O estudo teve por objetivo verificar se existe um gradiente de estresse nutricional entre fisionomias distintas na ARIE Pé-de-Gigante e verificar se às plantas de cerrado podem ser aplicadas (1) a hipótese da disponibilidade de recursos (Coley et al., 1985), segundo a qual plantas em ambientes com menos recursos investem mais em defesas e (2) a hipótese de que plantas sob estresse abiótico tornam-se mais susceptíveis a insetos herbívoros (Rhoades, 1979; White, 1969, 1984). Além disso, pretendeu-se verificar a composição da fauna de insetos herbívoros e de predadores e parasitóides associadas à planta. Foram comparados os padrões de herbivoria foliar, bem como a fauna de insetos herbívoros e de predadores e parasitóides associada a Didymopanax vinosum E. March. em fisionomias de campo cerrado, cerrado e cerradão, relacionando-os com possíveis variações nutritivas, da dureza foliar e dos teores de celulose, ligninas e taninos. Foi constatado que as folhas jovens de D. vinosum possuem maior conteúdo de água e nitrogênio, menor dureza e menores teores de celulose, ligninas e taninos. As análises de solo não apontaram diferenças entre as áreas em termos de composição química, indicando a ausência de um gradiente de estresse nutricional. No entanto, as plantas do cerrado e do cerradão apresentaram folhas mais ricas em água e nitrogênio e menor dureza que as plantas do campo cerrado. As plantas das duas primeiras áreas investem mais em taninos e menos em ligninas, os principais tipos de defesas quantitativas. Outros fatores abióticos podem exercer grande influência nas concentrações destes compostos, como a luminosidade, cuja deficiência parece colocar as plantas do sub-bosque do cerrado e do cerradão em situação de estresse. Desse modo, a hipótese 1 aplica-se a D. vinosum apenas quando se considera o investimento em taninos, mas não em ligninas. A herbivoria por insetos mastigadores foi muito baixa tanto em folhas jovens quanto em adultas (inferior a 2 e 5%, respectivamente). Em folhas adultas, foi maior apenas no cerradão, corroborando parcialmente a hipótese 2. Por outro lado, a herbivoria por insetos sugadores em folhas jovens foi intensa, principalmente no campo cerrado e no cerradão, sendo Lyothrips didymopanacis (Thysanoptera) a principal espécie responsável pelos danos foliares. As populações desta espécie demonstraram ser influenciadas primariamente pela disponibilidade de folhas jovens da planta. Populações de aranhas e coccinelídeos acompanharam parcialmente as flutuações das populações de L. didymopanacis. / This study aimed at verifying the existence of a nutritional stress gradient among distinct physiognomies at Pé-de-Gigante Relevant Ecological Interest Area (ARIE), and in such case, verifying whether the following hypotheses can be applied to cerrado plants: (1) the resource availability hypothesis (Coley et al., 1985), according to which plants in environments with fewer resources invest more in defence strategies, and (2) the hypothesis stating that plants under abiotic stress become more susceptible to herbivorous insects (Rhoades, 1979; White, 1969, 1984). In addition, the study also aimed at verifying the composition of the herbivorous insects fauna as well as those of predators and parasitoids associated with the plant. The leaf herbivory standards were compared and so were the faunas of herbivorous insects, predators and parasitoids associated with Didymopanax vinosum E. March in physiognomies of “campo cerrado", “cerrado" and “cerradão". Such standards were then related to possible variations in leaf nutrition, toughness and levels of cellulose, lignins and tannins. It was observed that young leaves of D. vinosum had more water and nitrogen content, less hardness and smaller levels of cellulose, lignins and tannins. Soil analyses did not show differences among the areas as to chemical composition, which indicates the absence of a nutritional stress gradient. However, cerrado and cerradão plants presented leaves with greater water and nitrogen contents as well as less toughness than campo cerrado plants. The plants in the two first areas invested more in tannins and less in lignins, which are the two major types of quantitative defences. Other abiotic factors can exert great influence on the concentration of these compounds, such as luminosity, whose deficiency seems to place cerrado and cerradão understory plants in a stressing situation. Therefore, hypothesis 1 applies to D. vinosum only when the investment in tannins is taken into account, but not that in lignins. Herbivory in chewer insects was low both in young and adult leaves (lower than 2 and 5%, respectively). As to adult leaves, it was higher only in cerradão, which partly supports hypothesis 2. On the other hand, herbivory by sucking insects on young leaves was intense, especially in campo cerrado and cerradão where Lyothrips didymopanacis (Thysanoptera) was the mainly responsible species for leaf damage. This species’ population showed to be primarily influenced by the availability of the plant’s young leaves. Populations of spiders and Coccinelideae partly followed L. didymonopacis population flows.

O estudo teve por objetivo verificar se existe um gradiente de estresse nutricional entre fisionomias distintas na ARIE Pé-de-Gigante e verificar se às plantas de cerrado podem ser aplicadas (1) a hipótese da disponibilidade de recursos (Coley et al., 1985), segundo a qual plantas em ambientes com menos recursos investem mais em defesas e (2) a hipótese de que plantas sob estresse abiótico tornam-se mais susceptíveis a insetos herbívoros (Rhoades, 1979; White, 1969, 1984). Além disso, pretendeu-se verificar a composição da fauna de insetos herbívoros e de predadores e parasitóides associadas à planta. Foram comparados os padrões de herbivoria foliar, bem como a fauna de insetos herbívoros e de predadores e parasitóides associada a Didymopanax vinosum E. March. em fisionomias de campo cerrado, cerrado e cerradão, relacionando-os com possíveis variações nutritivas, da dureza foliar e dos teores de celulose, ligninas e taninos. Foi constatado que as folhas jovens de D. vinosum possuem maior conteúdo de água e nitrogênio, menor dureza e menores teores de celulose, ligninas e taninos. As análises de solo não apontaram diferenças entre as áreas em termos de composição química, indicando a ausência de um gradiente de estresse nutricional. No entanto, as plantas do cerrado e do cerradão apresentaram folhas mais ricas em água e nitrogênio e menor dureza que as plantas do campo cerrado. As plantas das duas primeiras áreas investem mais em taninos e menos em ligninas, os principais tipos de defesas quantitativas. Outros fatores abióticos podem exercer grande influência nas concentrações destes compostos, como a luminosidade, cuja deficiência parece colocar as plantas do sub-bosque do cerrado e do cerradão em situação de estresse. Desse modo, a hipótese 1 aplica-se a D. vinosum apenas quando se considera o investimento em taninos, mas não em ligninas. A herbivoria por insetos mastigadores foi muito baixa tanto em folhas jovens quanto em adultas (inferior a 2 e 5%, respectivamente). Em folhas adultas, foi maior apenas no cerradão, corroborando parcialmente a hipótese 2. Por outro lado, a herbivoria por insetos sugadores em folhas jovens foi intensa, principalmente no campo cerrado e no cerradão, sendo Lyothrips didymopanacis (Thysanoptera) a principal espécie responsável pelos danos foliares. As populações desta espécie demonstraram ser influenciadas primariamente pela disponibilidade de folhas jovens da planta. Populações de aranhas e coccinelídeos acompanharam parcialmente as flutuações das populações de L. didymopanacis. / This study aimed at verifying the existence of a nutritional stress gradient among distinct physiognomies at Pé-de-Gigante Relevant Ecological Interest Area (ARIE), and in such case, verifying whether the following hypotheses can be applied to cerrado plants: (1) the resource availability hypothesis (Coley et al., 1985), according to which plants in environments with fewer resources invest more in defence strategies, and (2) the hypothesis stating that plants under abiotic stress become more susceptible to herbivorous insects (Rhoades, 1979; White, 1969, 1984). In addition, the study also aimed at verifying the composition of the herbivorous insects fauna as well as those of predators and parasitoids associated with the plant. The leaf herbivory standards were compared and so were the faunas of herbivorous insects, predators and parasitoids associated with Didymopanax vinosum E. March in physiognomies of “campo cerrado”, “cerrado” and “cerradão”. Such standards were then related to possible variations in leaf nutrition, toughness and levels of cellulose, lignins and tannins. It was observed that young leaves of D. vinosum had more water and nitrogen content, less hardness and smaller levels of cellulose, lignins and tannins. Soil analyses did not show differences among the areas as to chemical composition, which indicates the absence of a nutritional stress gradient. However, cerrado and cerradão plants presented leaves with greater water and nitrogen contents as well as less toughness than campo cerrado plants. The plants in the two first areas invested more in tannins and less in lignins, which are the two major types of quantitative defences. Other abiotic factors can exert great influence on the concentration of these compounds, such as luminosity, whose deficiency seems to place cerrado and cerradão understory plants in a stressing situation. Therefore, hypothesis 1 applies to D. vinosum only when the investment in tannins is taken into account, but not that in lignins. Herbivory in chewer insects was low both in young and adult leaves (lower than 2 and 5%, respectively). As to adult leaves, it was higher only in cerradão, which partly supports hypothesis 2. On the other hand, herbivory by sucking insects on young leaves was intense, especially in campo cerrado and cerradão where Lyothrips didymopanacis (Thysanoptera) was the mainly responsible species for leaf damage. This species’ population showed to be primarily influenced by the availability of the plant’s young leaves. Populations of spiders and Coccinelideae partly followed L. didymonopacis population flows.

Schefflera is the largest genus in the angiosperm family Araliaceae, with about 900 species, of which c. 300 belong to five subgeneric groups in the Neotropical region. Previous phylogenetic studies of Schefflera have been limited to a small number of species from this region, and very little is know about phylogenetic relationships in the Brazilian-centered Didymopanax group of this genus. Therefore, to gain a better understanding of the diversity and evolution of the Didymopanax group of Schefflera, I investigated the systematics of these plants in the broader context of the entire Neotropical clade. The main goals were (1) to investigate pollen diversity in Neotropical species of Schefflera; (2) to test the monophyly of these species; (3) to provide a taxonomic revision for species of the Didymopanax group of Schefflera; and (4) to investigate evolutionary relationships within the Didymopanax group. Pollen morphology exhibits an uneven variability across Neotropical Schefflera. For example, pollen characters support the distinctiveness of the Didymopanax group from all remaining groups. Moreover, S. tremula has a distinctive pollen morphology compared to remaining species of the Sciodaphyllum group. However, among the remaining groups of Neotropical Schefflera, pollen characters are less distinctive. Molecular phylogenetic analyses have confirmed the monophyly of the Neotropical species of Schefflera, and helped to identify four major clades. One of these clades includes subclades representing the Didymopanax and Crepinella groups, while another clade includes all species from groups Cotylanthes and Sciodaphyllum, excluding Schefflera tremula, a finding that corroborates pollen data. In the formal taxonomic revision of Didymopanax, 37 species are recognized, together with three insufficiently known species. The revision also includes updated species circumscriptions and nomenclatural adjustments for 26 names. Phylogenetic analyses among Didymopanax species recovered four morphologically and geographically coherent clades (Atlantic Forest, Imeri, Five-carpellate and Savannic clades), but their phylogenetic inter-relationships were generally weakly supported. Poorly resolved relationships in the Savannic clade suggests a rapid diversification in the campos rupestres vegetation, which accounts for the greatest species richness in the group. The presence of multiple Didymopanax lineages in the Amazonian and Atlantic forests corroborates that these regions may be composite biogeographic areas.