Evidence for herbaceous seed dispersal by small-bodied fishes in a Pantanal seasonal wetland.

We analysed the germination of seeds after their passage through the digestive tract of small floodplain fishes. Samples were collected in five open flooded fields of the northern Pantanal in March 2011. All fishes were sacrificed and their intestinal contents were removed. The fecal material was weighed and stored at 4°C in a GF/C filter wrapped in aluminum foil. The material was then transferred to a receptacle containing sterilised soil from the sampling area. The fecal samples were kept in a germination chamber for 68 days and then transferred to a greenhouse for another 67 days. We collected a total of 45 fish species and 1014 individuals which produced a total amount of 32 g of fresh fecal mass and 11 seedlings. We were able to identify six seedlings: two Banara arguta, two Steinchisma laxa, one Hymenachne amplexicaulis and one Luziola sp.. The fish species that produced samples with seedlings were Astyanax assuncionensis, Metynnis mola, Plesiolebias glaucopterus, Acestrorhyncus pantaneiro and Anadoras wendelli. With the exception of B. arguta the remaining plant species and all fish species were not known to be associated with the seed dispersal process of these plants. We found a ratio of 0.435 seedlings.g-1 of fresh fecal material, which is 100 times higher than the amount of seedlings encountered in fresh soil mass (92,974 grams) in seed bank studies conducted in the same study area. In particular, Astyanax assuncionensis and Metynnis mola were among the most frequent and most abundant fish taxa in the area. Together with the high seed concentration in the fish fecal material, this evidence allows us to conclude that such fish species may play an important role in seed dispersal in the herbaceous plants of the Pantanal.

Evidence for herbaceous seed dispersal by small-bodied fishes in a Pantanal seasonal wetland / Evidência de dispersão de sementes de herbáceas por peixes de pequeno porte num campo inundável do Pantanal

We analysed the germination of seeds after their passage through the digestive tract of small floodplain fishes. Samples were collected in five open flooded fields of the northern Pantanal in March 2011. All fishes were sacrificed and their intestinal contents were removed. The fecal material was weighed and stored at 4°C in a GF/C filter wrapped in aluminum foil. The material was then transferred to a receptacle containing sterilised soil from the sampling area. The fecal samples were kept in a germination chamber for 68 days and then transferred to a greenhouse for another 67 days. We collected a total of 45 fish species and 1014 individuals which produced a total amount of 32g of fresh fecal mass and 11 seedlings. We were able to identify six seedlings: two Banara arguta, two Steinchisma laxa, one Hymenachne amplexicaulis and one Luziola sp.. The fish species that produced samples with seedlings were Astyanax assuncionensis, Metynnis mola, Plesiolebias glaucopterus, Acestrorhyncus pantaneiro and Anadoras wendelli. With the exception of B. arguta the remaining plant species and all fish species were not known to be associated with the seed dispersal process of these plants. We found a ratio of 0.435 seedlings.g–1 of fresh fecal material, which is 100 times higher than the amount of seedlings encountered in fresh soil mass (92,974 grams) in seed bank studies conducted in the same study area. In particular, Astyanax assuncionensis and Metynnis mola were among the most frequent and most abundant fish taxa in the area. Together with the high seed concentration in the fish fecal material, this evidence allows us to conclude that such fish species may play an important role in seed dispersal in the herbaceous plants of the Pantanal.(AU)

Nós analisamos a germinação de sementes após a passagem pelo trato digestivo de peixes de pequeno porte da planície de inundação do Pantanal de Mato Grosso. As amostras foram retiradas de cinco campos inundáveis em março de 2011. Todos os peixes foram sacrificados e seus conteúdos intestinais removidos. O material fecal foi pesado e armazenado a 4°C em filtros GF/C envolvidos em papel alumínio. O material foi transferido para um recipiente contendo solo da região previamente esterilizado e regado diariamente. As amostras de fezes foram mantidas por 68 dias numa câmara de germinação e então mantidas por mais 67 dias na casa de vegetação. Coletamos 1014 indivíduos de peixes distribuídos em 45 espécies que produziram um total de 32g. de fezes e 11 plântulas das quais seis foram identificadas como Banara arguta (n=2), Steinchisma laxa (n=2), Hymenachne amplexicaulis (n=1) e Luziola sp. (n=1). As espécies de peixes que produziram amostras com germinações foram Astyanax assuncionensis, Metynnis mola, Plesiolebias glaucopterus, Acestrorhyncus pantaneiro e Anadoras wendelli. Esse é o primeiro relato que associa essas espécies de plantas e de peixes no processo de dispersão de sementes com exceção de B. arguta. Encontramos uma razão de 0,435 germinações.g–1 por massa úmida fecal, o que representa 100 vezes mais germinações do que o registrado por massa úmida de solo num estudo de banco de sementes de solo da mesma região. Em particular, Astyanax assuncionensis e Metynnis mola estão entre as espécies mais frequentes e abundantes da área de estudo. Considerando a alta concentração de germinações por massa de material fecal essa evidência nos permite sugerir que os peixes de pequeno porte da planície de inundação do Pantanal podem ter um efeito determinante na dispersão de herbáceas do Pantanal.(AU)

Responses of Chironomidae (Diptera; Insecta) to the exclusion of shrimps and Ephemeroptera in a coastal forest stream, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In a benthic community on a continuous flat granite substrate in a third-order coastal forest stream, the dominant chironomid (Cricotopus) increased in number when shrimps (Macrobrachium olfersi and Potimirim glabra) and baetid ephemeropterans were excluded by electricity. The response appeared to be mediated by an increase in periphyton and sediments, rather than a reduction of direct predation or interference. Chironomids, periphyton and sediments decreased significantly compared to the control when shrimps only were excluded. Baetid ephemeropteran appeared to be the most important determinants of periphyton and sediment mass; the density of chironomids appeared to follow the quantity of periphyton and sediments.

Responses of Chironomidae (Diptera; Insecta) to the exclusion of shrimps and Ephemeroptera in a coastal forest stream, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In a benthic community on a continuous flat granite substrate in a third-order coastal forest stream, the dominant chironomid (Cricotopus) increased in number when shrimps (Macrobrachium olfersi and Potimirim glabra) and baetid ephemeropterans were excluded by electricity. The response appeared to be mediated by an increase in periphyton and sediments, rather than a reduction of direct predation or interference. Chironomids, periphyton and sediments decreased significantly compared to the control when shrimps only were excluded. Baetid ephemeropteran appeared to be the most important determinants of periphyton and sediment mass; the density of chironomids appeared to follow the quantity of periphyton and sediments.

Os quironomídeos dominantes (Cricotopus) de uma comunidade bentônica aumentaram em densidade quando camarões (Macrobrachium olfersi e Potimirim glabra) e efemerópteros betídeos foram excluídos por eletricidade de um substrato rochoso contínuo em um córrego de Mata Atlântica. Esta resposta parece ter sido mais influenciada por um aumento no perifíton do que pela redução da predação direta ou competição por interferência. Quando somente os camarões foram excluídos, os quironomídeos, perifíton e sedimentos sofreram redução significativa em comparação com os controles. Efemerópteros betídeos parecem ter sido os maiores determinantes da quantidade de sedimentos e perifíton; a densidade de quironomídeos parece seguir a quantidade de perifíton e sedimentos.