Scarabaeoidea superfamily (Insecta: Coleoptera) as a bioindicator element of anthropogenic disturbance in an amazon national park. Insects have been recognized to be important indicators of the quality elements of ecosystems, among others, because of their rapid response to environmental variability and ease cost-effective capture. In this work we evaluated whether beetles of the Scarabaeoidea superfamily may be used as bioindicators of anthropogenic disturbance of Amazonian terra firme rain forests, in order to provide guidelines for monitoring strategies of the Amacayacu National Park. We considered three different levels of anthropogenic disturbance (i.e. low, medium, high) in 12 transects (four in each intervention level), and caught all beetle species of this superfamily. Three interception traps, two light traps, three pitfalls and four bottle fruit traps were used per transect, as well as manual catch. In total, 593 individuals belonging to 92 species, 44 genera and seven families were collected. Scarabaeidae (n=232, 27 spp.) and Dynastidae (n=161, 26 spp.) were the families with the highest number of individuals and species, while Aphodiidae, Cetoniidae and Geotrupidae exhibited the lowest. The most abundant species per family were Ateuchus sp. (33.2%) from Scarabaeidae, Cyclocephala verticalis (55.9%) from Dynastidae, Astaena sp. (75.8%) from Melolonthidae, Ceratocanthus amazonicus (66.7%) from Ceratocanthidae y Chaetodus asuai (96.8%) from Hybosoridae. Results showed that the number of species and individuals increased with the anthropogenic disturbance. The Margalef and Shannon indexes also revealed that the highest richness and equity occurred in the high-disturbed site, respectively. Dynastidae exhibited the highest number of exclusive species per gradient, while Scarabaeidae shared most of its species. Ten species were recorded in the three disturbance levels, 26 species in two and 56 species were exclusive to one level. The most abundant species Chaetodus asuai (Hybosoridae) presented a significant decrease in the number of individuals as disturbance increased, while an inverse relationship occurred for C. verticalis (Dynastidae). For Astaena sp. (Melolonthidae) and Ligyrus gyas (Dynastidae) a high number of individuals was recorded and were exclusive for one forest site (low and high disturbed forest, respectively). The complete superfamily cannot be used like a single bioindicator element because it displays, in a specific level, very different behaviors in each disturbance condition. We discuss the use of richness and diversity as indicators of disturbance, while we highlight abundance of particular taxa as a better metric for disturbance. Rev. Biol. Trop. 61 (2): 735-752. Epub 2013 June 01.

We characterized the dispersal spectra and phenology of 298 vascular plant species of the sandstone plateaus of Colombian Amazonia. Dispersal modes were determined by the morphology of dispersion units, personal observations on fruit consumption, and an extensive literature review. We obtained the number of species per dispersal mode for the sandstone plateaus and for two recognized vegetation types: open-herbaceous vegetation and low forest-shrub vegetation. Dispersal modes were assigned to 295 plant species. Animals dispersed the highest percentage of species (46.6%), while the percentage of autochorous and anemochorous species was 29.4 and 23 percent, respectively. The dispersal spectrum of the low forest-shrub vegetation type, based on the coverage of every species, showed that percentages of anemochorous (40.2%) and zoochorous species (37.8%) were similar. Autochory was the most important seed dispersal mode of the open-herbaceous vegetation (60%). Birds were the principal group of potential dispersers (58.9%) of zoochorous species and reptiles the least important. We found two marked fruiting peaks, one from the end of the dry season to the beginning of the wet season and the second one from the beginning to the middle of the dry season. Our results showed that besides the differences in the vegetation structure and floristic composition between the sandstone plateaus and the adjacent tall forest, there also exist differences in the dispersal spectra and the fruiting rhythms. RESUMENNosotros caracterizamos el espectro de dispersión y la fenología de 298 especies de plantas vasculares de las mesetas de arenisca de la Amazonia colombiana. Los mecanismos de dispersión fueron determinados en base a la morfología de las unidades de dispersión, observaciones personales sobre el consumo de frutos y una exhaustiva revisión de literatura. Obtuvimos el número de especies por mecanismo de dispersión para las mesetas de arenisca y para los tipos de vegetación reconocidos: vegetación herbácea abierta y vegetación arbustiva-boscosa-baja. Los mecanismos de dispersión fueron asignados a 295 especies de plantas. Los animales dispersaron el mayor porcentaje de especies (46.6%), mientras que el porcentaje de especies autocoras y anemocoras fue 29.4 y 23 por ciento, respectivamente. El espectro de dispersión del tipo de vegetación arbustiva-boscosa-baja, basado en la cobertura de cada especie, mostró que los porcentajes de especies anemocoras (40.2%) y zoocoras (37.8%) son muy similares. La autocoria fué el mecanismo de dispersión de semillas más importante de la vegetación herbácea abierta (60%). Las aves fueron el grupo principal de dispersores potenciales (58.9%) de las especies zoocoras, y los reptiles los menos importante. Encontramos dos picos marcados de fructificación, el primero desde el final de la estación seca hasta el inicio de la estación lluviosa, y el segundo desde el inicio hasta mediados de la estación seca. Nuestros resultados muestran que a pesar de las diferencias en la estructura de la vegetación y compos...

We compared fruiting data derived simultaneously from fruit traps placed on the ground and from canopy‐surveyed plots in a terra firme rain forest, Colombian Amazonia. Values derived from the canopy‐surveyed plots were higher than fruit‐trap estimates. Fruiting patterns obtained throughout both methods were not correlated. Our results showed that the fruit‐trap method does not accurately reflect fruiting patterns occurring at the highest levels of the forest, while the canopy‐surveyed plots provided both quantitative and qualitative information on canopy fruit production, and each species contribution.

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We studied some feeding behaviors of the purple‐throated fruitcrow (Querula purpurata) in two Colombian Amazonian forests, which affect the primary seed dispersal of the plants on which it feeds. Visit length, number of fruits removed and dispersed, feeding rates, and fruit‐handling times were compared to those obtained for two other cotingas feeding on the same fruiting trees. Querula purpurata exhibited shorter visits (98 sec) and fruit‐handling times (4 sec), and higher mean feeding rates (1.6 fruits/min) than Phoenicircus nigricollis and Cotinga cayana. In contrast, P. nigricollis dispersed the highest number of seeds of four of the five tree species studied. Although Q. purpurata and P. nigricollis exhibited feeding behaviors that increase seed dispersal, Q. purpurata may be more important in the transport of seeds between habitats, while P. nigricollis may be a major seed disperser within the primary forest.

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aBstraCt. The objective of this research was to characterize, during an annual cycle, the relationship between weather and the phenology of four common orchid species in a high-Andean forest of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia. Flowering and fruiting of 30 adult individuals of Cyrtochilum revolutum, Malaxis excavata, Ponthieva diptera and Stelis pulchella were monitored on a monthly basis. The number of flowering buds, open flowers, unripe and ripe fruits (closed and open capsule, respectively) were correlated to climatic variables (i.e. mean monthly precipitation, mean, minimum and maximum monthly temperature and, relative humidity) obtained during the same time period. The results showed that all orchid species exhibited reproductive activity during the studied year. C. revolutum only flowered, and was positively correlated with rainfall. The flowering peak of S. pulchella, occurred during the coldest months when relative humidity was also low. In contrast, the peak of unripe fruits was recorded when both the relative humidity and mean temperature were the highest, while capsules opened during the driest months. Flowering and fruiting of M. excavata were extended, lasting more than four months. The greatest number of open flowers was positively correlated to precipitation, while the number of unripe fruits was correlated with relative humidity and rainfall of twomonths prior. Few individuals of P. diptera flowered and fruited during the studied year, while reproductive activity was correlated to rainfall and temperature. Although the relationship between climatic variables and phenology is differential between species, our findings consistently showed that three out of four of the studied species (C. revolutum, M. excavata y P. diptera) flowered during the rainy season with significant positive correlations, which is discussed in light of literature findings.resumen. El objetivo de esta investigación fue caracterizar, durante un ciclo anual, la relación fenología-clima de cuatro especies comunes de orquídeas en un bosque altoandino de la Cordillera Oriental colombiana. Se monitoreó mensualmente la floración y la fructificación de 30 individuos adultos de Cyrtochilum revolutum, Malaxis excavata, Ponthieva diptera y Stelis pulchella. El número de flores en botón, flores abiertas, frutos inmaduros (cápsula cerrada) y el número de frutos maduros (cápsula abierta) se correlacionaron con las variables climáticas precipitación media mensual, temperatura media, mínima y máxima mensuales y humedad relativa mensual del mismo período de estudio. Los resultados mostraron que las cuatro especies de orquídeas presentaron actividad reproductiva durante el año de seguimiento. C. revolutum sólo floreció y se correlacionó de forma positiva con la precipitación. El pico de floración de S. pulchella, ocurrió en los meses más fríos y con menor humedad relativa. En contraste, la producción de frutos verdes se presentó en los momentos de mayor humedad y mayor temperatura, mientras que la apertura de las cápsulas ocurrió en los mes...