A fauna do solo exerce importante papel nos processos ecológicos do ecossistema. Estudos sobre a composição e estrutura dessas comunidades são importantes para entender o seu funcionamento. Assim o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a comunidade de Coleoptera, coletada mediante armadilhas de solo, quinzenalmente, durante o período de treze meses (08/2003-08/2004), na Mata do Mergulhão, Rio de Janeiro. Foram capturados 10.820 espécimes, representados por 24 famílias, sendo considerados abundantes Nitidulidae (4.782 indivíduos), Curculionidae (3.176 indivíduos), Scarabaeidae (2.019 indivíduos) e Staphylinidae (326 indivíduos), capturadas em todo período de coleta. De acordo com as guildas tróficas, os indivíduos das famílias coletados, podem ser agrupados em detritívoros (4.802 espécimes), herbívoros (3.218 espécimes), decompositores (2.019 espécimes), predadores (621 espécimes) e fungívoros (160 espécimes). Foi constatada maior ocorrência de detritívoros (44,4%), herbívoros (29,7%) e decompositores (18,7%). Foram capturados 6.685 exemplares (61,8%) no período de outubro/2003 a março/2004, na estação chuvosa, e 4.135 exemplares (38,2%) na estação seca. Foram observadas maiores capturas nos meses de outubro e dezembro de 2003, e março de 2004.

The soil fauna plays an important role in the ecological function of an ecosystem and studies on the composition and structure of these communities are important to understand your functioning. The objective of our study was to evaluate of community of the soil fauna Coleoptera, collected bimonthly through pitfall trap, from August 2003 to August 2004. A total of 10,820 specimens from 24 families of Coleoptera were captured, but Nitidulidae (4,782 individuals), Curculionidae (3,176), Scarabaeidae (2,019) and Staphylinidae (326) were considered abundant families. According to the trophic guild, the collected individuals can be divided into detritivores (4,802 specimens), herbivores (3,218), decomposers (2,019), predators (621) and fungivoros (160). These results indicate no dominance of a single trophic group, however, the high occurrence of detritivores (44.4%), herbivores (29.7%) and decomposers (18.7%) was registered. About 61.8% (6,685 individuals) were captured during October 2003 to March 2004, a rainy period, and 38.2% (4,135) during the dry period indicating a pronounced seasonal difference in the relative abundance of individuals sampled. The high frequency of individuals was observed during the October and December, 2003, and March, 2004.

Este trabalho teve como objetivos estudar a biologia floral e identificar os principais polinizadores do maracujá-amarelo em áreas de cultivo com diferentes proximidades a fragmentos florestais no norte do estado do Rio de Janeiro. A floração do maracujá-amarelo teve duração de nove meses, no período de setembro a maio. As flores iniciavam a antese às 12:00 h e abriam-se ao longo do dia até às 16:30 h. O processo de curvatura dos estiletes ocorreu ao longo da antese e 72,4% das flores curvaram seus estiletes. A produção de néctar deu-se continuamente, atingindo 18μl/flor/hora e a concentração de solutos totais variou entre 38 e 42%. Xylocopa frontalis e Xylocopa ordinaria foram os principais polinizadores do maracujá-amarelo pela freqüência de visitas, comportamento intrafloral e porte corporal. Estas espécies de abelhas, além de Apis mellifera, estiveram presentes em todas as áreas de cultivo. A maior riqueza de visitantes polinizadores do maracujá-amarelo foi observada em áreas de cultivo próximas a fragmentos florestais, fato relacionado à presença de certos grupos de abelhas nativas, como Centridini e Euglossina (Apidae) que dependem de áreas florestais para nidificação e alimentação. A proximidade a fragmentos florestais também é importante para o fornecimento de recursos alimentares e de nidificação ao longo do ano para a manutenção de populações de Xylocopa.

This work aimed to identify the main pollinators and study the floral biology of the yellow passion fruit cultivated in areas within different distances from forest remnants in north Rio de Janeiro state. The yellow passion fruit flowering lasted nine months, from September to March. Anthesis started at 12:00 h and the opening process lasted until 16:30 h. The styles bent down during the anthesis and 72.4% of the flowers had its styles curved. Nectar was produced continuously, reaching 18μl/flower/hour, and the total solute concentration varied between 38 and 42%. Xylocopa frontalis and Xylocopa ordinaria were the most effective yellow passion fruit pollinators because of their visit frequency, intrafloral behavior and body size. These bee species, besides Apis mellifera, were found in all the cultivated areas studied. The highest richness of pollinators was observed in cultivated areas closest to forest remnants. This fact is related to the presence of native bee groups, like Centridini and Euglossina bees (Apidae), which depend on forest areas for nesting and foraging. The forest remnant proximity is also important to provide the nesting and food resources needed by the Xylocopa population during the year.

The yellow passion fruit, Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa, is one of the most important Brazilian fruit crops. It is an allogamous, diploid, and self-incompatible species. It has hermaphrodite, solitary flowers, located in the leaf axils and protected by leaf bracts. The flower has an androgynophore, which is a straight stalk supporting its reproductive parts. There are usually five anthers, located at the tip of each of the five filaments. The ovary is borne just above the filaments, at the top of the androgynophore; there are three styles that are united at their base, and at the top there are three stigmas. The objective of this research was to observe embryo sac development in yellow passion flowers. Ovaries at different stages of development were fixed in FAA (formalin, acetic acid and alcohol solution), hydrated, stained with Mayer’s hemalum, and dehydrated. Ovules were cleared by using methyl salicylate, mounted on slides, and observed through a confocal scanning laser microscope. The yellow passion fruit ovule is bitegmic, crassinucellate, and anatropous, and its gametophyte development is of the Polygonum type. After meiosis, functional megaspores under go three successive mitotic divisions, resulting in an eight-nucleate megagametophyte: the egg apparatus at the micropylar end, two polar nuclei at the cell center, and three antipodals at the chalazal end. The egg apparatus is formed by an egg cell and two synergids, each with a filiform apparatus. The mature embryo sac has an egg cell, two synergids, two polar nuclei, and three antipodes, as has been described for most angiosperms.

The yellow passion Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deg. is allogamous, self incompatible, and it depends of insects pollinators to disseminate the pollen grains. The field work was conducted at Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from October 17 to November 9 and December 12 to 21, 1995. It was analyzed 1565 flower buds, from which 423 showed well developed ovaries, five days after opening, this represents 27% of fruit set by natural pollination. It was observed 76,86 % of completely curved flowers, 21,22 % of partially curved flowers, and 1,92 % flowers without curvature. Five species of bees where observed on the flowers, from which two were the effective pollinator of yellow passion flower: Xylocopa (Megaxylocopa) frontalis (Olivier, 1789) and X. (Neoxylocopa) ordinaria Smith, 1874.