Anheteromeyenia vitrea (Porifera: Demospongiae) nova espécie de esponja continental no Brasil

The siliceous spicules of continental sponges have proved to be valuable tools in paleoenvironmental reconstructions, whenever they are perceived in columns of recovered quaternary sediments. The spicules of such sponge collected at grassland subjected to short flooding periods in the Vale Nature Reserve, a preserved coastal area of Atlantic Rain Forest at Espirito Santo State (Brazil), were detected in soil samples recovered in the same region. Study under SEM of materials of the collected specimens indicated the need for description of Anheteromeyenia vitrea n. sp. and redefinition of genus Anheteromeyenia, with Nearctic/Neotropical distribution.Key words: Neotropical freshwater sponges, genus Anheteromeyenia redefined, Spodosol, preserved coastal area.As espículas silicosas das esponjas continentais vêm se mostrando instrumentos valiosos em reconstruções paleoambientais sempre que são detectadas em colunas de sedimentos quaternários recuperados. As espículas de uma dessas esponjas, coletada em ambiente de campos nativos na Reserva Natural da Vale, área preservada de Mata Atlântica no Estado do Espírito Santo (Brasil), foram identificadas em amostras de solo coletadas na mesma região. Estudos ao MEV de materiais dos espécimes coletados indicaram a necessidade da descrição de Anheteromeyenia vitrea sp. n. e redefinição do gênero Anheteromeyenia, com distribuição Neartica/Neotropical.Palavras-chave: Esponjas de água doce neotropicais, gênero Anheteromeyenia redefinido, Espodossolo, área costeira preservad

Predation of Caiman yacare (Spix, 1825) (Crocodilia, Alligatoridae) by Busarellus nigricollis (Latham, 1790) (Accipitriformes, Accipitridae) in the Taiama Ecological Station, Alto Pantanal, State of Mato Grosso

Predation of Caiman yacare (Spix, 1825) (Crocodilia, Alligatoridae) by Busarellus nigricollis (Latham, 1790) (Accipitriformes, Accipitridae) in the Taiama Ecological Station, Alto Pantanal, State of Mato Grosso. The Black-collared Hawk Busarellus nigricollis is an Accipitridae commonly seen on river banks, lagoon shores, and marshy areas. It feeds mainly on fishes and aquatic insects. It hunts from dead tree branches at forest edges or emergent trunks in flooded areas. Detailed information about the Black-collared Hawk food habits is scarce. In this study, we describe the predation of Caiman yacare (Pantanal alligator) by an individual of B. nigricollis. The event was observed on 20 August 2010 at 10: 14 am, in the Taiama Ecological Station, municipality of Caceres, Alto Pantanal, state of Mato Grosso. The B. nigricollis individual was seen leaving the Paraguay River carrying a juvenile C. yacare around 40 cm long. The prey was torn apart and given to a Black-collared Hawk nestling sitting atop a nest in flooded forest, ca. 15 m way from the river bank. This is the first published record of Pantanal alligator predation by the Black-collared Hawk

Genesis and variation spatial of Podzol in depressions of the Barreiras formation, northeastern Espírito Santo State, Brazil, and its implications for Quaternary climate change

Variations in relief associated with pedogenetic processes promote different intensities in weathering of sediments of the Barreiras Formation and may thus lead to the formation of different soil types, like Podzols, Acrisols and Ferralsols. The Podzols of tropical regions contain important information on climate and vegetation changes that occurred mainly in late Pleistocene and Holocene; however few studied, regarding their spatial variation, that can be investigated through ground penetrating radar (GPR). The aim was to study morphological, physical, chemical, stable C isotopic properties and spatial distribution of soils within depressions of the Barreiras Formation and characterize the 14C chronology of two Podzols and their B spodic horizons, along a transect grassland to forest in northeastern Espírito Santo State, Brazil. The profiles encompass a sequence of A-E-Bhm horizons, except for P3 and P6 with histic H and A-Bt, respectively. The GPR images showed patterns corresponding to these soil horizons, and the GPR data reveal the presence of diagnostic subsurface horizons characteristic of spodic horizons with cemented layers. The influence of relief factors and original materials was observed, associated with ferrolysis and podzolisation as main actors in the genesis of soils studied. The monomorphic organic matter filling the voids evidences the processes of imobilization, illuviation and precipitation, with the genesis of the spodic horizon. The Podzols profiles of Pleistocene organic matter ages accumulated compounds of C3 plants from the vegetation cover in the B spodic horizons of the profiles P4 and P1, since at least 14,251 and 38,890 cal BP, respectively, suggesting the dominance of a humid climate at least during the studied period in the region

An 11,000-year record of depositional environmental change based upon particulate organic matter and stable isotopes (C and N) in a lake sediment in southeastern Brazil

The aim of this paper is to reconstruct an 11,000-year history of depositional environmental change in southeastern Brazil, based upon the integration of particulate organic matter and stable isotope (C and N) data from a 136-cm sediment core from Lake Canto Grande. These proxies are used to explore the evolution of terrestrial and marine influence on the lake. Isotopic (δ13C: -7.8‰ to -31.9‰; δ15N: -0.07‰ to 4.9‰) and elemental (total organic carbon - TOC: 0.58% to 37.19%; total nitrogen - TN: 0.08% to 1.73%; C/N: 0.3 to 54.7) values recorded in Lake Canto Grande suggest that the sedimentary organic matter was derived from mostly C3 land plants and freshwater phytoplankton. Particulate organic matter and cluster analyses distinguished four associations characterized by the predominance of amorphous organic matter, followed by phytoclasts and palynomorphs. These results indicate two different phases of lake evolution. The first phase (136 - 65 cm; ~10,943 cal yr. B.P. to ~8,529 cal yr. B.P.) is recorded by sand layers interbedded with mud, which contain amorphous organic matter (AOM, 45-59%) and phytoclasts (opaques - OP: 6-18%; non-opaques – NOP: 17-23%) which indicate a floodplain area. The second phase (65 – 0 cm; ~8,529 cal yr. B.P. to ~662 cal yr. B.P.) comprises mud, AOM (68-86%) and palynomorphs (PAL, 8-16%) related to lake establishment comparable to modern conditions. Thus, characterizing particulate organic matter, in combination with stable isotopes, proved to be invaluable proxies for lacustrine paleoenvironmental change through the Holocene

Cold and humid Atlantic forest during the late glacial, northern Espírito Santo state, southeastern Brazil

The Atlantic Rainforest, covering the area from the northern Espirito Santo to Southern Bahia states, has been considered as a stable forest during Pleistocene Glacial times. Despite the modelling and phylogenetic studies, this hypothesis has never been tested with empirical paleo-data and vegetation reconstruction. By using palynology, radiocarbon dating, carbon and nitrogen elemental and isotope of organic matter, we reconstructed the vegetation dynamics and inferred climatic changes since Late Pleistocene in the centre of this global biodiversity hotspot. Our results show that the forest biome was resilient to Last Glacial Maximum - LGM conditions, but floristics has changed when compared to nowadays. Since late glacial, the dense forest changed from cold to warm specimens. Major vegetation changes also occurred during early and mid-Holocene less humid conditions, with an opening of the forest, suggesting that future drought may have negative impacts and highlighting the importance of forest conservation to keep the Atlantic Rainforest biodiversity

Fitólitos como indicadores de mudanças ambientais durante o Holoceno na costa norte do estado do Espírito Santo (Brasil)

Um testemunho de 12 metros de profundidade e idade de ~47260 anos cal AP na sua base foi coletado na planície deltaica do litoral norte do estado do Espírito Santo. Esse trabalho teve como principal objetivo a caracterização do conjunto de fitólitos, auxiliado pelas fácies sedimentares, dados isotópicos (C e N) e datações 14C para reconstituir o paleoambiente. Os valores de carbono orgânico total - COT (0,16% a 3,28%), nitrogênio total - N total (0,01% a 0,09%), δ13C (-4,25‰ a -28,06‰), δ15N (-6,19‰ a 15,75‰) e da razão C/N (7,8 a 99) mostraram em linhas gerais que a matéria orgânica sedimentar foi originada a partir de fitoplâncton, e da mistura de plantas C3 e C4. A análise de fitólitos foi efetuada ao longo de 1,50 metros do perfil, e a partir dos agrupamentos por similaridade foi possível o estabelecimento de três intervalos que refletem mudanças na vegetação e provavelmente no clima a partir de ~7589 anos cal AP. No intervalo 1 (~7589 anos cal AP a ~5441 anos AP – idade interpolada), a assembléia fitolítica e os índices estatísticos de fitólitos calculados refletem uma vegetação composta pela mistura de árvores e gramíneas C3 e C4, semelhante e/ou comparável à vegetação de restinga, provavelmente sob clima quente e úmido. A análise de fitólitos do intervalo 2 (~5441 anos AP – idade interpolada a ~143 anos cal AP) sugeriu a presença de uma vegetação em mosaico provavelmente constituída por diferentes formações da restinga, sob influência de clima quente e sazonal, com períodos de estresse hídrico. A diminuição da densidade arbórea, assinalada pelo índice D/P, e a formação da vegetação semelhante à atual, herbácea e com sinais de antropização, ocorreu nos últimos ~200 anos (Intervalo 3), sob clima quente e úmido. Os dados de fitólitos são inéditos para a costa do Espírito Santo e mostram o potencial destes bioindicadores em estudos de reconstituição paleoambiental

Late Quaternary dynamics of Spodosols, vegetation and climate at the northeastern region of Espírito Santo state

Esse trabalho, realizado na região nordeste do estado do Espírito Santo, é dividido em duas partes. A primeira envolve a caracterização da precipitação polínica moderna da vegetação de mata de tabuleiros e de duas fisionomias de vegetação de muçununga. A segunda consiste na reconstrução paleoambiental no Quaternário tardio, com base em estudo interdisciplinar aplicado a Espodossolos e sedimento lacustre. A caracterização da precipitação polínica moderna mostrou que a mata de tabuleiros é marcada por maiores taxas de acumulação polínica, maiores frequências de Urticaceae/Moraceae e presença de táxons raros, tais como Glycydendron, Rinorea, Hydrogaster, Virola e outros. A vegetação da muçununga arborizada foi caracterizada por taxa de acumulação polínica intermediária, altas frequências de Byrsonima, e frequências mais elevadas de Araliaceae, Doliocarpus e Lundia. A vegetação de muçununga campestre é caracterizada por menores taxas de acumulação polínica e maiores frequências de Poaceae, Cyperaceae e Asteraceae. A comparação desses resultados com amostra superficial de sedimento lacustre mostrou que em amostras sedimentares o sinal polínico de mata de tabuleiros pode ser mascarado pela alta frequência de espécies semi-aquáticas das famílias Poaceae e Cyperaceae, e por altas frequências de espécies pioneiras, tais como Cecropia. O estudo de reconstrução do paleoambiente permitiu a elaboração de um modelo para a evolução das manchas de Espodossolo da região, as quais sustentam as diferentes fisionomias da vegetação de muçununga. Segundo esse modelo, essas manchas seriam originárias da transformação do Argissolo devido a fatores relacionados ao relevo e a paleoclimas mais úmidos. Entretanto, não é possível descartar a possibilidade de que algumas manchas de Espodossolo tenham se originado em sedimentos intrinsecamente arenosos relacionados ao Pós-Barreiras. O estudo também permitiu inferir flutuações do paleoclima durante o Quaternário tardio. Um clima mais úmido no intervalo aproximado de 31000-23000 anos cal. AP, com chuvas bem distribuídas ao longo do ano, é inferido com base no início do processo de podsolização e no desenvolvimento de algumas das atuais manchas de Espodossolo. O intervalo seguinte, aproximadamente entre 23000-8000 anos cal. AP, é inferido como menos úmido que o anterior, com base na expansão pontual de plantas C4 observada na matéria-orgânica do solo, e na ausência do sinal polínico de mata de tabuleiros entre 11000-8000 anos cal. AP no sedimento lacustre. O último intervalo, entre cerca de 7000 anos cal. AP até hoje, é inferido como mais úmido, com base no início do registro polínico em área de Espodossolo alagado e formação de horizonte B espódico secundário, e também na expansão das matas de tabuleiros observada no sinal polínico do sedimento lacustre. O registro polínico sedimentar mostra a presença de táxons com distribuição disjunta entre os biomas Amazônia e Mata Atlântica desde cerca de 8500 anos cal. AP. O registro polínico, a matéria-orgânica sedimentar e a matéria-orgânica dos solos não mostram indícios de expansão de campos e savanas com predomínio de plantas C4 durante os últimos 17000 anos cal. AP, o que pode indicar que a região pode ter sido um refúgio florestal durante os períodos menos úmidos do Pleistoceno tardio e do HolocenoThis study was carried out at the northeastern region of the Espírito Santo State, Brazil. It is organized in two main parts. The first one is related to the characterization of the modern pollen rain of the \"tabuleiros\" forest vegetation and of two distinct physiognomies of mussununga vegetation. The second part consists of the late Quaternary paleoenvironment reconstruction, based on interdisciplinary study applied in Spodosols and lake sediment. The modern pollen rain of the \"tabuleiros\" forest is characterized by the highest pollen accumulation rates, highest frequencies of Urticaceae/Moraceae, and the presence of less frequent and rare taxa as Glycydendron, Rinorea, Hydrogaster, Virola, and others. The wooded mussununga vegetation is characterized by intermediate pollen accumulation rates, high frequencies of Byrsonima, and high frequencies of Araliaceae, Doliocarpus and Lundia when compared with the other vegetation types. The grassland mussununga vegetation is characterized by the lowest pollen accumulation rates, and the highest frequencies of Poaceae, Cyperaceae and Asteraceae. The comparison of these results with the pollen assemblage from lake sediment surface sample shows that in sediment samples the \"tabuleiros\" forest signal may be masked by high frequencies of semi aquatic herbs, mainly Poaceae and Cyperaceae, and pioneer species, especially Cecropia. The paleoenvironment reconstruction study allowed the development of a model for the evolution of Spodosol spots in the region, which sustain the distinct physiognomies of the mussununga vegetation. According to this model, these Spodosol spots originate from the transformation of the Ultisol due to factors related to the relief and more humid paleoclimate events. However, some of these Spodosol spots may have evolved on intrinsically sandy Post-Barreiras sediments. The paleoenvironment study also allowed some inferences about late Quaternary climate fluctuations. Based on the beginning of the podsolization process and on the evolution of some Spodosol spots, the climate during the interval from ~31,000-23,000 cal yr BP may have been humid, without dry period along the year. The next interval, from ~23,000 to 8000 cal yr BP is inferred less humid than the previous one, based on the spatially restricted expansion of C4 plants, observed in the soil organic matter, and on the absence of the \"tabuleiros\" forest pollen signal, from ~11,000 to 8000 cal yr BP, in the lake sediment. The climate of the last interval, from ~7000 yr cal BP to the present, is inferred more humid than the previous one, based on the beginning of the pollen record in a flooded Spodosol site, and on the expansion of the \"tabuleiros\" forest in the pollen record of the lake sediment. Geographically disjunct taxa between Amazonia and Atlantic Forest biomes are present in the pollen record from the lake sediment since ~8500 cal yr BP to the present. Pollen records, and sediment and soil organic matter do not show the expansion of grasslands or savannas dominated by C4 plants during the last 17,000 cal yr BP, which may indicate that the region probably was a forest refuge during the less humid intervals of late Pleistocene and Holocen

Holocene environmental dynamics (vegetation, climate and relative sea level) based on high resolution interdisciplinary studies, at northern coast of Espírito Santo state

Com base em um estudo interdisciplinar, os objetivos deste trabalho foram: estudar a dinâmica da vegetação e do nível relativo marinho e inferir o clima, durante o Holoceno, na região nordeste do estado do Espírito Santo. Para tanto foram analisados: (i) vegetação atual (caracterização botânica e \'delta\'13C e \'delta\'15N); (ii) matéria-orgânica do solo (\'delta\'13C, C elementar e datação 14C); (iii) sedimento lacustre (litologia, C e N elementar, \'delta\'13C e \'delta\'15N, datação 14C da matéria-orgânica, pólen e diatomáceas). Os pontos de amostragem estão localizados na Reserva Natural Vale e na Reserva Biológica de Sooretama, região de predomínio de Floresta Ombrófila Densa das Terras Baixas, com fragmentos de Savana e áreas ocupadas por vegetação pioneira. As principais conclusões foram: (i) o local de estudo não apresentou retração florestal durante o Holoceno; (ii) o clima foi inferido como predominantemente úmido; (iii) a dinâmica da vegetação durante o Holoceno no interior e nas proximidades do vale do Rio Barra Seca foi influenciada pelas flutuações do nível relativo marinho: com a transgressão marinha (há aproximadamente 7700 anos cal. A.P.) iniciou-se o deslocamento da vegetação florestal e a instalação do manguezal; entre aproximadamente 4700 até 3000 anos cal. A.P., o período de maior influência marinha, ocorreu o maior distanciamento do manguezal em relação ao ponto estudado; com a regressão marinha, a colonização do vale por vegetação pioneira ocorreu a partir de, aproximadamente, 2300 anos cal. A.P.; há cerca de 1200 anos cal. A.P. ocorreu a instalação do atual ambiente lacustre com a floresta em seu entorno; (iv) o local atualmente ocupado pela Lagoa do Macuco, no interior do vale do Rio Barra Seca, foi caracterizado por um ambiente estuarino durante o período aproximado de 7700 a 3000 anos cal. A.PBased on an interdisciplinary study, the objectives of the present work were to study the vegetation and relative sea-level dynamics and to infer the climate during the Holocene, at northeastern region of Espírito Santo State. The materials and respective analyses were: (i) modern vegetation (botanic identification, \'delta\'13C and \'delta\'15N); (ii) soil organic matter (total organic carbon, \'delta\'13C and 14C dating); (iii) lake sediment (lithology, total organic carbon and total nitrogen, \'delta\'13C and \'delta\'15N, 14C dating, pollen and diatoms). The sampling points were located at Vale Natural Reserve and Sooretama Biologic Reserve, region of tropical rainforest vegetation dominance, with savanna fragments and pioneer vegetation patches. The main conclusions were: (i) the forest retreatment was not observed in the study site during the Holocene (ii) the climate was predominantly humid (iii) vegetation dynamics inside the Barra Seca River valley and surroundings were influenced by relative sea-level fluctuations: at ca. 7700 cal. yr B.P., the forest vegetation started its retreatment and the mangrove ecosystem was installed; from ca. 4700 to ca. 3000 cal. yr B.P., the period of higher marine influence, occurred the higher mangrove detachment from the sampling point; with the marine regression, the valley colonization by the pioneer vegetation started at ca. 2300 cal. yr B.P.; at ca. 1200 cal. yr B.P. started the installation of modern lacustrine environment, with the Forest in the surroundings; (iv) the present location of Lagoa do Macuco was characterized by na estuarine environment during the period from ~7700 to ca. 3000 cal. yr B.

Palynofacies and Stable C and N Isotopes of Holocene Sediments from Lake Macuco (Linhares, Espirito Santo, Southeastern Brazil): Depositional Settings and Palaeoenvironmental Evolution

Particulate organic matter in sediments constitutes a valuable proxy for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. A 192 cm lacustrine sediment core (~ 7521 cal yr. B.P.) from the northern coast of the State of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil, was radiocarbon dated and then analyzed for palynofacies, stable isotopes (C and N), and grain size. The values for total organic carbon -- TOC (1.91% to 20.89%), total nitrogen -- TN (0.08% to 1.1%), δ13C (− 27.10‰ to − 29.01‰), δ15N (1.92‰ to 5.09‰) and C/N (12.87 to 50.11) suggest predominance of C3 plants and changing mixtures of terrestrial and aquatic organic matter in the sediments. Palynofacies and cluster analyses were used to identify four palynofacies associations that reflect different phases in the Lake Macuco evolution. Palynofacies 1 (192 to 106 cm, ~ 7521 cal yr. B.P. to ~ 7054 cal yr. B.P.—interpolated age) is characterized mainly by amorphous organic matter (AOM), non-opaque phytoclasts (NOPs), mangrove pollen grains (Rhizophora sp. L. 1753 and Avicennia sp. L. 1753), and foraminiferal test linings. Palynofacies 2 (106 to 65 cm, ~ 7054 cal yr. B.P.—interpolated age to ~ 4847 cal yr. B.P.) is dominated by NOPs and AOM, with an increase in the values of mangrove pollen grains relative to Palynofacies 1. Both palynofacies reflect marine and fluvial influences in a depositional environment related to the development of an estuarine system during the mid-Holocene transgressive stage. Palynofacies 3 (65 to 27 cm, ~ 4847 cal yr. B.P. to ~ 3800 cal yr. B.P.—interpolated age) comprises high abundances of fluvial elements (NOP and opaque phytoclasts—OP) and low values of AOM. The depositional environment is interpreted as being an estuary during the marine regression, with the displacement of the estuarine basin and mangroves towards the sea. Palynofacies 4 (27 to 0 cm, \u3c ~ 3800 cal yr. B.P.) is characterized by the predominance of AOM and NOP, increase in the values of freshwater algae, and no evidence of marine influence. This last phase reflects the beginning of the establishment of Lake Macuco and floodplain of the Barra Seca River under conditions similar to the present-day. Particulate organic matter in sediments constitutes a valuable proxy for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. A 192 cm lacustrine sediment core (~ 7521 cal yr. B.P.) from the northern coast of the State of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil, was radiocarbon dated and then analyzed for palynofacies, stable isotopes (C and N), and grain size. The values for total organic carbon -- TOC (1.91% to 20.89%), total nitrogen -- TN (0.08% to 1.1%), δ13C (− 27.10‰ to − 29.01‰), δ15N (1.92‰ to 5.09‰) and C/N (12.87 to 50.11) suggest predominance of C3 plants and changing mixtures of terrestrial and aquatic organic matter in the sediments. Palynofacies and cluster analyses were used to identify four palynofacies associations that reflect different phases in the Lake Macuco evolution. Palynofacies 1 (192 to 106 cm, ~ 7521 cal yr. B.P. to ~ 7054 cal yr. B.P.--interpolated age) is characterized mainly by amorphous organic matter (AOM), non-opaque phytoclasts (NOPs), mangrove pollen grains (Rhizophora sp. L. 1753 and Avicennia sp. L. 1753), and foraminiferal test linings. Palynofacies 2 (106 to 65 cm, ~ 7054 cal yr. B.P.—interpolated age to ~ 4847 cal yr. B.P.) is dominated by NOPs and AOM, with an increase in the values of mangrove pollen grains relative to Palynofacies 1. Both palynofacies reflect marine and fluvial influences in a depositional environment related to the development of an estuarine system during the mid-Holocene transgressive stage. Palynofacies 3 (65 to 27 cm, ~ 4847 cal yr. B.P. to ~ 3800 cal yr. B.P.--interpolated age) comprises high abundances of fluvial elements (NOP and opaque phytoclasts--OP) and low values of AOM. The depositional environment is interpreted as being an estuary during the marine regression, with the displacement of the estuarine basin and mangroves towards the sea. Palynofacies 4 (27 to 0 cm, \u3c ~ 3800 cal yr. B.P.) is characterized by the predominance of AOM and NOP, increase in the values of freshwater algae, and no evidence of marine influence. This last phase reflects the beginning of the establishment of Lake Macuco and floodplain of the Barra Seca River under conditions similar to the present-day