No description available.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis was to define the interactions of the androgen receptor (AR) with an analog of a non-steroidal plant compound, Compound A (CpdA), as well as two synthetic progestins, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and norethindrone acetate (NET-A). The data presented indicates that CpdA has antiandrogenic properties, as it represses androgen-induced activation of both specific and non-specific androgen-responsive reporter constructs. It was found that CpdA exerts these effects by a mechanism other than competition with androgen for binding to the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the receptor. On the other hand, it is demonstrated that both MPA and NET-A compete with androgen for binding to the AR and induce partial agonist activity via the receptor. Using mammalian two-hybrid assays it was revealed that CpdA, similar to anti-androgenic compounds that are able to compete with androgens for binding to the receptor, represses the androgen-induced interaction between the NH2- and COOH-terminals of the AR (N/C-interaction) without competing for binding to the LBD. Furthermore, it was shown that CpdA slightly represses the androgen-dependent recruitment of steroid receptor co-activator 1 (SRC1) to the activation function (AF2) domain of the AR. When the effects of MPA and NET-A on the N/C-interaction were studied, intriguing results were obtained. NET-A, as expected, induced this AR agonist-induced interaction. MPA, however, repressed this AR agonist-induced interaction, an effect previously associated with anti-androgenic activity, despite displaying partial agonist activity in transctivation experiments. On the other hand, both MPA and NET-A induced the interaction between SRC1 and the AF2 domain. In additional experiments with CpdA, it was found that CpdA did not affect the recruitment of SRC1 to the AF1 domain of the receptor; neither did it influence the constitutive activity of the NH2-terminal domain. The anti-androgenic activities of CpdA were confirmed by the toxic effect that this compound had on the androgen-dependent lymph node carcinoma of the prostate (LNCaP) cell-line as well as its ability to repress the androgen-induced expression of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) protein. Taken together, the results presented in this thesis, in combination with the knowledge available on AR function, contribute to an improved understanding of AR function. Furthermore, the importance of defining the precise mechanism by which individual compounds exert their effects is highlighted. In this regard it is demonstrated that two compounds (MPA and NET-A) that display partial agonist activity, can exert their effects via different mechanisms at the molecular level. Detecting such differences in the molecular mechanisms of action could facilitate the improved design of progestins as well as aid clinicians and their patients in selecting the best method of contraception. Lastly, the insights gained into the mechanisms of the anti-androgenic action of CpdA could be useful in therapeutic drug design for diseases, such as prostate cancer, that have an androgen-dependent etiology. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie tesis was om die interaksies van die androgeen reseptor (AR) met ‘n analoog van ‘n nie-steroiediese plant verbinding, Verbinding A (VbgA), sowel as met twee sintetiese progestogene, medroksiprogesteroon asetaat (MPA) en noretiendroon asetaat (NET-A), te definieer. Die data verskaf dui daarop dat VbgA anti-androgeniese eienskappe besit deurdat dit androgeen-gei'nduseerde aktivering van beide spesifieke- en nie-spesifieke androgeen-responsiewe rapporteerderkonstrukte onderdruk. VbgA veroorsaak hierdie effekte deur ‘n meganisme wat nie kompetisie met androgeen vir binding aan die ligand-bindingsdomein (LBD) van die reseptor behels nie. In teenstelling hiermee word getoon dat beide MPA en NET-A kompeteer met androgeen vir binding aan die AR en gedeeltelike agonistiese aktiwiteit induseer via hierdie reseptor. Deur gebruik to maak van ‘n soogdier twee-hibried essai word getoon dat VbgA, soos ander anti-androgeniese verbindings wat kompeteer met androgeen vir binding aan die reseptor, die androgeen-gei'nduseerde interaksies tussen die NH2- en COOH-terminale van die AR (N/C-interaksie) onderdruk, sonder om te kompeteer vir binding aan die LBD. Daarby is dit bewys dat VbgA die androgeenafhanklike werwing van steroied reseptor ko-aktiveerde 1 (SRC1) na die aktiverings funksie (AF2) domein van die AR gedeeltelik onderdruk. Die studie van die effekte van MPA en NET-A op die N/C-interaksie het interessante resultate opgelewer. NETA, soos verwag, het hierdie AR agonis-gei'nduseerde interaksie geinduseer. MPA, aan die ander kant, het hierdie AR agonis-gei'nduseerde interaksie onderdruk, ‘n effek wat tevore met anti-androgeniese aktiwiteit geassosieer is, al het die transaktiveringseksperimente daarop gedui dat MPA ‘n AR agonis is. Aan die ander kant, het beide MPA en NET-A die interaksie tussen SRC1 en die AF2 domein geinduseer. In addisionele eksperimente met VbgA is gevind dat VbgA geen effek het op die werwing van SRC1 na die AF1 domein van die reseptor nie en ook geen invloed het op die konstitutiewe aktiwiteit van die NHh-terminaal domein nie. VbgA se antiandrogeniese eienskappe is bevestig deur die toksiese effekte op die androgeenafhanklike limfknoop karsinoom van die prostaat (LNCaP) sellyn sowel as deur sy vermoe om die androgen-gei'nduseerde uitdrukking van die prostaat spesifieke antigeen (PSA) protei'en te onderdruk. Die resultate aangebied in hierdie tesis, in kombinasie met die beskikbare kennis oor AR funksie, dra by tot ‘n verbeterde kennis van AR funksionering. Verder word die belang van die definiering van die meganisme waardeur individuele verbindings hulle effekte veroorsaak, getoon. In hierdie verband is getoon dat twee verbindings (MPA en NET-A), wat gedeeltelike agonistiese aktiwiteit besit, hulle effekte via verskillende meganismes op die molekulere vlak veroorsaak. Deur hierdie verskille in die molekulere meganismes van aksie uit te wys, kan beter progestogene ontwikkel word, en verder sal dit vir dokters en hul pasiente help om die beste voorbehoedmiddel te kies. Laastens, die insig wat verkry is ten opsigte van die meganismes van anti-androgeniese aktiwiteit van VbgA mag nuttig wees in die ontwerp van terapeutiese middels vir die behandeling van siektetoestande met androgeen-afhanklikke etiologie (bv. prostaatkanker).

Thesis by publication. / Thesis (PhD) -- Macquarie University, School of Biological Sciences, 1990. / Bibliography: leaves 269-324. / Introduction -- Models of parental allocation -- Sex expression in homosporous pteridophytes -- The origin of heterospory -- Pollination and the origin of the seed habit -- Brood reduction in gymnosperms -- Pollination: costs and consequences -- Adaptive explanations for the rise of the angiosperms -- Parent-specific gene expression and the triploid endosperm -- New perspectives on the angiosperm female gametophyte -- Overview -- Glossary -- Kinship terms in plants -- Literature Cited. / Among vascular plants/ different life cycles are associated with characteristic ranges of propagule size. In the modern flora, isospores of homosporous pteridophytes are almost all smaller than 150 urn diameter, megaspores of heterosporous pteridophytes fall in the range 100-1000 urn diameter, gymnosperm seeds are possibly all larger than the largest megaspores, but the smallest angiosperm seeds are of comparable size to large isospores. -- Propagule size is one of the most important features of a sporophyte's reproductive strategy. Roughly speaking, larger propagules have larger food reserves, and a greater probability of successful establishment, than smaller propagules, but a sporophyte can produce more smaller propagules from the same quantity of resources. Different species have adopted very different size-versus-number compromises. The characteristic ranges of propagule size, in each of the major groups of vascular plants, suggest that some life cycles are incompatible with particular size-versus-number compromises. -- Sex expression in homosporous plants is a property of gametophytes (homosporous sporophytes are essentially asexual). Gametophytes should produce either eggs or sperm depending on which course of action gives the greatest chance of reproductive success. A maternal gametophyte must contribute much greater resources to a young sporophyte than the paternal gametophyte. Therefore, smaller gametophytes should tend to reproduce as males, and gametophytes with abundant resources should tend to reproduce as females. Consistent with these predictions, large female gametophytes release substances (antheridiogens) which induce smaller neighbouring ametophytes to produce sperm. -- The mechanism of sex determination in heterosporous species appears to be fundamentally different. Large megaspores develop into female gametophytes, and small icrospores develop into male gametophytes. Sex expression appears to be determined by the sporophyte generation. This is misleading. As argued above, the optimal sex expression of a homosporous gametophyte is influenced by its access to resources. This is determined by (1) the quantity of food reserves in its spore and (2) the quantity of resources accumulated by the gametophyte's own activities. If a sporophyte produced spores of two sizes, gametophytes developing from the larger spores' would be more likely to reproduce as females than gametophytes developing from the smaller spores, because the pre-existing mechanisms of sex determination would favor production of archegonia by larger gametophytes. Thus, the predicted mechanisms of sex determination in homosporous species could also explain the differences in sex expression of gametophytes developing from large and small spores in heterosporous species. / Megaspores of living heterosporous pteridophytes contain sufficient resources for female reproduction without photosynthesis by the gametophyte (Platyzoma excepted), whereas microspores only contain sufficient resources for male reproduction. Furthermore, many more microspores are produced than megaspores. A gametophyte's optimal sex expression is overwhelmingly determined by the amount of resources supplied in its spore by the sporophyte, and is little influenced by the particular environmental conditions where the spore lands. Gametophytes determine sex expression in heterosporous species, as well as homosporous species. A satisfactory model for the evolution of heterospory needs to explain under what circumstances sporophytes will benefit from producing spores of two distinct sizes. -- In Chapter 4, I present a model for the origin of heterospory that predicts the existence of a "heterospory threshold". For propagule sizes below the threshold, homosporous reproduction is evolutionarily stable because gametophytes must rely on their own activities to accumulate sufficient resources for successful female reproduction. Whether a gametophyte can accumulate sufficient resources before its competitors is strongly influenced by environmental conditions. Gametophytes benefit from being able to adjust their sex expression in response to these conditions. For propagule sizes above the threshold, homosporous reproduction is evolutionarily unstable, because the propagule's food reserves are more than sufficient for a "male" gametophyte to fertilize all eggs within its neighbourhood. A population of homosporous sporophytes can be invaded by sporophytes that produce a greater number of smaller spores which could land in additional locations and fertilize additional eggs. Such'spores would be male-specialists on account of their size. Therefore, both spore types would be maintained in the population because of frequency-dependent selection. -- The earliest vascular plants were homosporous. Several homosporous groups gave rise to heterosporous lineages, at least one of which was the progeniture of the seed plants. The first heterosporous species appear in the Devonian. During the Devonian, there was a gradual increase in maximum spore size, possibly associated with the evolution of trees and the appearance of the first forests. As the heterospory threshold was approached, the optimal spore size for female reproduction diverged from the optimal spore size for male reproduction. Below the threshold, a compromise spore size gave the highest fitness returns to sporophytes, but above the threshold, sporophytes could attain higher fitness by producing two types of spores. -- The evolution of heterospory had profound consequences. Once a sporophyte produced two types of spores, microspores and megaspores could become specialized for male and female function respectively. The most successful heterosporous lineage (or lineages) is that of the seed plants. The feature that distinguishes seed plants from other heterosporous lineages is pollination, the capture of microspores before, rather than after, propagule dispersal. Traditionally, pollination has been considered to be a major adaptive advance because it frees sexual reproduction from dependence on external fertilization by freeswimming sperm, but pollination has a more important advantage. In heterosporous pteridophytes, a megaspore is provisioned whether or not it will be fertilized whereas seeds are only provisioned if they are pollinated. / The total cost per seed cannot be assessed solely from the seed's energy and nutrient content. Rather, each seed also has an associated supplementary cost of adaptations for pollen capture and of resources committed to ovules that remain unpollinated. The supplementary cost per seed has important consequences for understanding reproductive strategies. First, supplementary costs are expected to be proportionally greater for smaller seeds. Thus, the benefits of decreasing seed size (in order to produce more seeds) are reduced for species with small seeds. This effect may explain minimum seed sizes. Second, supplementary costs are greater for populations at lower density. Thus, there is a minimum density below which a species cannot maintain its numbers. -- By far the most successful group of seed plants in the modern flora are the angiosperms. Two types of evidence suggest that early angiosperms had a lower supplementary cost per seed than contemporary gymnosperms. First, the minimum size of angiosperm seeds was much smaller than the minimum size of gymnosperm seeds. This suggests that angiosperms could produce small seeds more cheaply than could gymnosperms. Second, angiosperm-dominated floras were more speciose than the gymnosperm-dominated floras they replaced. This suggests that the supplementary cost per seed of angiosperms does not increase as rapidly as that of gymnosperms, as population density decreases. In consequence, angiosperms were able to displace gymnosperms from many habitats, because the angiosperms had a lower cost of rarity. -- Angiosperm embryology has a number of distinctive features that may be related to the group's success. In gymnosperms, the nutrient storage tissue of the seed is the female gametophyte. In most angiosperms, this role is taken by the endosperm. Endosperm is initiated by the fertilization of two female gametophyte nuclei by a second sperm that is genetically identical to the sperm which fertilizes the egg. Endosperm has identical genes to its associated embryo, except that there are two copies of maternal genes for every copy of a paternal gene. -- Chapter 9 presents a hypothesis to explain the unusual genetic constitution of endosperm. Paternal genes benefit from their endosperm receiving more resources than the amount which maximizes the fitness of maternal genes, and this conflict is expressed as parent-specific gene expression in endosperm. The effect of the second maternal genome is to increase maternal control of nutrient acquisition. -- Female gametophytes of angiosperms are traditionally classified as monosporic, bisporic or tetrasporic. Bisporic and tetrasporic embryo sacs contain the derivatives of more than one megaspore nucleus. Therefore, there is potential for conflict between the different nuclear types within an embryo sac, but this possibility has not been recognized by plant embryologists. In Chapter 10, I show that many previously inexplicable observations can be understood in terms of genetic conflicts within the embryo sac. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / 324 leaves ill

A highly specific steroid regulated transcription system system in Saccharomyces cerevisae was used to screen for phytoestrogens indioecious plants. Yeast cells were co-transformed with a human estrogen receptor expression plasmid and a reporter plasmid containing the E. coli β-galactosidase gene.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1984 T68 / Master of Science

No description available.

This study focused on the reproductive response to elevated CO2 of plants possessing below-ground storage. I tested the hypotheses that under elevated CO2: (1) Plants with greater non-foliar storage capacity win show more reproductive response and (2) The altered foliar physiology of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) use will cause increases in seed number and quality. Carbon dioxide treatments of High (650 muL L-1) and Ambient (360 muL L-1) were used in a controlled environment, simulated growing season, and in a natural pasture community. Hypothesis 1 was tested experimentally using four Raphanus varieties that differed in hypocotyl and leaf sizes. N fertilization and harvest times were used to obtain a range of root:shoot ratios. Enhancements in vegetative leaf area rather than the hypocotyl predicted reproductive responsiveness to CO 2. However, after three years of CO2 exposure in the pasture, hypocotyl-storing Taraxacum officinale responded strongly in vegetative biomass which correlated with inflorescence size and number. Fitness was enhanced four-fold, while the leaf-storing Plantago major produced more ramets and had only a two-fold fitness increase. Hypothesis 2 was tested by examining the C and N physiology underlying the vegetative organs and seeds of the pasture plants. Under elevated CO2, photosynthesis increased two-fold and senescence was delayed. Total plant C:N ratio did not differ, suggesting N acquisition increased. N similarly limited seed number in all cases suggesting an unchanged Physiology of N use in reproduction. While morphology constrained total biomass response, provisioning to seeds increased as shown by higher seed mass and number and decreased variability in number and mass. In all cases, leaf mass increase under high CO2 corresponded with fitness increase. Phenology constrained response to CO 2 as there was no plasticity in flowering day in Raphanus and Plantago, while there were flowering delays but greater seed maturation rate in Tar

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-04-29Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:50:12Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 soares_nc_me_rcla.pdf: 2043945 bytes, checksum: 87d8fa88bf79cb92e1c9e75b4726f821 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Variação intra-específica na fenologia de espécies de sub-bosque de Floresta Atlântica e sua relação com variáveis microambientais - Fatores abióticos, como a umidade relativa, temperatura e luz, influenciam o estabelecimento, desenvolvimento e reprodução das espécies vegetais florestais. Entretanto é necessária a coleta de parâmetros estruturais, microclimáticos e microambientais para a caracterização dos ambientes nos quais as plantas se desenvolvem. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho objetivou avaliar a influência de fatores do microambiente na resposta fenológica de espécies vegetais componentes do sub-bosque de floresta Atlântica, em Ubatuba, SP. Procuramos responder as seguintes perguntas: i) As plantas de sub-bosque podem ser agrupadas em relação aos ambientes de luz: borda natural, clareira e interior sombreado da floresta?; ii) Existem variações intra-específicas na fenologia das espécies de sub-bosque de Floresta Atlântica de acordo com o ambiente de luz em que foram agrupadas?; iii) A intensidade das respostas fenológicas (número de estruturas reprodutivas produzidas) está relacionada aos locais de luz?; iv) Outras condições microclimáticas, como temperatura e umidade relativa, e microambientais, como a densidade da vegetação, também influenciam a fenologia das espécies? Para tanto a fenologia e a produção de estruturas reprodutivas de quatro espécies abundantes do sub-bosque foram acompanhadas de janeiro de 2009 a abril de 2010. Indivíduos foram selecionados em ambientes previamente determinados como borda natural (beira de rio), clareira e interior de floresta atlântica. Medidas periódicas das variáveis microclimáticas (temperatura, umidade relativa, PAR) e microambiental (abertura do dossel) próximas aos indivíduos amostrados foram realizadas. Medidas estruturais... / Phenological intraspecific variation of Atlantic Forest understory species and its relation to microenvironmental variables - Abiotic factors such as humidity, temperature and light influence the establishment, development and reproduction of forest plant species. However, it is necessary to collect structural, microclimatic and microenvironmental parameters to characterize the environments in which plants grow. In this context, this study evaluated the influence of the microenvironment in the phenological response of understory plant species components of the Atlantic Forest in Ubatuba, São Paulo State. We tried to answer the following questions: i) Can the understory species be grouped in relation to natural edge, gaps and interior microenvironments? ii) Do exist intraspecific variations in the phenology of understory species of Atlantic forest in accordance with the light environment in which they were grouped? iii) Do the intensity of phenological responses (number of reproductive structures produced) related to local condictions of light?; iv) Do other microclimatic (such as temperature and relative humidity) and microenvironmental (density vegetation) conditions also influence the phenology of species? The phenology and reproductive structures production of four abundant species of the understory were followed from January 2009 to April 2010. Individuals were selected in environments previously determined as natural edge (riverside), gap and interior. We performed periodic measurements of microclimatic (temperature, relative humidity and PAR) and microenvironmental variables (canopy openness) near the sampled individuals. Structural measures (CAS, CAP, plant height, crown height from the ground and crown size) and microenvironment characterization (canopy height, understory vertical density, distance... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-09-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:50:06Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 carvalho_mc_me_botib.pdf: 828063 bytes, checksum: d442372bd92e224f92c1da771cf32705 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Devido à reconhecida importância dos morcegos frugívoros para a dispersão e reprodução das plantas e, conseqüentemente, para a regeneração das florestas, o presente estudo teve como objetivo: (1) conhecer a riqueza e abundância das espécies de morcegos na área de estudo; (2) identificar as espécies vegetais cujos frutos servem de alimento para as principais espécies de morcegos frugívoros, as quais têm suas sementes dispersas por eles e (3) caracterizar a fenologia reprodutiva das espécies vegetais cujos frutos servem de alimento para os morcegos. Este estudo foi realizado na Fazenda Experimental Edgardia, município de Botucatu, Estado de São Paulo, em um fragmento de floresta secundária tardia alta, denominado “Mata da Bica”. Os morcegos foram capturados mensalmente com redes neblina, durante um ano. As sementes encontradas nas fezes dos morcegos foram separadas, lavadas, secadas naturalmente e identificadas. Foi feito o acompanhamento mensal da fenologia reprodutiva de dez espécies vegetais, possíveis fontes de alimento para os morcegos. A maioria das espécies teve seu período de frutificação durante a estação chuvosa e apenas três frutificaram na estação seca. Foram capturados 309 morcegos, sendo que 78,9% eram espécies frugívoras, num total de 14 espécies dentro de três famílias. Carollia perspicillata e Sturnira lilium foram as espécies mais abundantes. Pelo menos 22 espécies diferentes de plantas foram utilizadas como recurso, e houve também o consumo de insetos e pólen. S. granuloso-leprosum foi o recurso mais importante, pois seus frutos foram consumidos por praticamente todas as espécies de morcegos frugívoros capturados. No geral, C. perspicillata e S. lilium demonstraram um padrão de consumo baseado em suas reais preferências (frutos de Piper e Solanum... / As frugivorous bats are important organisms for plant dispersion and reproduction and also for forest regeneration, the objectives of this study were to: (1) know the abundance and bat species richness in the studied area; (2) identify plant species which fruits are consumed and seeds dispersed by the main frugivorous bats (3) characterize reproductive phenology of plants with fruits consumed by bats. This study was caried out at the Fazenda Experimental Edgardia, municipality of Botucatu, State of São Paulo, Brazil, in a semi-deciduous forest fragment, named as “Mata da Bica”. Bats were monthly captured with mist nets for a year. Seeds found in bat feces were separated, washed, naturally dried and identified. Reproductive phenology was recorded monthly for ten plant species, which possibly were food source for bats. Most species presented fructification periods during the wet season and only three species presented fruits in the dry season. Three hundred and nine bats were captured and 78.9% were frugivorous species, totalizing 14 species distributed in three families. Carollia perspicillata and Sturnira lilium were the most abundant species. At least 22 plant species were used as food source; however, insects and pollen were also consumed. S. granuloso-leprosum was the most important food source because their fruits were consumed by most frugivorous bat species. In general, C. perspicillata and S. lilium consumed their preferred food items (Piper and Solanum fruits, respectively). However, A. lituratus was an opportunist species because individuals usually consumed the most abundant resource, probably as an alternative to the low availability of its preferred food items.

Orientador: L. Patricia C. Morellato / Banca: Flavio Nunes Ramos / Banca: Sergius Gandolfi / Resumo: Variação intra-específica na fenologia de espécies de sub-bosque de Floresta Atlântica e sua relação com variáveis microambientais - Fatores abióticos, como a umidade relativa, temperatura e luz, influenciam o estabelecimento, desenvolvimento e reprodução das espécies vegetais florestais. Entretanto é necessária a coleta de parâmetros estruturais, microclimáticos e microambientais para a caracterização dos ambientes nos quais as plantas se desenvolvem. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho objetivou avaliar a influência de fatores do microambiente na resposta fenológica de espécies vegetais componentes do sub-bosque de floresta Atlântica, em Ubatuba, SP. Procuramos responder as seguintes perguntas: i) As plantas de sub-bosque podem ser agrupadas em relação aos ambientes de luz: borda natural, clareira e interior sombreado da floresta?; ii) Existem variações intra-específicas na fenologia das espécies de sub-bosque de Floresta Atlântica de acordo com o ambiente de luz em que foram agrupadas?; iii) A intensidade das respostas fenológicas (número de estruturas reprodutivas produzidas) está relacionada aos locais de luz?; iv) Outras condições microclimáticas, como temperatura e umidade relativa, e microambientais, como a densidade da vegetação, também influenciam a fenologia das espécies? Para tanto a fenologia e a produção de estruturas reprodutivas de quatro espécies abundantes do sub-bosque foram acompanhadas de janeiro de 2009 a abril de 2010. Indivíduos foram selecionados em ambientes previamente determinados como borda natural (beira de rio), clareira e interior de floresta atlântica. Medidas periódicas das variáveis microclimáticas (temperatura, umidade relativa, PAR) e microambiental (abertura do dossel) próximas aos indivíduos amostrados foram realizadas. Medidas estruturais... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Phenological intraspecific variation of Atlantic Forest understory species and its relation to microenvironmental variables - Abiotic factors such as humidity, temperature and light influence the establishment, development and reproduction of forest plant species. However, it is necessary to collect structural, microclimatic and microenvironmental parameters to characterize the environments in which plants grow. In this context, this study evaluated the influence of the microenvironment in the phenological response of understory plant species components of the Atlantic Forest in Ubatuba, São Paulo State. We tried to answer the following questions: i) Can the understory species be grouped in relation to natural edge, gaps and interior microenvironments? ii) Do exist intraspecific variations in the phenology of understory species of Atlantic forest in accordance with the light environment in which they were grouped? iii) Do the intensity of phenological responses (number of reproductive structures produced) related to local condictions of light?; iv) Do other microclimatic (such as temperature and relative humidity) and microenvironmental (density vegetation) conditions also influence the phenology of species? The phenology and reproductive structures production of four abundant species of the understory were followed from January 2009 to April 2010. Individuals were selected in environments previously determined as natural edge (riverside), gap and interior. We performed periodic measurements of microclimatic (temperature, relative humidity and PAR) and microenvironmental variables (canopy openness) near the sampled individuals. Structural measures (CAS, CAP, plant height, crown height from the ground and crown size) and microenvironment characterization (canopy height, understory vertical density, distance... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre