Changes in the carbon balance of tropical forest: evidence from long-term plots

The role of the world’s forests as a “sink” for atmospheric carbon dioxide is the subject of active debate. Long-term monitoring of plots in mature humid tropical forests concentrated in South America revealed that biomass gain by tree growth exceeded losses from tree death in 38 out of 50 neotropical sites. These forest plots have accumulated 0.71 + 0.34 tons of carbon per hectare per year in recent decades. The data suggest that neotropical forests may be a significant carbon sink, reducing the rate of increase in atmospheric CO2

Tertiary Climate Change and the Diversification of the Amazonian Gecko Genus Gonatodes (Sphaerodactylidae, Squamata)

The genus Gonatodes is a monophyletic group of small-bodied, diurnal geckos distributed across northern South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. We used fragments of three nuclear genes (RAG2, ACM4, and c-mos) and one mitochondrial gene (16S) to estimate phylogenetic relationships among Amazonian species of Gonatodes. We used Penalized Likelihood to estimate timing of diversification in the genus. Most cladogenesis occurred in the Oligocene and early Miocene and coincided with a burst of diversification in other South American animal groups including mollusks, birds, and mammals. The Oligocene and early Miocene were periods dominated by dramatic climate change and Andean orogeny and we suggest that these factors drove the burst of cladogenesis in Gonatodes geckos as well as other taxa. A common pattern in Amazonian taxa is a biogeographic split between the eastern and western Amazon basin. We observed two clades with this spatial distribution, although large differences in timing of divergence between the east–west taxon pairs indicate that these divergences were not the result of a common vicariant event

A guide to fieldstations in the tropics : 3., Colombia

“El Refugio” Biological Station will be open as of Juni 1989 for persons or organizations of all nationalities. The station offers logistic support for activities with educational, conservational or research purposes. The station is located in a mountainous region at elevations of 1600 to 1900 m, on the western versant of the western cordillera of Colombia. It lies 23 km away from Cali (see below), on the road to Buenaventura, the most important road crossing the Chocó biogeographical region (Buenaventura is the most important seaport on the Colombian Pacific coast). The biological station includes 14 ha of relatively undisturbed, species-rich forest, and 9 ha of open lands. The latter include orchard, pasture and garden areas. “El Refugio” is owned by a colomian family concerned with the conservation of natural resources and especially with endangered plant species. Since its acquisition 10 years ago, the open areas have been considerably enriched with numerous living collections of andean plants

Paleosuchus

Number of Pages: 4Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Taxonomy Of Aspidosperma Mart. (apocynaceae, Rauvolfioideae) In The State Of Para, Northern Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Aspidosperma Mart. is one of the most important genera from Apocynaceae Juss. occurring in Brazil. It is present in many plant formations and has species with both medicinal and economic value. From a taxonomic point of view, many of its species are difficult to identify, especially those occurring in the Amazonian region. In order to complement the information already available with regard to the taxonomy and distribution of the genus, the goal of this work was to provide a taxonomic study of the Aspidosperma species occurring in the state of Para, northern Brazil. This study was based on the analysis of vouchers from the BHCB, HBRA, IAC, IAN, INPA, MG, R, RB and UEC herbaria, as well as scanned images of vouchers from Brazilian and foreign herbaria, and specimens collected in the field. Species identification was confirmed by analysis of protologues and types (or images). We present taxonomic descriptions, illustrations and one identification key for the 20 species of Aspidosperma found in Para, with the Baixo Amazonas Mesoregion presenting the largest number of species (17), and the Metropolitana de Belem Mesoregion presenting the Smallest number of species (3). Aspidosperma eteanum, A. oblongum, A. salgadense (endemic of Para) and A. sandwithianum are accepted as species here. Aspidosperma cuspa is a new record for Para. The fruits of Aspidosperma eteanum and A. salgadense, and the seeds of A. eteanum, have been described and illustrated for the first time.162Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES, Office for the Advancement of Higher Education)PNADB [PNADB 922/2010]Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Liste des espèces de Phanérogames et de Ptéridophytes de Guyane française d'après l'Herbier du Centre ORSTOM de Cayenne

La liste présente les noms de 3.748 espèces et des 337 taxons infraspécifiques des plantes récoltées en Guyane française et dont au moins un échantillon a été déposé à l'Herbier du Centre ORSTOM de Cayenne depuis sa création en 1956. (Résumé d'auteur

Clusia nitida, a new species of clusia (Clusiaceae) from the Brazilian Amazon

In this paper we describe and illustrate Clusia nitida, a new species from the Amazon with resin-producing flowers, similar to C. microstemon and C. myriandra. © 2013 Magnolia Press

Patterns of geographic distribution of the extra-Amazonian Brazilian species of Schefflera J. R. Forst. & G. Forst. (Araliaceae)

Uma análise da distribuição geográfica de Schefflera no Brasil extra-amazônico foi realizada com base em mapas atualizados plotando as ocorrências conhecidas das 26 espécies do gênero encontradas nessa grande área: S. angustissima (Marchal) Frodin, S. aurata Fiaschi, S. botumirimensis Fiaschi & Pirani, S. burchellii (Seem.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. calva (Cham.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. capixaba Fiaschi, S. cephalantha (Harms) Frodin, S. cordata (Taub.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. distractiflora (Harms) Frodin, S. fruticosa Fiaschi & Pirani, S. gardneri (Seem.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. glaziovii (Taub.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. grandigemma Fiaschi, S. kollmannii Fiaschi, S. longipetiolata (Pohl ex DC.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. lucumoides (Decne. & Planch. ex Marchal) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. macrocarpa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Frodin, S. malmei (Harms) Frodin, S. morototoni (Aubl.) Maguire, Steyermark & Frodin, S. racemifera Fiaschi & Frodin, S. ruschiana Fiaschi & Pirani, S. selloi (Marchal) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. succinea Frodin & Fiaschi, S. villosissima Fiaschi & Pirani, S. vinosa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Frodin & Fiaschi e S. aff. varisiana Frodin. Dois centros de endemismo associados com áreas de altitude elevada foram reconhecidos: Cadeia do Espinhaço em Minas Gerais e florestas montanas do Estado do Espírito Santo. Os padrões de distribuição geográfica ilustrados são discutidos com base em dados obtidos para outros grupos de angiospermas e em estudos fitogeográficos das principais fitocórias do Brasil extra-amazônico. São apresentadas também hipóteses acerca de prováveis relações filogenéticas entre alguns táxons, visando à busca de possíveis correlações entre estas e a biogeografia do grupo.An analysis of the geographic distribution of the 26 species of Schefflera from extra-Amazonian Brazil was prepared based on maps depicting the known occurrences of the taxa. These include: S. angustissima (Marchal) Frodin, S. aurata Fiaschi, S. botumirimensis Fiaschi & Pirani, S. burchellii (Seem.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. calva (Cham.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. capixaba Fiaschi, S. cephalantha (Harms) Frodin, S. cordata (Taub.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. distractiflora (Harms) Frodin, S. fruticosa Fiaschi & Pirani, S. gardneri (Seem.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. glaziovii (Taub.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. grandigemma Fiaschi, S. kollmannii Fiaschi, S. longipetiolata (Pohl ex DC.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. lucumoides (Decne. & Planch. ex Marchal) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. macrocarpa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Frodin, S. malmei (Harms) Frodin, S. morototoni (Aubl.) Maguire, Steyermark & Frodin, S. racemifera Fiaschi & Frodin, S. ruschiana Fiaschi & Pirani, S. selloi (Marchal) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. succinea Frodin & Fiaschi, S. villosissima Fiaschi & Pirani, S. vinosa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Frodin & Fiaschi e S. aff. varisiana Frodin. Two centers of endemism associated with high-altitude areas were recognized: Espinhaço Range in Minas Gerais state and montane forests of Espírito Santo state. The geographic patterns found are discussed with regard to other groups of angiosperms, as well as to phytogeographic studies of the main extra-Amazonian Brazilian phytocoria. Some hypothesis concerning probable phylogenetic relationships among some taxa are analysed in the light of the observed distribution patterns.FAPESPCNP

Leptodactylus rugosus

Number of Pages: 5Integrative BiologyGeological Science