Insect pollinators, including bees and wasps, are facing a marked decline in their native populations, caused mainly by human activities, such as forest fragmentation, urbanization, and the use of ...agrochemicals. To help mitigate the rapid decline of pollinators, new efforts towards understanding basic and applied aspects of these organisms are necessary. Among these efforts, there is a focus on increasing the sampling efficiency, including a broader range of targeted groups and collection methods. Although each method has its advantages and disadvantages, the pollinators' crisis calls for alternative methods to analyze bee and wasp diversity and population dynamics. Here, we assess the potential role of incidental captures of bees and wasps by a method widely used to collect ants but not targeted for bees: arboreal pitfall traps. We compared the sampling efficiency of human urine‐baited arboreal pitfall traps and two traditional methods for bee sampling: pan traps and scent traps. Arboreal pitfalls collected a high diversity of bees and sphecoid wasps, and when compared with pan traps and scent traps, they had the highest species richness and the second‐highest abundance. Although the three trapping methods shared most species, each method collected particular groups of species, and there were indicator species for each trapping method. When used in pairs with pan traps, arboreal pitfalls collected a higher species diversity than pan traps paired with scent traps. In addition, each trapping method responded differently to seasonal variation, and although arboreal pitfalls had lower diversity during the rainy season, scent traps detected differences only in species abundance, and pan traps detected no differences at all. Our study reinforces the importance of complementary methods in sampling bees and wasps and the use of non‐traditional methods to increase the sampling coverage of these insects.
We show that methods traditionally used to collect distinct taxa can gather important information regarding the diversity of insect pollinators in tropical habitats. Particularly, arboreal pitfall traps, usually employed for ant collection, collected many species of bees and wasps, comparable to more traditional methods, such as scent traps and pan traps. Overall, our study reinforces the importance of complementary methods in sampling bees and wasps and the use of non‐traditional methods to increase the sampling coverage of these insects.
An understanding of the spatiotemporal patterns of species distribution is a major goal in community ecology. This understanding is particularly challenging for highly seasonal and diverse habitats, ...such as transition zones between major biomes, like the Cerrado-Amazon transition (CAT). Within the CAT, there are many kinds of vegetation, including the ecotonal forests, marked by a high seasonality and floristic elements belonging to both surrounding biomes. Here, our primary goal is to examine the temporal variation of ant communities in ecotonal forest fragments of the CAT. More specifically, we assessed whether arboreal ants and ground-dwelling ants responded differently to seasonality. Thus, we sampled ants in the arboreal and ground strata, across the dry and wet season, in six ecotonal forest fragments in the CAT. We found that the seasonal variation was higher for ground-dwelling than arboreal ant communities, and only ground-dwelling ants differed in species richness between dry and wet seasons.
Implications for conservation
Our results show that ground-dwelling ant communities are more sensitive to seasonal variation than are arboreal ants. These ants often represent the bulk of ant diversity in tropical forests, and the current climate change scenario can be particularly harmful to them. Therefore, future conservation practices need to give special attention to ground-dwelling ants, especially in the CAT, facing increasing anthropogenic pressure.
Rampant deforestation has caused the loss and fragmentation of natural habitats, which has precipitated a global biodiversity crisis. Research on how land-use change contributes to a loss of ...biodiversity is urgently needed, especially in ecosystems that have undergone rapid anthropogenic changes. We sought to investigate the extent to which habitat loss, fragmentation, and habitat split (the separation of forest and aquatic habitats) negatively influenced taxonomic diversity, functional diversity, total abundance, and the individual abundances of five anuran species in the Brazilian Cerrado. We sampled anurans between December 2017 and March 2018 using pitfall traps at sites distributed along a gradient of habitat fragmentation/habitat split: unfragmented forest, forest fragments without habitat split, and forest fragments with habitat split. Forest cover was measured within a 1-km radius of each site. Sites within unfragmented forests had higher taxonomic and functional diversities than either fragment type. Taxonomic diversity was highly correlated with functional diversity, but we did not find a pattern to the loss of functional traits. Total anuran abundance and the abundances of Chiasmocleis albopunctata, Physalaemus cuvieri, and Rhinella diptycha were higher in unfragmented forests compared to forest fragments. No species was more abundant in fragments than in unfragmented forests. Our results indicate that the fragmentation of forests by agricultural land use is directly and indirectly responsible for the loss of taxonomic and functional diversity, as well as for reducing population sizes of ground-dwelling anurans. Although we did not find a distinct effect of habitat split on ground-dwelling anurans, our study underscores the importance of preserving continuous forest habitats for the maintenance of anuran diversity in the Cerrado.
Natural history comprises important biological aspects in the establishment of public policies for biodiversity conservation. Climate change has expanded this challenge, making it necessary to ...evaluate and predict its negative impacts on biological systems. In this context, we evaluated the effect that floods have on the reproductive success of birds like the Amazonian motmot (Momotus momota), rufous-tailed jacamar (Galbula ruficauda), and swallow tanager (Tersina viridis) that nest on the banks of the Maria Lucinda stream in the municipality of Morrinhos, state of Goiás, Brazil. We identified, measured, and monitored 87 nests over five years. Predation represented the main cause of nest losses, with more significant rates for rufous-tailed jacamar (21%) and swallow tanager (21%). However, the record rain of October 2021 resulted in increased volume of the Maria Lucinda stream causing considerable losses of low-height nests, highlighting the vulnerability of this group of birds to climate change. The study emphasizes the need for stricter conservation policies of riparian forests — environments considered relevant in providing ecosystem services.
The first case of parasitoidism of a Myrmicinae ant by a sarcophagid fly has been observed in the Brazilian Cerrado. The larva of a Helicobia Coquillet (Sarcophagidae) specimen fed on head tissues of ...an Atta laevigata Smith, 1858 soldier and an adult male fly emerged from a puparium formed outside the host.
Resumo: O registro do parasitoidismo de uma formiga Myrmecinae por uma mosca Sarcophaginae foi relatado no Cerrado brasileiro. A larva de um exemplar de Helicobia Coquillet (Sarcophagidae) se alimentou dos tecidos da cabeça de um soldado de Atta laevigata Smith, 1858 e um adulto macho emergiu de um pupário que se formou fora do hospedeiro.
Abstract Fire management is an important issue in the Brazilian Cerrado, since both anthropogenic high intensity fires and complete fire suppression can reduce the biodiversity in this biome. In this ...paper, we highlight the trends in scientific literature about fire effects in the Cerrado, aiming to detect possible gaps and to indicate directions of future scientific research. We searched for articles in the periodic database Web of Knowledge from 1991 to 2016, and observed an increase in the number of publications throughout the years. Most articles were associated with Brazilian institutions (58%), followed by those with collaboration between Brazilian and international institutions (33%), and those published by authors exclusively from international institutions (9%). Most articles addressed the effects of fire on biodiversity (77%), followed by articles about abiotic environment (19%), and then biotic interactions or interactions between organisms and environment (4%). The most studied taxonomic group was plants (75%), followed by mammals (8%) and insects (6%), with the remaining taxa comprising about 11% of publications. The Federal District was the federative unit with the greatest number of studies (31%). The majority of studies was conducted in areas with fewer fire events, whereas areas with major incidence of fires are poorly studied. Our data shows that studies on the effect of fires on the Brazilian Cerrado are geographically and taxonomically biased. This lack of knowledge limits the extrapolations about the effects of fire on this biome. Therefore, we emphasize the need for investment in research in areas with high fire frequency and also for an increase in knowledge about these effects on the biota, especially on the fauna. This action is fundamental to support the development of public policies for effective and directed fire management in the Cerrado.
Resumo O manejo do fogo é uma questão importante no Cerrado brasileiro, pois tanto os incêndios antropogênicos de alta intensidade, quanto a sua supressão completa podem reduzir a biodiversidade neste bioma. Neste artigo, destacamos as tendências na literatura científica sobre os efeitos do fogo no Cerrado, com o objetivo de detectar possíveis lacunas e indicar direções de futuras pesquisas científicas. Buscamos artigos na base de periódicos Web of Knowledge no período de 1991 a 2016, e observamos um aumento no número de publicações ao longo dos anos. A maioria dos artigos foi associada a instituições brasileiras (58%), seguidos por colaborações entre instituições brasileiras e internacionais (33%) e publicações de autores exclusivamente de instituições internacionais (9%). A maioria dos artigos abordou os efeitos do fogo na biodiversidade (77%), seguido de artigos sobre o ambiente abiótico (19%), e interações bióticas ou interações entre organismos e o ambiente (4%). O grupo taxonômico mais estudado foi plantas (75%), seguido de mamíferos (8%) e insetos (6%). Os táxons restantes incluem 11% das publicações. O Distrito Federal foi a unidade federativa com o maior número de estudos (31%). A maioria dos estudos foi realizada em áreas com menos queimadas, enquanto as áreas com maior incidência de fogo são mal estudadas. Nossos dados mostram que os estudos sobre o efeito do fogo no Cerrado brasileiro são enviesados do ponto de vista geográfico e taxonômico. Esta falta de conhecimento limita as extrapolações sobre o efeito do fogo neste bioma. Portanto, enfatizamos a necessidade de investimentos para pesquisas em áreas com alta freqüência de queimadas e a necessidade em aumentar o conhecimento sobre estes efeitos na biota, especialmente na fauna. Esta ação é fundamental para apoiar o desenvolvimento de políticas públicas para uma gestão efetiva e direcionada do fogo no Cerrado.
Environmental issues emerge in complex dimensions, which require an interdisciplinary framework in Environmental Sciences. Due to the diversity in statistic methods, the graduate programs need to ...update to form the environmental scientists. We test the hypothesis that QUALIS A1 Journals in the Environmental Science area use more complex statistical analyses. We describe the tests offered by graduate programs with PhD degree in the Environmental Sciences. 33.5% of 1560 papers evaluated, didn’t present statistical analysis. A1 Journals used more T-test, Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney than B1 Journals. There was no difference in the use of univariate, multivariate and Bayesian analyses. In Brazil there are 37 undergraduate programs in Environmental Sciences, of which 10 don’t offer statistics course. Of 38 courses offered, 73.7% provide only univariate statistics and 34.2% provide multivariate statistics. We conclude that the quality in papers doesn’t depend on the complexity of used statistical analyses, but on their theoretical framework.
There is often a vertical stratification of the vegetation in tropical forests, where each forest stratum has a unique set of environmental conditions, including marked differences in habitat ...heterogeneity, physical complexity, and microclimate. Additionally, many tropical forests are highly seasonal, and we need to consider the temporal variation in environmental conditions when assessing the functional aspects of their organisms. Here, we tested the hypothesis that vertical stratification and seasonality shape tropical ants’ functional ecology and that there are differences in the functional trait diversity and composition between arboreal and ground-dwelling ant communities. We collected ants in the arboreal and ground strata in the rainy and dry seasons in six different areas, measuring seven morphological traits to characterize their functional ecology and diversity. Irrespective of the season, we found a distinct functional composition between arboreal and ground-dwelling ants and a higher functional richness on the ground. However, ground ants were more functionally redundant than arboreal ants. The differences in functional richness and redundancy between ant inhabiting strata and season could also be observed in the community-weighted mean traits: arboreal and ground ant traits can be distinguished in Weber’s length, mandible length, eye length, and eye position on the head capsule. The differences in these functional traits are mainly related to the ants’ feeding habits and the complexity of their foraging substrates. Overall, by providing the first systematic comparison of continuous traits between arboreal and ground-dwelling ants, our study opens new investigation paths, indicating important axes of functional diversification of tropical ants.
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