ABSTRACT Ficus inflorescences host a species-rich chalcid wasp community, including pollinating fig wasps (Agaonidae: Tetrapusinae, Kradibiinae, and Agaoninae) and several species of non-pollinating fig wasps (NPFW), that show several life-history strategies, including gall-inducers, kleptoparasites (i. e. inquilines), and parasitoids. We analyzed the structure and degree of specialization of the fig wasp community associated with Ficus inflorescences in urbanized areas, agroecosystems, and on the edge of forest fragments in the state of Goiás (Brazil). We sampled 34 wasp species in four native Ficus tree species, from which four wasp species occurred in more than one host. Neotropical fig pollinators (Pegoscapus and Tetrapus) were the most abundant species, and they were host-specific, although two pollinator species were associated with Ficus obtusifolia. The Jaccard similarity index was higher in samples of fig wasps collected in the same host, indicating that the community composition was specific to each host species. Community structure indices indicate a specialized structure with low connectance, high bidimensional Shannon H2’ and low partner diversity. The communities present a modular web structure in which modules were represented by each host and its associated insect species. These results indicate that the fig wasp communities analyzed are highly specialized, despite a few not strictly host-specific species.

Microsatellite markers were transferred and characterized for two Neotropical fig tree species, Ficus citrifolia and Ficus eximia. Our study demonstrated that microsatellite markers developed from different subgenera of Ficus can be transferred to related species. In the present case, 12 of the 15 primer pairs tested (80%) were successfully transferred to both of the above species. Eleven loci were polymorphic when tested across 60 F. citrifolia and 60 F. eximia individuals. For F. citrifolia, there were 4 to 15 alleles per locus, whereas expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.31 to 0.91. In the case of F. eximia, this was 2 to 12 alleles per locus and expected heterozygosities from 0.42 to 0.87.

Estudamos machos ápteros da espécie polinizadora (Pegoscapus tonduzi) e de duas espécies não-polinizadoras, gênero Idarnes, de vespas de figo associadas à Ficus citrifolia no Brasil, para responder as seguintes questões: 1) Os machos ápteros de Idarnes spp. e P. tonduzi apresentam estratégias diferentes de competição entre machos?; e 2) As variáveis associadas às injúrias são correlacionadas às características populacionais de cada espécie? Os níveis de injúrias foram maiores nas duas espécies de Idarnes. Nossos resultados sugerem que combates agressivos fazem parte da estratégia de acasalamento de Idarnes, ao passo que machos de P. tonduzi adotam estratégias não agressivas. Em geral, as variáveis de injúria correlacionaram-se positivamente à taxa de encontros entre machos e negativamente ao tamanho do figo, apoiando a teoria de competição direta. Nossos resultados apontaram que espécies diferentes sob condições similares podem seguir histórias evolutivas distintas. Particularidades da história natural das espécies podem influenciar o nível de injúria quantificado nos machos ápteros.

The aim of this work was to study the wingless males of pollinating (Pegoscapus tonduzi) and two nonpollinating fig wasp species, genus Idarnes, associated with figs (Ficus citrifolia) in Brazil to answer the following questions: 1) Do wingless males of Idarnes spp. and P. tonduzi show different male-male competition strategies?; and, 2) Do the injury within-species variables correlate with fig/population features? Consistently higher injury levels were observed in the two species of Idarnes than in the pollinator species. The results suggested that aggressive confrontations were involved in the mating strategies of Idarnes, whereas non-aggressive strategies were shown by males of P. tonduzi. Generally, injury variables in Idarnes spp. correlated positively with the male encounter rate and negatively with the fig size, thus supporting the contest competition theory. The results pointed out that different species under similar local conditions might follow distinct evolutionary histories. Within species, natural-history particularities might have some influence upon quantified injury levels in wingless males.

Lianas são plantas que germinam no solo, se mantêm enraizadas durante toda a vida e necessitam de suporte físico para alcançarem o dossel. Nas florestas tropicais, constituem uma forma de vida importante em virtude de sua diversidade, por fazerem parte da estrutura da floresta e, além disso, servirem de alimento para uma variedade de animais. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a composição de espécies, a diversidade e a estrutura da comunidade de lianas em um fragmento de floresta estacional semidecidual, na Estação Ecológica de Paulo de Faria, São Paulo, Brasil. Amostraram-se os indivíduos de lianas com DAP > 1 cm em 100 parcelas de 10 x 10 m (1 ha), resultando em 1.427 indivíduos de 45 espécies, o que representou uma diversidade (H') de 2,98 nats indivíduo¹. As famílias mais ricas em espécies foram Bignoniaceae (14 espécies), Sapindaceae (nove), Malpighiaceae (seis) e Leguminosae (quatro), semelhante ao observado em outras florestas neotropicais. As famílias Bignoniaceae, Sapindaceae e Apocynaceae foram representadas por grande número de indivíduos, sendo Melloa quadrivalvis a espécie com maior valor de importância. A maioria dos indivíduos amostrados (57,6%) apresentou diâmetro < 2,5 cm, somente 26 indivíduos tiveram o diâmetro > 10 cm. Nossos dados sugerem que se o objetivo for estimar a abundância, todos os indivíduos com DAP > 1 cm devem ser amostrados.

Lianas are soil-germinating plants, perennially rooted that need support to reach the canopy. In tropical forest they are an important form of life due to their diversity, they are part of the forest structure, and source of food for various animals species. The aim of this study was to evaluate the species composition, the diversity and the structure of a liana community in a seasonal semideciduous forest at the Ecological Station of Paulo de Faria, São Paulo, Brazil. The sampling included lianas specimens with DBH > 1 cm collected in 100 plots of 10 x 10 m (1 ha). We collected 1,427 individuals representing 45 species. The species diversity (H') was 2.98 nats individual-1. The richest families were Bignoniaceae (14 species), Sapindaceae (nine), Malpighiaceae (six) and Leguminosae (four), similarly to other neotropical forests. The families Bignoniaceae, Sapindaceae and Apocynaceae were represented by a great number of individuals, Melloa quadrivalvis (Bignoniaceae) was the most important species. The majority of the sampled individuals (57.6%) had diameters between 1-2.5 cm and in 26 individuals only the diameter was larger than 10 cm. If the purpose of a study of a liana community is to estimate the abundance our data suggest that all individuals with DBH > 1 cm must be sampled.

Este trabalho estudou o efeito dos componentes de fecundidade na reprodução de Dahlstedtia pentaphylla, leguminosa neotropical com baixa produção de frutos e sementes. Para tal, foram analisadas as relações das posições das flores na inflorescência e dos óvulos/sementes no ovário/fruto ao aborto de frutos e sementes. Não ocorreram diferenças na deposição de pólen em flores e na formação de frutos em função da posição na inflorescência. Não se encontrou também relação entre aborto de óvulos/sementes e sua posição no ovário/fruto. A limitação dos recursos maternos aos frutos e aos embriões, devido ao alto custo de formação de frutos e maturação das sementes, foi um dos fatores responsáveis pelas altas taxas de aborto nesta espécie.

Studies were conducted on pollination and patterns of fruit and seed production to assess the potential factors causing high fruit and seed abortion in Dahlstedtia pentaphylla (Leguminosae) through analyses of relationships between flower position in the inflorescence and ovules and seeds within ovaries and fruits, and flower, fruit and seed abortion. No differences were found in pollination and fruit set as a function of inflorescence position. There was no relationship, neither between degenerating ovules and their position within the ovary, nor between developing seed and fruit position. Maternal resource limitation related to fruits and embryos, due to the high cost of fruit production and seed maturation, was one of the factors that led to a high abortion rate in D. pentaphylla.

Durante o período de 1992 a 1997, as interações de vários organismos e figos de Ficus eximia, uma espécie monóica, foram estudadas em plantas localizadas em Campinas/SP e Londrina/PR (Brasil). Ficus eximia é polinizada por uma única espécie de vespa de figo, Pegoscapus sp. (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae, Agaoninae), e associada a outras 14 espécies de vespas não-polinizadoras (Agaonidae, Eurytomidae, Torymidae). Ácaros (Tarsonemidae), nematóides (Diplogasteridae) e fungos, os quais utilizam o corpo da vespa polinizadora para se dispersarem, foram também observados.

During the period from 1992 to 1997, interactions of several organisms and Ficus eximia figs, a monoecious species, were studied in plants located in Campinas/SP and Londrina/PR (Brazil). Ficus eximia is pollinated by a single fig wasp species, Pegoscapus sp. (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae, Agaoninae), but also visited by other 14 non-pollinating wasps (Agaonidae, Eurytomidae, Torymidae). Mites (Tarsonemidae), nematodes (Diplogasteridae) and fungi which use the body of the pollinating fig wasp to disperse themselves were also observed.