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The environmental heterogeneity may reflect the different morphological and phenotypic traits of individuals belonging to a single species. We used 14 morphological traits of Mauritia flexuosa L.f. to understanding the relation between environment and phenotypic traits. Twenty-five fruits were collected from each of the 10 individuals sampled in each study site: Chapada dos Guimarães (CG), Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade (VB), and Alta Floresta (AF). We analyzed the genetic divergence, using the standardized Euclidean distance, the sequential method of Tocher, unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA), and the projection of the distances onto 2D plane, and calculated the relative importance of the traits evaluated. The analysis showed the partition of individuals into three main groups: Two groups comprising the majority of individuals. Fresh fruit weight, pulp rate, fresh pulp weight, and moisture rate were the traits that most helped explaining the difference between materials. The results shown in the current study evidenced the influence of these three different environments on the biometric traits of M. flexuosa. Such influence has led to the formation of Alta Floresta and Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade individuals in different groups, whereas the Chapada dos Guimarães individuals were able to permeate the two other groups, although they showed stronger tendency to group with individuals from Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade.

We update the geographic distribution of Sapajus cay in the south-central, southeast, and western portions of Mato Grosso state, Brazil, and extend the distribution of this species north to the Cabixi River at the border with the state of Rondônia. Data were obtained from field surveys. We observed individuals of S. cay in highly fragmented forests which have been impacted by the deforestation over the past 50 years. This is an alarming situation for the conservation of the region's fauna.

The importance of estimating the biological diversity and understanding how ecological specialization of species changes with spatially-organized habitats in undeniable. High beta diversity between neighboring places means an elevated number of species living within small distances, which usually are adapted to local conditions and highly vulnerable to anthropogenic actions as deforestation and burning. We investigated beta diversity of birds from the order Passeriformes in Southern Amazon, within landscapes with a large heterogeneous vegetation cover (habitats with flooded forest, dry forest, and marsh palm) through sound, observational, and photographic censuses. We marked 126 points in equidistant transects. A total of 148 species of birds were identified, distributed in 27 families. We found that 97% of the species foraged in flooded forest, 77% in dry forest and 19% in marsh palms, and only 18% foraged in the three habitats. An ordination analyses revealed which species showed the strongest preference to each habitat. The analysis for the Global beta diversity showed that this value is high (Whittaker: 7.7405), and the same pattern was obtained with the measure of pairwise dissimilarity. An influence of spatial distance was clearly observed in the cluster analysis and confirmed with a partial Mantel analysis; however, this was not observed at points that coincided with the transition and substitution of species. The influence of spatial distance in the dissimilarity index (beta diversity) was significant (r: 0.0608, p: 0.0049). The assemblage of species in small local populations with high beta diversity may be at risk if deforestation, selective logging, and poaching continue. In summary, this study provides important information on specific habitats with high beta diversity that may be at risk of destabilization of its populations due to continuing environmental changes imposed by humans. Keywords: Amazon birds; conservation; distance influence; high richness. Beta diversity of birds (Passeriformes, Linnaeus, 1758) in southern AmazonResumo Estimar a diversidade biológica e entender as mudanças acerca da especialização ecológica das espécies entre habitats em uma organização espacial é importante. A alta diversidade beta reflete numa pequena distância entre locais, mas que contêm alta incorporação de espécies, que geralmente possuem grande sensibilidade e não estão adaptadas ao estreitamento causado pelo desmatamento ou a presença de queimadas por ações antrópicas. Investigou-se a diversidade beta de pássaros (Passeriformes) na Amazônia Meridional em paisagens com coberturas vegetais mais heterogêneas: habitats de floresta alagada (iguapó), floresta de terra firme e buritis através de censo de audições, observações e fotografias. Marcaram-se pontos em equidistantes transectos. Em todo o estudo foram amostrados 126 pontos. Identificaram-se 148 espécies de pássaros da ordem Passeriformes, distribuídas em 27 famílias. A classificação sobre os habitats de forrageamento resultou em 97% das espécies qu...