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three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data.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

Canistropsis e Nidularium (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae) no Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Resumo O Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos (PARNASO) está localizado entre os municípios fluminenses de Teresópolis, Petrópolis, Guapimirim e Magé abrangendo ambientes desde Floresta Pluvial Baixo Montana até Campos de Altitude. A família Bromeliaceae possui cerca de 3.503 espécies distribuídas em 59 gêneros. Os gêneros Canistropsis e Nidularium são endêmicos do Brasil e possuem seu centro de diversidade na Mata Atlântica. O objetivo deste trabalho foi inventariar e descrever os táxons presentes no PARNASO, além de propor chaves de identificação dos gêneros e das espécies e fornecer informações sobre a distribuição geográfica e caracterizar sua ocorrência na área do parque. O levantamento bibliográfico e de exsicatas foi feito através das principais monografias da família e pela visita aos principais herbários do Rio de Janeiro. O trabalho de campo consistiu em expedições para coleta de exemplares no parque. As descrições e a análise dos dados foram feitas com auxílio de literatura especializada. Foram inventariados oito táxons no parque, um de Canistropsis e sete de Nidularium. O presente trabalho contribui com a taxonomia dos gêneros e conservação das espécies no Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos

New records of Vriesea agostiniana E.Pereira, and Vriesea saltensis Leme & L. Kollmann (Bromeliaceae, Tillandsioideae) from southeastern Brazil

Vriesea Lindl. (Bromeliaceae) has its center of diversity in eastern Brazil, especially in the Atlantic Rainforest domain. The present study extended the distribution of V. agostiniana to São Paulo state and V. saltensis to Espírito Santo state; they were previously considered endemic to single locations in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, respectively. Species descriptions, taxonomic comments, and new distribution maps are presented, contributing to our knowledge of the taxonomy and biogeography of Vriesea in southeastern Brazil

New records of Vriesea agostiniana E.Pereira, and Vriesea saltensis Leme & L. Kollmann (Bromeliaceae, Tillandsioideae) from southeastern Brazil

Vriesea Lindl. (Bromeliaceae) has its center of diversity in eastern Brazil, especially in the Atlantic Rainforest domain. The present study extended the distribution of V. agostiniana to São Paulo state and V. saltensis to Espírito Santo state; they were previously considered endemic to single locations in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, respectively. Species descriptions, taxonomic comments, and new distribution maps are presented, contributing to our knowledge of the taxonomy and biogeography of Vriesea in southeastern Brazil

Edmundoa, Neoregelia e Wittrockia (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae) no Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Resumo O Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos (PARNASO) localiza-se na região serrana do estado do Rio de Janeiro e representa uma importante unidade de conservação brasileira, guardando importantes ecossistemas da Mata Atlântica do sudeste do Brasil. Apresenta-se um estudo florístico-taxonômico dos gêneros Edmundoa, Neoregelia e Wittrockia (Bromeliaceae, Bromelioideae) no PARNASO, baseado em coletas de campo, materiais de herbário e bibliografia. Descrições foram feitas com base na variação morfológica observada em todos os exemplares provenientes da região. Foram encontrados 16 táxons, sendo Neoregelia o gênero mais rico, com 13 espécies, seguidos por Wittrockia (duas) e Edmundoa (uma), nenhum incluído em listas oficiais de espécies ameaçadas. No presente artigo são apresentadas chaves de identificação, descrições, informações sobre distribuição geográfica e comentários morfológicos e taxonômicos para os táxons

Pollinators drive floral evolution in an Atlantic Forest genus

Pollinators are important drivers of angiosperm diversification at both micro and macroevolutionary scales. Both hummingbirds and bats pollinate the species-rich and morphologically diverse genus Vriesea across its distribution in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Here, we (1) determine if floral traits predict functional groups of pollinators as documented, confirming the pollination syndromes in Vriesea and (2) test if genetic structure in Vriesea is driven by geography (latitudinal and altitudinal heterogeneity) or ecology (pollination syndromes). We analysed 11 floral traits of 58 Vriesea species and performed a literature survey of Vriesea pollination biology. The genealogy of haplotypes was inferred and phylogenetic analyses were performed using chloroplast (rps16-trnk and matK) and nuclear (PHYC) molecular markers. Floral traits accurately predict functional groups of pollinators in Vriesea. Genetic groupings match the different pollination syndromes. Species with intermediate position were found between the groups, which share haplotypes and differ morphologically from the typical hummingbird and bat-pollinated flowers of Vriesea. The phylogeny revealed moderately to well-supported clades which may be interpreted as species complexes. Our results suggest a role of pollinators driving ecological isolation in Vriesea clades. Incipient speciation and incomplete lineage sorting may explain the overall low genetic divergence within and among morphologically-defined species, precluding the identification of clear species boundaries. The intermediate species with mixed floral types likely represent a window into shifts between pollinator syndromes. This study reports the morphological-genetic continuum that may be typical of on-going pollinator-driven speciation in biodiversity hotspots

Drivers of bromeliad leaf and floral bract variation across a latitudinal gradient in the Atlantic Forest

Aim Understanding the complex interaction and relative contributions of factors involved in species and trait diversification is crucial to gain insights into the evolution of Neotropical biodiversity. Here, we investigated the drivers of morphological variation in bromeliads along a latitudinal gradient in a biodiversity hotspot. Location Atlantic Forest, Brazil. Taxon A species complex in the genus Vriesea (Bromeliaceae). Methods We measured shape and size variation for 208 floral bracts and 176 leaves in individuals from 14 localities using geometric morphometrics. We compiled data for two chloroplast regions (matK and trnL‐F) from 89 individuals to assess genetic diversity, population structure and phylogenetic relationships. We tested the influence of climate, altitude and genetic distance on morphological traits using linear statistical models. Results Temperature seasonality is a main driver of floral bract shape. Together with precipitation, it also explains changes in leaf size across the latitudinal gradient. Shifts in morphological traits are correlated with genetic structure and partly support the recent taxonomic delimitation proposed for the species complex. The species started to diversify in the Pliocene ca. 5 Mya. We detected a phylogeographical break in species distribution into northern and southern clades between the Bocaina region and the southern portion of the Atlantic Forest. Main Conclusions We identify how geography and environmental changes through time shape floral bracts and leaves in similar ways. At highly seasonal sites with lower annual precipitation (in the southern subtropical portion of the Atlantic Forest), leaves are larger and floral bracts are wide‐elliptic, making them better suited for increased water accumulation. In contrast, at less seasonal sites (in the tropical north, where rainfall is more abundant and temperatures are higher), leaves are narrower and floral bracts are lanceolate‐shaped, facilitating water drainage. The biogeographical break we identified suggests a role of tectonic activity and climatic oscillations in promoting species divergence and diversification

Repeated evolution of pollination syndromes in a highly diverse bromeliad lineage is correlated with shifts in life form and habitat.

Mutualistic plant-pollinator interactions play a critical role in the diversification of flowering plants. The spatiotemporal correlates of such interactions can be understood in a phylogenetic context. Here, we generate ddRAD-seq data for the highly diverse Vriesea-Stigmatodon lineage to test for correlated trait evolution among pollination syndromes and life form, habitat type, and altitude. Our results show that pollination syndromes are correlated with changes in life form and habitat type. The ancestor of the Vriesea-Stigmatodon lineage was likely bat pollinated, rock dwelling and inhabited open, mid-elevation forests. Transitions from bat to hummingbird pollination are correlated with transitions to the epiphytic life form in shaded habitats, whereas bat pollination is correlated with the rock-dwelling life form and open habitats. Our dated phylogenetic tree reveals independent origins of hummingbird pollination, occurring twice in Vriesea at c. 5.8 and 5.4 Mya. The timing for the shifts in pollination syndrome coincides with geological and environmental transformations across the Serra do Mar Mountain Chain, which increased habitat heterogeneity where Vriesea and their mutualists diversified. The phylogenetic tree reinforces the non-monophyly of taxonomic sections within the genus Vriesea previously defined by flower morphology, indicating that some lineages should be treated as species complexes. This study identifies synergetic drivers of speciation in a tropical biodiversity hotspot

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