Article
Plant Sciences
Benoit Loeuille, Joao Bernardo De A. Bringel, Jair E. Q. Faria, Jose F. M. Valls
Summary: This article describes and illustrates three new species from the Brazilian Cerrado phytogeographic domain: Eremanthus tomentosus, Lychnophora goiana, and L. planaltina. The characteristics, distribution, and affinities of these species are discussed, contributing to the study of plant diversity in the region.
Article
Zoology
Rudy Camilo Nunes, Nikolas Gioia Cipola, Bruno Cavalcante Bellini
Summary: The article describes and illustrates two new species of Seira Lubbock, namely Seira picoensis and Seira trisetosa, which differ from other species in various aspects. Additionally, a brief discussion on the mucro shape in Seirinae is provided.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Rita Marcia da Silva Pinto Vieira, Javier Tomasella, Ana Paula Martins do Amaral Cunha, Alexandre Augusto Barbosa, Joao Pompeu, Yara Ferreira, Fabricia Cristina Santos, Lincoln Muniz Alves, Jean Ometto
Summary: In the past few decades, the loss of agricultural land due to soil degradation/desertification has been significant. The increasing frequency of extreme events, such as droughts and forest fires, has negatively impacted ecosystem services. The Cerrado and Caatinga biomes in Brazil have been affected by increased rainfall variability, leading to desertification, increased fire frequency, and rising concerns about water and food security. This study develops a Socio-Environmental Vulnerability Index (SEVI) and applies it to the Sao Francisco and Parnaiba river basins to assess the impacts and prioritize recovery actions in degraded areas.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Bruno X. Pinho, Diego P. F. Trindade, Carlos A. Peres, Davi Jamelli, Renato A. F. de Lima, Elaine M. S. Ribeiro, Felipe P. L. Melo, Inara R. Leal, Marcelo Tabarelli
Summary: The study found that the abundance-occupancy relationships of woody plants in tropical dry areas are generally positive but weak at different scales, with some species being locally abundant but geographically restricted, while most species are rare both locally and geographically. Cross-species variation in local abundance was unpredictable, but occupancy was strongly influenced by niche and functional traits, with a significant negative impact of niche marginality.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gabriel S. Hofmann, Manoel F. Cardoso, Ruy J. V. Alves, Eliseu J. Weber, Alexandre A. Barbosa, Peter M. de Toledo, Francisco B. Pontual, Leandro de O. Salles, Heinrich Hasenack, Jose L. P. Cordeiro, Francisco E. Aquino, Luiz F. B. de Oliveira
Summary: The study revealed that the Brazilian Cerrado has experienced significant warming trends over the past few decades, with relative humidity decreasing by approximately 15%, potentially leading to a reduction in nocturnal dewfall and impacting the survival of many plants and animals. These climate changes could have a high impact on biodiversity and potentially cause ecosystems to collapse.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Aline Scaramuzza Aquino, Milena Fernandes da Silva, Thiago Silva de Almeida, Filipe Neimaier Bilheri, Attilio Converti, James Correia de Melo
Summary: Biofuels are becoming increasingly important in energy transition, and the semiarid Caatinga region in Brazil has a wide range of oilseed crops that can be used as alternative raw materials. This systematic review examines the properties of these crops and discusses the synthesis processes and future prospects of biofuels.
Article
Ecology
Karolina S. Kohari, Valeria Palma-Onetto, Rudolf H. Scheffrahn, Alexandre Vasconcellos, Eliana M. Cancello, Rafaella G. Santos, Tiago F. Carrijo
Summary: This study investigated the genetic patterns and phylogeographical processes of Nasutitermes kemneri, an endemic termite in the South American diagonal of open formations. The results revealed the presence of two well-differentiated genetic groups, the Northeastern and the Southwestern populations, which diverged around 2.5 million years ago during the Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary. The Northeastern population exhibited complex genetic structure and experienced repetitive retraction-expansion events due to climactic fluctuations during the Quaternary, while the Southwestern population displayed a star-shaped haplotype structure, suggesting its role as a refugia during interglacial periods.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Flavio Lopes Ribeiro, Mario Guevara, Alma Vazquez-Lule, Ana Paula Cunha, Marcelo Zeri, Rodrigo Vargas
Summary: This study analyzed soil moisture responses to drought across different biomes in Brazil using satellite data. Results showed an overall decline in soil moisture at the national level, with different trends observed in each biome. This information can provide insights for drought risk reduction and soil conservation activities in vulnerable biomes.
NATURAL HAZARDS AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Daniel Petinatti Pavarini, Joao Semir, Joao Luis Callegari Lopes, Ricardo Roberto da Silva, Norberto Peporine Lopes
Summary: This study investigated the volatile organic compounds of Lychnophora ericoides, a Brazilian folk medicinal plant, through chemical analysis, emission surveys, and pollinator records. It was found that sesquiterpene concentrations were higher in younger leaves, with rising temperatures and during flowering seasons, while terpene levels may be controlled by daylight. Hummingbirds, hemiptera insects, and wasps were observed visiting the plants for the first time, and bisabolene-derivatives were found to be more abundant than monoterpenes during the flowering season throughout the summer.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Luciano Procopio, Cristine Barreto
Summary: The diverse microbiota in Cerrado soils, including bacteria, archaea, and fungi, are influenced by acidic soil and seasonal variations. Agricultural expansion, human impacts, and wildfires can alter soil microbiota, affecting biogeochemical processes.
JOURNAL OF SOILS AND SEDIMENTS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Arthur Prudencio de Araujo Pereira, Lucas William Mendes, Francisca Andrea Silva Oliveira, Jadson Emanuel Lopes Antunes, Vania Maria Maciel Melo, Ademir Sergio Ferreira Araujo
Summary: Considering the increasing global land degradation and desertification, understanding the modulation of soil microbial communities by these drivers is crucial in mitigating these processes. This study assessed the effects of land degradation, restoration, and native forest on soil microbial communities in a semi-arid region in Northeastern Brazil. The results showed that land degradation led to changes in microbial community composition and decreased microbial diversity. However, the restored area exhibited more resilience, suggesting that microbial communities can recover their functions through sustainable practices. Furthermore, degraded lands resulted in a loss of functions related to carbon dynamics in the system. This study provides important evidence that land restoration practices can recover soil functions and is relevant for further research on sustainable practices in global degradation hotspots.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Maria Daniely Freire Guerra, Jose Joao Lelis Leal de Souza, Carlos Ernesto Goncalves Reynaud Schaefer, Marcos Jose Nogueira de Souza
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the genesis and evolution of remnant wet soils under buriti palms/palm swamps in the Brazilian semiarid. Our results show that remnant wetlands are associated with dynamics of the hydrogeological conditions and the regional relief, strongly influenced by the morphostructure and the current morphogenesis of the Araripe Plateau.
Article
Plant Sciences
Thayna Rosa Batista Martins, Raquel Maria Batista Souza-Souza, Wellerson Picanco Leite, Roberto Lourenco Esteves, Claudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonca, Vania Goncalves-Esteves
Summary: This study presents a pollen analysis of 13 species of Dendrophorbium in Brazil, aiming to contribute to the taxonomy of the group. The examination of the pollen grains revealed that they are monadic, medium-sized, and have specific aperture shape and echinus characteristics that differentiate the species.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bruna Alberton, Thomas C. M. Martin, Humberto R. Da Rocha, Andrew D. Richardson, Magna S. B. Moura, Ricardo S. Torres, Leonor Patricia Cerdeira Morellato
Summary: The interplay of water and light drives the dynamics of tropical plants, and leaf phenology is closely related to gross primary productivity. Phenocameras are an accurate method to estimate phenology in tropical communities. Leaf phenology and gross primary productivity vary across different tropical biomes due to varying levels of water and light availability.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Glauber das Neves, Joao Paulo Sena-Souza, Fabio Luis de Souza Santos, Edson Eyji Sano, Gabriela Bielefeld Nardoto, Antonio Felipe Couto Junior
Summary: The study developed a spatial model of soil 613C in the Cerrado region based on multiple linear regression analysis, showing higher values in the south and lower values in the north. Soil 613C serves as a proxy indicator of vegetation history at the landscape scale for the Central Brazilian savanna, despite some regions where the model could not estimate.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Rebeca Laino Gama, Juliana Hanna Leite El Ottra, Jose Rubens Pirani, Diego Demarco
Summary: Flowers of Trichilia claussenii exhibit subtle sexual floral dimorphism with female flowers and bisexual flowers distributed in different individuals. One morphotype appears male but can develop into fruit, while the other morphotype appears female but has inviable pollen grains. Therefore, the species is gynodioecious with male sterility occurring in only one morphotype.
BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Jose Rubens Pirani, Lucas C. Majure, Marcelo Fernando Devecchi
Summary: Simaroubaceae is a predominantly pantropical family which has been found to be a monophyletic group with 22 genera and approximately 120 species. Recent studies have advanced our knowledge of the family members, particularly in tropical America where the primary diversity center is located. Further research is needed to address gaps in data and continue to improve our understanding of this family.
BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Kathryn P. Mercier, Mariana M. Vasconcellos, Euder G. A. Martins, Jose Rubens Pirani, Fabian A. Michelangeli, Ana Carolina Carnaval
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between Late Quaternary climatic stability and population structure and genetic diversity in two palm species in the Atlantic Forest. The results show that climate stability may have played a role in maintaining population connectivity and promoting intraspecific divergence, but it does not seem to be driving spatial patterns of genetic diversity in these species.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jaquelini Luber, Tatiana Tavares Carrijo, Mauricio Moreira Martins, Claudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonca, Vania Goncalves-Esteves
Summary: In this study, pollen grains of 16 species of Campomanesia were analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy. Heat map and multivariate regression tree analyses were performed to identify differences among species based on pollen morphology. The results showed that pollen morphology can be used as a reliable tool to distinguish different species of Campomanesia.
Article
Plant Sciences
Vania Goncalves-Esteves, Gabrielle Reboredo Menezes Vieira, Simone Cartaxo-Pinto, Claudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonca
Summary: This study analyzed pollen grains of 33 species belonging to the Coccocypselum and Coussarea-Faramea clades and found that there were differences in pollen characteristics among these clades, confirming the current taxonomic classification.
Article
Plant Sciences
Oriane Hidalgo, Ismael Sanchez-Jimenez, Luis Palazzesi, Benoit Loeuille, Teresa Garnatje
Summary: This study examines the evolution of pollen in the genus Echinops. The results show that there has been a transition in pollen type from a morphology similar to other Cardueae plants to a larger triangular pollen type. This transition occurred after the evolution of syncephaly. The increase in pollen size may be a response to warmer environmental conditions and increased male competition. The study suggests that Echinops has explored new phenotypic space in response to its diversified climatic context.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PLANT SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gabriel Henrique Gomes de Souza Freitas Teixeira, Ana Carolina Mezzonato-Pires, Lamarck Rocha, Vania Goncalves-Esteves, Claudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonca
Summary: In this study, a palynological investigation was conducted on 20 heterostylous species of the genus Piriqueta, with a focus on their pollen morphology. The examination revealed significant variations in pollen shape among different floral morphs. These findings highlight the importance of considering the floral morphs when describing the pollen of heterostylous species.
PLANT SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Luiz Antonio Costa Rodrigues, Claudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonca, Marcus Vinicius Vaughan Jennings Licinio, Kamila da Matta Agostini, Alexandre Santos Alencar, Vania Goncalves-Esteves
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using pollen grains as biomarkers of atmospheric transport between South America and Antarctica. Palynological analysis of snow samples collected in 2005 revealed the presence of spores and pollen grains from South America. The use of the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model showed that the Andes serve as a heat source for pollen transport, confirming the feasibility of using pollen grains as biomarkers.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Matheus Colli-Silva, Jose Rubens Pirani, Laurence J. Dorr
Article
Plant Sciences
Elizabeth M. Joyce, Marc S. Appelhans, Sven Buerki, Martin Cheek, Jurriaan M. de Vos, Jose R. Pirani, Alexandre R. Zuntini, Julien B. Bachelier, Michael J. Bayly, Martin W. Callmander, Marcelo F. Devecchi, Susan K. Pell, Milton Groppo, Porter P. Lowry, John Mitchell, Carolina M. Siniscalchi, Jerome Munzinger, Harvey K. Orel, Caroline M. Pannell, Lars Nauheimer, Herve Sauquet, Andrea Weeks, Alexandra N. Muellner-Riehl, Ilia J. Leitch, Olivier Maurin, Felix Forest, Katharina Nargar, Kevin R. Thiele, William J. Baker, Darren M. Crayn
Summary: This study generated the most densely sampled phylogenetic trees of Sapindales to date, providing key insights into the family and subfamily relationships within the order. The study revealed that all families were monophyletic and identified two core family clades dividing the order. The research also highlighted the importance of factors such as ancient gene duplication events in understanding the evolutionary history of these families.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Matheus Colli-Silva, James E. Richardson, Jose R. Pirani
Summary: This study aims to compile and describe a dataset of preserved specimen collections in Tropical Americas. The dataset consists of 7975 records from 18 Theobroma species and 14 Herrania species. Most of the samples are from the Amazon rainforest, with T. subincanum and T. cacao having the highest number of records.
BIODIVERSITY DATA JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Thayna Rosa Batista Martins, Raquel Maria Batista Souza-Souza, Wellerson Picanco Leite, Roberto Lourenco Esteves, Claudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonca, Vania Goncalves-Esteves
Summary: This study presents a pollen analysis of 13 species of Dendrophorbium in Brazil, aiming to contribute to the taxonomy of the group. The examination of the pollen grains revealed that they are monadic, medium-sized, and have specific aperture shape and echinus characteristics that differentiate the species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Simone Cartaxo-Pinto, Ilgner Fernando Tavares Vieira, Jeane Marinho Nascimento, Vinicius R. Bueno, Gustavo Heiden, Claudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonca, Vania Goncalves-Esteves
Summary: This study characterized the pollen morphology of eight species from Calea sect. Meyeria, based on acetolyzed and unacetolyzed pollen grains. Despite the similarities, differences were observed in pollen size, polar area, sexine ornamentation, and endoaperture characteristics. Palynological analysis provided new information for species distinction within Calea sect. Meyeria.
Article
Plant Sciences
Simone Cartaxo-Pinto, Marcelo Fernando Devecchi, Jose Rubens Pirani, Claudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonca, Vania Goncalves-Esteves
Summary: In this study, the pollen morphology and ultrastructure of 36 species from Simaroubaceae family were examined. The results showed that there were significant variations in pollen features among different taxa, with most species exhibiting reticulate ornamentation.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Vinicius Jose Fernandes, Elen de Lima Aguiar-Menezes, Jose Guilherme Marinho Guerra, Claudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonca, Vania Goncalves-Esteves, Janaina Ribeiro Costa-Rouws, Thiago Sampaio de Souza
Summary: In this study, it was found that Chrysoperla externa faces challenges in foraging for pollen due to differences in pollen accessibility and morphology. The experiment showed that Cajanus cajan and F. macrophylla pollen were not consumed by Chrysoperla externa. Overall, Chrysoperla externa preferred pollen from the Poaceae family over the Fabaceae family.
NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gar W. Rothwell, Ruth A. Stockey
Summary: This study utilizes anatomical analysis of fossils from Vancouver Island, Canada, to support the development of a whole plant concept for the Eocene species of Gleichenia and provide data for the first organismal concept of an extinct species of Gleichenia from the Cenozoic fossil record. The findings suggest that the characteristics of the Gleicheniaceae family were present during the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods, with modern species well-established and diversifying.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Plant Sciences
Kathrin Ganz, Cesar Morales-Molino, Erika Gobet, Dmytro Kiosak, Nadezhda Kotova, Jacqueline van Leeuwen, Sergey Makhortykh, Christoph Schworer, Willy Tinner
Summary: This study presents a palaeoecological reinvestigation from the Kardashynskyi mire in southern Ukraine, reconstructing the vegetation dynamics, fire history, and land use for the past 8300 years. The results show that both climate and human activities have driven the vegetation changes, and the remaining special vegetation types are severely threatened under current conditions.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Plant Sciences
Willem O. van der Knaap, Bas van Geel, Jacqueline F. N. van Leeuwen, Frans Roescher, Dick Mol
Summary: Pollen analysis of fossilized teeth from a giant deer found in The Netherlands provides insights into the diet, landscape, and climate of the specimen. The study suggests that the giant deer most likely lived during the early Eemian or an early Weichselian interstadial.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yun Guo, Yu Zhou, Josef Psenicka, Jiri Bek, Jana Votockova Frojdova, Zhuo Feng
Summary: A new species of adpressed leptosporangiate fern, Szea yunnanensis sp. nov., is described from Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The fronds of this new species have unique characteristics such as fertile pinnules with triangular to falcate shape and abaxial sori arranged in one row on each side of the midvein.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Plant Sciences
Adele C. M. Julier, Glynis J. Humphrey, Caitlin Dixon, Lindsey Gillson
Summary: The relationships between woody vegetation cover and fire, climate, herbivory, and human activities in African savanna ecosystems are complex. Fire suppression policies implemented in a national park in northeast Namibia from 1888 to 2005 did not lead to noticeable decreases in fire or enhanced tree recruitment, suggesting that fire occurrence in savanna ecosystems is more closely linked to climate than management. Fire management should adapt to rainfall variability and integrate customs of early dry season burning.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Plant Sciences
Milan Libertin, Jiri Kvacek, Jiri Bek
Summary: This paper revises the genus Aberlemnia from the Early Devonian of Scotland based on its type-material A. caledonica and describes a new species, Aberlemnia krizii sp. nov, from the Silurian of Czechia. The study provides detailed diagnoses and highlights the differences between the two species. Aberlemnia is positioned on an evolutionary clade line leading to the Lycophytina.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2024)
