The palm Euterpe edulis has high ecological and economic importance in Brazil. Currently, this species is being cultivated and managed for spontaneous regeneration in banana plantations. However, there are no data comparing its plantation growth performance to its native forest growth. We evaluated growth and mortality (M) of individuals of E. edulis planted in secondary dense ombrophilous forest and in banana plantations, as well as their relationships with site variables (canopy opening, soil nutrient availability, density of existing E. edulis, and herbivory).Twelve banana plantation sites and 12 sites in secondary dense ombrophilous forests were selected. At each site, 25 young individuals of E. edulis were planted in 2003. Annually until 2008, morphometric, herbivory, and M of the individuals were evaluated. In 2008, canopy and soil variables were measured at each plot. E. edulis growth was five times higher in banana plots compared to forest plots; current annual increment on height reached 38.9 cm in banana plots, compared to 7.3 cm in forest plots. M was relatively low and similar at both sites, presenting an intraspecific density-dependence pattern. Significant correlations were found between morphometric variables, M, and herbivory of E. edulis and canopy and soil variables. Euterpe edulis presented plasticity that allows for its establishment in banana plantations, indicating high potential for management in agroforestry consortia. Such management may be a useful conservation strategy for this and other shade-tolerant species.
Elevation gradients are drivers of species diversity, and, recently, studies have considered the evolutionary process in shaping community assembly patterns. Patterns of plant species richness across elevational gradients have been studied in different parts of the Atlantic Forest; however, little is known about plant phylogenetic diversity patterns. Thus, we aimed to analyse the phylogenetic diversity of angiosperm trees along an elevation gradient in southern Brazilian Plateau, in the subtropical portion of the Atlantic Forest. We expected a decrease in phylogenetic diversity along the elevation gradient, from lowlands towards to highlands, where species may be evolutionary closely related as many tropical lineages are not capable to inhabit colder conditions. We also investigated the distribution of phylogenetic clades along the elevation gradient through principal coordinates of phylogenetic structure. Data were obtained from 28 phytosociological surveys distributed across different elevation levels, ranging from 40 to 975 m. We found a negative association between phylogenetic diversity and the elevation gradient. The representativeness of families Myrtaceae and Lauraceae increased with elevation, while most of the families decreased in species richness and are replaced by temperate families such as Winteraceae (Drimys) in higher elevations. The decrease in phylogenetic diversity with increasing elevation may be linked to niche conservatism of tropical lineages that retain their historical climatic niches and thus many species are not capable to inhabit colder environments. Most tropical clades are restricted to lower elevations; however, Myrtaceae and Lauraceae probably evolved tolerance to colder temperatures during glacial cycles. Furthermore, the probably long-term climate stability in lowlands than highland areas may have promoted the co-occurrence of distantly related species, resulting in higher phylogenetic diversity. Finally, we observed how historical imprints and current environmental conditions shape the phylogenetic diversity of angiosperm tree species in subtropical Atlantic Forest.
Em 2017, vivenciou-se uma drástica mudança no cenário político brasileiro. Foi nesse período que o Programa de Desenvolvimento Sustentável de Territórios Rurais (PRONAT), implementado desde 2004, foi encerrado, findando um ciclo da política pública de desenvolvimento territorial brasileiro. Nesse contexto, objetivou-se analisar a governança da política territorial no Rio Grande do Sul, destacando sua dinâmica, analisada a partir do cenário socioambiental dos territórios Litoral e Campos de Cima da Serra. O estado é o segundo com o maior número de territórios, abrangendo cerca de 85% de sua área. Dentre as estruturas de governança, destacam-se o Comitê Articulador Estadual e a Rede Estadual de NEDETs. Do total de 18 territórios rurais, 11 foram reconhecidos em 2013. Essa condição fez com que o estado acumulasse uma experiência de gestão na política territorial bastante diversificada, com ênfase na organização cooperativa do sistema de abastecimento de mercados institucionais e na inclusão da sociobiodiversidade.
Indicadores de qualidade ambiental, baseados em índices de comunidades biológicas, vêm sendo amplamente utilizados em programas de diagnósticos e monitoramentos ambientais. Novos índices de comunidades vêem sendo propostos com a finalidade de se refinar mais estas aplicações. Neste trabalho foi aplicado o índice de especificidade de hábitat buscando-se avaliar a especificidade das espécies e dos gêneros de Chlorococcales em relação ao hábitat, e a contribuição da especificidade relativa do hábitat, na escala de paisagem. Foi realizado um levantamento qualitativo das Chlorococcales fitoplanctônicas em 5 estações amostrais no trecho médio do rio Itajaí-Mirim, entre os municípios de Brusque e Botuverá, de forma a verificar os padrões deste grupo durante a estação de verão. Foram identificadas 31 espécies, distribuídas em 12 gêneros. O maior valor do índice de especificidade foi obtido na estação amostral localizada no município de Botuverá, e o menor índice na estação localizada na área urbana de Brusque. Nesta escala o índice de especificidade genérica demonstrou mais claramente a formação de grupos de especificidade de hábitat.
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