Aim: Among the world's three major nectar-feeding bird taxa, hummingbirds are the most phenotypically specialized for nectarivory, followed by sunbirds, while the honeyeaters are the least phenotypically specialized taxa. We tested whether this phenotypic specialization gradient is also found in the interaction patterns with their floral resources.Location: Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania/Australia. Methods:We compiled interaction networks between birds and floral resources for 79 hummingbird, nine sunbird and 33 honeyeater communities. Interaction specialization was quantified through connectance (C), complementary specialization (H 2 0 ), binary (Q B ) and weighted modularity (Q), with both observed and null-model corrected values. We compared interaction specialization among the three types of bird-flower communities, both independently and while controlling for potential confounding variables, such as plant species richness, asymmetry, latitude, insularity, topography, sampling methods and intensity.Results: Hummingbird-flower networks were more specialized than honeyeaterflower networks. Specifically, hummingbird-flower networks had a lower proportion of realized interactions (lower C), decreased niche overlap (greater H 2 0 ) and greater modularity (greater Q B ). However, we found no significant differences between hummingbird-and sunbird-flower networks, nor between sunbird-and honeyeaterflower networks.

Aim We examined the effects of space, climate, phylogeny and species traits on module composition in a cross‐biomes plant–hummingbird network. Location Brazil, except Amazonian region. Methods We compiled 31 local binary plant–hummingbird networks, combining them into one cross‐biomes metanetwork. We conducted a modularity analysis and tested the relationship between species’ module membership with traits, geographical location, climatic conditions and range sizes, employing random forest models. We fitted reduced models containing groups of related variables (climatic, spatial, phylogenetic, traits) and combinations of groups to partition the variance explained by these sets into unique and shared components. Results The Brazilian cross‐biomes network was composed of 479 plant and 42 hummingbird species, and showed significant modularity. The resulting six modules conformed well to vegetation domains. Only plant traits, not hummingbird traits, differed between modules, notably plants’ growth form, corolla length, flower shape and colour. Some modules included plant species with very restricted distributions, whereas others encompassed more widespread ones. Widespread hummingbirds were the most connected, both within and between modules, whereas widespread plants were the most connected between modules. Among traits, only nectar concentration had a weak effect on among‐module connectivity. Main conclusions Climate and spatial filters were the main determinants of module composition for hummingbirds and plants, potentially related to resource seasonality, especially for hummingbirds. Historical dispersal‐linked contingency, or environmental variations not accounted for by the explanatory factors here evaluated, could also contribute to the spatial component. Phylogeny and morphological traits had no unique effects on the assignment of species to modules. Widespread species showed higher within‐ and/or among‐module connectivity, indicating their key role connecting biomes, and, in the case of hummingbirds, communities within biomes. Our results indicate that biogeography and climate not only determine the variation of modularity in local plant–animal networks, as previously shown, but also affect the cross‐biomes network structure.

The aboveground wood biomass (AWB) of tropical forests plays an important role in the global carbon cycle, and local AWB estimates provide essential data that enable the extrapolation of biomass stocks to ecosystem or biome-wide carbon cycle modelling. Few AWB estimates exist in Neotropical freshwater floodplains, where tree species distribution and forest structure depend on the height and duration of periodic inundations. We investigated tree species composition, forest structure, wood specific gravity, and AWB of trees ≥10 cm dbh in 16 plots totalling an area of 1 ha in a seasonally inundated riparian forest of the lower Miranda River, southern Pantanal, Brazil. The 443 tree individuals belonged to 46 species. Four species (Inga vera, Ocotea suaveolens, Tabebuia heptaphylla and Cecropia pachystachya) comprised more than 50% of the Total Importance Values (TIV), and floristic similarities between the plots averaged 38%. Although we detected an overall increase in species diversity correlated with decreasing flood levels, the most important tree species had almost identical distribution patterns Folia Geobot (2008) /ha), and the tree heights averaged 10.9±1.4 m. Multiplying the individual basal areas by individual tree heights and a form factor of 0.6, we estimated the aboveground wood volume (AWV) for each individual, and for each plot (24.4±11.7 m 3 , 391.1±188 m 3 /ha). Wood specific gravity (SG) varied between 0.39 g/cm 3 (Cecropia pachystachya) and 0.87 g/cm 3 (Tabebuia heptaphylla), with a stand level average of 0.63±0.12 g/cm 3 . Multiplying the individual AWV with species SG, we estimated the plot AWB to be 16.2±6.4 Mg (259.4±102 Mg/ha). This value is comparable to that reported for late-successional forest stands of Amazonian floodplain forests, and it is close to the worldwide tropical average AWB. Because tree heights in the present forest were comparatively low when compared to other Neotropical forests, we found that resprouting of stems accounted for comparatively high basal areas. We argue that stem resprouting is an adaptation of tree species originating in non-flooded Cerrado to the seasonal inundations of riparian forests.

Scientists have long been trying to understand why the Neotropical region holds the highest diversity of birds on Earth. Recently, there has been increased interest in morphological variation between and within species, and in how climate, topography, and anthropogenic pressures may explain and affect phenotypic variation. Because morphological data are not always available for many species at the local or regional scale, we are limited in our understanding of intra‐ and interspecies spatial morphological variation. Here, we present the ATLANTIC BIRD TRAITS, a data set that includes measurements of up to 44 morphological traits in 67,197 bird records from 2,790 populations distributed throughout the Atlantic forests of South America. This data set comprises information, compiled over two centuries (1820–2018), for 711 bird species, which represent 80% of all known bird diversity in the Atlantic Forest. Among the most commonly reported traits are sex (n = 65,717), age (n = 63,852), body mass (n = 58,768), flight molt presence (n = 44,941), molt presence (n = 44,847), body molt presence (n = 44,606), tail length (n = 43,005), reproductive stage (n = 42,588), bill length (n = 37,409), body length (n = 28,394), right wing length (n = 21,950), tarsus length (n = 20,342), and wing length (n = 18,071). The most frequently recorded species are Chiroxiphia caudata (n = 1,837), Turdus albicollis (n = 1,658), Trichothraupis melanops (n = 1,468), Turdus leucomelas (n = 1,436), and Basileuterus culicivorus (n = 1,384). The species recorded in the greatest number of sampling localities are Basileuterus culicivorus (n = 243), Trichothraupis melanops (n = 242), Chiroxiphia caudata (n = 210), Platyrinchus mystaceus (n = 208), and Turdus rufiventris (n = 191). ATLANTIC BIRD TRAITS (ABT) is the most comprehensive data set on measurements of bird morphological traits found in a biodiversity hotspot; it provides data for basic and applied research at multiple scales, from individual to community, and from the local to the macroecological perspectives. No copyright or proprietary restrictions are associated with the use of this data set. Please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications or teaching and educational activities.

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The relative abundance, density, distribution pattern and relation among pit diameter and larvae body size of Myrmeleon brasiliensis Návas were evaluated in two microhabitats: sheltered and exposed. The total of 282 pits were found in sheltered microhabitat and only 50 in the exposed. The density of M. brasiliensis was between one and 43 individuals per m(2). The distribution pattern of larvae tended from pooled to regular distribution as the density increased. In both microhabitats the larvae body size was positively correlated with pit diameter.

The aim of this study was to analyze: i) the spider community in vegetative and reproductive branches of Psychotria carthagenensis concerning relative abundance, guild composition and body size distribution; ii) ant abundance in diferent types of branches and iii) the spider behavior when experimentally put in contact with inflorescences covered with ants. There was no difference between vegetative and reproductive branches in relation to spider abundance, composition of guilds and body size distribution of spiders. However, there was a significant difference in ant abundance. In the behavioral experiment, 90% of the spiders were expelled from inflorescences by ants; in control treatment, 100% remained in the inflorescences. The ant density in different parts of the plant may explain the spider distribution.Keywords: plant-dwelling spiders, guilds, body-size distribution, Psychotria sp., ant-plant interactions. . O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar: i) a comunidade de aranhas em ramos vegetativos e reprodutivos de P. carthagenensis quanto à abundancia relativa, composição das guildas e distribuição de tamanhos; ii) a abundância de formigas nos diferentes tipos de ramos; e iii) o comportamento das aranhas quando colocadas em inflorescências cobertas por formigas. Não houve diferença significativa entre ramos vegetativos e reprodutivos em relação à composição de guildas, abundância relativa e distribuição de tamanhos de aranhas. Mas quando comparado à abundância de formigas, houve diferença. No experimento comportamental, 90% das aranhas foram expulsas das inflorescências pelas formigas; no tratamento controle; 100% das aranhas permaneceram nas inflorescências. Para P. carthagenensis, talvez a densidade de formigas em diferentes partes da planta explique melhor a distribuição das aranhas. Aranhas associadas à Psychotria carthagenensisPalavras-chave: aranhas moradoras de plantas, guildas, distribuição de tamanho, Psychotria sp., interações formigaplanta.

The aim of this study is to describe interactions between hummingbirds and ornithophilous species at Serra da Bodoquena in midwest Brazil, with focus on flowering phenology and pollination of these plant species. In two habitats, gallery forest and semi-deciduous forest, data on flowering phenology of ornithophilous species were collected monthly over 14 months. In addition, data on morphology and floral biology, as well as visitor frequency and hummingbird behavior, were recorded. The studied community contained eight ornithophilous plant species and six hummingbird species. The ornithophilous species flowered throughout the year, and the greatest abundance of flowers was at the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the dry one. The hermit hummingbird Phaethornis pretrei and females of Thalurania furcata, were the most similar in floral resource use. Acanthaceae is the most representative family of ornithophilous plant species in Serra da Bodoquena and, thus, represents the main food source for hummingbirds. Ruellia angustiflora is especially important because it flowers continuously throughout the year and is a significant food resource for P. pretrei, which is the main visitor for this plant guild.