Various parameterizations of nonlinear models are common in the literature.In addition to complicating the understanding of these models, these parameterizations affect the nonlinearity measures and subsequently the inferences about the parameters. Bates and Watts (1980) quantified model nonlinearity using the geometric concept of curvature. Here we aimed to evaluate the three most common parameterizations of the Logistic and Gompertz nonlinear models with a focus on their nonlinearity and how this might affect inferences, and to establish relations between the parameters under the various expressions of the models. All parameterizations were adjusted to the growth data from pequi fruit. The intrinsic and parametric curvature described by Bates and Watts were calculated for each parameter. The choice of parameterization affects the nonlinearity measures, thus influencing the reliability and inferences about the estimated parameters. The most used methodologies presented the highest distance from linearity, showing the importance of analyzing these measures in any growth curve study. We propose that the parameterization in which the estimate of B is the abscissa of the inflection point should be used because of the lower deviations from linearity and direct biological interpretation for all parameters.Efeito da parametrização em modelos não lineares na descrição de curvas de crescimento RESUMO. Diferentes parametrizações de modelos não lineares são comuns na literatura, mas além de complicar seu entendimento, podem afetar as medidas de não linearidade e as inferências sobre os parâmetros. Bates and Watts (1980) quantificaram a não linearidade presente no modelo utilizando o conceito geométrico de curvatura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as três parametrizações mais comuns dos modelos não lineares Logístico e Gompertz, quanto à sua não linearidade, as implicações nas inferências e estabelecer relações entre os parâmetros nas diferentes formas de expressar os modelos. Todas as parametrizações foram ajustadas a dados de crescimento do fruto de pequi do cerrado. Para cada parametrização foram calculadas as medidas de curvatura intrínseca e paramétrica descritas por Bates e Watts. A escolha da parametrização afeta as medidas de não linearidade, consequentemente, influencia na confiabilidade e nas inferências sobre os parâmetros estimados. As formas mais utilizadas na literatura apresentaram os maiores afastamentos da linearidade, evidenciando a importância de se analisar estas medidas em qualquer estudo sobre curva de crescimento. Devem ser utilizadas as parametrizações na qual a estimativa de B representa a abscissa do ponto de inflexão por apresentarem menores desvios de linearidade e interpretação biológica direta para todos os parâmetros.Palavras-chave: interpretação biológica, modelo Gompertz, modelo logístico, medidas de curvatura, não linearidade.

This study aimed to verify if the growth pattern of coffee berries, considering fresh mass accumulation over time, is double sigmoid and to select the most suitable nonlinear model to describe such behavior. Data used consisted of fourteen longitudinal observations of average fresh mass of coffee berries obtained in an experiment with the cultivar Obatã IAC 1669-20. The fits provided by the Logistic and Gompertz models were compared in their single and double versions. Parameters were estimated using the least squares method using the Gauss-Newton algorithm implemented in the nls function of the R software. It can be concluded that the growth pattern of the coffee fruit, in fresh mass accumulation, is double sigmoid. The double Gompertz and double Logistic models were adequate to describe such a growth curve, with a superiority of the double Logistic model.

The objective of this work was to evaluate how the parameterization and the application of different allometric values affect the obtention of the most adequate fit of von Bertalanffy’s model, in the description of the growth curve of meat-producing mammals (bovine, pigs, rabbits, and sheep). Among the nonlinear models, von Bertalanffy’s has been very often applied in several areas, with different parameterizations. This model has been commonly used with an allometric value of m = 2/3; however, for mammals, it is believed that this value can be m = 3/4. The analyzed data referring to the mass of meat-producing mammals according to their age were obtained from research institutions and from the literature. The results showed that von Bertalanffy’s model, with the allometric value of m = 3/4 and the used parameterization, provided better adjustments to quality evaluators. Besides, the model softened the overestimation of parameter a, giving a direct interpretation of parameter b, with the lowest values for curvature measurements, mainly for the parametric ones, and provided more reliable adjustments. Von Bertalanffy’s model can be used in the description of the growth curves of meat-producing mammals.

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal‐central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation‐related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data.

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non‐detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non‐governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer‐reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non‐detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio‐temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large‐scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data.

MODELAGEM NÃO LINEAR DO CRESCIMENTO EM ALTURA DO CAFEEIRO IRRIGADO E NÃO IRRIGADO EM DIFERENTES DENSIDADES  ADRIELE APARECIDA PEREIRA1; TALES JESUS FERNANDES2; MYRIANE STELLA SCALCO3 E AUGUSTO RAMALHO DE MORAIS4 1Licenciada em Matemática, Mestre, DEX/UFLA, Lavras-MG, e-mail: adrieleapvga@yahoo.com.br2Licenciado em Matemática, Doutor, Prof. DEX/UFLA, Lavras-MG, e-mail: tales.jfernandes@dex.ufla.br3Engenheira Agrônoma, Doutora, DAG/UFLA, Lavras-MG, e-mail: msscalco@dag.ufla.br4Engenheiro Agrônomo, Doutor, Prof. DEX/UFLA, Lavras-MG, e-mail: armorais@dex.ufla.br  1 RESUMO Heterogeneidade de variâncias e autocorrelação residual são características inerentes à dados de crescimento ao longo do tempo que se não considerados nas análises podem conduzir a resultados imprecisos. Este estudo teve por objetivo comparar os ajustes dos modelos Logístico e Gompertz, considerando os métodos de mínimos quadrados: ordinários e generalizados. Os dados utilizados referem-se à altura de plantas do cafeeiro, submetidas aos regimes de irrigação Si (testemunha), 60 kPa e 140 kPa, nas densidades de plantio 2500 e 5000 plantas ha-1. Segundo o desvio padrão residual e a análise de resíduos, o ajuste do modelo Gompertz pelo método de mínimos quadrados generalizados, que incorpora a heterogeneidade de variâncias e autocorrelação residual na modelagem, apresentou os melhores resultados para todos os dados analisados, sendo indicado para modelar o crescimento em altura do cafeeiro ao longo do tempo. Os ajustes referentes às plantas irrigadas apresentaram as maiores estimativas para a altura assintótica, confirmando que a irrigação da lavoura proporciona maior crescimento das plantas. Palavras-Chave: Autocorrelação residual, Gompertz, Heterocedasticidade.  PEREIRA, A. A.; FERNANDES, T. J.; SCALCO, M. S.; MORAIS, A. R. de MODELING NONLINEAR GROWTH IN HEIGHT COFFEE WITH AND WITHOUT IRRIGATION IN DIFFERENT DENSITIES  2 ABSTRACT Heterogeneity of variance and residual autocorrelation characteristics are inherent in the growth data over time that is not considered in the analysis may lead to inaccurate results. This study aimed to compare the settings of the Logistic and Gompertz models, considering the methods of least squares: ordinary and generalized. The data used refer to the height of the coffee plants, subjected to irrigation systems Si (non irrigated), 60 kPa and 140 kPa, the planting densities in 2500 and 5000 plants ha-1. According to the residual standard deviation and the residual analysis, the fit of the Gompertz model by generalized least squares method, which incorporates the heterogeneity of residual variance and autocorrelation in modeling, showed the best results for all data analyzed, suitable for modeling the growth in height of the coffee over time. The adjustments related to the irrigated plants had the highest estimates for the asymptotic height, confirming that the crop irrigation provides greater plant growth. Keywords: Residual autocorrelation, Gompertz, Heteroscedasticity.

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