The remnants of vegetation native to the Atlantic Forest account for about 22% of their original cover and are in different stages of regeneration. The typologies belonging to the biome and found in the northwest of the state of Rio Grande do Sul are mixed ombrophilous forest and deciduous seasonal forest. Amid the consequences of the current dynamics of land use and occupation caused by man, there is the fragmentation of primary and secondary forests, where an area continues to result in a large number of isolated fragments of different sizes. Among the various environmental services provided by forest ecosystems, the most important is the sequestration and storage of carbon in the form of biomass. Thus, the role of native forests in the removal and stocking of carbon is fundamental, demonstrating the need to develop new methods that estimate forest biomass and carbon by non-destructive methods. The objective of the present work is to estimate and study the dynamics of biomass and forest carbon stock in successional stages of regeneration in the Northwest Region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The study area is located in the Northwest of the State of Rio Grande do Sul , Covering two microregions, Três Passos and Frederico Westphalen. For this study two methodologies were developed to estimate the forest biomass stock, both based on remote sensing data. The study in the first methodology was carried out for the dates of 1985, 1994, 2005 and 2014, and covers an area of 9,046.9 km². The classification of forest successions in regeneration stages was a continuation of the work of Rosa (2016), where the size classes: initial (<5 ha), medium (5 - 10 ha), advanced (> 10 ha), later Biomass for them. For the second methodology, images from each year were used from 1985 to 2014, where the NDVI was calculated, and through regression generated for the global model, to obtain the IAF and to estimate the forest biomass. Subsequently, comparing both methodologies were compared among themselves, and compared with values provided by the methodology of the Brazilian Forest Service. For the first study, forest biomass in 2014 in the Northwest Region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul was 80,831 Gg, divided into three stages of initial (659 Gg) regeneration (2,549 Gg) and advanced (77,623 Gg) regeneration. In the study area, there are three protected areas, the Turvo State Park, the Nonoai Indigenous Reserve and the Guarita Indian Reserve, which account for almost 25% of the total stock of the region, and are significant areas in the carbon stock. The carbon estimated by the first methodology was 296 Gg for the initial stage, 1,147 for the medium stage and 34,930 for the advanced stage, totaling 36,373 Gg. For the second methodology, it was possible to observe the great relation between the increase of the LAI as a function of NDVI and the forest biomass in 2014 was 61,156 Gg, where 602 Gg corresponds to the initial regeneration stage, 8,287 Gg for the medium stage and 52,267 Gg for The advanced stage of regeneration. The estimated total carbon for the study area in 2014 according to the second methodology was 27,520 Gg CO2, of which 271 Gg were present in the initial stage, 3,729 Gg in the medium stage and 23,520 Gg in the advanced stage of regeneration. In the comparison of the methodologies developed in this study, a difference of 19,675 Gg was obtained, due mainly to the effects of edges of the studied fragments. Comparing the first and second methodologies developed with that provided by the Brazilian Forest Service, only 10 and 14.30% of the estimated values for forest biomass were obtained. / Os remanescentes de vegetação nativa da Mata Atlântica contabilizam cerca de 22% de sua cobertura original e se encontram em diferentes estágios de regeneração. As tipologias pertencentes ao bioma e que se encontram no noroeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul são floresta ombrófila mista e floresta estacional decidual. Em meio às consequências da atual dinâmica do uso e ocupação do solo causadas pelo homem, está a fragmentação de florestas primárias e secundárias, onde uma área continua resulta em um grande número de fragmentos isolados e de diferentes tamanhos. Entre os diversos serviços ambientais prestados pelos ecossistemas florestais, se destaca o sequestro e estocagem do carbono na forma de biomassa. Assim é fundamental o papel das florestas nativas na remoção e estoque do carbono, demonstrando a necessidade de desenvolver novos métodos que estimem a biomassa e carbono de florestas por meio de métodos não destrutivos. O objetivo do presente trabalho é estimar e estudar a dinâmica do estoque da biomassa e do carbono florestal em estágios sucessionais de regeneração na Região Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. A área de estudo está localizada no Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, abrangendo duas microrregiões, Três Passos e Frederico Westphalen. Para este estudo foram desenvolvidas duas metodologias para estimar o estoque de biomassa florestal, ambas baseadas em dados de sensoriamento remoto. O estudo na primeira metodologia foi realizado para as datas de 1985, 1994, 2005 e 2014, e abrange área de 9.046,9 km². A classificação das sucessões florestais em estágios de regeneração se deu por continuidade ao trabalho de Rosa (2016), onde as classes de tamanho: inicial (< 5 ha), média (5 – 10 ha), avançada (> 10 ha), depois estimadas a biomassa para elas. Para a segunda metodologia, foram usadas imagens de todos os anos desde 1985 a 2014, onde foi calculado o NDVI, e através de regressão gerada para o modelo global, se obter o IAF e estimar a biomassa florestal. Posteriormente, comparou-se ambas as metodologias foram comparadas entre si, e comparadas com valores fornecidos pela metodologia do Serviço Florestal Brasileiro. Para o primeiro estudo, a biomassa florestal em 2014 na Região Noroeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul foi de 80.831 Gg, divididos em três estágios de regeneração inicial (659 Gg) médio (2.549 Gg) e avançado (77.623 Gg). Na área de estudo, estão presentes três áreas protegidas, o Parque Estadual do Turvo, a Reserva indígena de Nonoai e a Reserva indígena do Guarita, as quais possuem quase 25% do estoque total da região, e são áreas significativas no estoque de carbono. O carbono estimado pela primeira metodologia foi de 296 Gg para o estágio inicial, 1.147 para o estágio médio e 34.930 para o estágio avançado, totalizando 36.373 Gg. Para a segunda metodologia, foi possível observar a grande relação entre o aumento do IAF em função do NDVI estimando a biomassa florestal em 2014 foi de 61.156 Gg onde 602 Gg correspondem ao estágio de regeneração inicial, 8.287 Gg para o estágio médio e 52.267 Gg para o estágio avançado de regeneração. O total de carbono estimado para a área de estudo em 2014 conforme a segunda metodologia foi de 27.520 Gg CO2 sendo desses 271 Gg presentes no estágio inicial, 3.729 Gg no estágio médio e 23.520 Gg no estágio avançado de regeneração. Na comparação das metodologias desenvolvidas neste estudo, obteve-se uma diferença de 19.675 Gg, devido principalmente aos efeitos de bordas dos fragmentos estudados. Comparando-se a primeira e a segunda metodologias desenvolvidas com a fornecida pelo Serviço Florestal Brasileiro, obteve-se apenas 10 e 14,30% dos valores estimados para a biomassa florestal.

Response of forest succession to agricultural land-abandonment in the Giant Mountains ABSTRACT: Since the end of the 19th century, there is undergoing process of land-abandonment of mountain meadows and pastures in most of the European mountains, including the Giant Mountains. Mountain agriculture in the Giant Mountains was terminated no later than before World War II. Abandoned meadows were then subjected to secondary forest succession. The question is, how fast was this succession and how was its dynamics. My research was focused on 4 areas of interest, located in the vicinity of former mountain huts. Methods applied included the analysis of historical maps and aerial photographs and dendrochronological research of age structure of Norway spruce (Picea abies) stands. The aim of this thesis was to find out the extent of mountain agriculture near the huts and the dynamics of forest succession following land abandonment. Main peaks of seedlings establishment were observed in a very short time (10 - 20 years) following termination of mountain agriculture and in most cases these peaks were further followed by one or two more weaker peaks in the later periods. These peaks became evident in the change maps of forest development with approximately 20 years delay. Forest succession was moving gradually from the...

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-06T17:42:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PGPV15DA019.pdf: 1647519 bytes, checksum: 1d5c0783923ddc331d153e95b7e62281 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-04-16 / Mimosa scabrella Bentham, is a pioneer species, native and endemic to Brazil, occurring mainly in secondary training in Araucaria Forest. Known popularly as bracatinga, has potential for supply chain development in the Plateau of Santa Catarina, because wide range of timber and non-timber products. Due to the lack of ecological information and productive character of M. scabrella, this study aimed to characterize demographics (population structure and dynamics), spatial distribution, dendrometric growth, carbon content and the amount of CO2 equivalent, relate the potential increment of biomass under the action of abiotic factors and to verify the potential facilitator of this species in the successional advance in areas where restoration. Populations of M. scabrella studied are at different stages of development located in Bocaina do Sul, Lages, Ponte Alta and Urupema. Three sample units were allocated/population, measuring 40x40m, subdivided into sub-plots 10x10m, with a total sampling area 1.92 ha. All individuals of M. scabrella present within the limits of 12 demarcated sampling units were identified with aluminum plates and monitored for two evaluation periods (2012 and 2013). All individuals present in each sample unit were measured as the diameter at breast height (DBH) for adults (DBH &#8805; 5 cm to 1.3 meters high); The diameter of soil height (DAC) for regenerating (DBH &#706; 5 cm at 1.3 meters height). Were evaluated following environmental variables: soil chemistry, relief (slope) and canopy cover. The survey of the diversity of the community regenerating in the understory of the population was evaluated in two sample/population units with dimensions of 40x20m, totaling 800 m²/population, was sampled all individuals with height &#8805; 10 cm. The initial stages of development of populations of M. scabrella were marked by the occurrence of natural thinning, arising from pressures imposed by intraspecific competition. The diameter distribution in the populationat an early stage showed high concentration of individuals in the early grades and unimodal distribution in populations at a more advanced stage. The spatial distribution pattern of M. scabrella is compatible with those reported for other pioneer species. These populations demonstrate potential to provide environmental services regarding the carbon capture and storage. The dynamic rates were defined by the absence of recruitment in all populations and increased mortality in higher density (younger). Gains in basal area of each population had relationships with different environmental variables, which are: soil fertility, slope and canopy cover. The areas where natural regeneration in understory of M. scabrella of different ages, show different floristic-structural patterns, which are consistent with the trends succession dynamics characteristics of Araucaria Pine Forest, where most wealth and abundance of regenerating individuals was recorded in M. scabrella sub-woods with more advanced age / Mimosa scabrella Bentham é uma espécie pioneira, nativa e endêmica do Brasil, ocorrendo principalmente em formações secundárias de Floresta Ombrófila Mista. Conhecida popularmente como bracatinga, apresenta potencial para desenvolvimento da cadeia produtiva no Planalto Catarinense, devido ao amplo espectro de produtos madeiráveis e não madeiráveis que pode oferecer. Em decorrência da escassez de informações ecológicas e de caráter produtivo de M. scabrella, este estudo objetivou caracterizar aspectos demográficos (estrutura e dinâmica populacional), distribuição espacial, crescimento dendrométrico, teor de carbono e a quantidade de CO2 equivalente, relacionar o potencial de ganho de biomassa sob ação de diferentes variáveis ambientais, assim como verificar o potencial facilitador desta espécie quanto ao avanço sucessional em áreas em restauração. As populações de M. scabrella estudadas estão em diferentes estádios de desenvolvimento (idade) situadas nos municípios de Bocaina do Sul, Lages, Ponte Alta e Urupema. Foram alocadas três unidades amostrais por população, com dimensões de 40x40m, subdividas em sub-parcelas de 10x10m, totalizando uma área amostral 1,92 ha. Todos os indivíduos de M. scabrella presentes nos limites das 12 unidades amostrais demarcadas foram identificados com placas de alumínio e monitorados durante dois períodos de avaliação (2012 e 2013). Todos os indivíduos presentes em cada unidade amostral foram medidos quanto o diâmetro a altura do peito (DAP), para os indivíduos adultos (DAP &#8805; 5 cm a 1,3 metros de altura); o diâmetro a altura do colo (DAC), para os indivíduos regenerantes (DAP &#8804; 5 cm a 1,3 metros de altura). Em cada sub-parcela foram avaliadas as seguintes variáveis ambientais: química do solo, relevo (declividade) e cobertura do dossel. O padrão de distribuição espacial foi calculado pelo Índice de Morisita para as diferentes populações e a quantidade de CO2 equivalente pela estimativa do carbono total. O levantamento da diversidade da comunidade regenerante no sub-bosque das populações foi avaliada em duas unidades amostrais por população, com dimensões de 40x20m, totalizando 800 m²/população, onde foram amostrados todos os indivíduos com altura &#8805; 10 cm. As fases iniciais de desenvolvimento das populações de M. scabrella foram marcadas pela ocorrência de desbastes naturais, oriundo das pressões impostas pela competição intraespecífica. A distribuição diamétrica na população em estádio inicial demonstrou alta concentração de indivíduos nas primeiras classes e distribuição unimodal nas populações em estádio mais avançado. O padrão de distribuição espacial de M. scabrella é compatível com aqueles registrados para outras espécies pioneiras (população em estádio inicial = agregado; estádio avançado = aleatório). Estas populações demonstram potencialidades de prestação de serviço ambiental no que tange o sequestro e estocagem de carbono. As taxas de dinâmica foram definidas pela ausência de recrutamento em todas as populações e maior mortalidade na população de maior densidade (mais jovem). Os ganhos em área basal de cada população apresentaram relações com distintas variáveis ambientais, sendo estas: fertilidade do solo, declividade e cobertura do dossel. As áreas em regeneração natural, em sub-bosques de M. scabrella com diferentes idades, apresentaram diferentes padrões florístico-estruturais, os quais são compatíveis com as tendências características da dinâmica sucessional de Floresta Ombrófila Mista, onde a maior riqueza de indivíduos regenerantes foi registrada nos sub-bosques de M. scabrella com idade mais avançadas

Submitted by (edna.saturno@ufrpe.br) on 2016-06-20T16:07:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Jefferson Thiago Souza.pdf: 1154686 bytes, checksum: 3909c2a25caa7b398ccf23b4cb98fddb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-20T16:07:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jefferson Thiago Souza.pdf: 1154686 bytes, checksum: 3909c2a25caa7b398ccf23b4cb98fddb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-06-20 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Forest conversion to agriculture areas modify attributes and ecological processes required for forest regeneration. We aim (i) investigate how the conversion of a mature forest in a abandoned agriculture area affects predispersal seed predation, the seeds size and mass, (ii) verify the annual, seasonal variation and dispersal modes effect in the seed rain, and (iii) investigate the effect of the forest age, season and seed deposition in the dynamics of soil seed bank of woody species. Both forests are located Caruaru, PE, Brazil. Fruits and seeds of the species, Mimosa arenosa and Croton blanchetianus, we collected and measured the seed size and mass, observed the predispersal seed predation. Seed rain was monitored monthly in both forests by seed traps. Output seed bank of the species, M. arenosa, C. blanchetianus and Piptadenia stipulacea were monitored in mesh bags, and placed on the surface and buried at 0-5 cm in the forests. Predispersal seed predation was 18.8% for M. arenosa and 4.3% for C. blanchetianus in the mature forest. In young forest, predispersal seed predation were 16 % and 4.0 %, respectively to M. arenosa and C. blanchetianus. Seed size and mass of the C. blanchetianus differed between mature and young forests. To C. blanchetianus, only the seeds of mature forest showed a significant effect of the size on predispersal seed predation. Seed rain in mature forest had significantly higher density in young forest. Richness and density differed between seasons and higher in the dry season. Richness and seed density also differed between dispersal modes. In the young forest, richness of autochorous, anemochoric and zoochorous species were 25, 21 and 10, while the densities were 159 seeds•m-2•month-1, 16.5 without•m-2•month-1 and without 2.7•m-2•month-1, respectively. The floristic similarity between forests was 0.79, and the year I was 0.75 and was 0.68 in year II. The failure in the output seed bank of M. arenosa suffered significant effect only on the forest age. To C. blanchetianus. Season and seed deposition influenced inn the output seed bank with higher failure in the dry season and seeds buried. Season affected the success in the output seed bank M. arenosa and C. blanchetianus being higher in the rainy season for M. arenosa and in the dry season to C. blanchetianus. Output seed bank of P. stipulacea was not affected. In general, the young forest has features of the initial stages of succession, but the time of abandonment was enough to recovery some ecological process of the populations. / A conversão de florestas em áreas de agricultura pode afetar os atributos e processos ecológicos necessários para a regeneração. Objetivou-se investigar (i) como a conversão de uma floresta madura, em Caruaru (Pernambuco), em uma floresta jovem pós uso para agricultura afeta a predação pré-dispersão, o tamanho e massa de frutos e sementes; (ii) como a chuva de sementes destas florestas responde aos efeitos anuais, sazonais e dos modos de dispersão; (iii) o efeito da idade de florestas, sazonalidade climática e deposição de sementes na dinâmica de sementes banco do solo. Foram coletadas frutos e sementes de Mimosa arenosa e Croton blanchetianus verificando o tamanho e massa e as evidências de predação pré-dispersão. A chuva de sementes foi monitorada mensalmente por meio de coletores. Foram colocadas sementes de M. arenosa, C. blanchetianus e Piptadenia stipulacea em sacos de malha e dispostas na superfície e enterradas no solo de 0-5 cm para as duas florestas. A predação foi 18,8% e 4,3% para M. arenosa e C. blanchetianus, respectivamente, na floresta madura e de 16% e 4,0%, respectivamente na floresta jovem. Para C. blanchetianus, tamanho e massa de frutos, bem como a massa de sementes diferiram entre as florestas madura e jovem. Para C. blanchetianus, apenas na floresta madura houve efeito do tamanho na predação pré-dispersão. A chuva de sementes na floresta jovem teve densidade maior que a floresta madura. Riqueza e densidade diferiram entre estações, sendo maiores na seca. Riqueza e densidade também diferiram entre os modos de dispersão. Na floresta jovem, a riqueza de autocóricas, anemocóricas e zoocóricas foram de 25, 21 e 10, enquanto as densidades foram de 159 sem·m-2·mês-1, 16,5 sem·m-2·mês-1 e 2,7 sem·m-2·mês-1, respectivamente. A similaridade florística foi de 0,79 entre florestas. O fracasso na saída de sementes de M. arenosa sofreu efeito apenas da idade da floresta. A sazonalidade e a deposição influenciaram o maior fracasso em sementes de C. blanchetianus na seca e enterradas. A sazonalidade afetou o sucesso de M. arenosa sendo maior na chuvosa e de C. blanchetianus sendo maior na seca. A saída do banco de P. stipulacea não foi afetado por nenhum dos fatores analisados. Em geral, a floresta jovem tem características que permite classificá-la em fase de sucessão inicial, mas o tempo do abandono já recuperou alguns processos para determinadas populações.

Grandes mamíferos herbívoros exercem papel fundamental para a função e estrutura dos ecossistemas terrestres, através principalmente da herbivoria e da deposição de fezes e urina, que influenciam a germinação e crescimento de plantas, a composição e diversidade de comunidades vegetais, a ciclagem e translocação de nutrientes, o estoque de carbono e a freqüência de distúrbios como o fogo. Entretanto, em florestas tropicais, o papel de grandes mamíferos herbívoros foi pouco estudado até o momento. De acordo com a Teoria de Forrageio Ótimo, a seleção de recursos alimentares é resultado do balanço entre o ganho energético e o gasto com a procura, captura e ingestão do alimento. Na escala da paisagem, um dos processos que pode gerar manchas com diferentes qualidades nutricionais para herbívoros é a sucessão da vegetação. Estádios iniciais de sucessão, por serem dominados por espécies de plantas de baixa estatura e crescimento rápido, com folhas tenras, alto conteúdo de nitrogênio, poucos compostos secundários e mais palatáveis, deveriam ser preferidos por grandes mamíferos herbívoros. No entanto, para herbívoros podadores, que incluem frutos na dieta, a disponibilidade destes itens, que são mais nutritivos que a folhagem, deve também influenciar o forrageio. Neste trabalho investigamos como varia a intensidade de forrageio e a deposição de fezes por Tapirus terrestris entre estádios sucessionais, visando contribuir para o entendimento do papel do maior herbívoro terrestre sul-americano para a regeneração da floresta e a translocação de nutrientes. Investigamos se T. Terrestris forrageia mais intensamente em manchas de vegetação em estádios mais iniciais de sucessão, se esta preferência é mais forte quando não há a oferta de um recurso alimentar muito nutritivo, os frutos de cambuci (Campomanesia phaea), e se deposita maior quantidade de fezes onde forrageia mais intensamente e assim não transloca nutrientes. Para tanto, em uma paisagem de 20.000 ha de Floresta Atlântica contínua, foram alocados 12 sítios de amostragem em manchas com diferentes proporções de vegetação em estádios mais iniciais de sucessão. Em cada sítio, a amostragem foi realizada em quatro transecções perpendiculares de 160 m cada durante seis sessões entre março e agosto de 2011. A anta foi registrada através de armadilhas fotográficas e de rastros e fezes localizados e removidos no início e no final de cada sessão. Foram também quantificados a proporção das transecções ocupada por estádios iniciais de sucessão (estádios pioneiro, inicial e médio), o número de clareiras, e o número de pontos das transecções onde a densidade do sub-bosque, do estrato herbáceo e de árvores com DAP até 5 cm foi considerada alta ou muito alta. A frutificação do cambuci foi acompanhada ao longo do período de estudo, tendo sido registrada em metade das sessões de amostragem. Através da abordagem de seleção de modelos, comparamos um conjunto de modelos candidatos para três variáveis dependentes: (a) parâmetro abundância (&lambda;, interpretado como a intensidade de forrageio ao longo das sessões de amostragem) em modelos de abundância (que assumem que não há variações temporais na abundância), considerando apenas modelos simples com cada uma das variáveis explanatórias associadas à proporção de vegetação em estádios mais iniciais de sucessão; (b) número de setores com rastros (interpretado como a intensidade de forrageio dentro das sessões de amostragem) em modelos mistos (GLMMs), considerando estes mesmos modelos simples e mais um grupo de modelos compostos que incluem uma variável temporal relacionada à frutificação do cambuci; e (c) número total de fezes em modelos lineares (GLMs), considerando todos os modelos descritos anteriormente e um modelo com o número total de setores com rastros (interpretado como a intensidade de forrageio total). Nossos resultados indicam que, como esperado pela Teoria de Forrageio Ótimo, Tapirus terrestris seleciona manchas de vegetação em estádios mais iniciais de sucessão, particularmente áreas com maior densidade de árvores pequenas e com maior número de clareiras, e especialmente quando não há oferta de frutos de cambuci. Embora o número total de fezes seja melhor explicado pelo número total de setores com rastros, a relação do número total de fezes com a proporção de estádios iniciais tende a ser negativa, sugerindo que possa haver alguma translocação de nutrientes dos estádios jovens para os tardios. Embora inferências sobre o efeito de T. terrestris sobre a comunidade de plantas dependam de estudos complementares em escalas menores, nossos resultados sugerem que: a herbivoria afeta estádios iniciais de sucessão, onde pode resultar no aumento da diversidade de plantas; antas podem ser agentes de translocação de nutrientes de estádios ricos (iniciais) para aqueles onde nutrientes tendem a ser limitantes (tardios), e a espécie é um potencial agente dispersor do cambuci, espécie ameaçada de extinção / Large herbivorous mammals play a crucial role to the function and structure of terrestrial ecosystems, mainly through herbivory and deposition of dung and urine, which influence plant germination and growth, composition and diversity of plant communities, nutrient cycling and translocation, carbon storage and the frequency of disturbances such as fire. So far, however, the role of large herbivorous mammals in tropical forests has been poorly studied. According to the Optimal Foraging Theory, selection of food resources results from the balance between energy intake and costs to search, capture and ingest the food. At the landscape scale, a process that can generate patches with different nutritional quality for herbivores is vegetation succession. Early successional stages should be preferred by large herbivorous mammals because they are dominated by plant with low height and fast growth, with leaves that are tender, present high nitrogen content and few secondary compounds, and are more palatable. However, for herbivore browsers, which include fruits in their diet, the availability of these items that are more nutritious than foliage should also affect foraging. Here, we investigate how foraging intensity and dung deposition by Tapirus terrestris vary among successional stages, aiming at contributing to the understanding of the role of the largest South American terrestrial herbivore to forest regeneration and nutrient translocation. We investigated if T. terrestris forages more intensively in earlier successional stages, if this preference is stronger when there is no availability of a highly nutritious food resource, the fruits of cambuci (Campomanesia phaea), and if it deposits larger amounts of dung where it forages more intensively, not translocating nutrients. In a 20,000 ha landscape of continuous Atlantic Forest, we allocated 12 sampling sites in patches with different proportion of vegetation in early successional stages. At each site, samplings were conducted in four 160 m long perpendicular transects during six sessions between March and August 2011. Tapir were registered by camera traps and tracks and dung located and cleared at the beginning and end of each session. We also quantified the proportion of transects occupied by early successional stages (pioneer, initial, and mid stage), the number of gaps, and the number of points in transects where the density of the understory , of herbaceous vegetation and of trees with DBH up to 5cm was considered high or very high. The fruiting of cambuci was registered throughout the study period, and was recorded in half of the sampling sessions. Using a model selection approach, we compared a set of candidate models for three dependent variables: (a) the parameter abundance (&lambda;, interpreted as foraging intensity along sampling sessions) in abundance models (which assume no temporal variations in abundance), considering only simple models containing each of the explanatory variables associated with the proportion of earlier successional stages, (b) the number of transect sectors with tracks (interpreted as foraging intensity within sampling sessions) in mixed-effects models (GLMMs), considering these same simple models and a group of composite models that included a temporal variable related to cambuci frutification, and (c) the total number of dung piles in linear models (GLMs), considering all models described above and a model with the total number of transect sectors with tracks (interpreted as total foraging intensity). Our results indicate that, as expected by the Optimal Foraging Theory, Tapirus terrestris selects patches of vegetation in earlier successional stages, in particular areas with higher density of small trees and higher number of gaps, and especially when there is no availability of cambuci fruits. Although the total number of dung piles is better explained by the total number of transect sectors with tracks, the relationship between the number of dung piles and the proportion of earlier successional stages tends to be negative, suggesting that there may be translocation of nutrients from initial to later successional stages. Although conclusions on the effect of T. terrestris on plant communities depend on complementary studies at smaller scales, our results suggest that: herbivory affects early successional stages, where it can result in increased plant diversity; tapirs may act as agents of nutrient translocation from nutrient-rich stages (earlier) to those where nutrients tend to be limiting (later); and tapirs are a potential disperser of cambuci, an endangered plant species

Ett av de primära hoten mot biologisk mångfald och populationsnedgångar är utvecklingen av de moderna jord- och skogsbruket, där intensifierad markanvändning vidare har lett till förlust av lämpliga livsmiljöer för många organismgrupper, inklusive insekter. Nattfjärilar anses vara en indikatorgrupp för miljöförändringar och deras nedgång har dokumenterats i flera europeiska länder. Utvecklingen av infrastruktur som ytterligare bidrar till markanvändningen, till exempel kraftledningsgator, har fått ett ökat intresse att utforskas ur ett naturvårdsperspektiv. Studier har visat att insektsgrupper som till exempel vilda bin och dagfjärilar potentiellt kan använda kraftledningsgator som en möjlig livsmiljö, men liknande studier är bristfälliga för nattfjärilar. Kraftledningsgator löper genom landskapets varierande naturtyper och korsar därmed skogsbestånd påverkade av skogsbruket.   Denna studie undersökte abundans och artrikedom av nattaktiva storfjärilar (Macrolepidoptera) i norra Sverige längs smala kraftledningsgator omgiven av olika successionsstadier av boreal skog och skog opåverkade av kraftledningsgator som kontroll. Samtidigt undersöktes effekter av säsong och nattlig temperatur på förekomsten av nattfjärilar i studien. Nattfjärilar samlades in genom ljusfångst under juli och augusti 2022. Vidare kunde ingen signifikant skillnad påvisas i artrikedom eller abundans av nattfjärilar mellan kraftledningsgator omgiven av olika tillväxtstadier av skogsbestånd och kontrollgruppen. Däremot observerades en varierad artsammansättning i vardera habitattyp. Resultatet kan vagt antyda att nattfjärilar i varierande skogsbestånd möjligtvis kan nyttja de smala kraftledningsgator som löper genom områdena om ledningsgatan innehar en gynnsam miljö med viktiga värdväxter. Men större studier behövs för att undersöka kraftledningsgator som livsmiljö och eventuella effekter av angränsande omgivning. Utöver påvisades skillnader i abundans och artrikedom av nattfjärilar mellan perioder (juli och augusti), samt positiva korrelationer mellan fångstfrekvensen av nattfjärilar och högre temperatur under nätterna vid ljusfångst. Resultaten indikerar att säsong och temperatur är faktorer som bör tas i beaktning vid studier av nattfjärilar för att få mer tillförlitliga provtagningar i ett habitat.  Nationella långtidsstudier av nattfjärilar saknas och en ökad kunskap om status och trender av populationer är nödvändigt. Naturvårdsåtgärder för infrastrukturbiotoper behöver en samverkan mellan aktörer och ett helhetsperspektiv där omgivande landskap tas i beaktning. Fler och större studier behövs för att utvärdera kraftledningsgators potential i förhållande till deras negativa effekter på biodiversitet och fler studier är nödvändiga för att undersöka om kraftledningsgators arealer kan optimeras i förvaltning och användas av viktiga hotade insektsgrupper, som till exempel nattfjärilar. / One of the primary threats to biodiversity and population declines is intensified agriculture and forestry management. Intense land use leads to loss of suitable habitats for many groups of organisms, including insects. Moths are considered an indicator group for environmental changes and their decline has been documented in several European countries. Furthermore, development of infrastructure, power line corridors for example, also contributes to land use. However, studies have indicated that insects such as wild bees and diurnal butterflies can potentially use power line corridors, but studies are lacking if this applies to moths. Power line corridors run through the landscape and their adjacent environment are thus very varied. This study investigates the abundance and species richness of moths (Macrolepidoptera) in northern Sweden, along narrow power line corridors surrounded by different successional stages of boreal forest, compared to forests unaffected by power lines. Mid- and late summer season and temperature effects were also investigated. Moths were collected in july and august 2022 by sampling at night with light traps. No significant difference could be demonstrated between power line corridors surrounded by different forest types and the control group, for either abundance or species richness. Even though there were no difference in species richness between sites, the species composition of moths in each habitat varied. The result may indicate that moths in different forest types potentially can use the narrow power line corridors that run through the area, if the local environment is favorable and vital host plants are present, but more studies are needed to investigate power lines as novel habitats and possible effects of the surrounding environment. Furthermore, abundance and species richness of moths were greater in late summer, and postively corellated with higher temperatures at nights, which indicates that these factors should be taken into account when sampling moths to survey and evaluate populations in a site.  National long-term studies of moths are lacking and an increased knowledge of status and trends of moth communities is needed. From a conservation point-of-view, the areas beneath power lines should be managed and optimized with a landscape perspective in consideration. More studies are necessary to evaluate power line corridors possibility to act as potential novel habitats for important groups of organisms that are declining, for example insects such as moths.

No description available.

The native plant communities of Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand have been severely modified and degraded and the Canterbury Plain (750,000 ha) retains few remnants of its original forest and other ecosystems. The research presented here considers the mutualistic roles of exotic and indigenous species in the process of restoring degraded landscapes. Exotic species may have an important role in the (re) establishment of desired indigenous species, and may influence succession through to a forest dominated by them. One aspect of this work describes indigenous plant community regeneration facilitated by exotic willow (Salix spp.) woodland on the Canterbury Plain. Natural colonisation of the willow woodland by native plants was investigated, with respect to variation in the physical environment in the willow stand. Key factors in the success of willow woodland as a nursery for regeneration of native vegetation include: distance to the nearest seed source, the ability to attract seed dispersers (recruitment only occurred under perch sites), flooding potential (higher recruitment in areas less likely to flood) and possibly light availability. Control of vertebrate (and invertebrate) herbivory is also necessary for successful restoration. A second aspect was a field experiment in open pasture and in a non-native remnant woodland which was then used to investigate the effects of shelter, plant spacing, mulching and fertiliser on growth and survival of planted native woody species. With minimal management, the selected mid-late successional plants established poorly in the open pasture and had low survival rates (e.g.,Dacrycarpus dacrydioides, Pseudopanax arboreus, Aristotelia serrata, Melicytus ramiflorus). Only narrow-leaved species (e.g., Plagianthus reg ius, Hoheria angustifolia, Hebe salicifolia, Cordyline australis) survived this open pasture planting. In contrast, most species (broad and narrow-leaved) established under the sheltered sites. Exotic nursery vegetation and the establishment of native species, which will, in time, act as a seed source, will be important in successfully restoring a sustainable indigenous element in the cultural landscape of Canterbury. Ecological restoration requires an integrated approach, identifying and understanding the component processes of regeneration, and of the particular aspects/characteristics of the sites involved. This research shows that naturally established plants where existing shelter is available (in this case established willows) tend to have higher growth rates than individually planted plants in open situations, and that the availability of a suitable seed source can also contribute to successful establishment and growth rates. The meeting of restoration targets on the Canterbury Plain may be accelerated, and costs reduced, through the utilisation of areas where exotic species occur (for instance, extensive willow stands in riparian areas adjacent to waterways) and more particularly, where a local seed source is also available. The findings of this research can contribute to restoration management in helping identify the best practices, based on research, that can lead to the restoration of original plant and animal communities.

Linking environmental variation to population dynamics is necessary to understand and predict how the environment influences species abundances and distributions. I used demographic, environmental and trait data of forest herbs to study effects of spatial variation in environmental factors on populations as well as environmental change in terms of effects of forest succession on field layer plants. The results show that abundances of field layer species during forest succession are correlated with their functional traits; species with high specific leaf area increased more in abundance. I also found that soil nutrients affect vegetative and flowering phenology of the forest herb Actaea spicata. The effect of nutrients shows that a wider range of environmental factors than usually assumed can influence plant phenology. Moreover, local environmental factors affected also the demography of A. spicata through effects on vital rates. An abiotic factor, soil potassium affecting individual growth rate, was more important for population growth rate than seed predation, the most conspicuous biotic interaction in this system. Density independent changes in soil potassium during forest succession, and to a lesser extent plant population size dependent seed predation, were predicted to alter population growth rate, and thereby the abundance, of A. spicata over time. Because these environmental factors had effects on population projections, they can potentially influence the occupancy pattern of this species along successional gradients. I conclude that including deterministic, as opposed to stochastic, environmental change in demographic models enables assessments of the effects of processes such as succession, altered land-use, and climate change on population dynamics. Models explicitly incorporating environmental factors are useful for studying population dynamics in a realistic context, and to guide management of threatened species in changing environments.

The link between aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and resource gradients generated by complex terrain (solar radiation, nutrients, and moisture) has been established in the literature. Belowground ecosystem stocks and functions, such as soil organic carbon (SOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and belowground productivity have also been related to the same topography and resource distributions, and therefore it is expected that they share spatial and temporal patterns with ANPP. However, stand structure on complex terrain is a function of multiple trajectories of forest development that interact with existing resource gradients, creating feedbacks that complicate the relationships between resource availability and ANPP. On a 96 ha forested watershed in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in the Western Cascades range of Oregon, spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the secondary succession of a replanted Pseudotsuga menziesii stand following harvest results from the interaction of stand composition and abiotic drivers and may create unique "hot spots" and "hot moments" that complicate gradient relationships. In this dissertation, I tested the hypotheses that (chapter 3) multiple successional trajectories exist and can be predicted from a general linear model using specific topographic, historical, and biological parameters and that an estimated "maximum ANPP" may better represent stand characteristics than ANPP measured at a particular moment in time. I also test that (chapter 4) the distribution of light fraction carbon (LFC; C with a density of less than 1.85 g/cm��) is spatially variable, elevated on hardwood-initiated sites (hardwood biomass > 50% of biomass), and positively correlated with litter fall and ANPP. Chapter 4 also tests that heavy fraction carbon (HFC; C with a density of greater than 1.85 g/cm��) is a function of both soil mineralogy, stand composition, and ANPP, such that edges observed spatially in site mineralogy (changes in soil type) are reflected in sharp changes in the composition of the forest community and the magnitude of HFC stores. Finally, I hypothesized (chapter 5) that in complex terrain, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) export can be predicted from landform characteristics, relates to ANPP, and may be measured by several methods which are well-correlated with one another. In chapter 6, I discuss how litter fall measurements can be extrapolated to a watershed extent, and use litter fall as an example of the error that can occur in scaling up measurements taken at a small scale, within a heterogeneous stand on complex terrain, to a landscape scale extent. / Graduation date: 2013