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Abstract. The biomisation method is used to reconstruct Latin American vegetation at 6000±500 and 18 000±1000 radiocarbon years before present (14C yr BP) from pollen data. Tests using modern pollen data from 381 samples derived from 287 locations broadly reproduce potential natural vegetation. The strong temperature gradient associated with the Andes is recorded by a transition from high altitude cool grass/shrubland and cool mixed forest to mid-altitude cool temperate rain forest, to tropical dry, seasonal and rain forest at low altitudes. Reconstructed biomes from a number of sites do not match the potential vegetation due to local factors such as human impact, methodological artefacts and mechanisms of pollen representivity of the parent vegetation. At 6000±500 14C yr BP 255 samples are analysed from 127 sites. Differences between the modern and the 6000±500 14C yr BP reconstruction are comparatively small; change relative to the modern reconstruction are mainly to biomes characteristic of drier climate in the north of the region with a slight more mesic shift in the south. Cool temperate rain forest remains dominant in western South America. In northwestern South America a number of sites record transitions from tropical seasonal forest to tropical dry forest and tropical rain forest to tropical seasonal forest. Sites in Central America show a change in biome assignment, but to more mesic vegetation, indicative of greater plant available moisture, e.g. on the Yucatán peninsula sites record warm evergreen forest, replacing tropical dry forest and warm mixed forest presently recorded. At 18 000±1000 14C yr BP 61 samples from 34 sites record vegetation reflecting a generally cool and dry environment. Cool grass/shrubland is prevalent in southeast Brazil whereas Amazonian sites record tropical dry forest, warm temperate rain forest and tropical seasonal forest. Southernmost South America is dominated by cool grass/shrubland, a single site retains cool temperate rain forest indicating that forest was present at some locations at the LGM. Some sites in Central Mexico and lowland Colombia remain unchanged in the biome assignments of warm mixed forest and tropical dry forest respectively, although the affinities that these sites have to different biomes do change between 18 000±1000 14C yr BP and present. The "unresponsive" nature of these sites results from their location and the impact of local edaphic influence.

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ABSTRACT. First record of Harm onia axyridis (Palias) (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) : a lady bcetle nativc to the Palaearctic rcgion. Specimens of Harmonia axyridis (Pal ias, 1773) an asiatic species were caugth in Capão do Tigre, Curitiba, Paraná, South of Brazil, for the fim time, feedi ng on Tillocallis Iwlill\valllokani (Kirkaldy) (Hemiptera, Aphididae) on Lagerstroemia indica Linnaeus (Lythraceae).

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ABSTRACT. Keys for the identification of Coleoptera (Insecta) associated with stored products. An illustrated key to identify nine families ofColeoptera commonly found in stored products is presented. Keys for the identification of Anobiidae [Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius, 1792) (Fabricius, 1798), Tribolium caslaneulll (Herbst, 1797), T conJusum du Vai, 1868) are also provided. These keys cover the most frequent Coleoptera found in stored products, specially grains, and are to the adult stage only. l1lustrations of externaI morphology and general characteristics are provided for each species reported. KEY WüRDS.Coleoptera, keys, stored products A ordem Coleoptera apresenta o maior número de espécies dentro do reino animal, com aproximadamente 370.00.0 espécies descritas. Mais de 500 espécies têm sido registradas associadas com produtos armazenados, de origem animal e vegetal, em várias partes do mundo (HALSTEAD 1986; MüUND 1989;HAINES 1991). Muitas destas espécies estão relacionadas com a atividade humana desde os tempos do antigo Egito, Grécia e Roma e como resultado dos milhares de anos de comércio, as espécies mais importantes apresentam distribuição cosmopolita (REES 1995).Quase todos os nichos ecológicos dentro do ecossistema de armazenamento podem ser ocupados por uma ou mais espécies de coleópteros. Por exemplo, estes insetos podem ser pragas primárias, secundárias, vetores de fungos, de bactérias e responsáveis diretos e indiretos pela deterioração de grãos, micetófagos, predadores e até estarem perfurando as partes de madeira que compõem a estrutura armazenadora (HAINES 1991). Membros das famílias Bostrichidae, Bruchidae, Curculionidae e Anobiidae podem atacar grãos não danificados de leguminosas e cereais, sendo denominados pragas primárias. O dano causado pelas pragas primárias torna os grãos mais suscetíveis ao ataque de insetos que não tem a capacidade de atacar grãos intactos,

This study evaluated the effects of high phytase doses and soybean meal ( SBM ) with different CP content on growth performance, ileal nutrient digestibility, digestible energy, plasmatic myo -inositol, phosphate release in vitro, and bone composition of broiler chickens. One thousand two hundred 1-day-old broilers were distributed in a 2 × 2 completely randomized factorial arrangement, with 2 phytase doses (1,000 and 2,500 phytase units [ FYT ]/kg of feed) and 2 SBM with different CP concentrations (45 and 47%), totaling 4 treatments with 12 replicates of 25 birds each. The chickens received feed and water ad libitum. Diets were based on corn and SBM, with different inclusions of soybean hull used to dilute the CP content of SBM according to each treatment. The inclusion of 2,500 FYT increased weight gain from 0 to 21 d ( P < 0.05), whereas growth performance from 22 to 42 d was not affected, and SBM had no effect on growth performance. At day 21, ileal digestibility of dry matter, ash, and P, and digestible energy were greater in diets with 2,500 FYT/kg ( P < 0.05), as well as phosphate in vitro release ( P < 0.01) compared to the lower dose. At day 42, diets with SBM 47% CP and 2,500 FYT/kg promoted greater digestibility of dry matter, ash, CP, Ca, P, and digestible energy ( P < 0.001), and greater phosphate release ( P < 0.05) in comparison to other treatments. myo -inositol level in the plasma at 21 and 42 d was higher with the use of 2,500 FYT compared to 1,000 FYT ( P < 0.05). The higher phytase dose increased tibia ash, toe ash, and Seedor Index ( P < 0.05) at day 21, and the Ca content in tibia was higher with 2,500 FYT and SBM 47% CP at day 42. In conclusion, higher phytase doses for broilers improve weight gain, myo -inositol provision, and bone mineral composition. Nutrient ileal digestibility can be enhanced by higher phytase doses when in combination with SBM of greater nutritional quality.

Harmonia axyridis is an exotic species that can cause serious impacts on native biodiversity in areas where it is introduced to act as a biological control agent. This predator is often involved with intraguild predation, in most cases with aphids predators. Here, we report the results of experiments designed to understand the outcome of the invasion of H. axyridis on native coccinellid aphidophagous guilds using intraguild predation as a theoretical framework. Tests were conducted to determine the interactions between 1st and 4th instars larvae and H. axyridis adults, with Cycloneda sanguinea, Cycloneda pulchella, Eriopis connexa and Hippodamia convergens larvae, as well as eggs predation rate. Two treatments were used: absence and presence of food, Cinara atlantica. The results showed that 1st and 4th instars larvae and H. axyridis adults are able to prey on larvae and eggs of four Coccinellidae species analyzed, and also their own eggs, showing that this exotic species is a dominant predator in this guild of aphidophagous coccinellids. Adding to these results, studies are recommended, especially the monitoring of these species in the field in the long run, reporting their abundance and diversity as well as their behavior and impact within aphidophagous guilds, especially in Coccinellidae species.