Amadeu Manoel dos Santos-Neto

Background and aims – Flowering phenology is a key niche axis structuring plant communities by influencing reproductive success, plant-pollinator interactions, and species coexistence. However, how flowering timing interacts with pollinator niches and evolutionary constraints remains poorly understood in stressful Neotropical ecosystems such as Restingas. We investigated whether flowering phenology and pollinator niches are evolutionarily coupled or decoupled in a coastal herbaceous community. Material and methods – We monitored flowering phenology weekly for one year in a Restinga herbaceous community in Sergipe, northeastern Brazil, comprising 15 species from 10 families. We quantified temporal flowering patterns, tested climatic drivers of flowering richness, characterized plant-pollinator interaction networks, and evaluated phylogenetic signal in flowering phenology and pollinator niches using comparative methods. Key results – Flowering occurred continuously throughout the year but showed non-random temporal synchrony at the community level, with a flowering peak during the dry season. Flowering richness was best explained by lagged temperature four months prior and photoperiod, indicating delayed climatic control. Species with yellow flowers exhibited significantly aggregated flowering times. The plant-pollinator network was highly specialized and nested, dominated by a few generalist pollinators, including Xylocopa cearensis , Synoeca cyanea , and Eurema elathea . Flowering phenology exhibited strong phylogenetic signal, with closely related species flowering at similar times, whereas pollinator niches showed no phylogenetic structure and were not predicted by temporal flowering overlap. Importantly, neither floral traits nor temporal overlap in flowering explained variation in pollinator assemblage composition, indicating a decoupling between flowering phenology and realized pollinator niches. Conclusion – Our results reveal a decoupling between evolutionarily conserved flowering phenology and ecologically flexible pollinator interactions. This decoupling promotes species coexistence in Neotropical Restinga herbaceous communities by ensuring temporal continuity of floral resources while allowing niche partitioning through variable biotic interactions.

Understanding the factors shaping phenological patterns is essential to unravel species coexistence and biodiversity dynamics. This study investigated the phylogenetic and climatic drivers of reproductive phenology in Myrcia species from the Restingas of the Atlantic Forest in northeastern Brazil. We monitored the reproductive phenology of nine sympatric Myrcia species for one year and assessed the influence of climatic variables (precipitation and day length) and phylogenetic relatedness using phylogenetic signal metrics and eigenvector regression. Our findings indicate a strong climatic control over reproductive phenology. Flowering predominantly occurred during periods of lower precipitation and longer days, whereas fruiting was concentrated in the rainy season. Day length significantly influenced floral bud and flowering activity, whereas precipitation negatively affected these phases but promoted fruit maturation. Despite the close phylogenetic relationships among species, we found no significant phylogenetic signal in phenological traits, suggesting that reproductive timing is shaped more by environmental factors than by evolutionary history. The lack of phylogenetic conservatism in phenology highlights the role of ecological adaptation in shaping reproductive strategies in this diverse community. Although temporal overlap among species was observed, it did not align with phylogenetic relatedness, suggesting that competition or facilitation mechanisms operate independently of evolutionary history. These findings highlight how tropical plant communities adjust their reproductive cycles in response to environmental constraints, reinforcing the dominant role of ecological factors over phylogenetic constraints in shaping phenological patterns.

Murundus fields (wetland earth-mounds) represent a relatively understudied physiognomy in the Cerrado biome. This study aimed to evaluate the composition, life history, phytosociology, endemism, and conservation status of woody plant species in murundus fields in a forestry-dominated landscape in the Brazilian savanna. We established 40 plots, each measuring 50 × 20 m, where all live shrub-arboreal plants with a trunk diameter at the base of ≥1 cm and a height > 0.5 m were identified. Using these data, we calculated the absolute and relative values of density, dominance, and frequency, as well as the importance value index. In addition, we estimated Shannon’s and Simpson’s diversity indices and Pielou’s equability index. Our findings included 155 species, 69 genera, and 38 families in the study area. The invasive exotic species Pinus caribaea Morelet showed the highest importance value, followed by Jacaranda caroba (Vell.) DC., Miconia albicans (Sw.) Steud., Erythroxylum suberosum A.St.-Hil., and Miconia fallax DC. The pronounced presence of P. caribaea is a matter of concern and highlights the need for control measures, given its potential to hinder the regeneration of native species. We identified species occurring in various Cerrado phytophysiognomies, suggesting that murundus fields function as transitional habitats. This study underscores the importance of conserving species within the inadequately studied Cerrado physiognomy.

This study examines plant diversity along an elevational gradient in the Serra de Itabaiana National Park, northeastern Brazil, focusing on species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and beta diversity. We identified 108 plant species across five elevation bands, with species richness declining linearly with increasing elevation. Precipitation and temperature positively influenced richness, but no significant relationship was observed for phylogenetic diversity metrics. Notably, phylogenetic diversity peaked at mid-elevations, exhibiting a hump-shaped pattern, while higher elevations hosted phylogenetically clustered communities, reflecting environmental filtering. Beta diversity analysis revealed turnover as the dominant driver of species and phylogenetic dissimilarity between elevation belts, emphasizing the role of species replacement over nestedness. These findings underscore the influence of climatic variables and environmental constraints on community composition, with distinct patterns of species adaptation across elevations. Contrary to expectations, phanerophytes dominated across the gradient, challenging the predicted prevalence of hemicryptophytes at higher elevations. Our study highlights the importance of integrating phylogenetic data to understand biodiversity dynamics in understudied regions like northeastern Brazil. Conservation efforts in Serra de Itabaiana should prioritize maintaining beta diversity to capture species turnover and ensure ecosystem resilience. These findings contribute valuable insights into the interplay of ecological and evolutionary processes shaping plant communities in low-elevation mountain systems.

Understanding species diversity and distribution cannot be overstated in the development of effective management and biological conservation strategies. Our goal was to address the knowledge gap regarding dragonfly diversity in the northeastern Atlantic Forest, specifically in the Serra of Itabaiana National Park in the state of Sergipe, Brazil. During our study, we recorded 40 species and 969 Odonata individuals across six families and 25 genera. This study contributes 27 new occurrence records of Odonata species in Sergipe, Brazil, highlighting the significance of preserving and protecting the habitats of this region. Our findings provide valuable information on the distribution of dragonfly species in the state of Sergipe and the Northeast region.

Como em grande parte do território brasileiro, as áreas de Restinga de Sergipe vêm sendo constantemente modificadas pelos impactos resultantes das atividades antrópicas. O objetivo do presente estudo foi caracterizar a vegetação de Restinga localizada em uma Reserva Legal no município de Santo Amaro das Brotas, Sergipe, e avaliar a sua relação florística com outras áreas do Estado. Foram realizadas incursões a campo para coletas de material botânico, sendo o material determinado e depositado no Herbário ASE. Para as análises de similaridade foram selecionados nove inventários florísticos abrangendo diferentes áreas do domínio de Mata Atlântica em Sergipe. Ao todo, foram encontradas 142 espécies, sendo uma delas (Protium occhionii) ameaçada de extinção. Fabaceae foi a família que apresentou o maior número de espécies (dez spp.), refletindo a sua importância nas Restingas sergipanas e nordestinas. A maioria das espécies presentes na área de estudo possui ampla distribuição geográfica, sendo, em grande parte, comuns à Mata Atlântica. A Restinga estudada se mostrou floristicamente mais similar à formação localmente conhecida por Areias Brancas, apesar de localizada fora da Planície Litorânea. Diferenças na composição florística entre as áreas avaliadas são explicadas pela distância geográfica, embora o efeito de fatores ambientais locais, como clima e solo, não possa ser descartado. A despeito de estar inserida em uma área protegida (reserva legal), os impactos observados in situ revelam a existência de forte interferência antrópica, razão pela qual são necessárias ações mais efetivas de fiscalização de modo a garantir a sua efetiva conservação.Palavras-chave: Planície Litorânea, Similaridade Florística, Mata Atlântica. Floristic Composition and Phytogeographic Aspects of a Restinga area in Santo Amaro das Brotas, Sergipe State, Brazil A B S T R A C TAs in much of the Brazilian territory, the Restinga (sandy coastal vegetation) areas in Sergipe have been constantly modified by the impacts resulting from human activities. The objective of this study was to characterize the Restinga vegetation located in a protected area in the county of Santo Amaro das Brotas, Sergipe State, Brazil, and to evaluate its floristic relationship with other areas of the State. Field trips were carried out to collect botanical samples, which were subsequently determined and deposited in the ASE Herbarium. For similarity analyses, nine floristic inventories covering different areas of the Atlantic Rainforest domain in Sergipe were selected. Altogether, 142 species were found, one of which is endangered (Protium occhionii). Fabaceae was the family with the highest number of species (ten spp.), reflecting its importance in Sergipe and Northeastern Brazil Restingas. Most of the species present in the study area have a wide geographic distribution, being, in large part, common to the Atlantic Rainforest. The Restinga studied was floristically more similar to the formation locally known as Areias Brancas, despite being located outside the Coastal Plain. Differences in floristic composition between evaluated areas are explained by geographic distance, although the effect of local environmental factors, such as climate and soil, cannot be ruled out. Despite being inserted in a protected area (called “reserva legal”), the impacts observed in situ reveal the existence of strong anthropic interference in the Restinga vegetation, which justifies more effective inspection actions to guarantee its effective conservation.Keywords: Coastal Plain, Floristic Similarity, Atlantic Rainforest.