Do an ecosystem engineer and environmental gradient act independently or in concert to shape juvenile plant communities? Tests with the leaf-cutter ant Atta laevigata in a Neotropical savanna.

BACKGROUND: Ecosystem engineers are species that transform habitats in ways that influence other species.While the impacts of many engineers have been well described, our understanding of how their impact varies along environmental gradients remains limited. Although disentangling the effects of gradients and engineers on biodiversity is complicated-the gradients themselves can be altered by engineers-doing so is necessary to advance conceptual and mathematical models of ecosystem engineering. We used leaf-cutter ants (Atta spp.) to investigate the relative influence of gradients and environmental engineers on the abundance and species richness of woody plants. METHODS: We conducted our research in South America's Cerrado. With a survey of plant recruits along a canopy cover gradient, and data on environmental conditions that influence plant recruitment, we fit statistical models that addressed the following questions: (1) Does A. laevigata modify the gradient in canopy cover found in our Cerrado site? (2) Do environmental conditions that influence woody plant establishment in the Cerrado vary with canopy cover or proximity to A. laevigata nests? (3) Do A. laevigata and canopy cover act independently or in concert to influence recruit abundance and species richness? RESULTS: We found that environmental conditions previously shown to influence plant establishment in the Cerrado varied in concert with canopy cover, but that ants are not modifying the cover gradient or cover over nests. However, ants are modifying other local environmental conditions, and the magnitude and spatial extent of these changes are consistent across the gradient. In contrast to prior studies, we found that ant-related factors (e.g., proximity to nests, ant changes in surface conditions), rather than canopy cover, had the strongest effect on the abundance of plant recruits. However, the diversity of plants was influenced by both the engineer and the canopy cover gradient. DISCUSSION: Atta laevigata in the Cerrado modify local conditions in ways that have strong but spatially restricted consequences for plant communities. We hypothesize that ants indirectly reduce seedling establishment by clearing litter and reducing soil moisture, which leads to seed and seedling desiccation. Altering soil nutrients could also reduce juvenile growth and survivorship; if so these indirect negative effects of engineering could exacerbate their direct effects of harvesting plants. The effects of Atta appear restricted to nest mounds, but they could be long-lasting because mounds persist long after a colony has died or migrated. Our results support the hypothesis that leaf-cutter ants play a dominant role in Cerrado plant demography. We suggest the ecological and economic footprint of these engineers may increase dramatically in coming decades due to the transformation of the Cerrado by human activities.

Low plant density enhances gene dispersal in the Amazonian understory herb Heliconia acuminata.

In theory, conservation genetics predicts that forest fragmentation will reduce gene dispersal, but in practice, genetic and ecological processes are also dependent on other population characteristics. We used Bayesian genetic analyses to characterize parentage and propagule dispersal in Heliconia acuminata L. C. Richard (Heliconiaceae), a common Amazonian understory plant that is pollinated and dispersed by birds. We studied these processes in two continuous forest sites and three 1-ha fragments in Brazil's Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project. These sites showed variation in the density of H. acuminata. Ten microsatellite markers were used to genotype flowering adults and seedling recruits and to quantify realized pollen and seed dispersal distances, immigration of propagules from outside populations, and reproductive dominance among parents. We tested whether gene dispersal is more dependent on fragmentation or density of reproductive plants. Low plant densities were associated with elevated immigration rates and greater propagule dispersal distances. Reproductive dominance among inside-plot parents was higher for low-density than for high-density populations. Elevated local flower and fruit availability is probably leading to spatially more proximal bird foraging and propagule dispersal in areas with high density of reproductive plants. Nevertheless, genetic diversity, inbreeding coefficients and fine-scale spatial genetic structure were similar across populations, despite differences in gene dispersal. This result may indicate that the opposing processes of longer dispersal events in low-density populations vs. higher diversity of contributing parents in high-density populations balance the resulting genetic outcomes and prevent genetic erosion in small populations and fragments.

Resilient networks of ant-plant mutualists in Amazonian forest fragments.

BACKGROUND: The organization of networks of interacting species, such as plants and animals engaged in mutualisms, strongly influences the ecology and evolution of partner communities. Habitat fragmentation is a globally pervasive form of spatial heterogeneity that could profoundly impact the structure of mutualist networks. This is particularly true for biodiversity-rich tropical ecosystems, where the majority of plant species depend on mutualisms with animals and it is thought that changes in the structure of mutualist networks could lead to cascades of extinctions. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We evaluated effects of fragmentation on mutualistic networks by calculating metrics of network structure for ant-plant networks in continuous Amazonian forests with those in forest fragments. We hypothesized that networks in fragments would have fewer species and higher connectance, but equal nestedness and resilience compared to forest networks. Only one of the nine metrics we compared differed between continuous forest and forest fragments, indicating that networks were resistant to the biotic and abiotic changes that accompany fragmentation. This is partially the result of the loss of only specialist species with one connection that were lost in forest fragments. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We found that the networks of ant-plant mutualists in twenty-five year old fragments are similar to those in continuous forest, suggesting these interactions are resistant to the detrimental changes associated with habitat fragmentation, at least in landscapes that are a mosaic of fragments, regenerating forests, and pastures. However, ant-plant mutualistic networks may have several properties that may promote their persistence in fragmented landscapes. Proactive identification of key mutualist partners may be necessary to focus conservation efforts on the interactions that insure the integrity of network structure and the ecosystems services networks provide.

Attack frequency and the tolerance to herbivory of Neotropical savanna trees.

Tolerance is the ability of a plant to regrow or reproduce following damage. While experimental studies typically measure tolerance in response to the intensity of herbivory (i.e., the amount of leaf tissue removed in one attack), the impact of how many times plants are attacked during a growing season (i.e., the frequency of damage) is virtually unexplored. Using experimental defoliations that mimicked patterns of attack by leaf-cutter ants (Atta spp.), we examined how the frequency of herbivory influenced plant tolerance traits in six tree species in Brazil's Cerrado. For 2 years we quantified how monthly and quarterly damage influenced individual survivorship, relative growth rate, plant architecture, flowering, and foliar chemistry. We found that the content of leaf nitrogen (N) increased among clipped individuals of most species, suggesting that Atta influences the allocation of resources in damaged plants. Furthermore, our clipping treatments affected tree architecture in ways thought to promote tolerance. However, none of our focal species exhibited a compensatory increase in growth (increment in trunk diameter) in response to herbivory as relative growth rates were significantly lower in clipped than in unclipped individuals. In addition, the probability of survival was much lower for clipped plants, and lower for plants clipped monthly than those clipped quarterly. For plants that did survive, simulated herbivory dramatically reduced the probability of flowering. Our results were similar across a phylogenetically distinct suite of species, suggesting a potential extendability of these findings to other plant species in this system.

Arthropod responses to the experimental isolation of Amazonian forest fragments

Arthropods are the most diverse and abundant group of animals found in tropical lowland forests, and in light of ongoing global change phenomena, it is essential to better understand their responses to anthropogenic disturbances. Here we present a review of arthropod responses to forest deforestation and fragmentation based on studies conducted at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP), located in central Amazonia. These studies involved a wide range of arthropod groups. All but one of the studies evaluated changes in total species number or species density in relation to fragment size, (i.e. area effects), and one-third also evaluated edge effects. Our review indicates that almost every arthropod group studied showed some kind of response to reduction in forest area, including altered abundances, species richness or composition in comparisons of different-sized fragments, fragmented and non-fragmented areas, or comparisons of forest edges and forest interiors. These responses tended to be idiosyncratic, with some groups showing predicted declines in abundance or diversity in the fragments while others show no response or even increases. However, some of the observed effects on arthropods, or on the ecological processes in which they are involved, were transient. The most likely explanation for this was the rapid development of secondary growth around fragments, which greatly increased the connectivity between fragments and the remaining forest. Although the BDFFP has provided many insights regarding the effects of forest fragmentation on arthropod assemblages, many diverse groups, such as canopy arthropods, have received scant attention. For those that have been studied, much remains to be learned regarding the long-term dynamics of these assemblages and how landscape context influences local biodiversity. The BDFFP remains an exceptional site in which to investigate how the ecological interactions in which arthropods are engaged are altered in fragmented landscapes.

Arthropod responses to the experimental isolation of Amazonian forest fragments

Arthropods are the most diverse and abundant group of animals found in tropical lowland forests, and in light of ongoing global change phenomena, it is essential to better understand their responses to anthropogenic disturbances. Here we present a review of arthropod responses to forest deforestation and fragmentation based on studies conducted at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP), located in central Amazonia. These studies involved a wide range of arthropod groups. All but one of the studies evaluated changes in total species number or species density in relation to fragment size, (i.e. area effects), and one-third also evaluated edge effects. Our review indicates that almost every arthropod group studied showed some kind of response to reduction in forest area, including altered abundances, species richness or composition in comparisons of different-sized fragments, fragmented and non-fragmented areas, or comparisons of forest edges and forest interiors. These responses tended to be idiosyncratic, with some groups showing predicted declines in abundance or diversity in the fragments while others show no response or even increases. However, some of the observed effects on arthropods, or on the ecological processes in which they are involved, were transient. The most likely explanation for this was the rapid development of secondary growth around fragments, which greatly increased the connectivity between fragments and the remaining forest. Although the BDFFP has provided many insights regarding the effects of forest fragmentation on arthropod assemblages, many diverse groups, such as canopy arthropods, have received scant attention. For those that have been studied, much remains to be learned regarding the long-term dynamics of these assemblages and how landscape context influences local biodiversity. The BDFFP remains an exceptional site in which to investigate how the ecological interactions in which arthropods are engaged are altered in fragmented landscapes.

Arthropod responses to the experimental isolation of Amazonian forest fragments

Arthropods are the most diverse and abundant group of animals found in tropical lowland forests, and in light of ongoing global change phenomena, it is essential to better understand their responses to anthropogenic disturbances. Here we present a review of arthropod responses to forest deforestation and fragmentation based on studies conducted at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP), located in central Amazonia. These studies involved a wide range of arthropod groups. All but one of the studies evaluated changes in total species number or species density in relation to fragment size, (i.e. area effects), and one-third also evaluated edge effects. Our review indicates that almost every arthropod group studied showed some kind of response to reduction in forest area, including altered abundances, species richness or composition in comparisons of different-sized fragments, fragmented and non-fragmented areas, or comparisons of forest edges and forest interiors. These responses tended to be idiosyncratic, with some groups showing predicted declines in abundance or diversity in the fragments while others show no response or even increases. However, some of the observed effects on arthropods, or on the ecological processes in which they are involved, were transient. The most likely explanation for this was the rapid development of secondary growth around fragments, which greatly increased the connectivity between fragments and the remaining forest. Although the BDFFP has provided many insights regarding the effects of forest fragmentation on arthropod assemblages, many diverse groups, such as canopy arthropods, have received scant attention. For those that have been studied, much remains to be learned regarding the long-term dynamics of these assemblages and how landscape context influences local biodiversity. The BDFFP remains an exceptional site in which to investigate how the ecological interactions in which arthropods are engaged are altered in fragmented landscapes.

Edge effects on growth and biomass partitioning of an Amazonian understory herb (Heliconia acuminata; Heliconiaceae).

PREMISE: After deforestation, environmental changes in the remaining forest fragments are often most intense near the forest edge, but few studies have evaluated plant growth or plasticity of plant growth in response to edge effects. METHODS: In a 2-year common garden experiment, we compared biomass allocation and growth of Heliconia acuminata with identical genotypes grown in 50 × 35 m common gardens on a 25-year-old edge and in a forest interior site. KEY RESULTS: Genetically identical plants transplanted to the forest edge and understory exhibited different patterns of growth and biomass allocation. However, individuals with identical genotypes in the same garden often had very different responses. Plants on forest edges also had higher growth rates and increased biomass at the end of the experiment, almost certainly due to the increased light on the forest edge. CONCLUSIONS: With over 70000 km of forest edge created annually in the Brazilian Amazon, phenotypic plasticity may play an important role in mediating plant responses to these novel environmental conditions.

Altered resource availability and the population dynamics of tree species in Amazonian secondary forests.

Despite research demonstrating that water and nutrient availability exert strong effects on multiple ecosystem processes in tropical forests, little is known about the effect of these factors on the demography and population dynamics of tropical trees. Over the course of 5 years, we monitored two common Amazonian secondary forest species-Lacistema pubescens and Myrcia sylvatica-in dry-season irrigation, litter-removal and control plots. We then evaluated the effects of altered water and nutrient availability on population demography and dynamics using matrix models and life table response experiments. Our results show that despite prolonged experimental manipulation of water and nutrient availability, there were nearly no consistent and unidirectional treatment effects on the demography of either species. The patterns and significance of observed treatment effects were largely dependent on cross-year variability not related to rainfall patterns, and disappeared once we pooled data across years. Furthermore, most of these transient treatment effects had little effect on population growth rates. Our results suggest that despite major experimental manipulations of water and nutrient availability-factors considered critical to the ecology of tropical pioneer tree species-autogenic light limitation appears to be the primary regulator of tree demography at early/mid successional stages. Indeed, the effects of light availability may completely override those of other factors thought to influence the successional development of Amazonian secondary forests.

Dynamics of the leaf-litter arthropod fauna following fire in a neotropical woodland savanna.

Fire is an important agent of disturbance in tropical savannas, but relatively few studies have analyzed how soil-and-litter dwelling arthropods respond to fire disturbance despite the critical role these organisms play in nutrient cycling and other biogeochemical processes. Following the incursion of a fire into a woodland savanna ecological reserve in Central Brazil, we monitored the dynamics of litter-arthropod populations for nearly two years in one burned and one unburned area of the reserve. We also performed a reciprocal transplant experiment to determine the effects of fire and litter type on the dynamics of litter colonization by arthropods. Overall arthropod abundance, the abundance of individual taxa, the richness of taxonomic groups, and the species richness of individual taxa (Formiciade) were lower in the burned site. However, both the ordinal-level composition of the litter arthropod fauna and the species-level composition of the litter ant fauna were not dramatically different in the burned and unburned sites. There is evidence that seasonality of rainfall interacts with fire, as differences in arthropod abundance and diversity were more pronounced in the dry than in the wet season. For many taxa the differences in abundance between burned and unburned sites were maintained even when controlling for litter availability and quality. In contrast, differences in abundance for Collembola, Formicidae, and Thysanoptera were only detected in the unmanipulated samples, which had a lower amount of litter in the burned than in the unburned site throughout most of our study period. Together these results suggest that arthropod density declines in fire-disturbed areas as a result of direct mortality, diminished resources (i.e., reduced litter cover) and less favorable microclimate (i.e., increased litter desiccation due to reduction in tree cover). Although these effects were transitory, there is evidence that the increasingly prevalent fire return interval of only 1-2 years may jeopardize the long-term conservation of litter arthropod communities.

Relação entre doses de calda bordalesa e de fosfito potássico na intensidade do míldio e na produtividade da videira cv. 'Goethe' / Relation between doses of Bordeaux mixture and phosphites potassium on the intensity of Downy Mildew on grape cv. 'Goethe'

O míldio da videira, é uma das principais doenças dessa cultura no Sul do Brasil e provoca grandes perdas caso não sejam adotadas medidas de controle. Trabalhos envolvendo diferentes aspectos do patossistema são importantes para redução das perdas provocadas pela doença. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência de doses da calda bordalesa e do fosfito potássico no controle do míldio e na produtividade da videira cv. "Goethe" sob condições do Litoral Sul Catarinense, Brasil. Foram testadas as concentrações de 0,0, 0,1, 0,2, 0,4 e 0,8 por cento do fungicida e do adubo foliar em um esquema fatorial de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. As variáveis de área abaixo da curva de progresso da doença (AACPD), porcentagem de cachos doentes (PCD) e produtividade foram submetidas à análise de variância e de regressão. Diferenças para AACPD e PCD foram verificadas nas doses dos tratamentos. Por outro lado, não houve diferenças na comparação da calda bordalesa com fosfito, nem para as interações entre doses e tratamentos. Doses de 0,4 por cento de calda bordalesa e 0,3 por cento de fosfito controlaram a doença, pois reduziram em 98 e 94 por cento a AACPD, bem como diminuíram em 46 e 76 por cento a incidência nos cachos, respectivamente. Sintomas de fitotoxidez nas plantas foram observados nas doses de 0,8 por cento de calda bordalesa e 0,4 por cento de fosfito. Não foram verificadas diferenças de produtividade para nenhum dos fatores estudados. A calda bordalesa na dose de 0,4 por cento e o fosfito potássico a 0,2 por cento proporcionaram controle adequado do míldio na cv. 'Goethe'.

The Downy Mildew, considered the most important disease of grape, causes great damage to the culture in the South of Brazil. News aspects of control, like new substances, should still be studied to reduce disease intensity. The objective of this research was to evaluate efficiency of Bordeaux mixture and phosphites on control of downy mildew and productivity of grape cv. 'Goethe' in the South Coastal of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The concentrations tested of 0.0; 0.1; 0.2; 0.4 e 0.8 percent of the fungicide and the foliage fertilizer were evaluated in a DBC factorial scheme with three repetitions. The AACPD, bunch diseased incidence (incidence) and productivity were submitted to regression analyses and F test. Differences were observed for AACPD and incidence for concentrations, but not to different treatments and interactions between treatments and concentrations. The doses of 0.4 percent Bordeaux mixture and 0.3 percent phosphite reduced the AACPD in 98 and 94 percent and incidence in 46 and 76 percent, respectively. Phytotoxycity symptoms were observed in 0.8 percent and 0.4 percent doses of Bordeaux mixture and phosphites, respectively. No differences were verified for productivity. The dosis of 0.4 percent of Bordeaux mixture and 0.3 percent of phosphites resulted in control of Downy Mildew of grape.

Relação entre doses de calda bordalesa e de fosfito potássico na intensidade do míldio e na produtividade da videira cv. 'Goethe'

The Downy Mildew, considered the most important disease of grape, causes great damage to the culture in the South of Brazil. News aspects of control, like new substances, should still be studied to reduce disease intensity. The objective of this research was to evaluate efficiency of Bordeaux mixture and phosphites on control of downy mildew and productivity of grape cv. 'Goethe' in the South Coastal of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The concentrations tested of 0.0; 0.1; 0.2; 0.4 e 0.8% of the fungicide and the foliage fertilizer were evaluated in a DBC factorial scheme with three repetitions. The AACPD, bunch diseased incidence (incidence) and productivity were submitted to regression analyses and F test. Differences were observed for AACPD and incidence for concentrations, but not to different treatments and interactions between treatments and concentrations. The doses of 0.4% Bordeaux mixture and 0.3% phosphite reduced the AACPD in 98 and 94% and incidence in 46 and 76%, respectively. Phytotoxycity symptoms were observed in 0.8% and 0.4% doses of Bordeaux mixture and phosphites, respectively. No differences were verified for productivity. The dosis of 0.4% of Bordeaux mixture and 0.3% of phosphites resulted in control of Downy Mildew of grape.

O míldio da videira, é uma das principais doenças dessa cultura no Sul do Brasil e provoca grandes perdas caso não sejam adotadas medidas de controle. Trabalhos envolvendo diferentes aspectos do patossistema são importantes para redução das perdas provocadas pela doença. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência de doses da calda bordalesa e do fosfito potássico no controle do míldio e na produtividade da videira cv. "Goethe" sob condições do Litoral Sul Catarinense, Brasil. Foram testadas as concentrações de 0,0, 0,1, 0,2, 0,4 e 0,8% do fungicida e do adubo foliar em um esquema fatorial de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. As variáveis de área abaixo da curva de progresso da doença (AACPD), porcentagem de cachos doentes (PCD) e produtividade foram submetidas à análise de variância e de regressão. Diferenças para AACPD e PCD foram verificadas nas doses dos tratamentos. Por outro lado, não houve diferenças na comparação da calda bordalesa com fosfito, nem para as interações entre doses e tratamentos. Doses de 0,4% de calda bordalesa e 0,3% de fosfito controlaram a doença, pois reduziram em 98 e 94% a AACPD, bem como diminuíram em 46 e 76% a incidência nos cachos, respectivamente. Sintomas de fitotoxidez nas plantas foram observados nas doses de 0,8% de calda bordalesa e 0,4% de fosfito. Não foram verificadas diferenças de produtividade para nenhum dos fatores estudados. A calda bordalesa na dose de 0,4% e o fosfito potássico a 0,2% proporcionaram controle adequado do míldio na cv. 'Goethe'.

Relação entre doses de calda bordalesa e de fosfito potássico na intensidade do míldio e na produtividade da videira cv. 'Goethe'

The Downy Mildew, considered the most important disease of grape, causes great damage to the culture in the South of Brazil. News aspects of control, like new substances, should still be studied to reduce disease intensity. The objective of this research was to evaluate efficiency of Bordeaux mixture and phosphites on control of downy mildew and productivity of grape cv. 'Goethe' in the South Coastal of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The concentrations tested of 0.0; 0.1; 0.2; 0.4 e 0.8% of the fungicide and the foliage fertilizer were evaluated in a DBC factorial scheme with three repetitions. The AACPD, bunch diseased incidence (incidence) and productivity were submitted to regression analyses and F test. Differences were observed for AACPD and incidence for concentrations, but not to different treatments and interactions between treatments and concentrations. The doses of 0.4% Bordeaux mixture and 0.3% phosphite reduced the AACPD in 98 and 94% and incidence in 46 and 76%, respectively. Phytotoxycity symptoms were observed in 0.8% and 0.4% doses of Bordeaux mixture and phosphites, respectively. No differences were verified for productivity. The dosis of 0.4% of Bordeaux mixture and 0.3% of phosphites resulted in control of Downy Mildew of grape.

O míldio da videira, é uma das principais doenças dessa cultura no Sul do Brasil e provoca grandes perdas caso não sejam adotadas medidas de controle. Trabalhos envolvendo diferentes aspectos do patossistema são importantes para redução das perdas provocadas pela doença. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência de doses da calda bordalesa e do fosfito potássico no controle do míldio e na produtividade da videira cv. "Goethe" sob condições do Litoral Sul Catarinense, Brasil. Foram testadas as concentrações de 0,0, 0,1, 0,2, 0,4 e 0,8% do fungicida e do adubo foliar em um esquema fatorial de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. As variáveis de área abaixo da curva de progresso da doença (AACPD), porcentagem de cachos doentes (PCD) e produtividade foram submetidas à análise de variância e de regressão. Diferenças para AACPD e PCD foram verificadas nas doses dos tratamentos. Por outro lado, não houve diferenças na comparação da calda bordalesa com fosfito, nem para as interações entre doses e tratamentos. Doses de 0,4% de calda bordalesa e 0,3% de fosfito controlaram a doença, pois reduziram em 98 e 94% a AACPD, bem como diminuíram em 46 e 76% a incidência nos cachos, respectivamente. Sintomas de fitotoxidez nas plantas foram observados nas doses de 0,8% de calda bordalesa e 0,4% de fosfito. Não foram verificadas diferenças de produtividade para nenhum dos fatores estudados. A calda bordalesa na dose de 0,4% e o fosfito potássico a 0,2% proporcionaram controle adequado do míldio na cv. 'Goethe'.

Changes in tree reproductive traits reduce functional diversity in a fragmented Atlantic forest landscape.

Functional diversity has been postulated to be critical for the maintenance of ecosystem functioning, but the way it can be disrupted by human-related disturbances remains poorly investigated. Here we test the hypothesis that habitat fragmentation changes the relative contribution of tree species within categories of reproductive traits (frequency of traits) and reduces the functional diversity of tree assemblages. The study was carried out in an old and severely fragmented landscape of the Brazilian Atlantic forest. We used published information and field observations to obtain the frequency of tree species and individuals within 50 categories of reproductive traits (distributed in four major classes: pollination systems, floral biology, sexual systems, and reproductive systems) in 10 fragments and 10 tracts of forest interior (control plots). As hypothesized, populations in fragments and control plots differed substantially in the representation of the four major classes of reproductive traits (more than 50% of the categories investigated). The most conspicuous differences were the lack of three pollination systems in fragments--pollination by birds, flies and non-flying mammals--and that fragments had a higher frequency of both species and individuals pollinated by generalist vectors. Hermaphroditic species predominate in both habitats, although their relative abundances were higher in fragments. On the contrary, self-incompatible species were underrepresented in fragments. Moreover, fragments showed lower functional diversity (H' scores) for pollination systems (-30.3%), floral types (-23.6%), and floral sizes (-20.8%) in comparison to control plots. In contrast to the overwhelming effect of fragmentation, patch and landscape metrics such as patch size and forest cover played a minor role on the frequency of traits. Our results suggest that habitat fragmentation promotes a marked shift in the relative abundance of tree reproductive traits and greatly reduces the functional diversity of tree assemblages in fragmented landscapes.

Citric biomass, algae extracts, bordeaux mixture and fosfites to control downy mildew in grapevine, cv. Niágara Branca / Biomassa cítrica, extrato de algas, calda bordalesa e fosfitos no controle do míldio da videira, cv. Niágara Branca

The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of alternative products to control downy mildew in grapevine cv. Niágara Branca. The experiment was carried out at Epagri/Urussanga Experimental Station, in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, from September 2005 to February 2006. The following treatments were tested: phosphite K, phosphite PK, citric biomass, Bordeaux mixture, extract of the alga Ulva fasciata and control. The disease was evaluated by its area under disease progress curve in leafs (AUDPC), disease incidence in bunchs (ID) and productivity at harvest. The experimental design was completely randomized with four repetitions. Treatments were compared by the Duncans test (P5%). Bordeaux mixture reduced 59% of AUDPC in leafs and 45% of ID; phosphite K 0,2% and phosphite PK 0,2% reduced only AUDPC by 59% and 71%, compared with control, respectively. The algae U. fasciata extract 0,5% and citric biomass 0,25% didnt reduced disease development. Productivity was not affected by treatments.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a eficiência de produtos alternativos para o controle do míldio da videira cv. Niágara Branca. O experimento foi conduzido em Urussanga, SC, no período de setembro de 2005 a fevereiro de 2006. Foram testados os seguintes tratamentos: fosfito K 0,2%, fosfito PK 0,2%, biomassa cítrica, calda bordalesa 0,5%, extrato da alga Ulva fasciata e testemunha. A sanidade foi avaliada pela área abaixo da curva de progresso da doença (AACPD) nas folhas, incidência da doença nos cachos (PCD) e produtividade no momento da colheita. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado e os tratamentos comparados pelo teste de Duncan. Destacaram-se a calda bordalesa 0,5% pela redução de 59% da AACPD na folha e 45% da PCD; fosfito K 0,2% e fosfito PK 0,2% somente na folha com 59% e 71% de redução da AACPD, comparados com a testemunha, respectivamente. Extrato de U. fasciata 0,5% e biomassa cítrica 0,25% não diferiram da testemunha em nenhuma das variáveis avaliadas. Os tratamentos não proporcionaram diferenças significativas na produtividade da cultura.

Citric biomass, algae extracts, bordeaux mixture and fosfites to control downy mildew in grapevine, cv. Niágara Branca / Biomassa cítrica, extrato de algas, calda bordalesa e fosfitos no controle do míldio da videira, cv. Niágara Branca

The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of alternative products to control downy mildew in grapevine cv. Niágara Branca. The experiment was carried out at Epagri/Urussanga Experimental Station, in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, from September 2005 to February 2006. The following treatments were tested: phosphite K, phosphite PK, citric biomass, Bordeaux mixture, extract of the alga Ulva fasciata and control. The disease was evaluated by its area under disease progress curve in leafs (AUDPC), disease incidence in bunchs (ID) and productivity at harvest. The experimental design was completely randomized with four repetitions. Treatments were compared by the Duncans test (P5%). Bordeaux mixture reduced 59% of AUDPC in leafs and 45% of ID; phosphite K 0,2% and phosphite PK 0,2% reduced only AUDPC by 59% and 71%, compared with control, respectively. The algae U. fasciata extract 0,5% and citric biomass 0,25% didnt reduced disease development. Productivity was not affected by treatments.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a eficiência de produtos alternativos para o controle do míldio da videira cv. Niágara Branca. O experimento foi conduzido em Urussanga, SC, no período de setembro de 2005 a fevereiro de 2006. Foram testados os seguintes tratamentos: fosfito K 0,2%, fosfito PK 0,2%, biomassa cítrica, calda bordalesa 0,5%, extrato da alga Ulva fasciata e testemunha. A sanidade foi avaliada pela área abaixo da curva de progresso da doença (AACPD) nas folhas, incidência da doença nos cachos (PCD) e produtividade no momento da colheita. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado e os tratamentos comparados pelo teste de Duncan. Destacaram-se a calda bordalesa 0,5% pela redução de 59% da AACPD na folha e 45% da PCD; fosfito K 0,2% e fosfito PK 0,2% somente na folha com 59% e 71% de redução da AACPD, comparados com a testemunha, respectivamente. Extrato de U. fasciata 0,5% e biomassa cítrica 0,25% não diferiram da testemunha em nenhuma das variáveis avaliadas. Os tratamentos não proporcionaram diferenças significativas na produtividade da cultura.

Heliconia acuminata reproductive success is independent of local floral density

Plantas reprodutivas em florestas tropicas são distribuidas em manchas, com algumas em grandes agregações coespecíficas e outras relativamente isoladas. A hipótese é que esta variação na densidade de flores em um local tem um grande efeito no sucesso reprodutivo de plantas, já que indivíduos em agregações maiores poderiam atrair mais polinizadores ou polinizadores de melhor qualidade. Esta hipótese foi testada na Amazônia central com populações da erva de sub-bosque Heliconia acuminata. Foram criadas parcelas em que a densidade de plantas reprodutivas simula a densidade natural, e medimos componentes de sucesso reprodutivo em plantas focais em cada parcela. Não houve diferença significativa entre nenhum dos tratamentos de densidade de flores em termos da taxa de produção de frutos, de produção total de sementes por planta, ou de produção de sementes por fruto. Visitas por polinizadores eram extremamente raras, e muitas plantas não receberam nenhuma visita. Isto poderia ser porque os beija-flores que polinizam Heliconia acuminata são muito ineficientes, mas isto parece não ser o caso. A densidade de flores pode simplesmente estar abaixo do limiar em que efeitos de densidade local são importantes, até mesmo em agregações de maior densidade. Limitação de nutrientes, aborto seletivo de frutos, e reprodução via função masculina e não feminina também poderiam ser responsáveis. Sugere-se que a ausência de efeitos de densidade local na reprodução de plantas pode ser um fenômeno geral nas florestas da Amazônia central, embora experimentos adicionais com outros sistemas são necessários para determinar se esta hipótese é valida.