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2. Illicit crops in the frontier margins: Amazonian indigenous livelihoods and the expansion of coca in Peru.
- Author
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Paredes, Maritza and Pastor, Alvaro
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INDIGENOUS peoples of South America ,RISK of violence ,LANDFORMS ,POWER (Social sciences) ,CROPS ,FOOD security ,SOCIOHISTORICAL analysis - Abstract
This paper explores illegal coca crop expansion in indigenous Amazonian communities in Peru. The ethnographic study sheds light on the historical development of these areas as frontier spaces, where the growth of illicit crops intertwines with socio-ecological transformations and gives rise to conflicts over new forms of land control, opportunities for capital accumulation, and political power dynamics. The paper argues that this expansion is shaped by dual processes: from 'below,' involving small-scale migrant farmers from the Andes, and from 'above,' primarily driven by state-led agrarian interventions. Consequently, communities experience significant tensions, as they adapt to the forces of market expansion to secure their livelihoods, while simultaneously facing risks of violence and insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Amazon Deforestation and Global Meat Consumption Trends: An Assessment of Land Use Change and Market Data from Rondônia That Shows Why We Should Consider Changing Our Diets.
- Author
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Donoso, Veronica Garcia, Hirye, Mayumi C. M., Gerwenat, Christiane, and Reicher, Christa
- Abstract
This paper seeks to elucidate the interrelationship between global meat consumption and deforestation in the Amazon region. To this end, empirical research is conducted to investigate land use changes in Rondônia and the expansion of pasture areas and beef production. Brazil is one of the largest beef producers in the world, with products destined for local and global markets. Based on bibliographical research, the paper analyzes maps of land use change between 1985 and 2021, using Landsat satellite imagery and the MapBiomas methodology for Landsat mosaic and classification. The research shows that beef from Rondônia is primarily purchased and consumed in Brazil, but it is also bought and sold on the international market. Landsat imagery analysis shows the predominance of forest conversion to pasture in Rondônia. The results show that deforestation in the Amazon is directly linked to the growth of cattle ranching. Land use change from native forest to pasture for beef cattle production is a reality in the Brazilian Amazon, especially in Rondônia. It suggests the urgent need for more conscious consumption and production practices as well as ethical and sustainable eating habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. The war for control of Chiropractic is taking place inside our heads: Moments of Truth, or: · Does the Canadian wackiness ever end? · Will Hong Kong's new college be killed by The British Empire's 'old guard'? · When will you sell-out to Amazon?
- Author
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Ebrall, Phillip
- Subjects
SERIAL publications ,MEDICAL protocols ,PROFESSIONAL ethics ,MEDICAL office management ,PROFESSIONAL identity ,FEDERAL government ,THEORY of knowledge ,PATIENT-professional relations ,MERGERS & acquisitions ,PRACTICAL politics ,QUALITY assurance ,CHIROPRACTIC ,VIDEO recording - Abstract
Elsewhere in this issue I state 'Chiropractic is the diagnosis and management of the neuromusculoskeletal system of the human body' and discuss the emergent problem of an increasing shrinkage of the constitutional framework of the discipline where current arguments continue to remove reference to subluxation from the profession's lexicon, even flagitiously mandating against teaching the idea within its natural context. In this editorial I give some examples of the good work being done to carry our profession to greatness, and balance that with some examples of wackiness from Canada and the United States of America, and once again from the usual dismal suspects in Europe. I am starting to think that Australia is one of the better places in the world to practice Conventional Chiropractic, yet offer caution that this may be about to change. Above all I hold that a Chiropractor carries spontaneous unspoken trust in what they see and feel, and conclude with a marvellous video of a Philosophy discussion about how strongly we can 'know things' from our patient's testimony. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
5. A new brazilian amazon energy sustainability index based on fuzzy systems.
- Author
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Muniz, Rafael Ninno, de Sá, José Alberto Silva, da Rocha, Brigida Ramati Pereira, Buratto, William Gouvêa, Nied, Ademir, and da Costa Jr., Carlos Tavares
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SUSTAINABILITY ,REGIONAL development ,FUZZY logic ,ALTERNATIVE fuels ,FUZZY systems ,FOSSIL fuels ,SUSTAINABLE development - Abstract
Energy sustainability indicators are essential for evaluating and measuring energy systems' environmental, social, and economic impact. These indicators can be used to assess the sustainability of different energy sources, such as renewable or fossil fuels, as well as the performance of energy systems in various regions or countries. The goal of this paper is to propose a new energy sustainability index based on fuzzy logic for the Amazon region. The fuzzy inference system enabled the operationalization of subjective sustainability concepts, resulting in a final index that can evaluate the performance of the states in the Legal Amazon and compare them to each other. The results indicated that Mato Grosso had the highest ranking, followed by Tocantins, Amapá, Roraima, Rondônia, Pará, Acre, Maranhão, and Amazonas in the last position. These findings demonstrate that the selected indicators and the final index are effective tools for evaluating the energy sustainability of the Amazon region and can aid public managers in making decisions and proposing sustainable regional development policies for the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. The open veins of the Amazon: rethinking extractivism and infrastructure in extractive frontiers.
- Author
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Merino, Roger
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INDIGENOUS peoples of South America ,INTERNATIONAL trade ,POLICY analysis ,VEINS ,BIODIVERSITY ,INDIGENOUS rights ,INDIGENOUS peoples - Abstract
Scholars often approach the Amazon to explain the materiality of resource extraction in mining, oil, and agribusinesses. This region has been less used for theorizing the different scales and dimensions of extractivism, and its relationship with mega-infrastructures. This paper contributes to this endeavor by reflecting on the IIRSA, an ambitious portfolio of mega-infrastructure projects aimed at facilitating international trade with little concern for biodiversity and indigenous rights. Based on the analysis of policy documents and interviews, this study explores how infrastructure development in the Amazon relates to extractive activities and contributes to a deeper understanding of extractivism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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7. Post-Diversity, Precarious Work for All: Unmaking borders to govern labour in the Amazon warehouse.
- Author
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Zanoni, Patrizia and Miszczyński, Miłosz
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SOCIOMATERIALITY ,WAREHOUSES ,SOCIAL norms ,GOVERNMENTALITY ,CRITICAL theory ,CAPITALISM - Abstract
This paper investigates the (un)making of borders as a form of labour governmentality in one of Amazon's warehouses in Poland. Guided by a critical theory of borders as a form of labour governmentality under global capitalism, we identify organizational practices through which socio-demographic categories traditionally deployed as principles of organizing work (e.g., gender, age, ability) are un made: the management of deskilled labour through an algorithmic system, the non-selective hiring of workers, the enforcement of social norms of interpersonal respect and a universal system of casualized employment. Together, these practices constitute workers as undifferentiated, interchangeable and equal labour, let them compete with each other under harshly exploitative conditions, and continuously dispose of the least productive among them, keeping all in structural uncertainty. The study contributes to the critical diversity literature by showing a 'post-diversity' governmentality that rests on equality, competition and precarization of labour as a whole, rather than segregation and marginalization through an 'ideal worker' norm. This labour governmentality operates by eliciting consent from historically subordinated workers and eliminating the advantage of historically relatively privileged ones. Unmaking borders within labour inside the organization, this governmentality at the same time crucially rests on borders outside it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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8. Regional-Scale Assessment of Burn Scar Mapping in Southwestern Amazonia Using Burned Area Products and CBERS/WFI Data Cubes.
- Author
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Ferro, Poliana Domingos, Mataveli, Guilherme, Arcanjo, Jeferson de Souza, Dutra, Débora Joana, Medeiros, Thaís Pereira de, Shimabukuro, Yosio Edemir, Pessôa, Ana Carolina Moreira, de Oliveira, Gabriel, and Anderson, Liana Oighenstein
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CUBES ,REGIONAL development ,ECOLOGICAL disturbances ,GRID cells ,LAND cover ,FRACTIONS - Abstract
Fires are one of the main sources of disturbance in fire-sensitive ecosystems such as the Amazon. Any attempt to characterize their impacts and establish actions aimed at combating these events presupposes the correct identification of the affected areas. However, accurate mapping of burned areas in humid tropical forest regions remains a challenging task. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of four operational BA products (MCD64A1, Fire_cci, GABAM and MapBiomas Fogo) on a regional scale in the southwestern Amazon and propose a new approach to BA mapping using fraction images extracted from data cubes of the Brazilian orbital sensors CBERS-4/WFI and CBERS-4A/WFI. The methodology for detecting burned areas consisted of applying the Linear Spectral Mixture Model to the images from the CBERS-4/WFI and CBERS-4A/WFI data cubes to generate shadow fraction images, which were then segmented and classified using the ISOSEG non-supervised algorithm. Regression and similarity analyses based on regular grid cells were carried out to compare the BA mappings. The results showed large discrepancies between the mappings in terms of total area burned, land use and land cover affected (forest and non-forest) and spatial location of the burned area. The global products MCD64A1, GABAM and Fire_cci tended to underestimate the area burned in the region, with Fire_cci underestimating BA by 88%, while the regional product MapBiomas Fogo was the closest to the reference, underestimating by only 7%. The burned area estimated by the method proposed in this work (337.5 km
2 ) was 12% higher than the reference and showed a small difference in relation to the MapBiomas Fogo product (18% more BA). These differences can be explained by the different datasets and methods used to detect burned areas. The adoption of global products in regional studies can be critical in underestimating the total area burned in sensitive regions. Our study highlights the need to develop approaches aimed at improving the accuracy of current global products, and the development of regional burned area products may be more suitable for this purpose. Our proposed approach based on WFI data cubes has shown high potential for generating more accurate regional burned area maps, which can refine BA estimates in the Amazon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2024
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9. Considerations for science and technology policies in the context of Amazon sustainability.
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Monteiro, Raimunda, Bemerguy de Albuquerque, Esther, Guimarães Vieira, Ima Célia, and Candotti, Ennio
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POLICY sciences - Abstract
Copyright of Sustainability in Debate / Sustentabilidade em Debate is the property of University of Brasilia, Center for Sustainable Development 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.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. “Nem inferno verde nem um paraíso perdido”: o papel da Amazônia no pensamento geopolítico de Golbery do Couto e Silva e Carlos de Meira Mattos (1950-1975).
- Author
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Oliveira de Mello, Gabriel Felipe
- Abstract
Copyright of Revista Maracanan is the property of Revista Maracanan 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.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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11. ANÁLISES DE POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS PARA A GARANTIA DO TRATAMENTO DE ÁGUA NA CIDADE DE ITAITUBA (PARÁ, BRASIL).
- Author
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Paz de Aguiar, Wwyncla, Gonçalves Silva, Roseane, Santos Baima, Suede Fernanda, and de Souza Andrade, Ádanna
- Abstract
Copyright of Revista Interdisciplinar Científica Aplicada is the property of Sociedade Educacional de Santa Catarina 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.)
- Published
- 2024
12. Subnational assessment of legal and illegal deforestation in the Colombian Amazon: consequences for zero deforestation commitments.
- Author
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Katz-Asprilla, David, Piketty, Marie-Gabrielle, Briceño Castillo, Guido, Blanc, Lilian, Camacho Peña, Jhon, and Karsenty, Alain
- Abstract
Deforestation has been at the heart of the transformation of the Amazon. Global concerns over deforestation and its impact on climate change have resulted in the adoption of a number of initiatives in the framework of zero deforestation. However, undifferentiated application of the concepts of zero net, gross, and illegal deforestation has revealed a lack of understanding of their scope and of challenges to their implementation. Zero legal and illegal deforestation is, in particular, a controversial subject from the point of view of regulation and sovereignty but an essential aspect from the perspective of public policy design. In Colombia, zero deforestation commitments make no mention of legal deforestation. Papers that analyze deforestation and official data sources fail to incorporate the legal dimension in their analysis. This article addresses this gap by identifying areas where deforestation is legal and where it is illegal in one deforestation hotspot of the Colombian Amazon, the administrative department of Guaviare. Our results show that deforestation has increased since 2013, mainly occurs in illegal zones, and that Guaviare department, 85% of which is covered by forest, has very little legal deforestation potential. Our findings reveal that assessing the legality and illegality of deforestation is more complex than often assumed and must become a priority, especially in forested countries where regulation on forest and land management is shared between different level of governments and institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. Managing circular ecosystems in imperfect contexts – the case of extractive fishing in the Brazilian Amazon region
- Author
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Neuzaí Marreiros Barbosa, Pedro Ibrahim Hellmeister, Adriana Marotti De Mello, and Antonio Carlos Braz
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Amazon ,Bioeconomy ,Circular economy ,Circular ecosystems ,Business ,HF5001-6182 - Abstract
Purpose – This study aims to answer the question of how to structure a circular ecosystem for extractive fishing in the Amazon region. It explores possibilities for implementing a circular ecosystem management model in an imperfect market with low technological availability, high informality and limited public assistance. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative approach was adopted for this paper, with a case study on extractive fishing in the state of Amazonas. Data was collected through 35 interviews and direct observation of the processes of collecting, storing and transporting fish on two routes: Tapauá-Manaus and Manacapuru-Manaus. Findings – Through the data collected, it was possible to observe the importance of an orchestrating agent – such as an association or even a public authority – for the establishment and development of a circular ecosystem for extractive fishing in the region. Research limitations/implications – The paper makes theoretical contributions by presenting how a circular ecosystem management model could be implemented for an imperfect market in the Global South, as well as contributing to the literature on how the circular economy contributes to mitigate the threat to biodiversity posed by the linear economy. Practical implications – It contributes to the management practice of structuring circular ecosystems. Social implications – The role of public authorities and the collective organization of fishermen as orchestrators connecting the network of actors that develop the extractive fishing ecosystem is fundamental, guaranteeing effective social participation in solving local problems. Originality/value – The idea of circular ecosystems was applied to imperfect contexts, with high informality, weak institutions and bioeconomy, topics still little explored in the literature.
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- 2024
- Full Text
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14. New Group-Key-Based Over the Air (OTA) Update Model Facilitating Security and Efficiency Using MQTT 5
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Chien, Hung-Yu, Wang, Nian -Zu, Tseng, Yuh-Min, Hung, Ruo-Wei, Angrisani, Leopoldo, Series Editor, Arteaga, Marco, Series Editor, Chakraborty, Samarjit, Series Editor, Chen, Jiming, Series Editor, Chen, Shanben, Series Editor, Chen, Tan Kay, Series Editor, Dillmann, Rüdiger, Series Editor, Duan, Haibin, Series Editor, Ferrari, Gianluigi, Series Editor, Ferre, Manuel, Series Editor, Jabbari, Faryar, Series Editor, Jia, Limin, Series Editor, Kacprzyk, Janusz, Series Editor, Khamis, Alaa, Series Editor, Kroeger, Torsten, Series Editor, Li, Yong, Series Editor, Liang, Qilian, Series Editor, Martín, Ferran, Series Editor, Ming, Tan Cher, Series Editor, Minker, Wolfgang, Series Editor, Misra, Pradeep, Series Editor, Mukhopadhyay, Subhas, Series Editor, Ning, Cun-Zheng, Series Editor, Nishida, Toyoaki, Series Editor, Oneto, Luca, Series Editor, Panigrahi, Bijaya Ketan, Series Editor, Pascucci, Federica, Series Editor, Qin, Yong, Series Editor, Seng, Gan Woon, Series Editor, Speidel, Joachim, Series Editor, Veiga, Germano, Series Editor, Wu, Haitao, Series Editor, Zamboni, Walter, Series Editor, Zhang, Junjie James, Series Editor, Tan, Kay Chen, Series Editor, Hung, Jason C., editor, Yen, Neil, editor, and Chang, Jia-Wei, editor
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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15. O terror da branquitude: violência e racismo contra os indígenas da Amazônia (século XIX).
- Author
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Couto Henrique, Márcio
- Abstract
Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Historia is the property of Associacao Nacional dos Professores Universitarios de Historia 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.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. The pricing strategies of online grocery retailers
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Aparicio, Diego, Metzman, Zachary, and Rigobon, Roberto
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- 2024
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17. Farming cattle in the tropics: Transnational science and industrializing pastures in Brazil.
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Nehring, Ryan
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AGRICULTURE ,PLANT breeding ,PASTURES ,RANCHING ,BEEF industry ,BEEF cattle - Abstract
Societal Impact Statement: Society is increasingly concerned over the environmental impact of diets. Much of this concern is over the environmentally destructive nature of meat production, especially beef and especially in the Amazon. This article aims to understand the production of beef in Brazil through the understudied perspective of forage grasses. In doing so, the article traces who was involved in the importation and improvement of forage grasses in Brazil, why they were involved, and what the consequences of their actions were. By centering forage grasses, we can better understand the potential consequences of seemingly unimportant plant breeding efforts. Summary: Beef is viewed by many as one of the more environmentally destructive foods today. Whether it is deforestation in the Amazon or concentrated feedlots, the rancher and the cow have come to epitomize the dangers of a global industrial food system. This article looks at the industrialization of beef cattle from another angle, a bit closer to the ground. It looks at the role and circulation of plants and plant breeders in the expansion of beef cattle in the Brazilian tropics.The article draws on documents collected from the institutional archives of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, known by its Portuguese acronym Embrapa and the Rockefeller Archive Center. Additional archival documents were acquired by a personal contact. Embrapa was established in 1973, but its archives contain documents from Brazilian agricultural research agencies from as far back as 1952. Documents from the Rockefeller Archive Center include research bulletins and reports from Nelson Rockefeller's IBEC Research Institute (IRI), which conducted research on forage grasses from the 1950s until the 1970s.The article puts forth the argument that imported and improved forage grasses made large‐scale cattle ranching environmentally viable and economically profitable in Brazil. One type of grass in particular, Brachiaria, was central in propelling Brazil as the world's largest producer of beef and underpinning perhaps the most environmentally and socially destructive cattle ranching system in the world. Brachiaria was a key biological and technological input to further entrench longstanding structural inequalities of land ownership.One of the key conclusions of this article is that perspectives from the margins can be illustrative of how seemingly unimportant research (forage grass breeding) can have massive consequences as part of a broader socio‐environmental system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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18. Navigating Socio-Political Threats to Amazonian Peatland Conservation: Insights from the Imiria Region, Peru.
- Author
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Felipe Cadillo, Melissa M. and Bennett, Aoife
- Abstract
Tropical peatlands are critical for climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation globally, yet in many parts of the world, they are being destroyed for anthropogenic uses with catastrophic environmental effects. Despite Peru's status as home to the second largest area of peatlands in Latin America, significant gaps persist in understanding both the geographical distribution and the socio-political landscapes that shape them, exposing these ecosystems to risk of irreversible damage. Focusing on the Imiria region in Ucayali, Peru, where newly discovered peatlands intersect with Indigenous communities, this study, through participatory methods and qualitative analyses, explores the complex socio-political dynamics posing risks to these ecosystems. Our findings highlight a range of threats: (a) the emergence of new actors and land uses, including Mennonite colonies, coca settlements, and illegal resource extractors; (b) challenges posed by the state, encompassing changing legislation, a limited understanding of Indigenous needs and power dynamics, alongside insufficient strategies for peatland science and protection; and (c) a southward shift of socio-political and ecological problems towards peatland areas. We discuss how these dynamics exacerbate degradation risks and undermine Indigenous sovereignty, hindering conservation efforts. The study suggests pathways for ethical peatland conservation and emphasizes the need for further research in Ucayali, Peru. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. A large net carbon loss attributed to anthropogenic and natural disturbances in the Amazon Arc of Deforestation.
- Author
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Csillik, Ovidiu, Keller, Michael, Longo, Marcos, Ferraz, Antonio, Rangel Pinagé, Ekena, Bastos Görgens, Eric, Ometto, Jean P., Silgueiro, Vinicius, Brown, David, Duffy, Paul, Cushman, K. C., and Saatchi, Sassan
- Subjects
FOREST degradation ,AIRBORNE lasers ,TROPICAL forests ,NET losses ,DEFORESTATION - Abstract
The Amazon forest contains globally important carbon stocks, but in recent years, atmospheric measurements suggest that it has been releasing more carbon than it has absorbed because of deforestation and forest degradation. Accurately attributing the sources of carbon loss to forest degradation and natural disturbances remains a challenge because of the difficulty of classifying disturbances and simultaneously estimating carbon changes. We used a unique, randomized, repeated, very high-resolution airborne laser scanning survey to provide a direct, detailed, and high-resolution partitioning of aboveground carbon gains and losses in the Brazilian Arc of Deforestation. Our analysis revealed that disturbances directly attributed to human activity impacted 4.2% of the survey area while windthrows and other disturbances affected 2.7% and 14.7%, respectively. Extrapolating the lidar-based statistics to the study area (544,300 km²), we found that 24.1, 24.2, and 14.5 Tg C y
-1 were lost through clearing, fires, and logging, respectively. The losses due to large windthrows (21.5 Tg C y-1 ) and other disturbances (50.3 Tg C y-1 ) were partially counterbalanced by forest growth (44.1 Tg C y-1 ). Our high-resolution estimates demonstrated a greater loss of carbon through forest degradation than through deforestation and a net loss of carbon of 90.5 ± 16.6 Tg C y-1 for the study region attributable to both anthropogenic and natural processes. This study highlights the role of forest degradation in the carbon balance for this critical region in the Earth system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Molecular and Phylogenetic Evidence of Interfamilial Transmission of HTLV-1 in the Afro-Descendant Community of São José de Icatú in the Brazilian Amazon.
- Author
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Botelho, Bruno José Sarmento, Brito, Wandrey Roberto dos Santos, Pereira Neto, Gabriel dos Santos, Gonçalves, Janete Silvana Souza, Oliveira, Bruna Maria Silva, Oliveira, Camille Marcela Camarinha de, Lima, Aline Cecy Rocha de, Lima, Sandra Souza, Pinheiro, Priscila de Nazaré Quaresma, Freitas, Felipe Bonfim, Guerreiro, João Farias, Ishak, Ricardo, Vallinoto, Antonio Carlos Rosário, and Cayres Vallinoto, Izaura M. Vieira
- Subjects
ENZYME-linked immunosorbent assay ,POLYMERASE chain reaction ,CLINICAL pathology ,VIRUS diseases ,FAMILY relations - Abstract
This study aimed to describe the prevalence of HTLV-1/2 in quilombola communities in the state of Pará and investigate the possible sociodemographic risk factors associated with the infection, as well as to trace the occurrence of the familial transmission of the virus. A total of 310 individuals living in eight quilombos located in the state of Pará (northern Brazil) were investigated for the presence of anti-HTLV-1/2 antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and positive samples were confirmed using Western blot and/or real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Participants answered a questionnaire about sociodemographic aspects and risk factors for infection. Anti-HTLV-1/2 antibodies were detected in two individuals (one man and one woman), for an overall seroprevalence of 0.65%. Both individuals belonged to the community of São José de Icatú. The search for intrafamilial infection identified two other infected women, which increased the general prevalence of HTLV-1 among the Icatú to 6.25% (4/64). Western blot and qPCR confirmed their HTLV-1 infection, and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the isolates were of the cosmopolitan subtype and transcontinental subgroup. Epidemiological investigation of the cases revealed that the three women, at some point in their lives, had a relationship with the infected male individual. HTLV-1 is transmitted silently between individuals in the community of São José de Icatú with a present or past family relationship, stressing the need for screening and laboratory diagnosis to prevent further dissemination of the virus and surveillance of disease emergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. Investigation of Mutations in the crt-o and mdr1 Genes of Plasmodium vivax for the Molecular Surveillance of Chloroquine Resistance in Parasites from Gold Mining Areas in Roraima, Brazil.
- Author
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de Aguiar Barros, Jacqueline, Granja, Fabiana, Abreu-Fernandes, Rebecca de, de Queiroz, Lucas Tavares, e Silva, Daniel da Silva, Citó, Arthur Camurça, Mocelin, Natália Ketrin Almeida-de-Oliveira, Daniel-Ribeiro, Cláudio Tadeu, and Ferreira-da-Cruz, Maria de Fátima
- Subjects
GOLD mining ,PLASMODIUM vivax ,HAPLOTYPES ,CHLOROQUINE ,PHENOTYPES - Abstract
Plasmodium vivax causes the largest malaria burden in Brazil, and chloroquine resistance poses a challenge to eliminating malaria by 2035. Illegal mining in the Roraima Yanomami Indigenous territory can lead to the introduction of resistant parasites. This study aimed to investigate mutations in the pvcrt-o and pvmdr-1 genes to determine their potential as predictors of P. vivax chloroquine-resistant phenotypes. Samples were collected in two health centers of Boa Vista. A questionnaire was completed, and blood was drawn from each patient. Then, DNA extraction, PCR, amplicon purification, and DNA sequencing were performed. After alignment with the Sal-1, the amplified fragment was analyzed. Patients infected with the mutant parasites were queried in the Surveillance Information System. Among the patients, 98% (157/164) of participants were from illegal mining areas. The pvcrt-o was sequenced in 151 samples, and the K10 insertion was identified in 13% of them. The pvmdr1 was sequenced in 80 samples, and the MYF haplotype (958M) was detected in 92% of them and the TYF was detected in 8%, while the MYL was absent. No cases of recrudescence, hospitalization, or death were found. Mutations in the pvcrt-o and pvmdr-1 genes have no potential to predict chloroquine resistance in P. vivax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Extracts from Different Parts of the Paullinia cupana Kunth Plant: Characterization and In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity.
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Lima, Alan Kelbis Oliveira, Souza, Lucas Marcelino dos Santos, Reis, Guilherme Fonseca, Junior, Alberto Gomes Tavares, Araújo, Victor Hugo Sousa, Santos, Lucas Carvalho dos, Silva, Vitória Regina Pereira da, Chorilli, Marlus, Braga, Hugo de Campos, Tada, Dayane Batista, Ribeiro, José Antônio de Aquino, Rodrigues, Clenilson Martins, Nakazato, Gerson, Muehlmann, Luís Alexandre, and Garcia, Mônica Pereira
- Subjects
COLLOIDAL silver ,POISONS ,SILVER nanoparticles ,TRANSMISSION electron microscopy ,SCANNING electron microscopy - Abstract
The green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can be developed using safe and environmentally friendly routes, can replace potentially toxic chemical methods, and can increase the scale of production. This study aimed to synthesize AgNPs from aqueous extracts of guarana (Paullinia cupana) leaves and flowers, collected in different seasons of the year, as a source of active biomolecules capable of reducing silver ions (Ag
+ ) and promoting the stabilization of colloidal silver (Ag0 ). The plant aqueous extracts were characterized regarding their metabolic composition by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS), phenolic compound content, and antioxidant potential against free radicals. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV/Vis spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). The results demonstrated that the chemical characterization indicated the presence of secondary metabolites of many classes of compounds in the studied aqueous extracts studied, but alkaloids and flavonoids were predominant, which are widely recognized for their antioxidant capabilities. It was possible to notice subtle changes in the properties of the nanostructures depending on parameters such as seasonality and the part of the plant used, with the AgNPs showing surface plasmon resonance bands between 410 and 420 nm using the leaf extract and between 440 and 460 nm when prepared using the flower extract. Overall, the average hydrodynamic diameters of the AgNPs were similar among the samples (61.98 to 101.6 nm). Polydispersity index remained in the range of 0.2 to 0.4, indicating that colloidal stability did not change with storage time. Zeta potential was above −30 mV after one month of analysis, which is adequate for biological applications. TEM images showed AgNPs with diameters between 40.72 to 48.85 nm and particles of different morphologies. EDX indicated silver content by weight between 24.06 and 28.81%. The synthesized AgNPs exhibited antimicrobial efficacy against various pathogenic microorganisms of clinical and environmental interest, with MIC values between 2.12 and 21.25 µg/mL, which is close to those described for MBC values. Therefore, our results revealed the potential use of a native species of plant from Brazilian biodiversity combined with nanotechnology to produce antimicrobial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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23. Sustainable cellulose and nanocellulose production from Amazon forest açaí residues
- Author
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Teixeira, Larissa Herter Centeno, de Morais, Michele Greque, and Costa, Jorge Alberto Vieira
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- 2024
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24. Replacing diesel with biogas in decentralized electricity generation systems: a feasibility assessment from workers’ perspective with a modified Human Development Index (HDI) approach
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da Silva Miranda, Denis, de Araujo, Jaylton Bonacina, and Kulay, Luiz
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- 2024
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25. How a mega-dam in the Amazon’s largest tributary altered the drivers of planktonic communities
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Pineda, Alfonso, Velho, Luiz Felipe Machado, de Carvalho, Priscilla, and Rodrigues, Luzia C.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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26. Environmental equity and urban afforestation in the extreme northeastern Brazilian Amazon
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Jimenez, L. A., Silvestre, S. M., Aquino, J. A., Freire, L. M., and Toledo, J. J.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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27. Experiencing extremes: how Arapaima gigas (Schinz, 1822) deals with increasing water temperatures
- Author
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Amanajás, Renan Diego, da Silva, Jhonatan Mota, de Nazaré Paula da Silva, Maria, and Val, Adalberto Luis
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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28. Eggshell ultrastructure and mineral composition during the osteogenesis of Kinosternon scorpioides (Testudines: Kinosternidae)
- Author
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Leal, Cassiane, Braga, Brenda, Cardoso, Deise, Ferreira, Ana Cássia, Oliveira-Bahia, Verônica, Marques, José Ribamar, and Guimarães, Diva Anelie
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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29. Flavonoids and carotenoids from Brazilian flora: food and pharmaceutical applications and their extraction features
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Andrade, Lívia Mayra, de Vasconcelos, Robson Antônio, Santos, Adriana Oliveira, Nascimento, Aline Lopes, Bispo, Núbia Fernandes, Pereira, Suely Rodrigues, Santos, Thalita Cordeiro, de Carvalho, Gleidson Giordano Pinto, dos Reis Coimbra, Jane Sélia, and de Carvalho Mesquita, Bruna Mara Aparecida
- Published
- 2024
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30. Sociobehavioral Risk Factors and Clinical Implications of Late Presentation Among People Living with HIV in the Brazilian Amazon Region
- Author
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Pereira, Leonn Mendes Soares, França, Eliane dos Santos, Costa, Iran Barros, Lima, Igor Tenório, Freire, Amaury Bentes Cunha, Ramos, Francisco Lúzio de Paula, Monteiro, Talita Antonia Furtado, Macedo, Olinda, Sousa, Rita Catarina Medeiros, Freitas, Felipe Bonfim, Costa, Igor Brasil, and Vallinoto, Antonio Carlos Rosário
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Unveiling Amazon Go’s 'Just Walk-Out Technology' in Empowering Small to Medium Businesses
- Author
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Razali, Samirah, Yahya, Nur Aliyatul Husna, Mohamad, Nor Azian, Jalil, Masitah Ab., Abu, Masyitah, Kacprzyk, Janusz, Series Editor, Novikov, Dmitry A., Editorial Board Member, Shi, Peng, Editorial Board Member, Cao, Jinde, Editorial Board Member, Polycarpou, Marios, Editorial Board Member, Pedrycz, Witold, Editorial Board Member, and El Khoury, Rim, editor
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. Toward Smart Bicycle Safety: Leveraging Machine Learning Models and Optimal Lighting Solutions
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Habeeb, Mustafa Abdulfattah, Khaleel, Yahya Layth, Albahri, A. S., Kacprzyk, Janusz, Series Editor, Gomide, Fernando, Advisory Editor, Kaynak, Okyay, Advisory Editor, Liu, Derong, Advisory Editor, Pedrycz, Witold, Advisory Editor, Polycarpou, Marios M., Advisory Editor, Rudas, Imre J., Advisory Editor, Wang, Jun, Advisory Editor, Daimi, Kevin, editor, and Al Sadoon, Abeer, editor
- Published
- 2024
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33. Connectivity and policy confluences: a multi-scalar conservation approach for protecting Amazon riverine ecosystems
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Stephannie Fernandes, Simone Athayde, Ian Harrison, and Denielle Perry
- Subjects
Amazon ,freshwater conservation ,social-ecological connectivity ,transboundary governance ,regional cooperation ,Ecology ,QH540-549.5 ,General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution ,QH1-199.5 - Abstract
The world is calling for ambitious conservation targets for the Amazon, the world's largest hydrographic basin, with an aim to protect 80% of the biome by 2025. With less than two years to reach this target, it is time to bridge scientific, management, and policy divides in understanding and safekeeping the Amazon. A collaborative, concerted effort is required for developing policy strategies toward the integration of riverine biocultural diversity and connectivity to conserve the basin. Building on policy analysis and interviews with diverse stakeholders, this paper identifies key elements that can support the creation of an Amazon basin-wide riverine conservation system’s approach, focusing on public policies and institutional arrangements. The proposed system concentrates on coordinated protection of riverine connectivity and ecosystem services across this transboundary basin. It builds on existing policies, institutions, and governance arrangements to instantly include rivers currently under some form of protection, while providing a platform for investigating other rivers for subsequent inclusion. Fostering transdisciplinary dialogues, addressing power imbalances, and promoting capacity building across scales would facilitate meaningful participation of key stakeholders in the system's governance. Building on local strengths, enforcement would happen at the regional and national levels.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Identifying Plausible Labels from Noisy Training Data for a Land Use and Land Cover Classification Application in Amazônia Legal.
- Author
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Hell, Maximilian and Brandmeier, Melanie
- Subjects
LAND cover ,ZONING ,LAND use ,SELF-organizing maps ,MANUAL labor ,REMOTE sensing - Abstract
Most studies in the field of land use and land cover (LULC) classification in remote sensing rely on supervised classification, which requires a substantial amount of accurate label data. However, reliable data are often not immediately available, and are obtained through time-consuming manual labor. One potential solution to this problem is the use of already available classification maps, which may not be the true ground truth and may contain noise from multiple possible sources. This is also true for the classification maps of the MapBiomas project, which provides land use and land cover (LULC) maps on a yearly basis, classifying the Amazon basin into more than 24 classes based on the Landsat data. In this study, we utilize the Sentinel-2 data with a higher spatial resolution in conjunction with the MapBiomas maps to evaluate a proposed noise removal method and to improve classification results. We introduce a novel noise detection method that relies on identifying anchor points in feature space through clustering with self-organizing maps (SOM). The pixel label is relabeled using nearest neighbor rules, or can be removed if it is unknown. A challenge in this approach is the quantification of noise in such a real-world dataset. To overcome this problem, highly reliable validation sets were manually created for quantitative performance assessment. The results demonstrate a significant increase in overall accuracy compared to MapBiomas labels, from 79.85% to 89.65%. Additionally, we trained the L2HNet using both MapBiomas labels and the filtered labels from our approach. The overall accuracy for this model reached 93.75% with the filtered labels, compared to the baseline of 74.31%. This highlights the significance of noise detection and filtering in remote sensing, and emphasizes the need for further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. How Does Plant CO2 Physiological Forcing Amplify Amazon Warming in CMIP6 Earth System Models?
- Author
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Kimm, Haechan, Park, So‐Won, Jun, Sang‐Yoon, and Kug, Jong‐Seong
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WATER vapor ,ATMOSPHERIC water vapor ,ATMOSPHERIC carbon dioxide ,CLIMATE feedbacks ,ATMOSPHERIC circulation ,CLOUDINESS - Abstract
The physiological response to increasing CO2 concentrations will lead to land surface warming through a redistribution of the energy balance. As the Amazon is one of the most plant‐rich regions, the increase in surface temperature, caused by plant CO2 physiological forcing, is particularly large compared to other regions. In this study, we analyze the outputs of the 11 models in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 to find out how CO2 physiological forcing amplifies Amazonian warming under elevated CO2 levels. With the CO2 concentration increase from 285 to 823 ppm, the Amazon temperature increased by 0.48 ± 0.42 K as a result of plant physiological forcing. Moreover, we assess the contributions of each climate feedback to the surface warming due to physiological forcing by quantifying climate feedbacks based on radiative kernels. Lapse rate feedback and cloud feedback, analyzed as the primary contributors, accounted for 53% and 37% of Amazon warming, respectively. The warming contributions of these two feedbacks also exhibit a significant spread, which contributes to the predictive uncertainty. The surface warming due to reduced evapotranspiration is larger than the upper tropospheric warming in the Amazon, resulting in surface warming by lapse rate feedback. In addition, cloud cover in the Amazon region decreases due to the reduced evapotranspiration. Decreased cloud cover amplifies surface warming through the shortwave cloud feedback. Furthermore, differences in circulation and local convection caused by physiological effect contribute to the inter‐model spread of the cloud feedback. Plain Language Summary: As CO2 increase in the atmosphere, plants react to it by adjusting their physiological processes. In the future climate, plants respond to increasing CO2 by closing their stomata to reduce transpiration, which leads to an increase in surface temperature. The decrease in evapotranspiration and increase in surface temperature are stronger in the Amazon than in other regions. In this study, we use Earth system model simulations to quantify which climate feedbacks amplify the physiologically driven Amazon warming and assess the warming contributions of each climate feedback. As a result, the lapse rate and cloud feedbacks have larger contributions to Amazon warming with greater uncertainty. Bottom‐heavy warming due to the plant's responses makes the large contribution of lapse rate feedback, with the uncertainties within the models coming from the difference in surface evapotranspiration changes. The reduction of atmospheric water vapor and changes in atmospheric circulation due to the plant's responses produce a reduction in clouds across the Amazon region, making the contribution of cloud feedback significant. Differences in cloud feedback between models are determined by how much surface evapotranspiration and accompanying deep convection changes. Key Points: Plant's physiological responses to the elevated CO2 reduce evapotranspiration and induce surface warming, especially in the Amazon regionLapse rate feedback and cloud feedback mainly amplify the Amazon warming by CO2 physiological forcingNot only evapotranspiration changes but also physiologically driven circulation changes determine the inter‐model spread of Amazonian warming [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. A Review of the Nutritional Aspects and Composition of the Meat, Liver and Fat of Buffaloes in the Amazon.
- Author
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Rodrigues, Laurena Silva, Silva, Jamile Andrea Rodrigues da, Silva, Welligton Conceição da, Silva, Éder Bruno Rebelo da, Belo, Tatiane Silva, Sousa, Carlos Eduardo Lima, Rodrigues, Thomaz Cyro Guimarães de Carvalho, Silva, André Guimarães Maciel e, Prates, José António Mestre, and Lourenço-Júnior, José de Brito
- Subjects
NUTRITIONAL value ,AGRICULTURE ,FOOD consumption ,LIVER ,MEAT ,ANIMAL nutrition ,FAT ,LIPIDS - Abstract
Simple Summary: This review aims to deepen the understanding of buffalo farming in the Amazon, presenting the quality and nutritional value of buffalo meat and liver. We will explore the characteristics of nutrients and their influence on human health, with a special focus and particular emphasis in vitamins, minerals, and lipids. By investigating fatty acids and cholesterol, we seek to understand the complexity of lipids and their contribution to nutritional quality. The main objective of this study was to provide subsidies to improve buffalo farming practices, promote a healthier human diet and contribute to environmental sustainability in the Amazon region. Thus, this review aims to deepen the understanding of buffalo farming in the Amazon, presenting the quality and nutritional value of buffalo meat and liver. This information serves as a subsidy to improve practices related to the breeding system, nutrition, health and sustainability associated with aquatic buffaloes. For this, a review of the databases was carried out using the descriptors "nutritional value of buffalo meat", "nutritional value of buffalo liver" and "buffalo breeding in the Amazon". Thus, the consumption of foods derived from aquatic buffaloes has important nutritional value for human consumption. In view of this, it is possible to conclude that the nutrition of these animals is influenced by the biodiversity of the Amazon, giving unique characteristics to its products, also highlighting the importance of carrying out research that aims to value the potential use of this species and strengthen the economy of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. Habitat use of Amazonian birds varies by age and foraging guild along a disturbance gradient.
- Author
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Luther, David A., Wolfe, Jared D., Johnson, Erik, Stouffer, Philip C., Batchelor, Jacquelyn, and Tarwater, Corey E.
- Subjects
RAIN forests ,SECONDARY forests ,COMMUNITY forests ,FOREST dynamics ,BIRD conservation ,BIRD populations - Abstract
Patterns of habitat use directly influence a species' fitness, yet for many species an individual's age can influence patterns of habitat use. However, in tropical rainforests, which host the greatest terrestrial species diversity, little is known about how age classes of different species use different adjacent habitats of varying quality. We use long-term mist net data from the Amazon rainforest to assess patterns of habitat use among adult, adolescent (teenage) and young understory birds in forest fragments, primary and secondary forest at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project in Brazil. Insectivore adults were most common in primary forest, adolescents were equally likely in primary and secondary forest, and all ages were the least common in forest fragments. In contrast to insectivores, frugivores and omnivores showed no differences among all three habitat types. Our results illustrate potential ideal despotic distributions among breeding populations of some guilds of understory birds where adult insectivores may competitively exclude adolescent individuals from primary forest. Secondary forest recovery appears to hold promise as a breeding habitat for frugivore and omnivore species but only as a pre-breeding habitat for insectivores, but as the forest ages, the demographic structure of bird populations should match that of primary forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Climate Change, Air Pollution, and Human Health in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa, and Amazonas, Brazil: A Narrative Review.
- Author
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dos Santos, Monika
- Subjects
AIR pollution ,FOREST fires ,CLIMATE change ,BIOSPHERE ,AIR quality monitoring ,AIR pollutants ,CANYONS - Abstract
There is a 50% possibility that global temperatures will have risen by more than 5 °C by the year 2100. As demands on Earth's systems grow more unsustainable, human security is clearly at stake. This narrative review provides an overview and synthesis of findings in relation to climate change, air pollution, and human health within the Global South context, focusing on case study geographic locations in South Africa and Brazil. Two case study regions—the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere region of South Africa and the Amazon region of Brazil—were the subjects of PubMed literature searches. Technical reports, policy briefs, and grey literature were also narratively synthesized. The burning of wood for fuel, as witnessed in Agincourt, and forest fires, such as those seen in the Amazon rainforest, release air pollutants such as methane and black carbon, which are strong short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) which fuel climate change and adversely affect human health. SLCPs have a brief lifetime in the atmosphere, but they frequently have a far larger potential for global warming than carbon dioxide (CO
2 ). Most air pollution in geographic case study areas, that are home to human settlements, is due to the burning of wood and other biomasses that are pollutants. These areas are seen to be important for climate and health responses, and if constructive action is taken to switch to other modes of electricity generation (such as solar power) and the prevention of deforestation, the worst of the impacts may still be mitigated in these regions. Authorities should also establish a monitoring strategy for air quality, as well as enforce air quality regulations that safeguard public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Filling the gap of distribution of the pale-winged dog-like bat Peropteryx pallidoptera (Chiroptera, Emballonuridae) in Brazil and Peru.
- Author
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Santos, Tamily C.M., Lopes, Gerson P., Novaes, Roberto Leonan M., Cláudio, Vinícius C., Valsecchi, João, Hirota, Andrezza S.V., Martínez-Fonseca, José G., Marcos, Marcelo H., Kuniy, Adriana A., and Clara do Nascimento, Maria
- Subjects
BATS ,SPECIES ,COLLECTIONS ,MUSEUMS - Abstract
Peropteryx pallidoptera is the newest described species of Peropteryx, know from only few localities in Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Colombia, and Bolivia. Herein, we report new records of this species, and we show that P. pallidoptera has a wider distribution than known across the Amazon. Our records are based on field sampling and, mostly, on museum vouchers, which reinforces the importance of biological collections and the need to continually review deposited specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Contrasting drivers of aboveground woody biomass and aboveground woody productivity in lowland forests of Colombia.
- Author
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Castaño, Nicolas, Peña, Miguel A., González‐Caro, Sebastián, María Aldana, Ana, Fernanda Casas, Luisa, Correa‐Gómez, Diego F., González‐Abella, Juan S., Pelaez, Natalia, Stevenson, Pablo, Sua, Sonia, Zuleta, Daniel, and Duque, Álvaro
- Subjects
FOREST biomass ,FOREST productivity ,BIOMASS ,SOIL fertility ,TROPICAL forests ,WOOD density ,DENSITY ,HEAT waves (Meteorology) - Abstract
The relative importance of abiotic and biotic factors in shaping forest biomass stocks and fluxes remains a controversial issue. Here, using data gathered from 39 1 ha plots located in flooded and terra firme mature tropical lowland forests of the Amazon and Orinoquia regions of Colombia, we evaluated the importance of climate, soil fertility, and flooding, as well as tree taxonomic/phylogenetic diversity and forest structural properties, in determining the aboveground biomass stocks (AGB; Mg ha−1) and aboveground woody productivity (AWP; Mg ha−1 year−1). Using information‐theoretic multimodel inference and variance partitioning we found that forest structural features such as the number of trees with diameter at breast height ≥ 70 cm, and wood density, are the main drivers of variation in AGB. However, taxonomic diversity also contributes to AGB because it is associated with more large trees in these forests. In contrast, the key drivers of AWP in these forests were soil P and Mg concentrations, with no significant effects of diversity indices. These findings emphasize the need to include major soil cations other than N and P (e.g. Mg) in experimental studies to improve our understanding about the extent to which soil fertility can modulate increases in forest AWP due to climate change. Terra firme forests had higher AGB stocks than flooded forests, but both had similar AWP; and we found similar results for the drivers of AGB and AWP between flooded and terra firme forests. Our results provide limited evidence for strong effects of plant diversity on AGB or AWP. Therefore, we call for caution on generalizations of nature‐based initiatives aiming to preserve diversity based on maximizing carbon stocks and productivity, due to the complex nature of the processes controlling carbon accumulation and carbon fluxes in tropical forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. Food Systems and Access to Healthy Food in an Amazonian Context.
- Author
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Maluf, Renato S., Burlandy, Luciene, Cintrão, Rosângela P., Tribaldos, Theresa, and Jomalinis, Emilia
- Abstract
The article aims to identify how systemic, multi-scale dynamics influence access to adequate and healthy food and eating and how food is produced and circulated in the Amazonian context of the Metropolitan Region of Santarém (PA). We conducted a literature review, qualitative interviews with key actors, discussion groups and visits to food retailers to address the following research questions: how do socio-economic and political dynamics, especially those related to the soy-meat agroindustrial complex, create or reproduce social inequalities, injustices and inequities, and how do they affect the access to adequate and healthy food? Our findings suggest that the expansion of large-scale soybean growing and livestock, forming the industrial soy-meat complex, contributes to the impoverishment of certain social segments of the local population, accompanied by the erosion of the base for food production. Smallholder farmers and Indigenous and traditional people are among the main affected groups, while violence in rural areas contributes to restricting access to adequate and healthy food. The novelties of our study lie in approaching food systems, taking access to food as the entry point and linking adverse effects of the soy-meat complex to inequalities in access to healthy food. The study also discusses value conflicts between "traditional" and "modern food" (e.g., ultra-processed food), reflecting intergenerational disputes between ways of life and culture, which are also nurtured by the expansion of the soy-meat complex. These multi-scale dynamics have significant repercussions on how food is produced and circulated and highlight the relations between local food politics and conflicts, as well as their connections with processes beyond the local scale. Finally, the article calls for advancing integrated and multi-scale analysis of food production and access to address challenges of social injustices in food system transitions, fostering sustainability, human health and climate change mitigation and adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. This Book is Written by ChatGPT: A Quantitative Analysis of ChatGPT Authorships Through Amazon.com
- Author
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Cabezas-Clavijo, Álvaro, Magadán-Díaz, Marta, Rivas-García, Jesús I., and Sidorenko-Bautista, Pavel
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. The retention of plastic particles by macrophytes in the Amazon River, Brazil
- Author
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Guimarães, Gabriel dos Anjos, Pereira, Samantha Aquino, de Moraes, Beatriz Rocha, Ando, Rômulo Augusto, Martinelli Filho, José Eduardo, Perotti, Gustavo Frigi, Sant’Anna, Bruno Sampaio, and Hattori, Gustavo Yomar
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Robustness of biodiversity surrogates to temporal variation and imperfect detection
- Author
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da Silva Utta, Ana Cristina, Pequeno, Pedro Aurélio Costa Lima, Magnusson, William Ernest, and Souza, Jorge Luiz Pereira
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. Valorization of Deodorizing Distillate Palm Oil Residue for Larvicidal Activity Against Aedes aegypti and Synergistic Effect of Their Free Fatty Acids
- Author
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Ribeiro, Arlefe Noite, Lopes, Samuel Q., Marinho, Victor Hugo S., Araújo, Inana F., Ramos, Ryan da S., Souto, Raimundo N. P., de Oliveira, Alex N., Luque, Rafael, Nascimento, Luís Adriano S. do, and Ferreira, Irlon M.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Brazil’s Amazon Oxygen Crisis: How Lives and Health Were Sacrificed During the Peak of COVID-19 to Promote an Agenda with Long-Term Consequences for the Environment, Indigenous Peoples, and Health
- Author
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Ferrante, Lucas and Fearnside, Philip Martin
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. Misinformation Caused Increased Urban Mobility and the End of Social Confinement Before the Second Wave of COVID-19 in Amazonia
- Author
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Ferrante, Lucas, Almeida, Alexandre Celestino Leite, Leão, Jeremias, Steinmetz, Wilhelm Alexander Cardoso, Vassão, Ruth Camargo, Vilani, Rodrigo Machado, Tupinambás, Unaí, and Fearnside, Philip Martin
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Assessing the impact of voluntary sustainability standards in Amazonian enterprises involved in the açaí value chain
- Author
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Kairo Fernandes Martins and Denilson Teixeira
- Subjects
Voluntary sustainability standards ,Global value chains ,Non-timber forest product ,Amazon ,Açaí ,Science (General) ,Q1-390 ,Social sciences (General) ,H1-99 - Abstract
The diversity of sustainable certifications raises questions about the credibility, intentions, and impacts of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) on Global Value Chains (GVC). Few studies show the impacts of VSS on different sustainable dimensions in sectors such as the non-timber forest product (NTFP) sector. This paper aims to investigate in the value chain of the most important NTFP in the Amazon, açaí, whether VSS contributes to sustainable outcomes in the Governance, Environmental, Economic, and Social dimensions. Using case studies in enterprises of the açaí chain and the use of tools and indicators was possible to generate information that is currently scarce for NTFPs in the Amazon from the VSS perspective. The results show that there is a great distance that the weakest links of the GVC (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises – MSMEs) must walk to adopt VSS and be inserted into the global market. The requirements are based on bureaucratic management activities, which are extraordinarily complex and involve many issues and indicators. The VSS lacks supplements that evaluate and validate the results reported by the companies as sustainable. Finally, the VSS is still far from ensuring an inclusive and fully sustainable chain by itself.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Biology of the non-parasitic phase of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus in an area of Amazon influence.
- Author
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Sales, Daniela P., Silva-Junior, Marcelo H. S., Tavares, Caio P., Sousa, Isabella C., Sousa, Dauana M., Brito, Danilo R. B., Camargo, André M., Leite, Romário Cerqueira, Faccini, J. L. H., Lopes, Welber D. Z., Labruna, Marcelo B., Luz, Hermes R., and Costa-Junior, Livio M.
- Subjects
CATTLE tick ,RHIPICEPHALUS ,BIOLOGY ,RAINFALL ,LONGEVITY ,OVIPARITY ,LARVAE ,BIOMES - Abstract
Background: Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is the most important tick species affecting cattle in the world. Under field conditions, the non-parasitic phase of R. (B.) microplus is unknown in the Amazon biome, including Brazil. The present study aimed to evaluate the non-parasitic phase of R. (B.) microplus in field (grass plots) and laboratory conditions. Methods: The study was conducted from September 2020 to April 2022 in an Amazonian region (Maranhão State, Brazil). We evaluated the biological parameters of R. (B.) microplus under laboratory and field conditions. Engorged females were exposed to experimental conditions every 14 days, totaling 20 months of study. The following biological parameters were observed: pre-oviposition period, egg mass incubation period, and maximum larval survival period. Results: Abiotic data (e.g., temperature and humidity) varied little throughout the year. Precipitation was the factor that varied the most throughout the year (dry ~ 30 mm
3 and rain 400 mm3 ), and the parameters of pre-oviposition and pre-hatching are longer during the rainy season. A possible negative effect of the dry season on the percentage of hatched eggs was observed. Larval longevity in the plots of both control and free females was short (mean ~ 50–60 days), below that recorded for larvae under controlled conditions (mean ~ 95 days). Conclusions: Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus was able to complete its non-parasitic phase by producing host-seeking larvae in the pasture during all months of the study. The results indicate that R. (B.) microplus can complete up to six generations per year in biome Amazon. To our knowledge, this is the highest number of annual generations for R. (B.) microplus in Latin America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. DIGITAL INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES: ONLINE COMMENTS AND RATINGS ON AMAZON PLATFORM.
- Author
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Fang-Yi Lo and Yu-Yun Chien
- Subjects
ONLINE comments ,CONSUMER behavior ,SMALL business ,NATURAL language processing ,GLOBALIZATION - Abstract
This study observes Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) digital internationalization and determines of online comments influences customer purchase behavior, whether different product types (utilitarian and hedonic products) would moderate the relationships among online comments and customer purchase behavior. Objective data collected by Amazon platforms and SMEs transactions of 1,366 customer orders from 2019 to 2022. We collect online ratings and open-ended comments, adopting Python package of Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK) for Natural language processing (NLP) to define a score of each comment based on a database of natural human language. Regression results reveal that customer purchasing behavior was influenced by both title and content of others' comments, the negative content has a greater negative effect than the negative title. Product types play a moderate role. Specifically, the negative contents of utilitarian goods have a stronger negative effect on customer purchase behavior. For theoretical contributions, we found that the negative comments of utilitarian products are viewed as the most influencing cues for customers purchase behavior. Furthermore, the neutral score of both title and content has a tendency to express negative emotion and attitude. The neutral comments and ratings are valuable for exploring more in future works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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