Climate Change and Biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest: Best Climatic Models, Predicted Changes and Impacts, and Adaptation Options

Vale, Mariana M.; Arias, Paola A.; Ortega, Geusep; Cardoso, Manoel; Oliveira, Beatriz Fátima Alves de; Loyola, Rafael; Scarano, Fábio Rúbio

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-55322-7_12

Cited by 12 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…Projected changes in climate for southeast Brazil predict an increase in rainfall and temperature in coming decades (Vale et al 2021), as well as a probable decrease in the duration of dry periods (Nunes et al 2018). The occurrence of extreme rainfall events may not be ruled out, however (Zilli et al 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensitivity of seed germination to water stress in high‐altitude populations of a threatened palm species

et al. 2023

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Divergence in seed germination patterns among populations of the same species is important for understanding plant responses to environmental gradients and potential plant sensitivity to climate change. In order to test responses to flooding and decreasing water potentials, over 3 years we germinated and grew seeds from three habitats of Euterpe edulis Mart. occurring along an altitudinal gradient. Seed germination and root growth were evaluated under different water availability treatments: control, flood, −0.4 MPa, −0.8 MPa, in the years 2012, 2013 and 2014, and in the final year of the experiment (2014) at −1.0 MPa and −1.5 MPa. Seeds from the montane habitat did not germinate in the flooding treatment. Seed germination of all three habitats decreased in the −1.5 MPa treatment and the montane habitat had lowest germination in this treatment. Time required for half of the seeds to germinate increased up to −0.8 MPa. Seeds from montane habitats germinated more slowly in all treatments. The only difference in seed germination synchrony was an increase in the submontane population under the flooding treatment. However, synchrony decreased at the lowest water potentials. Roots of the montane population were more vigorous in most treatments, except at −0.8 MPa. The unusual ability of these seeds to germinate at low water potentials might be related to early seed germination at the onset of the rainy season, which potentially decreases seed predation pressure. Seeds of the montane population were more sensitive to both types of water stress. A predicted increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme high rainfall or drought events may predispose early stages of this population to adverse factors that might negatively affect population viability with elevational in future climate change scenarios.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensitivity of seed germination to water stress in high‐altitude populations of a threatened palm species

et al. 2023

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“…The effects of weather conditions on sloths are likely to increase in a warmer future. Climatic changes caused by anthropic activities are probably the largest disturbance provoked by humans to the environment (Deutsch et al, 2008), and the study area (northern Bahia, Brazil) is predicted to be 1.8–5°C warmer and to present a decrease in rainfalls until 2100 (Marengo et al, 2010; Montero et al, 2018; Vale et al, 2021). In this scenario, sloths may be exposed to conditions in which thermoregulatory behaviours will no longer be effective to avoid overheating or even maintain a positive energy and water balance, an issue to be investigated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combined effect of ambient temperature and solar radiation on maned sloths' behaviour and detectability

et al. 2023

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Changes in ambient temperature and solar radiation may affect sloths' metabolic rate and body temperature, with consequent changes in activities, postures and microhabitat selection. Although the separate effect of temperature and solar radiation on sloth's behaviour have been previously studied, the combined effect of these climatic factors on behavioural aspects of sloths has never been systematically evaluated in field conditions. Here we evaluated the influence of hourly ambient temperature variation on maned sloth (Bradypus torquatus) activities, postures and tree crown positions, under sunny and cloudy conditions; and tested if any of the animal posture and position increase their exposure to human detection. We performed 350 h of visual observation on eight maned sloths, equipped with radio‐backpacks, in northern Bahia, Brazil, recording their activities, and their resting postures and positions on tree crowns. We also recorded the time taken to visualize the sloths on 58 days to analyse if sloths' detection is affected by posture and position. Higher ambient temperature, within a range of 21–33°C, increased the sloths' activity levels in cloudy conditions but reduced their activity in sunny conditions. Increasing ambient temperature also reduced the frequency of huddled posture and increased the frequency of extended posture and permanence in the inner tree crown. Lastly, the postures and positions did not influence sloths' detectability. Thus, the direction of the temperature–activity relationship depends on climatic conditions (sunny/cloudy), and individuals rely on resting postures and positions to thermoregulate. The warmer and drier future climate, expected to occur in the northern Atlantic Forest, may impose change in the diurnal activity levels and postural pattern for this threatened species, leading maned sloths to reduce its activity on sunny and warmer days and adopting an extended posture.

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“…As Braz et al (2016) stated that Geonoma seeds are sensitive to water scarcity, this might explain the lower seedling survival rate. However, in a climate change scenario, Geonoma may not be endangered in small forest fragments, as an increase in precipitation and temperature is predicted for southeastern Brazil over the coming decades (Vale et al, 2021), along with a probable decrease in the duration of dry spells (Nunes et al, 2018). However, uncertainty on the occurrence of extreme rainfall events may not be ruled out (Zilli et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking Plant Functional Traits to Demography in a Fragmented Landscape

Portela

Colmenares-Trejos

Mattos

2021

Front. For. Glob. Change

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Habitat loss in highly deforested landscapes such as the Brazilian Atlantic Forest has been severely affecting the diversity and survival of palm species. As some species are more sensitive than others, trait responses to the environment, as well as environmental effects on fecundity, growth, and mortality rates, may affect species demography. Considering this context, we studied functional and demographic responses of three palm species (Astrocaryum aculeatissimum, Euterpe edulis, and Geonoma schottiana) to habitat loss in the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil by measuring morpho-physiological traits related to plant growth and light acquisition for photosynthesis. We also tested the response of population fitness to fragment size. Plant survival and growth was subsequently monitored in 2006 and 2007, and population dynamics were summarized in pool matrices for large and small forest fragments in the monitoring periods comprehending one full year between 2005–2006 and 2006–2007. The asymptotic growth rate of populations (defined here as population fitness, λ) in five forest fragments was then calculated. Diameter of individuals of the demography plots (from year 2005 to 2007) was used to calculate the relative diameter growth rate. Later, in 2015, we measured a set of morpho-physiological functional traits in palms in the same plots used in the demographic studies. While A. aculeatissimum populations were stable in both monitoring periods in small and large fragments, E. edulis populations were predicted to decline due to intense predation by monkeys in the large fragment, but were stable in the smaller fragments, and G. schottiana populations were stable in the large fragments in both monitoring periods, but populations in the smaller fragments were predicted to decline in the second period, i.e., with lower fitness in these fragments. In addition, the functional traits analyzed showed that G. schottiana is a forest interior species associated with the shade/understory environment response. E. edulis was also affected by the size of the fragment, but due to a disruptive interaction with a predator and showed intermediate functional traits values. On the other hand, A. aculeatissimum thrived in areas with higher and lower incidence of light and was not demographically affected by forest remnant size. This suggests that E. edulis and A. aculeatissimum are habitat generalists. We concluded that differences in the ecophysiological performance of palms due to distinct morpho-physiological functional traits related to leaf economic spectrum, such as LDMC or specific leaf area (SLA) and to photosynthetic responses to light environment as electron transport rate (ETR) and saturation irradiance (Ik) were linked to the demographic variation observed in forest remnants of different size.

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Climate Change and Biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest: Best Climatic Models, Predicted Changes and Impacts, and Adaptation Options

Cited by 12 publications

References 73 publications

Sensitivity of seed germination to water stress in high‐altitude populations of a threatened palm species

Sensitivity of seed germination to water stress in high‐altitude populations of a threatened palm species

Combined effect of ambient temperature and solar radiation on maned sloths' behaviour and detectability

Linking Plant Functional Traits to Demography in a Fragmented Landscape

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