ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non-vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non-vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events. © 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of Americ

Identifying Semideciduos Seasonal Forest trees species of São Paulo state through rbcL

O principal objetivo deste trabalho, foi avaliar a eficiêcia do rbcL na identificação das espécies arbóreas da Floresta Estacional Semidecidual do estado de São Paulo. Para isso, foi construído um banco de dados local de sequências derbcL de 149 espécies circunscritas em 64 famílias e realizado o teste de identificação. Os resultados de porcentagem de correta identificação variaram de 42,8 - 100% quando ordenados por score até 88 - 100% quando ordenados pela porcentagem de identidade, ficando evidente a importância na maneira de ordenar os resultados. Foi gerada também uma lista para as espécies arbóreas ocorrentes na Floresta Estacional Semidecidual no estado de São Paulo, que contou com 716 espécies incluídas em 80 famílias.The main goal of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of the molecular marker rbcL in the identification of native tree species of Semideciduous Seasonal Forest, in São Paulo, Brazil. A local database of rbcL sequences from 149 species, comprising 64 families, was assembled to carry identification tests. Percentage of correct identification (PCI) ranged from 42.8 to 100% when the score criterion of identification was used and from 88 to 100% when the results were order by percentage of identity. This evidences the importance of the method for ordering results. A list of 716 tree species of Semideciduous Seasonal Forest in the São Paulo state, comprising 80 families, was also a product of this work

Assessment of Matourea pratensis (Plantaginaceae: Gratioleae) reveals an older name for Achetaria

Matourea pratensis is a name published by Aublet in 1775 that has never been typified and whose identity has long been obscure. It was historically associated with Stemodia foliosa, as S. pratensis, a species with reported medical importance and wide distribution in the Neotropics. However, its morphology has also been interpreted as more similar to Achetaria, a genus widely distributed throughout the Neotropics and also with medicinal, ecological and economic value. After an extensive bibliographical survey, along with morphological study of type specimens of M. pratensis, S. foliosa, and Achetaria spp., we conclude that (1) S. foliosa and M. pratensis represent distinct taxa; and (2) M. pratensis is congeneric with Achetaria. As a result, we transfer the currently accepted species of Achetaria to Matourea, proposing eight new combinations (M. azurea, M. caparaoensis, M. crenata, M. erecta, M. latifolia, M. ocymoides, M. platychila, M. scutellarioides). Additionally, we designate lectotypes for M. pratensis, Tetraplacus platychilus f. longifolius, Otacanthus caparaoensis, O. fluminensis, and O. villosus, and a second-step lectotype for Beyrichia scutellarioides69613541360CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPES159924/2018-9Não te

Can plant DNA barcoding be implemented in species-rich tropical regions? A perspective from São Paulo State, Brazil

Abstract DNA barcoding helps to identify species, especially when identification is based on parts of organisms or life stages such as seeds, pollen, wood, roots or juveniles. However, the implementation of this approach strongly depends on the existence of complete reference libraries of DNA sequences. If such a library is incomplete, DNA-based identification will be inefficient. Here, we assess if DNA barcoding can already be implemented in species-rich tropical regions. We focus on the tree flora of São Paulo state, Brazil, which contains more than 2000 tree species. Using new DNA sequence data and carefully assembled GenBank accessions, we assembled 12,113 sequences from ten different regions. The ITS, rbcL, psbA-trnH, matK and trnL regions were better represented within the available sequences for São Paulo tree flora. Currently, only 58% of the São Paulo tree flora currently have at least one barcoding sequence available. However, these species represent on average 89% of the trees in São Paulo state forests. Therefore, conservation-oriented and ecological studies can already benefit from DNA barcoding to obtain more accurate species identifications. We present which taxa remain underrepresented for the São Paulo tree flora and discuss the implications of this result for other species-rich tropical regions

Functional recovery of secondary tropical forests

One-third of all Neotropical forests are secondary forests that regrow naturally after agricultural use through secondary succession. We need to understand better how and why succession varies across environmental gradients and broad geographic scales. Here, we analyze functional recovery using community data on seven plant characteristics (traits) of 1,016 forest plots from 30 chronosequence sites across the Neotropics. By analyzing communities in terms of their traits, we enhance understanding of the mechanisms of succession, assess ecosystem recovery, and use these insights to propose successful forest restoration strategies. Wet and dry forests diverged markedly for several traits that increase growth rate in wet forests but come at the expense of reduced drought tolerance, delay, or avoidance, which is important in seasonally dry forests. Dry and wet forests showed different successional pathways for several traits. In dry forests, species turnover is driven by drought tolerance traits that are important early in succession and in wet forests by shade tolerance traits that are important later in succession. In both forests, deciduous and compound-leaved trees decreased with forest age, probably because microclimatic conditions became less hot and dry. Our results suggest that climatic water availability drives functional recovery by influencing the start and trajectory of succession, resulting in a convergence of community trait values with forest age when vegetation cover builds up. Within plots, the range in functional trait values increased with age. Based on the observed successional trait changes, we indicate the consequences for carbon and nutrient cycling and propose an ecologically sound strategy to improve forest restoration success

Functional recovery of secondary tropical forests

One-third of all Neotropical forests are secondary forests that regrow naturally after agricultural use through secondary succession. We need to understand better how and why succession varies across environmental gradients and broad geographic scales. Here we present data on functional recovery, using community data on seven plant characteristics (traits) of 1016 forest plots from 30 chronosequence sites across the Neotropics. By analyzing communities in terms of their traits one can enhance understanding of the mechanisms of succession and assess ecosystem recovery

Data from: Legume abundance along successional and rainfall gradients in neotropical forests

The nutrient demands of regrowing tropical forests are partly satisfied by nitrogen (N)-fixing legume trees, but our understanding of the abundance of those species is biased towards wet tropical regions. Here we show how the abundance of Leguminosae is affected by both recovery from disturbance and large-scale rainfall gradients through a synthesis of forest-inventory plots from a network of 42 Neotropical forest chronosequences. During the first three decades of natural forest regeneration, legume basal area is twice as high in dry compared to wet secondary forests. The tremendous ecological success of legumes in recently disturbed, water-limited forests is likely related to both their reduced leaflet size and ability to fix N2, which together enhance legume drought tolerance and water-use efficiency. Earth system models should incorporate these large-scale successional and climatic patterns of legume dominance to provide more accurate estimates of the maximum potential for natural N fixation across tropical forests