A avifauna da região de Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade, Mato Grosso

We inventoried the avifauna of the region of Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade (including the municipality of Pontes e Lacerda), in Mato Grosso State, in the end of July of 1997. Our results were compared with those of Natterer and of Willis and Oniki, who covered the same region in the 1820's and 1980's respectively. We used different sampling methods, recording a total of 312 species of birds. Most of species recorded are related with Amazon region. A total of 472 bird species were recorded in Guaporé Valley when the results of the others authors were summed with ours results, and many of the species recorded by them were also recorded in our study. The cerrados of Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade probably guards the largest population of a globally threatened species, the Black-and-tawny Seedeater, Sporophila nigrorufa, as many other cerrado specialists and deserve immediate conservation measures.A avifauna da região de Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade (incluindo aí o município de Pontes e Lacerda), Mato Grosso, foi amostrada no final do mês de julho de 1997. Para este levantamento foram utilizados diferentes métodos, que resultaram num total de 312 espécies de aves. Os resultados desta campanha foram comparados com aqueles obtidos por Johann Natterer e Willis e Oniki, que passaram por esta mesma região no século XIX (década de 1820) e na década de 1980, respectivamente. Para a região do Vale do Guaporé temos, quando somados os resultados de todos os autores, um mínimo de 472 espécies de aves, e extinções locais não são reportadas, demonstrando um considerável grau de conservação para esta área. A maioria das espécies registradas nesta região está ligada à Floresta Amazônica, e os cerrados de Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade provavelmente abrigam a maior população de uma espécie considerada como globalmente ameaçada de extinção, o caboclinho-do-sertão, Sporophila nigrorufa, e outros endemismos do cerrado, sendo justificável a tomada de medidas de proteção a estas áreas

Plumage variation in the Planalto Woodcreeper (Dendrocolaptes platyrostris) and the melanocortin-1 receptor gene (MC1R)

The Planalto Woodcreeper (Dendrocolaptes platyrostris) presents “pale” and “dark” plumage variants, which are distributed throughout the Cerrado and Caatinga, and throughout the Atlantic Forest, respectively. To understand the genetic nature of the plumage variation in the species, we partially sequenced the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene, which is associated with melanic phenotypes in vertebrates. We found no correlation between variation at MC1R sequences and plumage color in D. platyrostris. Aminoacid sites that were correlated with variation in melanic plumage in other bird species were monomorphic in D. platyrostris. Our results suggested that MC1R seems not to be involved in controlling plumage variation in D. platyrostris.Fil: Corso, Josmael. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Departamento de Genética; BrasilFil: Cabanne, Gustavo Sebastián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Mendonça d'Horta, Fernando. Universidade de Sao Paulo. Instituto de Biociências; BrasilFil: da Silva Loreto, Elgion Lucio. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Departamento de Biologia; BrasilFil: Miyaki, Cristina Yumi. Universidade de Sao Paulo. Instituto de Biocièncias; Brasi

Phenotypic evolution of an Atlantic Forest passerine (Xiphorhynchus fuscus): Biogeographic and systematic implications

We studied the phenotypic variation of the Atlantic Forest passerine Xiphorhynchus fuscus (Aves: Dendrocolaptidae) with the broad aim of addressing whether the history and type of forest affected the evolution of endemic taxa. We also tested whether the different subspecies and genetic lineages of X.fuscus could be considered full species. We collected plumage and body size measurements and, in combination with genetic data, used multivariate tests to evaluate the working hypotheses. Our results, combined with previous biogeographic analyses, indicate that vicariant events have been important determinants in the evolution of phenotypic characters of X.fuscus, once genetic isolation was complete. Our analysis also suggests that forest heterogeneity and ecotones are important factors in the early evolution of Atlantic Forest taxa, perhaps via divergent selection. Forest instability during the Pleistocene was critical in the evolution of phenotypic traits. We confirm that the subspecies atlanticus should be considered a full species. Other lineages or populations are also phenotypically differentiated but we do not suggest considering them as full species. They share high levels of gene flow and are part of a continuous latitudinal cline of phenotypic variation. Our study suggests that not all the historic events in the Atlantic Forest that affected the evolution of genetic lineages also influenced the evolution of phenotypic characters in the same direction and intensity. Undoubtedly, natural selection played a major role in the evolution of Atlantic Forest organisms. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London

Effects of Pleistocene climate changes on species ranges and evolutionary processes in the Neotropical Atlantic Forest

The effects of global glaciations on the distribution of organisms is an essential element of many diversification models. However, the empirical evidence supporting this idea is mixed, in particular with respect to explaining tropical forest evolution. In the present study, we evaluated the impacts of range shifts associated with Pleistocene global glacial cycles on the evolution of tropical forests. In particular, we tested the predictions: (1) that population genetic structure increases with fragmentation variation between the present and the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and also (2) with geographical range instability; and (3) that genetic diversity increases with range stability and (4) decreases with fragmentation variation between periods. To address our predictions, we studied population genetic structures and modelled present and past distributions of 15 Atlantic Forest (AF) endemic birds. Afterwards, we evaluated the relationship of population genetic parameters with metrics of species range shifts between the present and the LGM. We found that geographical ranges of AF birds changed in concert with Pleistocene glacial cycles but, unexpectedly, our findings suggest the novel idea that ranges during glacial maxima were slightly larger on average, as well as equally fragmented and displaced from the interglacial ranges. Our findings suggest that range shifts over the late Pleistocene impacted on the diversification of forest organisms, although they did not show that those range shifts had a strong effect. We found that a combination of fragmentation variation across time, small current range size, and range stability increased population genetic structure. However, neither fragmentation, nor range stability affected genetic diversity. Our study showed that evolutionary responses to range shifts across AF birds have a high variance, which could explain the mixed support given by single-species studies to the action of Pleistocene range shifts on population evolution. © 2016 The Linnean Society of Londo

Seeing the forest through many trees: multi-taxon patterns of phylogenetic diversity in the Atlantic Forest hotspot

We combine phylogenetic and point locality data from selected lineages of the Atlantic Forest flora and fauna to compare spatial patterns of biodiversity sustained by the current configuration of forest remnants to a scenario of complete forest preservation. We then ask the question "how much biodiversity is likely lost, already"? Specifically, we assess how habitat loss likely impacted the climatic spaces occupied by the local species, the inferred composition of local communities and the spatial distribution of phylogenetic diversity and endemism

Variação geográfica, zonas de intergradação e especiação no complexo Icterus Cayanensis-Chrysocephalus (Aves : Icteridae)

The Icterus cayanensis-chrysocephalus species complex shows an intricate pattern of geographic variation in body measurements and plumage. Traditionally, six taxa have been recognized in this group: Icterus chrysocephalus, I. cayanensis cayanensis, I. cayanensis tibialis, I. cayanensis valenciobuenoi, I. cayanensis periporphyrus and I. cayanensis pynhopterus, which replace each other geographically in South America. In this work, the geographic pattern of plumage and size variation was described for this species complex, and inferences were made about the evolutionary processes behind those pattern. Under the phylogenetic species concept (PSC), four species are diagnosed; Icterus cayanensis (Southern Amazon), I. chrysocephalus (Northern Amazon), I. tibialis (Caatinga) and I. pyrrhopterus (Chaco). The taxa lcterus cayenansis vaienciobuenoi lhering (1902) and Icterus cayanensis periporphyrus (Bonaparte 1950) were synonymizied. A hybrid zone more extensive than hitherto reported in the literature was detected between two Amazonian taxa: I. chrysocephalus and I. cayanensis. In Central Brazil, it was recognized one of the widest zones of intergradations known for birds to date, approximately 2.300 km wide, between I. tibialis and I. pyrrhopterus. R is postulated here that those hybrid zones were formed by secondary contact, after a period of differentiation in geographic isolation.O complexo Icterus cayanensis-chtysocephalus apresenta um intrincado padrão de variação em plumagem e tamanho corpóreo. São reconhecidos, tradicionalmente, para o grupo seis táxons: Icterus chtysocephalus, I. cayanensis cayanensís. I. cayanensis tibialis, I. cayanensis tibialis, I. cayanensis valenciobuenoi, I. cayanensis periporphyrus e I. cayanensis pyrrhopterus, que se substituem geograficamente ao longo de grande parte da América do Sul. Neste estudo foi feita a descrição dos padrões de variação geográfica. Foram diagnosticadas quatro espécies, à luz do conceito filogenético de espécie: Icterus cayanensis (Amazônia Meridional), Icterus chrysocephalus (Amazônia Setentrional), Icterus tibialis (Caatinga) e Icterus pyrrhopterus (Chaco); os táxons I. cayanensis valenciobuenoi e I. cayanensis periporphyrus foram sinonimizados. Entre as formas amazonicas (chrysocephalus e cayanensis) foi detectada a presença de uma zona híbrida mais extensa do que aquela reportada na literatura. No Brasil Central foi diagnosticada a maior zona de intergradação conhecida para aves, com aproximadamente 2.300 km de extensão, produto do intercruzamento entre Icterus tibialis e Icterus pyrrhopterus, formas distribuídas pela Caatinga e Chaco, respectivamente. Postula-se que as zonas de intergradação diagnosticadas neste estudo são produto do intercruzamento de populações previamente diferenciadas em isolamento geográfico

Molecular Phylogeny and Phylogeography of Species of Passeriformes (Aves): historical Biogeography of the neotropical region with emphasis on Atlantic Forest

Neste trabalho buscou-se contribuir para a compreensão da história biogeográfica das florestas da Região Neotropical e, em particular, da Floresta Atlântica a partir de estudos de diversificação inter e intra-específica de grupos de aves. Para investigar a história biogeográfica das florestas da região neotropical foram sequenciados genes mitocondriais (citb, ND2 e ND3) e nucleares (Fib7) de 102 amostras das seis espécies que compõem o gênero Sclerurus, S. mexicanus, S. rufigularis, S. guatemalensis, S. caudacutus, S. albigularis e S. scansor. Por outro lado, para o estudo de diversificação intra Floresta Atlântica, foram utilizadas seqüências dos mesmos marcadores de 86 indiíduos de S. scansor e de 57 de A. leucophthalmus. As análises que envolveram o gênero Sclerurus indicam que as seis espécies que o compõem são reciprocamente monofiléticas e que a diversificação do grupo se deu nos últimos 10 Ma. A origem dos padrões associados às áreas de endemismo do neotrópico, por outro lado, tiveram suas origens durante o Plioceno Superior e Pleistoceno. A congruência verificada na distribuição das linhagens associada à incongruência das relações entre linhagens indicam que histórias evolutivas distintas podem ter dado origem a padrões de distribuição de linhagens similares. Verifica-se, ainda, que populações associadas a diferentes regiões da Amazônia apresentam histórias demográficas distintas. Os estudos filogeográficos e de demografia histórica realizados com Scleurus scansor e Automolus leucophthalmus evidenciam histórias distintas associadas à Floresta Atlântica. Apesar do tempo de divergência entre essas espécies e as linhagens irmãs associadas à Amazônia serem similares, em S. scansor foi verificada marcante estruturação filogeográfica, enquanto em A. leucophthalmus não foi identificado qualquer sinal de estruturação. A partir destes resultados são analisadas as hipóteses biogeográficas propostas para explicar a origem dos padrões de diversidade biológica no Neotropico e, em particular, na Floresta Atlântica.This work attempts to contribute to the understanding of biogeographic history of the neotropical forest domains, based on studies of inter and intra-specific diversification of birds. For this I sequenced mitochondrial (citb, Nd2 and ND3) and nuclear (Fib7) genes of 102 samples from all Sclerurus species, S. mexicanus, S. rufigularis, S. guatemalensis, S. caudacutus, S. albigularis and S. scansor. For the study of diversification intra Atlantic Forest, I used sequences of the same genes from 86 specimens of S. scansor and 57 of A. leucophthalmus. The analyses involving Sclerurus indicated that the six species are reciprocally monophyletic and that the diversification of the group took place in the last 10 Ma. The origin of the patterns associated with neotropical areas of endemism, on the other hand, is recent, during the Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene. The geographic congruence in lineage distribution associated with incongruity of the relationship between them indicate that distinct evolutionary histories may have shaped similar geographic patterns. Besides, populations associated with distinct regions of the Amazon exhibit different demographic histories. The phylogeographic and historical demographic studies performed with Scleurus scansor and Automolus leucophthalmus show different histories associated with Atlantic Forest. Despite of the congruence on divergence times between these species and their Amazonian sisters, in S. scansor a deep phylogeographic structure was identified, while in A. leucophthalmus no population was observed. From these results I analyzed the biogeographic hypotheses proposed to explain the origins of biodiversity patterns associated to the Neotroical Region and, in particular, to the Atlantic Forest