ABSTRACT Exotic palms are introduced as ornamental all over the world, with some of them become invasive. Here, we characterize the population status and the stage of invasion of the exotic palm Caryota urens in an Atlantic Forest Protected Area, southeastern Brazil. Palms were sampled in 2019 and 2020, in fifteen 10 x 10 m plots, placed from an alley of planted reproductive palms. All individuals inside plots were marked and classified in ontogenetic stages. The number of sampled individuals was 110 in 2019 and 114 in 2020; palms were recorded in six plots in 2019 (the furthest 330 m from the alley) and in eight plots in 2020 (the furthest 420 m from the alley). In 2020, most palms were on the earlier ontogenetic stages (seedlings and infants, 86 %), but we also recorded juveniles (10.5 %) and immatures (3.5 %), values similar to those found in 2019. The population structure observed and the natural expansion of the species inside the forest indicate that the palm has successfully established in the area and has become invasive. Management actions should be taken urgently in an attempt to contain the spreading to new locations or eradicate this palm from this protected area.

ABSTRACT When foraging on a specific range of fruits or seeds, animals can represent a natural selection force, affecting plant population realized fecundity. Most studies have focused on characteristics of dispersed seeds, but the higher predation of seeds of specific size or shape is also an important force that influences the populations’ realized fecundity and can help to understand patterns of plants genetic variability. In the Brazilian Pantanal, we investigated the predation of Acuri (Attalea phalerata) palm fruits by macaws, whose seeds go intact through tapirs digestive tract and then are deposited on latrines, where they are often consumed by seed predators. We found 251 fruits, containing between 1 and 5 seeds per fruit; 170 were intact and 81 had been partially damaged by macaws, mostly those containing 3 or 4 seeds per fruit and with thin endocarps. We argue that the higher consumption of fruits with these traits reflects a trade-off in the energy spent by macaws to open the fruits and the energy provided by them. Higher predation on 3-4 seeded fruits favors the selection of 1-2 seeded fruits, revealing a selection force opposed to the one exerted by bruchids and small rodents, which favors multi-seeded palm fruits.

Resumo: A Reserva Biológica Tinguá (RBT) é a maior área protegida desta categoria no estado do Rio de Janeiro. Aqui, pela primeira vez, apresentamos a composição histórica da assembleia de mamíferos terrestres da região da RBT. Um inventário foi realizado utilizando amostragem por transectos, transectos não padronizados, busca por espécimes em museu e relatos. Considerando todos os dados, foram registradas oitenta e cinco espécies, colocando a RBT como a segunda no número de mamíferos registrados na ecorregião "Serra do Mar" da Mata Atlântica e no estado do Rio de Janeiro. Entre as espécies com registros históricos estão a onça-pintada (Panthera onca) e o mico-leão-dourado (Leontopithecus rosalia), enquanto a presença atual do lobo-guará (Chrysocyon brachyurus) foi registrada pela primeira vez. Estudos prioritários devem se concentrar nas ordens de Chiroptera, Rodentia e Didelphimorphia, especialmente nas áreas mais remotas da reserva, e pesquisas de longo prazo sobre espécies ameaçadas de extinção. Além da caça, a fragmentação em seu interior por estradas, gasodutos e linhas de transmissão e a presença de espécies exóticas, a TBR é ameaçada também pelo crescimento urbano no entorno e pela pressão para reduzir sua área e categoria de proteção, exigindo maior atenção dos altos níveis de gestão de áreas protegidas no Brasil.

Abstract: The Tinguá Biological Reserve (TBR) is the largest protected area of this category in Rio de Janeiro state. Here, for the first time, we present the historical composition of terrestrial mammals' assemblage of TBR region. An inventory was conducted using transect surveys, nonstandard transects, survey of museum specimens and informal reports. Considering all the data, eighty-five species were recorded, placing TBR as the second one in the number of mammals recorded in "Serra do Mar" ecoregion of Atlantic Forest and in the Rio de Janeiro state. Among the species with historical records are the jaguar (Panthera onca) and the golden-lion-tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) while the current presence of the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) was recorded for the first time. Priority studies should focus on Chiroptera, Rodentia and Didelphimorphia orders, especially in the most remote areas of the reserve, and long-term surveys of endangered species. Besides hunting, fragmentation of its interior by roads, pipelines and transmission lines and exotic species, TBR is also threatened by the urban growth around it and the pressure to reduce its area and its protection category, demanding greater attention by the high levels of governance of protected areas in Brazil.

Reintroduction has been recognized as a powerful conservation tool, but in order to ensure its success, animal monitoring is highly recommended. One way to monitor released animals is to put radiotelemetry collars on them. These devices, however, can harm the subjects, causing serious wounds. Our objectives in this work were to describe the injuries caused by a radiotelemetry collar model on reintroduced agoutis and to propose modifications to it. We equipped agoutis with TXE-311C radio collars (Telenax Wildlife Telemetry) before releasing them in the wild. They acquired serious wounds and one animal died. We then modified the collar structure to reduce its width and retention of water. After these modifications, the injuries did not occur again. As reintroduction is an expensive conservation strategy, any improvement that maximize its probability of success is important. We believe that the improvements we propose here have the potential to enhance the success of reintroductions and to increase animal welfare. This recommendation is more important when captive animals are re-introduced, because they tend to have lower immunity, particularly when they are released in rainy habitats.

Algumas plantas de sementes grandes são fortemente dependentes de cutias para o recrutamento de suas plântulas. A importância de Dasyprocta leporina como dispersora de sementes da palmeira da Mata Atlântica Astrocaryum aculeatissimum foi avaliado com o uso de armadilhas fotográficas e experimentos de remoção de sementes. Cutias foram observadas em 67% dos registros obtidos durante o monitoramento de frutos maduros; as palmeiras foram visitadas entre 07:00 e 18:45 h. As distâncias de dispersão variaram de 0.5 a 48.7 m (media ± dp = 6.8 ± 9.1 m) e a maioria das sementes removidas foram enterradas (57.8%). Estes resultados confirmam a importância de cutias para a dispersão de sementes de palmeiras do gênero Astrocaryum.

Some large-seeded plants depend heavily on agoutis for seedling recruitment. The importance of Dasyprocta leporina as seed disperser of the Atlantic Forest palm Astrocaryum aculeatissimum was evaluated using camera-traps and seed removal experiments. Agoutis were registered at 67% of the records obtained through the monitoring of mature fruits; palms were visited from 07:00 to 18:45 h. Dispersal distances ranged from 0.5 to 48.7 m (mean ± sd = 6.8 ± 9.1 m) and most of the removed seeds were buried (57.8%). These results corroborate the importance of agoutis for the seed dispersal of Astrocaryum palms.

Small rodents are among the most abundant vertebrate seed predators in the tropics and palm fruits are a rich source of energy for them. Allagoptera arenaria is a nurse plant species at restinga vegetation in southeastern Brazil. Forty-five adult A. arenaria were marked to estimate fruit crop size and seed predation by rodents. Two trapping sessions were carried out to identify the rodent seed predators. In addition, a fruit removal experiment was conducted to investigate the role of rodents as seed dispersers. Of the 7409 seeds collected, 24% were damaged by rodents. Predation rates ranged from 0 to 64% per plant and the number and the proportion of damaged seeds increased significantly with crop size. In the removal experiments, 64% of the fruits were manipulated by rodents either in situ or away from palms: 16% were preyed in the same place, 29% were preyed following removal, 2% were dispersed and 12% were buried. Seed fate could not be identified for 5% of the seeds. Cerradomys subflavus was the only species caught and this fact together with its abundance in the study area and tooth marks left in the endocarps indicates that this rodent is the main seed predator of this palm. Considering this, C. subflavus should play a key role in A. arenaria population dynamics through the reduction of the total number of seeds that may be recruited. However, seed burial in sites favorable for germination suggests that this rodent can act also as seed disperser of this palm.

Algunos pequeños roedores están entre los vertebrados depredadores de semillas más abundantes en los trópicos y las semillas de palmas son una rica fuente de energía para ellos. Allagoptera arenaria es una planta facilitadora de la vegetación en restingas en el sudeste de Brasil. Cuarenta y cinco palmas adultas de A. arenaria fueron marcadas para estimar la producción de frutos y la depredación de semillas por roedores. Dos sesiones de trampeo fueron conducidas para identificar los roedores depredadores de semillas. Adicionalmente, un experimento de remoción de frutos fue conducido para investigar el papel de los roedores como dispersores de semillas. De las 7409 semillas colectadas el 24% fue dañada por roedores. Las tasas de depredación variaron de 0 a 99% por planta y el número y proporción de semillas dañadas aumentó significativamente con la producción de frutos. En los experimentos de remoción, 64% de los frutos fueron manipulados por roedores in situ o distante de las plantas madres: 16% fueron depredadas in situ, 29% fueron depredadas después de removidas, 2% fueron dispersadas y 12% fueron enterradas. El destino de las semillas no pudo ser identificado para 5% de las semillas. Cerradomys subflavus fue la única especie capturada y este hecho, junto con su abundancia en la área de estudio y las marcas de alimentación dejadas en los endocarpios, indican que sería el principal depredador de semillas en esta palma. C. subflavus puede estar desempeñando un papel clave en la dinámica poblacional de A. arenaria por la reducción del total de semillas que pueden ser reclutadas. Además, el enterramiento de las mismas en situaciones favorables para germinación indica que este roedor puede también actuar como dispersor.