TROPICAL BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT CONTENTS VOLUME V Introduction To Tropical Ecology 1 M. Quesada, Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico, Mxico. K. Del Claro, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Uberlandia, Brazil 1. 2. Introduction Contents of Current Section on Tropical Ecology Chapters Diversity of Prokaryotes, fungi, protozoa, Bryophytes and Pteridophytes in tropical ecosystems 13 Ana Paula Trovatti Uetanabaro Laboratório de Controle de Qualidade Microbiológico de Fármacos, Departamento de Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS), Feira de Santana, BA,Brazil Aristóteles Góes-Neto, Laboratório de Pesquisa em Microbiologia (LAPEM), Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS), Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil Luiz Henrique Rosa, Laboratório de Microbiologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, ICEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil Alexandre Salino, Departamento de Botânica, ICB, C.P. 486, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil Alfredo H. Wieloch, Departamento de Zoologia, ICB, C.P. 486, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil Carlos A. Rosa, Departamento de Microbiologia, ICB, C.P. 486, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Introduction Microbial diversity 2.1. Methods to Study Microbial Diversity 2.2. Prokaryotic Diversity in Tropical Ecosystems 2.2.1. Prokaryotic Diversity in Plants and Soil 2.2.2. Prokaryotic Diversity in Aquatic Environments 2.3. Fungi: General Characteristics and Diversity 2.3.1. Chytridiomycota 2.3.2. Zygomycota 2.3.3. Glomeromycota 2.3.4. Ascomycota 2.3.5. Basidiomycota 2.3.6. Tropical Diversity of Lichenized Fungi Diversity of Protozoa 3.1. Taxonomic Considerations 3.2. Protozoa Diversity in Tropical Region Diversity of Bryophytes Diversity of Pteridophytes Concluding Remarks Rainforest Structure And Dynamics 45 Leandro da Silva Duarte, Laboratorio de Ecologia Quantitativa, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brasil Gabriel Selbach Hofmann, Laboratorio de Geoprocessamento, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brasil 1. Rainforest Structure And Dynamics 1.1. Physical Structure ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) i TROPICAL BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT 2. 1.1.1. Macroclimate 1.1.2. Microclimate 1.1.3. Geomorphology and Pedology 1.1.4. Plant Ecological Groups and Vertical Stratification 1.1.5. Altitude 1.1.6. Primary Production and Diversity 1.1.7. Rainforest Fragmentation 1.2. Rainforest Dynamics 1.2.1. A Brief History of Community Dynamics 1.2.2. Community Dynamics in Tropical Rainforests 1.2.3. Forest Gaps 1.2.4. Edge Dynamics 1.2.5. A Role for Seed Dispersal Conclusions Tropical Communities 72 Sandra Maria Hartz and Ronei Baldissera, Centro de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, CP 15007, CEP 90.051-970, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Introduction Tropical ecoregions 2.1. Tropical Forests 2.1.1. Tropical Rain Forest 2.1.2. Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest 2.1.3. Tropical Dry Forest 2.2. Tropical Shrubland 2.3. Tropical Desert 2.4. Tropical Mountain Systems 2.5. Mangroves 2.6. Coral Reefs 2.7. Freshwater Ecoregions Main features of tropical communities 3.1. Community Richness and Evenness 3.1.1. General Trends in Tropical Diversity 3.1.2. Why is there more diversity in the tropics? 3.1.3. Scaling Diversity 3.2. Biological Interactions 3.3. Rarity and Endemism Spatial and temporal patterns 4.1. Spatial Patterns 4.2. Temporal Patterns Threats 5.1. Habitat Fragmentation 5.2. Invasive Species 5.3. Overexploitation of Fauna and Flora 5.4. Pollution 5.5. Climatic Changes Conclusions Tropical Dry Forest Structure, Distribution and Dynamics B. Hayden, Department of Biology, Concordia University, Canada D. Greene, Department of Geography, Concordia University, Canada 1. 101 Introduction 1.1. Distribution and Climate 1.2. Overview of Dry Forest Structure and Origin ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) ii TROPICAL BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 1.3. Organization of this Review Phenology 2.1. Leaves and Stems 2.2. Roots Sexual Reproduction 3.1. Mating Systems 3.2. Flowering and Pollination 3.3. Fruits and Seeds Subsequent Life History Stages 4.1. Germination, Establishment, and Early Herbivory 4.2. Asexual Reproduction 4.3. Subsequent Growth Growth Rings Disturbance and Succession Forest Structure and Diversity Conservation Habitat fragmentation, Edge effects and Biological Corridors in Tropical Ecosystems 122 Julieta Benitez-Malvido and Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Antigua Carretera a Patzcuaro No. 8701, Ex−Hacienda de San Jose de la Huerta, Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Introduction Habitat Fragmentation 2.1. Impact of Habitat Fragmentation on Populations 2.2. Fragmentation Effects on Communities 2.3. Fragmentation Effects on Ecosystems Edge Effects Biological Corridors 4.1. Fragment Size 4.2. Fragment Shape 4.3. Fragment Isolation 4.4. Matrix Type Conclusions Macroecology 133 José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Departamento de Biologia Geral, ICB, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG, Cx.P. 131, 74001-970 Goiânia, GO, Brasil Renata Alves da Mata, CNPq Pos-Doctoral Program, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Brasil 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Introduction Patterns and Processes Geographical and Historical Structures Patterns in Species Richness Challenges in Tropical Macroecology Concluding remarks Evolutionary Ecology of Pollination and Reproduction of Tropical Plants 154 M. Quesada and F. Rosas, Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico. Y. Herrerias-Diego, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo, Michoacan, Mexico. R. Aguliar, IMBIV - UNC - CONICET, C.C. 495,(5000) Cordoba, Argentina, J.A. Lobo, Escuela de Biologia, Universidad de Costa Rica G. Sanchez-Montoya, Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico. ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) iii TROPICAL BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Introduction 1.1. The Life Cycle of Angiosperms 1.2. Overview of Angiosperm Diversity Degree of Specificity of Pollination System Diversity of Pollination Systems 3.1. Beetle Pollination (Cantharophily) 3.2. Lepidoptera 3.2.1. Butterfly Pollination (Psychophily) 3.2.2. Moth Pollination (Phalaenophily) 3.3. Hymenoptera 3.3.1. Bee Pollination (Melittophily) 3.3.2. Wasps 3.4. Fly Pollination (Myophily and Sapromyophily) 3.5. Bird Pollination (Ornitophily) 3.6. Bat Pollination (Chiropterophily) 3.7. Pollination by No-Flying Mammals 3.8. Wind Pollination (Anemophily) 3.9. Water Pollination (Hydrophily) Reproductive Systems of Angiosperms 4.1. Strategies that Reduce Selfing and/or Promote Cross-Pollination. 4.2. Self Incompatibility Systems 4.2.1. Incidence of Self Incompatibility in Tropical Forest 4.3. The Evolution of Separated Sexes from Hermaphroditism 4.3.1. From Distyly to Dioecy 4.3.2. From Monoecy to Dioecy Phenological Patterns in Tropical Ecosystems Biological Conservation, Pollination and Reproduction of Tropical Trees Conclusion Seed Dispersal and Frugivory in Tropical Ecosystems 176 K. E. Stoner and M. Henry, Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Introduction 1.1. Definition of Seed Dispersal 1.2. Organization of this Review The Seed Dispersal Cycle 2.1. Primary Dispersal 2.2. Secondary Dispersal Why Seed Dispersal Matters? 3.1. Seed Dispersal and Plant Diversity 3.2. Efficiency, Effectiveness, Quantity and Quality Fruit Syndromes and Fruit Attributes Attracting Disperses 4.1. When is Seed Dispersal a Mutualistic Interaction? 4.2. The Dodo Bird and the Tambalacoque Tree: An Example of an Obligate Mutualism? Field Methods for Studying Seed Dispersal 5.1. Who Disperses What? Removal Studies and Faecal Analyses 5.2. What is Dispersed Where? Monitoring Seed Fate 5.3. Germination Experiments Concepts and Statistical Approaches 6.1. Seed Shadow and the Janzen-Connel Hypothesis 6.2. Modeling Seed Shadows 6.3. Spatial Patterns of Seed Deposition and Seedling Establishment 6.4. Dispersal Limitation: "Winning By Forfeit" 6.5. Seed Sowing Experiments and Disperser Exclusion Experiments 6.6. Mutualistic Networks: Assessing the Stability of Seed Dispersal Systems 6.7. Genetic Techniques ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) iv TROPICAL BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT 7. Seed Dispersal and Human Development Importance Of Tropics To Global Carbon Cycle F. Roland, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil J.P.Ometto, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, São José dos Campos, SP, Brasil N. Barros, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil F. Pacheco, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil R. Mendonça, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil A. Assireu, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, São José dos Campos, SP, Brasil L. Martinelli, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Piracicaba, SP, 13416-000, Brasil. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 194 General Overview The Biosphere and Tropical Regions Carbon Linking Ecosystems Atmospheric Green House Effect Carbon and Ecosystems Functioning Land use Change and Tropical Deforestation Ecological Processes and Hydrological Reservoirs: Implication to Carbon Playing An Integrative View Towards Perspectives Origins And Maintenance Of Tropical Biodiversity 214 Jean Carlos Santos and Jarcilene Almeida-Cortez, Departamento de Botâanica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Pernambuco, Brazil 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Introduction Tropics: Description, Climate and Ecosystems Earth’s Biodiversity Why are there So Many Different Kinds of Organisms in the Tropics? Latitudinal Gradients in Species Richness and Their Hypotheses 5.1. History Factor 5.2. The Time and Area Hypothesis 5.3. Climate Change 5.4. Climatic Stability 5.5. Spatial Heterogeneity 5.6. Geographic Area 5.7. Intermediate Disturbance 5.8. Primary Production 5.9. Ambient Energy 5.10. Evolutionary Speed 5.11. Rapoport's Rule 5.12. Geometric Constraints 5.13. Biotic Interactions 5.14. Competition 5.15. Predation Conclusion Index 227 About EOLSS 231 ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) v