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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The understanding of landscape dynamics involves understanding the changes in the use and occupation of the land. In this process, the fragmentation of forests is very common. In thus sense, the objective of this study was to evaluate in a multi-temporal perspective the dynamics of forest fragments of the micro regions of Frederico Westphalen and Três Passos - RS, given the circumstances of the rural population and geomorphological aspects. The study period was from 1985 to 2014, covering an area of 9046.9 km² that is located in the Atlantic Forest Biome. Satellite images were acquired from Landsat 5 (Thematic Mapper sensor) and Landsat 8 (Operational Land Imager sensor) of the dates 1985, 1994, 2005 and 2014. The classification of images was given by manual photo interpretation. The forest fragments were mapped and divided into size categories: very small (<5 ha), small (5 - 10 h), medium (10 - 100 h) and large (> 100 ha). In the socioeconomic analysis, rural population data (1980 a 2010) and vegetal production data (wood for charcoal, firewood and logs) were obtained. For the geomorphological analysis images of the ASTER-GDEM sensor were acquired, and three maps generated: slope, hypsometry and slope aspect. For the analysis of the dynamics of the fragments some landscape metrics were inserted. Regarding tree cover, an increase of 50.4% of the area was identified between 1985 and 2014, while the number of forest fragments had a 56.2% increase. Great part of mapped forest fragments have very small size and are located in undulating and strongly wavy land, at elevations between 300 and 450 m and with its dimensions oriented east and south. A gradual decline in rural population indices of all the constituent municipalities of the two micro regions has been identified, which indicates an increase in the rural exodus. The wood production for coal, firewood and logs presented, in both micro regions, an abandonment or reduction in the production of these derivatives by the method of vegetal extraction, however, there was an increase in production using silvicultural techniques. In almost all municipalities, an increase in forest cover between 1985 and 2014 was observed, in higher or a lower proportion. By crossing the data of rural population with the arboreal covering index of the cities, a tendency for increasing forest cover as the rural population decreases was verified. The forest fragmentation transition maps presented a gain of area of 1258.1 km², loss of 433.4 km² and constant fragmentation of areas of 1081.3 km². According to the calculations obtained by the landscape metrics, the number of fragments and their size showed an increase in course of time, increasingly occupying the landscape area. However, the region's landscape has become very fragmented, probably caused by natural regeneration of the forest. In general, the fragments have regular shapes and complex perimeters. According to the results presented, although the region is highly fragmented, it is going through a forest regeneration process, a fact that reflects the abandonment of areas of difficult agricultural cultivation, the actions of encouragement to preserve native forests, planting forests and the formation of ecological corridors. / A compreensão da dinâmica da paisagem envolve o entendimento das mudanças no uso e ocupação da terra. Nesse processo, a fragmentação de florestas é muito comum. Nesse sentido, o objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar, em uma perspectiva multitemporal, a dinâmica de fragmentos florestais das microrregiões de Frederico Westphalen e Três Passos - RS, face a conjuntura da população rural e aspectos geomorfológicos. O período de estudo foi de 1985 a 2014, e abrange área de 9.046,9 km², que se localiza no Bioma Mata Atlântica. Foram adquiridas imagens do satélite Landsat 5 (sensor Thematic Mapper) e Landsat 8 (sensor Operational Land Imager) das datas de 1985, 1994, 2005 e 2014. A classificação das imagens se deu por fotointerpretação manual. Os fragmentos florestais foram mapeados e divididos em classes de tamanho: muito pequenos (< 5 ha), pequenos (5 10 ha), médios (10 100 ha) e grandes (> 100 ha). Na análise socioeconômica, foram obtidos dados de população rural (1980 a 2010) e dados de produção vegetal (madeira para carvão, lenha e tora). Para a análise geomorfológica, foram adquiridas imagens do sensor Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) - Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM), e gerados três mapas: declividade, hipsometria e orientação de vertentes. Para a análise da dinâmica dos fragmentos, foram inseridas algumas métricas de paisagem. No que se refere a cobertura arbórea, foi identificado um aumento de área de 50,4% entre 1985 e 2014, enquanto o número de fragmentos florestais teve um aumento de 56,2%. Grande parte dos fragmentos florestais mapeados possui tamanho muito pequeno e estão localizados em terrenos ondulados e fortemente ondulados, em altitudes entre 300 e 450 m e com suas vertentes orientadas a leste e sul. Foi identificada uma queda gradual nos índices de população rural de todos os municípios constituintes das duas microrregiões, o que indica um aumento do êxodo rural. A produção madeireira para carvão, lenha e tora apresentou, em ambas as microrregiões, um abandono ou diminuição na obtenção desses produtos pelo método da extração vegetal, entretanto, verificou-se um aumento da produção utilizando técnicas silviculturais. Em praticamente todos os municípios, foi constatado aumento da cobertura florestal entre 1985 e 2014, em maior ou menor proporção. Ao cruzar os dados de população rural com o índice de cobertura arbórea dos municípios, verificou-se uma tendência de aumento da cobertura florestal à medida que diminui a população rural. Os mapas de transição da fragmentação florestal apresentaram ganho de área de 1.258,1 km², perda de área de 433,4 km² e áreas de fragmentação constantes de 1.081,3 km². De acordo com os cálculos obtidos por meio das métricas de paisagem, o número de fragmentos, bem como seu tamanho, apresentaram um aumento no decorrer do tempo, ocupando cada vez mais a área da paisagem. Entretanto, a paisagem da região apresenta-se muito fragmentada, provavelmente ocasionada pela regeneração natural da floresta. Em geral, os fragmentos possuem formas regulares e perímetros complexos. De acordo com os resultados apresentados, apesar de a região estar bastante fragmentada, a mesma está passando por um processo de regeneração florestal, fato que reflete o abandono de áreas de difícil cultivo agrícola, as ações de incentivo a preservação das matas nativas, o plantio de florestas e a formação de corredores ecológicos.

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Throughout its current range, the Cross Timbers forest ecosystem is vulnerable to land-use change. In this study, we examined the surrounding land use matrix on the vegetation structure, composition and regeneration of six Cross Timbers forest fragments in Denton County, Texas (north of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex). Two fragments adjacent to agricultural land, two to residential neighborhoods, and two formally protected forest sites were selected. In summer 2015, five 100 m2 plots were randomly established in each fragment at least 200 meters from the edge. In each plot, all live and dead trees ≥ 3 cm diameter were identified and their height and diameter at breast height (DBH at 1.3 m aboveground) measured. Evidence of dumping (presence of trash) was recorded as an index of human frequentation. Differences in vegetation structure among the forest fragments were found. Most notably, fragments adjacent to agriculture contained 25% to 50% fewer trees per hectare than all other sites (Kruskal-Wallis, p < 0.02), especially trees <10 cm DBH. However, residential fragments had fewer trees that were ≥15 cm DBH compared to the other fragments, indicating that these are the youngest of the forest patches surveyed. Trash was observed in 60% of plots surveyed at residential forest sites, showing high levels of human frequentation compared to the protected and agricultural forest sites. Agricultural sites contained the lowest number of recorded tree species and were most similar to each other, sharing 91% of species. These findings indicate that surrounding land use affects forest structure and composition, consequently affecting valuable ecosystem services including wildlife habitat, aesthetics and recreation.

The conservation and restoration of pollinators is essential for sustaining viable plant populations in fragmented landscapes because they promote genetic diversity among isolated individuals. As it is expected that populations in remnant and restored forests perpetuate with the passing of the years, restoration programs on highly fragmented agricultural landscapes should be planned with consideration for achieving this purpose. In this work, we evaluated plant-pollinator interactions in restored tropical forests, aiming to establish first, the pollination requirements of plant species in these communities, and secondly, if the pollinator requirements are being fulfilled and the interactions between plants and pollinators are being recovered throughout restoration practices. This work comprises two chapters: On the first one (\"Are the assemblages of tree pollination modes being recovered by tropical forest restoration?\") we did an extensive literature review about the pollination biology of tree species in primary forests, restoration plantings and naturally regenerated forests, to compare and identify patterns on the functional diversity and the assemblages of plant pollination modes. On the second chapter (\"Functional responses and effects from bee communities in restored tropical forests\") we sampled bees (i.e. the most important pollinators) and identified the pollen grains attached to their bodies in primary forests, restoration plantings, disturbed herbaceous areas and sugar cane fields; afterwards we analyzed and compared the functional diversity of bee communities and their floral resources, and the structure of plant-bee interactions, as well as in response to habitat isolation. We found that different restoration practices leaded to changes on patterns of abundance and species proportions of several plant pollination modes, which were stronger in locations under active restoration activities than in naturally regenerated forests. Specifically in the case of bees, we found that the demand for their function as pollinators in restoration plantings was even higher than that in primary forests, since many bee pollinated tree species were being widely and preferably used due to their great colonizing ability, or because of the many other ecosystem functions and services that they provide. We observed that bee communities were getting benefited by such over-representation of bee floral resources, since many species visited more frequently the tree species in restoration plantings than any other habitat. In spite of such preference, the bee abundance and functional diversity of bee communities was not fully recovered in restoration areas, maybe because of other habitat requirements that still remained undersupplied (e.g. nesting resources). Although the functional diversity on bee communities was high in general, only a small part, which was also the most vulnerable (i.e. larger bees that nest above-ground, have different levels of sociality and are polylectics), was the principal in charge of the pollination of the most important plant species in primary and restored forests (i.e. native woody plants, from initial successional stages and with different pollination modes). Throughout this work we analyzed and discussed the implications of these results for the recovery of plant-pollinator interactions and on future decisions in restoration and conservation planning / A conservação e restauração dos polinizadores são essenciais para a manutenção das populações vegetais nas paisagens fragmentadas, pois eles proporcionam diversidade genética entre os indivíduos espacialmente isolados. Dado que se espera que as populações nas florestas remanescentes e restauradas se perpetuem com o passar dos anos, os programas de restauração devem ser planejados também considerando alcançar este objetivo. Neste trabalho avaliamos as interações planta-polinizador em florestas tropicais em restauração, objetivando estabelecer primeiro, os requerimentos de polinização nestas comunidades e segundo, se os requerimentos de habitat dos polinizadores estão sendo satisfeitos e as interações entre plantas e polinizadores estão se recuperando através das práticas de restauração. O trabalho compreende dois capítulos: No primeiro (\"Os sistemas de polinização de espécies arbóreas estão se recuperando por meio da restauração de florestas tropicais?\") realizamos uma revisão exaustiva na literatura sobre a biologia da polinização das espécies de árvores em florestas primárias, plantios de restauração e florestas naturalmente regeneradas, para depois comparar e identificar os padrões na diversidade funcional e nas assembléias de modos de polinização. No segundo capítulo (\"Respostas e efeitos funcionais das comunidades de abelhas em florestas tropicais restauradas\") coletamos abelhas (i.e. os principais polinizadores) e identificamos os grãos de pólen aderidos no seu corpo, em florestas primárias, plantios de restauração, áreas herbáceas degradadas e cultivos de cana-de-açúcar; depois analisamos e comparamos a diversidade funcional das comunidades de abelhas e seus recursos florais, a estrutura das redes de interação e também em resposta ao isolamento do habitat. Encontramos que diferentes práticas de restauração geraram maiores mudanças nas proporções de vários modos de polinização, em lugares submetidos a atividades de restauração ativa do que nas florestas regeneradas naturalmente. Especificamente no caso das abelhas, encontramos que a demanda pela sua função como polinizadores nos plantios de restauração era ainda maior do que nas florestas primárias, pois muitas espécies de árvores polinizadas por abelhas estavam sendo preferivelmente plantadas graças a sua maior habilidade como colonizadoras, ou devido à outras funções e serviços ecossistêmicos que elas provem. Observamos que as abelhas estavam se beneficiando dessa super-representação de recursos florais, dado que várias espécies visitaram mais freqüentemente as árvores presentes nos plantios de restauração do que em outras áreas. Apesar dessa preferência, a abundância de indivíduos e a diversidade funcional nas comunidades de abelhas ainda não estavam totalmente recuperadas nas áreas em restauração, provavelmente porque alguns dos seus requerimentos de habitat estão ainda pouco fornecidos (e.g. recursos de nidificação). Mesmo que a diversidade funcional nas comunidades de abelhas tenha sido alta de maneira geral, somente uma pequena parte dela, que também foi a mais vulnerável (i.e. abelhas de maior porte que nidificam por cima do solo, tem diferentes níveis de sociabilidade e são polilécticas), foi a principal encarregada do transporte de pólen das plantas mais importantes das florestas primárias e restauradas (i.e. plantas lenhosas, nativas, de successão inicial e com diferentes modos de polinização). Ao longo deste trabalho analisamos e discutimos as implicações destes resultados para a recuperação das interações planta-polinizador e nas futuras decisões no planejamento da restauração e conservação ecológica

Dans cette étude, les relations entre la structure forestière à l’échelle du paysage d’une part, la composition et le fonctionnement des forêts d’autre part, ont été analysées dans un écosystème de transition forêt-savane (Département de Tanda, Est Côte d’Ivoire). L’objectif principal de cette thèse était de tester l’hypothèse centrale de l’écologie du paysage, connue sous le vocable pattern-process paradigm, selon laquelle les trois composantes du système écologiques à savoir la structure, la composition et le fonctionnement, sont interdépendantes, et qu’en analysant l’une d’elle, des déductions utiles peuvent être faites sur les autres. Nos résultats ont montré que l’équilibre écologique des forêts de la zone d’étude était fortement perturbé. L’agriculture itinérante sur brûlis, l’exploitation forestière et les feux de végétation ont été identifiés comme étant les principaux agents de ces dynamiques. La matrice du paysage, qui était initialement constituée d’une couverture continue de forêt dense, a été substituée par une mosaïque de savanes, de champs et de forêts exploitées, présentant des niveaux variables de dégradations anthropiques. L’utilisation de données multi-spectrales a permis de quantifier ces dégradations. Premièrement, sur base de l’information spectrale, nous avons distingué deux sous-types de forêts, différents entre eux en termes de densité, de composition, de stratégie dominante et de niveau de dégradation. Deuxièmement, une corrélation significative a été obtenue entre la dégradation et le degré de fragmentation des forêts, quantifiable à partir d’indices structuraux basés sur le nombre de taches, la proportion de forêts et le périmètre des taches forestières dans le paysage. La fragmentation semble avoir produit deux effets distincts sur la composition forestière ; elle détermine la taille et l’isolation des fragments aussi bien que les lisières forestières. Les dynamiques temporelles de la structure et de la composition du paysage forestier dans notre région d’étude a montré que la déforestation était plus sensible dans la partie Sud de la zone d’étude, en dépit du climat favorable, alors que dans la partie Nord, proche des savanes Guinéennes, la simulation des dynamiques à partir de la chaine de Markov a montré une tendance à la reprise forestière. En définitive, notre étude a mis en évidence que la zone de transition forêt-savane étudiée était fortement dynamique. Dans une région où aucune réserve forestière n’existe réellement et où le front forestier régresse ou se dégrade rapidement, notre approche permet de poser les bases d’une politique rationnelle de protection des forêts, en établissant des seuils structuraux minimaux des fragments nécessaires à la préservation du biotope originel. /

The boreal forest in Fennoscandia has been subjected to major loss and fragmentation of natural forests due to intensive forestry. This has resulted in that forest edges are now abundant and important landscape features. Edges have documented effects on the structure, function and biodiversity in forests. Edge influence on biodiversity is complex and depends on interactions between many local and regional factors. This thesis focuses on sharp forest edges and their potential to influence biodiversity at the landscape-level. I have developed a method for quantification and characterization of sharp forest edges by interpretation of colour infrared (CIR) aerial photographs in combination with line intersect sampling (LIS) and sample plots. The method was used to estimate density of forest edge in 28 landscapes (each 1600 ha) in northern Sweden, differing in management intensity, landscape composition and geographical location. Forest edges were described in detail using edge, canopy and neighbourhood attributes. By combining these attributes it was possible to classify edges with respect to levels of exposure. A field experiment was conducted to examine the effect of edge contrast on growth of the old forest lichen Usnea longissima. The edge quantification method is accurate and efficient for estimating the length of sharp forest edges on an area basis (edge density, m ha-1) and for collecting detailed attributes of edges and their surroundings. In northern Sweden, the forest edge density is high (54 m ha-1) but varies extensively (12-102 m ha-1) between landscapes. Edge density is strongly correlated with the level of human disturbance and increases towards the southern part of the study area, at lower altitudes were management intensity is highest. Edge orientation, contrast and neighbourhood size shows an immense variation between edges and also varies between edge types. Regenerating edges are generally of higher contrast and face larger neighbourhoods than natural edges. Maintained edges had high contrast but small neighbourhoods. A larger proportion of edges in mature forests are highly exposed to microclimatic edge influence than edges in general. The field experiment revealed that growth of U. longissima was highest near edges where the vegetation on the adjacent area was sheltering, but not shading, the lichen. In the present thesis, I have provided a valuable tool for estimating density of forest edges with potential to yield information on important factors determining edge influence at landscape-level. The large variability in edge density, edge and neighbourhood attributes imply large differences in microclimate anf thus in the potential for ede influence. Management and conservation strategies must incorporate these factors to realistically address edge influence on biota at the landscape-level.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:35:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-05-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:25:11Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 bianconi_gv_dr_rcla.pdf: 2615245 bytes, checksum: e626d43cffce5b3b04c96086c87decdf (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Filostomídeos frugívoros são considerados elementos-chave na conservação e restauração florestal dado à sua representatividade numérica (espécies e indivíduos), alto potencial de deslocamento e eficiência na dispersão de sementes. Técnicas que potencializem esse papel ecológico podem ter grande aplicação na recuperação de hábitats degradados, comuns à Mata Atlântica brasileira. Estudos com óleos essenciais isolados de frutos quiropterocóricos maduros sugeriram que eles podem ser utilizados para atrair e capturar morcegos frugívoros no interior de áreas florestais. Assim, a presente tese foi desenvolvida para fundamentar o caráter prático-funcional desta nova ferramenta, na medida em que se propôs a investigar os movimentos e o uso do hábitat fragmentado por espécies frugívoras, bem como as suas respostas a atrativos odoríferos instalados na matriz agropecuária de uma paisagem intensamente fragmentada no sul do Brasil (municípios de Fênix e São Pedro do Ivaí, estado do Paraná). Seus resultados indicaram uma atração altamente significativa dos morcegos aos óleos, um elevado potencial de dispersão de um grande número e diversidade de propágulos, e a possibilidade de manter os indivíduos por algum tempo sobrevoando pontos específicos da matriz, o que incrementaria, sobremaneira, a chuva-de-sementes no local. Os métodos de marcação/recaptura e radiotelemetria demonstraram existir uma alta mobilidade de Artibeus lituratus (Olfers, 1818) e Carollia perspicillata (Linnaeus, 1758), morcegos frugívoros mais comuns na região, dentro e entre os remanescentes florestais, com a utilização conjunta de diferentes elementos da paisagem (fragmentos, matriz agropecuária, pomares, rios, etc.). A matriz agropecuária da região parece não inibir os deslocamentos das espécies, padrão este relevante para o processo de dispersão de sementes e para a eficácia... / Frugivorous phyllostomids are considered key elements to forest conservation and restoration due to their representative number (species and individuals), high mobility, and efficiency as seed dispersers. Techniques to improve this ecological role can find great application in the recovery of degraded habitats, usually found in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Previous tests with essential oils from ripe chiropterochoric fruits suggested they can be used to attract and capture fruit-eating bats inside forest remnants. The present thesis was conducted to provide the basis to functional and practical characteristics of this new tool. Thus, we investigated the movements and use of a fragmented habitat by frugivorous species, as well as bats’ response to odor attractives installed in the agropecuary matrix of an extremely fragmented field at South Brazil (city of Fênix and São Pedro do Ivaí, State of Paraná). The results indicate a significant bat attraction to the essential oils, a great potential for dispersion of a large number and diversified seeds, the possibility of keeping bats flying for some time over specific locations of the matrix, which can increase significantly seeds dispersion in specific spots. By using mark/recapture and radiotelemetry techniques we observed high mobility of Artibeus lituratus (Olfers, 1818) and Carollia perspicillata (Linnaeus, 1758), the most common frugivorous bats in the study region , inside and between forests remnants with the combined use of different habitat attributes (fragments, agropecuary matrix, orchards, rivers, etc.). So, the regional agropecuary matrix does not seem to inhibit the movement of the species, which is an important behavior for seed dispersal and for the efficacy of the tool used for restoration of degraded areas.