Habitat loss is the primary driver of biodiversity decline worldwide, but the effects of fragmentation (the spatial arrangement of remaining habitat) are debated. We tested the hypothesis that forest ...fragmentation sensitivity-affected by avoidance of habitat edges-should be driven by historical exposure to, and therefore species' evolutionary responses to disturbance. Using a database containing 73 datasets collected worldwide (encompassing 4489 animal species), we found that the proportion of fragmentation-sensitive species was nearly three times as high in regions with low rates of historical disturbance compared with regions with high rates of disturbance (i.e., fires, glaciation, hurricanes, and deforestation). These disturbances coincide with a latitudinal gradient in which sensitivity increases sixfold at low versus high latitudes. We conclude that conservation efforts to limit edges created by fragmentation will be most important in the world's tropical forests.
The Cerrado biome is a biodiversity hotspot with a rich biota, and intense anthropogenic pressures. Despite its importance, it is still poorly understood how insects occupy different spatial ...dimensions of the landscape.
We investigated how the beta diversity of plants influences the beta diversity of nymphalids at the regional‐scale (gallery forest vs. savannah) and local‐scale (transects). We expected greater beta‐diversity in nymphalid assemblages in gallery forests given the heterogeneity of plants and canopy structure.
We sampled nymphalids in each habitat monthly for 1 year and observed 3459 individuals from 62 species. Nymphalidae abundance was significantly higher in the understory than in the canopy. Specifically, only 18% of the individuals were captured in the canopy of gallery forests compared to 11% in savannah canopies. Species richness was higher in gallery forests (55 species) compared to savannahs (34 species).
Savannah transects were very similar in plant species composition and butterfly assemblages within the understory and canopy, whereas the species composition of plants and butterflies in gallery forests was highly heterogeneous which is consistent with the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis.
Gallery forests are spatially more complex, which probably results in higher niche availability that may contribute to reduce the community saturation and help to maintain greater beta diversity in these habitats.
The Cerrado biome has different habitat types ranging from grasslands to forests. In the present study, we have investigated how spatial heterogeneity influences the beta diversity of Nymphalidae species.
Nymphalidae species composition has changed from understory to canopy in gallery forests. Moreover, beta diversity of both plants and nymphalids were greater in gallery forest than in savannah transects.
Gallery forests are spatially more complex, which probably reflects in higher niche availability that may contribute to reduce community saturation, thus maintaining greater beta diversity in this habitat.
Fire is an important disturbance factor in shrublands, grasslands, and savannas. It alters the habitat of a multitude of species and, under natural dynamics, is a major determinant of landscape ...vegetation patterns. Here, we evaluate the effects of different wildfire regimes on the abundance of sun spiders in the Cerrado-Pantanal ecotone. To study how different fire regimes affect the number of individual sun spiders, we considered the frequency of fire occurrences in the last 20 years and classified locations as high frequency or low frequency. We also classified the time of the last fire in 2020 as occurring in the first or second half of the year. In addition, we compared the number of individual sun spiders before and after fire. We found no effects of fire frequency and period when the fire occurred in 2020, but the number of individual sun spiders was higher after wildfires. Although ground-dwelling are considered fire sensitive, some can employ strategies to tolerate fire so that they are able to not only survive, but also reproduce in fire-prone landscapes. Thus, we suggest that sun spiders are resilient, can explore sites under different fire regimes, and can be considered pyrophilous species.
Aim: Most of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil occurs in fragments of various sizes. Previous studies indicate that forest fragmentation affects fruit-feeding butterflies. Conservation strategies that ...seek to preserve organisms that are distributed in high-fragmented biomes need to understand the spatial distribution of these organisms across the landscape. In view of the importance of understanding the fauna of these forest remnants, the objective of the present work is to investigate the extent to which the diversity of this group varies across spatial scales ranging from within-forest patches to between landscapes. Location: South America, south-eastern Brazil, São Paulo State. Methods: We used bait traps to sample fruit feeding butterflies at 50 points in 10 fragments in two different landscapes during a period of 12 months. Total species richness and Shannon index were partitioned additively in diversity at trap level, and beta diversity was calculated among traps, among forest patches, and between landscapes. We used permutation tests to compare these values to the expected ones under the null hypothesis that beta diversity is only a random sampling effect. Results: There was significant beta diversity at the smallest scale examined; however, the significance at higher scales depends on the diversity measurement used. Beta diversity with Shannon index was smaller than expected by chance among fragments, whereas species richness was not. Among landscapes, only beta diversity in richness was higher than expected by chance. Main conclusions: The results observed occur because there is great variability in species composition among forest patches in the same landscape, changing this diversity even though the communities are formed from the same pool of species. At the largest scale evaluated (between landscapes), these pattern changes and differences in beta diversity in richness were detectable. This difference is probably caused by the presence of rare species. Thus, a conservation strategy that seeks to preserve as many species as possible per unit of area in high-fragmented biomes should give priority to protecting fragments in different landscapes, rather than more fragments in the same landscape.
Brazil’s new laws bug collectors Ribeiro, Danilo Bandini; Freitas, André Victor Lucci
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
09/2014, Volume:
345, Issue:
6204
Journal Article
From 2013 to 2016, a study using malaise was carried out throughout the Espinhaço Mountain range in the Brazilian states of Minas Gerais and Bahia. A total of 1,000 butterflies belonging to six ...families, namely Pieridae (n=353), Nymphalidae (n=274), Hesperiidae (n=205), Lycaenidae (n=139), Riodinidae (n=17), and Papilionidae (n=12), were captured during this period. Because of the collecting method, most butterflies became mangled and resulted in faded colours, making them difficult to be identified. Nevertheless, three interesting species were identified in the collected material as they were either threatened, endemic, or undescribed. These new records highlight the importance of storing and making available all collected material, including bycatches, since this can provide important information for studies on ecology, taxonomy, and conservation.
We conducted a detailed review of threatened bird and mammal occurrence records obtained from surveys across Mato Grosso do Sul, midwestern region of Brazil which has an extent of 357,145 km2, aiming ...to support environmental and biodiversity conservation initiatives, as strategic plans to protect threatened species in this region. We included all records of species categorized as threatened by the Brazilian and global red list of threatened species. We collected 760 records of threatened birds and mammals in Mato Grosso do Sul State, with 319 records of 40 bird’s species and 441 records of 24 mammal’s species. The status of the 40 bird species under de Brazilian threat category were as follow: 1 Critically Threatened (CR), 6 Endangered (EN), 11 Vulnerable (VU), 11 Near Threatened (NT), and 11 species only in the IUCN red list. Under the IUCN category for the bird´s species, were as follow: 3 EN, 13 VU, 18 NT, 5 Least Concern (LC) and 1 taxon has not yet been assessed for the IUCN Red List. Regarding mammal’s species under the Brazilian threat category were as follow: 2 EN, 18 VU, 2 NT and 1 only in the IUCN red list. Under the IUCN status the species ranged from 2 EN, 6 VU, 10 NT, and 6 LC. Each record identified corresponds to the existence of at least one occurrence of threatened birds or mammals in a particular region. The records of threatened species belongs to the three biomes in the state: 269 mammal’s records and 147 bird’s records from Cerrado (Neotropical Savanna) biome, 117 mammal’s records and 162 bird’s records from Pantanal (Wetland) biome, and 55 mammal’s records and 10 bird’s records from Atlantic Forest biome. In addition, we also included in the dataset environmental information where each record was obtained. Supplementary Files 1- Records of Threatened Mammals_MS_Brazil and Supplementary File 2. Records of Threatened Birds of_MS_Brazil
Studies with butterfly bait traps: an overview Freitas, Andre Victor Lucci; Iserhard, Cristiano Agra; Santos, Jessie Pereira ...
Revista colombiana de entomología,
07/2014, Volume:
40, Issue:
2
Journal Article
In the last decades, there has been a considerable increase in literature concerning ecological studies employing bait traps to capture butterflies. The growing interest in this kind of studies has ...given rise to a demanding group of young students and researchers looking for information and standardized protocols. Due to such growing interest in bait trap studies, this review aims to discuss (i) the basic aspects of the main technique of collection and sampling methods, and (ii) alternative solutions of different bait trap surveys in the Neotropics. Common mistakes that could undermine the quality and comparability of obtained data are also discussed.
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•Monitoring is a challenge for assessing targets for biodiversity agendas.•Biomonitoring systems can be linked in a network structure.•Biomonitoring initiatives in Brazil usually lack ...a clear conceptual framework.•The Network of Networks approach can promote the articulation of biomonitoring iniciatives.
The necessity to create national to global-scale biodiversity monitoring systems as part of assessing progress toward biodiversity agendas presents a challenge for signatory countries. This is a brief review of ongoing Brazilian national initiatives that would allow the construction of a general biomonitoring network scheme in protected areas; with additional focus on linking independent monitoring schemes. We discuss some key aspects needed to include monitoring schemes under a single framework that will lead to better evaluation of pressure–state–response indicators for managing biodiversity at several scales; and we point out the potential of embracing citizen science and participatory monitoring to quantify some aspects within those schemes.
In the Brazilian Pantanal, wildfire occurrence has increased, reaching record highs of over 40,000 km2 in 2020. Smoke from wildfires worsened the situation of isolated, as well as urban communities, ...already under an increasing toll of COVID-19.
Here we review the impacts and the possible causes of the 2020 mega-fires and recommend improvements for public policies and fire management in this wetland. We calculated the amount of area burnt annually since 2003 and describe patterns in precipitation and water level measurements of the Paraguay River.
Our analyses revealed that the 2020 wildfires were historically unprecedented, as 43% of the area (over 17,200 km2) had not been burnt previously in the last two decades. The extent of area affected in 2020 represents a 376% increase compared to the annual average of the area burnt annually in the last two decades, double than the value in 2019.
Potential factors responsible for this increase are (i) severe drought decreased water levels, (ii) the fire corridor was located in the Paraguay River flood zone, (iii) constraints on firefighters, (iv) insufficient fire prevention strategy and agency budget reductions, and (v) recent landscape changes. Climate and land use change will further increase the frequency of these extreme events.
To make fire management more efficient and cost-effective, we recommend the implementation of an Integrated Fire Management program in the Pantanal. Stakeholders should use existing traditional, local ecological, and scientific knowledge to form a collective strategy with clear, achievable, measurable goals, considering the socio-ecological context. Permanent fire brigades, including indigenous members, should conduct year-round fire management. Communities should cooperate to create a collaborative network for wildfire prevention, the location and characteristics (including flammability) of infrastructures should be (re)planned in fire-prone environments considering and managing fire-catalysed transitions, and depending on the severity of wildfires. The 2020 wildfires were tackled in an ad-hoc fashion and prioritisation of areas for urgent financial investment, management, protection, and restoration is necessary to prevent this catastrophe from happening again.
•Burned area has increased by 376% in 2020 when compared to the average of 2003–2019.•43% of the area affected in 2020 had not been burnt in 2003–2019.•Drought and other climatic conditions caused dry fuel accumulating in riverbeds.•COVID-19, budget cuts, and insufficient fire management contributed to fire increase.•As the current ad-hoc management is unsatisfactory, we advocate for socio-ecological IFM.
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