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Data collected for more than 20 years in the Paraná River basin of Brazil has produced evidence of a drastic decline in the number of aquatic insects in the region. The research suggests that this decline is linked to the construction of over 180 dams on the Paraná basin and its tributaries. “Our study analyzed data collected on a seasonal basis over a 20-year period. We detected a decline from thousands to tens of individuals per square meter,” said Professor Gustavo [...]

A study from the University of São Paulo has found that the evolutionary stability of a bird species depends on its role in seed dispersal networks. The experts report that the stability of each species increases with the more types of seeds that it disperses. More than 70 percent of all flowering plants depend on birds to disperse their seeds. The research suggests that birds which feed on fruit from a wide variety of plants have better evolutionary chances. “The bird species [...]

A drastic rise in CO2 would reduce rainfall in the Amazon more than deforestation, according to a new study from the University of Sao Paulo and the National Space Research Institute. The experts report that a 50-percent rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide could reduce rainfall in the Amazon as much as or even more than substitution of the entire forest by pasture. The research shows that a 50 percent increase in CO2 levels would lead to a 12 percent annual drop in the volume of Amazon [...]

Savanna is taking over parts of the Amazon rainforest as a result of recurring forest fires, according to a new study published in the journal Ecosystems. The researchers, led by Bernardo Monteiro Flores of UFSC, investigated the impacts of wildfires on vegetation and soil quality over the last four decades. The study revealed that the future of the rainforest is greatly threatened by fire activity, even in well-conserved areas that are unaffected by deforestation. “The edges of the [...]

Scientists at São Paulo State University have found that large mammals fertilize the soil in tropical forests. In particular, animals like peccaries and tapirs boost levels of soil nitrogen, which is considered the most important nutrient for plant growth. A white-lipped peccary is a boar-like mammal found throughout Central and South America. These hoofed animals roam the forest in groups of 50 to 100, eating a wide variety of foods. In the Atlantic Rainforest along the coast of [...]

Two new electric eel species have been identified in the Amazon basin, including one fish with a record-breaking shock, scientists say. Researchers had previously identified only one species of electric eel in more than 250 years of studying the creatures that lurk in South American waters and stun their prey with electric discharges. However, the new genetic and ecological analysis, published Tuesday in the peer-reviewed Nature Communications, identifies a total of three unique [...]