cometadata/datacite-titles-descriptions-related-identifiers huggingface dataset:
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969529
title: Safe sex: ant defense does not interfere with pollination in passion flowers

description: ABSTRACT Ant defense against floral enemies incurs a two-fold ant-pollinator conflict, both via pollinator deterrence and nectar or pollen collection by non-pollinating protective ants. Some ant-plants have physical barriers whereas others produce ant-repellent chemicals to avoid ant visitation to flowers and subsequent pollination interference. Passiflora coccinea is a hummingbird-pollinated myrmecophilous plant in which floral enemy repellence occurs without limiting ant access to open flowers. To test the hypothesis that ant activity is restricted within flowers to prevent contact with anthers, we compared ant defense response between reproductive (anthers and stigmas) and non-reproductive (bracts, corona and perianth) floral structures by combining an observational survey with an experimental approach. A few insect species were found to visit flowers without providing pollination service, mostly pollen-collecting bees and nectar-thieving butterflies landing on petals. Ants always attacked floral visitors that landed on non-reproductive structures, but they never attacked insects visiting reproductive structures as ants never accessed anthers. Our results suggest that the differential ant defense response is an adaptative process to prevent ant-pollinator conflict. The eventual mechanism that regulates this process could be closely linked to the corona of filaments that protects nectar chambers, simultaneously restricting ant access to nectar and pollen.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969529.v1
title: Safe sex: ant defense does not interfere with pollination in passion flowers

description: ABSTRACT Ant defense against floral enemies incurs a two-fold ant-pollinator conflict, both via pollinator deterrence and nectar or pollen collection by non-pollinating protective ants. Some ant-plants have physical barriers whereas others produce ant-repellent chemicals to avoid ant visitation to flowers and subsequent pollination interference. Passiflora coccinea is a hummingbird-pollinated myrmecophilous plant in which floral enemy repellence occurs without limiting ant access to open flowers. To test the hypothesis that ant activity is restricted within flowers to prevent contact with anthers, we compared ant defense response between reproductive (anthers and stigmas) and non-reproductive (bracts, corona and perianth) floral structures by combining an observational survey with an experimental approach. A few insect species were found to visit flowers without providing pollination service, mostly pollen-collecting bees and nectar-thieving butterflies landing on petals. Ants always attacked floral visitors that landed on non-reproductive structures, but they never attacked insects visiting reproductive structures as ants never accessed anthers. Our results suggest that the differential ant defense response is an adaptative process to prevent ant-pollinator conflict. The eventual mechanism that regulates this process could be closely linked to the corona of filaments that protects nectar chambers, simultaneously restricting ant access to nectar and pollen.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969530
title: How hidden is the diversity of the genus Cosmarium (Desmidiaceae) in the Brazilian Caatinga?

description: ABSTRACT The Caatinga domain is the largest and most diverse tropical semiarid ecoregion of South America; however, little is known about the diversity of desmids it harbors, especially the genus Cosmarium (Desmidiaceae, Zygnematophyceae). Our study contributes to the knowledge of Cosmarium in the Caatinga through the report of 42 interesting taxa, including a new species (Cosmarium imperiale), 22 new records for South America, and 19 additions to the desmid flora from Brazil. The samples were gathered from periphytic material from the “Pantanal dos Marimbus” in the Chapada Diamantina region of Northeast Brazil. We provide taxonomic notes, ecological information, including habitat conditions with limnological data, and updated global distributions for all taxa of Cosmarium. A complementary quantitative study was performed during the last year of sampling (2018), which revealed that most taxa have their highest densities in the months with low precipitation and when the water's conductivity and transparency are greater. Our results also have implications for the conservation of the biota from Marimbus do Baiano and understand South America's desmids' biogeography since some rare taxa identified here were previously only known from other continents such as Europe and Africa.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969530.v1
title: How hidden is the diversity of the genus Cosmarium (Desmidiaceae) in the Brazilian Caatinga?

description: ABSTRACT The Caatinga domain is the largest and most diverse tropical semiarid ecoregion of South America; however, little is known about the diversity of desmids it harbors, especially the genus Cosmarium (Desmidiaceae, Zygnematophyceae). Our study contributes to the knowledge of Cosmarium in the Caatinga through the report of 42 interesting taxa, including a new species (Cosmarium imperiale), 22 new records for South America, and 19 additions to the desmid flora from Brazil. The samples were gathered from periphytic material from the “Pantanal dos Marimbus” in the Chapada Diamantina region of Northeast Brazil. We provide taxonomic notes, ecological information, including habitat conditions with limnological data, and updated global distributions for all taxa of Cosmarium. A complementary quantitative study was performed during the last year of sampling (2018), which revealed that most taxa have their highest densities in the months with low precipitation and when the water's conductivity and transparency are greater. Our results also have implications for the conservation of the biota from Marimbus do Baiano and understand South America's desmids' biogeography since some rare taxa identified here were previously only known from other continents such as Europe and Africa.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969533
title: Elucidating plant-pollinator interactions in South Brazilian grasslands: What do we know and where are we going?

description: ABSTRACT Grassland ecosystems present patterns of plant-pollinator interactions that may be linked to habitat heterogeneity, plant composition and disturbances. Most studies about plant-pollinator interactions in the Neotropics were conducted in forest, savanna-like, or Andean vegetation. However, the current increase in the number of studies about interactions in grassland vegetation promises a better understanding of the pollination ecology of these landscapes. In this systematic review, we summarised information from 24 articles about plant-pollinator interactions in South Brazilian grasslands. We highlighted patterns of plant-pollinator interactions, indicating their particularities compared to other grassland communities in South America. Bees are important pollinators of many plant species in these grasslands and most plants are visited by more than one group of pollinators. Among the plant species visited by a single pollinator group, most were visited by bees. However, many types of pollinators, plant species, habitats, and regions have, thus far, received little sampling effort. Pollination by groups other than bees, such as nocturnal pollinators, flies, beetles, and birds, is particularly understudied. The information provided in this review summarizes data that could be used to foster more detailed pollination studies to understand the diversification and maintenance of grassland floras of South Brazil.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969533.v1
title: Elucidating plant-pollinator interactions in South Brazilian grasslands: What do we know and where are we going?

description: ABSTRACT Grassland ecosystems present patterns of plant-pollinator interactions that may be linked to habitat heterogeneity, plant composition and disturbances. Most studies about plant-pollinator interactions in the Neotropics were conducted in forest, savanna-like, or Andean vegetation. However, the current increase in the number of studies about interactions in grassland vegetation promises a better understanding of the pollination ecology of these landscapes. In this systematic review, we summarised information from 24 articles about plant-pollinator interactions in South Brazilian grasslands. We highlighted patterns of plant-pollinator interactions, indicating their particularities compared to other grassland communities in South America. Bees are important pollinators of many plant species in these grasslands and most plants are visited by more than one group of pollinators. Among the plant species visited by a single pollinator group, most were visited by bees. However, many types of pollinators, plant species, habitats, and regions have, thus far, received little sampling effort. Pollination by groups other than bees, such as nocturnal pollinators, flies, beetles, and birds, is particularly understudied. The information provided in this review summarizes data that could be used to foster more detailed pollination studies to understand the diversification and maintenance of grassland floras of South Brazil.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969535
title: Quantitative morphometrics suggest that the widespread Neotropical Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) St. Hil. is a species complex

description: ABSTRACT Humiria balsamifera is an infraspecific complex of high phenotypic variation and widely distributed in northern South America. Leaf traits are traditionally considered the most relevant taxonomic characters for varietal level delimitation in the group. However, substantial phenotypic overlap among vegetative characters complicates taxonomic diagnoses in this complex. The objective of this study was to quantify and analyze phenotypic variation among individuals of the complex at a continental scale using uni- and multivariable analyses to assess whether morphometric analyses detect discontinuities. Secondarily, these quantitative data were used to test whether phenotypic similarity was related to geographic distance. Twenty- five quantitative and 27 qualitative character traits did not overtly reveal a topology corresponding to traditional varietal classification, nor to geographic structure. However, petiole length alone revealed a definitive separation of H. balsamifera var. guianensis (together with another recognized species Humiria wurdackii, and variety H. balsamifera var. laurina) from the rest of the taxa. Our results highlight substantial morphological overlap among vegetative and reproductive characters including those used in identification keys, and no morphological discontinuities suitable for clearly separating taxa within the complex were encountered demonstrating a future need to integrate multiple sources of information, including molecular data, to resolve this complex.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969535.v1
title: Quantitative morphometrics suggest that the widespread Neotropical Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) St. Hil. is a species complex

description: ABSTRACT Humiria balsamifera is an infraspecific complex of high phenotypic variation and widely distributed in northern South America. Leaf traits are traditionally considered the most relevant taxonomic characters for varietal level delimitation in the group. However, substantial phenotypic overlap among vegetative characters complicates taxonomic diagnoses in this complex. The objective of this study was to quantify and analyze phenotypic variation among individuals of the complex at a continental scale using uni- and multivariable analyses to assess whether morphometric analyses detect discontinuities. Secondarily, these quantitative data were used to test whether phenotypic similarity was related to geographic distance. Twenty- five quantitative and 27 qualitative character traits did not overtly reveal a topology corresponding to traditional varietal classification, nor to geographic structure. However, petiole length alone revealed a definitive separation of H. balsamifera var. guianensis (together with another recognized species Humiria wurdackii, and variety H. balsamifera var. laurina) from the rest of the taxa. Our results highlight substantial morphological overlap among vegetative and reproductive characters including those used in identification keys, and no morphological discontinuities suitable for clearly separating taxa within the complex were encountered demonstrating a future need to integrate multiple sources of information, including molecular data, to resolve this complex.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969536
title: Semi-desert fruit farms harbor more native flora than Mediterranean climate farms in central Chile

description: ABSTRACT Understanding the factors that affect native plant communities is essential to protect floristic diversity, particularly in Mediterranean agroecosystems. The Chilean Mediterranean-climate area supports high species richness and levels of endemism, and harbors the main fruit production. We investigated whether the richness of native and non-native flora differs between two Mediterranean climate areas of Chile with contrasting rainfall levels in both cultivated and uncultivated habitats. Thirteen fruit farms under conventional management were prospected in the spring of 2015 and of 2016 by sampling in square meter quadrants (N = 3,630). A total of 191 vascular plants were found, 48.2 % of them native, 50.3 % non-native and 1.6 % not identified. Species richness was low in both areas and habitat types. However, there were more native species in uncultivated habitats in the Mediterranean-to-desert transition area than in the mesic Mediterranean area, and the contrary was observed for non-native species. Our results suggest that wetter Mediterranean climate areas are more prone to the establishment of non-native plant species.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969536.v1
title: Semi-desert fruit farms harbor more native flora than Mediterranean climate farms in central Chile

description: ABSTRACT Understanding the factors that affect native plant communities is essential to protect floristic diversity, particularly in Mediterranean agroecosystems. The Chilean Mediterranean-climate area supports high species richness and levels of endemism, and harbors the main fruit production. We investigated whether the richness of native and non-native flora differs between two Mediterranean climate areas of Chile with contrasting rainfall levels in both cultivated and uncultivated habitats. Thirteen fruit farms under conventional management were prospected in the spring of 2015 and of 2016 by sampling in square meter quadrants (N = 3,630). A total of 191 vascular plants were found, 48.2 % of them native, 50.3 % non-native and 1.6 % not identified. Species richness was low in both areas and habitat types. However, there were more native species in uncultivated habitats in the Mediterranean-to-desert transition area than in the mesic Mediterranean area, and the contrary was observed for non-native species. Our results suggest that wetter Mediterranean climate areas are more prone to the establishment of non-native plant species.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969539
title: Bud pollination and other techniques are ineffective in breaking late-acting self-incompatibility in Ceiba chodatii (Malvaceae - Bombacoideae)

description: ABSTRACT There are two homomorphic self-incompatibility (SI) mechanisms among flowering plants - gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) and sporophytic self-incompatibility (SSI). Whilst SI has the advantage of promoting outbreeding in natural populations, it can also be a problem for horticulturists and agronomists. Thus, a number of techniques have been successfully employed to break both GSI and SSI, including bud pollination, saline pre-treatment of the stigmas and simply selfing ageing flowers. We applied these three techniques to determine whether they would be effective at breaking SI in Ceiba chodatii, a species with late-acting self-incompatibility (LSI). We self- or cross-pollinated buds ranging from 1-4 days prior to anthesis and checked ageing by selfing or crossing flowers at 1-4 days after the onset of anthesis, with those at four days showing petal wilt. None of the selfed buds or ageing flowers set fruit, unlike the majority of crossed flowers. Likewise, all flowers to which 1 % saline was applied to the stigmas prior to selfing failed to set fruit. We conclude that unlike GSI and SSI, which have pre-zygotic control of self-pollen function, LSI is likely to be immune to these techniques since the focus of rejection occurs after self pollen tubes have reached the ovary.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969539.v1
title: Bud pollination and other techniques are ineffective in breaking late-acting self-incompatibility in Ceiba chodatii (Malvaceae - Bombacoideae)

description: ABSTRACT There are two homomorphic self-incompatibility (SI) mechanisms among flowering plants - gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) and sporophytic self-incompatibility (SSI). Whilst SI has the advantage of promoting outbreeding in natural populations, it can also be a problem for horticulturists and agronomists. Thus, a number of techniques have been successfully employed to break both GSI and SSI, including bud pollination, saline pre-treatment of the stigmas and simply selfing ageing flowers. We applied these three techniques to determine whether they would be effective at breaking SI in Ceiba chodatii, a species with late-acting self-incompatibility (LSI). We self- or cross-pollinated buds ranging from 1-4 days prior to anthesis and checked ageing by selfing or crossing flowers at 1-4 days after the onset of anthesis, with those at four days showing petal wilt. None of the selfed buds or ageing flowers set fruit, unlike the majority of crossed flowers. Likewise, all flowers to which 1 % saline was applied to the stigmas prior to selfing failed to set fruit. We conclude that unlike GSI and SSI, which have pre-zygotic control of self-pollen function, LSI is likely to be immune to these techniques since the focus of rejection occurs after self pollen tubes have reached the ovary.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969541
title: Savannas of the Brazilian semiarid region: what do we learn from floristics?

description: ABSTRACT The Cerrado represents the largest extension of savanna in South America. It occupies large stretches of central Brazil, being fragmented towards the Northeast, Southeast, and South regions of the country. Examples of disjunct patches of vegetation with savanna physiognomy within the Caatinga can be found in the Chapada Diamantina, the Chapada do Araripe, in small areas of southern Ceará State, and also in the coastal plains. This study recorded the floristic composition of four savannas within the Caatinga in northern Ceará State and evaluated the floristic relationships between these and other savannas, Cerrado and Caatinga sites. Periodic floristic collections recorded 247 species distributed among 162 genera and 55 families. Fifty-seven percent of the recorded species were of herbaceous or sub-shrubby habit, while the majority of the flora was of the therophytic life-form. Biogeographic analyses revealed that the study sites differ from typical Cerrado in flora and life-form spectra and have closer floristic relationships with Caatinga vegetation. The presence of floristic elements from the Cerrado, together with species from the Caatinga, in the study sites allows us to conclude that these savanna enclaves in the Caatinga are composed of a mixed flora with typical elements of these two Brazilian biomes.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969541.v1
title: Savannas of the Brazilian semiarid region: what do we learn from floristics?

description: ABSTRACT The Cerrado represents the largest extension of savanna in South America. It occupies large stretches of central Brazil, being fragmented towards the Northeast, Southeast, and South regions of the country. Examples of disjunct patches of vegetation with savanna physiognomy within the Caatinga can be found in the Chapada Diamantina, the Chapada do Araripe, in small areas of southern Ceará State, and also in the coastal plains. This study recorded the floristic composition of four savannas within the Caatinga in northern Ceará State and evaluated the floristic relationships between these and other savannas, Cerrado and Caatinga sites. Periodic floristic collections recorded 247 species distributed among 162 genera and 55 families. Fifty-seven percent of the recorded species were of herbaceous or sub-shrubby habit, while the majority of the flora was of the therophytic life-form. Biogeographic analyses revealed that the study sites differ from typical Cerrado in flora and life-form spectra and have closer floristic relationships with Caatinga vegetation. The presence of floristic elements from the Cerrado, together with species from the Caatinga, in the study sites allows us to conclude that these savanna enclaves in the Caatinga are composed of a mixed flora with typical elements of these two Brazilian biomes.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969542
title: Bryophytes of Rio Turvo State Park (SP), Brazil: integrating floristics, geographical distribution, reproduction and ecological traits to support the conservation of an Atlantic Forest fragment

description: ABSTRACT Rio Turvo State Park (RTSP) is a Conservation Unit located within the Atlantic Forest biome in the Vale do Ribeira region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Considering the lack of knowledge regarding its bryoflora, we performed a floristic inventory of RTSP (following the random-walk method), the results of which we report here including discussion of the geographical distribution (Brazil and worldwide), substrate colonization, life forms and reproduction of the species. We found a total of 414 species, which represents 30 % of all known bryophyte species in Brazil. Dioicous species were predominant over monoicous species, the most colonized substrate was tree trunk (40 % of all species) and the predominant life form was mat (47 %), indicating that the floristic composition is influenced by the environmental conditions of the area (high humidity, dense vegetation and shading). Although anthropogenic intervention is present in RTSP, it harbors huge biodiverse potential, since 22 % of the species are rare. Furthermore, 16 new occurrences were recorded for the State of São Paulo. The information provided by this study exalts the importance of this Conservation Unit in the preservation of bryophytes, as well as all the biodiversity of its included ecosystems.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19969542.v1
title: Bryophytes of Rio Turvo State Park (SP), Brazil: integrating floristics, geographical distribution, reproduction and ecological traits to support the conservation of an Atlantic Forest fragment

description: ABSTRACT Rio Turvo State Park (RTSP) is a Conservation Unit located within the Atlantic Forest biome in the Vale do Ribeira region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Considering the lack of knowledge regarding its bryoflora, we performed a floristic inventory of RTSP (following the random-walk method), the results of which we report here including discussion of the geographical distribution (Brazil and worldwide), substrate colonization, life forms and reproduction of the species. We found a total of 414 species, which represents 30 % of all known bryophyte species in Brazil. Dioicous species were predominant over monoicous species, the most colonized substrate was tree trunk (40 % of all species) and the predominant life form was mat (47 %), indicating that the floristic composition is influenced by the environmental conditions of the area (high humidity, dense vegetation and shading). Although anthropogenic intervention is present in RTSP, it harbors huge biodiverse potential, since 22 % of the species are rare. Furthermore, 16 new occurrences were recorded for the State of São Paulo. The information provided by this study exalts the importance of this Conservation Unit in the preservation of bryophytes, as well as all the biodiversity of its included ecosystems.