abstract: Worldwide, riverine floodplains are among the most endangered landscapes. In response to anthropogenic impacts, riverine restoration projects are considerably increasing. However, there is a paucity of information on how riparian rehabilitation activities impact non-avian wildlife communities. I evaluated herpetofauna abundance, species richness, diversity (i.e., Shannon and Simpson indices), species-specific responses, and riparian microhabitat characteristics along three reaches (i.e., wildland, urban rehabilitated, and urban disturbed) of the Salt River, Arizona. The surrounding uplands of the two urbanized reaches were dominated by the built environment (i.e., Phoenix metropolitan area). I predicted that greater diversity of microhabitat and lower urbanization would promote herpetofauna abundance, richness, and diversity. In 2010, at each reach, I performed herpetofauna visual surveys five times along eight transects (n=24) spanning the riparian zone. I quantified twenty one microhabitat characteristics such as ground substrate, vegetative cover, woody debris, tree stem density, and plant species richness along each transect. Herpetofauna species richness was the greatest along the wildland reach, and the lowest along the urban disturbed reach. The wildland reach had the greatest diversity indices, and diversity indices of the two urban reaches were similar. Abundance of herpetofauna was approximately six times lower along the urban disturbed reach compared to the two other reaches, which had similar abundances. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) reduced microhabitat variables to five factors, and significant differences among reaches were detected. Vegetation structure complexity, vegetation species richness, as well as densities of Prosopis (mesquite), Salix (willow), Populus (cottonwood), and animal burrows had a positive correlation with at least one of the three herpetofauna community parameter quantified (i.e., herpetofauna abundance, species richness, and diversity indices), and had a positive correlation with at least one herpetofauna species. Overall, rehabilitation activities positively influenced herpetofauna abundance and species richness, whereas urbanization negatively influenced herpetofauna diversity indices. Based on herpetofauna/microhabitat correlations established, I developed recommendations regarding microhabitat features that should be created in order to promote herpetofauna when rehabilitating degraded riparian systems. Recommendations are to plant vegetation of different growth habit, provide woody debris, plant Populus, Salix, and Prosopis of various ages and sizes, and to promote small mammal abundance. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Applied Biological Sciences 2011

Submitted by Automa??o e Estat?stica (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2017-02-13T20:11:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 EmanuelLuanBarrosDeQueiroga_DISSERT.pdf: 2529312 bytes, checksum: 69e1c4d48879fceaa417a4cd1994e970 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-02-16T00:03:39Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 EmanuelLuanBarrosDeQueiroga_DISSERT.pdf: 2529312 bytes, checksum: 69e1c4d48879fceaa417a4cd1994e970 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-16T00:03:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 EmanuelLuanBarrosDeQueiroga_DISSERT.pdf: 2529312 bytes, checksum: 69e1c4d48879fceaa417a4cd1994e970 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-07-25 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES) / O Dom?nio da Mata Atl?ntica, que se estima restarem somente entre 7 a 10% de vegeta??o remanescente, encontra-se amea?ado pelo uso e ocupa??o desordenados, em sua maior parte proveniente da urbaniza??o, uma das principais causas de extin??o de esp?cies. Dentre os remanescentes no estado do Rio Grande do Norte, destaca-se o Parque Estadual das Dunas de Natal (PEDN), Unidade de Conserva??o de prote??o integral e localidade tipo do lagarto Coleodactylus natalensis, esp?cie da fauna brasileira amea?ada de extin??o. Apesar destes fatos, beleza c?nica e ameniza??o do clima pelo PEDN, ele est? sempre amea?ado de uso e ocupa??o de parte que margeia a Avenida Roberto Freire, por ser considerada degradada. Em virtude disso, este trabalho visou subsidiar a avalia??o da import?ncia ambiental dessa ?rea degradada, a partir deste estudo sobre taxocenose de lagartos, para registrar e identificar as esp?cies, e como estas se distribuem e se mant?m nas diferentes fitofisionomias. Foram delimitados tr?s quadrantes de amostragens paralelos, equidistantes cerca de 500 m, em diferentes fitofisionomias. A procura ativa nas ?reas foi de forma aleat?ria ao longo de tr?s transec??es paralelas. Foram registradas 12 esp?cies de lagartos e a curva de rarefa??o mostrou-se sint?tica, denotando que mais esp?cies poderiam ser registradas. As esp?cies mais registradas foram Ameivula ocellifera, Brasiliscincus heathi e Gymnodactylus geckoides. As com maior e menor largura de nicho quanto ao habitat foram Salvator merianae e C. natalensis, respectivamente. Quanto ao microhabitat, Tropidurus hispidus foi a mais generalista e B. heathi a mais especialista. O par de esp?cies com maior sobreposi??o no uso de habitats foi S. merianae e Ameiva ameiva, e nos microhabitats, A. ocellifera e B. heathi. A varia??o temporal da riqueza frente a altas temperaturas e ?ndices pluviom?tricos indica que a presen?a das esp?cies ? mais dependente de fatores abi?ticos. Altas sobreposi??es em alguns pares de esp?cies n?o limitam a coocorr?ncia destas, pois segregam nos demais eixos dos nichos. As esp?cies mais frequentes s?o de ?reas abertas, mas duas de ?reas florestadas, Dryadosaura nordestina e C. natalensis, esta ?ltima amea?ada de extin??o, refor?am a relev?ncia da conserva??o dessa ?rea considerada degradada para a manuten??o da biodiversidade do Parque. / The Domain of the Atlantic Forest estimated there were only between 11.4% and 16% of its original vegetation remaining and is threatened by disordered use and occupation, mostly from urbanization, which is one of the main causes of extinction of species. Among the remaining species in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, stands out the Parque Estadual das Dunas de Natal (PEDN), Conservation Unit for integral protection and location of the lizard Coleodactylus natalensis, an endangered species from the Brazilian fauna. Despite these facts, scenic beauty, and climate mitigation by the PEDN, this species has been endangered by use and settlement on the already degraded land that borders the Avenida. This paper aimed to support the assessment of the environmental importance of this degraded area by studying the taxocenosis of lizards in order to register and identify species as well as how they distribute themselves and remain in different vegetation types. Three parallel and equally spaced (about 500m) sampling quadrants were delimited in different vegetation types. The active search in the quadrants was random along three parallel transects. Twelve species of lizard were registered and the rarefaction curve proved sintotica, indicating that more species could be registered. The most recorded species were Ameivula ocellifera, Brasiliscincus heathi and Gymnodactylus geckoides. The ones with the largest and smallest niche width considering their habitat were Salvator merianae and C. natalensis, respectively. Regarding microhabitat, Tropidurus hispidus was the most generalist and B. heathi the most specialist. The pair of species with greater overlap in habitat use was S. merianae and Ameiva ameiva. For microhabitats, A. ocellifera e B. heathi. The temporal variation of richness against high temperatures and rainfall rates indicates that the presence of the species is more dependent on abiotic factors. High levels of overlaps for some pairs of species did not limit the competition between them as they segregate in the remaining axes of the niches. The most common species are from open areas. However, two from forested areas, Dryadosaura nordestina and C. natalensis, which is endangered, reinforce the importance of conservation of the degraded area to maintain the biodiversity in the park.

Submitted by Divisão de Documentação/BC Biblioteca Central (ddbc@ufam.edu.br) on 2018-04-11T13:55:32Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Tese_Kaynara D. Zaqueo.pdf: 8755372 bytes, checksum: d4cb41bc00bf604cbe13dca0bf8c1774 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Divisão de Documentação/BC Biblioteca Central (ddbc@ufam.edu.br) on 2018-04-11T13:55:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Tese_Kaynara D. Zaqueo.pdf: 8755372 bytes, checksum: d4cb41bc00bf604cbe13dca0bf8c1774 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-11T13:55:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Tese_Kaynara D. Zaqueo.pdf: 8755372 bytes, checksum: d4cb41bc00bf604cbe13dca0bf8c1774 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-09-04 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In the world, there are 7,726 species of amphibians described to date and the Anura order has the largest number of identified species, with approximately 6,784 species. The Brazilian anura fauna has 1,039 species, being the most representative. In terms of diversity, Rondonia state has several sub-sampled gaps and it has the highest rates of deforestation in the Amazon. Therefore, the study of the anurans of Pacaas Novos National Park (PNPN), located in Campo Novo of Rondônia, propose to contribute with the biodiversity knowledge of this region. Two areas of the park, upland sites non-subject of flooding and the seasonally flooded areas were sampled in six expeditions carried out during the months of July 2014 to August 2016. Time Limited Visual Search (PVLT) methods, Reproductive Sites (ASR) and Pitfall Traps with Drift Fences (AIQ) were used. The teams used in PVLT and ASR samplings was formed by four or five researchers collecting for two hours/methodology/night, totaling 322 h/man in both ecosystems. Four AIQs (10 pails of 100 Liters) were used with two traps at each area, totaling 340 pails/day/area. During expeditions, 1,571 specimens belonging to 62 species of anurans from thirteen families were recorded: Aromobatidae (5), Bufonidae (4), Centrolenidae (1), Ceratophryidae (1), Craugastoridae (5), Dendrobatidae (2), Hylidae 23), Leptodactylidae (10), Microhylidae (5), Odontophrynidae (1), Phyllomedusidae (3), Pipidae (1) and Ranidae (1). The most frequent family in the park was Hylidae (37.1%). However, Pristimantis fenestratus of the Craugastoridae family was the most abundant species, with 222 specimens recorded (14.13%). The less abundant species (less than 1%) were: Allobates femoralis, Dendropsophus leucophyllatus, D. sarayacuensis, Pristimantis delius, P. diadematus, Teratohyla adenocheira and Trachycephalus cf. cunauaru. The new records for the state were Allobates flaviventris, A. cf. gasconi, Pristimantis delius and P. diadematus. Dendropsophus juliani represented the first record for Brazil. When comparing the richness of two areas, it can be stated that the richness in the seasonally flooded areas is higher in the PNPN, with 18 species that were only found in this area. The richness of PNPN is similar that found in Espigão d'Oeste also located in in Rondonia. / No mundo, foram descritas 7.726 espécies de anfíbios, sendo a ordem Anura a que possui maior número de espécies identificadas com cerca de 6.784 espécies. O Brasil é o país com a maior riqueza da ordem Anura, apresentando o total de 1.039 espécies. O estado de Rondônia apresenta uma das maiores taxas de desmatamento na Amazônia, possuindo várias lacunas sub-amostradas quanto à sua diversidade. Portanto, o estudo dos anuros do Parque Nacional de Pacaás Novos, localizado em Campo Novo de Rondônia, propõem contribuir com o melhor conhecimento quanto a biodiversidade desta região. Foram amostradas duas áreas do parque, uma de floresta de terra firme e a outra de várzea, em seis expedições realizadas durante os meses de julho de 2014 a agosto de 2016, utilizando os métodos de procura visual limitada por tempo (PVLT), amostragem em sítios reprodutivos (ASR) e armadilha de interceptação e queda (AIQ). Para as amostragens de PVLT e ASR, equipe era formada quatro ou cinco pesquisadores coletando durante duas horas/metodologia/noite, totalizando 322 h/observador em ambos ecossistemas. Foram utilizadas quatro AIQ (10 baldes-100L) sendo duas armadilhas em cada base, totalizando 340 baldes/dia/base. Durante as expedições foram registrados 1.571 espécimes, pertencentes a 62 espécies de anuros de 13 famílias: Aromobatidae (5), Bufonidae (4), Centrolenidae (1), Ceratophryidae (1), Craugastoridae (5), Dendrobatidae (2), Hylidae (23), Leptodactylidae (10), Microhylidae (5), Odontophrynidae (1), Phyllomedusidae (3), Pipidae (1) e Ranidae (1). A família de maior ocorrência no parque foi a Hylidae (37,1%). No entanto, Pristimantis fenestratus da família Craugastoridae foi a espécie mais abundante sendo registrados 222 espécimes (14,13%). As espécies menos abundantes (menos de 1%) foram: Allobates femoralis, Dendropsophus leucophyllatus, D. sarayacuensis, Pristimantis delius, P. diadematus, Teratohyla adenocheira, e Trachycephalus cf. cunauaru. Dentre os novos registros para o estado estão Allobates flaviventris, A. cf. gasconi, Pristimantis delius e P. diadematus. Dendropsophus juliani representa o primeiro registro para o Brasil. Quando comparada a riqueza das duas áreas, pode-se afirmar que a riqueza na área de várzea é maior no PNPN, com 18 espécies que foram apenas encontradas nessa área. A riqueza do PNPN é similar a encontrada em Espigão d’Oeste também localizado em Rondônia.

A maioria dos estudos sobre biodiversidade realizados no Brasil é desenvolvida em remanescentes de vegetação nativa. Entretanto, estudos recentes sugerem que paisagens agrícolas suportam uma considerável biodiversidade. O estado de São Paulo, região sudeste do Brasil, apresenta extensas áreas de pastagens, ainda sendo este o seu principal uso de solo, seguido por canaviais e eucaliptais. Este estudo foi desenvolvido nas Fazendas Três Lagoas e Arca, localizadas na bacia do Alto Paranapanema. A área inicialmente utilizada como pastagem (Brachiaria spp.) foi parcialmente substituída por plantações de eucalipto durante o período de agosto de 2006 a fevereiro de 2008. Neste estudo foram levantados anfíbios e répteis em 30 unidades amostrais contendo armadilhas de interceptação e queda distando um quilômetro uma das outras. Foram amostrados três ambientes distintos: eucaliptal (18 unidades amostrais), vegetação nativa (7 unidades amostrais) e pastos abandonados (5 unidades amostrais), resultando num esforço total de 4.977 armadilhas·dia em 23 campanhas mensais, entre agosto de 2007 e julho de 2009. Para análises dos dados foram consideradas como variável independente os ambientes (eucaliptais, pastos abandonados e vegetação nativa) e como variáveis dependentes a riqueza e abundância de anfíbios coletados nas armadilhas. Foram detectadas nas armadilhas 23 espécies, sendo 18 de anfíbios anuros (13 nos eucaliptais, 11 nos pastos abandonados e 10 na vegetação nativa) e cinco de répteis (três nos eucaliptais, três nos pastos abandonados e três na vegetação nativa). Surpreendentemente, a vegetação nativa apresentou menor riqueza de espécies que o eucaliptal e o pasto abandonado, possivelmente em função de seu precário estado de conservação. Esta relação foi marginalmente significativa para abundância. A distribuição temporal das espécies foi heterogênea, concentrando os encontros na época quente e chuvosa. Adicionalmente, foram complementadas as listas de espécies por meio de busca ativa e encontros ocasionais, totalizando assim 49 espécies para a área de estudo, sendo 31 de anfíbios e 18 de répteis. Nos eucaliptais, a distância em relação ao corpo dágua e vegetação nativa mais próximos não tiveram influência na distribuição das espécies. Os resultados obtidos, aliados ao atual contexto alteração do uso da terra, demonstram que as paisagens silviculturais, cuja matriz são eucaliptais, podem ter um razoável valor conservacionista. / Most studies on biodiversity conducted in Brazil are accomplished in remnants of native vegetation. However, recent studies suggest that agricultural landscapes support a considerable biodiversity. The state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, has extensive grassland areas which is still its primary land use, followed by sugar cane crops and eucalyptus forests. The present study was conducted in Três Lagoas and Arca farms, located in the Upper Paranapanema basin. The area originally used as pasture (Brachiaria spp.) was partially replaced by eucalyptus plantations from August 2006 to February 2008. During the present study amphibians and reptiles were surveyed in 30 sampling units containing pitfall traps one kilometer apart from each other. Three different environments were sampled: eucalyptus forest (18 sampling units), native vegetation (seven sampling units) and abandoned pastures (five sampling units), resulting in a total effort of 4977 trap-days in 23 monthly campaigns between August 2007 and July 2009. Concerning data analysis the environments (eucalyptus, abandoned pastures and native vegetation) were considered as independent variable and as dependent variables richness and abundance of trapped amphibians and reptiles. 23 species were detected in traps, 18 amphibians (13 in eucalyptus, 11 in abandoned pastures and 10 in native vegetation) and five reptiles (three in eucalyptus, three in abandoned pastures and three in native vegetation). Surprisingly, native vegetation environment presented lower species richness than plantation and abandoned pasture environments, possibly due to its precarious conservation condition. This relationship was marginally significant for abundance. The temporal distribution of species was heterogeneous, concentrating the encounters during the hot and rainy season. Additionally, the lists of species were supplemented through active search and occasional encounters, totaling 49 species for the study area (31 amphibians and 18 reptiles). In eucalypt plantations, the distance from water body and closest native vegetation did not influence the distribution of species. The results coupled with the current context of land use change, demonstrate that silvicultural landscapes, whose matrix are eucalyptus forests may have a reasonable conservation value.

I investigated plant and animal community characteristics on 14 forest stands in north central Mississippi. Study sites included 9 pine plantations, 3 streamside management zones, and 2 hardwood cove forests. I estimated relationships between faunal metrics and habitat characteristics. I measured vegetation characteristics within quadrant and nested plot designs to estimate understory, midstory, and overstory species composition and structure. I inventoried breeding birds using point count surveys and sampled herpetofauna diversity using area-constrained searches within belt transects during 2008 and 2009. I detected 39 species of birds in 2008, 43 species of birds in 2009, 11 species of amphibians, and 9 species of reptiles. Hardwood cove sites supported more deep forest-dwelling bird and salamander species; whereas, pine stands supported more grassland bird species. Species richness and abundance of birds was related to snag DBH. Species richness and abundance of herpetofauna was related to number of understory plant species.

Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris ) has been established in Uluṟu‐Kata Tjuta National Park since 1968. To date, the influence of buffel grass on the Park's flora and fauna has been largely unassessed. The objectives of this study were to determine if buffel grass dominates vegetation communities at the base of Uluṟu and if buffel grass habitats are associated with lower reptile and amphibian species richness than endemic vegetation communities. We used vegetation transects to measure the amount of buffel grass and genera of endemic vegetation at 26 sampling locations around the base of Uluṟu. The vegetation survey data were paired with pitfall trap data from reptile and amphibian captures at the same sampling locations. Indicator species analysis and non‐metric multidimensional scaling were used to analyse the vegetation and herpetofaunal community data. Our analyses determined five distinct vegetation communities around Uluṟu. At the base of Uluṟu, buffel grass dominated half of sampled areas and the rest of the inselberg's base was dominated by Themeda grasses. Buffel grass habitats had significantly higher herpetofaunal species richness than the Themeda habitats that dominated other areas at Uluṟu's base. Herpetofauna species richness in buffel grass‐dominated habitats was also significantly higher than all vegetation communities except for Triodia‐dominated habitats. These observations do not directly indicate that buffel grass presence promotes higher species richness of reptiles and amphibians since the observed patterns may be driven by factors such as proximity to breeding sites and abiotic variables not directly related to the grass itself.

A Mata Atlântica é um dos ecossistemas mais severamente afetados pelos processos de perda e fragmentação de habitats, e, apesar dessa intensa ameaça, abriga ainda grande diversidade de anfíbios e répteis. O presente estudo teve como objetivo principal relacionar a diversidade de anuros e lagartos de serapilheira com o tamanho de fragmentos florestais, assim como com características ambientais dos fragmentos e da paisagem onde os mesmos estão inseridos. A amostragem da herpetofauna foi realizada em dois anos consecutivos durante a estação chuvosa numa paisagem fragmentada nos municípios de Capão Bonito e Ribeirão Grande, adjacentes ao Parque Estadual de Intervales e Fazenda Paraíso, utilizando a área da fazenda como controle, que representa a mata contínua. Os lagartos e anuros foram amostrados por meio de armadilhas de interceptação e queda (\"pitfall traps\") instaladas em 15 fragmentos e em seis localidades na área-controle. Além das características da estrutura e configuração da paisagem, como o tamanho dos fragmentos e a conectividade, outras variáveis ambientais que podem influenciar a distribuição e a abundância desses táxons também foram analisadas. A herpetofauna encontrada na região é típica de Floresta Ombrófila Densa, mas os resultados não esclareceram se a variação na composição da taxocenose de anuros entre as paisagens é uma resposta à continuidade ou à fragmentação da mata, ou se é uma resposta à distância geográfica entre as paisagens. De maneira geral, anfíbios anuros e lagartos de serapilheira são sensíveis à modificação de seus ambientes, porém a resposta a estas modificações é específica da espécie-, variando de acordo com aspectos particulares da história natural de cada espécie. A perda de habitat e a fragmentação florestal exercem efeitos negativos sobre algumas espécies de anfíbios e, conseqüentemente, sobre a diversidade local, sendo fatores importantes a serem considerados em estratégias de conservação e na formulação de diretrizes de conservação da diversidade biológica em paisagens fragmentadas do Planalto Atlântico de São Paulo / The Atlantic Forest is severely affected by processes of habitat loss and fragmentation, but despite this intense threat it hosts an enormous diversity of amphibians and reptiles. The main goal of the present study was to correlate the diversity of leaf-litter anurans and lizards to the size of forest fragments, as well as to the environmental characteristics of the fragments and of the landscape in which they are inserted. The study area is a fragmented landscape inserted in the municipalities of Capão Bonito and Ribeirão Grande, adjacent to Parque Estadual de Intervales and Fazenda Paraíso. Sampling of the herpetofauna was conducted during the rainy season in two consecutive years. Fazenda Paraíso was used as the control and denotes continuous forest. Anurans and lizards were collected with pitfall traps installed in 15 fragments and six sites inside the control-area. Besides the characteristics of landscape structure and configuration, like the size of the fragments and their connectivity, other environment variables that may affect the distribution and abundance of these taxa were also analysed. The herpetofauna found in the region is typical of tropical rainforests, although the results did not elucidate whether the variation in the composition of the anuran assemblage found among the landscapes is a response to the continuity or fragmentation of the forest, or if it is related to the geographical distance among the landscapes. Overall, leaf-litter anurans and lizards are sensible to habitat modification. The response to such modifications is, nevertheless, species-specific and varies according to characteristics of the natural history of each species. Habitat loss and forest fragmentation exert negative effects over some species of amphibians and ultimately over the local diversity and should thus be considered as important factors in conservation strategies and in the development of conservation guidelines in fragmented landscapes of the Atlantic Plateau of São Paulo.

Submitted by Automa??o e Estat?stica (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2016-02-22T22:44:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 JaqueiutoDaSilvaJorge_DISSERT.pdf: 2432483 bytes, checksum: 9b636e72f0c2648983e4b2baeed6a869 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-02-25T22:18:24Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 JaqueiutoDaSilvaJorge_DISSERT.pdf: 2432483 bytes, checksum: 9b636e72f0c2648983e4b2baeed6a869 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-25T22:18:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JaqueiutoDaSilvaJorge_DISSERT.pdf: 2432483 bytes, checksum: 9b636e72f0c2648983e4b2baeed6a869 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-04-20 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico - CNPq / As brom?lias constituem importante microhabitat para a herpetofauna, pois s?o bastante utilizadas como abrigo contra predadores, al?m de sua arquitetura foliar possibilitar manuten??o de umidade e temperatura relativamente constantes no seu interior, compondo um ambiente favor?vel para os anf?bios e r?pteis, especialmente em ?reas sob estresse h?drico. No entanto, os estudos que tratam dessa rela??o ainda s?o incipientes e mais concentrados sobre as brom?lias fitotelmatas acumuladoras de ?gua. No caso das brom?lias rup?colas n?o fitotelmatas do g?nero Encholirium, que se desenvolvem em afloramentos rochosos e abrigam esp?cies de regi?es semi?ridas como as Caatingas, as rela??es animais-plantas s?o praticamente desconhecidas. Nesse contexto, este estudo teve como objetivos estudar a fauna herpetol?gica habitante das brom?lias macambiras, Encholirium spectabile, analisando a ocupa??o e uso destas brom?lias pelos diferentes t?xons, e a ecologia comportamental do largarto Psychosaura agmosticha, buscando identificar os fatores associadas com esta rela??o estrita em ?rea de Caatinga. Uma ampla revis?o da literatura mundial acerca do tema lagartos em brom?lias subsidiou este estudo sob a perspectiva ecol?gica dessa associa??o. O trabalho de campo foi realizado na Fazenda Tanques, munic?pio de Santa Maria/RN, mesorregi?o do Agreste potiguar, com as observa??es e/ou coletas diurnas e noturnas efetuadas mensalmente, durante tr?s dias consecutivos, de Janeiro de 2011 a Agosto de 2012, totalizando 450 horas.homem de esfor?o amostral. Registraram-se dezesseis esp?cies, seis de lagartos (Fam?lias Mabuyidae, Tropiduridae, Gekkonidae e Phyllodactylidae), seis de serpentes (Fam?lias Boidae e Dipsadidae) e quatro de anf?bios da Fam?lia Hylidae. O efeito da borda da mata sobre a distribui??o das esp?cies ao longo do afloramento foi significativo, com a maioria das esp?cies encontradas nas bordas do afloramento. Constataram-se diferen?a significativa entre alguns pares de esp?cies com rela??o ao uso 2 das brom?lias, e sobreposi??o de nicho quase total no uso de microhabitat. 62.5% das esp?cies s?o de h?bito noturno e utilizaram essas plantas para abrigo, reprodu??o e alimenta??o. Quanto ?s rela??es entre o lagarto Psychosaura agmosticha e as brom?lias macambiras, foram registrados os comportamentos de termorregula??o e de forrageio nas esta??es seca e chuvosa. Os per?odos de atividade foram concentrados entre 07 e 10 h e entre 15 e 17 horas nas duas esta??es, demostrando um padr?o claramente bimodal. A esp?cie usou basicamente as folhas verdes e n?o houve diferen?as significativas entre machos e f?meas na utiliza??o das brom?lias. Associa??es positivas foram encontradas entre a temperatura do corpo e temperaturas das brom?lias e do ar. Esta esp?cie passou em m?dia 1.95 ? 3.8% do tempo em movimento (PTM) e se movimentou em m?dia 0.36 ? 2.1 segundos por minuto (MPM), com diferen?as significativas entre as esta??es chuvosa e seca para PTM, e tamb?m entre o tempo m?dio da parada e dura??o m?dia dos movimentos, sendo considerada forrageadora sedent?ria. Psychosaura agmosticha, na ?rea estudada, ? bromel?cola, utilizando as macambiras principalmente para termorregula??o e forrageio. Os resultados deste estudo destacam as brom?lias rup?colas Encholirium spectabile como elementos chaves para a manuten??o de anf?bios e r?pteis a ela associados, e uma clara associa??o vantajosa para a conserva??o dos grupos envolvidos. / Bromeliads are an important microhabitat for the herpetofauna, for being widely used as refuge from predators and their leaf architecture allows humidity maintenance and relatively constant temperature inside, setting a favorable environment for amphibians and reptiles, especially in areas under hydric stress. However, studies addressing this relationship are still incipient and more concentrated in fitotelmatas bromeliad. For non-fitotelmatas rupicolous bromeliads of the gender Encholirium, which develops into rocky outcrops and contains species of semi-arid regions such as the Caatinga, animal-plant relationships are almost unknown. In this context, this study aimed to know the herpetological fauna inhabitant of macambiras bromeliads, Encholirium spectabile, analyzing occupation and use of these bromeliads by different taxa, and the behavioral ecology of the lizard Psychosaura agmosticha, seeking to identify factors associated with this strict relationship in Caatinga. An extensive review of the world literature on the subject ?lizards in bromeliads? subsidized this study from the ecological perspective of this association. The field work was carried out at Fazenda Tanques, municipality of Santa Maria / RN, mesoregion of Agreste Potiguar. The observations and/or data collection in daytime and in the evening was conducted monthly during three consecutive days, from January 2011 to August 2012, totaling 450 hour.man of sampling effort. Sixteen species were registered: six lizards (Mabuyidae, Tropiduridae, Gekkonidae and Phyllodactylidae Families), six snakes (Boidae and Dipsadidae Families) and four of amphibians of Hylidae Family. The effect of the forest edge on the distribution of species along the outcrop was significant, with most species found in outcrop edges. Significant difference was found between some pairs of species concerning use of bromeliads, and almost total niche overlap in the use of microhabitat. 62.5% of the species are nocturnal and use these plants for sheltering, breeding and feeding. Regarding the relations between 4 the lizard Psychosaura agmosticha and macambiras bromeliads, behaviors of thermoregulation and foraging in the dry and wet seasons were recorded. Activity periods were concentrated between 7 and 10 am and between 3 and 5 pm in both seasons, showing a clear bimodal pattern. The species basically used the green leaves and there were no significant differences between males and females in the use of bromeliads. Positive associations were found between body temperature and temperatures of bromeliads and air. This species spent 1.95% ? 3.8 of the time moving (PTM) and moved on average 0:36 ? 2.1 seconds per minute (MPM), with significant differences between the wet and dry to PTM, and between the average time of stop and average duration of movements, being considered a sedentary forager. Psychosaura agmosticha, in the study area, is bromelicolous and uses macambiras primarily for thermoregulation and foraging. The results of this study elevate the rupicolous bromeliads Encholirium spectabile as key elements for the maintenance of amphibians and reptiles associated with it, and a clear advantageous association for the conservation of the groups involved.

A Mata Atlântica é um dos ecossistemas mais severamente afetados pelos processos de perda e fragmentação de habitats, e, apesar dessa intensa ameaça, abriga ainda grande diversidade de anfíbios e répteis. O presente estudo teve como objetivo principal relacionar a diversidade de anuros e lagartos de serapilheira com o tamanho de fragmentos florestais, assim como com características ambientais dos fragmentos e da paisagem onde os mesmos estão inseridos. A amostragem da herpetofauna foi realizada em dois anos consecutivos durante a estação chuvosa numa paisagem fragmentada nos municípios de Capão Bonito e Ribeirão Grande, adjacentes ao Parque Estadual de Intervales e Fazenda Paraíso, utilizando a área da fazenda como controle, que representa a mata contínua. Os lagartos e anuros foram amostrados por meio de armadilhas de interceptação e queda (\"pitfall traps\") instaladas em 15 fragmentos e em seis localidades na área-controle. Além das características da estrutura e configuração da paisagem, como o tamanho dos fragmentos e a conectividade, outras variáveis ambientais que podem influenciar a distribuição e a abundância desses táxons também foram analisadas. A herpetofauna encontrada na região é típica de Floresta Ombrófila Densa, mas os resultados não esclareceram se a variação na composição da taxocenose de anuros entre as paisagens é uma resposta à continuidade ou à fragmentação da mata, ou se é uma resposta à distância geográfica entre as paisagens. De maneira geral, anfíbios anuros e lagartos de serapilheira são sensíveis à modificação de seus ambientes, porém a resposta a estas modificações é específica da espécie-, variando de acordo com aspectos particulares da história natural de cada espécie. A perda de habitat e a fragmentação florestal exercem efeitos negativos sobre algumas espécies de anfíbios e, conseqüentemente, sobre a diversidade local, sendo fatores importantes a serem considerados em estratégias de conservação e na formulação de diretrizes de conservação da diversidade biológica em paisagens fragmentadas do Planalto Atlântico de São Paulo / The Atlantic Forest is severely affected by processes of habitat loss and fragmentation, but despite this intense threat it hosts an enormous diversity of amphibians and reptiles. The main goal of the present study was to correlate the diversity of leaf-litter anurans and lizards to the size of forest fragments, as well as to the environmental characteristics of the fragments and of the landscape in which they are inserted. The study area is a fragmented landscape inserted in the municipalities of Capão Bonito and Ribeirão Grande, adjacent to Parque Estadual de Intervales and Fazenda Paraíso. Sampling of the herpetofauna was conducted during the rainy season in two consecutive years. Fazenda Paraíso was used as the control and denotes continuous forest. Anurans and lizards were collected with pitfall traps installed in 15 fragments and six sites inside the control-area. Besides the characteristics of landscape structure and configuration, like the size of the fragments and their connectivity, other environment variables that may affect the distribution and abundance of these taxa were also analysed. The herpetofauna found in the region is typical of tropical rainforests, although the results did not elucidate whether the variation in the composition of the anuran assemblage found among the landscapes is a response to the continuity or fragmentation of the forest, or if it is related to the geographical distance among the landscapes. Overall, leaf-litter anurans and lizards are sensible to habitat modification. The response to such modifications is, nevertheless, species-specific and varies according to characteristics of the natural history of each species. Habitat loss and forest fragmentation exert negative effects over some species of amphibians and ultimately over the local diversity and should thus be considered as important factors in conservation strategies and in the development of conservation guidelines in fragmented landscapes of the Atlantic Plateau of São Paulo.

Prescribed fire and imazapyr are two silviculture tools used to control hardwood midstory competition in intensively managed, mid-rotation pine (Pinus spp.) stands but also may support conservation of biodiversity in the southeastern United States. Therefore, I investigated select measures of biodiversity response, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, carabid beetles, songbirds, and vegetation communities, to fire and imazapyr treatments in intensively managed, mid-rotation pine stands of east-central Mississippi. I used a randomized complete block design of 6 stands (blocks) with 4, 10- ha treatment plots assigned randomly a treatment of burn only, herbicide only, burn + herbicide, or control. I applied dormant season prescribed fires every 3 years beginning in January 2000 and a one-time application of imazapyr in September 1999 using 877 ml/ha (12.0 liquid oz./ac; Arsenal®, BASF 2006). I sampled avifauna, herpetofauna, small mammal, and carabid beetle communities using appropriate sampling techniques for attaining species-specific relative abundance. I also measured vegetation structure and biomass. Vegetation and bird communities exhibited significant responses to treatments. Imazapyr had the greatest initial impact on communities followed by a long-term effect of repeated prescribed fires on a 3 year fire-return interval. Combining fire and imazapyr perpetuated high-quality browse for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), plant species richness, high-priority bird species relative abundances, and diversity of landscape-level vegetation structure and biomass by creating a two-tier vegetation structure (pine canopy and herbaceous understory). Independent treatments also were more effective management approaches to sustain biodiversity than controls by maintaining or increasing overall species richness specifically soon after treatment application. Most responses of other wildlife communities were time-limited suggesting the possibility of greater effects of factors other than treatments such as long-term disturbance regimes (e.g., forest management practices, climate trends), proximity of treatment plots to wetlands, and landscape-level population dynamics including characteristics within and among stands. Combined and independent applications of these treatments will support biodiversity conservation, sustainable forestry objectives, and concomitant timber management goals. Long-term conservation of biodiversity within an intensive timber management matrix also may benefit from future investigations of multiple-herbicide tank mixtures, population dynamics of indicator species, and landscape-level biodiversity responses across multiple strata.