Doutorado em Biologia Animal

URI Permanente para esta coleção

http://repositorio.ufes.br/handle/10/17508

Nível: Doutorado
Ano de início: 2009
Conceito atual na CAPES: 4
Ato normativo: Homologado pelo CNE (Portaria MEC Nº 609, de 14/03/2019). Publicação no DOU 18 de março de 2019, seç. 1 - Parecer CNE/CES nº 487/2018, Processo no 23001.000335/2018-51).
Periodicidade de seleção: Anual
Url do curso: https://cienciasbiologicas.ufes.br/pt-br/pos-graduacao/PPGBAN/detalhes-do-curso?id=56

Navegar

Agora exibindo 1 - 5 de 83

A multiproxy approach to unravel the diet of Pleistocene fossil mammals from the Brazilian Intertropical Region
(Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, 2025-10-07) Germano, Rodrigo Ventura; Silva, Taissa Rodrigues Marques da ; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7918-1358; http://lattes.cnpq.br/9562316044920852; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9073-2632; http://lattes.cnpq.br/9412285280916522; Rodrigues, Ana Carolina Loss ; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8298-8555; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8415444657040950; Leite, Yuri Luiz Reis ; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0248-8738; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8973606745193293; Castro, Mariela Cordeiro de ; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5734-9639; http://lattes.cnpq.br/2421228253331709; Tumeleiro, Leonardo Rodrigo Kerber ; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8139-1493; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8501464579034598
This study synthesizes paleoecological and dietary insights from Brazilian Quaternary mammals, primarily upon Peter Lund's extensive fossil collection from the Lagoa Santa Karst region, Minas Gerais, and additional insights about the Quaternary fossil primates from Brazil using extant howler monkeys for comparisons. Utilizing dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) and stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope analyses, I reconstructed the dietary niches and inferred the paleoenvironments of diverse representatives of several mammalian orders, including Didelphimorphia, Rodentia, Chiroptera, Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, and Primates. DMTA revealed a wide spectrum of dietary strategies, from soft browsing in Artiodactyla and Perissodactyla to highly varied and specialized diets in Chiroptera and Didelphimorphia, and a restrict strategy among Rodentia. Primates, specifically subfossil individuals belonging to Alouatta and Caipora bambuiorum, exhibited microwear patterns consistent with a more frugivorous or mixed-feeding diet, similar to extant Alouatta guariba that shows a more generalized, mixed-feeding strategy when compared with the known DMTA data of Alouatta palliata. Isotopic data focused on meso- and small mammals further elucidated habitat preferences and dietary flexibility for them. For instance, individuals of Tapirus cristatellus and Tayassu pecari showed strong C3 plant preferences and δ18O signatures that suggest that they lived in humid forested areas, while an individual of Myocastor coypus indicated drier conditions with possible C4 plant consumption. Individuals of Coendou magnus and Lutreolina crassicaudata demonstrated significant dietary flexibility and inhabited transitional environments. Radiocarbon dating of some specimens placed them within the Late Pleistocene and Holocene in a complex and heterogeneous landscape that supported diverse ecological niches. This multi-proxy approach enhances our understanding of the Brazilian Intertropical Region and the adaptive capabilities of their mammalian fauna in response to environmental changes
Biomecânica da locomoção terrestre em Anhanguera e Tupandactylus (Pterosauria, Archosauria)
(Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, 2025-07-16) Hörmanseder, Beatriz Marinho; Nunes, Fabiana Rodrigues Costa; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3596-0143; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8396814023400187; Leite, Yuri Luiz Reis; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0248-8738; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8973606745193293; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9206-9915; http://lattes.cnpq.br/2464211948213980; Ghilardi, Aline Marcele; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9136-0236; http://lattes.cnpq.br/5761534317977568; Silva, Olavo Luppi; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1227-9937; http://lattes.cnpq.br/2834807238528756; Palacios, Borja Holgado; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8968-0775; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3807328395535386; Oliveira, Richard Santos Buchmann de; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4428-9224; http://lattes.cnpq.br/9978598888603093
Pterosaurs remain relatively understudied compared to closely related groups such as birds and crocodilians. Until the late 20th century, biomechanical studies on pterosaur terrestrial locomotion were based solely on osteological analyses. The present study assessed the biomechanical advantage of hip musculature and compared possible inferred poses related to terrestrial locomotion in two pterosaur species: Tupandactylus navigans and Anhanguera piscator. This research presents the first musculoskeletal reconstruction of T. navigans, based on a three-dimensional model of its osteological elements, along with a comparative analysis of muscle moment arms (MMAs) to evaluate the biomechanical advantage of reconstructed pelvic girdle muscles in both taxa. The detailed analysis of MMAs in A. piscator and T. navigans revealed ranges of motion compatible with adaptations for both terrestrial locomotion and flight, reflecting locomotor versatility in both species. In T. navigans, a longer stride length, greater muscular input, and the attachment of abductor muscles to a broad puboischiatic plate support previous interpretations suggesting scansorial or arboreal adaptations typical of the Tapejaridae clade, which includes T. navigans. In contrast, A. piscator exhibited a predominance of movement patterns associated with abduction–adduction and morphological structures indicating specializations primarily for flight, consistent with general interpretations of a coastal or pelagic lifestyle. This study represents an initial step toward reconstructing the locomotor function of T. navigans and contributes to our understanding of the biomechanical diversity within Tapejaridae, offering new data to be explored in future research on the locomotion and flight of these pterosaurs.
Diversidade e vulnerabilidade de mamíferos de montanha frente às mudanças climáticas
(Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, 2025-08-29) Mendonça, Gabriela Colombo de; Loss, Ana Carolina ; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8298-8555; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8415444657040950; Leite, Yuri Luiz Reis ; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0248-8738; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8973606745193293; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3015-1961; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6731947323984646; Magalhães, Alan Gerhardt Braz ; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4160-7039; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4613296437321887; Kaizer, Mariane da Cruz ; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9105-9478; http://lattes.cnpq.br/2226954394104410; Gonçalves, Pablo Rodrigues ; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4923-2334; http://lattes.cnpq.br/5388683684010000
Mountains are essential ecosystems for maintaining biodiversity, since they are home to many species and play a crucial role in regulating the climate, providing water resources, and maintaining ecosystem services. Despite their importance, these environments face increasing threats, such as climate change intensified by changes in land use and land cover. Mountain ecosystems are particularly sensitive to such changes, which compromise ecological connectivity and alter altitudinal gradients, directly impacting the composition and functioning of communities. Mammals a group that perform essential ecological functions in these communities and are highly sensitive to environmental change. In this context, the objectives of this study were: 1) to characterize the Brazilian mountains concerning the species richness of non-volant mammals, their degree of protection, and the climatic, topographical and landscape factors that shaped this fauna; and 2) to evaluate the projected impacts of climate change on the environmental suitability and species richness in these regions. Using a global database, we mapped the mountains within Brazil, classified non-volant mammals based on their occurrences, characterized the levels of richness and sampling, and quantified the degree of protection of these areas. In addition, we investigated the role of climatic, topographical and landscape variables, and assessed the effects of future climate change on the richness and suitability of these areas. A total of 116 species of non-volant mammals were recorded in the 62 Brazilian mountains, including 11 species endemics to mountains, 8 typical of mountains, and 97 intermediates. Around a third of mountain species are threatened with extinctionunder some category, and more than half of the mountain endemics are at risk of extinction or have insufficient data to assess the degree of threat. Better-sampled regions, such as the Atlantic Forest, presented greater richness and diversity, while areas such as the Cerrado and the Amazon still lack more robust data. Forest cover predominated in the mountains, but only 9% of the most diverse areas in terms of mammals are covered by protected areas. Future projections indicate that most of the species assessed are likely to suffer a significant loss of climate suitability and a decline in richness under all future scenarios. The ratio between future and current area reveals progressive retraction, with the most extreme scenario projecting the reduction of 36% of the climatically suitable area by 2070 for mountain non-volant mammals. While a few species will be able to expand or maintain their projected areas in the future, most species show a tendency to area reduction, with more severe losses concentrated in central regions x and marginal gains in peripheral mountain areas. These results highlight that mountains with high biodiversity are among the most vulnerable regions, reinforcing the urgency of specific conservation strategies that take into account the differential vulnerability of species, the combined effects of climate and anthropogenic pressures, and the need to extend effective protection to these sensitive regions
Genômica populacional de golfinhos-rotadores associada a variáveis ambientais e eficiência de metodologias de sequenciamento de nova geração
(Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, 2025-06-23) Teixeira, Fernanda Lopes; Farro, Ana Paula Cazerta; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3536-1653; http://lattes.cnpq.br/0283101629974718; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4656-8315; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3581179629499265 ; Silva, Flávio José de Lima; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6521-9367; http://lattes.cnpq.br/1421802360229451 ; Siciliano, Salvatore; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0124-8070; http://lattes.cnpq.br/2471615656999141; Oliveira, Larissa Rosa de; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5735-3697; http://lattes.cnpq.br/2346014398624345; Cruz, Vanessa Paes; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2450-8701; http://lattes.cnpq.br/1271552780425809
Although cetaceans are highly mobile and can travel long distances, many biological factors can lead to genetic differentiation within and between groups, such as environmental and social factors. The spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris, is considered pantropical and exhibits genetic structure throughout its distribution. This study aims to refine population analyses for the species in the Western South Atlantic Ocean (SWA) using neutral and adaptive genomic data. Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) was used for 25 spinner dolphins, 12 individuals associated with the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago and 13 not associated with the Archipelago (Northeast - NE; Southeast - SE; and South - S). Genomic diversity and differentiation were verified based on neutral SNPs and outliers identified from the genotype-environment association and population structure. After filtering, 21,341 SNPs were identified in 15 samples, of which eight individuals were associated with the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (FN) and seven were not associated with the Archipelago (three from the SE and four from the NE). The locations analyzed with neutral (20,691) and adaptive (650 outlier SNPs) were separated into three sampling units: FN, NE, and SE. Genomic diversity values ranged from moderate to high for the locations. The outlier SNPs were found to be related to genes associated with biological processes, such as the development and/or function of the nervous system, immune system, among others. The allele frequency of three genes differed between the locations, consistent with changes in sea surface temperature. Previous genetic studies identified two populations in SWA: spinner dolphins associated with the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago and those not associated with the Archipelago. This study identified at least three populations: one associated with the Archipelago and two not associated (SE and NE), and this structuring was related to environmental variables such as salinity, ocean currents, and sea surface temperature. Our work contributes to the understanding of how neutral and adaptive processes can shape spinner dolphin populations in the SWA.
Mudanças espaçotemporais dos vetores de perda de habitat em populações do jacaré-de-papo-amarelo (Caiman latirostris) no Brasil
(Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, 2025-04-29) Dias, Gabriel Gomes; Loss, Ana Carolina; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8298-8555; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8415444657040950; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8521-6649; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4546773837161392; Chaves, Flávia Guimarães; https://orcid.org/; http://lattes.cnpq.br/0058456568546264; Mascarenhas Júnior, Paulo Braga; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1292-9904; http://lattes.cnpq.br/2036444543288928
Human activities, such as deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urbanization, have caused significant changes in land use and land cover, directly impacting biodiversity and species survival. Tropical forests, essential for climate regulation and global biodiversity maintenance, face an increasing threat due to the intensification of these pressures. This study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of habitat loss for Caiman latirostris populations in Brazil, focusing on the drivers of these changes and their implications for species conservation. Using geoprocessing tools such as Google Earth Engine and MapBiomas, land use patterns between 1985 and 2023 were analyzed for two populations with distinct occurrences. One population, known as the Northeast of the Atlantic Forest (NORMA), spans from the state of Espírito Santo to Sergipe, and the other, known as Fluminense (FLUMI), extends from Rio de Janeiro to Santa Catarina. The results reveal different patterns of pressure on the analyzed populations. The NORMA population experienced a significant loss of 16.42% in "Natural Areas," with agricultural expansion standing out as the primary driver of habitat loss. Additionally, NORMA showed a notable reduction of 8.86% in "Wetlands." In contrast, the FLUMI population exhibited greater stability in its "Natural Areas," with a slight growth of 0.49% and a decrease of 2.33% in "Wetlands." However, both populations face concerning levels of habitat fragmentation, reducing the connectivity of remaining areas, hindering species movement, and compromising gene flow. The study calls for the implementation of new methodological approaches, such as the estimation of Area of Occupancy (AOO) and Extent of Occurrence (EOO), which may contribute to a more detailed assessment of the populations' distribution and vulnerability. The potential of the MapBiomas Água tool is also highlighted, as it enables more accurate analysis of "Wetlands" dynamics and water availability, which are crucial for the conservation of species like C. latirostris that depend on these habitats. The study emphasizes the urgency of public policies and ecological restoration initiatives that consider the specificities of each population

Navegar

Submissões Recentes