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A regional approach to the study of Brazil's beef industry is increasingly relevant as deforestation takes centre stage in policy debates worldwide. To what extent has beef production expanded toward regions hosting sensitive ecosystems such as the Amazon? Important data limitations remain to answer this question, especially regarding slaughterhouses, fundamental to the beef supply chain. This paper addresses the data gap on slaughterhouse location and history and provides novel regional analysis. We map the beef industry's evolution into Brazil's interior over the last six decades and quantify changes in market concentration between 2006 and 2016. To accomplish this, we triangulated across fiscal and animal sanitation data sources to produce the first longitudinal dataset with information on the opening and closing dates, locations, and production volumes of 2602 slaughterhouses. We show the linear movement of slaughterhouses and cattle herds to the Amazon by tracking their geographical centres of gravity. We also show the clustering pattern of slaughterhouses. Until the 1960s, all the geographical clusters were located south of the capital, Brasília. By the early 2000s, clusters north of Brasília were almost as extensive. Finally, we assessed the degree of market power that the largest beefprocessing companies possess. The results indicate that market concentration increased in regions of more recent settlement further away from the coast, and that it remained relatively stable in states near the coast (Minas Gerais, São Paulo). The results shed light on the relationship between displacement toward the Amazon and Cerrado regions and economic concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) has recently gained attention as a potential method for negative emissions at gigatonne scale, with near-coast OAE operations being economically favorable due to proximity to mineral and energy sources. In this paper we study critical questions which determine the scale and viability of OAE: Which coastal locations are able to sustain a large flux of alkalinity at minimal pH and ΩArag (aragonite saturation) changes? What is the interference distance between adjacent OAE projects? How much CO2 is absorbed per unit of alkalinity added? How quickly does the induced CO2 deficiency equilibrate with the atmosphere? Using the LLC270 (0.3deg) ECCO global circulation model we find that the steady-state OAE rate varies over 1–2 orders of magnitude between different coasts and exhibits complex patterns and non-local dependencies which vary from region to region. In general, OAE in areas of strong coastal currents allow the largest fluxes and depending on the direction of coastal currents, neighboring OAE sites can exhibit dependencies as far as 400 km or more. We found that within relatively conservative constraints set on ∆pH or ∆Omega, most regional stretches of coastline are able to accommodate on the order of tens to hundreds of megatonnes of negative emissions within 300 km of the coast. We conclude that near-coastal OAE has the potential to scale globally to several GtCO2/yr of drawdown with conservative pH constraints, if the effort is spread over the majority of available coastlines. Depending on the location, we find a diverse set of equilibration kinetics, determined by the interplay of gas exchange and surface residence time. Most locations reach an uptake-efficiency plateau of 0.6–0.8mol CO2 per mol of alkalinity after 3–4 years, after which there is little further CO2 uptake. The most ideal locations, reaching an uptake of around 0.8 include north Madagascar, San Francisco, Brazil, Peru and locations close to the southern ocean such as Tasmania, Kerguelen and Patagonia, where the gas exchange appears to occur faster than the surface residence time. Some locations (e.g. Hawaii) take significantly longer to equilibrate (up to 8–10 years), though can still eventually achieve high uptake. If the alkalinity released advects into regions of significant downwelling (e.g. around Iceland) up to half of the OAE potential can be lost to bottom waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prado, M.F.V.; Dalinghaus, C.; Gomes da Silva, P.; Weschenfelder, J., and Klein, A.H.F., 2022. Estimating the different return periods of storm impact regimes on beach and foredune systems based in hindcast data: Applications to exposed and sheltered beaches of Santa Catarina Island, Brazil. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(4), 844–859. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. This paper presents an adapted methodology to estimate the different return periods of storm-induced impacts on beaches and foredune systems based on hindcast data, with examples of applications in areas exposed to and sheltered from the wave action. The methodology consists of using wave, tide, and surge reanalysis data to obtain large series of total water level, which are used to estimate the values related to different return periods (5,10, 25, and 50 years). Those levels are summed to the corresponding projection of sea level rise from the worst-case scenario projections. The final values are used to classify the beaches according to the coastal storm impact regime as (1) swash, (2) collision, (3) overwash, and (4) inundation. Finally, the limit between each regime is established based on the relation among dynamical and geomorphological parameters. The methodology was applied to the east (exposed beaches) and north (sheltered beaches) coasts of Santa Catarina Island (Florianópolis, Southern Brazil), a zone constantly submitted to extreme storm events and where large series of measured data are commonly missing. The results for Santa Catarina Island indicate that the storm impact regime in most of the exposed beaches is similar for different return periods (most of them classified as collision regime). Overwash regime is predominant on sheltered beaches. Sectors with an intense urban occupation are classified as under inundation regime for all return periods, while zones with well-developed foredune are classified as the collision regime. Some of those results could be qualitatively verified with observations from recent storm events, highlighting the value of this kind of methodology to estimate the impact of coastal storms in zones with an important lack of measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mirinaba cadeadensis Lange de Morretes, 1952 is restricted to the Paraná state, and found at the municipalities of Morretes, São José dos Pinhais, Paranaguá, Matinhos, and Guaratuba, associated to the Serra do Mar mountains. In this paper, we report the first record of this species in an anthropogenic shell mound. Two shells of M. cadeadensis were located in the internal stratigraphic layers of the Boguaçu shell mound. This is also the first shell mound record for Mirinaba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ophioderma appressum is a common and abundant ophiuroid species in tropical reef communities. Nevertheless, few studies analyse and describe its biology. In this paper, we evaluate and describe the diet of this species collected at Seixas reefs, João Pessoa, Brazil. Monthly diurnal samples were obtained between September 2018 and July 2019. In total, 143 individuals were analysed. The recorded diet was variable and consisted of 24 taxa and two additional items. Most material represented unidentifiable and/or digested remains, foraminiferans, crustacean fragments, and sediment particles, indicating omnivory. The number of individuals with stomach contents varied along the year (from two to 13 specimens per month). There was also significant temporal variation in the composition of the stomach contents. The months September 2018, May 2019 and June 2019 had the highest variety of items during the study. Our results suggest generalist and opportunistic feeding behaviour and highlight the role of O. appressum as an active predator on prey of diverse taxa and body size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minidiscus Hasle is a genus of small sized diatoms comprising about eight nanoplanktonic marine species. Renewed interest in this genus has arisen since recent investigations recorded a fairly high contribution of some species to the phytoplankton biomass on a global scale. In Brazil, very few studies have been performed, and only two species of Minidiscus have been reported over the 8500 Km coastline. In this paper, we report five species found in Southeast and South Brazilian waters: Minidiscus alphacrucis sp. nov., M. chilensis, M comicus, M. trioculatus, and M. variabilis (also the variety inornata). One of the tiniest diatom ever described, the new species M. alphacrucis has poroidal areolae, which are organized in radial striae with two rows of poroids, conspicuously limited by the interstriae. Minidiscus alphacrucis is compared with other morphologically similar species. In addition, the world distribution of the extant Minidiscus species is reviewed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PREDICTIVE SCENARIOS OF SHORELINE POSITIONING OF MATINHOS – PARANÁ (BRAZIL): SUBSIDIES FOR COASTAL MANAGEMENT. The Brazilian government launched in 2018 a National Program for Shoreline Conservation – PROCOSTA, a permanent program directed at gathering reliable information regarding the current coastline situation, predictions and identifying possible shoreline hazards. These hazards can be defined as natural phenomena that can result in material and human damages, including coastal erosion processes. This paper seeks to identify the shoreline variations, observing selected sites with erosion and to predict scenarios following the time set intervals suggested by PROCOSTA in the city of Matinhos, on the South coast of the state of Paraná – Brazil. The results are presented with possible solutions to the coastal erosion problems with the investigated data which comprises an overall analysis of the Matinhos shoreline evolution, generated from spatial and temporal images acquired from a time interval between 1951 until 2016. The sites studied near anthropogenic interference, at the shoreline and next to the mouth of the Matinhos river present scenarios suggesting that the infrastructures built on the beachfront will be reached by the sea in the next 25 years. Beaches located north of Matinhos with preserved spits vegetation have presented a more stable scenario, where erosion does not tend to reach the buildings within a period of 100 years. This paper is aware of the limitations of the temporal mapping of shorelines and it is not a prediction, but intends to be a starting point for land use and sustainable future planning, providing a base for assertive actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the process of internationalising the legal mobilisation that sought reparations for the mining disaster that took place in 2015 in the city of Mariana, the Doce River basin and on Brazil's southeastern coastline. It seeks to understand the dynamics produced by activating different levels of justice and the effects of internationalisation on the functioning of justice institutions at national level. Two separate patterns of internationalisation are noted: a) via the traditional human rights defence networks; and b) a new one, promoted by an international office specialised in "alternative litigation financing" (ALF), which employs arguments from environmental law and transnational legislation. The characteristics of these two patterns are examined along with their effects on the dynamics of legal mobilisation and national institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obraczka, M.; Beyeler, M.; Magrini, A., and Legey, L.F., 2017. Analysis of coastal environmental management practices in subregions of California and Brazil. Globally, human and natural systems in urban coasts face multiple threats, most importantly from climate change. Increasingly, subnational state and local governments are being forced to include climate change impacts into coastal planning and management. Urban coastal managers are looking to more transparent and integrated coastal and environmental management regimes to better address the multiple stressors and uses, as well as to integrate public and stakeholder participation, and maximize a broad range of community economic and environmental and ecosystem benefits. This research presents a case study of coastal and environment management systems in two important coastal regions: an urbanized area of the central coast of California, United States; and the rapidly urbanizing and developing coastal lowlands of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Similarities and differences in coastal environmental governance, management, and outcomes were identified and analyzed. The contrasting federalist governance structures are compared, and the coastal management and environment assessment systems in the case study locations are analyzed. This research contributes to the body of knowledge on subnational coastal environmental management systems through the review of previous relevant studies; the examination of historical primary and secondary source official reports; and the collection, analysis, and discussion of important qualitative and quantitative interviews and survey data. The study concludes that transparency and accessibility to the decision-making process are essential to the success of coastal environmental management in both locations, with benefits arising from the presence of public participation and trust. The successful integration of broad stakeholders and public awareness in California provides an example that could possibly be replicable in Rio de Janeiro to increase stakeholder participation in the decision-making processes. The paper concludes with recommendations for further studies of governance and management alternatives, and for extending and strengthening state and local capabilities of coastal environmental processes within integrated coastal environmental management systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares continuous surfaces obtained by the interpolation of standard penetration test values (Nspt) by depth using deterministic and geostatistical models. The evaluation of the interpolation methods was based on the percent areas of the compactness classes by depth obtained in each method and on the percent errors calculated from the differences between the measured and interpolated Nspt. The Nspt values were obtained from 228 standard penetration tests (SPT) in situ investigations carried out in quaternary sandy marine sediments located along the Brazilian northeast coast. The boreholes are well distributed in an area of 10.9 km, covering six districts of João Pessoa City (Paraíba State, Brazil). The interpolations and analyses were conducted using geographic information system and spreadsheet software. The interpolations of Nspt values were made at depths of 1, 3, 6 and 15 m. The interpolated Nspt values obtained for each depth were classified into five soil compactness classes. The general boundaries of the compactness classes and their percent areas by depth were similar for both methods with some localized differences. Both methods presented high average percent errors and standard deviations, with a slight advantage to the geostatistical model (ordinary kriging). The minimum average percent error and standard deviation occurred at a depth of 3 m for both methods, with a slight advantage to the deterministic method (spline modified). Both methods also indicated a peculiar high soil resistance of the marine sediments at a depth of 6 m and significant areas of loose soils at a depth of 15 m in one of the districts analyzed. Both methods showed similar potential for practical applications for the initial phases of a project, not ruling out more specific SPT tests, but can optimize them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine mammal stranding events are used as an important tool for understanding cetacean biology worldwide. Nonetheless, there are vast gaps of knowledge to be filled in for a wide range of species. Reputable information is required regarding species from large baleen whales to sperm and beaked whales, as well as pelagic dolphins. This paper describes new cetacean records from north and north-eastern Brazil, which are both the least surveyed areas regarding aquatic mammals. Regular beach surveys were conducted to recover cetacean carcasses along the coast of Pará beginning November 2005. At the coasts of the Maranhão and Piauí states, the surveys were conducted between 2003 and 2013. From 2003 to 2014, 34 strandings of cetaceans were registered. The study provides four additional species records' in the area based on strandings (Balaenoptera borealis, Balaenoptera physalus, Peponocephala electra, and Pseudorca crassidens). A mass stranding of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis, N = 12), the most common species for the region, was reported for the first time. The records presented herein are of special concern, since they expand the knowledge on cetaceans from the Brazilian coast. In addition, this study conducted an analysis to verify the similarity between cetacean compositions described for north and north-eastern Brazil and the southern Caribbean region. The results showed a high similarity between these regions, proving the connection with the Caribbean cetacean fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei) is a small cetacean endemic to the South Atlantic distributed in coastal waters from Espírito Santo State in Brazil to Chubut Province in Argentina. Babitonga Bay, on the northern coast of Santa Catarina State, Brazil, is home to the only known franciscana population that resides throughout the year in an estuary. Photo-identification is a technique that serves to identify individuals in their natural environment through photographs of natural or artificial body marks. The objective of this paper was to assess the feasibility of identifying individuals from this population from marks present on the dorsal fin and the body. From February 2011 to August 2013, 172 boat surveys were carried out in Babitonga Bay. Groups of franciscanas were recorded on 576 occasions and on 542 of these (94.09%) were photographed. A total of 6,953 (11.89%) from a total of 58,471 photographs were considered of high enough quality to distinguish the features used to identify individuals. Throughout the sampling period, 23 franciscanas were identified. Most of the animals exhibited nicks on the trailing edge of the dorsal fin (82.6%), a mark of longterm duration. Scratches were recorded on only one animal on a single occasion. The rate of resightings ranged from 5.26% to 78.95%, with 39.13% of the individuals showing a rate higher than 50%. A total of 41.8% of the Babitonga Bay population was identified by the presence of marks on the dorsal fin. The study indicates that photo-identification can be applied to franciscanas, which may allow the realisation of various future studies. Because of this species threatened status, the use of this technique may become particularly important for monitoring franciscanas in Babitonga Bay and perhaps in other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses a model of coastal barrier progradation where the development of a prograded plain was a product of the successive formation of foredune ridges followed by their burial by transgressive sand sheets and dunefields. The results are based on direct lithological data from drill holes and geomorphological analyses, indirect geophysical data (GPR), and 14C and OSL dating. Barrier progradation started at 6.69 ka (OSL) or 7.2 ka (14C), under sea-level rise. At around 5.0 ka (OSL), or thereabouts, a forced regression condition started to operate, when sea-level started to fall after it reached a maximum of 2.34 ± 0.8 m. During barrier progradation sets of foredunes were formed, and at least some of them were buried by sands of transgressive dunefields (TDF), which later evolved to transgressive sand sheets (TSS). A total of 11+ phases of TSS and a modern phase of TDF were formed in a time span of 6.69 ka (OSL) or 7.2 ka (14C), corresponding to one phase formed at each 560 or 600 yrs. Two models of possible development of the surface of Curumim barrier are proposed. • Arare record of aforedune plain buried by transgressive sandsheets formation. • The cyclic formation of transgressive dunefieldsand transgressive sand sheets. • The foredune/beach contact as a proxy of sea-level position. • Distinct contributions of normal and forced regressionon barrier progradation. • Possibletransformation of a transgressive dunefield in a transgressive sand sheet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red snapper fishing (Lutjanus purpureus) is an important fishing activity for the Brazilian economy due to its export. The scarcity of up-to-date information on this system's ecology, economy, and social characteristics contributes to inefficient management. We analyze whether the commercial snapper fishery on the Amazon continental shelf is socioecologically sustainable. For this, an assessment tool was used that can be applied to fishing systems with little data, the Fisheries Performance Indicators (FPI). The results showed that the critical points of this activity are mainly related to the Ecological indicator (2.3) and the Economic indicator (2.8). The best indicator was the Community (3.8). The problems that put at risk the permanence of the activity and its maintenance are: (i) fishing for juveniles; (ii) illegal vessels; (iii) lack of collaboration of the fishing sector with science, and (iv) unreliability of data supplied. All the points mentioned make the snapper fishery on the north coast of Brazil socio-ecologically unsustainable in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazilian coastal archaeology is renowned for its numerous and large shellmounds (sambaquis), which had been continuously occupied from at least 8000 to 1000 years cal BP. However, changes in their structure and material culture in the late Holocene have led to different hypotheses concerning their ecological and cultural changes. The archaeological site Galheta IV (ca. 1300 to 500 years cal BP) offers new insights into the complexity of the late coastal occupation in southern Brazil. Our attempt was to determine whether Galheta IV can be classified as a sambaqui site, or if it belongs to a Southern proto-Jê settlement. Here, we reassessed Galheta's collections and applied a multi-proxy approach using: new 14C dates, zooarchaeology, δ13C and δ15N isotopes in bulk collagen and 87Sr/86Srenamel isotopic ratios from eight human individuals, ceramics analysis, and FTIR. The results indicate an intense exploitation of marine resources, with an area designated for processing animals located at the opposite side of the funerary areas. Bone tools and specific species of animals were found as burial accompaniments. No evidence of human cremations was detected. 87Sr/86Sr results indicate that the eight human individuals always lived on the coast, and did not come from the inland. The pottery analysis confirms the association with Itararé-Taquara, but contrary to what was assumed by previous studies, the pottery seems related to other coastal sites, and not to the highlands. In light of these findings, we propose that Galheta IV can be considered a funerary mound resulting from long and continuous interactions between shellmound and Southern proto-Jê populations. This study not only enhances our understanding of the late coastal occupation dynamics in southern Brazil but also underscores its importance in reshaping current interpretations of shellmound cultural changes over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gorayeb, A.; Mendes, J.S.; Meireles, A.J.A.; Silva, E.V.; Brannstrom, C., and Freitas, A.L.R. 2016. Wind-energy development causes social impacts in coastal Ceará state, Brazil: The case of the Xavier community. In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp. 383-387. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. A significant increase in wind-power generation has occurred since 2008 in coastal regions of northeastern Brazil. Many wind farms have been erected on territories claimed by traditional communities, which have suffered changes in how they obtain resources as a consequence. Here we study the Xavier community, a settlement of 20 families and 66 people, located in the Camocim municipality of Ceará state. Xavier residents subsist on extractive activities such artisanal (non-mechanized) fishing, shellfish collection, and crop cultivation. But in 2009 one of Ceará's largest wind farms was established approximately 200 meters from the settlement. Although some may see these projects as low impact, wind farms in Ceará are being implemented in areas that are environmentally unstable, located within territories claimed by traditional communities, negatively affecting their livelihoods. This paper analyzes the social impacts caused by the establishment of the wind farm through participant observation, group workshops, and analysis of textual materials. Several problems are described, including the absence of basic infrastructure and employment; road blockages; privatization of common resources; noise from turbines; constant fear of accidents involving turbines; internal conflicts among Xavier residents caused after the implementation of the wind farm; and burial of lakes. Wind-farm construction negatively influenced this traditional community by threatening territory, cultural traditions, and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silva, A.C.; Bezerra, C.S.; Barcellos, R.L.; Araújo, M.; Bouchonneau, N. and Manso, V., 2016. Seasonal and intraseasonal variability of wave climate in the NE Brazilian coast by using Nautical Radar System. In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp. 927-931. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. This paper presents a study about wave climate acting on the Northeast coast of Brazil (Recife, Pernambuco) from the use of X-band nautical radar, which runs through the emission of electromagnetic waves and receives the signal by backscattering the sea surface. The main objective of this work is to obtain information about the wave acting on this coast, by analyzing significant height, period and direction of the incident waves, which will be helpful to generate a solid database for future coastal measures, engineering works of contention for coastal and marine protection. Data were obtained from polar images of X-band nautical radar, from April 2010 to April 2011. By analysing the results, it was possible to observe the joint occurrence of waves wind sea and swell in the region of study. Wind sea waves occur predominantly at 90° - 135°, with higher values at the end of September (3.9 m). Swell waves were more frequent during June, October and December 2010, and February and March 2011. Moreover, we observed a change in direction of the waves and decrease in wave heights along the inner shelf of the coast, caused by variation in bathymetry and the presence of sandstone reefs. The results of this study demonstrated great efficiency in acquiring the physical parameters of waves through the X-band nautical radar system, proving to be an efficient tool for measuring physical parameters of waves in coastal regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scarelli, F.M.; Cantelli, L.; Barboza, E.G.; Rosa, M.L.C.C.; and Gabbianelli, G., 2016. Natural and Anthropogenic coastal system comparison using DSM from a low cost UAV survey (Capão Novo, RS/Brazil). In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp. 1232 - 1236, ISSN 0749-0208. In many cases, unplanned urbanization is the main factor that causes a decrease in coastal resilience. This paper compares the differences between the anthropogenic and natural coastal zone, based on the morphological dune reconstruction, using a low cost UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) survey and the photogrammetric reconstruction method. The study area is in the Northern Littoral of Rio Grande do Sul State, where the dunes have few man-changes and are adjacent to an anthropogenic zone with a highly modified beach/dune system. By photogrammetric reconstruction it was possible to obtain a high-resolution DSM (Digital Surface Model) and a high-resolution othophoto to analyse differences in morphology. Data acquired by UAV's are important to coastal managers and decision makers as they can collect high-resolution data and be used for Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Moreover this work propose a low cost method for obtaining a high-resolution data for researchers and local authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we use a standardized template for Pleistocene sea-level data to review last interglacial (MIS 5) sealevel indicators along the coasts of the Western Atlantic and Southwestern Caribbean, on a transect spanning from Brazil to Honduras, and including the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. Our review produced 55 standardized datapoints, each assigned to one or more geochronological constraints. Sea-level index points are well preserved along the Brazilian coasts, providing an almost continuous north-to-south transect. Despite this and the variety of relative sea-level indicators (i.e. beach deposits, coral reef terraces, marine terraces, Ophiomorpha burrows, and tidal notches) our data compilation highlights several concerns related to age control and the accuracy of elevation measurements. We identify that the coasts of Northern Brazil, French Guyana, Suriname, Guyana, and Venezuela would benefit from a renewed study of Pleistocene sea-level indicators, as it was not possible to identify sea-level index for the last interglacial coastal outcrops along the coasts of these countries. Future research must also be directed at improving the chronological control at several locations, and several sites would benefit from re-measurement of sea-level index points using more accurate elevation measurement techniques. Our database contribution represents a starting point to detail the last interglacial sea-level history in this area. The database is available at the following link: https://zenodo.org/record/4727850 (Version 1.01; Rubio-Sandoval et al., 2021). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the sea surface height dataset from the TOPEX, Jason-1, and Jason-2 satellites of a 19-yr time series in order to extract the tide harmonic constituents for the region limited by latitude 5°N-35°S and longitude 55°-20°W. The harmonic analysis results implemented here were compared with the tidal constituents estimated by three classical tidal models [i.e., TOPEX/Poseidon Global Inverse Solution 7.2 (TPXO7.2), Global Ocean Tide 4.7 (GOT4.7), and Finite Element Solution 2102 (FES2102)] and also with those extracted from in situ measurements. The Courtier criterion was used to define the tide regimes and regionally they are classified as semidiurnal between the latitude range from approximately 5°N to 22°S, semidiurnal with diurnal inequality from 22° to about 29°S, and mixed southward of latitude 22°S. The comparison results among all tide approaches were done by analyzing the root-sum-square misfit (RSSmisfit) value. Generally, the RSSmisfit difference values are not higher than 12 cm among them in deep-water regions. On the other hand, in shallow water, all models have presented quite similar performance, and the RSSmisfit values have presented higher variance than the previous region, as expected. The major discrepancy results were particularly noted for two tide gauges located in the latitude range from 5°N to 2°S. The latter was investigated and conclusions have mainly pointed to the influence of the mouth of the Amazon River and the considerable distance between tide measurements and the satellite reference point, which make it quite hard to compare those results. In summary, the results have showed that all models presently generate quite reliable results for deep water; however, further study should done in order to improve them in shallow-water regions too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This photo essay portrays the circuit of preparation and offering of the Barquinhos de Iemanjá: small blue boats, approximately 40 centimeters long, made of cardboard, bearing props, flowers and food, which are the gifts destined for the orisha Iemanjá by the Centro Africano Ogum e Iansã in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The first records of this circuit were made during the preparation of those gifts in the terreiro, located in the city of Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, and continued during the excursion route of the community to Santa Terezinha beach, in Imbé, North Coast of Rio Grande do Sul, where gifts in honor of Iemanjá have been offered annually. The photos show the ritualistic stages, endowed with complexities, powers and magnitudes, with different elements, hands that make and compound boats, scenes and manifestations of Afro-Brazilian religiosity in southern Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to characterize the pattern and behavior of incident highest energy waves that reach the coast of Espírito Santo (ES), Brazil. Buoy data and shallow water wave simulations were used to identify this pattern. It was found that the waves of greater energy occur due to the approach of cyclonic systems that generate stormy conditions from the southwest. However, the coastline is almost entirely protected from these waves. The slight inflection of the swell waves to the south or southeast exposes different segments of the coast in the face of storms. In addition, the stable conditions associated with the action of the South Atlantic Subtropical Anticyclone generate the greatest energy for the coastline when the winds reach near gale (Beaufort 7). Finally, it is concluded that the greatest swell captured by reanalysis models or oceanic buoys occur from the southeast to the southwest quadrant (bad weather). However, the analysis of waves in the near shore zone reveals that the high wind conditions of “good weather” are the ones that direct the highest wave energy to the beach stations. Coastal defense projects should consider specific beach site wave information in order to succeed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are several initiatives towards the science-policy interface and the co-production of knowledge, but there is still few methodological and empirically grounded guidance helping scientists to design and implement research that actively facilitate transformative changes in ocean conflicts. In this paper, we explore the potential of the participatory scenario planning tool in the transformation of a conflict case on small-scale fishing in Brazil. We highlight the lessons learned, potential, and challenges of the scenario planning approach for conflict transformation. Despite being an approach widely applied to coastal and marine environmental and management issues, the scenarios methodology has not been explicitly applied in conflict situations, with the parties in dispute, as we did. Our methodological approach consisted of a previous research stage, based on documental analysis, direct observation of meetings and semi-structured interviews, followed by a participatory scenario planning workshop. Our results show that the participatory scenario planning was able to find the common desires as well as the uncertainties that generated doubts, mistrust, and in many moments disagreements among different groups of stakeholders that were in conflict. Previous research and the employment of multiple methods to build the history of the conflict contributed to legitimate researchers' positionality, to know the parties involved and the power dynamics. We raised some questions to advance the understanding of how the participatory scenarios planning contribute to transforming ocean conflicts in a more critical and politicized view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a few comments on the paper "Relative sea-level curve during the Holocene in Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil: A review of the indicators - RSL, altimetric and geochronological data". Surprisingly the authors omitted in this review a former discussion on the interpretation of paleo-sea level indicator and paleo-sea level reconstructions on the Rio de Janeiro coast that questions their results. Therefore, at this present work we resume the previous discussion. We conclude that although at the commented paper the altitudes of the paleo-sea level indicators were determined precisely, they did not consider the vertical distance between a given a paleo-sea level indicator and its current homologous one, and thus do not indicate paleo-sea levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal zones have great environmental and economic importance, since anthropogenic activities are very intense, and consequently, their water quality can be affected. Spatial and temporal variations in physicochemical parameters [temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO) and turbidity] in the surface water from the São Lourenço Watershed, a coastal zone in southern Brazil, were investigated. The influence of Patos Lagoon on the watershed in dry periods was confirmed by the increase in salinity and EC of up to 6.43 and 10,810.00 µS cm−1, respectively. In addition, the DO content with low values at the mouth in some samplings, below the Brazilian legislation, calls attention for the water quality. The principal component analysis showed considerable differences in the lower course by comparison with the upper course and the middle course due to climatic and anthropogenic factors. Results from the monitoring enabled to understand fluvial dynamics involving the system of a watershed that contributes to disposal in coastal lagoons through seasonal and climatic factors. Besides, from a managerial point of view, the obtained results support effective decision-making for the preservation of coastal ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the potential for economic activities related to the ocean economy in Brazil to become blue economy (BE) activities, in which the concept of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is central. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the aim, the authors collected information on the SDGs and estimated data from the ocean economy sectors for the 256 Brazilian coastal cities. The authors predicted the indices for potential development of territories and sectors in the BE using two parameters: employed persons (EP) and sectoral added value (AV). Findings: The results show that the capitals of coastal states present the highest potential indices for the BE, especially Rio de Janeiro, which accounted for 83.3% of sectoral added value in the Brazilian ocean economy with potential for sustainable development and generated 107,800 active formal jobs (26.9% of the country's total). In addition, restaurants, hotels and similar establishments are, on the Brazilian coast, the most frequent on the coastal zone and have the highest potential for BE activities. Originality/value: Regarding its contributions, this research innovates by developing an indicator that can help stakeholders understand the similarities and differences between cities and regions, whether through a social, economic, or environmental lens. Therefore, by following this methodological path for measuring the BE, viewing the distinct patterns of sustainable development by area is possible, thereby supporting action plans for the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda and the implementation of a marine spatial planning process for the country in the context of the Ocean Decade (2021–2030). Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-02-2023-0112 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we used seismic stratigraphy for the study of deposition and sea-level evolution on the São Sebastião Channel (SSC), southern Brazilian coast. About 60 km of high-resolution single-channel seismic lines were acquired to establish a 5th order seismic stratigraphy model for the area. After graphical processing for noise attenuation and enhancing of deep-reflections, we could interpret six seismic horizons and the acoustic basement which together defined six seismic units. Studying those units in a late Quaternary relative sea-level oscillations context, we propose a 4-phase deposition evolution model that took place since the Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS) 5e in the SSC area. The first phase comprises the deposition of seismic units U1 and U2 prior to MIS 4 with the deposition of one lowstand systems tract (LST) and one highstand systems tract (HST). Before the second phase, the sea-level dropped eroding the top layers of the previous units. During the second phase, after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), another LST (unit U3) was formed in one of the three stabilization periods of Upper Pleistocene/early Holocene sea-level rise on the Brazilian coast. Following an increase in sea-level rise velocity, we interpreted a transgressive system tract (unit U4) and another HST (unit U5) developed until the maximum sea-level of the Mid-Holocene, at 6 ky B.P during the third phase of our model. During the fourth phase, sea-level fall evolved to the present level, giving conditions to the deposition of the last HST (unit U6) interpreted in the region. • São Sebastião Channel recorded Pleistocene and Holocene sea-level oscillations. • Lowstand and highstand tracts can be interpreted with 5th order seismic stratigraphy. • Sea-level positions in Southern Brazil can be estimated through seismic stratigraphy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A user-friendly system designed to understand local littoral processes and design/evaluate coastal interventions, named the Coastal Modeling System (SMC ε) is presented. The system, which comprises a set of numerical models, state-of-the-art methodologies and numerical databases, is prepared to provide a method for coastal practitioners, researchers and decision-makers to address coastal issues, such as erosion and flooding or to evaluate coastal defense structures. The system incorporates a method to transfer numerically generated, calibrated and validated wave series to the surf zone; to estimate the sediment littoral drift by means of up-to-date formulations; and to estimate the flooding level and impacts such as those produced by climate change. In this paper, these skills are detailed. The system, which is adaptable to any coastal region, was implemented for the Brazilian coast (SMC-Brasil). The implementation includes databases and methodological adaptations to local characteristics, a dissemination plan and the development of several study cases. Highlights • SMCε is modeling software to deal with all stages of Coastal Engineering Projects. • Database includes 60-year time series of waves, storm surge and astronomical tide. • Methodology/models to study dynamics/impacts at all scales including climate change. • Erosion/flooding assessment due to interventions/natural causes even climate change. • SMCε is free and adaptable to any country. Adaption to Brazilian coast is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Neotropical Biology & Conservation is the property of Pensoft Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• This paper mapped 29 coastal cities of a state in Southern Brazil to verify the impact of human interventions. • The strongest impacts are the change in beach topography, reduction of the beach width and useable areas for settlement. • The identified impacts are constant in the regions that have shown development of coastal structures in the last decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Biológica Colombiana is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Biologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Equilibrium beach formulations are useful tools for diagnosing and managing coastal engineering problems, providing solutions for beach erosion problems. Headland Bay Beaches (HBBs) can be used as equilibrium coastal systems for stabilizing coastlines and mitigating erosion problems. These embayed beaches may exist in a state of static or dynamic equilibrium. Throughout the literature, several equations can be found for obtaining the Static Equilibrium Planform (SEP) of Headland Bay Beaches (HBBs) with almost negligible net littoral drift rates. However, the formulations used to define the Dynamic Equilibrium Planform (DEP) of embayed beaches with specific net sediment transport rates are scarce, and based on a limited number of studies. This paper proposes a new derived formula for obtaining the planform shape of HBBs in dynamic equilibrium conditions. The formula represents a general form of the Parabolic Bay Shape Equation (PBSE) with modified coefficients as a function of both the wave obliquity ( β ) and the net littoral drift rate passing through the bay ( Q ). The angular difference ( γ d ) between the direction of the mean wave energy flux at the diffraction point of the headland and the beach orientation down-coast is also incorporated in the proposed formula. The model was verified against natural HBBs in dynamic equilibrium with different net littoral drift rates along the Brazilian coast, producing good results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mangrove crab Ucides cordatus is considered a key species for the ecological balance of mangrove forests and a major source of employment and income for traditional crab collectors in Brazil. Several studies evidenced weak genetic variation among populations due to an efficient larval transport. However, gene flow patterns of the species is poorly understood, with no information about migration rates. The influence of the two main Brazilian currents in larval dispersion is also not clear. In order to provide baseline information for conservation, planning and management of this important fishery resource, the present study aimed to estimate and evaluate spatial distribution of genetic diversity, migration rates and gene flow directivity among populations of U. cordatus in Brazil. Methods: Nine microsatellites were used to resolve population structure of 319 crabs collected from six sites located along the Brazilian coast. The degree of geographical differentiation included estimates of genetic diversity, population structure and gene flow models, with spatial analysis of shared alleles (SASHA), isolation by distance tests, AMOVA, discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) and Bayesian clustering. We estimated the amount of ongoing gene flow between clusters using the coalescent-based method implemented in Migrate-N. Results: Loci were highly polymorphic (average of 12.4 alleles per locus) evidencing high genetic variability. There was significant differentiation among localities, despite of the low value of FST (= 0.019; P < 0.001). FST and Jost's D indexes were also estimated in pairwise comparisons and showed significant differences between most of the surveyed site pairs (P < 0.05). Structure evidenced a single genetic group among samples, however SASHA pointed to a non-panmictic condition (P = 0.011). AMOVA detected four statistical significant clusters with low level of differentiation (FCT = 0.037; P = 0.023). The gene flow model that best described the population connectivity was the island model, with ~24 crabs being exchanged among localities per generation. Discussion: The high migration rates found among localities seem to be the main force acting to sustain the distribution of the genetic diversity of U. cordatus. Despite the high gene flow and the weak population structure among samples, the significant genetic differences found suggest that gene flow alone does not bypass the effects of genetic drift, natural selection and/or human exploitation. These findings are vital for the establishment of a database to be used in the development of conservation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the influence of height from the ground on the vertical distribution of marine aerosol salinity for altitudes under the major influence of surf produced aerosol. Results show that the rate of chloride deposition on wet candle decreases drastically when the altitude increases and this relationship can be represented by an exponential decay function, which is influenced by wind regime. A new model is proposed to represent this phenomenon, which is based on the simultaneous influence of the height from the ground and of the wind speeds higher than 3.0 m/s weighted by their residence times. The impact of the salinity decrease with altitude on chloride accumulation into concrete is significant and this should be considered when analysing the performance of vertical concrete structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of cone shells, Dauciconus rosapex n. sp. and Poremskiconus poremskigrandis n.sp., are described from the southern coast of Espirito Santo State, Brazil. This area, encompassing the southernmost section of the Bahian Sub province, Brazilian Molluscan Province, has recently been found to contain a large number of endemic cones shells and represents a possible new infraprovince within the Bahian Subprovince. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As human-induced environmental changes reduce niche opportunities from global to local scales, permanent shifts in species traits alter ecosystem processes. Disentangling multiscale mechanisms driving temporal changes in coastal fish biodiversity is thus critical to conservation aims. From seasonal to multiyear periods, we investigated how local environmental variation and landscape features shape temporal beta diversity (abundance-based and trait-based dissimilarities, and their components of replacement and nestedness) per zones in bays and coastal lagoons, Southeastern Brazil. At larger temporal dimensions, unaccounted processes in individual systems influenced primarily taxonomic dissimilarity, whereas functional responses to variation in marine influence varied between types of system and zones. From 2 years to seasons, taxonomic and functional dissimilarities decreased with abundance-based species replacement, and both trait-based components, respectively. Replacement processes were primarily related to marine influence (transparency, salinity, pH, and tidal phase) at larger temporal dimensions, and habitat availability (mangroves and nearby estuaries) and complexity (forest cover and landscape urbanization) in seasons. Seasonal variations in tidal phase (lower) and pH (higher), respectively, promoted taxonomic (abundance gradients) and functional (fish trait loss) nestedness under shorter environmental gradients. Spatial and temporal balances between marine influence, habitat quality, and seascape connectivity drive temporal dissimilarities in coastal fish assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization directly affects the structure of vegetation, which makes essential studies focused on understanding and conserving the biodiversity along urban environments. This study aimed to describe the structure of the vegetation and identify the predominant herbaceous species in non-urbanized and urbanized sand dune areas, analyzing their diversity and richness in Maranhão Island. The study was conducted in six dunes area, in which were allocated where 150 plots were allocated in three urbanized area, and 150 plots in three non-urbanized area. We counted all the herbs in each plot (1 m2), recording data on richness, diversity and vegetation cover. To evaluate the difference in the composition of the areas, the following tests were used: Shapiro-Wilk W test (data distribution), Student t test (species richness) and Hutcheson t test (diversity comparison). We recorded 3,643 individuals: of this total, 2,075 individuals in urbanized dunes and 1,568 individuals in non-urbanized dunes; we found 91 species, 59 genera and 27 families. Richness was higher in urbanized areas; however, non-urbanized areas showed greater diversity and uniformity. The floristic composition of the areas differed, according to the species indicator, showing 19 typical urbanized dune species and 9 non-urbanized dune species. NMDS showed that the urbanized and non-urbanized dunes presented distinct species compositions and densities; the ANOSIM revealed a significant correlation between the type of dune and the degree of taxonomic similarity between plots. The diversity of the herbaceous vegetation provides important data that can be used to guide research on conservation and management of dune areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diniz, M.T.M.; Silva, D.S.; Santos, J.R.; Souza, R.M., and Silva, J.P., 2020. Variation of the coastline between the years of 1984 and 2017 in the State of Sergipe, Northeast Region, Brazil. In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 458–462. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The variation of the coastline has become one of the most significant issues for urbanized coastlines in the world, being considered a problem for society, due to the occurrence of erosion in beaches occupied by men. In Brazil, there is a predominant tendency for beach erosion. However, on the coast of the State of Sergipe, Northeast Region in Brazil, dynamic stability predominates in most beaches. The coast in Sergipe has sandy beaches, exposed to the ocean and they are interrupted by the river mouths. The objective of this paper was mapping and presenting the dynamic evolution of the Sergipe coastline between 1984 and 2017, in order to identify areas of erosion, accretion and dynamic stability. The delimitation of the coastline was performed in November 2017 using the Trimble R6 geodetic GPS, the PPK (post-processed kinematic) positioning techniques were applied. The current coastline was compared to another, drawn from 1984 Landsat satellite images, with a spatial resolution of 30 m, sectors where erosion or accretion occurred were delimited. Areas with 30 meters of variation or less were considered dynamically stable, their variation may be related to the resolution of the image from 1984. The mapped coastline has 152, 3 km of linear extension, from which 6, 8 km are river mouths. From the remaining 145, 5 km, 52, 2 km or 34% are subject to erosion, 79, 4 km or 52% are in dynamic stability and 13, 8 km or 9% are in a progradation system. Part of the erosion area is occupied by villages. These findings will help governors and concerned parties to develop strategies for adaptation against losing stretches of land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southern coast of Brazil has been settled in different episodes between ca. 7.5 and 0.5 ka before the present by hunter-fisher-gatherers, shell mound builders of the pre-colonial Sambaqui cultural tradition. The factors that influenced human migrations in these episodes are diverse. They include cultural changes due to the coming of other groups, chronic food shortages, sea level changes, and lagoon silting. This paper combines geological, geomorphological, meteorological, and archaeological data to show how interactions between environmental dynamics and human settlement played a central role in modeling coastal sedimentary and rocky landscapes on the southern coast of Brazil during the middle Pleistocene to late Holocene. On Costão do Ilhote, a north-south oriented granitic promontory in Laguna County, Santa Catarina State, erosional features such as facets, keels, grooves, flutes, pits, and polished surfaces that developed on granitic boulders and pavements were recognized as ventifacts. In the same context, hundreds of fixed sharpeners/polishers from the production of polished objects by the sambaqui culture have been found crosscutting the ventifacts. Based on crosscut relationships between pre-colonial aged fixed sharpeners/polishers and ventifacts, relative sea-level changes during the Holocene, the age of distinct generation of sand dunes, and the age of shellmounds (sambaquis), four potential intervals of ventifaction are proposed: last 650 ka, last 350 ka, between ca. 115 and 5 ka BP, and between ca. 2.0 and ∼0.5 ka BP, with separated estimated abrasion rates of approximately 3.5 × 10−5 mm/yr, 7.0 × 10−5 mm/yr, 1.7 × 10−4 mm/yr, and 1.3 × 10−2 mm/yr, respectively. The ca. ∼1.5 ka of the last ventifaction interval was synchronous with a period of sambaqui culture retreat in the southern coastal plain of Santa Catarina, and also coincided with a period of abundant sand availability. This period is characterized by a drastic decline in sambaquis construction along the sand barrier and paleolagoon and a migration towards lagoonal and coastal rocky promontories, including Costão do llhote. Based on these pieces of evidence, we propose to add new components to the close interactions between environmental evolution and prehistoric human occupation on the southern coast of Santa Catarina during the Holocene: the strong winds combined with sand availability. • Origin, evolution, and preservation of ventifacts on granitic rocky promontories of Brazil southern coast. • Directional data of ventifacts as Quaternary paleowind indicators. • Age relationships between ventifacts and archaeological sharpeners/polishers. • Interactions between environmental dynamics and human settlement in southern Brazil. • Integrated approach to assessing regional landscape evolution during the late Quaternary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal zones support the most productive marine ecosystems, yet they are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic stressors such as dredging. In this study, we investigated how seasonal variation and dredging activities conducted during the construction of a harbor and submarine base (Sepetiba Bay, RJ, Brazil) affected the phytoplankton and zooplankton assemblages. The observed temporal variability at five different sites over 10 years revealed that dredging exceeds the expected influence of dry and rainy seasons on plankton abundance and diversity. In general, the abundance of both groups increased during dredging due to the resuspension of nutrients and benthic organisms. This increase was particularly evident in the dinoflagellate Scrippsiellaa cuminata, the diatoms Thalassiosira rotula and Nitzschia longissima, and the herbivorous zooplankton Acartia clausii and Pseudevadne tergestina. Moreover, season and dredging activities synergistically influenced plankton assemblages, resulting in larger seasonal variations during dredging activities. After the end of the harbor construction, plankton abundance decreased and remained low until the end of the monitoring, which may indicate persistent changes in the biodiversity and ecosystem functioning of impacted areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anuario do Instituto de Geociencias is the property of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Geociencias and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Souza and Perez Filho (2019) inferred two transgressive events in the Late Holocene record of lower Ribeira de Iguape River and Ilha Comprida barrier, Southeastern Brazil, based on luminescence ages and paleoenvironmental interpretation of four columnar sections. In the present paper, we discuss inconsistencies on the methods applied and sample design adopted by those authors, which lead to an incorrect model of coastline evolution for the region over the time period covered by the dates obtained. The dataset presented by Souza and Perez Filho (2019) allows the reinterpretation of the deposits studied as regressive and fits into previous models of regional coastal evolution. • We discuss methods inconsistencies and sample design adopted by the original study. • OSL ages were reinterpreted and fit into previous regional coastal evolution models. • No regional transgressive events were observed during the Late Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migration of transgressive coastal dunes over urban and farming areas is commonly observed in the semi-arid northern coast of the Brazilian northeast. However, it is unusual in the humid tropical coast of southeastern Brazil. This paper aims to investigate the aeolian dynamics and the drivers of the burial process over the Itaúnas District, Espírito Santo State landscape, by transgressive coastal dunes. Methodological procedures consist of remote sensing techniques, geoprocessing, wind regime simulations, and mathematical calculations of migration rate parameters. Satellite images were georeferenced using ArcGIS 10.3 software and wind regime information was simulated using HYSPLIT software using wind reanalysis data. The results suggest a sediment transport rate of 44.98 kg/m/s, wind drift potential of 123.96 v.u. and dune migration rate estimated at 4.0 m/yr. It was found that the northern and western sectors of the studied dunefield have the highest migration rates towards the main access road, water resources and urban area. The values obtained are considered significant because it is a coastal segment subjected to a humid tropical climate. • New data on the burial process by moving dunes over Itaúnas District, Brazilian Southeast, are presented. • It is suggested that the cause of the burial process is associated with deforestation of beach ridge by human activity. • Obtained results suggest a dune mobility rate of 4.0 m/year. • Results obtained suggest a sediment transport rate in the order of 44.98 kg/m/s and a wind drift potential of 123.96 v.u. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: There is a lack of detailed information on the capture pressures and records regarding the tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier (Péron & Lesueur, 1822) (Carcharhinidae) for the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This study aimed to expand the tiger shark record database and to improve upon future conservation and management strategies in this area. A total of 23 new records were obtained, increasing the number of tiger shark records off the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro approximately 5-fold. Possible seasonality patterns concerning tiger shark sizes were noted, indicating the need to consider the coast of Rio de Janeiro as an especially relevant area for at least part of the life history of tiger sharks. The tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier (Péron & Lesueur, 1822) (Carcharhinidae) is classified as near-threatened along the Brazilian coast, in line with its global categorization. Although Rio de Janeiro, located in southeastern Brazil, is internationally identified as a priority shark conservation area, many shark species, including tiger sharks, are landed by both industrial and artisanal fisheries in this state. However, there is a lack of detailed information on the species capture pressures and records for the state of Rio de Janeiro. Therefore, the aims of this study were to expand the tiger shark record database and to improve upon future conservation and management strategies. Tiger shark records from four coastal Rio de Janeiro regions were obtained by direct observation. The information obtained from fishery colonies/associations, environmental guards, researchers, and scientific articles, totaling 23 records, resulted in an approximately 5-fold increase in the number of tiger shark records off the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro. A possible seasonality pattern concerning the size of the captured/observed animals was noted, emphasizing the need to consider the coast of Rio de Janeiro as an especially relevant area for at least part of the life history of tiger sharks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isotopic analysis of Micropogonias furnieri otoliths were used to get insight into palaeoceanographic conditions in the Guanabara Bay and Saquarema Lagoon, Rio de Janeiro state (RJ), located on the southeastern coast of Brazil, under upwelling influence of the Cabo Frio system. Archaeological otoliths come from two Holocene shellmounds (or sambaquis): Galeão and Beirada. For the first time, radiocarbon analysis using high accuracy techniques were performed at Galeão. Age range was determined to be between 5820 and 4980 cal BP, which extends the chronology of human settlement in the Guanabara Bay. Micro-samples of the otoliths were collected sequentially from the core to the edge, to provide continuous δ18O and δ13C isotopic profiles over the lifetime of the individual fish. Derived-δ18Ooto palaeotemperature estimates vary according to seasonality, resulting in a palaeoceanographic variation between 8 to 31°C for Guanabara Bay and 8 and 28°C for the Saquarema Lagoon. Our data indicate that whitemouth croakers were captured during the Middle Holocene from the Guanabara Bay and Saguarema Lagoon and resided in cooler temperatures compared to temperatures of current conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, as in many other tropical countries, coastal communities have been dealing with a complex dynamics of change, mostly related to the degradation of ecosystems, growing tourism and changing government policies, with consequences for natural resources conservation and management. Understanding how these communities are dealing with such change and the trade-offs provide insights for building resilience. In this paper, we investigate how a Caiçara community (traditional group of mixed heritage) has been dealing with social-ecological changes over the last 50 years, and how these changes have affected the livelihood resilience. Livelihood pathway analysis revealed how the system behaved historically and how the past dynamics influenced and may continue to influence resilience building. In face of challenges and disturbances, the coping and adaptive strategies used by this community have helped to maintain the diversity of livelihood options and ecosystem services, which contributed to resilience. Self-organization, collective action and political agency were important components to deal with crises mainly related to territorial disputes concerning overlap with protected areas. The trade-offs in social-ecological system dynamics were related to the geographical isolation of the community (located on an island), the creation of protected areas, and the use of tourism income as a livelihood strategy. Over the years, social cohesion has weakened due to increased economic rationality and conflicts – which may undermine social-ecological system resilience in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial modelling is a resourceful approach largely used in land use planning and occupation dynamics. The use of land change and urban growth simulations are indispensable for supporting the development and implementation of urban planning policies. This paper develops potential scenarios of land use change (status-quo and law enforcement) and urban occupation in the north coast of São Paulo using spatial dynamics modelling. Cellular automata-based modelling and EGO Dynamic simulations were used to produce past and future scenarios of land use occupation and growth expansion. These scenarios are compared between them and with vulnerability maps to identify areas at risk. The outcomes show that the north coast of São Paulo is highly vulnerable to expansion of irregular occupations when regulations are not enforced. Forest areas are the first areas to be suppressed by an unsystematic urban development. The extent to which people are exposed to environmental and climatic changes is influenced by urban infrastructure developments and decision making regulations. Findings of this work can guide future planning decisions on such as the revision of the ecological-economic zoning and local land use plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a fisheries management approach to facilitate the adoption of new technologies for bycatch reduction (Bycatch Reduction Devices – BRD) in small-scale fisheries along Brazil׳s southern-southeastern coast. It is a flexible framework derived from the literature and from practical experience with small-scale fisheries and fisheries management in Brazil. The framework consists of four steps: (1) evaluating and understanding the fishing system, (2) conducting BRD experiments, (3) exploring scenarios for BRD adoption, and (4) providing fisheries management support. The principles and concepts of an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF), and of adaptive co-management (ACM) within social–ecological systems, guide the framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]