2 research outputs found
Nematodes as indicators of environmental changes in a river with different levels of anthropogenic impact
Abstract Considering that changes in the biodiversity of parasite communities can be used as indicators of ecosystem health, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of Geophagus brasiliensis parasites as bioindicators of environmental changes. We established three sample points in the Iguaçu River, each presenting different degrees of environmental impact. Out of the 69 G. brasiliensis specimens analyzed, 32 (46.3%) were parasitized by at least one parasite. We collected a total of 56 specimens of endoparasites belonging to the phylum Nematoda. Fishes collected in point 3 presented a significantly higher abundance of nematode species (moderately degraded) (Kruskal-Wallis2;69 = 8.62; p = 0.01) and species compositions between points were significantly different (F = 6.95, p = 0.002). No significant difference in relative condition factor (Kn) among the points (F2;66 = 2.54; p = 0.08) or correlation in Kn and abundance of nematodes (rs = 0.1; p = 0.4) were indicated. The results presented in this study indicate that the parasitic community of G. brasiliensis is characterized by low diversity in polluted locations, which explains the absence of certain parasite species and the occurrence of nematode species with varied responses to the pollution gradient
Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network
International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora