Litterfall (leaves, woody < 5 cm diameter, flowers and fruits) was estimated monthly using 20 litter traps, each 1 m2, and litter standing crops were collected every three months using 20 samples of 0 5 m2, for Altitudinal forest (AF) and Semideciduous forest (SF) in south-east Brazil (Serra do Japi, Jundiaí, Sāo Paulo State) from March 1985 to March 1986 The total litterfall was 7 t ha−1 for AF: 4 9 leaves, 1 8 woody, 0 13 flower, 0 16 fruits; and the total for SF was 8 6 t ha−1 y−1: 5 5 leaves, 2 1 woody, 0 5 flower, 0 4 fruits Litter standing crop was 5 5 t ha−1 y−1 for the two forest sites studied with a turnover coefficient (K1) of 1 3 for AF and 1 6 for SF Litterfall occurred throughout the year but was greater during the dry season (August–September); seasonality of litter and leaf fall was greater in SF than in AF but in both followed the litterfall patterns of other southeast Brazilian forests

The seasonal patterns of surface activity and behaviour were recorded for three species of juliform millipede in a savanna habitat in south-east Botswana. Initially, surface activity followed rainfall events but this association weakened as the season progressed and, although significant, the correlation between the magnitude of rainfall events and activity was weak. Activity also occurred on moist, relatively cool and cloudy days, particularly in Alloporus uncinatus which was much larger than the other species. The onset and duration of surface activity varied between species. Observations of feeding behaviour suggested that millipedes in semi-arid savannas did not subsist exclusively on tree leaf litter but appeared to select a range of food types. Mobility is necessary to obtain these patchy resources but differences between the sexes in patterns of behaviour are more likely related to the mating patterns of these species.

Phytomass was determined for a tropical deciduous forest in Chamela, Jalisco, México. The mean canopy height was 6.9 m, and the total basal area was 25.6 m2 ha−1 (dbh > 3.0 cm). The estimated phytomass for this forest (85 Mg ha−1) is among the highest values for tropical dry forests with similar seasonal climates. A stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that phytomass can be predicted firstly by basal area (R2 = 0.88), then by wood specific gravity (R2 = 0.91), and finally by the inclusion of tree height in the regression (R2 = 0.92). Each new independent variable explained significant variance in the phytomass estimation.

Fifteen species of Lepidoptera occurred in large numbers in spring and early summer after the passage of Hurricane Hugo over the north-east of Puerto Rico. Spodoptera eridania (Noctuidae) was the most common of the larvae and fed on 56 plant species belonging to 31 families. All the Lepidoptera fed on early successional vegetation. Some of the plants represent new host plants for these species. The outbreaks appeared to be based on the flush of new foliage that developed in the Luquillo Mountains after the passage of the hurricane. The end of the S. eridania outbreak was concurrent with the consumption of its preferred host plants and to an apparent increment in parasitism by ichneumonids (Hymenoptera). Parasitism by tachinids (Diptera) may have contributed to the reduction in abundance of other Lepidoptera species that were temporarily very abundant. Natural enemies of S. eridania were recorded for the first time in Puerto Rico.

The ant species were sampled in one campo (grassy shrubland), one mata (semideciduous rain forest) and 11 rehabilitated bauxite mine plots at Poços de Caldas, in the humid sub-tropical climatic region of Brazil. Rehabilitation was either by planting Australian Eucalyptus spp, the Brazilian Mimosa scabrella tree, or by planting mixed mata trees. Sixty-eight ant species were recorded, of which 26 were exclusively found in the native vegetation and 16 were confined to the rehabilitated plots. Ant species richness built up most rapidly in areas rehabilitated with mixed mata species and least rapidly in areas with Eucalyptus. Younger rehabilitated plots appeared to be developing a campo-type ant community, although evidence indicates that more mata ant species will colonise once tree canopy closure takes place. Rate of ant return in Australia is positively correlated with the quantity and distribution of rainfall – the rates in the current study concur with those from humid sub-tropical climatic zones within Australia, suggesting that similar constraints to the succession may be operating. If found to be the case, this would have practical implications for planning and evaluating the success of rehabilitation.

The survival, height and leaf production of seedlings and juveniles of Aspidosperma fendleri and Richena grandis were measured monthly for three years after germination. During the first year, some seedlings and juveniles of Aspidosperma fendleri were collected and the number of rootlets, the primary root length and the shoot: root ratio were determined.

Both species show periodicity in growth but their relative growth rate differs between species. For Aspidosperma fendleri, the highest relative growth rate (0.313 y-1) was found for individuals grown under greenhouse conditions followed by individuals growing in an old forest gap (0.143 y-1) and finally individuals under the forest canopy (0.137 y-1). For Richeria grandis, the relative growth rate under the forest canopy was 0.261 y-1. Leaf production for Aspidosperma fendleri in the forest (natural conditions) was 4.39 total mean leaf number for five years and 5.46 total mean leaf number under greenhouse conditions. For Richeria grandis it was 5.34 mean leaf production for four years. The root: shoot ratio for Aspidosperma fendleri was constant during the observation year. Aspidosperma fendleri showed a lower number of rootlets than did Richeria grandis. There was an inverse relationship between growth and survival during the dry season. During this period, mortality was higher and the highest mortality occurred during the first year when the total relative growth rate was highest.

Slow growth is evident in both species. This mechanism may represent an adaptive advantage to remain dormant until there is an opening in the forest canopy. Since the seeds of Aspidosperma fendleri and Richeria grandis are highly vulnerable to predators and pathogens, slow growth as seedlings and juveniles allows them to survive, and contributes to regeneration in cloud forest.

The ‘campos de murundus’ (carthmound fields) are typical landscapes of the cerrado (savanna) region of Central Brazil and are characterized by many rounded earthmounds called ‘murundus’ which are scattered over a grassland surface. As these areas are normally liable to seasonal water-logging, the earthmounds are true habitat islands capable of bearing woody plants typical of the cerrado, which are normally very intolerant of root inundation. The vegetation of an area of murundus field at Cuiaba, in the State of Mato Grosso, Central Brazil, was surveyed for the purpose of evaluating the island-effect on the plant community growing on the mounds/islands. Two main aspects were considered: the influence of the size of the mound and the differences between the types of cerrado occurring on the mounds and on the areas surrounding the murundus field. Most plant species occurring on the mounds were also present in the flora of the surrounding cerrado. However, only a fraction of these species was able to colonize the mounds successfully. The number of species on the mounds was found to be significantly correlated with mound area. Speciesarea relationships were better described with the power model S = C(Az) than with the exponential model S = C + z (logA) (fitted with linear regression). The mound size also had a strong influence on the spatial distribution of the species on the surface of the mounds. The species were organized in an increasing number of concentric topographic belts corresponding to a gradient of soil depth above the Hooding level.

This paper presents the quantities of macro-nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S) released from the ground layer vegetation to the atmosphere during six experimental burnings, in a Brazilian open savanna, named ‘campo-cerrado’. The values were obtained by comparing the amounts of nutrients in the fuel and in the ash resulting after the burn, in three different seasons. On average, 20.6 kg of N, 1.6kg of P, 7.1 kg of K, 12.1kg of Ca, 3.0 kg of Mg, and 3.2kg of S ha−1 were transferred from the plant biomass to the atmosphere, representing mean percentages of 95% for N, 51% for P, 44% for K, 52% for Ca, 42% for Mg, and 59% for S. The burn season showed no significant influence on the amounts of nutrients transferred to the atmosphere. Some relationships involving the quantities of macro-nutrients released, fuel moisture, the combustion efficiency during the burns, and the initial standing biomass in the area were also tested. Comparing the average output of macro-nutrients to the atmosphere obtained in this study with their inputs via rainfall, in the same area, it was estimated that three years would be an adequate interval between prescribed burnings for this campo-cerrado, to speed up nutrient recycling without impoverishing the system.