Challenges and strategies to teach history and philosophy of science to graduate biologists

Scientists have played an increasingly relevant role in our society. Biologists in special are being constantly required to provide advice to governments in subjects that go from how to deal with a pandemic to what are the consequences of deforestation. However, practicing science requires not only technical knowledge, but also understanding how scientific knowledge is produced, its limits, and consequences. In this piece, I briefly discuss the importance courses on History and Philosophy of Science (HPS) can play in biologist curriculum and dissect a syllabus I have been using to teach HPS to graduate biologists. The proposed course syllabus includes discussion on the scientific method, classic philosophers of science, causation, models, how scientific knowledge is acquired, criteria to delimit science from pseudoscience, and realism and anti-realism. Given that contemporary science is becoming complex, and increasingly harder to disentangle from our daily life, understanding the role scientist play in society is a necessary component of a doctoral student training

SPECIES COMPOSITION, CONSERVATION STATUS, AND SOURCES OF THREAT OF ANURANS IN MOSAICS OF HIGHLAND GRASSLANDS OF SOUTHERN AND SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrate group in the world, with about 32% of species under some category of threat. Conservation strategies depend on basic data, such as species distribution and natural history, which are largely lacking for endemic species inhabiting mosaics of highland grasslands and forest patches of Southern and Southeastern Brazil. Highland grassland fields occur in the Serra do Mar ecoregion and harbor an endemic anuran fauna associated to rocky outcrops and open fields interspersed among Araucaria, Rain and Cloud Forests. Here, we assembled occurrence records of anurans from mosaics of highland grasslands and forest patches in Brazil from the literature. We also compiled the conservation status of those species, including the spatial distribution of richness and endemism. We found that 75 species occur in this environment, of which about 46% are endemic. Highland grassland areas in and around Protected Areas in the Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira are under strong pressure, including criminal fire, forestry, and mining. Additionally, anurans from high altitude areas are apparently more prone to get infected by the chytrid fungus, whose growth is favored in cool and humid weather. Since anuran species inhabiting such seasonal environments have behavioral and life history adaptations, gathering data on how these disturbances affect anuran populations is urging in order to better inform conservation practices and landscape management plans.Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrate group in the world, with about 32% of species under some category of threat. Conservation strategies depend on basic data, such as species distribution and natural history, which are largely lacking for endemic species inhabiting mosaics of highland grasslands and forest patches of Southern and Southeastern Brazil. Highland grassland fields occur in the Serra do Mar ecoregion and harbor an endemic anuran fauna associated to rocky outcrops and open fields interspersed among Araucaria, Rain and Cloud Forests. Here, we assembled occurrence records of anurans from mosaics of highland grasslands and forest patches in Brazil from the literature. We also compiled the conservation status of those species, including the spatial distribution of richness and endemism. We found that 75 species occur in this environment, of which about 46% are endemic. Highland grassland areas in and around Protected Areas in the Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira are under strong pressure, including criminal fire, forestry, and mining. Additionally, anurans from high altitude areas are apparently more prone to get infected by the chytrid fungus, whose growth is favored in cool and humid weather. Since anuran species inhabiting such seasonal environments have behavioral and life history adaptations, gathering data on how these disturbances affect anuran populations is urging in order to better inform conservation practices and landscape management plans.Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrate group in the world, with about 32% of species under some category of threat. Conservation strategies depend on basic data, such as species distribution and natural history, which are largely lacking for endemic species inhabiting mosaics of highland grasslands and forest patches of Southern and Southeastern Brazil. Highland grassland fields occur in the Serra do Mar ecoregion and harbor an endemic anuran fauna associated to rocky outcrops and open fields interspersed among Araucaria, Rain and Cloud Forests. Here, we assembled occurrence records of anurans from mosaics of highland grasslands and forest patches in Brazil from the literature. We also compiled the conservation status of those species, including the spatial distribution of richness and endemism. We found that 75 species occur in this environment, of which about 46% are endemic. Highland grassland areas in and around Protected Areas in the Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira are under strong pressure, including criminal fire, forestry, and mining. Additionally, anurans from high altitude areas are apparently more prone to get infected by the chytrid fungus, whose growth is favored in cool and humid weather. Since anuran species inhabiting such seasonal environments have behavioral and life history adaptations, gathering data on how these disturbances affect anuran populations is urging in order to better inform conservation practices and landscape management plans

Phylogenetic patterns and the adaptive evolution of osmoregulation in fiddler crabs (Brachyura, Uca)

Salinity is the primary driver of osmoregulatory evolution in decapods, and may have influenced their diversification into different osmotic niches. In semi-terrestrial crabs, hyperosmoregulatory ability favors sojourns into burrows and dilute media, and provides a safeguard against hemolymph dilution; hypo-osmoregulatory ability underlies emersion capability and a life more removed from water sources. However, most comparative studies have neglected the roles of the phylogenetic and environmental components of inter-specific physiological variation, hindering evaluation of phylogenetic patterns and the adaptive nature of osmoregulatory evolution. Semi-terrestrial fiddler crabs (Uca) inhabit fresh to hyper-saline waters, with species from the Americas occupying higher intertidal habitats than Indo-west Pacific species mainly found in the low intertidal zone. Here, we characterize numerous osmoregulatory traits in all ten fiddler crabs found along the Atlantic coast of Brazil, and we employ phylogenetic comparative methods using 24 species to test for: (i) similarities of osmoregulatory ability among closely related species; (ii) salinity as a driver of osmoregulatory evolution; (iii) correlation between salt uptake and secretion; and (iv) adaptive peaks in osmoregulatory ability in the high intertidal American lineages. Our findings reveal that osmoregulation in Uca exhibits strong phylogenetic patterns in salt uptake traits. Salinity does not correlate with hyper/hypo-regulatory abilities, but drives hemolymph osmolality at ambient salinities. Osmoregulatory traits have evolved towards three adaptive peaks, revealing a significant contribution of hyper/hypo-regulatory ability in the American clades. Thus, during the evolutionary history of fiddler crabs, salinity has driven some of the osmoregulatory transformations that underpin habitat diversification, although others are apparently constrained phylogenetically

Loss of Cultural and Functional Diversity Associated With Birds Across the Urbanization Gradient in a Tropical City

Birds provide many ecosystem services to people, including provisioning, regulating and cultural services. People attribute multiple cultural values to ecosystems and biodiversity and the diversity of these cultural values can be considered as cultural diversity. While human-nature interactions occur more frequently in cities and urbanization negatively affects different facets of avian biodiversity, little is known about its consequence for cultural diversity. Here, we assess how the urbanization gradient in Campo Grande, a Brazilian city in the Cerrado biodiversity hotspot, affects functional and cultural diversity associated with birds and if functional and cultural diversity are congruent. We also investigate the relation between urbanization gradient with functional traits and cultural values, weighted by species abundance. We used a dataset based on bird surveyed in 61 landscapes along a gradient of impervious surface cover. To estimate functional and cultural diversity, we used indices that estimate richness and divergence of functional traits and cultural values. We found that urbanization affected functional and cultural richness negatively, while there was no effect on functional and cultural divergence. Functional and cultural richness and functional and cultural divergence were weakly, but significantly correlated. Bird species that nest on trees decreased and those that nest in artificial structures and on the ground increased along the impervious surface gradient. Body size, diet, habitat, mating system, flock behavior, and all cultural values (number of times the species was mentioned by football teams, music or poetry, city flags and anthems, and folklore tales) were not significantly affected by impervious surface. The negative relationship between impervious surface and bird cultural richness may indicate that people living in more urbanized areas experience nature less compared to people in less urbanized areas, which can affect their psychological well-being. In these highly urbanized areas, contact with culturally valued birds and cultural services provided by birds may also diminish. The negative relationship between functional richness and urbanization also indicate that highly urbanized areas may be losing important ecosystems services provided by birds

Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the National Science Foundation grant #1940692 for financial support for this workshop, and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and its staff for logistical support.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the National Science Foundation grant #1940692 for financial support for this workshop, and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and its staff for logistical support.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Anurofauna do noroeste paulista: lista de espécies e chave de identificação para adultos

A correta identificação de espécies normalmente é um obstáculo para estudos de conservação, manejo e licenciamento ambiental. Atualmente 37 espécies de cinco famílias de anfíbios anuros são registradas na área que abrange integralmente as Unidades de Gerenciamento dos Recursos Hídricos (UGRHIs) do Turvo-Grande e São José dos Dourados e parte das UGHRIs do Baixo Pardo, Baixo Tietê e Tietê-Batalha. Embora esta fauna venha sendo objeto de estudos quase ininterruptos desde a metade da década de 1960, nenhuma chave de identificação que incluísse todas as espécies reconhecidas na região estava disponível. Embora desenvolvida para uma anurofauna regional, esta chave tem ampla aplicação porque as espécies encontradas na área de abrangência do estudo são associadas à áreas abertas e apresentam ampla distribuição geográfica. Este estudo visa preencher esta lacuna e apresentar uma lista ilustrada e uma chave dicotômica artificial para as 37 espécies de anuros conhecidas para esta região.The correct identification of species is a common impediment for studies of conservation, management and environmental licensing. Currently, 37 species from five families of anuran amphibians are recorded in the region that includes the Turvo-Grande, São José dos Dourados and parts of the Low Pardo, Low Tietê and Tietê-Batalha Hydric Resources Management Unit (UGRHIs). Despite of being studied since de mid-1960's, none identification key that included all the species recognized was available. Although developed for a regional anuranfauna, this key has wide application because the species found in the studied region are associated to open areas and have wide geographical distribution. This study aims to fill this gap presenting an illustrated list about species' biology, and a dichotomous key that comprises 37 anuran species.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Estadual Paulista Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas Departamento de Zoologia e BotânicaUniversidade Estadual Paulista Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências exatas Departamento de Zoologia e BotânicaUniversidade Federal de Goiás (UFG) Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Departamento de EcologiaUniversidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar)Universidade Estadual Paulista Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas Departamento de Zoologia e BotânicaUniversidade Estadual Paulista Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências exatas Departamento de Zoologia e Botânic

Metacommunity phylogenteic structure along environmental gradients

Phylogenetic information has increasingly been included in studies of local communities and also at broad spatial scales. Despite recent criticisms in the last four years, phylogenetic relationships may still provide insights into the organization and assembly of ecological communities. The objectives of this study were 1) to review the history of the use of phylogenetic information, as well as criticisms and perspectives of its use in community ecology; 2) understand how the size and shape of phylogenetic trees and the phylogenetic structure of metacomunidaes affect the amount of variation accounted for by a eigenvectorbased method used to describe the phylogenetic composition of metacomunidaes (PCPS); 3) to test the effect of diversity of evolutionary history (MNTD and MPD) and species richness as predictors of three variables of freshwater ecosystem functioning (productivity, respiration, and decomposition); and finally 4) to test how environmental gradients, especially pond canopy cover, influence the phylogenetic structure of an anuran metacommunity from southeastern Brazil. I found that the structure of metacommunities had greater impact on eigenvalues of PCPS than tree shape metrics, such as symmetry and stemminess. In addition, decomposition and respiration were best predicted by MNTD as a linear function, while productivity was affected by the quadratic term of MNTD. Finally, pond canopy cover and floating vegetation strongly affected the phylogenetic structure of the anruan metacommunity, influencing lineage sorting. These findings 1) can help users interpret the results of PCPS; 2) provide better understand of the effect of species loss in multitrophic, freshwater ecosystems; and 3) improve our knowledge about the effect of canopy cover on the lineage composition in anuran metacomunities