants and cabrucas showing high conservation value, mainly under contexts of high forest cover, whereas intensified cacao agroforests contained less diversified species assemblages in both landscapes. At intermediate scales, species richness increased with increasing forest cover around forest remnants and intensified cacao agroforests, but the opposite was observed in cabrucas. The effects of human population density were ubiquitous but species-dependent. At the largest scale, species richness was higher in the most forested landscape, highlighting the imperative of maintaining forest remnants to retain forest-dwelling mammals in human-dominated landscapes. We claim that mammal conservation strategies require a multi-scale approach and that no single strategy is likely to maximize persistence of all species. Some species can routinely use traditional agroforests, and a large fraction of mammal diversity can be maintained even if high canopy-cover agroforestry dominates the landscape. Nevertheless, forest patches and highly forested landscapes are essential to ensure the persistence of forest-dwelling and game species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organismal distributions in human‐modified landscapes largely depend on the capacity of any given species to adapt to changes in habitat structure and quality. The golden‐headed lion tamarin (GHLT; Leontopithecus chrysomelas) is an Endangered primate from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest whose remaining populations occupy heterogeneous landscapes consisting primarily of shade cacao (Theobroma cacao) agroforestry, locally known as cabrucas. This cash crop can coexist with high densities of native tree species and holds a significant proportion of the native fauna, but its widely extolled wildlife‐friendly status is increasingly threatened by management intensification. Although this potentially threatens to reduce the distribution of GHLTs, the main determinants of tamarin's occupancy of cabrucas remain unknown, thereby limiting our ability to design and implement appropriate conservation practices. We surveyed 16 cabruca patches in southern Bahia, Brazil, and used occupancy modeling to identify the best predictors of GHLT patch occupancy. Key explanatory variables included vegetation structure, critical resources, landscape context, human disturbance, and predation pressure. We found a negative relationship between GHLT occupancy and the prevalence of jackfruit trees (Artocarpus heterophylus), which is likely associated with the low representation of other key food species for GHLTs. Conversely, cabrucas retaining large‐diameter canopy trees have a higher probability of GHLT occupancy, likely because these trees provide preferred sleeping sites. Thus, key large tree resources (food and shelter) are currently the main drivers of GHLT occupancy within cabruca agroecosystems. Since both factors can be directly affected by crop management practices, intensification of cabrucas may induce significant habitat impacts on GHLT populations over much of their remaining range‐wide distribution. Research Highlights: Key habitat resources (food and sleeping sites) are the main drivers of golden‐headed lion tamarin (GHLT) occupancy in cabrucas, and they are affected by management practices. Intensification of management can induce significant impacts on GHLT persistence in cabrucas in much of its remaining habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to determine whether southern Amazonian bats could harbour hantaviruses we, serologically and molecularly, screened blood, saliva, excreta and organ tissues of 47 bats captured from September to December 2015. We found that only phyllostomid bats presented antibodies against hantavirus. The seropositive bats belonged to two species of Phyllostomid bats: the greater spear‐nosed bat Phyllostomus hastatus (omnivorous) and the gnome fruit‐eating bat Dermanura gnoma. The overall seroprevalence was of 4.2%. Therefore, we show here that hantaviruses are circulating among phyllostomid bats in the Amazonian arc of deforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use intensification drives biodiversity loss worldwide. In heterogeneous landscape mosaics, both overall forest area and anthropogenic matrix structure induce changes in biological communities in primary habitat remnants. However, community changes via cross‐habitat spillover processes along forest–matrix interfaces remain poorly understood. Moreover, information on how landscape attributes affect spillover processes across habitat boundaries are embryonic. Here, we quantify avian α‐ and β‐diversity (as proxies of spillover rates) across two dominant types of forest–matrix interfaces (forest–pasture and forest–eucalyptus plantation) within the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot in southeast Brazil. We also assess the effects of anthropogenic matrix type and landscape attributes (forest cover, edge density and land‐use diversity) on bird taxonomic and functional β‐diversity across forest–matrix boundaries. Alpha taxonomic richness was higher in forest edges than within both matrix types, but between matrix types, it was higher in pastures than in eucalyptus plantations. Although significantly higher in forests edges than in the adjacent eucalyptus, bird functional richness did not differ between forest edges and adjacent pastures. Community changes (β‐diversity) related to species and functional replacements (turnover component) were higher across forest–pasture boundaries, whereas changes related to species and functional loss (nested component) were higher across forest–eucalyptus boundaries. Forest edges adjacent to eucalyptus had significant higher species and functional replacements than forest edges adjacent to pastures. Forest cover negatively influenced functional β‐diversity across both forest–pasture and forest–eucalyptus interfaces. We show the importance of matrix type and the structure of surrounding landscapes (mainly forest cover) on rates of bird assemblage spillover across forest‐matrix boundaries, which has profound implications to biological fluxes, ecosystem functioning and land‐use management in human‐modified landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change alters the dynamic of natural ecosystems and directly affects species distributions, persistence and diversity. The impacts of climate change may lead to dramatic changes in biotic interactions, such as pollination and seed dispersal. Life history traits are extremely important to consider the vulnerability of a species to climate change, producing more robust models than those based primarily on species distributions. Here, we hypothesized that rising temperatures and aridity will reduce suitable habitats for the endemic flora of the Caatinga, the most diverse dry tropical forest on Earth. Specifically, species with specialized reproductive traits (e.g. vertebrate pollination, biotic dispersal, obligatory cross-pollination) should be more affected by climate change than those with generalist traits. We performed two ecological niche models (current and future) to simulate the effects of climate change on the distribution area of endemic species in relation to life-history traits. We used the MIROC-ESM and CCSM4 models for both intermediate (RCP4.5) and highest predicted (RCP8.5) GHG emission scenarios, with a resolution of 30' (~1 km2). Habitat with high occurrence probability (>80%) of endemic species will be reduced (up to ~10% for trees, ~13% for non-arboreous, 10–28% for species with any pollination/reproductive system), with the greatest reductions for species with specialized reproductive traits. In addition, the likely concentration of endemic plants in the extreme northeastern portion of the Caatinga, in more mesic areas, coincides with the currently most human-modified areas of the ecosystem, which combined with climate change will further contract suitable habitats of endemic species. In conclusion, plant species endemic to the Caatinga are highly vulnerable to even conservative scenarios of future climate change and may lose much of their climatic envelopes. New protected areas should be located in the northeastern portion of the Caatinga, which hosts a more favorable climate, but is currently exposed to escalating agricultural intensification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly interactive nature of predator-prey relationship is essential for ecosystem conservation; predators have been extirpated, however, from entire ecosystems all over the Earth. Reintroductions comprise a management technique to reverse this trend. Species Distribution Models (SDM) are preemptive tools for release-site selection, and can define levels of habitat quality over the species distribution. The Atlantic Forest of South America has lost most of its apex predators, and Harpy Eagles Harpia harpyja—Earth’s largest eagle—are now limited to few forest pockets in this domain. Harpy Eagles are supposedly widespread in the Amazon Forest, however, where habitat loss and degradation is advancing at a rapid pace. We aim to describe the suitability of threatened Amazonian landscapes for this eagle. We also aim to assess the suitability of remaining Atlantic Forest sites for Harpy Eagle reintroductions. Here we show that that considerable eagle habitat has already been lost in Amazonia due to the expansion of the “Arc of Deforestation”, and that Amazonian forests currently represent 93% of the current distribution of the species. We also show that the Serra do Mar protected areas in southeastern Brazil is the most promising region for Harpy Eagle reintroductions in the Atlantic Forest. Reintroduction and captive breeding programs have been undertaken for Harpy Eagles, building the technical and biological basis for a successful restoration framework. Our distribution range for this species represents a 41% reduction of what is currently proposed by IUCN. Furthermore, habitat loss in Amazonia, combined with industrial logging and hunting suggest that the conservation status of this species should be reassessed. We suggest researchers and conservation practitioners can use this work to help expand efforts to conserve Harpy Eagles and their natural habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patterns of habitat selection are influenced by local productivity, resource availability, and predation risk. Species have taken millions of years to hone the macro- and micro-habitats they occupy, but these may now overlap with contemporary human threats within natural species ranges. Wattled Curassow (Crax globulosa), an endemic galliform species of the western Amazon, is threatened by both hunting and habitat loss, and is restricted to white-water floodplain forests of major Amazonian rivers. In this study conducted along the Juruá River, Amazonas, Brazil, we quantified the ranging ecology and fine-scale patterns of habitat selection of the species. We estimated the home range size of C. globulosa using conventional VHF telemetry. To estimate patterns of habitat selection, we used geo-locations of day ranges to examine the extent and intensity of use across the floodplain, which were then compared to a high-resolution flood map of the study area. We captured two females and one male, which we monitored for 13 months between September 2014 and September 2015. Average home range size was 283 ha, based on the 95% aLoCoH estimator. Wattled Curassows selected areas of prolonged flood pulses (six to eight months/year) and had a consistent tendency to be near open water, usually in close proximity to river banks and lakes, especially during the dry season. Amazonian floodplains are densely settled, and the small portions of floodplain habitat used by Wattled Curassows are both the most accessible to hunters and most vulnerable to deforestation. As a result, the geographic and ecological distribution of Wattled Curassows places them at much higher extinction risk at multiple spatial scales, highlighting the need to consider habitat preferences within their conservation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patterns of habitat selection are influenced by local productivity, resource availability, and predation risk. Species have taken millions of years to hone the macro- and micro-habitats they occupy, but these may now overlap with contemporary human threats within natural species ranges. Wattled Curassow (Crax globulosa), an endemic galliform species of the western Amazon, is threatened by both hunting and habitat loss, and is restricted to white-water floodplain forests of major Amazonian rivers. In this study conducted along the Juruá River, Amazonas, Brazil, we quantified the ranging ecology and fine-scale patterns of habitat selection of the species. We estimated the home range size of C. globulosa using conventional VHF telemetry. To estimate patterns of habitat selection, we used geo-locations of day ranges to examine the extent and intensity of use across the floodplain, which were then compared to a high-resolution flood map of the study area. We captured two females and one male, which we monitored for 13 months between September 2014 and September 2015. Average home range size was 283 ha, based on the 95% aLoCoH estimator. Wattled Curassows selected areas of prolonged flood pulses (six to eight months/year) and had a consistent tendency to be near open water, usually in close proximity to river banks and lakes, especially during the dry season. Amazonian floodplains are densely settled, and the small portions of floodplain habitat used by Wattled Curassows are both the most accessible to hunters and most vulnerable to deforestation. As a result, the geographic and ecological distribution of Wattled Curassows places them at much higher extinction risk at multiple spatial scales, highlighting the need to consider habitat preferences within their conservation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference 1 Requena S. Cultural adaptation of the mental health first aid guidelines for depression in Brazil: a Delphi expert consensus study. The incorrect author name is: Wenging Li The correct author name is: Wenjing Li The author group has been updated above and the original article [[1]] has been corrected. B Correction: BMC Psychiatry 23, 76 (2023) b B https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04566-6 b Following publication of the original article [[1]], the authors identified an error in the author name of Wenjing Li. [Extracted from the article]

We examine the effects of forest fragmentation on the structure and composition of tree assemblages within three seasonal and aseasonal forest types of southern Brazil, including evergreen, Araucaria, and deciduous forests. We sampled three southernmost Atlantic Forest landscapes, including the largest continuous forest protected areas within each forest type. Tree assemblages in each forest type were sampled within 10 plots of 0.1 ha in both continuous forests and 10 adjacent forest fragments. All trees within each plot were assigned to trait categories describing their regeneration strategy, vertical stratification, seed-dispersal mode, seed size, and wood density. We detected differences among both forest types and landscape contexts in terms of overall tree species richness, and the density and species richness of different functional groups in terms of regeneration strategy, seed dispersal mode and woody density. Overall, evergreen forest fragments exhibited the largest deviations from continuous forest plots in assemblage structure. Evergreen, Araucaria and deciduous forests diverge in the functional composition of tree floras, particularly in relation to regeneration strategy and stress tolerance. By supporting a more diversified light-demanding and stress-tolerant flora with reduced richness and abundance of shade-tolerant, old-growth species, both deciduous and Araucaria forest tree assemblages are more intrinsically resilient to contemporary human-disturbances, including fragmentation-induced edge effects, in terms of species erosion and functional shifts. We suggest that these intrinsic differences in the direction and magnitude of responses to changes in landscape structure between forest types should guide a wide range of conservation strategies in restoring fragmented tropical forest landscapes worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydropower projects are rapidly expanding across lowland Amazonia, driving the conversion of large tracts of once-continuous forests into archipelagos embedded within a vast open-water matrix. Forest vertebrate populations thus become stranded in habitat islands, with their persistence governed by a combination of species life-history traits, habitat patch, and landscape context. We investigate the patterns of species extinction of 34 arboreal and terrestrial vertebrate species within three continuous forest sites and 37 land-bridge islands within one of the largest South American hydroelectric reservoirs, based on a combination of camera trapping, line-transect censuses, sign surveys, and armadillo burrow counts. Forest area was the best predictor of species persistence, so we classified all species into three levels of vulnerability to habitat insularization, with most species defined as ‘area-sensitive’. However, island occupancy was decisively determined by individual species traits, with wide-ranging species and poor dispersers showing high local extinction rates. We detected higher island occupancy rates of large vertebrate species compared to other Neotropical fragmented forest landscapes, suggesting that this is critically attributed to the absence of hunting pressure at Balbina. Nevertheless, most terrestrial and arboreal species have been driven to local extinction within the vast majority of islands, which have been largely defaunated. We predicted species composition across all 3546 islands within the reservoir, indicating that only ⩽2% of all islands continue to harbour at least 75% of all species. To minimise loss of vertebrate diversity, future hydroelectric dam projects in lowland tropical forests, if unavoidable, should consider their geographic location and landscape structure to maximise both island size and landscape connectivity, and set aside strictly protected reserves within reservoir areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil safeguards a vast network of parks and reserves, termed conservation units. The creation of conservation units follows a rigorous legal protocol that grants them long-term stability under varying degrees of formal protection against land-use change. Degazettement, downsizing or downgrading any conservation unit requires a law to be passed. Recent shifts in Brazilian conservation policy have, however, favoured infrastructure projects and agricultural land conversion, even when these initiatives are in direct conflict with established conservation units. Several bills have been proposed by the National Congress, threatening 27 conservation units and bringing the long-term political stability and legal immunity of hitherto sacrosanct reserves into serious question. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Conservation Biology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Agriculture, deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions and local/regional climate change have been closely intertwined in Brazil. Recent studies show that this relationship has been changing since the mid 2000s, with the burgeoning intensification and commoditization of Brazilian agriculture. On one hand, this accrues considerable environmental dividends including a pronounced reduction in deforestation (which is becoming decoupled from agricultural production), resulting in a decrease of ∼40% in nationwide greenhouse gas emissions since 2005, and a potential cooling of the climate at the local scale. On the other hand, these changes in the land-use system further reinforce the long-established inequality in land ownership, contributing to rural-urban migration that ultimately fuels haphazard expansion of urban areas. We argue that strong enforcement of sector-oriented policies and solving long-standing land tenure problems, rather than simply waiting for market self-regulation, are key steps to buffer the detrimental effects of agricultural intensification at the forefront of a sustainable pathway for land use in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of American Anthropologist is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Tropical forest mammal assemblages are widely affected by the twin effects of habitat loss and habitat fragmentation. We evaluated the effects of forest patch metrics, habitat structure, age of patch isolation, and landscape metrics on the species richness, abundance and composition of small mammals at 23 forest fragments (ranging in size from 43 to 7,035 ha) in a highly deforested 3,609-km landscape of southwestern Brazilian Amazonia. Using pitfall traps and both terrestrial and arboreal traplines of Sherman, Tomahawk and snap traps, we captured a total of 844 individuals over 34,900 trap-nights representing 26 species and 20 genera of small-mammals, including 13 rodent and 13 marsupial species. We also consider the effects of distance from forest edges on species occupancy and abundance. Overall small mammal abundance, species richness and species composition were primarily affected by the quality of the open-habitat matrix of cattle pastures, rather than by patch metrics such as fragment size. Ultimately, small mammal community structure was determined by a combination of both landscape- and patch-scale variables. Knowledge of the anthropogenic factors that govern small mammal community structure is of critical importance for managing the persistence of forest vertebrates in increasingly fragmented neotropical forest landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Experimental approaches to study seed dispersal of the Brazil nut tree have hitherto relied on exposed seeds deposited on the forest floor. Here we use a new method to study the natural dispersal by large rodents such as agoutis; tracking experimentally manipulated and tagged fruits containing individually marked seeds. Fruit manipulation did not deter agoutis from handling fruits. We found that agoutis usually moved intact fruits away from their original location below the parent tree before either hiding them or gnawing through the pericarp to access the seeds inside. Most fruits were moved to distances of 15-30 m from their original position, but some fruits could be taken as far as 60 m. A large number of seeds extracted from manipulated fruits appeared to be eaten immediately. Only 27 out of 1740 experimental seeds were found buried in shallow caches, generally within 5 m of the opened fruit. Fruit removal distance accounted for a disproportionate amount of total seed movement and seeds in the current study were dispersed significantly farther than in a previous experiment using exposed seeds, suggesting that classic dispersal experiments of this character may severely underestimate seed dispersal distances. We therefore conclude that the new method provides a more realistic and accurate approach to investigate natural seed dispersal of Brazil nuts and that the removal of fruits from underneath parent trees before being opened is the key to the significantly increased distances at which seeds are dispersed. Abstract in Portuguese is available at . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balancing ever-increasing agricultural and biofuel needs with biodiversity conservation is one of the greatest challenges facing conservation biologists in the 21st century. The conversion of >75 million hectares of forests in Brazilian Amazonia over four decades for agropastoral uses has resulted in the 'creation' of a similar-sized amount of non-forest 'agricultural matrix' habitats. Despite extensive research on the effects of forest loss and fragmentation on the Amazonian biota, the value of increasingly larger areas of non-forest habitat for forest wildlife remains poorly understood. We conducted 325 fixed-radius point counts of the avifaunal assemblage of non-forest vegetation within a 1200-km region along the Amazonian 'Arc of Deforestation' in Northern Mato Grosso, Brazil. Our sampling included 2,814 records of 164 species, 15 and 54% of which were recorded in more than 10% and fewer than 2% of all sampling sites, respectively. In particular, nearly 70% of the regional scale avifauna of 560 species failed to use the agricultural matrix, regardless of the persistence of ameliorating structural features, such as isolated trees. At the local scale, higher species richness in the agricultural matrix was best predicted by the presence of relictual trees, and to a lesser extent by standing water and scrubby habitats. The presence of relictual trees, rather than scrub, predicted the occurrence of those forest-dependent species that did use the agricultural matrix. Our results indicate that intensive agricultural production coupled with land sparing would better suit conservation of vulnerable forest species than more extensive 'wildlife friendly' agricultural practices that require more land under production to produce the same yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essay is presented on the conservation of tropical forest reserves. The author reflects on the sustainable-use reserves in the terrestrial species. He mentions that the sustainable use reserve in Brazil insures the usufruct access rights in the persistence of species in ecological process. He adds that human population militate the long-term persistence of species in the reserve boundaries.

Rural-urban migration can have both positive and negative environmental consequences for tropical forests. Rural residents exert pressure on the environment through farming, fishing, and forest extraction, yet conversely, protecting rural livelihoods is often the motivation for conserving large areas of threatened forest. This research examines rural settlement within the Brazilian Amazon to shed light on the drivers of on-going rural exodus and its environmental implications. Specifically, we examine the relative importance of public service provision and natural resources in determining settlement patterns along, and rural-urban migration from, eight rivers in road-less regions of the Brazilian Amazon. Data include biophysical, social, and economic variables that were assessed in 184 riverine settlements along rural-urban gradients up to 740 km from the nearest urban center. Settlements were smaller upstream, and lacked key services such as schools and healthcare. We found that clustering of rural populations close to urban centers reflects the high costs of living in remote areas, despite abundant natural resources which previously justified migration to headwaters. Impeded dry-season navigability and transport costs restricted the flow of goods and services to and from remote areas, and transaction costs of trade exchange were higher upstream. A lack of school access was the main motivation for rural-urban migration and the abandonment of remote riverine settlements. A key policy implication is that while education services could provide a powerful tool to stabilize and support rural populations, delivery is challenging in remote areas and may also encourage further rural-urban migration in the longer term. Furthermore, river-dwellers in remote areas rarely visited remote urban centers, presumably because these journeys are too costly. We examine the implications of our findings for anti-poverty subsidies and payment for ecosystem services and conclude that transport costs required to receive payment could encourage further depopulation of remote areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: Deforestation in Brazilian Amazonia accounts for a disproportionate global scale fraction of both carbon emissions from biomass burning and biodiversity erosion through habitat loss. Here we use field- and remote-sensing data to examine the effects of private landholding size on the amount and type of forest cover retained within economically active rural properties in an aging southern Amazonian deforestation frontier. Data on both upland and riparian forest cover from a survey of 300 rural properties indicated that 49.4% (SD=29.0%) of the total forest cover was maintained as of 2007, and that property size is a key regional-scale determinant of patterns of deforestation and land-use change. Small properties (≤150ha) retained a lower proportion of forest (20.7%, SD=17.6) than did large properties (>150ha; 55.6%, SD=27.2). Generalized linear models showed that property size had a positive effect on remaining areas of both upland and total forest cover. Using a Landsat time-series, the age of first clear-cutting that could be mapped within the boundaries of each property had a negative effect on the proportion of upland, riparian, and total forest cover retained. Based on these data, we show contrasts in land-use strategies between smallholders and largeholders, as well as differences in compliance with legal requirements in relation to minimum forest cover set-asides within private landholdings. This suggests that property size structure must be explicitly considered in landscape-scale conservation planning initiatives guiding agro-pastoral frontier expansion into remaining areas of tropical forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highest avian species richness on Earth is found in the Neotropics, with the speciose antbird superfamily (Thamnophilidae, Formicariidae, Grallariidae and Conopophagidae) accounting for 15 percent of South American passerine diversity. Antbird species have divergent life histories and ecological requirements, resulting in considerable interspecific variation in responses to anthropogenic habitat modification. Here, we examine interspecific differences in antbird responses to both habitat fragmentation and perturbation in a region of the so-called ‘Arc of Deforestation’ of southern Brazilian Amazonia in northern Mato Grosso. We surveyed the antbird community of 31 variable-sized forest patches and found that antbird species richness was predominantly affected by patch size and isolation, although forest patch quality was also important. Life history predictors were less important overall in determining patch occupancy and minimum patch area requirements with body mass and geographic range size the most important predictors. Foraging niche was also important; mixed flock followers, bamboo specialists and army-ant followers were all more prone to local extinction in small fragments. Although most Amazonian antbird species are not currently threatened, rates of interfluvial endemism are high and future forest loss may imperil many species currently considered to be of low conservation concern. Lessons learnt in the identification of fragmentation-sensitive genera and guilds may be applicable to other antbird species outside Amazonia, such as those in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Ensuring future survival of antbirds across neotropical forest landscapes that retain only a small percentage of their original primary forest cover will rest on protecting remaining large forest patches and maintaining structural and functional connectivity between them. Abstract in Portuguese is available at [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution and growth of human populations have been overlooked by current debates concerning the impact of rural–urban migration for forest conservation in tropical countries. We investigated human settlement and population change in the Brazilian Amazon, combining government census data with field surveys along rivers. Rural populations were clustered and growing within 300 km of urban centers, whereas depopulation and land abandonment dominated farther from towns. The permanently inhabited extent of rivers contracted by 33 ± 8 SE% in recent decades, and households farther upriver were more likely to be considering rural–urban migration. However, harvesting of aquatic and terrestrial wildlife by nonresidents continued into headwater regions, hundreds of kilometers beyond the last household on any given river. Policy makers should consider that expanding cities may drive deforestation and overexploitation near towns while unclear property rights threatens overharvesting and unregulated land speculation in abandoned headwaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The future of tropical forest species depends in part on their ability to survive in human-modified landscapes. Forest strips present a priority area for biodiversity research because they are a common feature of many managed landscapes, are often afforded a high level of legal protection, and can provide a cost-effective and politically acceptable conservation strategy. 2. Despite the potential conservation benefits that could be provided by forest strips, ecologists currently lack sufficient evidence to inform policy and guide their design and management. 3. We used a quasi-experimental landscape in the Brazilian Amazon to test the importance of four management-relevant variables (forest type, isolation distance, forest structure, and large mammal activity) on the potential biodiversity conservation value of narrow forest strips for dung beetles. 4. Information-theoretic model selection based on AICc revealed strong support for the influence of large mammal activity and forest type on dung beetle abundance; isolation distance on species richness; and forest structure on the relative abundance of matrix-tolerant species. Multi-dimensional scaling showed a strong influence of forest type and isolation on community composition and structure, with riparian and dry-land strips having complementary sets of species. 5. Synthesis and applications. To enhance the conservation value and ecological integrity of forest strips in human-modified landscapes we recommend that strip design considers both isolation distance and whether or not the strips encompass perennial streams. In addition, we identify the maintenance of forest structure and the protection of large mammal populations as being crucially important for conserving forest dung beetle communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Developing effective conservation plans for multi-functional landscapes requires an accurate knowledge of the relative conservation value of different land-uses. A growing number of tropical ecologists have evaluated conservation value using the number (or proportion) of species that are unique to primary or old-growth forests. However, estimates of the conservation value of modified land-uses may be inflated by the presence of occasional species (e.g. singletons and doubletons) that may be unable to exist as viable populations in isolation. Methodology/Principal Findings: We use a unique 15-taxa dataset from a mixed-use forest landscape in the Brazilian Amazon to test the hypothesis that the removal of occasional species from sample data can increase estimates of the value of primary forest for biodiversity conservation. Conclusions/Significance: Estimates of conservation value that are based on the proportion of species that are unique to tropical primary or old-growth forests are highly sensitive to decisions researchers make regarding the inclusion or exclusion of occasional species. By removing singletons from modified forest samples, and considering only those species known to occur in primary forest, we almost double estimates of the conservation value of tropical primary forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest corridors are often considered the main instrument with which to offset the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation. Brazilian forestry legislation requires that all riparian zones on private landholdings be maintained as permanent reserves and sets fixed minimum widths of riparian forest buffers to be retained alongside rivers and perennial streams. We investigated the effects of corridor width and degradation status of 37 riparian forest sites (including 24 corridors connected to large source-forest patches, 8 unconnected forest corridors, and 5 control riparian zones embedded within continuous forest patches) on bird and mammal species richness in a hyper-fragmented forest landscape surrounding Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso, Brazil. We used point-count and track-sampling methodology, coupled with an intensive forest-quality assessment that combined satellite imagery and ground truthed data. Vertebrate use of corridors was highly species-specific, but broad trends emerged depending on species life histories and their sensitivity to disturbance. Narrow and/or highly disturbed riparian corridors retained only a depauperate vertebrate assemblage that was typical of deforested habitats, whereas wide, well-preserved corridors retained a nearly complete species assemblage. Restriction of livestock movement along riparian buffers and their exclusion from key areas alongside deforested streams would permit corridor regeneration and facilitate restoration of connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term dynamics of plant communities remain poorly understood in isolated tropical forest fragments. Here we test the hypothesis that tropical tree assemblages in both small forest fragments and along forest edges of very large fragments are functionally much more similar to stands of secondary growth (5–65-yr old) than to core primary forest patches. The study was carried out in a severely fragmented landscape of the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Nine functional attributes of tree assemblages were quantified by sampling all trees (DBH⩾10cm) within 75 plots of 0.1ha distributed in four forest habitats: small forest fragments (3.4–79.6ha), forest edges, second-growth patches, and primary forest interior areas within a large forest fragment (3500ha). These habitats were markedly different in terms of tree species richness, and in the proportion of pioneer, large-seeded, and emergent species. Age of second-growth stands explained between 31.4% and 88.2% of the variation in the functional attributes of tree assemblages in this habitat. As expected, most traits associated with forest edges and small forest fragments fell within the range shown by early (<25-yr old) and intermediate-aged secondary forest stands (25–45-yr old). In contrast to habitat type, tree assemblage attributes were not affected by vegetation type, soil type and the spatial location of plots. An ordination analysis documented a striking floristic drift in edge-affected habitats. Our results suggest that conservation policy guidelines will fail to protect aging, hyper-fragmented landscapes from drastic impoverishment if the remaining forest patches are heavily dominated by edge habitat. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Few researchers have investigated the synergistic effects of tropical forest fragmentation and disturbance on species persistence and abundance. We examined effects of both forest-patch metrics and forest disturbance in determining richness and abundance of midsized to large-bodied mammal species in a highly fragmented Amazonian forest landscape. Twenty-one forest fragments, ranging from 2 to 14,480 ha, and two continuous forest sites were sampled based on sightings, tracks, line-transect censuses, armadillo burrow censuses, and camera trapping. Patch occupancy of 37 species recorded ranged from 4% to all forest sites surveyed. Forest fragment size was the strongest predictor of species persistence, explaining 90% of the variation in species richness. Information-theoretic analysis confirmed that fragment area was the most important explanatory variable for the overall species richness and abundance of mammal species, followed by surface fires, which affected the abundance of seven species. Large mammal species were typically absent from fragments <100 ha, whereas some ubiquitous species were favored by fragmentation, exhibiting hyperabundance in small patches. Our findings highlight the importance of large (>10,000 ha), relatively undisturbed forest patches to maximize persistence and maintain baseline abundances of Neotropical forest mammal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Litter fall and leaf decomposition represent important functional processes, yet we have a limited understanding of these processes in disturbed and regenerating tropical habitats. Litter production, litterfall phenology and leaf decomposition were examined in primary forests, 14–19-year-old secondary forests and 4–5-year-old Eucalyptus urophylla plantations in the north-east Brazilian Amazon. Total annual litter fall was similar in primary and secondary forests, and lower in plantations. Leaf fall in primary and secondary forests was negatively associated with rainfall, and was highest in the dry season. Leaf fall in Eucalyptus plantations showed an opposite response, and peaked during the wet season. Decomposition experiments were carried out in the three habitats using 1200 litter bags (1mm mesh) filled separately with leaves from four different species of tree, including an exotic plantation species (E. urophylla) and trees typical of secondary (Bellucia spp. and Vismia spp.) and primary forests (Bertholettia excelsa). Litter bags were re-weighed at 3-month intervals 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after being placed on the forest floor. A repeated measures General Linear Model showed that litter decomposition was similar in the primary and secondary forest, and slowest in the Eucalyptus plantations. Leaves decomposed, from fastest to slowest, in the following order: E. urophylla > B. excelsa > Vismia spp.> Bellucia spp. There was no significant interaction between leaf species and habitat type. Our results indicate that secondary forests regenerating on abandoned and degraded Amazonian lands can be effective at restoring ecosystem processes such as litterfall and decomposition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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Indigenous forest reserves represent approximately one fifth of Brazilian Amazonia and pose enormous challenges for sustainable natural resource management by native Amazonians. In collaboration with the Kayapó Indians of A'Ukre of southeastern Amazonia, we obtained a game harvest profile of over 1360 forest vertebrates consumed at this village over a 20-month period, including 743 mammals, 361 forest tortoises and 256 birds from a minimum of 42 game species. This amounted to a total of 13,775 kg of game animals harvested over the entire study (mean = 26.2 kg d-1). We also obtained some 450 km of line transect census data of midsized to large-bodied vertebrates within the core hunting catchment of this village and in an unhunted but otherwise comparable site upriver of A'Ukre. Population density estimates of 16 of the 18 species censused were significantly depressed by hunting by central place foragers within the village catchment, and a number of harvest-sensitive prey species showed clear evidence of local depletion. For the time being, however, we can conclude that hunting was sustainable at the landscape scale largely because source-sink dynamics in the context of low village catchment density is made possible by large surrounding tracts of primary forest that remain unharvested or underharvested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biotropica is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Brazilian Amazonia faces one of the greatest threats and opportunities for tropical biodiversity conservation of our times. I consider several large-scale issues in biodiversity conservation planning (e.g., resource extraction, large areas needed for top predators, species migration, fire, and carbon sequestration) in light of our severely deficient understanding of basinwide patterns of species distribution and little-known Amazonian biota. The long-term persistence of this biota is best served by strictly protected and sustainable development forest reserves that are both embedded in a benign forest matrix and sufficiently large to support a full complement of species and landscape-scale ecological processes. Given rapidly accelerating trends in agricultural frontier expansion into previously unclaimed public lands, protection and controlled development of forests is urgent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study documents the proportion of woody plant species having different modes of seed dispersal, and classes of seed and fruit size at 16 Atlantic montane forest plots of southeastern Brazil (23–24° S). These plots represent six chronosequences (from 5-year-old to old-growth forest) of forest regeneration following small-scale shifting agriculture. Our results indicate that there is a gradual but predictable increase in the number of woody plant species relying on vertebrate-mediated seed dispersal in increasingly older plots. Moreover, the percentage of plant species bearing small seeds and fruits (< 0.6 cm in length) was more than halved from earlier to older forest plots, while the percentage of plant species producing middle-sized seeds and fruits at least doubled. Plant species belonging to the Melastomataceae, Myrsinaceae, Rubiaceae and Flacourtiaceae comprised a large proportion of the small-seeded and fruit species (33–53%), and largely occurred in early successional forest plots (5–30 years old). In contrast, species belonging to the Myrtaceae and Lauraceae represented most of the species (51–72%) bearing medium-sized seeds and fruits (0.6–1.5 cm in length), and occurred primarily in the old-growth forests. Shifts in the relative importance of dispersal strategies during the regeneration process of Atlantic montane forest, as well as in diaspore size appear to be related to the balance between early successional and shade-tolerant species associated with particular life forms and plant families. Finally, we discuss the relationships between the species richness of Myrtaceae and Lauraceae trees, seed dispersal by medium to large vertebrates, and possible regeneration scenarios for the Atlantic forest. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Regenerating dry forests supports dense and impoverished dung beetle assemblages. • Habitat-generalists and open-habitat specialists become dominant and ubiquitous. • Aridity and human disturbances are decisive drivers of community organization. Understanding patterns of tropical forest resilience is a central challenge in conservation ecology particularly in seasonally-dry tropical forests, where anthropogenic disturbance and climate change are pervasive threats. Here, we investigate the recovery rate and community organization of dung beetles along a Caatinga dry forest regeneration cline in the context of slash-and-burn agriculture in northeast Brazil. Assemblages were described considering a wide set of attributes, including abundance, taxonomic (Hill orders D0, D1 and D2) and functional diversity (functional richness, evenness and redundancy) and taxonomic/functional composition, across a chronosequence consisting of regenerating and old-growth forest stands exposed to different levels of aridity and chronic disturbance. In addition, we use body mass, diet, food relocation behaviour and habitat specificity of dung beetles as ecological attributes. Our results show that Caatinga dry forests supports dense but relatively impoverished dung beetle assemblages at both local and landscape scales, with the same small set of species dominating local assemblages. Dung beetles do not experience successional replacements along the regeneration gradient, with evidence of high resilience. Moreover, disturbance-associated dung beetle species (predominantly small-bodied generalists) resulted in assemblage convergence across the regeneration cline. Finally, chronic anthropogenic disturbance was a decisive driver of changes in abundance and taxonomic diversity, while aridity positively affected species composition and functional richness. These patterns resulted in the occurrence of spatially structured assemblages in response to a combination of both natural and anthropogenic variables, while under little or no influence of forest regeneration status across human-modified Caatinga landscapes. We conclude that the absence of directional changes in dung beetle assemblages through the forest succession pathway of regenerating second-growth forest is associated with the effect of aridity and human disturbances on community organization, including selection for certain species and functional groups, which in turn, can alter important ecological functions and consequently the resilience of dry forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we describe the use of space and feeding ecology of seven groups of golden lion tamarins observed for a total of 2,164 hr in Poço das Antas Reserve, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Relative to habitat availability in the home ranges of these groups, lion tamarins spent more time than expected in relatively undisturbed swamp forests and less time than expected in more degraded hillside and pasture habitats. Home range area was correlated with group biomass but not group size. Golden lion tamarins fed primarily on fruits and small animal prey, but relied heavily on floral nectar during seasonal periods of relatively low fruit availability. Compared to other New World monkeys, lion tamarins used larger home range areas and exhibited longer daily path lengths than would be predicted by group biomass alone. We suggest that this pattern of foraging and use of space may be explained by the relatively greater availability of cryptic prey and their microhabitats in forests that are flooded and/or have closed canopies than in forests that are in earlier stages of succession where prey may be more susceptible to desiccation during the dry season. Am. J. Primatol. 41:289–305, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on the ecology and diet of buffy sakis (Pithecia albicans) were obtained during a 20-month study in an entirely undisturbed terra firme forest in the upper Urucu river, Amazonas, Brazil. Groups of 3-7 sakis found in a 900-ha study plot used large home ranges (147-204 ha), which overlapped extensively with those of neighboring groups. Similar to other pitheclines, buffy sakis were primarily seed predators, relying heavily on young seeds of certain key plant families, such as the Sapotaceae and Leguminosae. Ripe fruits, ripe seeds, young leaves, flowers, and nectar were eaten to a lesser extent. Whether or not feeding, sakis spent most of their time in the canopy and subeanopy, a pattern similar to that of other southwestern Amazonian saki species, but sharply different from that of Guianan sakis (Pithecia pithecia), which use considerably tower levels of the forest. Comparisons are made between different Pithecia species to show whether and how P. albicans diverges ecologically from its congeners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]