https://repositorio.ufms.br/handle/123456789/57 2026-04-07T09:25:01Z 2026-04-07T09:25:01Z https://repositorio.ufms.br/handle/123456789/14245 2026-02-03T17:11:32Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Título: Efeitos climáticos, ecológicos e evolutivos sobre os padrões de interação entre polinizadores e plantas Abstract: Plant-pollinator interactions can be affected by factors operating at different spatial and temporal scales, from historical and contemporary macroclimatic conditions to the seasonal availability of resources at the local level. Given the complexity involved in the structure of these interactions, one of the major challenges in Ecology is to understand how evolutionary, ecological, and climatic aspects influence such relationships. In this context, this thesis seeks to answer how historical and current climatic conditions are related to the architecture of interaction networks between bees and plants in the American continent (Chapter 1). To achieve this, we built a database from published studies on bee-plant interactions at the community level in the Americas and calculated network-level and species-level metrics for each network found. We used historical and current bioclimatic variables to assess the relationship with the observed metrics. We compiled a total of 42 studies, from which we obtained 64 plant-bee interaction networks, composed by 13 to 532 species. Apis mellifera L. was the most recurrent species in the studies, present in 71% of the observed networks; in modular networks, this species acted mainly as a connector, linking species from different modules. The results further revealed that connectance and network asymmetry showed no relationship with the evaluated climatic characteristics. On the other hand, precipitation seasonality during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) negatively affected plant richness, bee richness, network size; and positively influenced network nestedness. The temperature increase since the LGM had a positive effect on network structure, enhancing both modularity and nestedness. Thus, we demonstrate that historical climatic variation is the main factor influencing bee-plant interaction networks at the continental scale. In Chapter 2, in a smaller scale approach, we investigated whether the interactions between floral visitors and plants in the Pantanal are more related to ecological factors or to the evolutionary characteristics of these plants. For this purpose, we searched for studies on these interactions conducted in this ecosystem and categorized plant attributes based on specialized literature. Subsequently, to evaluate whether these attributes are associated with evolutionary and/or ecological factors, we tested the phylogenetic signal of the evaluated species. We compiled a total of 38 studies, with 1659 interaction records involving nine pollinator groups and 312 plant species. Most plants recorded occur in terrestrial environments, have an herbaceous habit, predominantly white, dish-shaped flowers, and are native. Bees were the group with the highest number of records, with A. mellifera L. and Trigona spinipes (Fabricius) being the species involved in the majority of recorded interactions. We found a significant association between the frequency of records of certain pollinator groups and terrestrial plants, aquatic plants, or plants occurring in both habitats. Aquatic plants or those occurring in both environments were more associated with herbaceous habit, dish-shaped and gullet-shaped flowers, and cooler colors. In contrast, terrestrial plants were more associated with characteristics such as tree, shrub, and liana habits, white, or yellow flowers with inconspicuous, brush and tube floral types. Regarding the phylogenetic signal, the attributes of flower color, environment of occurrence (terrestrial, aquatic or both), and floral type proved to be phylogenetically significant. These findings reinforce the idea that both phylogenetic and ecological characteristics act to determine the structure of plant-pollinator interactions in the Pantanal. The high specificity related to some pollinator groups and the environment of plant occurrence highlights the need for conservation measures that consider maintaining the habitat variability existing in the Pantanal. These patterns have important implications for the maintenance of biodiversity and the ecosystem functioning of Pantanal, especially in a scenario of environmental changes. Tipo: Tese

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://repositorio.ufms.br/handle/123456789/14237 2026-01-27T20:18:29Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Título: Spatial planning for fire prevention and post-fire interventions in the Upper Paraguay River Basin Abstract: In this thesis, we used spatial planning, geographic information systems, species data, and ecological niche modeling as tools to contribute to public policies aimed at increasing the efficiency of resource use for wildfire prevention and post-fire restoration in the Upper Paraguay River Basin. In Chapter 01, focused on native remnants near watercourses, we used meteorological and fire historic data to define priority areas for fire prevention and post-fire restoration in the Pantanal wetland, and to compare restoration costs in these priority areas by using different restoration techniques. In Chapter 02, the study area was expanded to include the entire Upper Paraguay River Basin, since the Pantanal (lowland/floodplain)’s headwaters are located in the Cerrado, Amazon, and Atlantic Forest surrounding biomes (highlands/plateau) and this basin must be considered as a territorial management unit. In addition, we included biodiversity component: ecological niche models for 14 fire-sensitive and threatened plant species. In Chapter 03, we developed ecological niche models for all fire-sensitive species of the Pantanal and projected into the future under different greenhouse gases concentrations emission scenarios based on data by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (optimistic, realistic, and pessimistic). This chapter identifies where fire-sensitive plant species are currently found, the areas where they are expected to lose suitable habitat, and the regions that require greater conservation attention. The data supports the creation of protected areas and the designation of priority zones for wildfire prevention, combat, and restoration. The Appendix serves as a practical guide for protected areas managers or landowners on how to use the thesis results and prioritizations. Tipo: Tese

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://repositorio.ufms.br/handle/123456789/14204 2026-01-14T18:23:20Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Título: Contribuições ao Manejo Integrado do Fogo em áreas úmidas: Aspectos ecológicos, etnoecológicos, evolução do conhecimento científico e políticas de manejo. Abstract: Integrated Fire Management (IFM) represents a fundamental shift in how societies and ecosystems coexist with fire, replacing rigid exclusionary policies with adaptive, integrated, and participatory approaches. In the international context, consolidated experiences from African savannas, Australian landscapes, and Mediterranean regions demonstrate that total fire suppression promotes biomass accumulation, intensifies megafires, and undermines essential ecological processes. In contrast, the strategic use of fire—through prescribed burning, structured prevention, continuous monitoring, and community engagement—has significantly reduced fire severity and enhanced ecosystem resilience. In the Pantanal, this movement gained momentum particularly after the catastrophic fires of 2019–2020, which exposed vulnerabilities in environmental governance, such as the lack of institutional integration, insufficient firefighting resources, and the absence of robust preventive policies. The Pantanal, the largest continuous tropical wetland on the planet, is an environment shaped by the interaction between fire and flooding—two ecological filters that structure its biodiversity and support traditional activities, including extensive cattle ranching based on native pastures. The main objectives of this thesis are to contribute to the implementation of integrated fire management in wetlands. Our results show that different fire-season timings generate distinct ecological responses: early- or late-season burns of lower intensity favor diversity and maintain ecological functionality, whereas more intense fires reduce species richness and homogenize plant communities, particularly in more flood-prone areas. These findings align with our analysis of traditional Pantanal knowledge, in which fire is used as a tool for pasture renewal and vegetation control. Practices such as queima de bola, which uses surrounding water as a natural firebreak, reveal a high degree of technical refinement and safety, reinforcing the value of local knowledge. The response to megafires also catalyzed institutional and technological advances. The National Policy for Integrated Fire Management (PNMIF), approved in 2024, officially recognized the ecological, cultural, and economic role of fire, regulated prescribed burning, and promoted integration among traditional communities, environmental agencies, local firefighting brigades, and scientific institutions. At the same time, technological advancements have expanded monitoring capacity and rapid response, strengthening the infrastructure required for adaptive management. Scientific production on fire in the Pantanal has also expanded since 2020, with increased interinstitutional collaboration, greater interdisciplinarity, and the incorporation of social, cultural, and economic dimensions into analyses. This has helped fill gaps related to the integrated understanding of fire, flooding, grazing, and human practices. Thus, the Pantanal emerges as a socioecological innovation frontier, where science and tradition complement each other in strengthening resilience to climate change, particularly under conditions of prolonged drought, more frequent heatwaves, and greater vegetation flammability. In this context, Integrated Fire Management becomes more than a preventive technique—it becomes a comprehensive strategy for living with fire, reconciling biodiversity conservation, socioenvironmental safety, and cultural heritage. The Pantanal stands as an example of IFM implementation, demonstrating that ecological and social resilience depends on a diversity of practices, dialogue among knowledge systems, and collective governance. Tipo: Tese

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://repositorio.ufms.br/handle/123456789/14175 2025-12-29T16:01:47Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Título: Mitochondrial phylogeography of Rhinella stanlaii (Anura: Bufonidae) in the transition zone of dry forests in central South America Abstract: Organisms are genetically structured by geographical, climatic, and topographical factors throughout their evolutionary history. In central South America, seasonally dry forests and savannas form heterogeneous landscapes shaped by distinct ecoregions, climates, and topography. These environments act as barriers or corridors for biodiversity, influencing genetic diversity patterns. Within this ecological framework, we investigated the phylogeography of the Neotropical toad Rhinella stanlaii, a species restricted to forested areas within a dry, heterogeneous landscape across Bolivia, the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, and Paraguay. Using mitochondrial 16s sequences (n=44), we examined the time of diversification, the delimitation of its lineages, population structure and diversity, the factors that delimit it, demographic history, and habitat stability. Phylogenetic analyses revealed initial diversification in the Early Pleistocene ~1.2 Million years ago (Mya) with two major clades diverging ~0.8 Mya. FastBAPS identified three structured populations, population 1 distributed further north, population 2 in the south-central region, and population 3 overlapping with population 2 in the north. Haplotype networks highlighted strong genetic structuring, while Bayesian Skyline Plots indicated recent long-term stability with slight current expansions. Distance-based redundancy analyses showed geographic isolation as the primary driver of structure, with additional effects from climate and topography. Species distribution models indicated climatically suitable areas contraction during the Last Glacial Maximum followed by expansion in the Holocene and present. Our findings emphasize the role of climate and topography in environmental and geographic heterogeneity in the structuring of R. stanlaii diversification and highlight dry forest corridors as dynamic landscapes influencing evolutionary trajectories in central South America. Tipo: Dissertação

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z