abstract: The closer integration of the world economy has yielded many positive benefits including the worldwide diffusion of innovative technologies and efficiency gains following the widening of international markets. However, closer integration also has negative consequences. Specifically, I focus on the ecology and economics of the spread of species and pathogens. I approach the problem using theoretical and applied models in ecology and economics. First, I use a multi-species theoretical network model to evaluate the ability of dispersal to maintain system-level biodiversity and productivity. I then extend this analysis to consider the effects of dispersal in a coupled social-ecological system where people derive benefits from species. Finally, I estimate an empirical model of the foot and mouth disease risks of trade. By combining outbreak and trade data I estimate the disease risks associated with the international trade in live animals while controlling for the biosecurity measures in place in importing countries and the presence of wild reservoirs. I find that the risks associated with the spread and dispersal of species may be positive or negative, but that this relationship depends on the ecological and economic components of the system and the interactions between them. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Biology 2016

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-05-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:10:10Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 gonzalez_sp_me_sjrp.pdf: 662763 bytes, checksum: b898062920cfef6accecbc5572efdaaa (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A rápida perda de diversidade biológica nos trópicos através da fragmentação de habitats pode ser revertida com o uso de técnicas de nucleação. Nesse sentido, um dos processos de facilitação é o uso de poleiros naturais e artificiais. Este se beneficia da natureza potencialmente dispersora de aves frugívoras. No presente estudo foram testadas as seguintes hipóteses: 1) famílias de aves menos dependentes de habitats florestais e com maior amplitude de itens alimentares (Turdidae e Tyrannidae) são mais eficientes na dispersão de sementes sob poleiros localizados em áreas degradadas; 2) famílias de aves que ocupam preferencialmente o interior de florestas e cuja dieta é composta principalmente por frutos (Ramphastidae e Pipridae) são mais eficientes na manutenção de remanescentes florestais. Esta pesquisa foi executada por meio de extensa revisão bibliográfica com área de abrangência exclusiva em território brasileiro. Comparou-se a contribuição potencial de quatro famílias que consomem frutos para a dispersão de sementes. O foco do estudo foram suas características de uso de hábitat e dieta. Concluiu-se que houve dicotomia entre famílias frugívoras especialistas e generalistas, quanto às suas características como dispersoras de sementes. Ramphastidae e Pipridae, classificados como essencialmente frugívoros, tiveram maior ocupação de ambientes florestais, menor flexibilidade na ocupação de habitats e estratos florestais, maior sensibilidade a alterações antrópicas, atuando basicamente na manutenção de ambientes florestais. Já as famílias generalistas Turdidae e Tyrannidae, com menor sensibilidade a alterações antrópicas, ocupação de ambientes com diversos graus de cobertura vegetal e estratos... / The rapid loss of biological diversity on the tropics through habitat fragmentation can be reverted using nucleation techniques. In this regard, one of the facilitation processes is the use of natural and artificial pearches. This technique takes advantage of the potential seed dispersal nature of frugivorous birds. In the present study the following hypotheses have been tested: 1) families of birds less dependent of forest habitats and with more amplitude of food items (Turdidae and Tyrannidae) are more efficient spreading seeds by the pearchs located in degraded areas; 2) Birds that preferably occupy the interior of forests and whose diet is mainly compounded by fruits (Ramphastidae and Pipridae) are more efficient on the maintenance of forest remnants. This research was produced by means of extensive bibliographic review, regarding the Brazilian territory as the study`s coverage area. The potential contribution of four families that consume fruits causing the dispersal 3 of seeds has been comparatively analyzed. The focus of this study was mainly their characteristics of usage of the habitat and diet. In conclusion, it was noticed a dichotomy among specialized and generalist frugivorous families regarding their characteristics as seed spreaders. Ramphastidae and Pipridae, classified as essentially frugivorous, had wider occupation of forestal environments, narrower flexibility on the occupation of habitats and forestal stratum, bigger sensibility to anthropic change, basically acting on the maintenance of forestal environments. On the other hand, the generalist families Turdidae and Tyrannidae, with lower sensibility to anthropic changes, environment occupation with diverse degrees of plant coverage and strata, including degraded areas. Turdidae and Tyrannidae are also the main occupiers of natural and artificial... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Submitted by VANESSA ELLEN WENDT CAMPOS null (vanessaellen@hotmail.com) on 2016-07-14T18:11:05Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Vanessa_Completo.pdf: 3530663 bytes, checksum: fa3beebf319fc93620723a321d5c7529 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-07-18T20:26:08Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 campos_vew_me_rcla.pdf: 3530663 bytes, checksum: fa3beebf319fc93620723a321d5c7529 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-18T20:26:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 campos_vew_me_rcla.pdf: 3530663 bytes, checksum: fa3beebf319fc93620723a321d5c7529 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-30 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / As florestas tropicais representam um dos biomas mais ameaçados pelas ações antrópicas no mundo. Os primatas representam 40% da biomassa de vertebrados frugívoros nas florestas tropicais, mas mais da metade das espécies estão ameaçadas de extinção. Tendo em vista a importância dos primatas no funcionamento dos ecossistemas devido a sua função de dispersores de sementes, é de extrema relevância entender como a fragmentação das florestas tropicais afetam as comunidades de primatas e suas funções. Portanto, nossos objetivos são: 1) analisar a relação entre diversidade funcional e filogenética de primatas e como esses índices são influenciados pela riqueza; 2) determinar o efeito da fragmentação das florestas tropicais na riqueza específica e funcional dos primatas; 3) determinar quais características funcionais são perdidas com a fragmentação, na Amazônia e na Mata Atlântica brasileira. Para isso, montamos bancos de dados de ocorrência dos primatas e de suas características funcionais ligadas à dispersão de sementes para gerar os índices de diversidade funcional (FD), regularidade funcional (FEve) e divergência funcional (FDiv) e relacioná-los com métricas da paisagem: área do fragmento, isolamento médio entre os fragmentos, distância em relação à zona urbana, distância à floresta contínua, conectividade funcional e porcentagem de cobertura vegetal no entorno do fragmento. A diversidade funcional dos primatas é fortemente correlacionada com a diversidade filogenética (R2= 0.94 e p<0.001). A redução da área dos fragmentos e da conectividade funcional, assim como o aumento do isolamento médio entre os remanescentes florestais diminuem a diversidade (FD), a regularidade (FEve) e a divergência funcional (FDiv) dos primatas. As espécies de primatas de grande porte que possuem grandes áreas de vida e que dispersam grandes sementes são as espécies mais prejudicadas pela fragmentação. Nosso trabalho permitiu ressaltar que além da perda de riqueza específica de primatas, a fragmentação nas florestas tropicais também afeta o serviço de dispersão de sementes, o que, consequentemente, pode alterar a estrutura das comunidades vegetais. / Tropical forests are the most threatened biome by human activities worldwide. Primates represent almost 40% of the frugivore vertebrate biomass in tropical forests and more than half of their species are threatened by extinction. Given the importance of primates as seed dispersers for the ecosystem functioning, it is extremely important to understand how the fragmentation of tropical forests affects primate communities and the functions they provide. Therefore, this project aims at: 1) analyzing the relationship between primate functional and phylogenetic diversities and how those indices are influenced by species richness; 2) determining the influence of forest fragmentation on primate species richness and functional diversity; 3) determining which functional traits are lost with habitat fragmentation, in Amazonian and Atlantic Forests of Brazil. To do this, we built a database of primates’ occurrence and their functional traits related to seed dispersal to compute indices of functional diversity (FD), functional evenness (Feve) and functional divergence (FDiv). Then, we related these indices to landscape metrics: patch size, average isolation between patches, distance to the nearest urban area, distance to the nearest continuous forest, functional connectivity and percentage of forest cover surrounding the fragment. Functional diversity is strongly correlated with phylogenetic diversity (R2= 0.94 e p<0.001). The decrease of fragment areas and functional connectivity, and the increase of average isolation between forest remnants, reduce primate functional diversity (FD), regularity (FEve) and divergence (FDiv). Large primates with large home ranges that disperse large seeds are the most affected by fragmentation. Our results enable highlighting that beyond the loss of primate species richness, the fragmentation of tropical forests also affect seed dispersal service, which consequently may alter the structure of plant communities. / FAPESP: 2014/14739-0 / CNPq: 830816/1999-2

Resumo: Este trabalho teve como objetivos verificar como variam a chuva de sementes e o estabelecimento de plântulas entre ambientes colonizados (B) e não colonizados (SB) pelo bambu Guadua tagoara na floresta Atlântica do Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho, Sete Barras - SP. Foram utilizados 40 coletores e 40 parcelas de 1m2 em cada ambiente com monitoramento mensal no período de um ano. SB apresentou 38,71% mais sementes que B, maior riqueza, menor diversidade e equidade. Os ambientes mostraram uma alta similaridade no número de espécies de sementes em comum e com abundâncias semelhantes. SB apresentou maior média de sementes/mês e maior média de sementes/espécie. A densidade absoluta de sementes por coletor não variou entre ambientes, entretanto variou entre meses. Em relação às plântulas, B apresentou maior abundância, maior densidade, maior riqueza, maior dominância de Euterpe edulis, entretanto menor diversidade e equidade que SB. Os dois ambientes se apresentaram com baixa similaridade na composição e na abundância de plântulas por espécie. Em B houve maior média de plântulas/mês enquanto a média de plântulas/espécie foi semelhante entre ambientes. A densidade absoluta de plântulas de E. edulis variou entre meses e ambientes, com maior número em B. Para as demais espécies a diferença se deu entre ambientes e meses, porém maior número em SB. Quando analisadas todas as plântulas em conjunto houve diferença entre meses e ambientes. Maior média de plântulas emergiram e morreram no ambiente com bambu a cada mês. A taxa de sobrevivência variou segundo o tipo de ambiente e ao longo do ano. Nos dois ambientes E. edulis foi a única espécie que não apresentou qualquer tipo de limitação demográfica... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This project aim to evaluate how the seed rain and the seedling establishment varied between environments with (B) and without (WB) the bamboo Guadua tagoara in the Atlantic forest of Carlos Botelho State Park, Sete Barras - SP. Forty traps and forty plots of 1m2 were placed within each patch type during one year of monthly monitoring. We recorded higher richness and more seeds in WB than in B, nonetheless, diversity and equitability were lower. Both environments showed high similarity in composition and abundance of seeds per specie. The average of seeds per month and seeds per specie was higher in WB. Also, the absolute density of seeds per trap varied predictable in time but there was not difference between B and WB. In respect to seedlings, B environment showed higher abundance, density, richness and dominance of Euterpe edulis, although diversity and equitability were lower than in WB. We found low similarity between B and WB environments in seedlings composition and abundance per specie. The average of seedlings per month was higher in B while the average of seedlings per specie was similar. The absolute density of E. edulis and other species seedlings varied in time in both environments, showing more seedlings density of the former in B and more seedlings density of the later in WB. When all species were analyzed together, seedling density was different between environments and months. The average of seedlings that emerged and died was higher in B environment. The survival rate varied between environments and in time. We found that E. edulis was the only specie that did not show any demographic limitations between environments. Seed rain did not vary between environments in relation to the specie composition as much as in the seed quantity... (Complete abstract, click electronic access below) / Orientador: Marco Aurélio Pizo Ferreira / Coorientador: Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues / Banca: Sergius Gandolfi / Banca: Mauro Galetti Rodrigues / Mestre

Maior mamífero terrestre neotropical, a anta (Tapirus terrestris) possui hábitos solitários. É classificada como herbívora-frugívora, ingerindo grande quantidade de frutos com sementes de diversas espécies. Potencialmente, a anta é considerada um dispersor de sementes. Nesse trabalho, estudamos aspectos comportamentais da formação de latrinas por antas e sua efetividade na dispersão de sementes. No primeiro capítulo, abordamos aspectos comportamentais da formação de latrinas, que foi realizado através de marcadores plásticos adicionados no alimento. No segundo capítulo avaliamos a efetividade de dispersão de sementes, através dos locais de deposição de fezes e o potencial germinativo de duas espécies que compõe a sua dieta: Psidium guajava e Syagrus romanzoffiana. O estudo foi realizado no Centro de Visitantes do Parque Estadual da Serra do Tabuleiro, em Santa Catarina, que compreende uma área de 160 ha. Lá seis indivíduos de T. terrestris vivem em regime de cativeiro extensivo com alimentação suplementar, o que permite a realização de estudos com disponibilidade de habitat e densidade controladas. Observamos que 78% das fezes estavam agrupadas em latrinas e 22% isoladas. Oito unidades fecais (10%) continham marcadores, desde o primeiro até 18 dias após a ingestão. Em uma latrina evidenciamos o uso repetido pelo mesmo indivíduo. Não é possível afirmar se as latrinas são de uso individual ou coletivo, porém a taxa de defecação que encontramos em latrinas é superior a de um único indivíduo. Os locais de defecação estão associados à altura do dossel, refletindo a seleção de T. terrestris pela vegetação arbórea. As taxas médias de germinação de sementes de P. guajava que passaram pelo trato digestivo das antas não foram diferentes (p>0,41) das sementes despolpadas. Já a taxa de germinação das sementes de Syagrus romanzoffiana, fruto importante na dieta de antas, foi maior (p=0,05) quando ingeridas pelos animais, pois esses selecionam frutos sadios. Os resultados demonstram que T. terrestris é eficiente na dispersão de sementes, tanto por depositar suas fezes em locais seguros para a germinação, como por apresentar efeito neutro ou positivo na germinação de espécies após a passagem pelo trato digestivo. / Largest neotropical terrestrial mammal, the tapir (Tapirus terrestris) is a solitary animal. Regarding its food-habit type is classified as frugivore-herbivore, thus ingesting great amount of seedy fruits of diverse species. The tapir is considered to be a seed dispersor. In the present work, aspects related to tapir’s latrine behavior and its effectiveness on seed dispersal were studied. In the first chapter, tapir’s latrine behavior was studied through plastic markers added in the food. In the second chapter the aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of seed dispersal by tapirs, through the places of feces’ deposition and the germination potential of two species composing its diet: Psidium guajava and Syagrus romanzoffiana. The study was carried out in the Visitors Center of Serra do Tabuleiro State Park, in Santa Catarina state, a 160 ha area. There, six T. terrestris individuals live in extensive captivity regime with supplemental feeding, allowing the development of studies with controlled habitat availability and density. We observed that 78% of excrements were grouped in latrines and 22% were isolated. Eight fecal units (10%) were found with markers one to 18 days after marker’s ingestion. In a latrine we found evidence of repeated use by the same individual. Although it is not possible to state whether latrines are of individual or collective use, the defecation rate found is bigger of that of a single individual. The defecation places are associates with higher canopy, reflecting the T. terrestris election for forest vegetation. The germination rate of P. guajava seeds passing through the digestive tract of tapirs weren’t different (p>0,41) from those with pulp manually extracted. On the other hand, germination rate of Syagrus romanzoffiana, an important fruit on tapirs’ diet, was greater (p=0,05) when ingested by the animals, because they select healthy fruits. The results demonstrate tapir to be efficient in seed dispersal, not only for deposing their excrements in safe places for seed germination, as for presenting neutral or positive effect in the germination of seeds after passing their digestive tract.

L'objectif de cette thèse est l'étude de la dispersion de pesticides à partir de parcelles de vigneet l'influence de l'aménagement de parcelles sur la dispersion. Pour atteindre cet objectif, nous avons utilisé la méthode de simulation des grandes échelles (LES) et l'approche lagrangienne combinées avec des expérimentations. Pour l'étude de la dynamique du vent dans les couverts en rangs, une expérimentation a été conduite sur une parcelle de vigne. Le modèle Atmosphérique ARPS a été utilisé pour la modélisation de l'écoulement atmosphérique dans les couverts en rangs. Pour la validation du modèle, les différentes statistiques mesurées ont été comparées à celles simulées. L'accord entre les mesures et les prédictions du modèle était encourageant. L'expérimentation et la modélisation ont montré que l'écoulement dans les couverts en rangs se comporte différemment selon la direction du vent en termes d'organisation et de paramètres aérodynamiques. De plus, les structures cohérentes turbulentes dans les couverts en rangs sont quasi-indépendantes de la direction du vent et partagent les mêmes propriétés que dans les couverts homogènes horizontalement. Pour l'étude de la dispersion de pesticide à partir de la vigne, une expérimentation sur vigne artificielle a été menée. En parallèle, un modèle numérique de dispersion, qui repose sur le modèle de vigne validé, a été développé. Il est ressortit de la modélisation et de l'expérimentation que, à temps court, la dispersion de pesticides à l'échelle de quelques rangs de vigne est dominée par les jets d'air du sprayer. Les comparaisons qualitative et quantitative de la progression du nuage émis par le sprayer, des pertes verticales et des dépôts obtenus par simulation et expérimentation étaient assez satisfaisantes. Les résultats de l'expérimentation sur la dispersion sur vigne artificielle ont été combinés avec la modélisation numérique pour l'étude de la dispersion à l'échelle de la parcelle et l'analyse de l'influence des aménagements de parcelles sur la dispersion. L'analyse comparative des scénarios a montré que le maximum d'exposition des individus vivant à proximité de parcelle viticoles est observé quand les rangs de vigne sont parallèles à la direction moyenne du vent et que les haies d'arbre constituent une alternative pour réduire les niveaux d'exposition. / The aim of this work is to study pesticide dispersal from vineyards and the effect of the layingout of the vineyards on pesticide dispersal. For this purpose, we have used the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) method and the lagrangian approach combined with the experiments. To examine the wind dynamic in row vegetable canopy, an experiment was achieved on a natural vineyard. The atmospheric model ARPS was used to model the atmospheric wind flow above and within row vegetable canopy. For validating the model, the measured wind flow statistics were compared to the simulated ones. The agreement between the measurement and the prediction of the model was encouraging. In addition, experiment and modeling have shown that the wind flow in the row vegetable canopy behave following the wind direction in term of the flow organization and aerodynamic parameters. Moreover, the turbulent coherent structures in row vegetable canopy are independent on the wind direction and share the same properties as in the horizontally homogeneous canopy. To study the pesticide dispersal from vineyard, an experiment on artificial vineyard was accomplished. In parallel, a numerical model lying on the validated row vegetable canopy model was developed. From both experiment and modeling, it appears that the short term pesticide dispersal at the scale of the few vine rows is dominated by the air jet sprayer. The qualitative and quantitative comparisons of the measured and simulated cloud spreading, upward loss and deposit were promising. The experimental results on pesticide dispersal from the artificial vineyard were combined with numerical modeling in order to analyze the pesticide dispersal at the scale of the vineyard and the effect of the vineyard laying out on the exposure level of the bystanders. Comparative analysis of the scenarios has shown that the maximum level of exposure is reached when the vine rows are parallel to the dominant wind direction and it can be reduced by using tree-wall.

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have proliferated in the past decades to protect biodiversity and sustain fisheries. However, most of the MPA networks have been designed without taking into account a critical factor: the larval dispersal patterns of populations within and outside the reserves. The scale and predictability of larval dispersal, however, remain unknown due to the difficulty of measuring dispersal when larvae are minute (~ cm) compared to the potential scale of dispersal (~ km). Nevertheless, genetic approaches can now be used to make estimates of larval dispersal. The following thesis describes self-recruitment and connectivity patterns of a coral reef fish species (Centropyge bicolor) in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea. To do this, microsatellite markers were developed to evaluate fine-scale genetics and recruit assignment via genetic parentage analysis. In this method, offspring are assigned to potential parents, so that larval dispersal distances can then be inferred for each individual larvae. From a total of 255 adults and 426 juveniles collected only 2 parentoffspring pairs were assigned, representing less than 1% self-recruitment. Previous data from the same study system showed that both Chaetodon vagagundus and Amphiprion percula have consistent high self-recuitment rates (~ 60%), despite having contrasting life history traits. Since C. bicolor and C. vagabundus have similar characteristics (e.g. reproductive mode, pelagic larval duration), comparable results were expected. On the contrary, the results of this study showed that dispersal patterns cannot be generalized across species. Hence the importance of studying different species and seascapes to better understand the patterns of larval dispersal. This, in turn, will be essential to improve the design and implementation of MPAs as conservation and management tools.

With a dramatic decrease of biodiversity as a result of the increase in exploitation of marine ecosystems, the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) serves as an important means of protecting those resources. Although there is support for the effectiveness of these MPAs and MPA networks, there is room for improvement in terms of MPA management and design. For example, a better understanding of the dispersal dynamics of targeted species across these MPAs will serve as a more accurate means of reserve as well as fisheries management. While there have been many methods used to determine the larval dispersal of a certain species, parentage analysis is becoming the most robust. In this thesis, I attempt to determine the patterns of self-recruitment and larval dispersal of the Longfin Grouper (Epinephelus quoyanus) in one focal marine reserve within the Great Keppel Island group through the method of parentage. For this, I developed 14 microsatellite markers and with those, genotyped 610 adults as well as 478 juveniles from the study site. These genotypes allowed me to assign offspring to their potential parents, which then allowed me to measure the self-recruitment, local retention as well as larval dispersal percentages of this species from and within the reserve. My results indicate that there is 32% local retention to the reserve while 68% of the assigned juveniles were dispersed to other areas (4% of which dispersed to another reserve). Previous studies conducted in the same area showed higher reserve self-recruitment rates for both Plectropomus maculatus (~30%) and Lutjanus carponotatus (64%) despite their similar life history traits. The results from this study add to the growing evidence that dispersal patterns cannot be generalized across marine systems or even between species within a single system.

The Janzen-Connell mechanism is proposed to maintain plant diversity: predators and diseases of seeds reduce the number of seeds that survive near a parent tree, but allow seeds far from the parent tree to grow into adulthood. In the area where seeds don’t survive, seedlings from other tree species which are not affected by the seed consumer can grow. At large scales, this effect is thought to increase overall plant diversity. Soil-borne pathogens can contribute to seed mortality in this way, but we don’t know how important different parts of their lifecycle are in creating Janzen-Connell patterns. To determine the role of soil-borne pathogens in the development of Janzen-Connell patterns, we constructed a simulation model to examine how tree and pathogen characteristics affect plant spatial patterns. Under specific combinations of tree and pathogen characteristics, we found that pathogens could create Janzen-Connell patterns. The most important parameters were how far trees dispersed their seeds, and how many seeds a tree produced in a year. These characteristics determined how much of an impact the pathogens were able to have on the tree population because they rely on the density of seeds to determine how far they can spread and how many spores they will produce.

Balanites maughamii is an ecologically and culturally valuable tree species, heavily impacted by elephants, which strip bark selectively off the largest trees, increasing their susceptibility to fire damage. Elephants also break intermediate sized trees extensively, keeping them trapped in non-reproductive stages. The trees can however survive breaking, stripping and · toppling by elephants, as well as top kill by fires, because they resprout vigorously in response to damage. They also produce root suckers. independently of disturbance. Vegetative reproduction buffers the populations from the infrequent recruitment of seedlings, and facilitates the maintenance of populations over the short term. Balanites maughamii trees are reliant on African elephants (Loxodonta africana) for seed dispersal and to provide a germination cue through mastication. In the absence of elephants, the population experiences a recruitment bottleneck, but root suckers functionally replace seedlings and fill the "recruitment gap", so over the short term, the population is resilient. In all populations, whether elephants are present or not, another hurdle affects recruitment, and it is seed limitation due to seed predation pre- and post- dispersal. Cafeteria experiments revealed that bushveld gerbils (Tatera leucogaster) were removing many seeds but do not scatter- or larder-hoard. They are simply seed predators.