Australian endemic Drosophila IV. Queensland rain forest species collected at fruit baits, with descriptions of two species

1978 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 91 ◽  
Author(s):  
IR Bock ◽  
PA Parsons

Australian Drosophila species attracted to fermented fruits are mainly of the subgenera Drosophila and Sophophora. With the exception of D. (Sophophora) dispar, all non-cosmopolitan species are exclusively of tropical and subtropical rain forests. Greatest species diversities occur in these and other subgenera in the floristically most complex forests, declining with increasing altitude and latitude. The cosmopolitan members of the genus are rare in rain forests, otherwise suitable niches being, presumably, occupied. D. (Drosophila) persicae, sp. nov., and D. (Sophophora) ironensis, sp. nov., are described, both collected in complex mesophyll vine forests. Of these D. persicae is one of only four non-cosmopolitan species of subgenus Drosophila in Australia, and apparently the only one entirely restricted to Australia. Apart from the cosmopolitan species D. immigrans, members of the subgenus Drosophila are not found south of north Queensland. Only two Sophophora species are common in more southern regions: one, D. dispar, extends across Victoria into temperate rain forests, while the other, D. pseudotakahashii, does not. Predictably, these two species are common in the depauperate highland habitats of north Queensland.

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 437-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrence P. McGlynn ◽  
Evan K. Poirson

Abstract:The decomposition of leaf litter is governed, in part, by litter invertebrates. In tropical rain forests, ants are dominant predators in the leaf litter and may alter litter decomposition through the action of a top-down control of food web structure. The role of ants in litter decomposition was investigated in a Costa Rican lowland rain forest with two experiments. In a mesocosm experiment, we manipulated ant presence in 50 ambient leaf-litter mesocosms. In a litterbag gradient experiment, Cecropia obtusifolia litter was used to measure decomposition rate constants across gradients in nutrients, ant density and richness, with 27 separate litterbag treatments for total arthropod exclusion or partial arthropod exclusion. After 2 mo, mass loss in mesocosms containing ants was 30.9%, significantly greater than the 23.5% mass loss in mesocosms without ants. In the litter bags with all arthropods excluded, decomposition was best accounted by the carbon: phosphorus content of soil (r2 = 0.41). In litter bags permitting smaller arthropods but excluding ants, decomposition was best explained by the local biomass of ants in the vicinity of the litter bags (r2 = 0.50). Once the microarthropod prey of ants are permitted to enter litterbags, the biomass of ants near the litterbags overtakes soil chemistry as the regulator of decomposition. In concert, these results support a working hypothesis that litter-dwelling ants are responsible for accelerating litter decomposition in lowland tropical rain forests.


Jurnal Solum ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Hermansah Hermansah ◽  
Juniarti Juniarti ◽  
Utami Maya Pribadi

This experiment is about the evaluation of characteristic alteration of soil nutrients after ten years at tropical rain forest Bukit Gajabuih Gunung Gadut Padang. This experiment was conducted from November 2006 - April 2007.  This experiment is arranged based on anova design with three treatments which was based on three great groups of land ( oxic-dystroudept (eutriccc, aquic), oxic-dystroudept (xanthic), oxic-typic-dystroudept (xanthic)).  The purpose of this experiment was to study the alteration of soil fertility characteristics  (K, Ca, Mg, Na, P and C/N) in ten years period (1995-2005) in tropical rain forest at Bukit Gajabuih Padang, to observe vegetation variety alteration, and the relationship with the land fertility characteristics.  From the experiment was found that nutrient status of the soils altered after ten years (*1995-2005).  Available P content increased about 77%, exchangeable Na and K  increased 86,04% and 53.65%, respectively.  On the other hand, exchangeable Mg and Ca decreased 3,05% and 65,88%, respectively.  Land C/N ratio decreased about 21,39%. The experimental plot had low soil pH.Key Words: tropical rain forest, soil nutrient status


1997 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.G.A. Boot

Tropical rain forests are rich in plant and animal species. The sustainable extraction of non-timber forest products has been advocated as a strategy to best conserve this diversity. However, the development and implementation of such exploitation systems, which aim to reconcile conservation and economic development, are still hampered by the lack of information on the biological sustainability of these systems, the impact of these exploitation systems on the biological diversity and the insufficient knowledge of the role of forest products in the household economy of forest dependent people and hence their prospects for economic development. Whether the exploitation of non-timber forest products from tropical rain forests is sustainable or not is still open to question, but data presently available on the biological, social and economic aspects of these extraction systems point at an interesting question: does diversity come at a price? Namely, low density of conspecifics, and thus products, and hence low productivity for those involved in the collection of forest resources. The paper will further discuss whether domestication of forest species provides an alternative for some of these species. Species are part of a complex ecosystem and their functioning is partly depended on the presence of other species in the system. The attributes of the species which have to be taken into account in order to make domestication of forest species successful are considered. Finally, the paper returns to the question of how to reconcile conservation and use of tropical rain forests. It will present a case for domesticating the forest instead of the species or, in other words, changing the forest composition without changing its structure and functioning, and maintaining acceptable levels of biodiversity.


2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-44
Author(s):  
Arfian Arfian

Based on the results of research on the vegetation around Padang Lawas Temples, Padang Lawas Regency, North Sumatera Province, can be known that Padang Lawas Temple sites are located in vegetation environment of lowland tropical rain forest with a high level diversity of plant families, one of those plant families is Euphorbiaceae with one of its species, Phylanthus emlica. L(Balaka). Phylanthus emlica is a type wild plant that grows open spaces in lowland tropical rain forests. Observing its life characteristic and its habitat, then Balaka plant (Phylanthus emlica) in Padang Lawas Temples’ yards was not planted in purpose planted but grows naturally. Balaka plant (Phylanthus emlica) has different name in every area. In Melayu, this plant is known as malaka. In Minangkabau known as balaka, in Sunda known as malaka and in Java, this plant is known as Kemloko, meanwhile in Madura and Bali this plant is called mlakah ,and karsinta in Flores (NTT)


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
César Cestari ◽  
Cláudio João Bernardi

The Buffy-fronted Seedeater Sporophila frontalis (Verreaux, 1869) is frequently found foraging on seeds during ephemeral masting events of bamboos in the Atlantic forest. In the present study, we analyzed the predation activity of S. frontalis on seeds of Merostachys neesii Rupr. during a masting event in an Atlantic forest reserve on southeastern Brazil. We conducted point counts in spots with M. neesii and in spots without bamboos along trails to determine the presence of S. frontalis on M. neesii clumps. Additionally, focal observations on bamboo clumps and seed traps were used to verify the predatory impact of S. frontalis on M. neesii seeds. S. frontalis was present in 6 out 18 point counts in M. neesii clumps. The seedeater behaved territorially in bamboo clumps and presented a mean predation rate of 1.10 bamboo seeds/minute. Seed traps had up to 80% of the seeds predated. The large amount of seeds available during bamboo masting events probably contributes to the maintenance of wandering populations of S. frontalis in the Atlantic forest. On the other hand, the predation of seeds by S. frontalis may reduce the reproductive germination and the propagation of the bamboos whose growth may in turn negatively affect the establishment of other forest species.


FLORESTA ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Pequeno Reis ◽  
José Natalino Macedo Silva ◽  
Pamella Carolline Marques Dos Reis ◽  
João Olegário Pereira de Carvalho ◽  
Waldenei Travassos de Queiroz ◽  
...  

Avaliou-se o efeito da exploração de madeira, realizada em 1997, na estrutura e dinâmica de algumas espécies de Sapotaceae em uma Floresta Ombrófila Densa, no município de Moju, Pará (02º12’26”S e 48º48’14”W). De uma área de floresta de 1.050 ha, foram selecionados 200 hapara exploração seletiva de intensidade de 23 m3.ha-1. Nessa área, foram alocadas 22 parcelas permanentes de 0,5 ha, totalizando 11 ha amostrais, onde foram medidas todas as árvores com DAP ≥10 cm, nos anos de 1995 (antes da exploração), 1998 e 2010 (após exploração). Os parâmetros avaliados foram densidade (Da) e área basal (m2.ha-1). No período de 1995 a 2010, Sapotaceae apresentou uma redução significativa de 7,7% na densidade (p = 0,0147) e aumento na dominância em 1,4% (p = 0,7851). Nesse mesmo período, observou-se redução da densidade e dominância para Pouteria laurifolia (Gomes) Radlk. (66,7 e 50,6%), Pouteria macrocarpa (Mart.) D. Dietr. (25 e 29,4%), Micropholis acutangula (Ducke) Eyma (20 e 11%), Manilkara huberi (Ducke) A. Chev. (16,4 e 17,7%) e Manilkara paraensis (Huber) Standl. (12,5 e 31,4%). A espécie com maior valor comercial, M. huberi, não mostrou recuperação nesse parâmetro, porém houve ingresso de três novas espécies na população de Sapotaceae estudada.AbstractEffect of reduced impact logging in some sapotaceae species in the eastern amazon. Effect of logging, held in 1997, on structure and dynamics of some Sapotaceae species were evaluated in a dense tropical rain forest located in the municipality of Moju, Pará (02º 12’ 26” S e 48º 48’ 14” W). Two hundred ha out of 1,050 ha forest area were selectively logged for timber (23 m3ha-1 logging intensity) in 1997.Twenty-two 0.5 ha permanent sample plots (11 ha sample) were established and all trees with dbh ≥ 10 cm were identified and measured for dbh in 1995 (before logging), 1998 and 2010 (after logging). Parameters evaluated were Density (De) and Basal area (G-m2 ha-1). Sapotaceae presented a significant reduction of 7.7% on tree density (p=0.0147), and an dominance increase of 1.4% (p=0.7851). In the same period, decreases in density and basal area were observed to Pouteria laurifolia (Gomes) Radlk. (66.7 and 50.6%), Pouteria macrocarpa (Mart.) D. Dietr. (25 and 29.4%), Micropholis acutangula (Ducke) Eyma (20 and 11%), Manilkara huberi (Ducke) A. Chev. (16.4 and 17.7%) and Manilkara paraensis (Huber) Standl. (12.5 and 31.4%). The main commercial species M. Huberi did not recover its original density. On the other hand, three new species of the family were recorded in the focused period.Keywords: Forest management; Pouteria; Manilkara; Amazonian Forest.


2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erick Martins Nieri ◽  
Renato Luiz Grisi Macedo ◽  
Nelson Venturin ◽  
Regis Pereira Venturin ◽  
José Alvim Pinto Júnior ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the silvicultural performance of four forest species introduced in a setting for integrated livestock forest (ILF) in a pasture in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The species included were the Australian red cedar (seminal and clonal), African mahogany, teak, and guanandi. A split plot scheme with a randomized complete block design comprising four replicates and 48 plants per plot, was used in the following arrangement: (3(3x2) +7x2) m. The evaluation times (12, 18, 31, 36, and 43 months after planting) corresponded to the subplots. Performances of all four species were evaluated on the basis of their survival rate, height (H) and diameter at breast height (DBH). Based on the performance of the species with regard to these parameters, the clonal Australian red cedar showed a greater growth in DBH and height in the ILF setting as compared to the other species, which indicates it to be a suitable species for the region of Lavras, MG as long as its survival control occurs in the implantation phase.


2000 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 539-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Burkhard Büdel ◽  
Angelika Meyer ◽  
Noris Salazar ◽  
Hans Zellner ◽  
Gerhard Zotz ◽  
...  

AbstractSixty-eight lichen species were found in the lower montane rain forest of Fortuna(1000-1200 m) in the province of Chiriquí, Panama; 33 of these were cyanobacterial lichens. The montane rain forest of the Volcan Bartú (2200-3100 m) yielded 30 species of lichens, 13 of which have cyanobacterial photobionts. Forty of the species reported are new records for Panama. Information concerning their habitats within the forest and their phytogeographical affinities is provided where possible.


2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen Jie Liu ◽  
Ping Yuan Wang ◽  
Jin Tao Li ◽  
Peng Ju Li ◽  
Wen Yao Liu

The tropical rain forest in Xishuangbanna, SW China has a high floristic diversity and is closely related to Malaysian rain forests in flora. This forest would not normally be established in such a climatic region as Xishuangbanna (less precipitation and lower air temperature) compared to those of the lowland moist tropics. The mean annual rainfall is 1487 mm, which is considerably lower than rain forests in other parts of the world. It is believed that the frequent occurrence of radiation fog might play an important role in the water relations of plants and in the hydrological cycle of this type of rain forest. However, the multiple hydrological and ecological effects of radiation fog are not well understood. In this paper, we describe and analyze the significance of radiation fog to this forest, and develop a hypothesis that fog plays an important role in the presence of the tropical rain forest in Xishuangbanna. Suggestions for further research on the significance of fog are offered.


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