Abstract Background Aroeira or Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Anacardiaceae: Rhoeae), is one of the worst invasive plants in California, Florida, and Hawaii, USA because of its wide distribution, adaptation to various habitats, toxicity, and demonstrated negative impacts on biodiversity. Chemical and mechanical methods provide only temporary control, are expensive, may damage native plants, and often create disturbance conducive to reinvasion by Brazilian peppertree and other invasive weeds. The leaflet galling psyllid Calophya terebinthifolii Burckhardt & Basset (Calophyidae: Calophyinae) is native to South America and recent studies have shown this insect attacks only Brazilian peppertree. Nymphs complete their development in open pit galls that create nutrient sinks, which divert resources away from normal plant growth and reproduction. Objective The objective of this study was to confirm the biological control potential of C. terebinthifolii . Methods We used a randomized complete block design with four treatments (chemical exclusion [control], natural infestation, low and high psyllid densities) replicated in space. Results At low densities, C. terebinthifolii significantly reduced flower production by 80.6% and 93.9%, respectively, compared to the chemical exclusion treatment. At high densities, the psyllid completely inhibited fruit production. Furthermore, leaf and stem biomass were significantly reduced following sustained attack by the psyllid C. terebinthifolii . Conclusions Overall, our results confirmed that feeding damage by this psyllid negatively impacts above ground vegetative growth and reproduction of Brazilian peppertree. Therefore, C. terebinthifolii should be considered for introduction into Florida for biological control of this invasive shrub.

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the capacity as bioindicators of litter arthropodofauna in pasture restoration in the Atlantic Forest Biome. Areas of native forest under natural regeneration, and pastures treated with different ecological restoration techniques were evaluated, with pitfall traps. The sampling period was from April/2017 to October/2018, bimonthly. Families Ptiliidae, Staphylinidae, and Leiodidae, species Pheidole cf. sarcina (Formicidae) and Mastigoceras sp. 1 and Szeptyckitheca sp. 1 (Collembola) were indicators of well-conserved areas, whereas families Cicadellidae and Delphacidae, Formicidae species Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger, 1863) and Camponotus melanoticus Emery, 1894 were indicators of degraded areas. From the springtail community, species richness is a metric that can be used as a bioindicator. It was observed that all taxonomic identification levels allowed for the differentiation of the environmental conditions of the sampling areas, with less specific identification levels, such as family, possibly indicating changes in areas under the restoration process.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to characterize the leaf-litter entomofauna in degraded areas under restoration process with different restoration techniques, using the native forest as a reference and ecological indexes as parameters to select bioindicator groups. The study was conducted at “Serra do Itajaí” National Park (PNSI). The survey was conducted from winter/2014 to autumn/2016. The characterization of sampled communities was performed using identification, order, families and faunal indexes such as frequency, constancy and dominance. Overall, 11,241 insects from 57 taxonomic groups were collected in pitfall traps. The native forest showed the greatest richness observed. Groups classified as frequent, constant and dominant in all environments were the Formicidae family and Diptera Order. Significant differences were observed in the frequencies of Ptiliidae, Staphylinidae and Cicadellidae families and also Diptera Order. Coleoptera Ptiliidae, Staphylinidae families and Scolytinae subfamily showed potential as bioindicators of environmental quality at PNSI.

Pela primeira vez no Vale do Itajaí, SC, foi registrada a ocorrência de Dyscinetus rugifrons (Burmeister) atacando plantios de Archontophoenix spp. O inseto foi observado no município de Barra da Sul, causando dano em plantas jovens. O ataque causa a morte das plantas e na área levantada, cerca de 45% das plantas foram atacadas. A importância em se manter os plantios de Archontophoenix spp. deve-se ao fato de que a mesma serve como alternativa à extração de palmito-juçara (Euterpe edulis), espécie nativa que vem tendo sua regeneração comprometida pelo extrativismo ilegal.

For the first time in the Vale do Itajaí, Santa Catarina State, was registered the occurrence of Dyscinetus rugifrons (Burmeister) attacking plantations of Archontophoenix spp. The insect was observed in the Barra do Sul city, causing damages in young plants. The attack caused plant death and in the surveyed area 45% of the plants were attacked. The importance in keeping Archontophoenix spp. plantations is that it is an alternative to palmito-juçara (Euterpe edulis) harvesting, a native specie that has its regeneration compromised for the illegal extrativism.

O fumo-bravo, Solanum mauritianum Scopoli (Solanaceae), nativo do Sul do Brasil, é uma importante planta invasora na África do Sul, onde é tida como alvo do controle biológico. Em 1998 cientistas do Brasil (Curitiba) e da África do Sul (Pretoria) iniciaram a execução de um projeto cooperativo para pesquisas sobre controle biológico de plantas nativas do Brasil e que tornaram invasoras na África do Sul. Dentro desse projeto estudos biológicos e ecológicos dos inimigos naturais de fumo-bravo foram realizados no Primeiro Planalto do Paraná. Nessa região o fumo-bravo é abundante e as condições climáticas e de altitudes são similares às áreas invadidas naquele país. A população de fumo-bravo é suporte alimentício e abrigo de uma fauna herbívora diversa que inclui 34 espécies de insetos e uma espécie de ácaro. Foram coletadas cinco espécies de elevado potencial para uso no controle biológico, dentre elas duas desfolhadoras, duas espermatófagas e uma broca. Três espécies estão destinadas para futuros estudos na África do Sul, uma destas espécies já foi liberada para controle de S. mauritianum, enquanto uma quarta espécie, Anthonomus morticinus Clark (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), foi estudada no campo.

Solanum mauritianum Scopoli (bugweed), native to southern Brazil, is a major weed in South Africa where it has been targeted for biological control. In 1998, a cooperative project involving Brazilian and South African scientists was initiated to develop cooperative biological control studies involving native Brazilian plants that are invasive in South Africa. Surveys for natural enemies were carried out in the First Plateau of Paraná, where the plant is particularly abundant and where the climatic conditions are similar to high altitude areas in South Africa that are invaded by S. mauritianum. Populations of S. mauritianum supported a diverse herbivore fauna, which included at least 34 insect species and one mite species. Five species with high biological control potential were collected: two flower-feeding, two leaf-feeding and one stem-boring species. Three of these species have been studied in quarantine in South Africa, one of which has already been released for the biological control of S. mauritianum, while a fourth species, Anthonomus morticinus Clark (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was studied in the field in Brazil.