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Volume 2 Special Issue 1 2008
The Fragments Project 
ISBN 978-4-903313-21-4
How to reference: Kimmel T, Gottsberger G, Piechowski D (2008) The History of Fragmentation of the Lowland Atlantic Forest of Pernambuco, Brazil. In: Rodal MJN, Lins e Silva ACB, Gottsberger G (Eds) The Fragments Project. Bioremediation, Biodiversity and Bioavailability 2 (Special Issue 1), 1-4
Guest Editors
Maria de Jesus Nogueira Rodal, Ana Carolina Borges Lins e Silva
Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Brazil
Gerard Gottsberger
Ulm University, Germany
CONTENTS AND ABSTRACTS
Thomas Kimmel, Gerhard Gottsberger, Daniel Piechowski (Germany) The History of Fragmentation of the Lowland Atlantic Forest of Pernambuco, Brazil (pp 1-4)
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ABSTRACT
Invited Mini-Review: This short review summarizes and links classical works with recent publications to give an overview about the main processes of fragmentation of the lowland Atlantic Forest of Pernambuco since colonial times and to show how this process continued during the agricultural revolution up to the present. The lowland Atlantic Forest of Pernambuco is an extremely endangered endemism centre and many of its biota are at the rim of extinction. Sugarcane has always been the main economic factor in the forest zone and so up to now sugarcane fields dominate this area. The broad river valleys were the first to be used for sugarcane cultivation. Since the availability of industrially produced fertilizers the large but nutrient-poor tablelands or tabuleiros were used as well. The presently still forested sites are simply not suitable for the cultivation of sugarcane due to their strong inclination or necessary to preserve the water resources. They are protected by law, nevertheless their maintenance is not guaranteed. For the growing demand of biofuels the production of sugarcane turned a focus of international attention.
Michelle B. Trindade, Ana Carolina B. Lins-e-Silva, Hernande P. da Silva, Sandro B. Figueira (Brazil), Michael Schessl (Germany) Fragmentation of the Atlantic Rainforest in the Northern Coastal Region of Pernambuco, Brazil: Recent Changes and Implications for Conservation (pp 5-13)
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ABSTRACT
Original Research Paper: In the Atlantic Forest of Northeastern Brazil, habitat loss and fragmentation are the major threats to biodiversity. In the State of Pernambuco, where the landscape has been altered mainly for sugarcane cultivation, this study was carried out in a 280 km2 area, using aerial photographs from 1975 and high-resolution satellite images from 2005, integrated into a GIS. Our main goals were to analyze spatial attributes and landscape changes, to quantify forest loss and isolation and to discuss implications for forest conservation. Analyses included all mature forest (MF) patches and non-forest areas in both years, and secondary forest (SF) patches in 2005. Landscape metrics and deforestation rate were calculated, and all patches were assigned to size and shape categories. Between 1975 and 2005, MF cover and patch number decreased from 45.61% (153) to 24% (110), with a mean annual forest loss rate of 2.14%. Mean patch size decreased from 83.47 to 61.10 ha. Patch isolation increased, as mean nearest neighbor changed from 397.10 to 695.97m, isolation index increased from 78.22 m to 440.79 m, and distribution pattern changed from clustered to random. Number of small fragments and proportion of irregular shaped patches varied from 108 to 70, and 74.5 to 72.7%, respectively, with a significant difference in shape classes. Altogether, these results picture a pattern of patch shrinking. In the present landscape, 96 SF patches were identified, 76% of which originated from mature forests. Although the fragmentation pattern in the studied area is very critical for forest conservation, this study points out for simple and effective conservation actions, such as protection of large fragments, the union of small to large fragments through reforestation, the creation of forest corridors, and the maintenance of SF patches, all executed in partnership with the private sugar-alcohol sector.
Anderson Alves-Araujo, Diogo Araujo, Juliana Marques, Aline Melo, Jefferson Rodrigues Maciel, Jorge Irapuan, Tiago Pontes, Maria de Fatima de Araujo Lucena, Ana Luiza du Bocage, Marccus Alves (Brazil) Diversity of Angiosperms in Fragments of Atlantic Forest in the State of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil (pp 14-26)
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ABSTRACT
Original Research Paper: This paper provides a floristic inventory of Angiosperms reported from six fragments of Atlantic Forest in the State of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. The fragments studied are of different sizes and shapes (from 12 to 380 ha) and are embedded within a matrix of sugarcane plantation. The inventory was made from 2005 to 2008, with a more intensive effort from February 2007 to May 2008 with an average of 5 days of fieldwork a month. The samples collected are available at the herbaria IPA, UFP, and ULM. Six categories of life-forms were established: terrestrial herbs and shrubs; aquatic herbs and shrubs; epiphytes and hemiepiphytes; parasites, hemiparasites and saprophytes; herbaceous and woody climbers; and treelets and trees. A checklist with 650 species, from 379 genera and 105 families of Angiosperms is presented. Fabaceae, Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Myrtaceae, Rubiaceae, Melastomataceae, Araceae, Malvaceae, Apocynaceae, Sapindaceae and Sapotaceae presented the greatest species richness. Among the fragments, Zambana had 266 species, followed by Piedade with 236 species and Macacos with 228 species. Herbs and shrubs with 274 species, treelets and trees with 212 species and herbaceous and woody climbers with 94 species are the richest life-form categories. This floristic inventory confirms the ecological value of the fragments of Atlantic Forest located at Usina Sao Jose. Previous checklists elaborated in the northeastern Atlantic forest have underestimated plant species diversity.
Ulysses Paulino de Albuquerque, Patricia Muniz de Medeiros, Thiago Antonio de Sousa Araujo, Taline Cristina da Silva, Luiz Vital Fernandes Cruz da Cunha, Genildo Jose de Oliveira Junior, Cecilia de Fatima Castelo Branco Rangel de Almeida (Brazil) The Role of Ethnobotany and Environmental Perception in the Conservation of Atlantic Forest Fragments in Northeastern Brazil (pp 27-34)
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ABSTRACT
Original Research Paper: The present work discusses conceptual and methodological tools in ethnobotany as well as local perception surveys that can generate important information for community-based conservation strategies, and presents results from research undertaken within the project “Sustainability of remnants of the Atlantic Forest in Pernambuco State, Brazil, and its implications for local conservation and development”. We discuss the applicability of this data for management planning, focusing on examples derived from studies in the northeastern part of the Atlantic Forest. Most ethnobotanical surveys provide information about the main users of a given resource, the most utilized resources, the plant parts most used for a given purpose, and the most used species. Research on local perception can indicate the main factors that lead people to use a given resource as well as other variables affecting plant use. This type of data is important for establishing strategies focusing on certain groups of species or certain human social groups. The principal objective of this text is to describe the methods used to gather information about local strategies of use and management of plant resources, elucidate the nature of information that can be acquired using these methods, and discuss the possible interpretative contexts.
Edson Ferreira da Silva, Cassia Alzira Mendes de Oliveira, Ana Carolina Borges Lins-e-Silva, Maria Jesus Nogueira Rodal (Brazil) Diversity and Genetic Structure of Natural Fragmented Populations of Tapirira guianensis Aubl. in Northeastern Brazil (pp 35-40)
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ABSTRACT
Original Research Paper: Forest fragmentation causes strong impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity, including changes on the genetic structure of populations. We employed isozyme polymorphism to assess the impact of fragmentation on the genetic structure of Tapirira guianensis populations in four Atlatinc Rainforest remnants in Pernambuco, Brazil, two small and two large, each population being represented by 31 plants. Isozyme diversity was analyzed at 10 loci that had bands with clean resolution. The isozymes polymorphism (P) was 100% and the average of alleles per locus (A) ranged from 2.7 to 3.0. Average observed (Ho) and expected heterozygosity (He = gene diversity) revealed high genetic diversity. Average inbreeding indices were high among populations (FIT=0.264) and within populations (FIS=0.215). Individually, inbreeding rates were very high in smaller populations. The differentiation between populations was low (FST=0.071) and the estimated average of gene flow (Nm) among populations was 2.45. Analyzing populations by couple, gene flow was observed to be insufficient to avoid long-term differentiation between some fragment pairs. Results indicate that fragmentation has altered the genetic structure of small populations of T. guianensis from the effect of inbreeding and restricted gene flow. Therefore, these populations require special attention in order to avoid significant changes in their genetic structure.
Alexandre Gomes da Silva, Iana Marcionila M. Sa-e-Silva, Maria Jesus Nogueira Rodal, Ana Carolina Borges Lins-e-Silva (Brazil) Influence of Edge and Topography on Canopy and Sub-canopy Structure of an Atlantic Forest Fragment in Igarassu, Pernambuco State, Brazil (pp 41-46)
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ABSTRACT
Original Research Paper: Edge effects are important factors mediating changes in plant community structure in fragmented forests, along with local variations in environmental factors. The present work aimed at evaluating vegetation structure between edge and three interior sites and assessing to what extent interior sites differ influenced by a topographic gradient. Seven 10 × 25 m plots were set up in each habitat for sampling canopy (DBH ? 5 cm), within which fourteen 5 × 5 m sub-plots were set up for sampling sub-canopy (diameter at ground level ? 1 cm and < 5 cm). We recorded 1471.43 ind. ha-1, and 113 species in the canopy. Between habitats, the interior terrace was distinguished by its lower density, and there was a significant difference between the edge and interior habitats on height and diameter distributions, edge sites having proportionally more plants at shorter heights. Species richness and diversity did not show differences related to edge influence, and among species recorded, only 13 were found in all habitats. An estimated 8178.57 ind. ha-1 and 115 species were found in the sub-canopy. Edge and mid slopes had lower densities, and were both also distinct from all interior habitats, considering distribution per height and diameter classes. Among habitats, diversity varied from 2.915 nats ind.-1 at the edge to 3.462 nats. ind.-1 at lower slopes. The results presented here indicate that edge influence on the plant community was stronger than the topographical gradient. However, some differences between interior habitats were also found and suggest that variations in humidity and light regimes, whether edge- or topography-induced, influence the physiognomy and structure and composition of canopy and sub-canopy assemblages.
Henrique Costa Hermenegildo da Silva, Ana Carolina Borges Lins-e-Silva, Juliana Silva Gomes, Maria Jesus Nogueira Rodal (Brazil) The Effect of Internal and External Edges on Vegetation Physiognomy and Structure in a Remnant of Atlantic Lowland Rainforest in Brazil (pp 47-55)
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ABSTRACT
Original Research Paper: This study was carried out in a remnant (305.78 ha) of the Atlantic Rainforest in Northeastern Brazil, and investigated the effects on vegetation of two edge conditions: external with sugarcane fields (EE) and internal along a road (IE). Three 10 × 100 m transects perpendicular to the each edge were established for sampling trees (10 × 10 m plots) and understory (5 × 5 m plots). We confirmed weaker edge effects on forest physiognomy at IE, where the tree assemblage is denser, taller, with higher diversity. At this edge, 1,693 trees ha-1 were recorded, the first 70 m being distinctive only for density, and 4,200 understory ind.ha-1; with differences on heights and diameters in the first 40 m. At EE, 1016 trees ha-1 were recorded, with differences in physiognomy up to 40-60 m for height and density; 6,093 ind.ha-1 were found in the understory, the first 60 m showing greater diameters. The two edge types were different regarding canopy density, basal area and height, all greater along IE, whereas understory density was greater at EE. Regarding forest composition, the similarity (Sorensen coefficient) was of 0.72 between edge conditions. Cluster analysis showed the structure of two distinct groups (IE and EE), followed by sub-clusters individualizing the first 30 m at each edge. Forty-five families and 154 species were recorded in total, with a low percentage of indicator species in the overall community. Sapotaceae and Myrtaceae (at IE), Anacardiaceae/ Mimosaceae and Euphorbiaceae (at EE) had the greatest tree and understory densities, respectively. Our results indicate that a 40-60 m-wide belt along fragment perimeter is strongly influenced by external or internal edge, although less markedly in the latter.? However, this effect is actually narrower than often thought, pointing towards a more optimistic prognosis of the sustainability of the fragmented Atlantic Rainforest.
Daniel Piechowski, Gerhard Gottsberger (Germany) Edge Effects on Germination, Seedling Establishment, and Population Structure of Parkia pendula in an Atlantic Forest Fragment, NE Brazil (pp 56-61)
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ABSTRACT
Original Research Paper: Edge effects on germination, seedling establishment, and the population structure of Parkia pendula were studied in a fragment of northeastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Germination and seedling survival were observed underneath adult trees in the edge zone and in the forest interior; the population structure was examined in plots with a total area of 1 ha in each environment. The overall germination rate was very low but significantly higher in the forest interior than in the edge zone (0.52% vs. 0.21%). Furthermore, the seedlings’ survival time was significantly longer in the forest interior. The probability to survive the first nine months after germination was three times higher in the forest interior. The higher germination rate and the better seedling establishment in the forest interior seem to be the reasons for the significantly higher seedling density within the forest interior. However, the patterns of saplings and juvenile trees differed from the seedling pattern. The sapling density was similar in both environments, but the density of juvenile trees was three times higher in the edge zone. Seedling density is therefore an improper prediction for the pattern of later size-classes.
Nicacio de Oliveira Freitas, Fabio Sergio Barbosa da Silva, Leonor Costa Maia (Brazil) Edge Effect on Soil Biochemical and Microbiological Activities in an Atlantic Forest Fragment in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil (pp 62-67)
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ABSTRACT
Original Research Paper: The Atlantic Forest is one of the most important terrestrial biomes due to its high biodiversity and species endemism. However, the degree of fragmentation produced by anthropogenic activity results in an edge effect, changing ecological processes and affecting the environment. The degree to which the edge affects soil microorganism dynamics, nutrient cycling and ecosystem stability is poorly understood. In this paper the influence of the edge effect on soil quality was evaluated.? Soil samples were collected from the edge of and from within an Atlantic Forest remnant and from an adjacent sugarcane field, at Igarassu, Pernambuco State, Northeast Brazil. The physical, chemical, biochemical and microbiological properties of samples were evaluated. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed for all of the variables studied, with the exception of easily extractable glomalin (< 1 mm). Of the 21 variables measured, 14 were highest in the soil from the fragment edge while inside of the fragment only the percentage of mycorrhizal colonization was higher than in the edge. Significant and positive correlations between physical, chemical, biochemical, and microbiological variables were recorded, mainly in relation to soil organic carbon. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the soil from the edge was chemically, biochemically and microbiologically different from that observed inside the fragment and also in the sugarcane field, which were similar to one another. In general, higher microbial activity occurred at the fragment edge, indicating the effect of stress on soil microorganisms, which results in high nutrient cycling in the system.
Andre Luiz Alves de Lima, Maria Jesus Nogueira Rodal, Ana Carolina Borges Lins-e-Silva (Brazil) Phenology of Tree Species in a Fragment of Atlantic Forest in Pernambuco ? Brazil (pp 68-75)
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ABSTRACT
Original Research Paper: A close examination of the phenological behavior of tropical forests is fundamental to our understanding of the ecological processes occurring there, including the period of greatest availability of plant resources for animal pollinators, herbivores, and seed dispersers. This information is especially important in environments that have experienced strong anthropogenic degradation as is the case of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The present work sought to identify the phenological behavior (leaf flush, leaf fall, flowering, and fruiting) of 47 arboreal species (133 individuals) occurring in 1800 m2? of ombrophilous forest located in Igarassu/PE, Brazil. These plants were observed every two weeks during the period between September/2002 and August/2003. Spearman’s correlation was used to examine the relationships of the phenophases with precipitation, and none of the phenophases were found to be significantly correlated with rainfall. Leaf flush and leaf fall were continuous throughout the year, although there was a tendency for these phenophases to occur during the driest period (Sept. ? Dec.) and during the transition from the dry to the rainy season (Jan. ? Feb.). A marked seasonality of flowering and fruiting was observed, with flowering occurring principally during the dry period and at the start of the rainy season, while fruiting was most concentrated at the start of the rainy season. The majority of species that flowered initiated the production of flowers during the period with lowest precipitation. All of the species that fruited had zoochory as a dispersal syndrome. These results are similar to those previously reported in the literature, and indicate that the dry period is favorable to flowering and leaf renewal, while the rainy season was most propitious to seed dispersal. |
