title: Effects of Seasonality and Dispersal on the Ciliate Community Inhabiting Bromeliad Phytotelmata in Riparian Vegetation of a Large Tropical River.
abstract: This study evaluated the influence of rainfall amount on the abundance, species richness, and species occurrence and abundance distribution of the ciliate community associated with the bromeliad Aechmea distichantha. The plants were collected from a rock wall of about 10-km long at the left bank of Paraná River. We assessed the effects of both spatial and temporal variables on the community attributes, as well as whether plants geographically closer have a similar abundance distribution and species composition. The ciliate community was substantially distinct between both hydrological periods, with greater values of species richness and abundance in the rainy period. No spatial structuring (differences in the species occurrence and abundance distribution among strata) or geographical similarity (similarity in ciliate species composition among the plants) was found. Multiple regression analysis showed a positive relationship only between the ciliate abundances and water volumes for both periods. Although few of the formulated predictions were confirmed, our study provides valuable information on the ecological aspects of the ciliate community inhabiting bromeliad phytotelmata.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Universidade Estadual de Maringá., Av. Colombo, 5790, 87020-900, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo R B
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Buosi
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Universidade Estadual de Maringá., Av. Colombo, 5790, 87020-900, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adalgisa F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Biociencias, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga 6681, 90619-900, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Laura R P
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Utz
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Brasília, Campus de Planaltina, Área Universitária n. 1, Vila Nossa Senhora de Fátima, 73.340-710, Planaltina, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ludgero C G
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Universidade Estadual de Maringá., Av. Colombo, 5790, 87020-900, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz F M
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Velho
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D044822:Biodiversity; D058448:Biota; D001938:Brazil; D031229:Bromeliaceae / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017753:Ecosystem; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000469:parasitology*; D005838:Genotype; D010933:Plankton / Q000254:growth & development; D011891:Rain; D045483:Rivers / Q000469:parasitology*; D012621:Seasons; D014329:Tropical Climate
keywords: Abundance distribution; island biogeography; species occurrence; species richness; tank bromeliad