Deadwood is a large global carbon store with its store size partially determined by biotic decay. Microbial wood decay rates are known to respond to changing temperature and precipitation. Termites are also important decomposers in the tropics but are less well studied. An understanding of their climate sensitivities is needed to estimate climate change effects on wood carbon pools. Using data from 133 sites spanning six continents, we found that termite wood discovery and consumption were highly sensitive to temperature (with decay increasing >6.8 times per 10°C increase in temperature)—even more so than microbes. Termite decay effects were greatest in tropical seasonal forests, tropical savannas, and subtropical deserts. With tropicalization (i.e., warming shifts to tropical climates), termite wood decay will likely increase as termites access more of Earth’s surface.

No abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the vegetation identity of local-scale ecotones and its importance to landscape biodiversity in a transition between savanna and forest vegetation types in Brazil. We surveyed the tree community (diameter at breast height ≥5 cm) within 25 plots of 400 m2 across three core vegetation types and two ecotones among them (totalling five vegetation types). We then evaluated similarities in species composition, community structure and phylogenetic diversity across the transitions in order to assess the relationship between the ecotones and the core areas. Ecotones were distinct floristic units with a high number of unique species and floristic and phylogenetic clustering, and hence these environments are additional vegetation types in relation to the core areas. Some species showed maximum abundance in ecotones, which harboured distinct ecological patterns, demonstrating the importance of the ecotones in the overall ecosystem. Results are related to the distribution of the species present in the regional pool across local-scale microhabitats, with ecotones being a product of a distinct environmental conditions resulting from the distinct adjacent biomes (savanna and forest), which enable the maintenance of biological diversity.

Studies about the birds of rupestrian fields in the south of Minas Gerais State in Southeastern Brazil are incomplete, although this region is ornithologically well studied. This bird community has closely associated ecology with fields and the most endangered species of the Cerrado domain. The objective of this manuscript is to create a list of birds which occur in the rupestrian fields of seven municipalities in the south of Minas Gerais State, and further to analyze the birds’ distribution, the endangered species (and their conservation status), and generate bases for future conservation actions. We evaluated seven cities in the south of Minas Gerais State between 2012 and 2018 by using binoculars and cameras. We found a high richness in relation to other open areas, with the Tyrannidae and Trochilidae families being the most representative. We highlight the endangered species in the Cerrado domain which of these species are closely linked to rupestrian fields. The composition is similar to closer areas, with exception to São Thomé das Letras city because it suffers an influence of mining areas. We suggest creating a wildlife protected area to preserve and conserve a great area of rupestrian fields and consequently the associated biota, especially the bird communities

RESUMOEste trabalho caracterizou o tipo de mercado, tamanho e segmento de atuação das empresas detentoras do selo Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) 100% no Brasil e avaliou a percepção dos gestores dessas empresas sobre os benefícios advindos da certificação florestal. Tal estudo se justifica pelo caráter voluntário do programa que propõe a garantia de que uma floresta é manejada de forma a contemplar os aspectos econômicos e socioambientais. Foram realizadas entrevistas com os gestores de povoamentos florestais com certificados de manejo florestal de todas as empresas disponíveis na plataforma do FSC, com FSC 100% certificada, durante três semanas, para avaliar a percepção dos mesmos sobre o programa. Os resultados foram tabulados, agrupados de acordo com o tipo de mercado, tamanho e segmento de atuação, para em seguida serem submetidos ao teste de Kruskal-Wallis. Das 110 empresas disponíveis na plataforma do FSC, 92 (84%) manifestaram resposta. Foram encontradas evidências de que o programa FSC traz benefícios para o setor privado, como acesso a mercados internacionais, melhoria no treinamento dos funcionários, impacto positivo na imagem da empresa, entre outros. Contudo, ainda não se recebe o pagamento de preços premium, a maioria das comunidades locais se mostra indiferente aos produtores com certificados, e grande parte dos consumidores brasileiros não reconhece o selo FSC. Conclui-se que existem benefícios para as empresas certificadas, mas que os alcances pretendidos na sua instituição não são totalmente atingidos. Novas pesquisas são necessárias para estudar os efeitos de alternativas que permitam ao programa atingir todo seu potencial positivo, sendo propostas como alternativas a maior educação ambiental e publicidade da marca FSC.