Compositional changes in bee and wasp communities along Neotropical mountain altitudinal gradient.

Climate conditions tend to differ along an altitudinal gradient, resulting in some species groups' patterns of lower species richness with increasing altitude. While this pattern is well understood for tropical mountains, studies investigating possible determinants of variation in beta-diversity at its different altitudes are scarce. We sampled bee and wasp communities (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) along an altitudinal gradient (1,000-2,000 m.

Facilitation as Attenuating of Environmental Stress among Structured Microbial Populations.

There is currently an intense debate in microbial societies on whether evolution in complex communities is driven by competition or cooperation. Since Darwin, competition for scarce food resources has been considered the main ecological interaction shaping population dynamics and community structure both in vivo and in vitro. However, facilitation may be widespread across several animal and plant species.

Cave conservation priority index to adopt a rapid protection strategy: a case study in Brazilian Atlantic rain forest.

Cave environments are characterized by possessing specialized fauna living in high environmental stability with limited food conditions. These fauna are highly vulnerable to impacts, because this condition can frequently be easily altered. Moreover, environmental determinants of the biodiversity patterns of caves remain poorly understood and protected.

An overview of proximate factors affecting the nesting behavior of solitary wasps and bees (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) in preexisting cavities in wood.

Guilds of Aculeate solitary wasps and bees that nest in preexisting cavities in wood are important components of terrestrial ecosystems because they engage in several ecological interactions (e.g. predation and pollination) with other species of plants and animals.

Candida flosculorum sp. nov. and Candida floris sp. nov., two yeast species associated with tropical flowers.

Two ascomycetous yeast species, Candida flosculorum sp. nov. and Candida floris sp.

Trap-nest occupation by solitary wasps and bees (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) in a forest urban remanent.

Temporal variation of solitary wasps and bees, nesting frequency, mortality, and parasitism were recorded from a remanent forest in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Wasps and bees were collected in trap-nests placed in areas with 25, 100, and 400 m2, from February to November 2004. The 137 trap-nests collected contained 11 species of wasps and bees.

Seasonal timing of pseudoviviparous reproduction of Leiothrix (Eriocaulaceae) rupestrian species in South-eastern Brazil.

Background And Aims: Pseudovivipary is an asexual reproductive strategy. Leiothrix spiralis and L. vivipara (Eriocaulaceae) are pseudoviviparous and occur in rupestrian grasslands, a habitat that has a predominance of sandy and shallow soil, with low water retention.

Candida riodocensis and Candida cellae, two new yeast species from the Starmerella clade associated with solitary bees in the Atlantic rain forest of Brazil.

Two new ascomycetous yeast species belonging to the Starmerella clade were discovered in nests of two solitary bee species in the Atlantic rain forest of Brazil. Candida riodocensis was isolated from pollen-nectar provisions, larvae and fecal pellets of nests of Megachile sp., and Candida cellae was found in pollen-nectar provisions of Centris tarsata.

Yeast communities associated with stingless bees.

The yeast communities associated with the stingless bees Tetragonisca angustula, Melipona quadrifasciata and Frieseomelitta varia were studied. The bees T. angustula and F.

Starmerella meliponinorum sp. nov., a novel ascomycetous yeast species associated with stingless bees.

Thirty-two strains of the novel species Starmerella meliponinorum sp. nov. were isolated from various substrates associated with three stingless bee species (tribe Meliponini) in Brazil and one in Costa Rica.