RCAAP Repository

In order to verify changes in physical, chemical and biological features of Dom Helvécio Lake (South-East Brazil), this study compares previous and recent data obtained from limnological investigations over three decades. Plankton species composition and density together with environmental data from 1978, 1983, and during 1999 to 2006 showed changes driven by seasonal climatic forces or by anthropogenic causes. Changes in diversity are shown as a consequence of alternation of rainy and dry periods and introduction of exotic fish species. Finally, suggestions are made for improving conservation efforts in the area, through planned actions and monitoring programmes.

Temporal coherence (i.e., the degree of synchronicity of a given variable among ecological units within a predefined space) has been shown for several limnological features among temperate lakes, allowing predictions about the structure and function of ecosystems. However, there is little evidence of temporal coherence among tropical aquatic systems, where the climatic variability among seasons is less pronounced. Here, we used data from long-term monitoring of physical, chemical and biological variables to test the degree of temporal coherence among 18 tropical coastal lagoons. The water temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration had the highest and lowest temporal coherence among the lagoons, respectively, whereas the salinity and water colour had intermediate temporal coherence. The regional climactic factors were the main factors responsible for the coherence patterns in the water temperature and water colour, whereas the landscape position and morphometric characteristics explained much of the variation of the salinity and water colour among the lagoons. These results indicate that both local (lagoon morphometry) and regional (precipitation, air temperature) factors regulate the physical and chemical conditions of coastal lagoons by adjusting the terrestrial and marine subsidies at a landscape-scale. On the other hand, the chlorophyll-a concentration appears to be primarily regulated by specific local conditions resulting in a weak temporal coherence among the ecosystems. We concluded that temporal coherence in tropical ecosystems is possible, at least for some environmental features, and should be evaluated for other tropical ecosystems. Our results also reinforce that aquatic ecosystems should be studied more broadly to accomplish a full understanding of their structure and function.

In this paper the authors discuss the effects of cold fronts on the dynamics of freshwater ecosystems of southeast South America. Cold fronts originating from the Antarctic show a monthly frequency that promotes turbulence and vertical mixing in reservoirs with a consequence to homogenize nutrient distribution, dissolved oxygen and temperature. Weak thermoclines and the athelomixis process immediately before, during and after the passage of cold fronts interfere with phytoplankton succession in reservoirs. Cyanobacteria blooms in eutrophic reservoirs are frequently connected with periods of stratification and stability of the water column. Cold fronts in the Amazon and Pantanal lakes may produce fish killings during the process of "friagem" associated mixing events. Further studies will try to implement a model to predict the impact of cold fronts and prepare management procedures in order to cope with cyanobacteria blooms during warm and stable water column periods. Changes in water quality of reservoirs are expected during circulation periods caused by cold fronts.

An unusual bloom of Ceratium furcoides is reported for a station of the Taquacetuba compartment of the Billings Reservoir. The appearance of this bloom is attributed to the mixing and turbulence of the water column that removed Ceratium cysts from the surface of the sediment and promoted conditions for the growth of this species in the region of mixing. Cold fronts approaching the Billings Reservoir are probably the cause of the mixing and bloom. Also turbulence induced by wind increased phosphorus concentration in the water column. Ceratium furcoides was the dominant species at station 1 where the nutrient concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus were high. Ceratium spp. blooms may be a problem for water treatment and massive mortality can affect the dissolved oxygen of the water producing fish kill.

The invasive golden mussel, Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857), was introduced into the La Plata River estuary and quickly expanded upstream to the North, into the Paraguay and Paraná rivers. An ecological niche modeling approach, based on limnological variables, was used to predict the expansion of the golden mussel in the Paraguay River and its tributaries. We used three approaches to predict the geographic distribution: 1) the spatial distribution of calcium concentration and the saturation index for calcium carbonate (calcite); 2) the Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Production (GARP) model; and the 3) Maximum Entropy Method (Maxent) model. Other limnological variables such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) were used in the latter two cases. Important tributaries of the Paraguay River such as the Cuiabá and Miranda/Aquidauana rivers exhibit high risk of invasion, while lower risk was observed in the chemically dilute waters of the middle basin where shell calcification may be limited by low calcium concentrations and carbonate mineral undersaturation.

Piedras Moras reservoir (32° 10'27" S and 64° 16' 29" W; 832 ha), integrates a series of artificial lakes belonging to the Rio Tercero basin (Córdoba, Argentina). During March 2009 an algal bloom occurred, coinciding with several animal species mortality, mainly wild birds. The goal of this work was to establish the trophic status of the reservoir in relation to that mortality. Variables were evaluated in situ (temperature and water transparency) and samples were taken in order to identify algal species, Chl-a concentration (spectrophotometry) and toxins - total microcystines- (inmuno-enzymatic assay, ELISA). Histopathology studies were made on Fulica sp. A strong heterogenity in water transparency was observed, and "patches" of Potamogeton berteroanus distributed all along the lake, with Secchi disk minimal and medium values of 0.15 and 0.94 m. Chl-a concentration oscillated from 35.7 to 320.9 mg.m-3. Predominant phytoplankton species were Anabaena spiroides and Microcystis aeruginosa (Cyanophyceae). Water temperature was 27.8 °C (±0.88). Maximal value of total microcystine concentration was 0.23 μg.L-1. Chl-a concentration at the moment when mass mortality occurred (2.022 mg.m-3), and histopathological observations, strongly suggest that the animals' death was due to cianotoxins.

Five new species of the Neotropical characiform genus Astyanax Baird & Girard are described from Rio Iguaçu at the border of Paraná and Santa Catarina states, southeastern Brazil and Astyanax gymnogenis Eigenmann is redescribed. Each new species can be distinguished from all other Astyanax species from the upper Rio Paraná basin by exclusive combinations of: tooth shape, number of dental cuspids, distance between third infraorbital and preopercle, number of lateral line scales, longitudinal series of scales, number of gill-rakers and differences from shape of body and head traits. This study proposes the species of genus Astyanax from Rio Iguaçu as probably endemic, since all of them are absent from tributaries of the Rio Paraná hydrographic system. The high degree of diversification acquired by those Astyanax species in the Iguaçu basin may perhaps be allied to the long isolation period of this river from the Rio Paraná basin caused by the Iguaçu waterfalls. This barrier probably isolated those basins resulting in original groups of Characiformes and then Astyanax species, both isolated from one another and both different from their relatives in neighbouring basins.

Description of a new species of Diaptomidae (Crustacea, Copepoda, Calanoida) Notodiaptomus oliveirai is given from the material obtained at a reservoir at Barra Bonita, SP in 1992. The new species is very similar to Notodiaptomus henseni Dahl 1894 although both species can be found in the same locality, constituting two distinct populations. Notodiaptomus oliveirai seems to be endowed with great adaptability to changes in environmental conditions, extending its distribution to all the hydrographic basins in the state of São Paulo.

We carried out a study on the anurofaunal community from an Atlantic Forest fragment (Monte Verde mountains) and the surrounding area in Cambuci municipality, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, which constitutes one of the largest fragments remaining in the largely deforested landscape of the northern portion of the State. We combined three sampling methods: plot sampling, transects and pit-fall traps. We recorded twenty species of amphibians, of which only eleven were found within the forest fragment (and five of these also occurred in the surrounding matrix). Two of the species recorded in the present study (Crossodactylus sp. and Ischnocnema cf. parva) may represent undescribed taxa. Our records expand the distribution range of one species (Scinax trapicheiroi) to the north, and fill a geographic distribution gap for another one (Ischnocnema oea). The estimated overall density of frogs living in the leaf litter of the fragment (based on results of plot sampling) was 3.1 individuals/100 m², with Haddadus binotatus being the most abundant species (2.4 individuals/100 m²). Comparisons of our data with those of other studies suggest that anuran communities in forest fragments ca. 1,000 ha or smaller may be severely limited in their richness, and often include a large proportion of species tolerant to open areas, such as many hylids. Our results show the importance of increasing knowledge about the anurofaunal community of the northern portion of the State of Rio de Janeiro and preserve the forest remnants that still exist in the region.

Secondary production of zooplankton, the main energy pathway in many aquatic ecosystems, is crucial to an Understanding of functioning of these systems function. In this study, we analyzed the magnitude and seasonal variations of the population density, biomass and secondary production of Cladocera in the Furnas Reservoir (Brazil). Samples were carried out monthly at 6 points in the reservoir, from August 2006 to July 2007. Main physical and chemical variables in the water column were measured in situ. Data on density, biomass and development times were obtained and used to calculate the secondary production of eight Cladocera species. The total production of Cladocera varied from 0.02 to 28.6 mgDWm-3.day-1, among the sampling sites. The highest values were recorded in spring and summer months (September to January), and were correlated to the increase in the biomass of the phytoplankton. The mean production:biomass ratio was 0.32. The level of production in Furnas Reservoir fell within the range of those reported in the literature and was of the same order of magnitude of the production values recorded for oligotrophic reservoirs. Cladocera production differed spatially inside the Sapucaí compartment and also in the temporal scale, seasonally.

When partially amputated or severely injured, teleost fins suffer a regenerative process called epimorphic regeneration characterised by the following stages: the formation of a multistratified epidermal layer, the disorganisation and distal migration of multipotent mesenchymal cells, the proliferation of these cells in order to form the blastema, continuous proliferation of distal blastema to facilitate the growth, and differentiation of the proximal blastema in order to restore its lost structure. The regeneration of the fin is extremely sensitive to the action of some drugs that can interfere in its structure restoration. For this reason, and also based on papers relating that indomethacin can interfere somehow in the tissue restoration of many different organisms, the aim of this work is to evaluate the possible effects of this drug in three different doses in the regeneration of the teleost fish tail fin, taking into consideration the synthesis, the disposition and organisation of lepidotrichial matrix components, the restoration of actinotrichia, as well as the fin area itself. Therefore, histochemical, ultrastructural and morphometric analysis were done and it was observed that indomethacin in doses of 20 and 30 mg.L-1 caused a delay in the regenerative process of the dermal skeleton (lepidotrichia and actinotrichia) of the tail fins. These doses could have interfered, momentarily, in the process of blastemal cell differentiation in the cells responsible for the synthesis and disposition of actinotrichia and lepidotrichia or, even interfered in the signalling necessary for the recent differentiated cells to begin synthesising the components of the dermal skeleton.

The presence of a riparian forest is one of the main factors that act directly on the ecology of a fluvial system, and the relation of the forest and the lotic environments might have an important influence on the distribution of the macroinvertebrates. In this context, the benthic macroinvertebrate communities in four low-order streams in São Paulo (Brazil) were analysed, with the aim of assessing the state of recovery of the surrounding forest fragments. The benthic organisms were sampled in the winter, a period of low rainfall. Of the 6,331 specimens of macroinvertebrates collected, 124 taxa belonging to 48 families were identified. The results showed greater diversity in the Canchim Farm streams and greater abundance in the Lake Park streams. Cluster analysis showed that the stream Canchim distanced itself from the others, being considered reference.

The Brazilian Cerrado is a biome of great biodiversity, but detailed information about the diversity and distribution of species in this region is still insufficient for both testing ecological hypotheses and for conservation purposes. Among native plants in the Cerrado, Dipteryx alata Vogel (commonly known as the "Baru" tree), has a high potential for exploitation. The aims of this paper were to predict the potential spatial distribution of D. alata in the Brazilian Cerrado utilising five different niche modelling techniques. These techniques usually provide distinct results, so it may be difficult to choose amongst them. To adjust for this uncertainty, we employ an ensemble forecasting approach to predict the spatial distribution of the Baru tree. We accumulated a total of 448 occurrence points and modelled the subsequent predicted occurrences using seven climatic variables. Five different presence-only ecological niche modelling techniques (GARP, Maxent, BIOCLIM, Mahalanobis Distance and Euclidean Distance) were used and the performance of these models was compared using Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) and the Area Under the Curve (AUC). All models presented AUC values higher than 0.68, and GARP presented the highest AUC value, whereas Euclidean Distance presented the lowest. The ensemble forecasting approach suggested a high suitability for the occurrence of the Baru tree in the Central-Western region of the Brazilian Cerrado. Our study demonstrated that modelling species distribution using ensemble forecasting can be an important computational tool for better establishing sampling strategies and for improving our biodiversity knowledge to better identify priority areas for conservation. For the Baru tree, we recommend priority actions for conservation in the central region of the Cerrado Biome.

Epipsammic diatoms have important implications for ecosystem processes in lotic environments. Most of the studies on benthic diatoms concentrate on epilithic diatoms and very little is known about epipsammic diatoms. The objective of this study was to assess epipsammic diatom communities in streams in relation to environmental conditions. Epipsammic diatoms and water quality sampling was done at 7 sites during summer base flow period (2008). Forward stepwise multiple regression and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were used to determine environmental gradients along which species vary with physical and chemical variables. A total of 112 diatom species distributed among 44 genera were recorded. Altitude and the process of eutrophication played a significant role in structuring diatom communities in the study region.

Several insects are harmful to apples grown in Brazil, especially the leafroller Bonagota salubricola (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae), usually controlled with chemical insecticides. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the use of Metarhizium anisopliae strains in the control of the apple leafroller, by assessing their virulence to B. salubricola larvae in bioassays with suspensions of 2 x 10(5) to 2 x 10(9) conidia/mL as well as their relationship with protease expression. The most effective strain underwent a compatibility test with chemical insecticides. The M. anisopliae E6 strain showed a good performance, with up to 88% mortality and a LT50 of 1.66 days. The virulence was positively correlated with a higher enzymatic activity. The E6 strain was compatible with tebufenozide, evidencing its potential to control B. salubricola.

Bats may exhibit different patterns of activity, considering aspects concerning niche dynamics as well as the establishment and permanence of the communities in the ecosystems. In this way, the present study analyzed the time and seasonal patterns of activity in different species of frequent phyllostomid bats in remnants of the stational semidecidual forest from the Upper Paraná River, Southern Brazil. Captures were performed between January and December, 2006, using 32 mist nets set above the soil along the nocturnal period during the four seasons of the year. The daily and seasonal patterns of activity of each species was modeled using generalized linear models with Poisson error. The best model was selected using Akaike's Information Criterion (AICc). Artibeus planirostris (Spix, 1823) did not exhibit a conspicuous time pattern, whereas A. lituratus (Olfers, 1818) was more frequent after the sixth hour and A. fimbriatus Gray, 1838 had an activity increase along the night. Platyrrhinus lineatus (E. Geoffroy, 1810) was registered during all sampling hours. Carollia perspicillata (Linnaeus, 1758) and Sturnira lilium (E. Geoffroy, 1810) were the most active during the first four hours. Concerning seasonal pattern, the highest activity of these species was verified during the summer. These data contribute to the information about the ecology of bats in the region, highlighting the high adaptive potential of the species studied in relation to the use of space throughout the night and in to variations in environmental conditions.

The objective of this paper is to describe the main characteristics of small-scale marine fisheries in the municipal district of Florianópolis (SC), the capital city of the state of Santa Catarina. We give information about the most captured species, the fishing fleet and fishing gear used. The dynamics of the activity is described, considering the kind of operation of the boats, alongside post-capture procedures. The analyses were accomplished in two types of fishing communities: the one composed of fishers that fish in bays (North and South) and those who fish in the open sea. Numeric differences were observed among these two fishing areas, indicating the existence of two different fleets operating in the area. Differences between the two fishing areas were detected, considering the species caught, the harvest time and the fishing gear used. The open sea fishers have boats with dimensions, engine power, number of crew and fuel consumption numerically higher than those working in bays, indicating the existence of two distinct fleets operating in the region.

We studied the feeding ecology of two Hylinae anurans (Hypsiboas raniceps and Scinax acuminatus), living sympatrically and syntopically in the Pantanal of Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. The two hylid species had similar relative mouth width but differed in body size. The diet of the two frog species were composed of arthropodan prey. Both species consumed 11 different prey types, of which seven were common among them. Hypsiboas raniceps had a larger niche breadth (B A = 0.64) than S. acuminatus (B A = 0.48). Trophic niche overlap among frog species was 60.7 %. Our data are suggestive that although for many anurans the diet simply tend to reflect prey availability in the microhabitat, these two frog species, despite sharing similar microhabitat and period of activity (thus potentially exposed to a similar array of preys), tends to differ somewhat in diet (about 40%) which may result from some intrinsic ecological aspects to each of them (e.g. ecophysiology) and/or differences in body size.

We surveyed populations of the broad-snouted caiman, Caiman latirostris, throughout the São Francisco River basin, from Três Marias reservoir, State of Minas Gerais, to the river delta, at the boarder of Sergipe and Alagoas states. We registered the occurrence of crocodilians in 61% of all surveyed localities (n = 64), in which the presence of C. latirostris was confirmed in 44% of the surveyed sites. Caimans occurred in both lentic and lotic habitats, although there was a preference for small dams, oxbow lakes and wetlands. Despite the hunting pressure and human impact on natural habitats, our results indicate that the populations of C. latirostris in the São Francisco basin are not fragmented.

In this study we analysed the dynamics of deforestation and burnings during the dry seasons from 2003 to 2008 in the Uruçuí-Una Ecological Station (UUES) and its buffer zone, located in the Cerrado biome of the southwest of Piauí, a Brazil's State, based on images from the orbital sensors CCD/CBERS-2 and TM/Landsat-5. Two dates from each of the years were interpreted and analysed: one in the middle of the dry season and one at the end. The deforested areas were expanded through the period analysed and were larger in the buffer zone, suggesting a relative protection of the UUES. New cut-offs were predictable because of the early opening of roads that would become their limits. The burning scars were larger at the end of the dry season as a consequence of the management and implementation of agricultures and pastures. In 2004 and 2007 these scars were larger probably because of the increase of dry phytomass that every three years is big enough to spread the fire originated in the anthropogenic burnings through the native vegetation. This scenario reaffirms the need for: stronger enforcement in order to stop anthropisation in the UUES and a management plan, absent for this unit so far. These proceedings are urgent also because the UUES is located in one of the most preserved regions of the Cerrado and controversially where intense anthropisation in ongoing, which stresses the lack, need and urgency of biological conservation proceedings for the Piauí's southeastern Cerrado.