The relative contributions of biome history and geological setting to historical assembly of species richness in biodiversity hotspots remain poorly understood. The tropical Andes is one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots, and with its diverse biomes and the relatively recent but dramatic uplift, the Andes provides an ideal study system to address these questions. To gain insights into the historical species assembly of the tropical Andes, this study focuses on investigating patterns of plant species diversification in the Andean seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) biome. Three plant genera are used as study groups: Amicia (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae), Tecoma (Bignoniaceae), and Mimosa (Leguminosae, Mimosoideae). Species limits are re-evaluated to enable dense sampling of species and intraspecific diversity for phylogeny reconstruction for each group. Time-calibrated phylogenies for Amicia and Mimosa are presented and used to determine patterns of species diversification in time and space. For Tecoma, incongruence between nuclear and chloroplast gene trees precludes straightforward estimation of a species tree and this incongruence is attributed to possible reticulation caused by hybridization. Divergence time estimates and patterns of diversification for Amicia and Mimosa are compared with other Andean SDTF groups (Cyathostegia, Coursetia, Poissonia; Leguminosae) using isolation by distance and phylogenetic geographic structure analyses. Consistently deep divergences between sister species and high geographic structure across all five groups suggest that Andean SDTF lineages have persisted over the past 10 million years (My) with high endemism driven by dispersal limitation, caused by geographic isolation, following the most recent episode of rapid mountain uplift 5-10 My ago. This prolonged stasis of the Andean SDTF biome is in line with Miocene fossil and paleoclimate evidence. Finally, wider analyses of the contrasting evolutionary timescales of older SDTF and more recent high-altitude grassland diversity suggest that the exceptional plant species diversity in the Andes is the outcome of highly heterogeneous evolutionary histories reflecting the physiographical heterogeneity of the Andean biodiversity hotspot.

Submitted by Verena Bastos (verena@uefs.br) on 2015-09-16T23:48:41Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE FINAL_Cortes.pdf: 14573536 bytes, checksum: 6e4acc2810a61d9e5ab81fe6e248b786 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-09-16T23:48:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE FINAL_Cortes.pdf: 14573536 bytes, checksum: 6e4acc2810a61d9e5ab81fe6e248b786 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-08-22 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES / The genera Schaueria, Streblacanthus, Pachystachys and Thyrsacanthus represent 25% of the Tetramerium lineage (Acanthaceae: Justicieae), currently with about 40 species, distributed mainly in wetlands and drylands in South America. They are herbaceous or shrubs, with large or filiform bracts and diverse floral morphology, revealing adaptations to different pollinators. Systematic studies in the group are scarce, and the only phylogenetic study (Daniel et al. 2008) included only 10% of the species, not solving the generic limits within the lineage. The biogeography of Neotropical Tetramerium lineage is quite complex, structured in three biomes: the Amazon Forest, the Atlantic Forest and Seasonally Dry Forest. Still, there are no investigations on its diversification. Using phylogenetic and biogeographic methods based on plastid (trnL-F, trnT-L, trnS-G andrps16) and nuclear (ITS)data, we complemented and assessed the previous phylogenetic hypothesis, time-calibrated the phylogeny and reconstructed the ancestral area of Tetramerium lineage, focusing particularly on the South American genera. The analysis showed three well-defined clades and the need for a new circumscription for the genera:1- Schaueria, (excluding S. azaleiflora, S. hirsuta, S. humuliflora, S. malifolia and S. parviflora) including three new species and Justicia paranaensis; 2- Pachystachys, encompassing three species of Streblacanthus (except Streblacanthus monospermus) Schaueria azaleiflora and two new species; and 3- Thyrsacanthus, comprising also Carlowrightia sulcata, Justicia angustissima and Schaueria humuliflora, and another Mexican clade (Justicia zopilotensis, J. gonzalezii, Mirandea hyssopus and Yeatesia mabryi). The lineage originated in the Old World and dispersed to the Neotropics between the Miocene and Pliocene, reaching North America, Central America and Amazon. Between the late Miocene and early Pleistocene, the dry forests lineage expanded and, concomitantly, the rainforests lineageretracted, supporting the idea of a South American dry vegetation belt during this period. The vicariance between blocks of dry forests in southwestern South America and the Caatinga in northeastern Brazil, however, indicates a fragmentation of this vegetation at least in the Lower Pleistocene, well before the Last Glacial Maxima as proposed by the Pleistocene Arc hypothesis. Based on the phylogenetic results, we present a taxonomic revision of the genusSchaueria?including identification keys, descriptions, illustrations, comments, distribution maps and a study of pollen grains and seeds under scanning electron microscopy ? and propose a new circumscription for the genus Pachystachys. Finally, we present a color guide ofphotos for South American species ofTetramerium lineage. / Os g?neros Schaueria, Streblacanthus, Pachystachys e Thyrsacanthus representam 25%da linhagem Tetramerium (Acanthaceae: Justicieae), contando atualmente com cerca de 40 esp?cies, distribu?das principalmente em zonas ?midas e secas da Am?rica do Sul. S?o plantas herb?ceas ou arbustivas, com br?cteas largas ou filiformes e morfologia floral diversa, revelando adapta??es a diferentes polinizadores. Estudos sistem?ticos no grupo s?o parcos, e o ?nico estudo filogen?tico (Daniel et al. 2008) incluiu apenas 10% das esp?cies, n?o resolvendo os limites gen?ricos na linhagem. A biogeografia da linhagem neotropical de Tetramerium ? bastante complexa, estruturada em tr?s biomas: Floresta Amaz?nica, Floresta Atl?ntica e Floresta Sazonalmente Seca. Ainda assim, n?o existem investiga??es sobre sua diversifica??o. Utilizando m?todos filogen?ticos e biogeogr?ficos baseados em dados moleculares plastidiais (trnL-F, trnT-L, trnS-G, rps16) e nucleares (ITS), n?s complementamos e avaliamos a hip?tese filogen?tica pr?via, datamos e reconstru?mos a ?rea ancestral da linhagem Tetramerium, focando particularmente nos g?neros da Am?rica do Sul. As an?lises mostraram tr?s clados bem definidos e a necessidade de uma nova circunscri??o para os g?neros:1- Schaueria (excluindo S. azaleiflora, S. hirsuta, S. humuliflora, S. malifolia e S. parviflora) incluindo tr?s novas esp?cies e Justicia paranaensis; 2- Pachystachys englobando tr?s esp?cies de Streblacanthus (exceto Streblacanthusmonospermus), Schaueria azaleiflora e duas novas esp?cies; e 3- Thyrsacanthus compreendendo tamb?m Carlowrightia sulcata, Justicia angustissima e Schaueria humuliflora, e mais um clado mexicano (Justicia zopilotensis, J. gonzalezii, Mirandea hyssopus e Yeatesia mabryi). A linhagem originou-se no Velho Mundo e dispersou para o Neotr?pico entre o Mioceno e o Plioceno, alcan?ando Am?rica do Norte, Central e Amaz?nia. Entre o final do Mioceno e o in?cio do Pleistoceno, a linhagem de florestas secas se expandiu e, concomitantemente, as linhagens de florestas ?midas se retra?ram, sustentando a ideia de uma diagonal seca neste per?odo. A vicari?ncia entre os blocos de florestas secas no sudoeste da Am?rica do Sul e da Caatinga no nordeste do Brasil, no entanto, indica uma fragmenta??o dessa forma??o pelo menos no Pleistoceno Inferior, bem antes da ?ltima M?xima Glacial, como proposto pela hip?tese do Arco do Pleistoceno. Com base nos resultados filogen?ticos, n?s apresentamos uma revis?o taxon?mica do g?nero Schaueria ? incluindo chaves de identifica??o, descri??es, ilustra??es, coment?rios, mapas de distribui??o e estudo de microscopia de varredura de gr?os de p?len e de sementes ? e propomos uma recircunscri??o para o g?nero Pachystachys. Finalmente, ? apresentado um guia de fotos coloridas para as esp?cies sul-americanas da linhagem Tetramerium.

It is well known that methane (CH4) is emitted from soil, water and wetlands under anaerobic conditions through methanogenesis. CH4 is the final product of the anaerobic respiration of the microorganism methanogen. More recently, it has been shown that CH4 is also emitted by trees and if only the emissions from soil and water are measured the fluxes of CH4 in the ecosystem will be underestimated. Considering the emission from trees, the Amazon region greatly contributes to global emissions. To investigate if there is need for method development for measuring CH4 fluxes, the aim in this study was to statistically test the spatial and the short temporal variability of CH4 emissions from trees. This was done within and between two different seasons in three different plots in the Amazon basin during the year 2017. Samples of CH4 were collected using semi rigid chambers placed on tree stems. The samples were later analyzed in a laboratory environment using the Los Gatos Ultraportable Greenhouse Gas Analyzer (UGGA). For the statistical analysis non-parametric test were used, due to the non-parametric data. In this study, the result shows that the short temporal variability is not statistically significant in any of the three plots, but the short temporal variability is statistically significant between the two seasons. This tells us that it is of importance to collect samples during different seasons of the year when measuring CH4 emissions from trees. The spatial variability is statistically significant on all the three plots in both seasons. This tell us that it is important to collect samples from different heights of the tree stems when collecting CH4 samples regardless of the season. / The Global Methane Budget

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2017-03-30T13:02:00Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Daniela_Reis_FINAL.pdf: 1679628 bytes, checksum: 38cb33a0301c9b8b0b881b5bee95a35c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-30T13:02:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Daniela_Reis_FINAL.pdf: 1679628 bytes, checksum: 38cb33a0301c9b8b0b881b5bee95a35c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-25 / Universidade Federal de Pernambuco / Florestas Secas são ecossistemas expostos às perturbações antrópicas crônicas (PAC) e estão entre os mais ameaçados por mudanças climáticas devido às previsões de aumento de temperatura e redução de precipitação. Apesar de parecerem gradativos, os efeitos podem ser também bastante deletérios para a biota deste ecossistema. Neste estudo, foi investigado se o aumento da PAC e a redução da precipitação afetam a comunidade e populações de plantas com NEFs e os atributos morfo-anatômicos destas glândulas de duas espécies da Caatinga. O estudo foi realizado no Parque Nacional do Catimbau, onde os indivíduos com NEFs presentes em 19 parcelas ao longo de dois gradientes independentes de PAC e de precipitação foram marcados e suas espécies identificadas. Para análise anatômica foram coletadas amostras de glândulas de Poincianella microphylla e Pityrocarpa moniliformis. Foram encontradas 28 espécies pertencentes a 5 famílias. A composição de espécies variou apenas ao longo do gradiente de precipitação. As abundâncias de Senegalia bahiensis e Senna velutina aumentaram com a precipitação enquanto Po. microhylla e Sapium glandulosum diminuíram. Em relação aos atributos morfológicos, apenas a largura do tecido secretor e o comprimento e largura das glândulas de Pi. moniliformis foram relacionados positivamente com a precipitação e não com o gradiente de perturbação. Nossos resultados indicam que a disponibilidade de água é um fator chave para a Caatinga uma vez que o nível de precipitação local tem uma influência mais forte sobre comunidades e populações de plantas com NEF que a PAC. / Dry forests are exposed to chronic anthropogenic disturbances (CAD) and are one of the ecosystems most threatened by climate changes due to future previsions involving increasing in temperature and decreasing in rainfall. Besides the effects seem to be gradual, they can be seriously deleterious for the biota of this ecosystem. In this study was investigated if an increasing in CAD and a reduction in rainfall level affect the community and population of EFN-bearing plants and the morph-anatomical characters of these glands in Caatinga. The study was carried out at the National Park of Catimbau (Pernambuco, Brazil), where individuals with EFNs were found in 19 plots through two independent gradients of CAD and rainfall where species were marked and then identified. For the morph-anatomical analyses were collected glands surveys of Poincianella microphylla and Pityrocarpa moniliformis. It was found 28 species belonging to 5 families. Species composition changed only through the rainfall gradient. The abundances of Senegalia bahiensis and Senna velutina were positively related to the rainfall, as Po. microhylla and Sapium glandulosum were negatively related. In relation to the morphological attributes only the width of secretory tissue and the lenght of glands of Pi. moniliformis were positively related with the rainfall and not with the disturbance gradient. The results indicate that water availability is a key factor for Caatinga once the rainfall level has stronger influence on communities and populations of plants bearing EFNs than PAC do.

Submitted by Irene Nascimento (irene.kessia@ufpe.br) on 2017-03-30T17:49:38Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação - Camila Miranda Barbosa.pdf: 2266282 bytes, checksum: 8e483f742cbf0b10a05321744d93decd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-30T17:49:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação - Camila Miranda Barbosa.pdf: 2266282 bytes, checksum: 8e483f742cbf0b10a05321744d93decd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-24 / CNPQ / O licuri (Syagrus coronata) é uma palmeira que floresce e frutifica durante o ano inteiro, tendo grande importância ecológica e econômica, uma vez que fornece hábitat e alimento para diversos seres vivos, inclusive para a subsistência de populações humanas. Em populações nativas encontradas no Parque Nacional do Catimbau, a fenologia da espécie foi monitorada em quatro áreas (total de 120 indivíduos). Também foram identificados os visitantes florais, a composição química dos odores florais e a variação de temperatura das flores durante a antese, levando em consideração as fases reprodutivas (feminina e masculina), o sexo das estruturas reprodutivas (flores pistiladas e estaminadas) e o período do dia (manhã e noite). O fitness reprodutivo foi comparativamente analisado para polinização diurna vs noturna, entomófila vs anemófila. Amostras de odores florais foram coletadas através de “headspace” dinâmico a partir de flores pistiladas e estaminadas, bem como nas suas respectivas brácteas. O estudo da fenologia evidenciou duas áreas sazonais, enquanto duas outras produziram eventos contínuos de reprodução. A riqueza e abundância de visitantes florais foram maiores nas inflorescências masculinas que nas femininas. O fitness reprodutivo não mostrou diferença entre os tratamentos de polinização. Por sua vez, análises de odor floral demonstraram diferenças de compostos isolados nas brácteas e inflorescências, mas não entre as fases reprodutivas; a quantidade de odor emitido diferiu nas brácteas nas fases femininas e masculinas, mas não nas inflorescências, as quais apresentaram quantidades similares de compostos. Não foi evidenciado fenômeno de termogênese floral, nem ao longo do dia, nem entre as fases reprodutivas. Estratégias como o fornecimento de recursos em abundância e hábitat para visitantes florais, liberação diferenciada de odor e floração contínua, podem estar associadas à garantia do fluxo gênico dentro e entre populações dessa espécie de Syagrus. / Licuri (Syagrus coronata) is a palm tree that blooms and bears fruit throughout the year, having an ecological and economic importance, as it provides habitat and food for many living beings, including for the livelihoods of human populations. In native populations, found in Catimbau National Park, the phenology of species was monitored in four areas (total 120 individuals). Also flower visitors were identified, the chemical composition of floral scents and temperature variation of flowers at anthesis, taking into account the reproductive stages (male and female), sex of the reproductive structures (pistillate and staminate flowers) and the period the day (morning and evening). The reproductive fitness was comparatively analyzed for day vs. night pollinated and entomophilous vs anemophilus. Samples of floral odours were collected through "headspace" dynamic from pistillate and staminate flowers as well as in their respective bracts. The study of phenology showed two seasonal areas, while two others produced continuous reproductive events. The richness and abundance of floral visitors were higher in male than in female inflorescences. The reproductive fitness showed no difference between pollination treatments. In turn, floral odor analysis showed differences in isolated compounds in the bracts and flowers, but do not between the reproductive stage; the amount of odor emitted differed in the bracts in male and female phases, but not in inflorescences, which showed similar amounts of compounds. Floral thermogenesis phenomenon was not evidenced neither throughout the day nor between reproductive stages. Strategies such as providing abundant resources and habitat for floral visitors, differentiated release of odor and continuous flowering, may be associated with the guarantee of gene flow within and among populations of this species of Syagrus.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第25318号 / 農博第2584号 / 京都大学大学院農学研究科森林科学専攻 / (主査)教授 北島 薫, 教授 小野田 雄介, 教授 Daniel Epron / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DGAM

Parmi les lignées des Caesalpinioideae (dans la famille des Leguminosae), l’un des groupes importants au sein duquel les relations phylogénétiques demeurent nébuleuses est le « groupe Caesalpinia », un clade de plus de 205 espèces, réparties présentement entre 14 à 21 genres. La complexité taxonomique du groupe Caesalpinia provient du fait qu’on n’arrive pas à résoudre les questions de délimitations génériques de Caesalpinia sensu lato (s.l.), un regroupement de 150 espèces qui sont provisoirement classées en huit genres. Afin d’arriver à une classification générique stable, des analyses phylogénétiques de cinq loci chloroplastiques et de la région nucléaire ITS ont été effectuées sur une matrice comportant un échantillonnage taxonomique du groupe sans précédent (~84% des espèces du groupe) et couvrant la quasi-totalité de la variation morphologique et géographique du groupe Caesalpinia. Ces analyses ont permis de déterminer que plusieurs genres du groupe Caesalpinia, tels que présentement définis, sont polyphylétiques ou paraphylétiques. Nous considérons que 26 clades bien résolus représentent des genres, et une nouvelle classification générique du groupe Caesalpinia est proposée : elle inclut une clé des genres, une description des 26 genres et des espèces acceptées au sein de ces groupes. Cette nouvelle classification maintient l’inclusion de douze genres (Balsamocarpon, Cordeauxia, Guilandina, Haematoxylum, Hoffmanseggia, Lophocarpinia, Mezoneuron, Pomaria, Pterolobium, Stenodrepanum, Stuhlmannia, Zuccagnia) et en abolit deux (Stahlia et Poincianella). Elle propose aussi de réinstaurer deux genres (Biancaea et Denisophytum), de reconnaître cinq nouveaux genres (Arquita, Gelrebia, Hererolandia, Hultholia et Paubrasilia), et d’amender la description de sept genres (Caesalpinia, Cenostigma, Coulteria, Erythrostemon, Libidibia, Moullava, Tara). Les résultats indiquent qu’il y aurait possiblement aussi une 27e lignée qui correspondrait au genre Ticanto, mais un échantillonage taxonomique plus important serait nécéssaire pour éclaircir ce problème. Les espèces du groupe Caesalpinia ont une répartition pantropicale qui correspond presque parfaitement aux aires du biome succulent, mais se retrouvent aussi dans les déserts, les prairies, les savanes et les forêts tropicales humides. À l’échelle planétaire, le biome succulent consiste en une série d’habitats arides ou semi-arides hautement fragmentés et caractérisés par l’absence de feu, et abrite souvent des espèces végétales grasses, comme les Cactacées dans les néo-tropiques et les Euphorbiacées en Afrique. L’histoire biogéographique du groupe Caesalpinia a été reconstruite afin de mieux comprendre l’évolution de la flore au sein de ce biome succulent. Ce portrait biogéographique a été obtenu grâce à des analyses de datations moléculaires et des changements de taux de diversification, à une reconstruction des aires ancestrales utilisant le modèle de dispersion-extinction-cladogenèse, et à la reconstruction de l’évolution des biomes et du port des plantes sur la phylogénie du groupe Caesalpinia. Ces analyses démontrent que les disjonctions trans-continentales entre espèces sœurs qui appartiennent au même biome sont plus fréquentes que le nombre total de changements de biomes à travers la phylogénie, suggérant qu’il y a une forte conservation de niches, et qu’il est plus facile de bouger que de changer et d’évoluer au sein d’un biome différent. Par ailleurs, contrairement à nos hypothèses initiales, aucun changement de taux de diversification n’est détecté dans la phylogénie, même lorsque les espèces évoluent dans des biomes différents ou qu’il y a changement de port de la plante, et qu’elle se transforme, par exemple, en liane ou herbacée. Nous suggérons que même lorsqu’ils habitent des biomes très différents, tels que les savanes ou les forêts tropicales humides, les membres du groupe Caesalpinia se retrouvent néanmoins dans des conditions écologiques locales qui rappellent celles du biome succulent. Finalement, bien que la diversité des espèces du biome succulent ne se compare pas à celle retrouvée dans les forêts tropicales humides, ce milieu se distingue par un haut taux d’espèces endémiques, réparties dans des aires disjointes. Cette diversité spécifique est probablement sous-estimée et mérite d’être évaluée attentivement, comme en témoigne la découverte de plusieurs nouvelles espèces d’arbres et arbustes de légumineuses dans la dernière décennie. Le dernier objectif de cette thèse consiste à examiner les limites au niveau spécifique du complexe C. trichocarpa, un arbuste des Andes ayant une population disjointe au Pérou qui représente potentiellement une nouvelle espèce. Des analyses morphologiques et moléculaires sur les populations présentes à travers les Andes permettent de conclure que les populations au Pérou représentent une nouvelle espèce, qui est génétiquement distincte et comporte des caractéristiques morphologiques subtiles permettant de la distinguer des populations retrouvées en Argentine et en Bolivie. Nous décrivons cette nouvelle espèce, Arquita grandiflora, dans le cadre d’une révision taxonomique du genre Arquita, un clade de cinq espèces retrouvées exclusivement dans les vallées andines. / Amongst the lineages of the Caesalpinioideae (in the family Leguminosae), one of the largest groups where phylogenetic relationships remains unclear is the Caesalpinia Group, a clade of ca. 200 species, currently considered to comprise between 14 and 21 genera. The taxonomic complexity of the Caesalpinia Group stems from persisting doubts on the generic delimitations within Caesalpinia sensu lato, a group of 150 species that are provisionally classified into eight genera. In order to establish a stable generic classification, phylogenetic analyses of five chloroplastic loci and the nuclear ribosomal ITS locus were carried out on a matrix containing an unprecedented taxonomic sampling of the Caesalpinia Group (~84% of species of this group included), with virtually all of the morphological variation and geographic distribution represented. These analyses allowed us to determine that several genera of the Caesalpinia Group, as currently defined, are polyphyletic or paraphyletic. We consider that there are 26 well-resolved clades that represent distinct genera, and a new generic classification system is proposed, which includes a key to genera, the description of the 26 genera and all species accepted within these groups. A total of twelve previously accepted genera are maintained in this classification (Balsamocarpon, Cordeauxia, Guilandina, Haematoxylum, Hoffmanseggia, Lophocarpinia, Mezoneuron, Pomaria, Pterolobium, Stenodrepanum, Stuhlmannia, and Zuccagnia), whereas two genea are abolished (Stahlia and Poincianella). In addition, two genera are re-instated (Biancaea and Denisophytum), five new genera are described, (Arquita, Gelrebia, Hererolandia, Hultholia and Paubrasilia), and the description of seven genera are emended (Caesalpinia, Cenostigma, Coulteria, Erythrostemon, Libidibia, Moullava, Tara). Our results also indicate that there could possible be a 27th lineage corresponding to the genus Ticanto, but an increased taxonomic sampling is needed to adequately address this issue. The Caesalpinia Group has a pantropical distribution that corresponds almost perfectly to the geographical distribution of the Succulent Biome, but are also found in deserts, grassland prairies, savannahs, and tropical rainforests. On a planetary scale, the Succulent Biome consists of a series of semi-arid to arid habitats that are highly fragmented, and which are characterised by the absence of fire, such as deserts and dry forests. This biome often harbours succulent plant taxa, such as the Cactaceae in the Neotropics and the Euphorbiaceae in Africa. The biogeographical history of the Caesalpinia Group was reconstructed in order to gain insight into the evolution of the flora within this Succulent biome. This biogeographical portrait of this group was reconstructed using molecular dating analysis, diversification rate shifts tests, the reconstruction of ancestral areas using the dispersal-extinction-cladogenesis model (DEC), as well as through ancestral character reconstruction of the biomes and habits. These analyses demonstrate that intercontinental disjunctions between sister species belonging to the same biome are more frequent than the total number of biome shifts across the phylogeny, suggesting that there is a strong conservation of niches, and that it is easier to move than to switch to and evolve in a different biome. Furthermore, contrary to our initial hypothesis, no changes in diversification rates were detected in our phylogenies, even when species switched biomes or evolved a different plant habit, e.g. becoming lianas or herbaceous perennials. We suggest that even when members of the Caesalpinia Group inhabit different biomes, such as savannahs or tropical rainforests, they are still tracking local ecological conditions that are typical of the Succulent biome. Finally, while total plant species diversity in the Succulent Biome does not compare to the diversity found in tropical rainforests, this biome distinguishes itself by a high number of endemic species, distributed in disjunct patches across the world. This species diversity is probably under-estimated and needs to be carefully re-evaluated, as shown in several recent descriptions of new tree and shrub species from the Succulent biome, all published in the last decade. The last objective of this thesis is to examine the species limits in Caesalpinia trichocarpa, a shrub from the Andes that has a disjunct population in Peru, which potentially represents a new species. Morphological and molecular analyses of populations occurring across the Andes, including Bolivia and Argentina, allow us to conclude that the populations in Peru represent a new species, which is genetically distinct and has subtle morphological characteristics that allow it to be distinguished from populations found in Argentina and Bolivia. We describe this news species, Arquita grandiflora, in a taxonomic revision of the genus Arquita, a clade of five species found exclusively in Andean valleys.

In recent years landscape-scale fires have occurred in mainland Southeast Asia, including important protected areas (PAs). There has been increasing concern that landscape-scale fires are degrading the seasonally dry evergreen forest (SEF) element of the forest mosaic to more open deciduous forest and savanna, with serious implications for biodiversity conservation. Present management approaches, including fire suppression and prescribed burning, have not been effective managing for landscape-scale fire. Research was undertaken to investigate the occurrence, cause, effect, frequency and predictability of fire in SEF. SEF has the greatest species biodiversity in the forest mosaic and is potentially the most affected by fire, yet little research has been done on fire in SEF in mainland Southeast Asia. Huai Kha Khaeng (HKK) Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand was selected as the study area. The objectives included: 1) investigate the area of SEF burned in HKK from 1988 to 2002; 2) investigate the conditions for fire in SEF; 3) determine whether the area of SEF in HKK declined as a result of fire; 4) determine the frequency of fire season years between 1984 and 2001 with the conditions for fire spread in SEF; and 5) determine whether there is a significant relationship between pre-fire season drought codes (Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) and Canadian Drought Code (DC)) and identified SEF fire season years for 1981 to 2003. Methods included: development of a Landsat fire history with associated interviews and reconnaissance field checks; fieldwork lighting test fires and measuring fuel characteristics; remote sensing change detection work using Landsat imagery; generation of a twenty-one year daily relative humidity minimum record for SEF; and logistic regression of the pre-fire season drought code values with identified SEF ‘fire’ and ‘non-fire’ years. Results showed: 1. Extensive areas of SEF have burned, but that Landsat imagery was not suitable for detecting fire in intact SEF. 2. SEF burned in years when there were fires burning adjacent to SEF in mid March and the moisture content of the SEF leaf litter fuel was less than 15%. 3. Fifteen percent of SEF in HKK has been either degraded or converted to deciduous forest forms in 12 years. 4. Conditions for fire spread in SEF occurred four times in 17 consecutive years. 5. A significant relationship exists between both the Keetch-Byram Drought Code (KBDI) and Canadian Drought Code (DC) and the SEF fire years. Implications are that large-scale fires have adversely affected intact SEF in HKK, and that the current damaging situation can be expected to continue. Whereas the extent of burning in intact SEF is not known, the need to manage the situation is immediate. Landscape-scale fires in HKK can be managed by using January 31st drought code values to predict potential large-scale fire years, followed by an aggressive fire suppression campaign in those years. In other years, fires can be allowed to burn without serious threat to the forest mosaic, and should to some extent be encouraged to maintain open deciduous forests and savanna. Additional research is required to determine whether a similar approach can be used for protected areas in other parts of the region.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:36:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PaulaRMB.pdf: 735531 bytes, checksum: 6f97353cd0f92f620d3561920b75a484 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-06-05 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / Most of ontogenetic studies on circadian timing system have been developed on infants, adults and elderly. The puberty has not been a stage of life few studied, except for researches in human adolescents, that presents phase delay in sleep-wake cycle. However, few studies have focused on the basis of this circadian change due to methodological difficulties. Thus, an animal model to study the sleep-wake cycle at puberty is essential. In the common marmoset, a social primate, the circadian activity periodicity stabilizes around 4 months (juvenile stage) and the 8h period component has a seasonal variation. Puberty stage of this species begins near the 8th month of age in males and near the 7th month in females with 7 months of duration. With the aim to characterize the circadian motor activity rhythm during puberty in marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) the motor activity was continuous registered by actiwatches in 6 animals between 5-12 months. Since the social factor influence the behavior of this specie, behavioral observations were realized in 30 minutes windows twice/week to a general evaluation of the influence social interactions dynamic across experiment. Determination of puberty onset was done by fecal progesterone and estrogens in females, and androgens in males. From the analysis of the multiple regression test was selected a model that evaluate age and seasonal variables effect on the activity rhythm according to the higher explanation coefficient. The total activity was the only parameter influenced by age. Moreover, the activity onset was the parameter more explained by the model, and the sunrise was the factor that most influenced it. After the puberty onset, 2 dyads advanced the activity onset. The activity total decreased in 1 dyad and increased in 2 dyads. This increase may be related to the birth of infants in these families. The motor activity circadian component stabilized later in 1 dyad, coinciding with the puberty onset of these animals, while bimodality, caused by the 8 h component, was modulated by seasonality. The agonistic behavior was not evaluated due to reduced number of events. There were changes across ages in affiliative behavior of contact in 1 dyad, grooming done in 1 animal and grooming received in 2 animals. Although there is evidence of puberty effect on the activity motor rhythm, the photoperiodic fluctuations influenced the rhythm. Therefore is not possible to affirm if the puberty modulate the activity rhythm in marmosets / A maioria dos estudos sobre o sistema de temporiza??o circadiana s?o desenvolvidos em animais adultos, infantes e idosos. A puberdade se tornou uma fase da vida pouco estudada, com exce??o dos trabalhos realizados em adolescentes humanos, que apresentam um atraso de fase no ciclo sono e vig?lia. No entanto, poucos estudos enfocam a base circadiana envolvida nesta mudan?a devido ?s dificuldades metodol?gicas. Dessa forma, um modelo animal para o estudo do ciclo sono e vig?lia na puberdade ? essencial. Em sag?is (Callithrix jacchus), um primata social, a periodicidade circadiana estabiliza em torno dos 4 meses (est?gio juvenil) e o componente ultradiano de 8 horas apresenta varia??o sazonal. A puberdade come?a pr?ximo dos 8 meses nos machos e dos 7 meses nas f?meas, com dura??o de aproximadamente 7 meses. Com o objetivo de caracterizar o ritmo de atividade motora em sag?is na puberdade foi registrada continuamente a atividade motora por act?metros em 6 animais dos 5 a 12 meses de idade. Como os fatores sociais podem influenciar os comportamentos desta esp?cie foram realizadas observa??es comportamentais em janelas de 30 minutos duas vezes/semana para uma avalia??o geral da influencia das intera??es sociais ao longo do experimento. A entrada na puberdade foi determinada a partir dos n?veis fecais de progesterona e estr?genos nas f?meas, e andr?genos nos machos. A partir da an?lise do teste de regress?o m?ltipla foi selecionado um modelo que avaliava o efeito da idade e de vari?veis sazonais sobre os par?metros do ritmo de acordo com o maior coeficiente de explica??o. O total da atividade foi o ?nico par?metro influenciado pela idade. Por outro lado, o in?cio da atividade foi o par?metro mais explicado pelo modelo, sendo o nascer do sol o fator que mais o influencia. Ap?s a entrada na puberdade, 2 d?ades iniciaram a atividade mais cedo. Em rela??o ao total da atividade, houve redu??o em 1 d?ade e aumento em 2 d?ades. Este aumento pode estar relacionado com o nascimento de filhotes nessas fam?lias. O componente circadiano da atividade motora estabilizou mais tarde em 1 d?ade, coincidindo com a entrada na puberdade desses animais. Enquanto que a bimodalidade, decorrente do componente ultradiano de 8 horas, sofreu uma modula??o sazonal. Os comportamentos agon?sticos n?o foram analisados em decorr?ncia do n?mero reduzido de eventos. Os comportamentos afiliativos de contato em 1 d?ade, de cata??o realizada em 1 animal e de cata??o recebida em 2 animais modificaram entre as idades. Embora existam evid?ncias do efeito da puberdade sobre o ritmo de atividade motora, as flutua??es fotoperi?dicas influenciaram o ritmo. Portanto, n?o ? poss?vel afirmar se a puberdade modula o ritmo de atividade motora em sag?is

Tropical forests are storehouses of more thanhalf of the world‘s biodiversity and play a key role in global carbon, water and energy cycles. However, as a consequence of rapid anthropogenic climate change, biodiversity and climate functions of these forests are under a threat. Climate is changing not only in mean state but its variability is increasing, with extreme events such as droughts, heat waves and storms also rising. Water is fundamental to plants‘ existence, and in the tropics, is a key determinant of plant species‘richness, composition, growth and survival. There is thus an increasing interest in understanding how changing rainfall may cause functional changes in forests or change their species composition. Therefore, the overarching goal of thisdissertation was to understand the impact of water variability on tropical forest tree growth and vulnerability to drought.Forest tree growth along spatial and temporal rainfall gradientsObservational studies that measure whole forest tree growth along spatial or temporal gradients of rainfall are the most common way of formulating forest growth response curves to water availability, when manipulative experiments are cost-prohibitive or impractical (fire or large mammal disturbance). In the tropics, since very few species show anatomically distinct tree rings, estimating tree growth from trunk diameter is the standard practice to obtain growth patterns across species. However, this method—of equating woody growth to diameter change--is susceptible to bias from water-induced stem flexing. In the absence of bias correction, temporal variability in growth is likely to be overestimated and incorrectly attributed to fluctuations in resource availability, especially in forests with high seasonal and inter-annual variability in water. This problem has been largely ignored in the absence of any corrective measure and due to under-appreciation of the magnitude of error. While diameter re-censuses in permanent sampling plots (PSPs) have been most commonly done at 3-5 year scale (using a graduate tape), increasingly they are done at seasonal and annual scales (using band dendrometers) to closely match variation in rainfall, the scales at which hydrostatic bias may be greater in magnitude relative to woody growth. Besides, along a spatial rainfall gradient, inter-annual variability in water may vary, causing systematic differences in the hydrostatic bias for forests along the gradient. Therefore, one broad objective of this thesis was to evaluate the problem of hydrostatic bias in whole forest growth-rainfall relationship at annual and supra-annual scales, for temporal as well as spatial rainfall gradients and propose and test a novel corrective solution.Further, it also examines if growth-diameter relationship vary along the spatial gradient, which it may arise due to differences in light environments and/or disturbance history and species composition. The missing link of Eco-hydrology Differential responses of tree species in terms of growth and survival to variation in water that they can access, the proximate cause is likely shaped through their life-history strategies, the ultimate cause. However, we neither know the depths at which the diverse tree species in a forest draw water from and its dynamics, nor variation in water at those depths vis-à-vis rainfall patterns—for lack of appropriate methods. This has been a key missing link in understanding how water shapes trees‘ life-history strategies, their demographic trade-offs and co-existence, and also our predictive ability to determine species-specific responses to changing rainfall patterns, especially droughts. Since droughts are highly stochastic events and trees‘ responses to their drought ―experiences‖ may be revealed at decadal scales, long-term evaluations are key. Therefore, the second broad objective of this thesis was to develop a framework to determine trees’ water uptake depths, variation in water availability at those depths and trees’ demographic responses over multiple decades. From this, to understand how belowground hydrology shapes drought-vulnerability, demographic trade-offs and coexistence of forest tree species. This thesis titled—Eco-Hydrology of a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest: Tree Growth, Belowground Water Dynamics and Drought-Vulnerability—is organized as follows: Chapter 1 lays down an introduction to the thesis, followed by a description of the study site and datasets used in the thesis in Chapter 2. This thesis uses a variety of methods and multiple datasets, all of which are from the protected Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests of the Western Ghats in southern India in the Mudumalai and Bandipur National Parks. It is then followed by three data chapters: Chapter 3 describes the seasonal fluctuations in a five year long (1980-1985) tree diameter time series (using dendrometers) of a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest in Bandipur National Park to illustrate the issue of hydrostatic stem-flexing. It investigates the possibility that band dendrometers may themselves underestimate stem shrinkage at diurnal or seasonal scale. It also evaluates if there could be a best season and time of the day for undertaking forest diameter censuses that can minimize hydrostatic bias. Chapter 4(published in Forest Ecology and Management)measures the hydrostatic bias in a sample of trees in a 50 ha PSP of a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest in Mudumalai National Park, and proposes a novel way to correct this bias at the whole community level in the 20 year long 4-year interval growth time series. Chapter 5 (in review with Environmental Research Letters) investigates and presents two new confounding factors in growth-rainfall relationships along a spatial rainfall gradient: hydrostatic bias and size-dependency in growth rates. For this it evaluates forest tree growth estimates in seven 1-ha PSPs (~800 trees, 3-year annual time series 9using dendrometers) along a 1000 mm rainfall gradient spanning a mesic savanna-moist forest transition in Mudumalai National Park. Using the period for which seasonal diameter time series was available (2 yrs), it evaluates if the extent of seasonal fluctuations systematically vary along the gradient—most likely due to hydrostatic stem flexing. It also describes the presence of an anomalous size-diameter relationship in the mesic savanna from a large plots (50 ha PSP, diameter records using graduated tape). These observations are then used to draw insights for ―space for time‖ substitution modeling. Chapter 6 (in prep for Nature Plants) analyses belowground water environments of trees over two decades (1992-2012), a period that includes a prolonged and intense drought, in the 50 ha PSP of a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest in Mudumalai. It uses a locally parametarised dynamic hydrological model in which site rainfall is also a forcing variable. It then develops a novel dynamic growth model and inversely estimates water uptake depths for adult trees of all common species (include ~9000 trees) in the PSP from their above-ground growth patterns over two decades vis-à-vis belowground water availability at multiple depths. It then examines if species‘ water uptake depth obtained thus is a predictor of their drought-driven mortality. Finally, this is used to evaluate the hydrological niche partitioning tree species operate under and how that drives their water uptake strategies, demographic trade-offs, and drought-vulnerability. Summarizes the thesis and suggests future directions