First record ofColoborhynchus (Pterosauria) from the Santana Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of the Chapada do Araripe, Brazil

The anterior tips of associated upper and lower jaws of a pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil are described and assigned to the taxonColoborhynchus in the family Ornithocheiridae. It is characterized by the shape and position of the sagittal crest on the upper and lower jaw, the arrangement and length of the teeth and the spoon-like lateral expansion of the anterior parts of the jaws. It closely resemblesColoborhynchus wadleighi from North America andColoborhynchus clavirostris from England. Diagnostic anatomical characteristics permit a revision of the genusTropeognathus, which is shown here to be a junior synonym of other described taxa.Tropeognathus mesembrinus is referred toCriorhynchus andT. robustus toColoboryhnchus. Consistent anatomical features enable the new jaw fragment to be assigned toColoborhynchus robustus.      

Biostratigraphy of Lower Cretaceous microfossils from the Araripe basin, northeastern Brazil

A biostratigraphic study was carried out in the Lower Cretaceous Araripe basin, northeastern Brazil, allowing the recognition of several chronostratigraphic units: the Dom João (Jurassic?-Lower Cretaceous?), the Rio da Serra (Neocomian) and the Alagoas (Aptian/Albian) local stages. For the first time a large hiatus between the Rio da Serra and Alagoas local stages is carefully documented. The palynomorphs and the ostracode associations throughout the Jurassic?-Aptian/Albian sequence allow the interpretation of the paleoenvironmental evolution of the Araripe basin which otherwise confirms that a polycyclical sedimentation occurred in the basin, being one of the controlling factors on the distribution of ostracodes and palynomorphes.     

Protected area types,strategies and impacts in Brazil's Amazon: public protected area strategies do not yield a consistent ranking of protected area types by impact

The leading policy to conserve forest is protected areas (PAs). Yet, PAs are not a single tool: land users and uses vary by PA type; and public PA strategies vary in the extent of each type and in the determinants of impact for each type, i.e. siting and internal deforestation. Further, across regions and time, strategies respond to pressures (deforestation and political). We estimate deforestation impacts of PA types for a critical frontier, the Brazilian Amazon. We separate regions and time periods that differ in their deforestation and political pressures and document considerable variation in PA strategies across regions, time periods and types. The siting of PAs varies across regions. For example, all else being equal, PAs in the arc of deforestation are relatively far from non-forest, while in other states they are relatively near. Internal deforestation varies across time periods, e.g. it is more similar across the PA types for PAs after 2000. By contrast, after 2000, PA extent is less similar across PA types with little non-indigenous area created inside the arc. PA strategies generate a range of impacts for PA types—always far higher within the arc—but not a consistent ranking of PA types by impact.     

Five new taxa in Eriocaulaceae from the Chapada Diamantina of Bahia,Brazil

Five new taxa in Eriocaulaceae from the Chapada Diamantina of Bahia, Brazil are described and illustrated and their diagnostic characters discussed and compared with other similar taxa. Eriocaulon ligulatum var. dimerum occurs only between Len?óis and Palmeiras; Paepalanthus carvalhoi occurs in Palmeiras, Mucugê and Barra da Estiva; P. umbrosus, P. multicapitatus and P. oblongifolius are known only from the Serra da Chapadinha near Len?óis.     

Ethnobotany in a coastal environmental protected area: shifts in plant use in two communities in southern Brazil

Background

We investigated local knowledge of plants in terms of plant use shifts and losses, in two coastal communities within a protected area in southern Brazil. Our hypothesis is that people’s livelihoods are associated with different ethnobotanical knowledge, and changes in these activities can reflect shifts in ethnobotanical knowledge such as stopping using some plants.

Methods

We interviewed 125 inhabitants after prior informed consent, asking her/him about their socioeconomic profile and to free list the plants they know. The free lists were analyzed by frequency of cited plants. To compare averages of cited plants and age in both communities, we used the Wilcoxon test with a significance of 5%. Spearman correlation was tested with number of plants cited in the past and the interviewees’ age. Permanence and change in economic activities in each community were represented using a graph and compared through a chi-squared test with a significance of 5%. Qualitative analyses of the interviews and a field diary were used to analyze driving forces for the abandonment of used plants.

Results

We identified 231 plant species that were currently used mainly for food and medicine. Despite being in a protected area, most of the cited plants were exotic and cultivated in home gardens. We do not confirm the hypothesis that changes in livelihoods are reflected in the plants used; however, qualitative analyses showed potential drivers for shifts and losses of plant use. “Environmental law” and “protected area” were the drivers most related to the abandonment of plant use.

Conclusions

While recognizing the importance of the protected area to maintain local people and their traditions, we documented a shift in plant use that is mainly correlated to construction activities that disappeared from daily practices.

     

A new acicular-leaved species of Sauvagesia (Ochnaceae) from Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil

A new species of Sauvagesia is described and illustrated under the name Sauvagesia paniculata. This new species is morphologically similar to the acicular-leaved species of the subsect. Vellozianae. However, S. paniculata can be clearly differentiated from the other acicular-leaved species by the paniculate inflorescence. Other diagnostic characters of S. paniculata include the shorter pedicel and longer leaves. This new species seems to be narrowly endemic to the “campo rupestre” vegetation in the Esbarrancado mountain range of Mucugê, in the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil.     

Jacquemontia diamantinensis sp. nov. (Convolvulaceae) from the Chapada Diamantina,Brazil

Jacquemontia diamantinensis Buril (Convolvulaceae) described here as a new species, is endemic to the Chapada Diamantina, in Bahia, Brazil. Illustrations and a table for comparing characters with related species are provided.     

Temporal dynamics of coral reef fish communities in Nha Trang Bay marine protected area,South-Central Vietnam

To improve understanding of reef fish communities of Vietnam’s first dedicated marine protected area, visual censuses were conducted seasonally from 2003–05 in Nha Trang Bay, south-central Vietnam using SCUBA. Results from this study show that species richness were usually higher in summer than winter and that decreased from summer to winter in both shallow and deep areas in this MPA, but this apparent decrease was not significant. There were significant variations in density of reef fish communities between seasons with higher densities in summer (from April to September) and lower densities in winter (from October to March). The families contributing most to the higher density during summer in the 3 years were acanthurids, chaetodontids, labrids, pomacentrids, scarids, siganids, pomacanthids and caesionids. The increased density of these families in summer was mostly due to increases of juveniles. Recruitment of acanthurids, chaetodontids, labrids, pomacentrids, scarids and siganids occurred primarily in shallow waters whereas caesionids and pomacanthids were mainly recruiting in deeper areas. There were no differences in spatial variations in both species richness and density within the same time periods over several years.     

A new crocodylomorph specimen from the Araripe Basin (Crato Member,Santana Formation), northeastern Brazil

The fossil fauna of the Santana Formation (Early Cretaceous) comprises many distinct taxa, but crocodylomorphs are poorly understood. Here we describe a new specimen (MPSC-R1137) that consists of a complete hind limb found in the Crato Member, the basal section of the Santana Formation. Based on the characteristics of the fibula (e.g., pronounced variation of the shaft width) and length proportions of the femur and tibia, this specimen can be distinguished from Caririsuchus camposi and Araripesuchus gomesii, which are known from the Romualdo Member (the upper lithostratigraphic unit of the Santana Formation). The only crocodylomorph formally described from the Crato Member is Susisuchus anatoceps, whose holotype lacks elements of the hind limb. On the basis of a comparative anatomical study of the hind limb, which shows no similarities between MPSC-R1137 and other crocodylomorphs from the Araripe Basin, we tentatively classify this new specimen as cf. Susisuchus sp., and provide new anatomical information for this rather derived crocodylomorph.      

Demography, and genetic and morphological variability of the endangered Sophronitis sincorana (Orchidaceae) in the Chapada Diamantina, Brazil

We carried out a demographic study and evaluated the genetic and morphological variability in five populations of the endangered Sophronitis sincorana (Orchidaceae) endemic to Northeastern Brazil, based on allozyme and morphometric analyses. Plant density was approximately 0.5 plants/m², and the projected total number of plants was approximately 50,000 individuals. However, fruit set and recruitment of individuals are rare. The genetic variability was very high in all populations (P = 100, A = 3.0−3.5, H _e = 0.33−0.48), and all populations presented similar values of morphological variability. Low genetic and morphological structuring were found in the species (F _ST = 0.053, A_MRPP = 0.018). The elevated coefficient of endogamy encountered in populations of S. sincorana indicates the occurrence of structuring within the populations. The lack of correlation between morphological and genetic variation in this species indicates that none of the markers examined should be used separately for either conservation purposes.     

论保护区的管理体制

一个国家保护区管理体制是否合理和完善与该国保护区发展的速度和管理的有效程度有密切关系。世界各国保护区的管理体制很不相同,各有长处和不足。本文对保护区的主管部门和管理系统、管理现况、存在问题和发展趋势以及我国保护区管理体制的改革等作一些粗略的评论,期待引起有关方面的关注并进一步开展研究。     

The assembly of plants used as nectar sources by hummingbirds in a Cerrado area of Central Brazil

Studies on hummingbird–plant interactions commonly use a pollination approach emphasizing mutualistic relationships. But floral resources are often used opportunistically by these birds. Plant–pollinator assemblies and pollination sustainability will depend both on the well-adapted plants and other potential floral resources. The Cerrado, Neotropical savannas of Central Brazil, has ca. 7.5 % of its flora supposedly adapted to hummingbird pollination. But detailed information about flowers effectively used by hummingbirds at community level is still lacking. Hence, we recorded all plant species visited by hummingbirds, to determine how these nectariferous flowers were distributed in time and space in different plant formations of a Cerrado area, and also the hummingbird species that visit them. The study was conducted between March 2007 and December 2008 in the Panga Ecological Station. Data regarding flowering phenology, floral morphology and visitation were collected monthly. Forty-six nectariferous species from 39 genera and 17 families were recorded, most with annual flowering dynamics and tubular flowers. But only 21 species had a combination of traits fitting classic ornithophilous syndrome. For the remaining species hummingbird visitation was ascertained from observations at the study site or other sites in the region. Eight hummingbird species occurred in the area and were recorded visiting directly 36 plant species. The study area presented a relatively low number of ornithophilous plants, but a great habitat diversity and many non-ornithophilous plants that hummingbirds used as nectar sources. Therefore, in the studied Cerrado, the diversity of environments and nectariferous plants favour the maintenance of resident and migrant hummingbirds.     

Water body type and land cover shape the dragonfly communities (Odonata) in the Pampa biome,Rio Grande do Sul,Brazil

The biogeographical region known as the Pampa biome in southern Brazil, was originally mainly covered with open fields or grassland, with areas of riparian forest surrounding the water bodies. Today this landscape appears highly fragmented due to agricultural activities such as rice cultivation, extensive cattle farming, and forest plantations. Studies have shown that the Pampa biome has high levels of biodiversity and endemism, but with regard to invertebrates, this biome is still one of the least known in Brazil. We therefore designed a study comparing the dragonfly (Odonata) communities to environmental and landscape features in this area, measuring diversity by species richness, relative abundance and Shannon index. Our results showed that the Pampa is a biome very rich in odonates, and that the species communities are highly dependent on the environmental conditions of the area. Habitats such as Rivers/Streams, bordered by native grasslands and riparian forests, were shown to harbour communities that were ecologically more complex and sensitive than other habitat types. Man-made lakes and agricultural areas displayed lower levels of biodiversity and odonate communities dominated by generalist species. By combining data on the communities of Odonata and other taxa, our analyses may be instrumental in determining priority areas for future conservation measures within the area.     

Biotic factors and occurrence of Lutzomyia longipalpis in endemic area of visceral leishmaniasis, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

The relationships between environmental exposure to risk agents and health conditions have been studied with the aid of remote sensing imagery, a tool particularly useful in the study of vegetation cover. This study aims to evaluate the influence of environmental variables on the spatial distribution of the abundance of Lutzomyia longipalpis and the reported canine and human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases at an urban area of Campo Grande, state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The sandfly captures were performed in 13 residences that were selected by raffle considering four residences or collection station for buffer. These buffers were generated from the central house with about 50, 100 and 200 m from it in an endemic area of VL. The abundance of sandflies and human and canine cases were georreferenced using the GIS software PCI Geomatica. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and percentage of land covered by vegetation were the environmental variables extracted from a remote sensing IKONOS-2 image. The average NDVI was considered as the complexity of habitat and the standard deviation as the heterogeneity of habitat. One thousand three hundred sixty-seven specimens were collected during the catch. We found a significant positive linear correlation between the abundance of sandflies and the percentage of vegetation cover and average NDVI. However, there was no significant association between habitat heterogeneity and the abundance of these flies.     

High decapod diversity revealed by minimal-invasive,short-term survey of Brijuni marine protected area

In our short-term, minimal-invasive decapod assessment of Brijuni marine protected area (MPA) we recorded 66 species belonging to 20 families. These represent a large part of the basic stock of decapods of the northern Adriatic, including some rare species. Moreover, we use species accumulation curves and extrapolation models to estimate total species richness, and to determine the effort needed for a viable decapod biodiversity assessment. Comparison with faunistic literature on Adriatic decapods indicates high species richness for Brijuni MPA.