Orientador: Carlos Frederico Duarte da Rocha / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-09T17:01:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Miranda_JivanildoPinheiro_D.pdf: 7646850 bytes, checksum: 1b29966bda6798dfbb87bba528797710 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Neste estudo investiguei a riqueza, composição e distribuição local da herpetofauna do Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses (PNLM), Maranhão, Brasil. Realizei 47 expedições, totalizando 235 dias de amostragem utilizando o método de procura visual limitada por tempo. Adicionalmente, estudei a ocorrência de atropelamentos de vertebrados na rota de acesso ao parque. Assim, registrei 63 espécies da herpetofauna no PNLM, sendo 21 espécies de anuros, 12 de lagartos, 24 de serpentes, duas de anfisbenas, três de quelônios e uma de jacaré. Destas espécies, 52 (E 82,5%) ocorrem apenas na restinga. As demais espécies ocorrem no campo de dunas do parque. Em relação aos atropelamentos, realizei cerca de 10896 quilômetros de amostragem. Encontrei 206 carcaças de vertebrados atropelados, distribuídas por 55 espécies. O grupo de vertebrado mais atropelado, em número de espécies (23 espécies) e de indivíduos (69 indivíduos), foi a classe Reptilia. Apesar do PNLM ser enfatizado do ponto de vista paisagístico, este estudo mostra que seus ambientes possuem significativa riqueza de espécies da herpetofauna. Estas espécies ocorrem principalmente no ambiente de restinga, o qual corresponde a apenas 21% da área do parque. Devido a crescente visitação turística e do aumento de empreendimentos na área, é importante que ações para a conservação da restinga do PNLM sejam urgentemente implementadas / Abstract: Herpetofauna richness, composition and local distribution (sand dunes or restinga habitats) were studied in Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (LMNP), Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil. I carried out 235 days of sampling using the method of visual search limited by time. In addition, I studied road killed vertebrates in the access route to the park (a road that crosses restinga habitats). Thus, I recorded 63 species of the herpetofauna (21 anurans, 12 lizards, 24 snakes, two amphisbaenians, three turtles and an alligator) in LMNP. Fifty-two species (E 82,5%) were found only in restinga habitats. Concerning to road killed animals, I carried out 10896 km of sampling and I found 206 carcasses of vertebrates, corresponding to 55 species. Reptilia was the vertebrate class with the largest number of species (23 species) and individuals (69 individuals) killed. Overall, the great number of species occurring in restinga habitats and high incidence of reptiles road killed in the route to the park, highlight the importance of actions to improve conservation in restinga habitats, which currently comprise only 21% of the total area protected by the park / Doutorado / Ecologia / Doutor em Ecologia

A Floresta Atlântica apresenta alta diversidade de mamíferos com muitas espécies endêmicas. No entanto, poucos estudos enfocam a distribuição, os padrões ecológicos e a utilização por estes animais, de ambientes alterados por ação antrópica em remanescentes de Floresta Atlântica. O Estado de São Paulo apresenta uma extensa área de reflorestamento com Eucalyptus spp mas nenhum estudo sobre a exploração destes ambientes pelas espécies de mamíferos silvestres havia sido realizado neste Estado. Este estudo desenvolvido em um mosaico formado por remanescentes de Floresta Atlântica em contato com plantios de E. saligna teve o objetivo de verificar a riqueza, a composição específica e a diversidade das espécies de mamíferos existentes na área, com especial atenção para o uso dos plantios de E. saligna pelos animais estudados. Para a coleta de pequenos-mamíferos utilizou-se armadilhas do tipo gaiola e pitfalls. Para o registro do uso dos plantios de E. saligna por mamíferos de médio e grande portes utilizou-se, durante 36 noites, parcelas de areia. Ambos os métodos foram utilizados nos três ambientes que compõem a paisagem local: floresta contínua, fragmentos circundados pelos plantios de E. saligna e os próprios plantios. Na área de estudo foram registradas 47 espécies e dentre estas, espécies ameaçadas de extinção como Puma concolor e Myrmecophaga trydactyla, espécies raras em levantamentos como Brucepattersonius igniventris e Monodelphis brevicaudata e uma nova ocorrência para o Estado de São Paulo: Blarynomys breviceps. Durante nove meses de coleta de pequenos mamíferos com um esforço amostral de 7290 dias-armadilhas e 3888 dias-pitfall, foram realizadas 537 capturas de pequenos mamíferos. As espécies com maior abundância relativa em ambientes de floresta nativa foram: Philander frenata, Oryzomys russatus e Marmosops incanus. Nos plantios de E. saligna, Oligoryzomys nigripes foi responsável por 55 % da abundância relativa de pequenos mamíferos. A diversidade de espécies foi semelhante nos dois ambientes de floresta nativa e menor nas plantios de E.saligna. Dentre os mamíferos de médio e grande portes, felinos utilizaram em maior proporção os plantios de E. saligna estudados. Os registros mais frequentes nas parcelas de areia foram de Mazama sp seguido por Tapirus terrestris. Estes resultados mais o atual contexto de fragmentação e degradação da Floresta Atlântica demonstram que os plantios de E. saligna na Fazenda João XXIII, se devidamente manejados, podem ser localmente importantes na conservação de mamíferos não-voadores, visto que este ambiente é utilizado como habitat ou mesmo para deslocamento por muitas espécies verificadas na área. / The Atlantic Forest presents high endemism, diversity and richness. However, with the continuous devastation it became one of the most endangered ecosystems of the world. In spite of the high diversity of mammals with many endemic species, the distribution, the ecological patterns and the use of altered environments are practically ignored. The State of São Paulo presents an extensive reforestation area with Eucalyptus spp. However, any studies about the species of mammals that explore this environment were realized. This study was developed in Fazenda João XXIII, located in Pilar do Sul City - São Paulo State, where the landscape is characterized by a mosaic of fragments surrounded by Eucalyptus saligna plantations and an extensive area of Atlantic Forest continuous to Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho. The goal of this study was to survey the species of mammals and to verify its richness and diversity in the forest remainders and in the E. saligna plantations. During nine months of study with a sampling effort of 7290 trap-day and 3888 pitfall-day, 537 captures of small mammals were accomplished. Sand plots were used during 36 nights, to record the use of E. saligna plantations by medium and large size mammals. All methods were used in the three environments that are present the local landscape: continuous forest, fragments surrounded by E. saligna and E. saligna plantations. In the studied area, 47 mammal species were registered. Among these, species listed as endangered such as Puma concolor and Myrmecophaga tetradactyla; rare species in inventories such as Brucepattersonius igniventris and Monodelphis brevicaudata; and the Blarynomys breviceps, a new occurrence for the State of São Paulo. The higher relative abundance of small mammals verified at continuous forest, were the marsupials Philander frenata, and M. incanus, and the rodent Oryzomys russatus. The same species were also found as more abundant in the fragments surrounded by eucalyptus plantations. And in the eucalyptus plantations, Oligoryzomys nigripes was responsible for 55% of the relative abundance of small mammals. The diversity of species was similar in both sampled areas of native forest and lower in the eucalyptus plantations. Among the medium and large size mammals, L. pardalis and Leopardus sp used the eucalyptus plantation in larger proportion than other environments. The species more frequently registered in the plots of sand was Tapirus terrestris. In the present context of fragmentation and degradation of the Atlantic Forest, the eucalyptus plantations in Fazenda João XXIII represent an important role in the local conservation of the species of mammals, because most of these species use this environment as habitat or even for displacement.

Biological diversity is threatened worldwide and it is a priority to generate more information that can be used both for understanding ecological processes and determining conservation strategies. For my dissertation, I focused on amphibian diversity patterns in lowland rainforests of southwestern Amazonia to evaluate the importance of habitat heterogeneity in the region. My main purpose was to test the hypothesis that amphibian communities in different forest types differ in species richness, composition, and abundance. I used standardized visual encounter surveys to quantify the species composition and abundance of amphibians at four sites, each containing four forest types (floodplain, terra firme, bamboo, and palm swamp). I used leaf-litter plots to evaluate the effect of soil and leaf-litter characteristics on species richness and abundance of leaf-litter frogs. I intensively sampled at one site and then sampled three other sites (distance among sites varied 3.5-105 km) to evaluate whether the patterns observed at one site were similar elsewhere. I also updated the information on threatened and potentially threatened amphibians in Peru and my study region. I found that no species appears to have experienced population declines in southeastern Peru, suggesting that the region still contains the original species pool. My results support the hypothesis that amphibian communities differ across forest types and that patterns observed at the local scale (one site) are similar at the regional scale (four sites). My data also indicate that there is no correlation between species composition and geographic distance among sites. Instead, an important proportion of the gamma diversity is represented by habitat-related beta diversity. My leaf-litter plot data showed that part of the variation in the leaf-litter community structure is explained by soil and litter characteristics. I found that soil total phosphorus and, to a lesser extent, humidity, leaf-litter mass, and pH is linked to species presence/absence and abundance. My study provides the first standardized, quantitative comparison of amphibian community structure across four major forest types in southwestern Amazonia and highlights the fact that forest types are complementary and necessary for maintaining high species richness in the region.

Orientador: Francisco Langeani Neto / Banca: Oscar Shibatta / Banca: Osvaldo Oyakawa / Resumo: A bacia do rio Grande pertence a porção mais estudada com relação a ictiofauna da drenagem do rio Paraná, a bacia do Alto rio Paraná. Entretanto, isso não significa que a bacia foi amostrada e inventariada em sua totalidade. Além disso, nenhuma das pesquisas apresenta ferramentas adequadas para a identificação das espécies. Os Siluriformes, uma das seis ordens que compõem a ictiofauna da bacia do rio Grande, apresentam grande representatividade dentro da bacia, com cerca de 30% (podendo chegar a 35%) das espécies de peixes. Sendo assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi a elaboração de um guia de identificação composto por chave de identificação, diagnoses e registro fotográficos das espécies de Siluriformes da bacia do rio Grande. Foram listadas 86 espécies válidas, um novo gênero e duas novas espécies para a bacia. As espécies pertencem à onze famílias, sendo Loricariidae a mais diversa, com 41% da riqueza de espécies. O material revisado de Siluriformes da bacia do rio Grande da coleção do Departamento de Zoologia de Botânica da UNESP de São José do Rio Preto foi amostrado principalmente nas drenagens do estado de São Paulo e em menor proporção nas drenagens de Minas Gerais. A curva de acumulação de espécies apresentou crescimento exponencial, indicando que apesar de extensivamente estudada, é possível que a bacia do rio Grande ainda apresente novas espécies a serem encontradas e descritas pela ciência / Abstract: The Grande River basin belongs to Alto Paraná River, which is the most studied portion of Paraná River basin regarding the icthyofauna. However, this does not indicates that the basin was fully sampled or inventoried. In addition, the researchers do not contain tools to identify the species. The Siluriformes, one of the six orders that is found in the Grande River basin, shows great representativeness with more than 30% (it may reach 35%) of the total of fish species. Our aim was to elaborate an identification guide composed by one identification key, diagnosis and photographic records of each Siluriformes species from the Grande River basin. We found 86 valid species, one new genera and two new species. The species belong to 11 families, whereas Loricariidae was the most diverse one with 41% of the total species richness. The revised material of Siluriformes from the Grande River basin of the fish collection of the Department of Zoology and Botany was mainly from the São Paulo State drainage and few records from Minas Gerais State drainages. The accumulation curve showed an exponential pattern, indicating that despite extensively studied, it is possible that Grande River basin still has new species to be found and described by science / Mestre

Orientador: Denise de Cerqueira Rossa Feres / Coorientador: Michel Varajão Garey / Banca: Paulo de Marco Júnior / Banca: Victor Lemes Landeiro / Resumo: O conceito de metacomunidades incorpora processos que ocorrem em diferentes escalas espaciais. Atualmente esse conceito é tratado empiricamente por meio de duas abordagens: identificar a influência de mecanismos que estruturam as metacomunidades (i.e. fatores ambientais locais e dispersão), e identificar diferentes tipos de estruturas de distribuição de espécies geradas principalmente por interações bióticas (e.g. competição) e/ou filtros ambientais. Aqui nós empregamos essas duas abordagens para avaliar os padrões de estrutura e distribuição de espécies em metacomunidades de girinos na Mata Atlântica em duas extensões espaciais, uma ampla e uma restrita. Nós estudamos duas áreas biogeográficas com diferentes grupos de espécies, uma que compreende parte da Floresta Estacional Semidecidual (FES) e áreas de transição entre FES e Cerrado, e outra localizada em planícies litorâneas e que compreende parte da Floresta Ombrófila Densa (FOD). Em extensão espacial ampla nós observamos principalmente influência das condições climáticas na estrutura das metacomunidades. Na FES, onde o clima é mais seco e sazonal, as espécies possuem distribuições que acompanham a variação ambiental local dos corpos d'água, e principalmente a variação climática espacialmente estruturada. Apesar de o clima variar pouco nessa fitofisionomia, em condições ambientais mais severas, pequenas variações na temperatura e umidade provavelmente são suficientes para filtrar as espécies que conseguem sobreviver. Esse efeito do clima provavelmente é intensificado pela limitação à dispersão decorrente do intenso desmatamento e uso do solo. Já na FOD, o clima úmido e estável teve pouca influência na distribuição das espécies provavelmente porquê essas condições permitem que os anfíbios se dispersem mais com menor risco de dessecação. Assim, a cobertura de... / Abstract: The metacommunity concept incorporates the process that occurs in different spatial scales. This concept is currently being investigated by two approaches: One identifies the influence of mechanisms that organize metammunities (i.e. local environmental factors and dispersion), and the second one identifies different types of metacommunity structure generated by biotic interactions (e.g. competition) and/or environmental filters. Here we applied these two approaches to assess the patters of species distribution in tadpole's metacommunities in the Atlantic Forest in two different spatial extends: broad and fine. We studied two distinct biogeographic regions with different anuran species' pool. One comprises the Mesophytic Semideciduous Forest (MSF) and transition areas between SSF and Cerrado (i.e. Brazilian savannah). The other study area is located in coastal plains and comprises part of the Dense Ombrophilous Forest (DOF). In broad spatial extents, we found that the climate is the main driver of the metacommunity structures. In the MSF, where climate is seasonal and drier, species are distributed following local environmental conditions and mainly climate conditions, which are spatially structured. Although climate varies little in this phytophysiognomy, in these severe environmental conditions, even small variations in temperature or humidity are enough to filter species that can survive these conditions. Additionally, the climate effect is probably enhanced by dispersion limitation due to deforestation and intense land use. In the DOF, the more humid and stable climate conditions had little effect in species distribution, probably because these conditions allow amphibian to disperse more with less desiccation risk. Therefore, canopy cover and stochastic processes are the most important factors driving metacommunity structure. Although we found some weak patterns of ... / Mestre

Orientador: Márcio Silva Araujo / Coorientador: Franco L. de Souza / Banca: Tadeu de Siqueira Barros / Banca: Mathias Mistretta Pires / Banca: Ricardo Jannini Sawaya / Banca: Marco Aurelio Ribeiro de Mello / Resumo: Esta tese gravita em torno da ideia de que indivíduos de uma mesma espécie são ecologicamente diferentes. Apesar de esse fato não parecer surpreendente, a teoria ecológica tem historicamente negligenciado a variação intraespecífica em várias de suas frentes. Um exemplo claro é a teoria clássica de nicho, que implicitamente supõe que indivíduos conspecíficos utilizam exatamente os mesmos recursos. De modo similar, a teoria de comunidades considera que espécies são bem representadas em termos ecológicos pela média de atributos de seus indivíduos. Ao longo dos quatro capítulos que compõem esta tese, estudei os padrões, causas e consequências da diversidade ecológica entre indivíduos em um contexto de múltiplas espécies que coexistem. Utilizei quatro espécies de rãs do gênero Leptodactylus que coexistem em áreas do Pantanal e entorno como sistema de estudo. No Capítulo 1, mostro que diferenças de nicho trófico entre indivíduos e espécies são flexíveis e dependentes de contexto, o que pode ter implicações importantes para os padrões locais e regionais de biodiversidade. No Capítulo 2, elucido que a tremenda variação na alometria de interações tróficas entre e dentro de comunidades pode ser explicada por gradientes de limitação de presas. No Capítulo 3, estudei os nichos tróficos de espécies competidoras em uma perspectiva multidimensional, revelando interessantes mecanismos pelos quais indivíduos e espécies particionam recursos em duas dimensões tróficas. Finalmente, no Capítulo 4... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This thesis gravitates around the idea that individuals from the same species are ecologically different. Although this fact does not seem surprising, ecological theory has historically neglected intraspecific variation. A clear instance is the classic niche theory, which implicitly assumes that conspecific individuals utilize the same resources. Accordingly, community theory considers that species are well represented by the mean of individuals' traits. Over the four chapters of this thesis, I studied the patterns, causes, and consequences of the ecological diversity between individuals in the context of multiple coexisting species. I studied four frog species from the genus Leptodactylus that coexist in the Pantanal wetlands and surrounding areas as model organisms. In Chapter 1, I show that trophic niche differences between individuals and species are flexible and context-dependent, which may have important implications to local and regional diversity patterns. In Chapter 2, I elucidate that the tremendous variation in the allometric scaling of trophic interactions within and between natural communities is predictable, responding to gradients of prey limitation. In Chapter 3, I studied trophic niches of competing species in a multidimensional perspective, revealing interesting mechanisms by which individuals and species partition resources in two trophic dimensions. Finally, Chapter 4 advances in the understanding of the underexplored consequences of individual niche varia... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Orientador: Mauro Galetti Rodrigues / Banca: Marcelo Magioli / Banca: Katia Maria Paschoaletto Micchi de Barros Ferraz / Banca: Marco Aurelio Pizo Ferreira / Banca: Marina Correa Cortes / Resumo: O comportamento de uma determinada espécies define a forma e intensidade das interações desta para com o ambiente, com muitas espécies ajustando suas estratégias comportamentais de acordo com o contexto físico e biológico ao seu redor. No entanto, o processo de tomada de decisões, intrínseco a qualquer sistema comportamental, requer que o organismo possua a capacidade de obter, interpretar e processar informações úteis. Devido à grande magnitude e novidade evolutiva dos distúrbios antrópicos, estes são capazes de interferir no processo cognitivo das espécies, interferindo na percepção e avaliação das informações necessárias para a tomada de decisões eficientes, e dessa forma, gerando comportamentos não adaptativos, aumento de mortalidade e interferências nas interações ecológicas das espécies. Dessa forma, o objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a ocorrência de plasticidade comportamental, em diversas espécies modelo, em resposta a fatores ambientais e atividades antrópicas. Foram realizados dois capítulos experimentais e um capitulo de revisão. O primeiro capitulo foi desenvolvido no Arizona, E.U.A., e avaliou o volume de alimentos estocados pelo esquilo-vermelho-de-Graham Tamiasciurus fremonti grahamensis em resposta a variáveis climáticas, de relevo e vegetação. Foi observado que apenas as fêmeas responderam a variações no relevo e vegetação, mas não a variáveis climáticas, enquanto os machos não responderam a nenhuma variável testada. O segundo capítulo, desenvolvido em São P... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The behavior of a given species defines the style and intensity of its interactions with the environment, with several species adjusting their behavioral strategies in response to the physical and biological circumstances. However, the decision-making process, intrinsic of any behavioral system, requires the organism to is able of obtain, interpret and process useful information. Due to the large scale and evolutive novelty of the anthropic disturbances, they are able to interfere in the cognitive processes of the species, disrupting the perception and evaluation of the information needed to efficient decision-making, and therefore, cause nonadaptative behaviors, increase in mortality and effects on species ecological interactions. This way, the objective of this study is to evaluate the occurrence of behavioral plasticity, in several model species, in response to environmental factors and anthropic activities. Two experimental chapters and one literature revision was performed. The first chapter was developed in Arizona, U.S.A., and evaluate the amount of food cached by the Mt. Graham red squirrel Tamiasciurus fremonti grahamensis in response to variables of climate, relief and vegetation. It was found that only the females did respond to relief and variations in relief and vegetation, but not climate, while males did not respond to any examined variable. The second chapter, developed in São Paulo, Brazil, evaluate the effect of general anthropic disturbances on dial activit... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Joint Program in Biological Oceanography (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Biology; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2008. / Includes bibliographical references. / In this dissertation, I explored metapopulation dynamics and population connectivity, with a focus on the softshell clam, Mya arenaria. I first worked towards developing a method for using elemental signatures retained in the larval shell as a tag of natal habitat. I designed and implemented an experiment to determine whether existing methods commonly used for fishes would be applicable to bivalves. I found that the instrumentation and setup I used were not able to isolate and measure the first larval shell of M. arenaria. In concert with developing this method for bivalves, I reared larval M. arenaria in the laboratory under controlled conditions to understand the environmental and biological factors that may influence elemental signatures in shell. My results show that growth rate and age have significant effects on juvenile shell composition, and that temperature and salinity affect larval and juvenile shell composition in variable ways depending on the element evaluated. I also examined the regional patterns of diversity over the current distribution of M. arenaria using the mitochondrial gene, cytochrome oxidase I (COI). I found minimal variability across all populations sampled, suggesting a recent population expansion in the Northwest Atlantic. Finally, I employed theoretical approaches to understand patch dynamics in a two-patch metapopulation when one patch is of high quality and the other low quality. I developed a matrix metapopulation model and compared growth rate elasticity to patch parameters under variable migration scenarios. I then expanded the model to include stochastic disturbance. I found that in many cases, the spatial distribution of individuals within the metapopulation affects whether growth rate is most elastic to parameters in the good or bad patch. / by Carly A. Strasser. / Ph.D.

The salamander diversity in the southern Appalachian Mountains is now being threatened, with lungless salamanders (family Plethodontidae) likely the most vulnerable. Multiple environmental factors threaten Plethodontids, and environmental changes uniquely affect each species within this family. Unfortunately, there is a lack of understanding about the current status of salamanders in Greene County, TN that severely limits conservation efforts for lungless salamanders. This study examined local salamander populations’ current distributions and connected salamander abundance and species richness with a subset of environmental factors to determine what areas represent suitable habitat for different Plethodontids. This information was used to develop species distribution models, which were used to identify potential areas of salamander habitat to focus management and conservation efforts. Area constrained surveys were completed at 42 transects within four main areas using a robust, random sampling design. Abiotic and biotic data, along with salamander identification, were documented at each site. Four additional variables were acquired by geographic information system (GIS 10.6). Salamanders were present at 69% of the transects. Our results indicate that salamanders tend to be located at higher elevations, in ravines, and in thicker canopy cover areas. This work will be useful in long-term monitoring and future research as salamander population, habitat, and environmental changes continue to be monitored.

Approximately 475 acres of aspen, oak brush, and grass-forb-shrub communities were treated with herbicides. The populations of arthropods, birds, and mammals were investigated on treated and untreated areas and the results were compared. There was no difference between soil arthropod populations on treated and untreated aspen plots but a significant increase in these populations on treated meadow plots. The foliage insect populations were significantly lower on the treated aspen plots but were significantly higher on the treated meadow plots. The aquatic invertebrates were not affected by the treatments. Bird populations ware lower in the treated area during the nesting season (June), higher in the treated area during July and August and nearly the same in each area during September. Small mammal populations decreased significantly on the treated meadow plots. Microtus populations increased while all other small mammals decreased in numbers on treated aspen plots. Use of the treated areas by mule deer was significantly reduced, while use of the same areas by elk was slightly increased.