An updated inventory of Brazilian seed plants is presented and offers important insights into the country's biodiversity. This work started in 2010, with the publication of the Plants and Fungi Catalogue, and has been updated since by more than 430 specialists working online. Brazil is home to 32,086 native Angiosperms and 23 native Gymnosperms, showing an increase of 3% in its species richness in relation to 2010. The Amazon Rainforest is the richest Brazilian biome for Gymnosperms, while the Atlantic Rainforest is the richest one for Angiosperms. There was a considerable increment in the number of species and endemism rates for biomes, except for the Amazon that showed a decrease of 2.5% of recorded endemics. However, well over half of Brazillian seed plant species (57.4%) is endemic to this territory. The proportion of life-forms varies among different biomes: trees are more expressive in the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforest biomes while herbs predominate in the Pampa, and lianas are more expressive in the Amazon, Atlantic Rainforest, and Pantanal. This compilation serves not only to quantify Brazilian biodiversity, but also to highlight areas where there information is lacking and to provide a framework for the challenge faced in conserving Brazil's unique and diverse flora.

In this paper we performed a study of occurrence and characterization of entomogen galls from natural vegetation areas in Mato Grosso do Sul. We surveyed natural areas of four biomes from Mato Grosso do Sul State: Pantanal (Corumbá), Atlantic Forest (Bodoquena), Cerrado (Aquidauana), and Chaco (Porto Murtinho). We identified 186 morphotypes of galls in 115 host plant species from 35 families and 73 genera. The richest families were Fabaceae (N=34), Sapindaceae (N=24), Bignoniaceae (N=17), and Myrtaceae (N=15). Fifty morphotypes of insects (27%) were found in galls of 38 host plants, 78% of which belongs to Diptera, 10% to Hymenoptera, and the other 12% are divided among Hemiptera, Thysanoptera, Coleoptera, and Lepidoptera. In this study, the geographic distribution of gall morphotypes associated to the cecidomyiids Youngomyia pouteriae Maia, 2004, and Trotteria quadridentata Maia, 2004 (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae), and the wasp Mononeuron duguetiae Fischer, 1981 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Doryctinae) are expanded to the localities sampled in MS. In addition, four genera and 24 species of plants were recorded for the first time as hosts to entomogen galls. All occurrences of Cecidomyiidae in Mato Grosso do Sul's localities are new records for this family

Although impacts generated by gaps can affect vegetation, few studies have addressed these impacts in the Atlantic Forest. Our aim was to investigate the effects of pathways of varying widths on vegetation structure and composition, considering dispersal syndromes, diversity, life forms, successional categories and threatened and exotic species occurrence in the Atlantic Forest. We studied three pathways with widths of 2, 10 and 20 m, intersecting a protected area in southeastern Brazil. To assess edge effects, plots were established adjacent to paths (edge) and 35 m from the edge (neighborhood), and in a control area without pathways. Wider pathways (10 and 20 m) exhibited reduced tree height and diameter, high liana density, exotic species, and a high proportion of pioneer and anemochorous species. In conclusion, our results indicate that the vegetation structure of narrow pathways (2 m) is similar to the control area, and that wide linear gaps cause negative effects on vegetation and extend to a distance of at least 35 m into the forest interior. Considering that linear gaps generate permanent effects to vegetation and may affect other organisms, we suggest that these effects must be considered for successful management of protected areas, including planning and impact mitigation.

Este estudo foi realizado em remanescente de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual (FES), localizado em Sorocaba (SP, Brasil), com o objetivo de verificar seu estágio sucessional e inferir sobre a composição futura. A hipótese deste artigo previa que esse remanescente apresentaria regeneração com baixa diversidade de espécies, predomínio de espécies pioneiras de dossel, ausência de espécies residentes no sub-bosque e predomínio de espécies anemocóricas e autocóricas. Foi utilizado o método de parcelas, considerando os indivíduos em três classes de tamanho, duas delas referentes ao sub-bosque e uma ao dossel (1 -100 cm e circunferência à altura do solo 15 cm). Foram amostradas 146 espécies, sendo os maiores valores de diversidade encontrados no dossel e nas espécies de sub-bosque da classe 2. A similaridade entre as três classes foi baixa. Das espécies com maior valor de importância, cinco são pioneiras e cinco são não pioneiras, e as espécies com maiores valores de regeneração natural são consideradas como não pioneiras e residentes. Contrariando a hipótese inicial, essas características, somadas ao predomínio de espécies zoocóricas nas três classes, indicam que o remanescente está em estágio intermediário de sucessão e possui condições microclimáticas para a entrada e permanência de espécies que necessitam de áreas mais sombreadas. Espécies como Aspidosperma olivaceum, Cordia trichotoma, Ocotea elegans e Guarea guidonia, consideradas não pioneiras e transitórias, foram amostradas somente nas classes 1 e 2, indicando a futura substituição de espécies e o avanço sucessional do remanescente.

Indicators are applied faster and at lower costs than conventional surveys, providing quick and efficient responses that can facilitate protected areas management. Our aim was to select indicators from vegetation to monitor protected areas. For this purpose, we analyzed understory and quantified lianas and tree ferns in protected and non-protected areas, in order to find indicator species. Our study areas are located in Vale do Ribeira, southeastern São Paulo state, Brazil. One of the areas is under two protection categories (IUCN's categories II and V), and the other is a privately owned farm. Lianas with large diameters (> 13 cm) and tree ferns with great heights (> 19 m) were considered indicators of undisturbed areas (protected areas) because their growth is directly related to forest successional stage. Indicator species within the protected area were shade tolerant species, such as Bathysa australis (A.St.-Hil.) K.Schum., whereas outside the protected area were pioneer species, such as Pera glabrata (Schott) Poepp. ex Baill. e Nectandra oppositifolia Ness. All of the suggested indicators can be used in management actions, especially in protected areas, to guarantee forest maintenance and ensure fulfillment of the conservation objectives of these areas.

The Atlantic rain forest is in a very fragmented condition due to the high deforestation in recent decades, thus even remnants of secondary vegetation may be considered important for maintaining the ecological and microclimatic functions on a regional scale. This represents the first plant composition study conducted in the area, located in Sorocaba (São Paulo, Brazil), a region relatively unknown in terms of vegetation. Our aims were to survey the vegetation, verify the vegetation formation in which the sampled species occur and identify endangered species. Periodic samples of woody plants were conducted between September 2007 and December 2009. We found 166 species, belonging to 47 families and 102 genera; ten of these species are under threat of extinction. Our data substantially increase our knowledge of the diversity of the regional flora and will play a crucial role in developing conservation policy.