Banca de DEFESA: EUGENIA DE JESUS CORDERO SCHMIDT

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : EUGENIA DE JESUS CORDERO SCHMIDT
DATE: 02/03/2020
TIME: 08:00
LOCAL: Laboratório Didático I
TITLE:

Interactions, Persistence and Coexistence Mechanisms of Nectarivorous Bats and the Plants they Feed on, in a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest in Northeastern Brazil

KEY WORDS:

Caatinga; Chiroptera; Cactacea; seasonality; pollination syndromes; phenology

PAGES: 154
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Ecologia
SUMMARY:

Seasonal Dry Tropical Forests (SDTF), such as the Caatinga, are considered adverse environments due to their high temperature, scarce and variable rainfall and seasonal restrictions on the availability of water and food resources. These characteristics can affect the assemblies of mammals and plants and, therefore, their life histories. Several mechanisms of persistence in neotropical SDTFs have been described for bats (migration, dietary plasticity, morphological differences, foraging strategies) and for plants (deciduity, spines, seasonal phenology), all influenced by precipitation and temperature. In this doctorate we delve into the lives of four species of nectar-feeding bats: Glossophaga soricina (Phyllostomidae: Glossophaginae), Lonchophylla inexpectata, Lonchophylla mordax and Xeronycteris vieirai (Phyllostomidae: Lonchophyllinae). We describe their interaction networks with plants (Chapter 1), explore their mechanisms of persistence and coexistence over time (Chapter 2) and, finally, tested the influence of precipitation and the availability of Cactaceae resources on the reproduction patterns of the nectar-feeding bats (Chapter 3). The field work was carried out in seven locations in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, between May 2015 and February 2019. Using mist nets to capture the bats, we noted the capture hour, species, reproductive status, sex and eco-morphological measures. To characterize the species' diet, we collected bat hair pollen samples (glycerin gelatin cubes) and fecal samples. To determine the availability of resources, we collected phenological flowering data of nine plant species.

The studied nectarivorous bats interacted with 31 plant species forming a network with a highly generalized pattern of interactions, consistent over the seasons and years. The observed generalization may be a necessary condition for the persistence of nectarivorous bats and their specialized plants in variable and challenging environments such as the Caatinga. In chapter two, we were able to prove that the four species of nectarivores coexist and persist over time (years and seasons) mediated by a mixture of mechanisms (temporal partitioning, eco-morphological differences and resource partitioning). Finally in chapter three, we found that precipitation positively affected the probability of ocurrence of pregnancy in L. mordax and X. vieirai. None of the tested variables (precipitation nor Cactaceae resources availability) influence the pregnancy of G. soricina. On the other hand, the availability of floral resources of Cactaceae from the previous month, positively affected the probability of occurrence of lactation for all nectarivorous bats. With this research, we were able to emphasize the importance of interactions between cacti and bats. The Cactaceae family is a key resource for the persistence, coexistence and reproduction of nectarivorous bats in the Caatinga, therefore conservation initiatives should consider areas with high abundance and diversity of Cactaceae as a priority.

BANKING MEMBERS:
Externa à Instituição - VALERIA DA CUNHA TAVARES - UFPB
Externo à Instituição - PATRICIO ADRIANO DA ROCHA - UFPB
Presidente - 1718346 - EDUARDO MARTINS VENTICINQUE
Externo à Instituição - ERICH ARNOLD FISCHER - UFMS
Interna - 3058386 - VANESSA GRAZIELE STAGGEMEIER