Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Forage production of annual ryegrass of natural reseeding subjected to nitrogen fertilization in the succession of a soybean crop in crop-livestock integration

The experiment, divided into two phases (Phase I and Phase II), had as its objective to evaluate forage production of annual ryegrass (Estanzuela LE 284) of natural reseeding subjected to nitrogen fertilization in the succession of a soybean crop in crop-livestock integration and the residual effect of fertilization on the production of corn grains (crop successor). Treatments of Phase I consisted of four levels of nitrogen fertilization (urea 45%) of coverage (N0 = 0 kg/ha de N, N1 = 22,5 kg/ha de N, N2= 67,5 kg/ha de N e N3 = 135 kg/ha de N) and two levels base fertilization (B1= no fertilization; B2= with fertilization in the order of 170 kg/ha of the formula 05-25-25). The pasture was managed by cutes in accordance with its height. Each time the pasture reached the average canopy height from 20-25 cm, two samples (circular cuts - 0,0881 m²) were made leaving a residue of 10-12 cm. During this occasion a sample was collected with a square of 0,04 m² to determine the number of tillers and leaf area index (LAI). The entire profile of the canopy was cut. Phase II consisted of the evaluation of the residual effect of the fertilization treatments of Phase I on the production of corn grains. The base fertilization (NPK) and the application of nitrogen in coverage, significantly increase forage production of annual ryegrass of natural reseeding in soybean stubble in crop-livestock integration. Nitrogen fertilization linearly increase the weight of tillers and leaf blades. The averages of remaining ryegrass straw added to the soybean crop residues meet the appropriate amount for the implementation of the summer crop in the SPD. Nitrogen fertilization presents no residual effect on the crop yield of corn for grain in succession.O experimento, dividido em duas fases (Fase I e Fase II), teve como objetivo avaliar a produção de forragem de azevém anual (Estanzuela LE 284) de ressemeadura natural na sucessão da cultura da soja submetido à adubação nitrogenada em integração lavoura-pecuária e o efeito residual da adubação na produção de grãos de milho (cultura sucessora). Os tratamentos da Fase I constaram de quatro níveis de adubação nitrogenada (ureia 45%) em cobertura (N0 = 0 kg/ha de N, N1 = 22,5 kg/ha de N, N2= 67,5 kg/ha de N e N3 = 135 kg/ha de N) e dois níveis de adubação de base (B1= sem adubação; B2= com adubação, na ordem de 170 kg/ha da fórmula 05-25-25). O pasto foi manejado por cortes seguindo um protocolo de altura. A cada vez que o pasto atingia altura média do dossel entre 20-25 cm eram efetuadas duas amostragens (cortes) circulares (0,0881 m²), deixando-se um resíduo de 10-12 cm. Na mesma ocasião era coletada uma amostra com um quadro de 0,04 m² para determinação do número de perfilhos e índice de área foliar (IAF), sendo coletado todo o perfil do dossel. A Fase II consistiu da avaliação do efeito residual dos tratamentos de adubação da Fase I sobre a produção de grãos de milho. As adubações de base (NPK) e de nitrogênio em cobertura aumentam a produção de forragem de azevém anual de ressemeadura natural em resteva de soja no sistema de integração lavoura-pecuária. A adubação nitrogenada aumenta de forma linear o peso de perfilhos e de lâminas foliares. As médias da palhada remanescente de azevém somadas aos resíduos da cultura da soja atendem a quantidade adequada para a implantação da lavoura de verão no SPD. A adubação nitrogenada não apresenta efeito residual sobre a cultura do milho para grãos em sucessão

Características estruturais de milheto sob pastejo rotativo com diferentes períodos de descanso Structural characteristics of pearl millet under rotational grazing with different rest periods

Com o objetivo de determinar o período de descanso (PD) ideal para a pastagem de milheto (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.), realizou-se um experimento em delineamento completamente ao acaso, com três períodos de descanso (tempos necessários para expansão completa de 1,5 a 2; 2,5 a 3; ou 3,5 a 4 novas folhas), cada um com quatro repetições de área (potreiros). Foram avaliados o número de folhas vivas/perfilho (NFV), o comprimento final da lâmina (CFL), a relação lâmina/bainha e colmo (L/B+C) e a densidade de perfilhos basilares (DPB) e aéreos (DPA). A maior densidade de perfilhos basais, o maior número de folhas vivas e a maior relação lâmina/bainha+colmo no menor período de descanso determinaram maior participação de lâminas verdes no dossel da pastagem e as melhores características estruturais para produção de forragem.<br>This work used the necessary time (days) for a completely elongation of new leaves, i.e., 1.5-2.0; 2.5-3.0 and 3.5-4.0 new leaves completely elongated in order to determine the rest period (RP) between grazing in Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.)R. Br.). The experiment was carried out as a completely randomized design with four replications (paddocks). Evaluations were performed for: number of live leaves/tiller (NAL); final length blade (FLB); blade/sheath and culm ratio (B/S+C); basal tiller density (BTD) and aerial tiller density (ATD). The higher BTD; NAL and B/S+C ratio observed in the shortest rest period determined the high quantity of green blades in the pasture sward and consequently the best structural characteristics from the forage point of view

NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non-detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer-reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non-detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio-temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large-scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data