Anthropogenic Matrices Favor Homogenization Of Tree Reproductive Functions In A Highly Fragmented Landscape

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Species homogenization or floristic differentiation are two possible consequences of the fragmentation process in plant communities. Despite the few studies, it seems clear that fragments with low forest cover inserted in anthropogenic matrices are more likely to experience floristic homogenization. However, the homogenization process has two other components, genetic and functional, which have not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to verify whether there was homogenization of tree reproductive functions in a fragmented landscape and, if found, to determine how the process was influenced by landscape composition. The study was conducted in eight fragments in southwest Brazil. The study was conducted in eight fragments in southwestern Brazil. In each fragment, all individual trees were sampled that had a diameter at breast height ≥3 cm, in ten plots (0.2 ha) and, classified within 26 reproductive functional types (RFTs). The process of functional homogenization was evaluated using additive partitioning of diversity. Additionally, the effect of landscape composition on functional diversity and on the number of individuals within each RFT was evaluated using a generalized linear mixed model. appeared to be in a process of functional homogenization (dominance of RFTs, alpha diversity lower than expected by chance and and low beta diversity). More than 50% of the RFTs and the functional diversity were affected by the landscape parameters. In general, the percentage of forest cover has a positive effect on RFTs while the percentage of coffee matrix has a negative one. The process of functional homogenization has serious consequences for biodiversity conservation because some functions may disappear that, in the long term, would threaten the fragments. This study contributes to a better understanding of how landscape changes affect the functional diversity, abundance of individuals in RFTs and the process of functional homogenization, as well as how to manage fragmented landscapes. © 2016 Carneiro et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.1110CAPES, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível SuperiorCCFC, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of CanadaCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits—the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants—determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits—almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Cryptococcosis: a review of the brazilian experience for the disease Criptococose: revisão sobre a experiência brasileira sobre a doença

Cryptococcosis is a systemic mycosis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. The disease occurs in patients with cellular immunodeficiency. The incidence of cryptococcosis arises with aids, and mycosis is one of the opportunistic infections that defines AIDS. After the HAART era the occurrence of cryptococcosis decreased all over the world, but it still continues to be a prevalent disease in Brazil. Thus, we consider this paper to be very important as a result of our reviewing of Brazilian literature regarding some relevant aspects of that disease.<br>Criptococose é micose sistêmica causada por Cryptococcus neoformans. A doença ocorre em pacientes com deficiência da imunidade celular. Com o aparecimento da doença AIDS, a incidência de criptococose aumentou, e a micose é uma das infecções oportunistas que definem um caso de AIDS. Após a era HAART, criptococose parece estar diminuindo no mundo todo, mas continua sendo uma doença prevalente no Brasil. Este artigo visa a análise da contribuição dos autores brasileiros sobre vários aspectos da doença