Článek přibližuje botanickou exkurzi do Brazílie na horu Corcovado (710 m n. m.), nacházející se u pobřeží Atlantského oceánu, na vrcholu se sochou Krista Vykupitele (Cristo Redentor). Území leží v národním parku Tijuca, který byl zřízen na ochranu tropického deštného lesa, zde nazývaného mata atlântica (atlantský les). Autor představuje některé významné skupiny zdejší flóry, vybrané endemické taxony či rostliny se zajímavou životní strategií., This article presents a botanical excursion up Mount Corcovado (710 m a. s. l.) on the Atlantic coast of Brazil, with the statue of Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) at the top. The territory belongs to the Tijuca National Park, established to protect the tropical rain forest - called mata atlântica (Atlantic forest). Several important groups of local flora, selected endemic taxons and also plants with interesting life strategies are presented here., and Miloslav Studnička.
Z geobotanického hlediska je popsána subalpinská a alpinská vegetace v horách jihovýchodní Brazílie. Přirozené požáry tam ovlivňují strukturu rostlinných společenstev. Jsou zmíněny zajímavé životní způsoby, jako je mykorhiza, hemiparazitismus a masožravost. Jedním z nejzajímavějších fenomenů je symbióza mezi masožravou rostlinou Utricularia cornigera (bublinatkou růžkatou) a růžicovitými rostlinami Vriesea atra nebo Eryngium fluminense. Je diskutováno o problému srovnávání popsané brazilské vegetace a páramos v Andách. Pojem "brazilská páromos" je odmítnut., The subalpine and alpine vegetation in mountains of south-eastern Brazil is described from the botanical point of view. Natural fires affect the structure of plant communities there. Interesting life strategies, such as mycorrhiza, hemiparasitism and carnivory, are mentioned. One of the most interesting is the symbiosis between carnivorous Utricularia cornigera and rosette plants of Vriesea atra or Eryngium fluminense. Brazilian vegetation and páramos in the Andes are compared., and Miloslav Studnička.
Brazilian native meliponines are currently threatened by increased human impacts. The assessment of their genetic variation by microsatellite DNA markers can assist in the conservation of populations and help in the planning and establishment of efficient management strategies. The purpose of this study was to develop the first set of microsatellite markers for Melipona fasciculata, selected from partial genome assembly of Illumina paired-end reads. Primer pairs were designed for each detected locus at their flanking regions. Bee samples were genotyped from two different populations of Northeastern Brazil for marker characterization and validation. A total of 17 microsatellite loci displayed polymorphism. Mean HE and HO heterozygosities were 0.453 and 0.536, respectively. PIC across all loci ranged from 0.108 to 0.714. A genetic diversity analysis revealed high values for population differentiation estimates (FST = 0.194, RST = 0.230, and Dest = 0.162) within the investigated region. PCoA and Bayesian clustering showed a separation of the species into two distinct clusters. These microsatellite markers have demonstrated strong potential for population-level genetic studies. Moreover, the preliminary analysis of the genetic diversity in M. fasciculata provides provisional evidence of significant population differentiation between the two studied populations., Geice Ribeiro Da Silva, Isis Gomes De Brito Souza, Fabia De Mello Pereira, Bruno De Almeida Souza, Maria Teresa Do Rego Lopes, Paul Bentzen, Fabio Mendonça Diniz., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Phloea subquadrata (Hemiptera, Phloeidae) was observed in two natural reserves of the Brazilian Atlantic forest near Linhares (Espirito Santo). This species exhibits maternal care which is also known for the two other species of the family: Phloea corticata and Phloeophana longirostris. They protect the eggs and also the larvae from predation by covering them with their body. Such behavior is known for other species of Hemiptera, but with some variations. The evolutionary significance of phloeid behaviour is discussed with reference to the behaviour of Hemiptera in general.
A new kathlaniid nematode, Myleusnema brasiliense sp. n„ is described from the intestine of a characoid fish, Myleus sp. (Serrasalmidae, Cypriniformes), from Brazil, It differs from the only other congeneric species Myleusnema bicornis Moravec et Thatcher, 1996 mainly in having an unseparated cephalic portion of the body, lips provided with Hanges with numerous spikelike appendages, deirids situated more posteriorly, more numerous (8 pairs) subventral preanal papillae in the male, and distinctly longer spicules (1.58-1.70 mm). The species description is based on light microscopic and scanning electron microscopic (SF,M) observations.
The morphology of the nematode Klossinemella iheringi (Travassos, Artigas et Pereira, 1928), the type species of the genus Klossinemella Costa, 1961, was studied using specimens collected from the serrasalmid fish, Mylesinus paraschomhurgkii légu, Santos et Ferreira, 1989 (a new host record), from the Trombetas River, Para State, Brazil, by both light and scanning electron microscopy. This species was also recorded from the Jari River (Pará State), the Uatuma, Pitinga and Capucapu Rivers (Amazonas State), and the Araguari River (Amapá State). An examination by SEM made it possible, for the first time in this genus, to study in detail the structure of the cephalic end. Characteristic features are the presence of 8 cephalic papillae arranged in two circlets, well developed lateral amphids, and especially a crown of 8 cephalic, Y-shaped sclerotized pieces (outgrowths). The male possesses 8 pairs of caudal papillae (3 preanals, 1 adanal and 4 postanals), two unequal spicules (0.156-0.294 mm and 0.069-0.099 mm long) and a gubemaculum (0.027-0.045 mm in length); previously undescribed deirids were also found. This is the first record of this parasite from the Amazon River basin. The genus Proatractis G. Caballero, 1971 is considered a synonym of Klossinemella Costa, 1961, belonging to the cosmocercoid family Atractidae, and its type species is transferred to the latter genus as Klossinemella parvicapilico-rnnala (G. Caballero, 1971) comb. n.
The present paper comprises a systematic survey of nematodes of the superfamily Seuratoidea collected from fishes of the Paraná River, southern Brazil, in 1992-1995. The following species were recorded: Neoparaseuratum travassosi Moravec, Kohn et Fernandes, 1992, Speaalus sp., Seuratoidea gen. sp. larvae, Cucullanus brevispiculus Moravec, Kohn et Fernandes, 1993, C. pinnui pinnai Travassos, Artigas et Pereira, 1928, C. pinnai plemdorasi subsp. n., C. rhamphichthydis sp. n., C. zunga-ro Va/, et Pereira, 1934, and Dichelyne pimelodi sp. n. C. pinnai pterodorasi (type host Plerodoras granulosus) differs from C. p. pinnai in the shape of the oesophagus and in the position of the nerve ring. C. rhamphichthydis (only females) (type host Rhamphichthys rostratus) is characterized mainly by the postoesophageal position of the excretory pore and deirids, complex structure of the cuticular lining of oesophastome and by markedly narrow body, whereas D. pimelodi (one male) (type host Pimelodus sp.) by the length of spicules (1.46 mm), postoesophageal position of the excretory pore and deirids and by the arrangement of genital papillae. Most species are briefly described (females of C. brevispiculus and Seuratoidea gen. sp. larvae for the first time) and illustrated and some problems concerning their taxonomy, hosts and geographical distribution are discussed.
Light is a limiting factor in plant establishment and growth in the understory of forests. In this paper, we assessed acclimation capacity of Siparuna guianensis, an early secondary successional species. We used seedlings and saplings in three regeneration areas with different irradiance regimes to determine the traits that confer photoplasticity. We examined whether these traits differ at different developmental stages. Anatomical characteristics, photochemical efficiency, photosynthetic capacity, and growth were analyzed. Multivariate component analysis revealed the formation of six clusters: three for seedlings (one for each regeneration area) and three for saplings (following the same pattern of seedlings, considering the area). Increased irradiance favored photosynthetic performance, independently of the developmental stage. The same trend was observed for most data on chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence and the ratios of net photosynthetic rate/intercellular CO2 concentration (PN/Ci) and PN/PPFD. No parameter indicated photoinhibition stress. The CO2- and light-response curve data indicated that seedlings were already acclimated to tolerate variation in irradiance. Anatomical adaptations, such as thickness of leaf blade and of adaxial cuticle, were observed in individuals growing in areas with higher irradiation. Thinning of spongy parenchyma and higher investment into a plant height were observed in seedlings, possibly due to the vertical stratification of CO2 and light in the understory; because light is a more limiting resource than CO2 in the lower stratum of the forest. Photoplasticity in S. guianensis is associated with a set of morphological, anatomical, photochemical, and biochemical traits, whereas biochemical performance is best acclimated to variation in irradiance. These traits differed in seedlings and saplings but they were modulated mainly by irradiance in both developmental stages., T. O. Vieira, M. S. O. Degli-Esposti, G. M. Souza, G. R. Rabelo, M. Da Cunha, A. P. Vitória., and Obsahuje bibliografii
To analyze acclimation of Euterpe edulis seedlings to changes in light availability, we transferred three-year-old seedlings cultivated for six months under natural shade understory [= 1.3 mol(photon) m-2 d-1] to a forest gap [= 25.0 mol(photon) m-2 d-1]. After the transfer, changes in chlorophyll fluorescence and leaf gas-exchange parameters, as well as in the light-response curves of photosynthesis and photosynthetic induction parameters, were analyzed during the following 110 days. Simultaneously measured photosynthetic characteristics in the shaded seedlings grown in understory served as the control. Despite the fact that the understory seedlings were under suboptimal conditions to achieve their light-saturated net photosynthetic rate (PNmax), light-response curves and photosynthetic induction parameters indicated that the species had the low respiration rate and a fast opening of stomata in response to the intermittent occurrence of sunflecks, which exerted a feed-forward stimulation on PNmax. Sudden exposure to high light induced photoinhibition during the first week after the transfer of seedlings to gap, as it was shown by the abrupt decline of the maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm). The photoinhibition showed the time-dependent dynamics, as the Fv/Fm of the seedlings transferred to the forest gap recovered completely after 110 days. Furthermore, the net photosynthetic rate increased 3.5-fold in relation to priorexposure values. In summary, these data indicated that more than 21 days was required for the shade-acclimated seedlings to recover from photoinhibition and to relax induction photosynthetic limitations following the sudden exposure to high light. Moreover, the species responded very quickly to light availability; it highlights the importance of sunflecks to understory seedlings., A. O. Lavinsky, F. P. Gomes, M. S. Mielke, S. França., and Obsahuje bibliografii