Atlantic Forest

The neotropical Atlantic Forest supports one of the highest degrees of species richness and rates of endemism on the planet, but has also undergone a huge forest loss. However, there exists no broad-scale information about the spatial distribution of its remnants that could guide conservation actions, especially when systematic biodiversity data are not available. In this context, our objectives were to quantify how much of the forest still remains, and analyze its spatial distribution. We considered the entire Brazilian Atlantic Forest, and eight sub-regions, defined according to species distribution. The results revealed a serious situation: more than 80% of the fragments are <50 ha, almost half the remaining forest is <100 m from its edges, the average distance between fragments is large (1440 m), and nature reserves protect only 9% of the remaining forest and 1% of the original forest. On the other hand, our estimates of existing Atlantic Forest cover were higher than previous ones (7-8%), ranging from 11.4% to 16%. The differences among estimates are mainly related to our inclusion of intermediate secondary forests and small fragments (<100 ha), which correspond to approximately 32-40% of what remains. We suggest some guidelines for conservation: (i) large mature forest fragments should be a conservation priority; (ii) smaller fragments can be managed in order to maintain functionally linked mosaics; (iii) the matrix surrounding fragments should be managed so as to minimize edge effects and improve connectivity; and (iv) restoration actions should be taken, particularly in certain key areas. The clear differences in the amount remaining and its spatial distribution within each sub-region must be considered when planning for biodiversity conservation.

27% closer, respectively, to queen sounds than to those of workers [mean normalized euclidean distances between individual butterflies' and ants' sounds are as follows: pupa-queen 2.47 T (SE) 0.10, pupa-worker 3.03 T 0.15, t = -3.14, df 87, distance pupa-queens < distance pupa-workers , P < 0.001; larva-queen 2.52 T 0.11, larva-worker 3.21 T 0.12, t = -4.32, df 237, distance larva-queens < distance larva-workers , P < 0.001]. The distributions in also satisfy the concept that the perfect mimic should have maximal overlap with queen acoustics and minimal overlap with those of workers.

Aim To examine how the genetic diversity of selected taxa of forest-dwelling small mammals is distributed between and within the major rain forest domains of Amazonia and Atlantic Forest and the intervening interior forests of Brazil, as inferred by the relationships between gene genealogies and geography. I also addressed the historical importance of the central Brazilian forests in connecting Amazon and Atlantic Forest populations of rodents and marsupials.

We present a review of more than 30 years of ecological restoration in the Brazilian part of the Atlantic Forest. Based on what has been done in this biome, we try to summarize the main findings and challenges for restoration in this highly threatened forest biome. We found that many past experiences did not result in self-perpetuating forests, for different reasons. Currently, most projects aim to construct self-sustaining communities and no longer see restoration as a deterministic process. We also found that the reconstruction of permanent forest with high diversity is feasible but it depends on the strategies applied and on the surrounding landscape. Although many new techniques have been created (e.g. seed rain management or promotion of natural regeneration), the most used one in the Atlantic Forest is still the planting of many native species from different functional groups. Native species are largely used and perform well even in highly disturbed environments. Today, many projects are trying to produce thousands of hectares of permanent forests and many technical advances are about to be incorporated. But restoration also faces some main challenges to become an effective and widespread means of conserving the Atlantic Forest which are, namely, reducing costs, planning restoration actions at landscape-level, and conforming to socio-political issues. The socio-political tools to overcome such barriers in practice have yet to be developed.

Six Atlantic forest reserves, two large (c. 20,000 ha each), two medium-sized (c. 2,000 ha each) and two small (c. 200 ha each), located in northern EspõÂ rito Santo, south-eastern Brazil were censused for mammals from October 1994 to April 1996. Diurnal and nocturnal line-transect sampling was used for censusing mammals>1 kg body weight, and the relative abundance of species in the six fragments was compared. The number of mammal species recorded in the reserves was strongly related to the forest area, the richest community being recorded in the two large reserves and the poorest in the two small reserves. The large reserves had a structurally more complex community, with top predators, large, terrestrial frugivores and large myrmecophages. The mammal community of the small and the medium-sized reserves was impoverished and less complex. Frugivores were numerically predominant in both large and medium-sized reserves, whereas herbivores dominated the mammal community of the small reserves, mainly through the absence of agoutis Dasyprocta leporina and the high density of maned sloth Bradypus torquatus in the two small reserves. The lack of predators and the proliferation of secondary vegetation and lianas throughout the small reserves are probably the main causes for the success of arboreal folivores there. Illegal hunting was found to reduce the encounter rates of mostly large, terrestrial frugivores such as agoutis, pacas Agouti paca, peccaries Pecari tajacu and Tayassu pecari and deer Mazama spp., and is contributing to keep the population of the surviving species low. # 0006-3207/99/$Ðsee front matter # 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. P I I : S 0 0 0 6 -3 2 0 7 ( 9 8 ) 0 0 1 3 0 -X Biological Conservation 89 (1999) 71±82

Aim Conifers comprise an ancient and diverse group of plants showing a wide distribution range. To better understand the general patterns of species successfully established on islands, this review compiles information about the distribution, diversity, dispersal potential and conservation status of insular conifers, with special emphasis on those inhabiting remote oceanic islands.

Habitat fragmentation is a major cause of biodiversity erosion in tropical forests. The Brazilian Atlantic forest has both high species richness and a long history of anthropogenic disturbance, beginning with colonial agriculture in the sixteenth century. Here we examine the species composition and guild structure of woody plants within ®ve montane Atlantic forest fragments of the Tiet River basin, State of SaÄ o Paulo, southeastern Brazil, ranging from 5 to 7900 ha in area. We found a negative relationship between fragment size and the relative importance of tree and shrub species that (1) depend on abiotic modes of seed dispersal, (2) are shadeintolerant, and (3) occupy the forest canopy. As fragment size decreased, there was a marked rise in the relative importance of ruderal species, primarily in the Compositae, Euphorbiaceae, Solanaceae, and Leguminosae. There also was a 9% average decline in smaller fragments in relative importance of Myrtaceae, Lauraceae, Sapotaceae, and Rubiaceae, which are the main sources of eshy fruits for vertebrate frugivores in these forests. Our results suggest that predictable shifts in plant guild structure occur as tropical forest fragments are reduced in size, and that small fragments may become dominated by edges and the surrounding habitat matrix. We suggest that small forest fragments will be unlikely to preserve intact plant and animal assemblages of Brazil's Atlantic coastal forest #

Time-lagged responses of biological variables to landscape modifications are widely recognized, but rarely considered in ecological studies. In order to test for the existence of time-lags in the response of trees, small mammals, birds and frogs to changes in fragment area and connectivity, we studied a fragmented and highly dynamic landscape in the Atlantic forest region. We also investigated the biological correlates associated with differential responses among taxonomic groups. Species richness and abundance for four taxonomic groups were measured in 21 secondary forest fragments during the same period (2000)(2001)(2002), following a standardized protocol. Data analyses were based on power regressions and model selection procedures. The model inputs included present and past (1962, 1981) fragment areas and connectivity, as well as observed changes in these parameters. Although past landscape structure was particularly relevant for trees, all taxonomic groups (except small mammals) were affected by landscape dynamics, exhibiting a time-lagged response. Furthermore, fragment area was more important for species groups with lower dispersal capacity, while species with higher dispersal ability had stronger responses to connectivity measures. Although these secondary forest fragments still maintain a large fraction of their original biodiversity, the delay in biological response combined with high rates of deforestation and fast forest regeneration imply in a reduction in the average age of the forest. This also indicates that future species losses are likely, especially those that are more strictly-forest dwellers. Conservation actions should be implemented to reduce species extinction, to maintain old-growth forests and to favour the regeneration process. Our results demonstrate that landscape history can strongly affect the present distribution pattern of species in fragmented landscapes, and should be considered in conservation planning.

This study evaluates the impact of hunting on mammalian and avian species in Atlantic forest fragments of the Mata de Planalto in the State of SaÄ o Paulo, Brazil. Colonists who farm on the edge of fragments also hunt for subsistence within fragments. Hunters commonly take the two peccary species, tapir, brocket deer, armadillos and agoutis. Primates are rarely hunted in this region. Eects of hunting on species were measured by changes in relative abundance of species between four sites with similar sizes (approximately 2000 ha each), but dierent hunting pressures (two slightly hunted and two heavily hunted). In addition, one large protected area (35 000 ha) was also censused. Species abundances were measured during 18 months along 2287 km of line transects. Abundances of tapirs, brocket deer, white-lipped peccaries, armadillos and coatis decreased between slightly hunted and heavily hunted sites. Abundances of collared peccaries, agoutis, primates and guans did not show any trends with hunting pressure. Extirpations of tapirs and white-lipped peccaries at heavily hunted sites suggest that in forest remnants encroached by people, hunting exacerbates eects of fragmentation, such as genetics and demographics, and is probably the most important factor in emptying these forests of large species over the short-term. #

An important factor in determining species rarity is the geographic distribution of species. Estimates were made of the level of endemism of the¯ora of two sites in the southern Bahian wet forest zone. Estimates were made for endemism in the Atlantic forest biome and for the much more restricted area of southern Bahia and northern Espõ rito Santo and are derived from analyses of the distributions of the species known from each area. The species checklist for each area is based on identi®ed specimens resulting from intensive collecting in a forest near Serra Grande (40 km north of Ilhe us) and the Una Biological Reserve (40 km south of Ilhe us). Slightly less than half of the species (45.2% at Una and 47.7% at Serra Grande) have widespread distributions and 7.4% at each site are disjunct between the coastal forests and Amazonia. In the Una Reserve, 44.1% of the species are endemic to the coastal forest and 28.1% endemic to southern Bahia and northern Espõ rito Santo. At Serra Grande, 41.6% of the species are endemic to the coastal forest and 26.5% endemic to southern Bahia and northern Espõ rito Santo.

Caiçaras are native inhabitants of the Atlantic coast on southeastern Brazil, whose subsistence is based especially on agriculture and artisanal fishing. Because of their knowledge about the environment acquired through generations, Caiçara people can play an important role in Atlantic Forest conservation. An ethnobotanical study was conducted within two Caiçara communities (Ponta do Almada and Camburí beach, São Paulo State, Brazil), focusing on plant uses. In 102 interviews, 227 plant ethnospecies were quoted, mainly for food, medicine, handicraft and construction of houses and canoes. People from studied communities depend on the native vegetation for more than a half of the species known and used. Using diversity indices, plant uses are compared between studied communities and between gender and age categories within each community. We found quantitative differences in the knowledge about plants between gender categories for each kind of use (medicinal, food and handicrafts). Older and younger informants also have different knowledge about plants for handicraft and medicine, but not for edible plants.

Caiçaras are inhabitants of the Atlantic Forest coast in SE Brazil. We studied the uses of plants by five Caiçara communities and compared medicinal plant citations by informants in coastal and island communities. We use diversity indices to evaluate the use of plants and to compare communities. There is a high diversity of plants used in the Atlantic Forest coasts: we found 276 species used for food, medicine and construction. Caiçaras rely on folk medicine, and medicinal plants were especially cited in interviews. Following predictions of island biogeography theory, we found a lower diversity of medicinal plants cited in islands compared to continental communities. OS caiçaras são habitantes da costa da Mata Atlântica no SE do Brasil. Estudamos o uso de plantas em cinco comunidades caiçaras e comparamos as citações de plantas medicinais entre as comunidades da costa e das ilhas. Usamos indices de diversidade para comparar as comunidades. Há uma alta diversidade de plantas usadas na costa da Mata Atlântica: encontramos 276 plantas usadas para alimento, medicina e construçāo. Os caiçaras dependem da medicina tradicional, e plantas medicinais foram especialmente citadas nos entrevistas. Seguindo as expectativas da teoria de biogeografia de ilhas, encontramos uma diversidade menor de plantas medicinais citadas nas ilhas comparado às comunidades continentais.

A survey of medicinal plants used by rural and urban inhabitants of the three cities of the Tropical Atlantic Forest, Region of Vale do Ribeira, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil was performed by means of 200 interviews with medicinal plant users and extractors and, traditional healers. One hundred fourteen herbal remedies were recorded and the following information reported: Latin, vernacular and English names, plant part used, forms of preparation and application of the herbal remedies, medicinal or food uses, areas of plant Ž . collection, economic importance when available and other data. ᮊ

Palynological studies of a peat-bog sequence, with a basal date of 10,990 š 80 yr B.P., provide a history of vegetational and climatic changes in the Icatu River Valley located inside a large system of stabilized sand dunes at the middle São Francisco River at 10º24 0 S, 43º13 0 W in northeastern Brazil. The present day vegetation of the valley is 'vereda' a Mauritia vinifera palm swamp forest bordered by a narrow strip of semi-deciduous tropical forest. The adjacent dunes are stabilized by arboreal caatinga and cerrado vegetation in some areas. The palynological profile of the Saquinho locality within this valley was divided into five pollen zones: Zone SA1 (10,990-10,540 yr B.P.) contains pollen of taxa found in present Amazonian and Atlantic forests, as well as from montane taxa, thus suggesting very humid climatic conditions synchronous with more reduced temperatures. Zone SA2 (10,540-6790 yr B.P.) has pollen spectra from a vegetation type dominated by Mauritia, suggesting progressive warming and high humidity levels. The period between 8920 and 8910 yr B.P. has rapid sedimentation rate, few thermoluminescence (TL) dates, pronounced increase of Mauritia and Ilex pollen suggesting a very moist climate. From 8910 to 6790 yr B.P. there is a progressive decline in forest taxa and a gradual increase of caatinga and cerrado taxa on the landscape. Zone SA3 (6790-ca. 6230 yr B.P.) does not contain palynomorphs, possibly indicating semi-arid conditions. Zone SA4 (ca. 6230-ca. 4535 yr B.P.) marks the return of mosaic vegetation composed of gallery forest, cerrado and caatinga taxa indicating moister climatic conditions. A marked decline in moisture levels characterizes the period between 4240 yr B.P. and Present, as suggested by an increase in caatinga and cerrado species and a decline in gallery forest taxa. Zone SA5 (ca. 4535 yr B.P.-Present) establishes the present vegetational and climatic pattern of the Icatu River Valley.

We used mitochondrial gene sequences to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among subspecies of the bushmaster, Lachesis muta. These large vipers are widely distributed in lowland tropical forests in Central and South America, where three of four allopatric subspecies are separated by montane barriers. Our phylogeny indicates that the four subspecies belong to two clades, the Central American and South American lineages. We use published molecular studies of other taxa to estimate a 'reptilian mtDNA rate' and thus temporal boundaries for major lineage divergences in Lachesis. We estimate that the Central and South American forms diverged 18-6 Mya, perhaps due to the uplifting of the Andes, whereas the two Central American subspecies may have diverged 11-4 Mya with the uprising of the Cordillera de Talamanca that separates them today. South American bushmasters from the Amazon Basin and the Atlantic Forest are not strongly differentiated, perhaps due to episodic gene flow during the Pleistocene, when suitable habitat for this species was at times more continuous. Our results agree with previous evidence that genetic divergence among some neotropical vertebrates pre-dated Pleistocene forest fragmentation cycles and the appearance of the Panamanian Isthmus. Based on morphological, behavioral, and molecular evidence, we recognize three species of Lachesis. In addition to L. muta, the widespread South American form, the Central American forms are treated as distinct species (L. melanocephala and L. stenophrys), each deserving of special conservation status due to restricted distribution and habitat destruction.

Live aboveground biomass (AGB) is an important source of uncertainty in the carbon balance from the tropical regions in part due scarcity of reliable estimates of live AGB and its variation across landscapes and forest types. Studies of forest structure and biomass stocks of Neotropical forests are biased toward Amazonian and Central American sites. In particular, standardized estimates of aboveground biomass stocks for the Brazilian Atlantic forest are rarely available. Notwithstanding the role of environmental variables that control the distribution and abundance of biomass in tropical lowland forests has been the subject of considerable research, the effect of short, steep elevational gradients on tropical forest structure and carbon dynamics is not well known. In order to evaluate forest structure and live AGB variation along an elevational gradient (0-1100 m a.s.l.) of coastal Atlantic Forest in SE Brazil, we carried out a standard census of woody stems ≥4.8 cm dbh in 13 1-ha permanent plots established on four different sites in 2006-2007. Live AGB ranged from 166.3 Mg ha −1 (bootstrapped 95% CI: 144.4,187.0) to 283.2 Mg ha −1 (bootstrapped 95% CI: 253.0,325.2) and increased with elevation. We found that local-scale topographic variation associated with elevation influences the distribution of trees >50 cm dbh and total live AGB. Across all elevations, we found more stems (64-75%) with limited crown illumination but the largest proportion of the live AGB (68-85%) was stored in stems with highly illuminated or fully exposed crowns. Topography, disturbance and associated changes in light and nutrient supply probably control biomass distribution along this short but representative elevational gradient. Our findings also showed that intact Atlantic forest sites stored substantial amounts of carbon aboveground. The live tree AGB of the stands was found to be lower than Central Amazonian forests, but within the range of Neotropical forests, in particular when compared to Central American forests. Our comparative data suggests that differences in live tree AGB among Neotropical forests are probably related to the heterogeneous distribution of large and medium-sized diameter trees within forests and how the live biomass is partitioned among those size classes, in accordance with general trends found by previous studies. In addition, the elevational variation in live AGB stocks suggests a large spatial variability over coastal Atlantic forests in Brazil, clearly indicating that it is important to consider regional differences in biomass stocks for evaluating the role of this threatened tropical biome in the global carbon cycle.

One application of ecological niche modeling is predicting suitable areas for the establishment of invasive species. Herein, I model the fundamental niche of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a pathogen linked to amphibian declines on several continents. Niche models were generated with the Genetic Algorithm of Rule-Set Prediction using point distribution data of the pathogen and digital maps of environmental variables integrated in a GIS environment. The distribution of regions suitable for B. dendrobatidis in the New World is extensive and includes significant portions of: (1) Sierra Madre Occidental pine-oak forest; (2) Sonoran and Sinaloan dry forest; (3) Veracruz moist forest; (4) Central America east from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec; (5) Caribbean Islands; (6) temperate forest in Chile and western Argentina south of latitude 30 • S; (7) Andes above 1000 m of altitude in Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador; (8) eastern slopes of the Andes in Peru and Bolivia; (9) Brazilian Atlantic forest; (10) Uruguay, Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina; (11) southwestern and Madeira-Tapajós Amazonian tropical rainforests. The regions with the highest suitability for B. dendrobatidis include habitats that contain the world's most diverse amphibian faunas. Models were built with New World localities, but also showed strong predictability for B. dendrobatidis localities in the Old World. Out of a total of 59 reported Old World localities for B. dendrobatidis, 56 occurred within regions with high predicted suitability. I also present analyses of the environmental envelope of B. dendrobatidis and discuss the implications of the results for the conservation of amphibians in the neotropics.

Occupancy analysis and its ability to account for differential detection probabilities is important for studies in which detecting echolocation calls is used as a measure of bat occurrence and activity. We examined the feasibility of remotely acquiring bat encounter histories to estimate detection probability and occupancy. We used echolocation detectors coupled to digital recorders operating at a series of proximate sites on consecutive nights in 2 trial surveys for the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus). Our results confirmed that the technique is readily amenable for use in occupancy analysis. We also conducted a simulation exercise to assess the effects of sampling effort on parameter estimation. The results indicated that the precision and bias of parameter estimation were often more influenced by the number of sites sampled than number of visits. Acceptable accuracy often was not attained until at least 15 sites or 15 visits were used to estimate detection probability and occupancy. The method has significant potential for use in monitoring trends in bat activity and in comparative studies of habitat use.

In the tropical regions of Brazil there are at least 80 million ha (Mha) of pastures planted to grasses introduced from Africa, principally Brachiaria spp. It is estimated at least half of these pastures are degraded, that is, support very low stocking rates, show low plant cover, are invaded by non-palatable native species and often densely populated with termite mounds. The main causes of the process of pasture decline are lack of maintenance fertilisation and excessively high animal stocking rates. In this study the effect of increasing stocking rate on the fluxes of nitrogen (N) though the animal (forage consumption, production of faeces and urine) and through the plant (growth, senescence) pathways were studied on Brachiaria humidicola pastures grazed by Zebu beef cattle in the Atlantic forest region of the south of Bahia (Brazil). As stocking rate increased from 2 to 4 animals ha −1 , live weight gain per animal decreased from 153 to 120 kg per animal per year but overall weight gain per hectare increased from 305 to 360 kg per year. Nitrogen exported in the animal weight gain only increased from 7.3 to 8.6 kg N ha −1 , but the pathways of N cycling were radically changed. Increasing the stocking rate from 2 to 4 animals ha −1 , increased total N consumed by the animal from 94 to 158 kg ha −1 per year, and that deposited in plant litter decreased from 170 to 105 kg ha −1 . This resulted in increases in N deposited as urine and dung in the paddocks from 50 to 90 and 37 to 59 kg ha −1 , respectively. A large proportion of these excretions were deposited in rest areas and around drinking troughs where the grass was so trampled that it could not take advantage of this N, and other nutrients. Data from complementary studies showed that N losses from urine could be between 35 and 80%, being much higher in areas without vegetation. We conclude that pasture decline is hastened by increasing stocking rates because of these losses of N and the decrease in N and other nutrients available for grass growth.

Recent developments have highlighted the importance of forest amount at large spatial scales and of matrix quality for ecological processes in remnants. These developments, in turn, suggest the potential for reducing biodiversity loss through the maintenance of a high percentage of forest combined with sensitive management of anthropogenic areas. We conducted a multi-taxa survey to evaluate the potential for biodiversity maintenance in an Atlantic forest landscape that presented a favorable context from a theoretical perspective (high proportion of mature forest partly surrounded by structurally complex matrices). We sampled ferns, butterflies, frogs, lizards, bats, small mammals and birds in interiors and edges of large and small mature forest remnants and two matrices (second-growth forests and shade cacao plantations), as well as trees in interiors of small and large remnants. By considering richness, abundance and composition of forest specialists and generalists, we investigated the biodiversity value of matrix habitats (comparing them with interiors of large remnants for all groups except tree), and evaluated area (for all groups) and edge effects (for all groups except trees) in mature forest remnants. Our results suggest that in landscapes comprising high amounts of mature forest and low contrasting matrices: (1) shade cacao plantations and second-growth forests harbor an appreciable number of forest specialists; (2) most forest specialist assemblages are not affected by area or edge effects, while most generalist assemblages proliferate at edges of small remnants. Nevertheless, differences in tree assemblages, especially among smaller trees, suggest that observed patterns are unlikely to be stable over time.

Phylogenetic analyses based on mtDNA cytochrome b were performed in 42 lizards of the Gymnodactylus darwinii complex from three regions within Brazil's Atlantic Forest. Mainland regions and continental shelf islands in the southeastern range and mainland areas from the northeast were sampled. The criteria of maximum parsimony (MP), maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian methods were explored, with the robustness for nodes assessed by bootstrapping (MP and ML) and posterior probabilities (Bayesian searches). By all methods, three distinctive phylogroups were recovered: a southeastern clade (SE) and two clades from northern regions (NE 1 and NE 2). The pattern of genetic structure of the major clades coincided with the presence of river systems in the Atlantic Forest, and based on corrected genetic distances between those clades, divergence times were tentatively estimated using mtDNA rates calibrated for squamate reptiles. The putative role of Atlantic Forest rivers in generating differentiation is discussed. We present a hypothesis of species limits for G. darwinii , based on concordant lines of evidence including cytogenetic and mtDNA analyses. Two chromosome races (cytotype A, 2n = 38; and cytotype B, 2n = 40) had distributions concordant with clades SE and NE 1 + NE 2 , respectively. These races are interpreted to be full species on the basis of a number of empirical criteria.

The impact of the landscape matrix on patterns of animal movement and population dynamics has been widely recognized by ecologists. However, few tools are available to model the matrix's influence on the length, relative quality, and redundancy of dispersal routes connecting habitat patches. Many GIS software packages can use land use/land cover maps to identify the route of least resistance between two points-the least-cost path. The limitation of this type of analysis is that only a single path is identified, even though alternative paths with comparable costs might exist. In this paper, we implemented two graph theory methods that extend the least-cost path approach: the Conditional Minimum Transit Cost (CMTC) tool and the Multiple Shortest Paths (MSPs) tool. Both methods enable the visualization of multiple dispersal routes that, together, are assumed to form a corridor. We show that corridors containing alternative dispersal routes emerge when favorable habitat is randomly distributed in space. As clusters of favorable habitat start forming, corridors become less redundant and dispersal bottlenecks become visible. Our approach is illustrated using data from a real landscape in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. We explored the effect of small, localized disturbance on dispersal routes linking conservation units. Simulated habitat destruction caused the appearance of alternative dispersal routes, or caused existing corridors to become narrower. These changes were observed even in the absence of significant differences in the length or cost of least-cost paths. Last, we discuss applications to animal movement studies and conservation initiatives.

Phenology of coastal-plain forest tree species from Southeastern Brazil). The present study aims to characterize the reproductive and leafing phenology of tree species of a coastal-plain forest from Southeastern Brazil and to relate the observed patterns with the local biotic and abiotic factors. The study was carried out in the Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, Núcleo Picinguaba, Ubatuba, São Paulo State (23°22'30"S and 44°46'-44°51'45"W). The climate is tropical-wet, with a high rainfall, well distributed throughout the year. Monthly observations were carried out from July 1993 to June 1994 on 290 individuals of 46 tree species. The leaf fall was considered non-seasonal (Rayleigh test not significant), while leaf flushing > 25%, flowering and fruiting were defined as weakly seasonal (Rayleigh test significant, but low r values). Flowering and leaf flushing were more intense during the wetter months, from November to February. Fruit production was constant along the year. Ninety percent of the species were defined as evergreen and 87% of the species present animal-dispersed fruits. The phenological patterns observed for the coastal-plain forest at Picinguaba were weakly seasonal, contrasting with the very seasonal patterns found in the semideciduous forests from Southeastern Brazil.

The comparison between modern terrestrial and marine pollen signals in and off western Iberia shows that marine pollen assemblages give an integrated image of the regional vegetation colonising the adjacent continent. Present-day Mediterranean and Atlantic forest communities of Iberia are well discriminated by south and north marine pollen spectra, respectively. Results from Total Pollen Concentration together with recognized conceptual models of fine particle dynamics in the Iberian margin have allowed us to establish the present-day pattern of pollen dispersion in this region.

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is one of the world's major biodiversity hotspots and is threatened by a severe habitat loss. Yet little is known about the processes that originated its remarkable richness of endemic species. Here we present results of a large-scale survey of the genetic variation at the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of the pitviper, jararaca lancehead ( Bothrops jararaca ), and two closely related insular species ( Bothrops insularis and Bothrops alcatraz ), endemic of this region. Phylogenetic and network analyses revealed the existence of two well-supported clades, exhibiting a southern and a northern distribution. The divergence time of these two phylogroups was estimated at 3.8 million years ago, in the Pliocene, a period of intense climatic changes and frequent fragmentation of the tropical rainforest. Our data also suggest that the two groups underwent a large size expansion between 50 000 and 100 000 years ago. However, the southern group showed a more marked signal of population size fluctuation than the northern group, corroborating evidences that southern forests may have suffered a more pronounced reduction in area in the late Pleistocene. The insular species B. alcatraz and B. insularis presented very low diversity, each one sharing haplotypes with mainland individuals placed in different subclades. Despite their marked morphological and behavioural uniqueness, these two insular species seem to have originated very recently and most likely from distinct costal B. jararaca populations, possibly associated with late Pleistocene or Holocene sea level fluctuations. Fig. 4 Bayesian skyline plot showing the effective population size fluctuation throughout time. (a) whole Bothrops jararaca complex (solid line, median estimations; grey area, confidence interval; arrow shows the maximum likelihood divergence time), (b) sequence divided by clades [solid lines, median estimations; grey areas, confidence intervals (CI)].

We studied 86 species of hummingbird-pollinated flowers and their pollinators at a coastal lowland site and two highland rain forest sites in southeastern Brazil. The Jaccard index for hummingbird-pollinated floras showed greater floristic similarity between the two highland communities than between floras of high altitudes and that of near sea level. The lowland site had slightly greater richness than either of the two highland sites. Bromeliaceae was the most important family, accounting for ca 36 percent of the bird-pollinated species and comprising 33 percent of the richest flowers. The plant populations bloomed annually for the most part. Both the wet lowland and the dry highland floras showed flowering seasonality, whereas the cloud highland flora had aseasonal flowering. A hermit hummingbird was the major pollinator in the lowland community. A hermit and a non-hermit hummingbird shared most of the floral resources in the two highland communities. Hermit hummingbirds are the major pollinators of hummingbird-pollinated floras in the Atlantic rain forests of southeastern Brazil. These areas may be as rich as Central and other South American areas in hummingbird-pollinated flowers, and altogether present an older development history when compared to the North American flora.

In the core region of Brazilian cocoa production, shade cacao plantations (so-called cabrucas) are important components of regional landscapes, constituting potential habitat for a vast array of the regional biota. This research focuses on the ability of cabrucas to harbor bird and bat species in two nearby districts -Una and Ilhe´us -with contrasting landscapes. At Una, cabrucas represent less than 6% of the land and are surrounded by large tracts of forest, whereas at Ilhe´us these shade plantations are the landscape's dominant feature. Bird and bat communities were richer in cabrucas located in Una compared to nearby forest, while cabrucas from the Ilhe´us landscape were significantly poorer in species than nearby forest fragments. However, bird assemblages in cabrucas were characterized by the loss of understory specialists and the increase of more open area and generalist species, whereas forest dwellers still comprised most of the bat species reported in cabrucas. Species richness and composition differed between the two landscapes. Forest fragments and cabrucas from Ilhe´us harbored fewer forest-dwelling species than similar habitats in Una. Our study shows that cabrucas support high species richness of birds and bats from the native assemblages but are no surrogates for intact forests, since the presence and representativeness of some forest species apparently depends on the existence of nearby forests. A landscape dominated by cabrucas with a minor portion of native forest is unlikely to ensure longterm conservation of many target species, particularly those of major conservation concern.

The ability of a population to evolve in a changing environment may be compromised by human-imposed barriers to gene flow. We investigated the population structure and the possible occurrence of a genetic bottleneck in two isolated populations of the black-faced lion tamarin (Leontopithecus caissara), a species with very reduced numbers (less than 400) in a very restricted range in the Atlantic Forest of southeast Brazil. We determined the genotypes of 52 individuals across 9 microsatellite loci. We found genetic divergence between the populations, each exhibiting low genetic diversity. Analysis revealed broad-and fine-scale population structuring. Both populations have evidently experienced population reduction and a genetic bottleneck without presenting any apparent detrimental effect. Anyway, measures should be taken to effectively protect the forests where L. caissara occurs in order to allow its populations to increase and counteract the eventual effects of genetic impoverishment.

Carnivores have been used as a model to understand the effects of competition in community structure. Behavioral mechanisms that facilitate species coexistence have been poorly explored and may explain the lack of community-wide morphological character displacement in some carnivore assemblages. We use the results of large-scale and intensive camera-trap surveys conducted in the Atlantic Forest of NE Argentina between 2003 and 2008 to describe the spatial patterns of detection and the daily pattern of records of the six wild cat species present in the region (jaguar Panthera onca, puma Puma concolor, ocelot Leopardus pardalis, jaguarundi Puma yagouaroundi, margay Leopardus wiedii, and oncilla Leopardus tigrinus). We use these patterns to generate hypotheses about behavioral differences that may facilitate species coexistence. The larger species were more frequently recorded in the better-protected areas, probably as a result of anthropogenic effects (poaching of cats and their prey). Competitive release from ocelots and jaguarundis may explain why the oncilla and the margay showed the opposite pattern. Morphologically similar species had the most contrasting activity patterns: the margay was exclusively nocturnal and the jaguarundi diurnal. The other species were cathemeral, but alternated their peaks of activity in relation to the relative order of their body weights. The contrasting temporal patterns observed and the ability of pumas and oncillas to adjust their activity patterns to local conditions may facilitate the coexistence of these cat species and explain the lack of character displacement in this assemblage.

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is considered one of the world’s most important sites for biodiversity conservation, and within this biome there are regions with differing levels of species richness, species composition, and endemism. The present study was undertaken in southern Bahia, Brazil, and employed a standardized sampling method to compare the density of arboreal species in this region with other areas throughout the world known for their high tree species density. A total of 144 tree species with DBH > 4.8 cm were sampled within a 0.1 ha plot of old-growth forest (OGF), and these data were then compared with 22 other world sites that had been sampled using the same methodology and likewise demonstrated high densities of arboreal species. Only one site of ombrophilous forest in Colombia demonstrated a higher tree species density (148 spp. in 0.1 ha) than was encountered in southern Bahia. Other areas of Brazil, including other Atlantic Forest sites, showed significantly inferior tree species densities. These results indicate that this region of southern Bahia has one of the greatest numbers of tree species in Brazil and in the world. These results, associated with the high levels of endemism there, indicate the high biological importance of this region. It is therefore fundamental that efforts aimed at halting the degradation of these forests be linked to programs that will increase our knowledge of the species found there as well as the ecological and evolutionary processes that originated these unique forests.

We studied the conservation status of Atlantic forest birds in 43 forest fragments ranging in size from 1 to 384 ha in the Viçosa region of southeastern Brazil. We compared data from 15 years of field work with historical records from the region, mainly originating from specimens collected by João Moojen during the 1930s. We used published studies associated with museum data and current field work to assess the decline of forest birds during the last 70 years and to relate their disappearance to forest fragmentation and destruction. At least 28 bird species have become locally extinct, 43 are critically endangered, and 25 are vulnerable, representing 60.7% of the original forest bird community known to exist in the region. Vulnerability to fragmentation differed among guilds, forest strata, and endemicity status. Birds that feed on fruit and seeds, and those that feed on insects, were more threatened than omnivores and carnivores. Nectarivorous species were less threatened than other guilds. Moreover, terrestrial and understory birds or birds using only one forest stratum also were more likely to have been threatened. Finally, Atlantic forest endemics were more likely to have become extinct than nonendemic species. In general, sensitivity to environmental disturbance at the local level was similar to the predicted vulnerability to regional disturbance derived from the literature. Our results indicate that a serious decline of Atlantic forest birds is underway and that many other species of birds, not previously recognized as threatened, are of conservation concern.

Comprehensive assessments of Paraguay's forest cover (FC) change from the 1970s to the 2000s using Landsat observations were conducted, including a wall-to-wall mapping of changes across the whole country between the 1990s and 2000s, and an assessment of forest area in the Atlantic Forest ecoregion in the 1970s using a systematic sampling approach. The derived wall-to-wall FC change map was evaluated using available high resolution satellite images and aerial photos. The overall accuracy values were 92% or higher in the areas covered by those high resolution data sets. The results revealed that the Atlantic Forest ecoregion experienced the most forest loss, with the 73.4% forest cover in the 1970s decreasing precipitously down to 40.7% by the 1990s and further down to 24.9% by the 2000s. The rapid loss of Atlantic forests was driven by complex social economic forces, including widespread land disputes arising from long time inequalities and profits from exporting agricultural products. Forest changes in the Humid Chaco and the Chaco ecoregions were relatively moderate. However, extensive forests were converted to non-forest land use near a major population center. The results also revealed that so far the established protected areas were effective in protecting forest within their border. However, most of the forests surrounding the protected areas were lost by the 2000s. Loss of Atlantic forest is a major threat to the rich biodiversity found in this region. The alarming deforestation rates over the last three decades and the low percentage of Atlantic forest left by the 2000s call for immediate actions to halt the trends of forest loss.

Population declines have previously been reported for at least 31 amphibian species in Brazil, in the families Leptodactylidae (19), Hylidae (7), Centrolenidae (2), Dendrobatidae (2), and Bufonidae (1). In five Brazilian museum collections, we found no entries of new records dating back to at least 15 yr ago for 13 of these species. We suggest that these taxa be studied in more detail to verify their status and to generate basic ecological data. Museum data indicate that the remaining species have been recently found in areas of reported crashes, or elsewhere. Several apparent declines in Brazil can be associated with habitat loss, interspecific interactions, natural fluctuations, or lack of intensive sampling. Personal observations and field data also indicate possible declines in the states of Paraná and Ceará as well as in highlands within the Cerrado biome, in the state of Minas Gerais. Records suggest declines of montane and stream-associated populations of Brazilian amphibians in apparently pristine habitats. Field work is necessary to confirm these cases and to examine whether factors associated with similar extinctions in other parts of the globe-such as pathogens and climate change-are also related to local disappearances. To clarify pending questions and perhaps circumvent new cases, it is important to invest in short-and long-term field studies, and in the maintenance and expansion of museum collections.

Bulk soil samples (BS) (n = 120) from long-term tillage experiments and areas covered by secondary natural forest were collected in the Brazilian savanna region (Cerrado) at Santo Antônio de Goiás, and southern Atlantic forest region at Londrina. Bulk soils were separated into 8 aggregate size fractions (ASF) by wet sieving (n = 700). Bulk soil samples (BS) and ASF were analyzed for total C, N by dry combustion. BS were also analyzed for sand, silt, and clay by densitometry, and several measures of soil aggregation were determined. All samples were scanned in the mid-and near-infrared (Mid-IR, NIR) by diffuse reflectance of ground, non-KBr diluted samples using a Digilab FTS-7000 FTIR spectrometer equipped with a Pike Auto-Diff auto-sampler. Quantitative calibrations for the various analytes were performed separately for the original set of 120 BS samples and the set of 700 ASF samples using partial least squares regression (PLSR). Results for the set of 120 BS for total C and N were excellent using either spectral range with R 2 > 0.97, except for C by Mid-IR (R 2 = 0.93). Similar results were obtained for determinations of sand and clay (R 2 > 0.94). Silt, determined by difference (100% − %sand − %clay), gave much lower R 2 (0.80 and 0.63 for Mid-IR and NIR, respectively). For aggregation indices, R 2 of ∼ 0.80 were achieved in the Mid-IR, NIR results were not as good (R 2 < 0.67). Efforts with the 700 ASF samples resulted in R 2 of 0.98 and 0.96 for C, and 0.96 and 0.97 for N, for Mid-IR and NIR calibrations, respectively. Calibration efforts to determine the values for the set of 700 ASF samples using set of 120 BS from which they were fractionated gave R 2 = 0.90 and 0.87 in the Mid-IR and NIR, respectively, when 5% of the ASF were added to the set of 120 BS. Spectral discrimination of sample source was easily and very accurately determined for all data sets examined.

... The majority of morphospecies at fam-ily level belonged to Myrtaceae (25 morphospecies), Lauraceae (4), Annonaceae (3), and Sapotaceae (3). At generic level the highest numbers of morphospecies belonged to Ocotea (12), Eugenia (10), Myrcia (7), and Calypthranthes (6 ...

This study describes the application of a protocol for biological assessment of water quality at first to third order streams at Serra dos Ó rgã os, an area covered by Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Major impacts in the region are domestic effluents and deforestation. Our main objective is to establish biocriteria for the establishment of the Serra dos Ó rgã os Multimetric Index (SOMI) based on benthic macroinvertebrates. We used data from previous studies, sampled by experienced biologists, from 1999 through 2002. The benthic macroinvertebrate community was sampled in 12 reference sites and seven impaired sites in three river basins: Guapimirim, Macaé and Grande, all from the same bioregion. From the 22 tested metrics, 6 were included in the SOMI (% Diptera, % Coleoptera, Family Taxa, EPT Taxa, BMWP-CETEC and % Shredders). Scores (5, 3 or 1) were developed for these metrics to allow for aggregation into the index. Seven intermediately impaired sites were used for evaluating the applicability of the multimetric index. We concluded that the SOMI is a robust easy-to-apply tool for biomonitoring programs in the Serra dos Ó rgã os region, south-east Brazil.

a b s t r a c t Tree cavities are proposed to limit populations and structure communities of cavity-nesting birds. Although the greatest diversity of cavity-nesting birds is found in tropical and subtropical moist forests, little is known about how tropical logging affects the abundance of cavities or cavity-nesting birds. We compared the abundance of cavities and cavity nests between primary and selectively-logged subtropical moist Atlantic forest in Argentina, and conducted the first before-after controlled nest-box addition experiment to determine whether nest sites limit the breeding density of cavity-nesting birds in tropical or subtropical moist forest. Visual inspection of 86 cavities identified through ground-surveys revealed that only 19% were suitable for nesting birds, suggesting that cavity abundance may be overestimated in the literature on tropical forests. Suitable cavities were found in fewer than 1% of 1156 trees <60 cm dbh but 20% of 20 trees >100 cm dbh. Logged forest had half the basal area of primary forest, one third the density of large trees, nine times fewer cavities suitable for nesting birds, and 17 times fewer active nests. When we added nest boxes, nesting density increased on treatment plots but not on control plots in both logged and primary forest, suggesting that cavity supply can limit nest density even in relatively undisturbed forest. This is the first experiment to show how reduced cavity supply in logged tropical forest can limit breeding density of cavity-nesting birds. International initiatives such as forest certification should promote tropical timber management strategies that conserve large live cavity-bearing trees.

As part of a larger study evaluating several silvicultural techniques for restoring tropical moist forests on abandoned agricultural lands in southeastern Brazil, direct seeding with five early-successional Atlantic forest species was tested at three degraded sites, characterized by different soil types and land-use histories, within the Environmental Protection Area at Botucatu, SP. The species used in this study were Chorisia speciosa, Croton floribundus,Enterolobium contorstisiliquum, Mimosa scabrella, and Schizolobium parahyba. Scarified seeds of each of these species were sown in prepared seed spots in replicated, 0.25 ha mixed-species plots at an initial espacement of  m at each site. Of the five species planted, only two, Enterolobium and Schizolobium, showed good seed germination, seedling survival, and early growth rates, averaging 4.1–4.6 cm stem diameter and 1.5–1.7 m height growth during the first 2 years after sowing. These two species constituted 88–100% of the total stand density, which ranged from 1050 to 1790 stems ha−1 at 2 years. Despite the poor performance of the other species tested, we observed that the natural regeneration of native forest species originating from remnant forests in the general vicinity of our study sites was significantly greater within the direct-seeded plots than in unplanted control plots that were protected from fire and other disturbances.

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is one of the 25 biodiversity hot spots in the world. Although the diversity of its fauna and flora has been studied fairly well, little is known of its microbial communities. In this work, we analyzed the Atlantic Forest ecosystem to determine its bacterial biodiversity, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and correlated changes in deduced taxonomic profiles with the physicochemical characteristics of the soil. DNAs were purified from soil samples, and the 16S rRNA gene was amplified to construct libraries. Comparison of 754 independent 16S rRNA gene sequences from 10 soil samples collected along a transect in an altitude gradient showed the prevalence of Acidobacteria (63%), followed by Proteobacteria (25.2%), Gemmatimonadetes (1.6%), Actinobacteria (1.2%), Bacteroidetes (1%), Chloroflexi (0.66%), Nitrospira (0.4%), Planctomycetes (0.4%), Firmicutes (0.26%), and OP10 (0.13%). Forty-eight sequences (6.5%) represented unidentified bacteria. The Shannon diversity indices of the samples varied from 4.12 to 3.57, indicating that the soils have a high level of diversity. Statistical analysis showed that the bacterial diversity is influenced by factors such as altitude, Ca 2؉ /Mg 2؉ ratio, and Al 3؉ and phosphorus content, which also affected the diversity within the same lineage. In the samples analyzed, pH had no significant impact on diversity.

The traditional shade cacao plantations (cabrucas) of southern Bahia, Brazil, are biologically rich habitats, encompassing many forest-dwelling species. However, a critical question for the conservation management of this specific region, and the highly fragmented Atlantic forest in general, is to what extent the conservation value of cabrucas relies on the presence of primary forest habitat in the landscape. We investigated the relative importance of cabrucas and forests for the conservation of five diverse biological groups (ferns, frogs, lizards, birds and bats) in two contrasting landscapes in southern Bahia, one dominated by forest with some interspersed cabrucas, and one dominated by cabrucas with interspersed forest fragments. The community structure (richness, abundance and diversity) of all biological groups differed between cabrucas and forests, although these differences varied among groups. A high number of forest species was found in the cabrucas. However, there were pronounced differences between the two landscapes with regard to the ability of cabrucas to maintain species richness. Irrespective of the biological group considered, cabrucas located in the landscape with few and small forest fragments supported impoverished assemblages compared to cabrucas located in the landscape with high forest cover. This suggests that a greater extent of native forest in the landscape positively influences the species richness of cabrucas. In the landscape with few small forest fragments interspersed into extensive areas of shade cacao plantations, the beta diversity of birds was higher than in the more forested landscape, suggesting that forest specialist species that rarely ventured into cabrucas were randomly lost from the fragments. These results stress both the importance and the vulnerability of the small forest patches remaining in landscapes dominated by shade plantations. They also point to the need to preserve sufficient areas of primary habitat even in landscapes where land use practices are generally favorable to the conservation of biodiversity.

Over the last 25 years more than 70 million ha of the native vegetation in Brazil have been replaced by pastures for beef production planted to grasses of the genus Brachiaria, and to a lesser extent Andropogon gayanus, both of African origin. Some years after implantation, these pastures decline in productivity, probably due to low availability of P, and immobilisation of N in the soil due to the large quantities of senescent leaves (litter) of high C:N ratio deposited on the soil surface. In this paper we report the effects of the introduction of a forage legume (Desmodium ovalifolium) and different animal stocking rates on the deposition and decomposition of plant litter in pastures of Brachiaria humidicola at a site in the coastal Atlantic forest region of the south of Bahia State (Brazil). Litter existing on the ground, and that deposited in 14-day periods, was monitored at monthly intervals during 3 years of the study. Doubling the stocking rate from 2 to 4 animals ha −1 caused a highly significant decrease in litter deposition, but the presence of the legume in the sward had little effect. Calculations made directly from the quantities of litter deposited in the 14-day periods showed that between 15 and 18 tons of litter dry matter (dm) were deposited annually, but the relatively small quantities of existing litter (annual means of 0.8 to 1.5 t dm ha −1 ), showed that decomposition was rapid, showing values for half life of between 22 and 33 days. This technique was assumed to underestimate true litter disappearance rates, as with such rapid decomposition a significant proportion of the litter disappeared within the 14-day collection periods. An equation was developed to correct for this loss of litter during the collection periods and corrected litter decomposition constants of 0.037 to 0.097 g g −1 day −1 were recorded resulting in half lives of between 9 and 20 days. Using these data and adding them to estimates of animal consumption the net aerial primary productivity (NAPP) of the pastures ranged from 28 to 34 t dry matter ha −1 yr −1 . Experiments with litter bags, and a "covered litter" system which allowed access of soil fauna to the litter, indicated that soil faunal activity had little impact on litter disappearance and such techniques underestimated true litter decomposition by at least an order of magnitude. We suggest that this underestimation is due to the fact, that in contrast to litter bags, in the open field situation fresh litter is being added continuously. As this material consists of both easily degradable ("active") and recalcitrant fractions, the easily degradable fraction fuels an active microbial biomass which continuously degrades the less decomposable material. It is concluded that the approach used in this study gives more realistic, and much higher estimates, of net primary aerial production of tropical grasslands and pastures than techniques heretofore utilised.

Functional diversity has been postulated to be critical for the maintenance of ecosystem functioning, but the way it can be disrupted by human-related disturbances remains poorly investigated. Here we test the hypothesis that habitat fragmentation changes the relative contribution of tree species within categories of reproductive traits (frequency of traits) and reduces the functional diversity of tree assemblages. The study was carried out in an old and severely fragmented landscape of the Brazilian Atlantic forest. We used published information and field observations to obtain the frequency of tree species and individuals within 50 categories of reproductive traits (distributed in four major classes: pollination systems, floral biology, sexual systems, and reproductive systems) in 10 fragments and 10 tracts of forest interior (control plots). As hypothesized, populations in fragments and control plots differed substantially in the representation of the four major classes of reproductive traits (more than 50% of the categories investigated). The most conspicuous differences were the lack of three pollination systems in fragments-pollination by birds, flies and non-flying mammals-and that fragments had a higher frequency of both species and individuals pollinated by generalist vectors. Hermaphroditic species predominate in both habitats, although their relative abundances were higher in fragments. On the contrary, self-incompatible species were underrepresented in fragments. Moreover, fragments showed lower functional diversity (H' scores) for pollination systems (230.3%), floral types (223.6%), and floral sizes (220.8%) in comparison to control plots. In contrast to the overwhelming effect of fragmentation, patch and landscape metrics such as patch size and forest cover played a minor role on the frequency of traits. Our results suggest that habitat fragmentation promotes a marked shift in the relative abundance of tree reproductive traits and greatly reduces the functional diversity of tree assemblages in fragmented landscapes.

-(Pollination and seed dispersal of Brazilian Myrtaceae). Myrtaceae is one of the most important plant families in Brazilian vegetation, especially forests. Its white, hermaphrodite flowers, with numerous stamens, and the fleshy fruits are exploited by a variety of animal species. This revision aimed to summarize the knowledge of the reproductive ecology of Brazilian Myrtaceae, bringing together information about the pollinators and seed dispersers of a great number of species. Data were compiled from the literature, complemented with unpublished information from the authors and other researchers. The majority of the pollination studies were carried out in Cerrado vegetation, whereas seed dispersal studies were conducted mainly on Atlantic Forest. Pollen is the major resource offered by Myrtaceae flowers. The flowers are visited mainly by bees, the pollinators of almost all species studied until now. The greatest number of visits to flowers is from Meliponinae and Bombinae bees (Apidae). Other insects such as flies and wasps also visit myrtaceous flowers, occasionally acting as pollinators. Bird pollination was reported for Acca sellowiana (O. Berg) Burret and Myrrhinium atropurpureum Schott, in which the main floral resource are the fleshy and sweet petals. Birds and monkeys are the main seed dispersers of Brazilian Myrtaceae, although other mammals, reptiles, fish and ants may interact and casually disperse seeds. Information on the pollination and seed dispersal agents of Myrtaceae in Brazil are still scarce, and its knowledge is essential to species preservation and the conservation of the Brazilian forests.