RESUMO

Background: We describe three new species of the previously monotypic genus Creagrura Townes from Central and South America: C.alejandromasisi sp. n. and C.rogerblancoi sp. n. from Costa Rica and C.allpahuaya sp. n. from Peru, all of which emphasise the unknown parasitoid insect diversity yet to be revealed in the tropics. New information: Host relationships of the two Costa Rican species are described in detail. In addition, it is inferred that the Creagrura wasps find and oviposit in the caterpillar when it is exposed at night, rather than when it is concealed during daylight hours.

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BACKGROUND: We report the genus Ticapimpla Gauld, 1991 from French Guiana and the species Ticapimpla amazonica Palacio et al., T. carinata Palacio et al., T. matamatae Palacio et al. and T. soinii Palacio et al. from Brazilian Amazonia. The new discoveries suggest that the genus is widely distributed in Amazonian lowland rain forests. In addition, we diagnose and illustrate the males of T. carinata and T. matamatae for the first time. Short diagnoses and layer-photos for all the Amazonian species are provided. NEW INFORMATION: The genus Ticapimpla is reported for the first time from French Guiana and the species T. amazonica, T. carinata, T. matamatae and T. soinii from Brazilian Amazonia. In addition, the males of T. carinata and T. matamatae are diagnosed and illustrated for the first time.

RESUMO

Resumen Los estudios a nivel regional que evalúan las dinámicas espacio-temporales de la vegetación en Costa Rica, especialmente, dentro de los Parques Nacionales son escasos. Así, considerando aportar en este vacío de conocimiento, este artículo analiza la distribución espacio-temporal de la vegetación dentro del periodo 1960-1976, 1992, 1997 y 2012 en Parque Nacional Corcovado, localizado en la Península de Osa y catalogado como el bosque tropical lluvioso más septentrional en la costa pacífica de América. Además, esta área contiene una riqueza de biodiversidad, fundamentada en su antigüedad geológica, el aislamiento que presentó durante largos periodos; así como las condiciones climáticas particulares que generan ecosistemas únicos como bosques nubosos relacionados con brisa marina a alturas de más de 500 msnm. Este estudio evalúa la distribución espacial de la vegetación a partir de mapas resultantes del proceso de fotointerpretación de imágenes del 1960, 1976, 1997 y 2012, así como del análisis del índice de paisaje. Se concluye que las transformaciones espacio-temporales de la vegetación durante el periodo de estudio han sido mínimas, y el hecho de que hayan sido escasas las áreas impactadas por la actividad antrópica, generó una restauración ecológica importante durante las últimas décadas. Se encontró una relación de expansión y contracción entre el bosque nuboso y bosque, así como este último y el bosque inundado, en función de la recuperación de la cobertura boscosa dentro del Parque Nacional y de la Península de Osa, y el volumen y distribución de la precipitación. Asimismo, este estudio propone la necesidad de establecer el monitoreo permanente de la vegetación para esclarecer las relaciones que se establecen entre estos tipos de vegetación.

Abstract Regional studies evaluating spatial-temporal transformations of vegetation in Costa Rica, especially within National Parks, are scarce. Therefore, this paper analyses the vegetation distribution during 1960, 1976, 1997 and 2014 in Corcovado National Park. This protected area is located in the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, and represents the Northern most tropical rain forest on the Pacific coast of America. This area offers a great wealth of biodiversity due to its geological formation, isolation for long time periods, and its particular climatic conditions that generate unique ecosystems such as cloud forests associated with ocean situated close to hill breezes located over 500 masl, as well as dense tropical forest. This study evaluates the spatial distribution of vegetation based on maps that resulted from the process of photo-interpretation of 1960, 1976, 1997 and 2012, as well as from the landscape index analysis. It concludes that during the study period, the vegetation changes have been minimal. Instead, in the few areas impacted by human activity (small-scale agriculture and pasture lands) an ecological restoration has occurred during recent decades. In addition, this research suggests that the recovering forest cover within the park and even within the Osa Peninsula has been expanding the cloud forest. An increase and contraction relationship between the different categories (Cloud forest and forests as well of flooded forest and forest in flat zones) was found. Furthermore, this study suggests the need of permanent plots in order to monitor vegetation and identify the factors that explain this previous process. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(1): 352-367. Epub 2018 March 01.

RESUMO

Recent debates on the number of plant species in the vast lowland rain forests of the Amazon have been based largely on model estimates, neglecting published checklists based on verified voucher data. Here we collate taxonomically verified checklists to present a list of seed plant species from lowland Amazon rain forests. Our list comprises 14,003 species, of which 6,727 are trees. These figures are similar to estimates derived from nonparametric ecological models, but they contrast strongly with predictions of much higher tree diversity derived from parametric models. Based on the known proportion of tree species in neotropical lowland rain forest communities as measured in complete plot censuses, and on overall estimates of seed plant diversity in Brazil and in the neotropics in general, it is more likely that tree diversity in the Amazon is closer to the lower estimates derived from nonparametric models. Much remains unknown about Amazonian plant diversity, but this taxonomically verified dataset provides a valid starting point for macroecological and evolutionary studies aimed at understanding the origin, evolution, and ecology of the exceptional biodiversity of Amazonian forests.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Entre los meses de agosto a noviembre del 2011 fueron llevadas a cabo 42 encuestas semi-estructuradas para evaluar la cacería de mamíferos en las zonas de uso especial (ZUE) y de amortiguamiento (ZA) del Parque Nacional de Tingo María. Los resultados indican que el 43% de la población practica la cacería como una actividad secundaria, siendo la principal la agricultura de minifundio. La metodología más utilizada para la cacería son las "tramperas" en tanto que la frecuencia de caza es de 2 a 3 veces al mes. La cacería es más frecuente después de la época húmeda, la misma que es selectiva y responde al sabor de la carne que a una necesidad económica. Entre los mamíferos más cazados figuran el añuje Dasyprocta sp. y el picuro Cuniculus paca, mientras que los animales de mayor biomasa como el sajino Pecari tajacu no son muy frecuentes en el área, por lo que se recomienda incrementar el control de la cacería de especies vulnerables en los caseríos que se encuentran dentro y en las inmediaciones del parque.

Between the months of August to November 2011 were conducted 42 semi-structured interviews to assess the hunting of mammals in areas of special purpose (ZUE) and buffer (ZA) National Park Tingo María surveys. The results indicate that 43% of the population practiced hunting as a secondary activity, the main smallholder agriculture. The methodology used for hunting are the "tramperas" while the hunting is often 2-3 times a month. Hunting is more common after the wet season, it is selective and responds to the taste of meat that an economic need. Among the most hunted mammals include agouti Dasyprocta sp. and picuro Cuniculus paca, while animals higher biomass as the peccary Pecari tajacu are rare in the area, so it is recommended to increase the control of hunting of vulnerable species in the villages which are inside and in the vicinity of the Park.

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We studied the yeast communities associated with fruits, mushrooms, tree exudates, and flies of the genus Drosophila, in two Atlantic Rain Forest fragments in state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A total of 456 samples were collected from Rio Doce State Park and 142 from Ecological Station of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. From these samples, 608 yeast isolates were obtained, belonging to 71 different species. Among the yeasts isolated from Rio Doce State Park, 17 isolates were recovered from fruits, 12 from mushrooms, 13 from tree exudates, and 299 from Drosophila spp. In the Ecological Station of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 24 isolates were recovered from fruits and 243 from Drosophila spp. Distinct communities of yeast were observed in Drosophila flies, fruits, mushrooms and tree exudates. The highest number of yeast species was recovered from Drosophila flies suggesting that flies are the natural vectors of these microorganisms.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as comunidades de leveduras associadas a frutos, cogumelos, exudatos de árvores e moscas do gênero Drosophila, em dois fragmentos de Mata Atlântica no Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Foram coletadas 456 amostras no Parque Estadual do Rio Doce e 142 na Estação Ecológica da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Destas amostras foram obtidas 608 isolados de levedura, distribuídas em 71 espécies. Entre os isolados obtidos a partir do Parque Estadual do Rio Doce, 17 foram provenientes de frutos, 12 de cogumelos, 13 de exudatos de árvores e 299 de Drosophila spp. A Estação Ecológica da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais possibilitou a obtenção de 24 isolados de frutos e 243 de Drosophila spp. Foram observadas comunidades distintas de leveduras associadas a Drosophila, frutos, cogumelos e exudatos de árvores. O maior número de espécies foi obtido em drosófilas, sugerindo que estas moscas são vetores naturais destes microrganismos.

Assuntos

RESUMO

We studied the yeast communities associated with fruits, mushrooms, tree exudates, and flies of the genus Drosophila, in two Atlantic Rain Forest fragments in state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A total of 456 samples were collected from Rio Doce State Park and 142 from Ecological Station of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. From these samples, 608 yeast isolates were obtained, belonging to 71 different species. Among the yeasts isolated from Rio Doce State Park, 17 isolates were recovered from fruits, 12 from mushrooms, 13 from tree exudates, and 299 from Drosophila spp. In the Ecological Station of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 24 isolates were recovered from fruits and 243 from Drosophila spp. Distinct communities of yeast were observed in Drosophila flies, fruits, mushrooms and tree exudates. The highest number of yeast species was recovered from Drosophila flies suggesting that flies are the natural vectors of these microorganisms.

RESUMO

We studied the yeast communities associated with fruits, mushrooms, tree exudates, and flies of the genus Drosophila, in two Atlantic Rain Forest fragments in state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A total of 456 samples were collected from Rio Doce State Park and 142 from Ecological Station of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. From these samples, 608 yeast isolates were obtained, belonging to 71 different species. Among the yeasts isolated from Rio Doce State Park, 17 isolates were recovered from fruits, 12 from mushrooms, 13 from tree exudates, and 299 from Drosophila spp. In the Ecological Station of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 24 isolates were recovered from fruits and 243 from Drosophila spp. Distinct communities of yeast were observed in Drosophila flies, fruits, mushrooms and tree exudates. The highest number of yeast species was recovered from Drosophila flies suggesting that flies are the natural vectors of these microorganisms.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as comunidades de leveduras associadas a frutos, cogumelos, exudatos de árvores e moscas do gênero Drosophila, em dois fragmentos de Mata Atlântica no Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Foram coletadas 456 amostras no Parque Estadual do Rio Doce e 142 na Estação Ecológica da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Destas amostras foram obtidas 608 isolados de levedura, distribuídas em 71 espécies. Entre os isolados obtidos a partir do Parque Estadual do Rio Doce, 17 foram provenientes de frutos, 12 de cogumelos, 13 de exudatos de árvores e 299 de Drosophila spp. A Estação Ecológica da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais possibilitou a obtenção de 24 isolados de frutos e 243 de Drosophila spp. Foram observadas comunidades distintas de leveduras associadas a Drosophila, frutos, cogumelos e exudatos de árvores. O maior número de espécies foi obtido em drosófilas, sugerindo que estas moscas são vetores naturais destes microrganismos.