Landscape features predict broad-scale seed rain patterns across fragments of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Luís Felipe Daibes, Haldre S. Rogers, Fulbert J. K. Gnonlonfoun, Talita Zupo, Rafael Barbizan Sühs, et al. Journal of Ecology, 2026 The seed rain, that is, the flux of seeds landing on a given location, is a fundamental ecological process driving community assembly and forest regeneration. Because seed rain studies usually focus on a particular site, the influence of landscape features—such as deforestation and fragmentation—on seed dispersal remains poorly understood at the broad scale. We investigated how patch size, forest cover, number of patches, precipitation and latitude influence seed rain parameters (proportion of zoochorous species, seed density, species richness and within‐site spatial turnover) spanning a latitudinal gradient from 7° S to 29° S in a highly fragmented global biodiversity hotspot: the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. This is the first study to synthesize seed rain patterns across such a large extent. We compiled a database from 1905 seed traps in 52 study patches. Over 1.3 million seeds were sampled and 1029 taxa were identified to at least the family level. Total precipitation and forest cover were the most important predictors for the proportion of zoochorous species. Seed density increased with the number of patches (fragmentation) for both zoochorous and non‐zoochorous species. Species richness and turnover were strongly predicted by forest cover; therefore, increasing with habitat amount, especially in sites with higher precipitation levels. Synthesis . Along with precipitation, forest cover emerges as a fundamental driver of alpha and beta diversity in the seed rain. This highlights the role of habitat amount at the landscape level over patch‐level features, like patch size, for seed dispersal. However, increased seed density can be related to higher dispersal rates in forest borders. Understanding these drivers of seed rain can help predict forest regeneration trajectories that shape the future configuration of fragmented landscapes.
Soil microbial communities limit nurse tree seedling performance across forest–grassland gradients Rafael Barbizan Sühs, Eduardo L. H. Giehl, Nivaldo Peroni Plant and Soil, 2026 Background and aims Seed germination and seedling growth are often limited by extreme abiotic conditions and negative biotic interactions, while facilitation can enhance early plant performance. These positive interactions may be mediated by soil microbial communities (SMC), adding a key component to vegetation dynamics. We evaluated SMC effects from a grassland-forest gradient on the performance of Araucaria angustifolia , a critically endangered tree that acts as a nurse species in forest expansion over grasslands. We expected beneficial effects from SMC associated with adult Araucaria and forest soils. Methods In a microcosm experiment, we tested germination and early growth of A. angustifolia in soils from grassland, shrubland, forest edge, and forest interior. For each soil type, microbial communities were manipulated using three treatments: (1) live soil with intact microbiota (unsterilized), (2) sterile soil with microbial communities removed (autoclaved), and (3) inoculated soil, where a microbial wash was reintroduced into sterile soil. Results Contrary to our expectations, SMC from all soil types had neutral effects on germination but negative effects on seedling performance. These net negative effects were consistent across the grassland-forest gradient. Seedling growth was lowest in forest interior soils, where adult Araucaria trees are abundant and highest in sterilized soils. Conclusion Overall, SMC reduced A. angustifolia seedling performance. While this may favour the persistence of grasslands, it also suggests that the slow pace of forest expansion over grasslands may be mediated by belowground biotic interactions. Our results highlight the importance of SMC in shaping vegetation dynamics and succession in subtropical highland ecosystems.
Invasiveness in Schefflera s.l.: do non-native species outperform phylogenetically related native species? Amanda Angélica Carmes, Rafael Barbizan Sühs, Pedro Fiaschi, Michele S. Dechoum Biota Neotropica, 2025 Can differences in biological attributes related to seed germination and seedling development between phylogenetically close native species and invasive non-native species help explain biological invasion potential in subtropical forests? Can the expression of these attributes vary according to different conditions of light when assessed experimentally? To answer these questions, we collected seeds of four phylogenetically close species, two of which are native (Didymopanax angustissimus Marchal and Didymopanax calvus (Cham.) Decne. & Planch.) and the other two are invasive non-native species (Heptapleurum actinophyllum (Endl.) Lowry & G.M. Plunkett, Heptapleurum arboricola Hayata) on coastal regions of southern Brazil. The seeds were set to germinate under different light conditions (100% and 50%) for a period of 180 days. We compared seed germination, seedling survival and growth between the native and invasive non-native species. H. actinophyllum showed higher proportions of germinated seeds, compared to the native D. calvus in T100. The native D. angustissimus showed higher Index of Velocity of Germination (IVG), compared to invasive non-native H. arboricola in the T50. The rate of survival of the invasive non-native species was higher at 50% of light. The higher germination proportion of the invasive non-native species help to explain their invasiveness regardless of light intensity. Our results suggest potential plasticity in H. arboricola for root/shoot biomass allocation under different light availability conditions. Both invasive non-native species are shade-tolerant, allowing them to germinate in the forest undergrowth. This trait may contribute to their establishment and invasion success in forests. Thus, both H. actinophyllum and H. arboricola should be considered a threat to closed canopy forests.
Factors explaining species richness of invasive plants in Neotropical forests Amanda Angélica Carmes, Rafael Barbizan Sühs, Gabriela Moraes da Silva, Pedro Fiaschi, Michele de Sá Dechoum Acta Botanica Brasilica, 2025 Tropical forests are biologically significant ecosystems, yet they face increasing pressure from human activities, which has led to the introduction of invasive plant species. Despite this, much of the existing literature on plant invasions in tropical forests focuses on Old World forests and grasses, leaving Neotropical forests relatively understudied. To address this gap, we aimed to investigate patterns of woody plant invasions in Neotropical forests with different levels of leaf deciduousness and identify the key factors that explain the richness of invasive woody plants. We conducted a systematic review of floristic surveys in Neotropical forests, gathering data on climate, environmental, and anthropogenic variables for each study site. Our analysis revealed that the richness of invasive plants increased with greater temperature seasonality, higher accessibility, and elevated per capita gross domestic product, while it decreased with increased canopy cover. Higher temperature seasonality and accessibility were strong positive predictors of invasive plant richness. Subtropical Neotropical forests are more susceptible to the establishment of invasive species due to the higher temperature seasonality. In addition, factors such as leaf deciduousness and increased human accessibility further contribute to the susceptibility of these forests to the arrival and establishment of invasive woody plants.
Entomofauna associated to the floration of schinus terebinthifolius raddi (anacardiaceae) in the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil Bioscience Journal, 2010
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Landscape features predict broad‐scale seed rain patterns across fragments of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest LF Daibes, HS Rogers, FJK Gnonlonfoun, T Zupo, RB Sühs, D Vinha, ... Journal of Ecology 114 (5), e70328 , 2026 2026
Ecological context matters: toward more ecologically realistic fire-ash impact assessments in grassy ecosystems RB Sühs, S Casali, F Joner, GD Blanco, N Peroni, ELH Giehl Environmental Pollution 390, 127514 , 2026 2026
Invasive non-native species pathways in Brazil: a priority-setting assessment SR Ziller, CA da Rosa, RB Sühs, PB Puechagut, BTP Marterer, CHT Silva, ... Biological Invasions 28 (1), 32 , 2026 2026
Soil microbial communities limit nurse tree seedling performance across forest–grassland gradients RB Sühs, ELH Giehl, N Peroni Plant and Soil 518 (2), 1343-1359 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Georeferenced database of invasive non-native species occurrences in Brazil RB Sühs, SR Ziller, CA da Rosa, PB Puechagut, BTP Marterer, ELH Giehl, ... Scientific Data 12 (1), 1619 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Factors explaining species richness of invasive plants in Neotropical forests AA Carmes, RB Sühs, GM Silva, P Fiaschi, MS Dechoum Acta Botanica Brasilica 39, e20240012 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Fire regime and local biotic and abiotic factors as drivers of diversity patterns in highland grasslands in southern Brazil S Casali, RB Sühs, F Joner, GL Pinto, S Neckel-Oliveira, ELH Giehl Plant Ecology 226 (5), 539-552 , 2025 2025 Citations: 5
Invasiveness in Schefflera s.l.: do non-native species outperform phylogenetically related native species? AA Carmes, RB Sühs, P Fiaschi, MS Dechoum Biota Neotropica 25 (1), e20241691 , 2025 2025
Plant-plant interactions in a subtropical coastal community RB Sühs, CES Dalotto, TT Castellani, FI Pugnaire, M de Sá Dechoum Plant Ecology 226 (1), 123-131 , 2025 2025
Unraveling fruit and seed morphology and seedling establishment of a narrow endemic tree species RB Sühs, S Casali, SK Novaes, J Silveira, ELH Giehl Biota Neotropica 24 (3), e20241619 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Invasive non-native species in Brazil: an updated overview RD Zenni, SR Ziller, CA da Rosa, RB Sühs, PB Puechagut, BTP Marterer, ... Biological Invasions 26 (8), 2397-2405 , 2024 2024 Citations: 23
Reading tea leaves worldwide: Decoupled drivers of initial litter decomposition mass‐loss rate and stabilization JM Sarneel, MM Hefting, T Sandén, J van den Hoogen, D Routh, ... Ecology Letters 27 (5) , 2024 2024 Citations: 34
Understanding willow invasion in subtropical highlands LO Becker, RB Sühs, MS Dechoum Biological Invasions 26 (3), 769-778 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Is the use of drones cost-effective and efficient in detecting invasive alien trees? A case study from a subtropical coastal ecosystem R Barbizan Sühs, SR Ziller, M Dechoum Biological Invasions 26 (2), 357-363 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
Efeito do distúrbio de fogo na população de Araucaria angustifolia no Parque Nacional de São Joaquim GL Pinto, N Peroni, RB Sühs 2024
Invasive Alien Species in the Campos Sulinos : Current Status and Future Trends A Guido, RB Sühs, B Marciniak, RS Bergamin, A Fidelis South Brazilian grasslands: ecology and conservation of the Campos Sulinos … , 2023 2023 Citations: 11
Mechanisms and processes shaping patterns of forest-grassland mosaics in southern Brazil SC Müller, RS Bergamin, LS Duarte, N Peroni, RB Sühs, MB Carlucci South Brazilian grasslands: ecology and conservation of the Campos Sulinos … , 2023 2023 Citations: 21
Effects of root hemiparasite Escobedia grandiflora (Orobanchaceae) on southern Brazilian grasslands: Diversity, composition, and functional groups E Cardona Medina, RB Sühs, D de Barcellos Falkenberg, F Joner, ... Journal of Vegetation Science 32 (6), e13088 , 2021 2021 Citations: 3
Estimating yield and control costs of Pinus spp. invasions – a case study in a municipal protected area in Atlantic Forest, Florianópolis, Brazil SR Ziller, MS Dechoum, AFB Neto, RB Sühs, AD Schmidt, G Ritzmann, ... Bioinvasiones 8 (1), 27-37 , 2021 2021
The influence of fire and cattle grazing on Araucaria population structure in forest-grasslands mosaics RB Sühs, FS Rosa, J Silveira, N Peroni, ELH Giehl Flora 281, 151853 , 2021 2021 Citations: 16
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Homeostatic and injury-induced microglia behavior in the aging brain JM Hefendehl J.K., Neher J.J., Sühs R.B., Kohsaka S., Skodras A. Aging Cell 13 (1), 60-69 , 2014 2014 Citations: 401
Preventing traditional management can cause grassland loss within 30 years in southern Brazil RB Sühs, ELH Giehl, N Peroni Scientific Reports 10 (1), 783 , 2020 2020 Citations: 84
Vespídeos (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) vetores de pólen de Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Anacardiaceae), Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brasil RB Sühs, A Somavilla, A Köhler, J Putzke Revista Brasileira de Biociências 7 (2) , 2009 2009 Citations: 72
Citizen engagement in the management of non-native invasive pines: Does it make a difference? M de Sá Dechoum, ELH Giehl, RB Sühs, TCL Silveira, SR Ziller Biological Invasions, 1-14 , 2018 2018 Citations: 60
Interaction of land management and araucaria trees in the maintenance of landscape diversity in the highlands of southern Brazil R Barbizan Sühs, EL Hettwer Giehl, N Peroni PloS one 13 (11), e0206805 , 2018 2018 Citations: 40
Reading tea leaves worldwide: Decoupled drivers of initial litter decomposition mass‐loss rate and stabilization JM Sarneel, MM Hefting, T Sandén, J van den Hoogen, D Routh, ... Ecology Letters 27 (5) , 2024 2024 Citations: 34
Facilitation influences patterns of perennial species abundance and richness in a subtropical dune system CES Dalotto, RB Sühs, MS Dechoum, FI Pugnaire, N Peroni, ... AoB Plants 10 (2), ply017 , 2018 2018 Citations: 29
Invisible contaminants and food security in former coal mining areas of Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil GD Blanco, RB Sühs, E Brizola, PF Corrêa, ML Campos, N Hanazaki Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine 16 (1), 44 , 2020 2020 Citations: 27
Invasive non-native species in Brazil: an updated overview RD Zenni, SR Ziller, CA da Rosa, RB Sühs, PB Puechagut, BTP Marterer, ... Biological Invasions 26 (8), 2397-2405 , 2024 2024 Citations: 23
Mechanisms and processes shaping patterns of forest-grassland mosaics in southern Brazil SC Müller, RS Bergamin, LS Duarte, N Peroni, RB Sühs, MB Carlucci South Brazilian grasslands: ecology and conservation of the Campos Sulinos … , 2023 2023 Citations: 21
Distribution of Invasive Alien Species in Brazilian Ecoregions and Protected Areas M de Sá Dechoum, RB Sühs, S de Melo Futada, SR Ziller Invasive Alien Species: Observations and Issues from Around the World 4, 24-42 , 2021 2021 Citations: 20
The influence of fire and cattle grazing on Araucaria population structure in forest-grasslands mosaics RB Sühs, FS Rosa, J Silveira, N Peroni, ELH Giehl Flora 281, 151853 , 2021 2021 Citations: 16
Species diversity, community structure and ecological traits of trees in an upper montane forest, southern Brazil RB Sühs, MP Hoeltgebaum, A Nuernberg-Silva, P Fiaschi, ... Acta Botanica Brasilica 33, 153-162 , 2019 2019 Citations: 16
Relações florístico-geográficas na estrutura de uma floresta na região central do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil RB Sühs, J Putzke, JC Budke Floresta, Curitiba 40 (3), 635-646 , 2010 2010 Citations: 14
Spatial distribution, association patterns and richness of tree species in a seasonal forest from the Serra Geral formation, southern Brazil RB Sühs, JC Budke Acta Botanica Brasilica 25, 605-617 , 2011 2011 Citations: 13
Entomofauna associated to the floration of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Anacardiaceae) in the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. A Somavilla, RB Sühs, A Koehler Bioscience Journal 26 (6), 956-965 , 2010 2010 Citations: 13
Invasion by a non-native willow (Salix× rubens) in Brazilian subtropical highlands RB Sühs, M de Sá Dechoum, SR Ziller Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation 18 (3), 203-209 , 2020 2020 Citations: 12
Invasive Alien Species in the Campos Sulinos : Current Status and Future Trends A Guido, RB Sühs, B Marciniak, RS Bergamin, A Fidelis South Brazilian grasslands: ecology and conservation of the Campos Sulinos … , 2023 2023 Citations: 11
Is the use of drones cost-effective and efficient in detecting invasive alien trees? A case study from a subtropical coastal ecosystem R Barbizan Sühs, SR Ziller, M Dechoum Biological Invasions 26 (2), 357-363 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
Fire regime and local biotic and abiotic factors as drivers of diversity patterns in highland grasslands in southern Brazil S Casali, RB Sühs, F Joner, GL Pinto, S Neckel-Oliveira, ELH Giehl Plant Ecology 226 (5), 539-552 , 2025 2025 Citations: 5
