The Annual Meeting - 5th CENBAM Symposium and Western Amazon PPBio took place from June 28th to 30th, 2023, at the Amazon Research Institute - INPA. It brought together researchers, students, and fellows affiliated with the Western Amazon Biodiversity Research Program - PPBio AmOc and linked to the Center for Amazonian Biodiversity Studies - CENBAM, as well as postgraduate students from INPA. The objectives of the event were to disseminate the scientific work presented by students and researchers from the Regional Nuclei of PPBio AmOc and INCT-CENBAM, update the members of INCT-CENBAM and PPBio AmOc, as well as students and professors from other institutions, on the research carried out in the field of biodiversity, hold meetings to discuss the progress of research in the Regional Nuclei and establish goals for their development over the next 2 years, and establish new partnerships between researchers from the Regional Nuclei and INPA.
The first day of the event was dedicated to the presentation of research being carried out by the Regional Nuclei (NR).
NR Acre - Professor Dr. Marcos Silveira (UFAC)
NR Amapá - Professor Dr. José Julio de Toledo (UNIFAP)
NR Humaitá - Professor Dr. Marcelo Rodrigues dos Anjos (UFAM)
NR Manaus - Dr. Igor Luis Kaefer (UFAM)
NR Rondônia - Dr. Carolina Volkmer de Castilho (Embrapa/RR)
NR Roraima - Dr. Victor Spinelli (UNIR)
NR Santarém - Professor Dr. Rodrigo Ferreira Fadini (UFOPA)
NR Sinop - Professor Dr. Domingos de Jesus Rodrigues (UFMT)
NR Tefé - Dr. Rafael Magalhães Rabelo (IDSM)
During the second day of the event, there was a poster exhibition displayingf the work carried out by our PPBio AmOc and INCT-CENBAM partners.
In the afternoon, the coordinators of the Regional Nuclei gathered in groups to plan and discuss work strategies for the next 2 years.
On the third and final day of the event, the work groups presented their proposals and work goals for the next 2 years.
We had the support of INPA for providing the venue for the event and support for the presentation of the posters, as well as financial support for the event from the Amazonas State Research Support Foundation, through the PAREV Call (Program for Support to the Organization of Scientific and Technological Events in the State of Amazonas) - Call no. 002/2022.
The organizers of the event thank the participation of the coordinators, fellows, and students of the Regional Nuclei for their important contributions to the event through the exhibition of posters and submission of abstracts, as well as all members of the Organizing Committee for their commitment and dedication to the realization of the event.
The presentations from the first day of the event can be viewed on Instagram.
Poster Presentations:
NR Acre : Title: Macrofungi, Terrestrial Micromollusks, Bird-Plant Interactions, and Bat Assemblages in Permanent PPBio Plots in Acre
Authors: Marcos Silveira, Maíra Santos, Marcos Lima, Márcia de Araújo Teixeira-Silva, Wanessa Aquino, Vera L. Silva, André Botelho, Richarlly da C. Silva
Introduction:
Biodiversity studies in the PPBio plots in Acre were severely reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, with field activities limited to four research projects by graduate students, including two doctoral and two master's projects.
Methods:
The studies were conducted in four out of five PPBio areas in Acre. Bird-plant interactions were investigated in the campinarana plots in southwestern Amazon, Mâncio Lima. Macrofungi were studied in Chandless State Park, Manoel Urbano, while terrestrial micromollusks were surveyed in the Humaitá Forest Reserve, Porto Acre, and the Catuaba Experimental Farm, Senador Guiomard. Bat census is also being carried out in Senador Guiomard.
Results and Discussion:
49 bird species were sampled, with 12 species containing seeds in their fecal material. A total of 921 seeds belonging to 54 botanical taxa were found. Xenopipo atronitens contributed the highest number of seeds (n=317), with Cecropia sp. being the most abundant (n=307). The interaction network exhibited intermediate connectivity (C=10.64%) and insignificant nestedness (N=11.36; p=0.1). X. atronitens had the highest importance index (I=0.52) and the most interactions with botanical taxa (n=42). Geonoma sp. had the highest interaction count (n=4) and importance index (I=0.02). Viability tests showed positive results for 78.6% of the 140 seeds tested.
353 macrofungi specimens were collected, comprising 197 taxa from 13 families. The analysis of environmental and biological variables on abundance, composition, and species richness is ongoing.
330 micromollusk specimens belonging to 34 morphospecies were collected. The richness and abundance of species were found to be associated with litter height, temperature, and luminosity. Four species groups were positively or negatively influenced by these variables. Multivariate linear models indicated that only species abundance was significantly influenced by environmental variables.
The bat census, which began in 2023, has so far sampled 68 individuals belonging to 17 species and 164 ectoparasites over three nights.
Conclusion:
Although the results from the graduate and undergraduate projects on fungi and bats are still partial, the study on bird-plant interactions highlights the importance of frugivorous birds in seed dispersal in campinaranas areas, which can aid in reforestation efforts. The high species richness of micromollusks with low abundance follows a recurring pattern in the southwestern Amazon.
Acknowledgment/Financing:
The authors acknowledge CAPES for providing scholarships to the three graduate students.
NR Amapá : The NRAP was established in 2007 through cooperation between several institutions, including the Amapá Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (IEPA), the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), and the Emilio Goeldi Museum (MPEG). Currently, the NRAP is coordinated by the Federal University of Amapá (UNIFAP) and is located in Macapá, the capital of Amapá state.
NRAP has conducted research in different areas, including the installation of RAPELD trail grids in the Amapá National Forest (FLONA), the monitoring of Amazonian savannas, and the evaluation of the effects of eucalyptus plantations on biodiversity. The research sites include the FLONA-Amapá, the Curiaú River Environmental Protection Area (APA Curiaú), and areas with mangaba collection near Macapá. These sites have been used to study vegetation structure, floristics, phenology of mangaba, medium and large-sized mammals, birds, epiphytes, and bats.
The summary also mentions the scientific production, the number of people involved, and the training of human resources. It highlights the importance of estimating biomass in the cerrado (savanna) ecosystem in Amapá to better understand its role in carbon balance and the impacts of agricultural activities on biomass concentration and carbon stocks.
The second part of the provided text focuses on a specific research study conducted in the cerrado ecosystem of Amapá, which aimed to estimate the biomass and carbon stocks in this region. The study area was located in the Curiaú Environmental Protection Area, situated approximately 29 km from the capital city of Macapá.
The study employed a sampling methodology involving the installation of ten plots, each measuring 250m x 4m. Within these plots, trees with a diameter greater than or equal to 5 cm and shrubs with a diameter less than 5 cm were measured. Diameter measurements were taken at a height of 30 cm above the ground, and additional data such as total height and crown diameter were recorded. All individual trees and shrubs were marked, tagged, and identified.
Based on the collected data, the study estimated the average total biomass to be 10 tons per hectare (ranging from 0.5 to 5.52 tons per hectare) and the carbon stock to be 4.75 tons per hectare. The density of trees varied significantly across the plots, ranging from 140 to 1250 individuals per hectare.
The study findings indicate that the majority of biomass (52%) and carbon (47%) in the cerrado ecosystem of Amapá is concentrated in certain components or vegetation strata, although the specific details are not provided in the provided text.
Overall, this research aimed to contribute to a better understanding of biomass and carbon stocks in the cerrado ecosystem of Amapá, providing valuable information for the development of strategies to preserve the environmental services provided by this ecosystem.
NR Humaitá RESEARCH PROGRAM ON BIODIVERSITY - HUMAITÁ REGIONAL NUCLEUS
ABOUT THE REGIONAL NUCLEUS
The Humaitá Regional PPBio Nucleus was created in 2011 and has research modules installed along the BR-319 road, some of which are located near the Humaitá region. This allows them to be used as a training and development center for the local population.
TRAINING COURSES
During the period of 2022 and 2023, the Humaitá Regional Nucleus conducted two training courses: "Evaluation and Analysis of the Fragmentation Effect on Aquatic Ecosystems and Fish Assemblages in the Igarapés of the BR-319" and "Taxonomy and Systematics of Igarapé Fish in the Purus-Madeira Interfluve." These courses were attended by students, research fellows, and professionals.
EDUCATIONAL SPACES
During 2022 and 2023, the Espaços Educadores (Educational Spaces) program served more than 220 students from public basic education. This number demonstrates the program's importance in popularizing science.
BIOLOGICAL INVENTORIES AND COLLECTIONS
Since 2018, when LIOP started collecting samples in the modules of the Long-Term Ecological Research Program in the Southern Amazon (PELD-PSAM), the collection has grown by more than 3,000 new specimens, including over 100 species from the igarapés of the Purus-Madeira interfluve.
FAUNA GUIDES
PELD-PSAM is producing educational materials, including fauna guides, including guides in indigenous languages. The dissemination and outreach activities to communicate information about local biodiversity, its rational use, and conservation are being carried out in collaboration with public schools and indigenous schools in the region.
ICTHYOLOGICAL COLLECTION OF THE ICTHYOLOGY AND FISHERY MANAGEMENT LABORATORY OF THE MADEIRA RIVER VALLEY - LIOP: PPBiO, HUMAITÁ REGIONAL NUCLEUS
INTRODUCTION RESULTS
The Icthyology and Fishery Management Laboratory of the Madeira River Valley (LIOP) is a research laboratory of the Institute of Education, Agriculture, and Environment (IEAA) at the Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), located in the municipality of Humaitá. It houses an ichthyological collection that includes individuals collected from various environments in the Southwest Amazon. It is also the location of the Humaitá Regional Nucleus of the Biodiversity Research Program (PPBio) and the largest ichthyological collection in the Southern Amazon region.
For more than ten years, the laboratory has been conducting research in various areas, such as biodiversity monitoring, fishery monitoring, and environmental education, through the monitoring of hydrographic basins at micro and meso scales.
OBJECTIVES
To present the ichthyological collection of LIOP and provide a brief overview of the new entries over the past ten years.
CONCLUSIONS
The Amazon region is facing strong pressures regarding land use and occupation, and biological collections play a fundamental role as they store the collected specimens and make them available for consultation by specialists or for visits by the local community and schools to promote environmental education. Additionally, through partnerships and projects, it is possible to train new researchers who will work in the region and disseminate knowledge about Amazonian biodiversity and its importance in maintaining ecological services.
The Amazon region holds the most diverse regional set of freshwater fish species in the world, with over 2,700 valid species, of which 1,696 are endemic [1]. Due to the high ichthyological diversity observed in the Purus-Madeira interfluve, Western Amazon, many studies have been conducted to understand the biodiversity of stream fishes. However, previous works in the interfluve focused on small-sized streams using active collecting methods [2, 4]. On the other hand, studies using gill nets are limited to large rivers and associated water bodies connected to those major tributaries.
NR Manaus