Search

Termites are key components of tropical ecosystems, particularly in the Cerrado biome, where they dominate animal biomass and play crucial roles in nutrient cycling and soil formation. Their abundance and nutritional value make them primary food sources for various Cerrado animals, influencing predator diversity and several ecological interactions. Additionally, termite mounds serve as essential shelters for a wide range of fauna, aiding in thermoregulation and providing refuge from harsh environmental conditions, including wildfires. In this scenario, termitaria survival, diversity, and availability have several effects on the Cerrado fauna ecology. We present novel insights into the interaction between Actinobolus beetles and epigeous termite mounds in the Cerrado. Our field observations revealed Actinobolus beetles utilizing termite mounds for feeding and reproduction in several localities of Cerrado. These beetles access the inner portion of the termitaria, where the colony nest is located and protected by the termitaria's harder external layer and their larvae consume the termite nest structure. Actinobolus attack leads to partial or complete destruction of the colony and the creation of large hollows inside the mounds, causing deep changes in its structure. Despite the defensive mechanisms of termites, Actinobolus larvae thrive within the nest and likely ingest termites' eggs, nymphae and adults. Furthermore, we found that the Actinobolus capsule are made of faecal pellets, instead of termitaria debris. We suggest that the interaction between Actinobolus beetles and epigeous termitaria impacts the role of termitaria in providing microclimate regulation, food and shelter for Cerrado fauna, likely having poorly understood effects on the conservation and management of Cerrado ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity assessment is a mandatory task for sustainable and adaptive management for the next decade, and long-term ecological monitoring programs are a cornerstone for understanding changes in ecosystems. The Brazilian Long-Term Ecological Research Program (PELD) is an integrated effort model supported by public funds that finance ecological studies at 34 locations. By interviewing and compiling data from project coordinators, we assessed monitoring efforts, targeting biological groups and scientific production from nine PELD projects encompassing coastal lagoons to mesophotic reefs and oceanic islands. Reef environments and fish groups were the most often studied within the long-term projects. PELD projects covered priority areas for conservation but missed sensitive areas close to large cities, as well as underrepresenting ecosystems on the North and Northeast Brazilian coast. Long-term monitoring projects in marine and coastal environments in Brazil are recent (<5 years), not yet integrated as a network, but scientifically productive with considerable relevance for academic and human resources training. Scientific production increased exponentially with project age, despite interruption and shortage of funding during their history. From our diagnosis, we recommend some actions to fill in observed gaps, such as: enhancing projects' collaboration and integration; focusing on priority regions for new projects; broadening the scope of monitored variables; and, maintenance of funding for existing projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in temperature and the deposition of potential pollutants in the soil, such as heavy metals, may damage plant communities, altering their physiological processes. High temperature may also cause a series of morpho-anatomical, physiological and biochemical changes in plants. However, tolerant plant species tend to restrict these harmful effects. The present study investigates the impact of atmospheric warming on the accumulation capacity of heavy metals (Zn, Ni, Cu) in the roots and leaves of a pioneer species (Croton floribundus) and a non-pioneer species (Esenbeckia leiocarpa) native to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. The experimental design involved exposing the plants to two soil treatments: without excess metals (-M) and with excess metals (+M), along with varying thermoperiods of 26 °C day/19 °C night and 32 °C day/20 °C night in growth chambers. Over a 28-day period, we assessed weekly metal content, translocation, growth parameters, a non-enzymatic antioxidant (glutathione) and indicators of cell damage or oxidative stress (chlorophylls a and b , total chlorophyll (a+b), carotenoids, malondialdehyde and conjugated diene hydroperoxide contents). Both species exhibited increased metal accumulation under excess metals, employing distinct translocation strategies. C. floribundus showed high translocation rates of Ni to leaves and E. leiocarpa immobilized Ni in the roots. Atmospheric warming reduced Cu and Ni translocation from roots to leaves in both species. C. floribundus displayed lower physiological damage compared to E. leiocarpa , demonstrating robust growth. We concluded that the pioneer species possessed greater tolerance to oxidative stress induced by temperature and metal-related environmental factors than the non-pioneer species, confirming our hypothesis. In addition, our finding provides valuable insights for conservation and management of ecosystems affected by climatic and pollutant changes. [Display omitted] • Both tree species accumulated Cu, Ni and Zn under excess metals in soil. • Warming reduced Cu and Ni translocation from roots to leaves in both trees. • Croton floribundus showed high translocation rates of Ni to leaves. • Esenbekia leiocarpa immobilized Ni in the roots. • C. floribundus has greater tolerance to environmental stressors than E. leiocarpa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of natural ecosystems triggers global environmental, economic, and social problems. To prevent this, it is necessary to identify the aptitude of priority areas for conservation or use by considering land fragility from multiple environmental and spatial perspectives. We applied the concept of environmental fragility to a hydrographic basin in southeastern Brazil that establishes (i) potential fragility levels according to slope, soil classes, geological domains, drainage hierarchy, and rainfall information using an algebraic map, and (ii) emerging fragility levels via the addition of the land-use parameters. The methodological approach involved the integration of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and weighted linear combination (WLC) into a geographic information system (GIS). The medium and slightly low fragility classes predominated in terms of potential (~60%), and emerging (~70%) environmental fragility models used to model the basin. The model indicated that high and extremely high potential fragilities were concentrated in the upper basin, a region that is considered a global biodiversity hotspot. The areas with high/extremely high classes of emerging fragility in the upper basin decreased, indicating that the natural cover classes and land-use types are not in danger. We also introduce acceptable conservation practices for land management and use according to the environmental fragility categories established in the present work. The methodology applied in this study can be replicated in other global ecoregions. It provides low-cost territorial and environmental zoning and flexible replication and can be adjusted by administrators who are interested in land-use planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We have analyzed Brazil's initial COVID-19 combat actions by the regional innovation ecosystem actors. Methodology/approach: This is a descriptive and qualitative study using documentary research. In total, 471 reports collected via web scraping were submitted to content analysis (using a codebook and intercoder test) and correspondence analysis. Originality/Relevance: From an innovation ecosystem perspective, this study fulfills an identified need to understand how different actors have proposed initial solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic, considering different geographic regions. Main results: According to the seminal literature, in the more economically and socially favored regions, the government-industry dyadic model was corroborated, while in the less favored regions, the most innovative actors were universities and society. Our results have not shown the quintuple helix's performance, which leads us to ponder the use of this model in crises. Furthermore, although the quadruple helix model was observed in our analyses, in the Brazilian geographic regions the helices were not designed in a transversal way. Theoretical contributions: We propose that the geography of a pandemic combat occurs unevenly by the innovation ecosystem actors. Moreover, the helices ordering refers to the theoretical development process and not to the complementarity of the role between actors. Practical implications: This article highlights the need for integrated management of the innovation ecosystem's initial actions in a pandemic, preventing regions from being neglected, especially those with lower levels of wealth or quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the targets of the Aichi Accord, of which Brazil was a signatory, was the commitment to protect at least 17% of its terrestrial and continental waters and 10% of all marine and coastal areas by 2020. When the target window closed, Brazil had 30% of those projected continental and 27% of the marine areas protected. Those areas, however, are unevenly distributed throughout the country, with the Amazon region exceeding 30% of the projected protection, while only approximately 8% of the Caatinga region has been considered. In this study, we computed the coverage of 98 designated Conservation Areas (CAs) and an ecological corridor in Ceará State (CE) and evaluated their distributions among that state's various natural environments. Our results indicated that 92.6% % of the total officially protected areas corresponded to Uso Sustentável categories (US), which means sustainable use in English, largely distributed among ecosystems outside the Caatinga domain, including coastal areas and humid and sub-humid enclaves. Those CAs contain rich bio-and geo-diversities of significant socioeconomic interest, although they do little to protect caatinga vegetation - the predominant ecosystem in the state. Additionally, the predominance of US CAs provide limited legal safeguards to biodiversity, especially among those CAs with low levels of legal protection, such as the category of Área de Proteção Ambiental (APA), which means Environmental Protection Areas in English, which account for the greatest coverage in the state. We conclude that the spatial configuration of state CAs is distant from ideal in terms of their extensions and representativeness, with few areas of protected caatinga vegetation and limited areas with full protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ambiente e Água is the property of Revista Ambiente e Agua 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.)

Hypersaline tidal flats (HTF) are ecotones associated with mangrove ecosystems in arid and semiarid coasts. They are predominantly vegetated by halophytes which are related to environmental stabilization and fauna protection. Some plants thrive in HTF by modifying soil biogeochemical conditions at their rhizospheres, expanding across barren soils. Thus, we aimed to study rhizospheric and the adjacent bulk soils of the three most abundant plant species in HTF under a seasonal semiarid climate of northeastern Brazil. We analyzed both rhizospheric and bulk soils of vegetation patches in wet and dry seasons. We found that HTF soils are a heterogeneous system highly influenced by water availability and plant activity. The soils were mostly sandy textured, containing low C and N contents, and hypersaline conditions. Comparing bulk and rhizospheric soils, we concluded that plants changed their own rhizosphere by creating nutrient pools to improve survival under saline conditions. Seasonal changes also affected soil biogeochemical processes in HTF, mainly the bulk soils by changing water availability. Understanding rhizospheric changes by halophytes, their expansion over barren soils, and the amelioration of soil physicochemical conditions, are fundamental to provide support for preservation and management of coastal ecosystems, including HTF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human influence on the environment is so extensive that virtually all ecosystems on the planet are now affected by biological invasions. And, often, ecosystems are invaded by multiple co‐occurring non‐native species. Hence, it is important to understand the impacts these invasions are producing on biodiversity and ecosystem processes.Here, we present results of a 2‐year long field experiment where we tested the effects of co‐occurring invasive C4 African grasses in a Cerrado area in central Brazil. We compared plant and arthropod communities, plant biomass, and soil nitrogen dynamics and soil chemical characteristics across five experimental treatments: Urochloa decumbens removal; Melinis minutiflora removal; both U.decumbens and M.minutiflora removal; U.decumbens and M.minutiflora invaded plots; and uninvaded Cerrado. We hypothesized that selective removal of invasive grasses would have distinct effects on the native ecosystem structure and functioning. We expected that each invasive grass would produce a different type of impact on the native ecosystem and that their impacts would be synergistic when co‐occurring.Removal of M.minutiflora doubled native plant diversity and biomass when compared to invaded plots, whereas removal of U.decumbens did not alter these parameters. Cerrado plots had four times more plant species than plots cleared of invasives. Removal of invasive grasses did not affect the species richness or community composition of soil epigeal fauna. Cerrado soils had lower fertility, organic matter content and pH than invaded soils. The effects were generally higher when both invasive grasses were removed, suggesting impacts were synergistic, but M.minutiflora had greater effects on plants and soils than U.decumbens. Both invasive species produced negative impacts, but a single species was the main driver. We also detected persistent effects of the invasive grass species on the ecosystem after 2 years of removal.We conclude that invasive species of the same functional group have similar types of effects in native ecosystems, but the magnitude of impact was largely dependent on invasive species biomass and cover. Where multiple invasive species are present, research and management of invaded ecosystems should tackle the interacting effects of co‐occurring invaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decade was marked by efforts to define and identify the main cyanobacterial players in biological crusts around the world. However, not much is known about biocrusts in Brazil's tropical savanna (cerrado), despite the existence of environments favorable to their development and ecological relevance. We examined the community composition of cyanobacteria in biocrusts from six sites distributed in the Southeast of the country using high throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA and phylogenetic placement in the wider context of biocrusts from deserts. Sequences ascribable to 22 genera of cyanobacteria were identified. Although a significant proportion of sequences did not match those of known cyanobacteria, several clades of Leptolyngbya and Porphyrosiphon were found to be the most abundant. We identified significant differences in dominance and overall composition among the cerrado sites, much larger than within-site variability. The composition of cerrado cyanobacterial communities was distinct from those known in biocrusts from North American deserts. Among several environmental drivers considered, the opposing trend of annual precipitation and mean annual temperature best explained the variability in community composition within Brazilian biocrusts. Their compositional uniqueness speaks of the need for dedicated efforts to study the ecophysiology of tropical savanna biocrust and their roles in ecosystem function for management and preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Direito da Cidade is the property of Editora da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (EdUERJ) 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.)

The ocelot Leopardus pardalis (Linnaeus, 1758) is a nocturnal opportunistic felid that has a wide geographic distribution in almost every American continent. Although this species is classified as Least Concern, its populations have been declining as a direct consequence of the destruction of their habitats. Information on the density, occupancy and factors influencing habitat use of ocelots is of great importance for the establishment of action plans aimed for conservation. We studied ocelots in a protected area of the Atlantic Forest, Vale Natural Reserve, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. We estimated density, characterized activity patterns, and evaluated how habitat use was influenced by six covariates. Estimated density (Mean±SE; 45.84±5.45 ocelots per 100 km2) was higher than other areas studied within the Atlantic Forest. Ocelots were more active during twilight and night than other times of day (between 1330 and 2030 h and 2330 and 0400 h). The probability of occupancy was influenced by distance to the closest water resources (negatively), canopy cover, distance to the edge and number of prey (all three positively influenced), and the detectability was negatively influenced by distance from a water resource. Our data reinforce the importance of VNR as an important reservoir of the species. Therefore, the results presented herein can be a starting point to support future action plans for the species, making predictions regarding the ecosystem and management and conservation of the ocelot by using tools such as Population Viability Analysis. Furthermore, the results can be used as a surrogate for other regions in which the species occurs, because many locations may be affected by the same covariates used herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The phenological results presented for local ecological knowledge can serve as a subsidy for management strategies. • People who manage natural resources provide reliable information on ecological aspects of the species. • The local ecological knowledge of experts can be used as an important tool in rapid diagnostics on natural resources. Abstract Phenological studies that aggregate local ecological knowledge on the expression of phenophases may be useful in the elaboration of management strategies of species that are important to a given local system. In this study, we seek to answer the following questions: 1) How do the different phenophases of two important native food species are expressed in the three phytophysiognomies of the Cerrado (Brazilian savannah) where they are collected? 2) How does rainfall influence the expression of the phenophases of these species on the evaluated phytophysiognomies? 3) Does the local ecological knowledge of the residents of the Araripe National Forest (hereafter FLONA) on the phenophases of native species of high importance correspond to what occurs in the three phytophysiognomies of the Cerrado? The phenological monitoring was executed monthly from January 2012 to December 2013. In order to retrieve the local knowledge about phenophases, key informants from three communities located around the FLONA were selected. Rainfall is a limiting factor for the expression of the reproductive phenophases of Caryocar coriaceum , differently from what occurs for the vegetative phases and for Hancornia speciosa. There were no significant differences between the local knowledge of communities that collect resources in the forest and most of the data collected in the phenological evaluation. In addition, there was no difference in the expression of the phenophases among the three phytophysiognomies, also corroborating with the local ecological knowledge. As for the community that collects in agroforestry yards, there were significant differences between knowledge and expression of phenophases. Thus, the use of local ecological knowledge of people who collect resources in the forest has proved to be reliable and may be promising mainly in rapid diagnoses of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In southern Brazil there are remnants of natural populations of Butia odorata (Barb. Rodr.) Noblick (Arecaceae), palm groves locally known as butiazais. This work was developed in order to characterize the herbaceous and subshrubby assemblages associated to this ecosystem in the Tapes municipality (Rio Grande do Sul state), located in Pampa Biome, Brazil. Forty nine field trips were done from March 2011 to July 2013, when collecting flourished and/or fruited material. In the three hectares sampled in this study, 261 herbaceous taxa and subshrubs were found, corresponding to 170 genera belonging to 54 families. The most representative family was Poaceae (29 genera and 67 species), including a new species for the science, followed by Asteraceae (32 genera/49 species), Fabaceae (13/20), Cyperaceae (7/10), Orchidaceae (6/8), Iridaceae (5/8), Rubiaceae (5/8), Verbenaceae (4/5), Malvaceae (4/4), Cactaceae (4/4), Euphorbiaceae (4/4), Apiaceae (3/8), Melastomataceae (3/3) and Solanaceae (3/5). This area of native grasslands in association to the palm grove provides important ecosystem services that must be conserved. The results obtained in this study may provide the basis for the development of public policies related to the protection and management of the ecosystem of butiazal. [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.)

The exploitation and degradation of natural environments exert intense pressure on important ecosystems worldwide. Thus, it is necessary developing or adapting assessment methods to monitor environmental changes and to generate results to be applied to environmental management programs. The Brazilian Veredas (phytophysiognomies typical to the Cerrado biome) are threatened by several human activities; thus, the aim of the present study is to adapt a rapid assessment protocol (RAP) to be applied to Veredas springs, by using the upper course of the Vai-e-Vem stream watershed (Ipameri County, Goiás State, Brazil). Therefore, several springs in the study site were visited and 11 of them were considered Veredas springs. After the RAP was adapted, the instrument was validated and used to environmentally assess the springs in order to demonstrate its applicability. The present study has provided an instrument of option to monitor Veredas springs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multimetric indices (MMI) have been widely used to assess ecosystem conditions because they are low-cost, employ a rapid field method, and can incorporate various biological metrics at different levels of biological organization. Our objective was to create a fish-based multimetric index applicable to all streams of the Brazilian savanna biome (Cerrado), the second largest biome in Brazil and deemed a global biodiversity hotspot. We evaluated 156 sites in two river basins (Paraná and São Francisco) and selected metrics capable of distinguishing stream-sites across a gradient of anthropogenic disturbances. We employed two different MMI approaches to determine if an MMI based on natural variation-adjusted metrics performed better than one based on unadjusted metrics. In addition, we assessed the performance of the two final MMIs and their sensitivity to anthropogenic pressures at local (LDI), catchment (CDI) and both scales integrated (IDI). Finally, we employed the power of a probability sample survey design to infer headwater stream conditions across a hydrologic region of approximately 47,000 km2. Our final MMI for Brazilian savanna streams included six metrics: % common species; % characiform individuals; % loricariid individuals; % trichomycterid individuals; % invertivore species, and % Poecilia reticulata individuals. MMI1 (unadjusted metrics) performed better than MMI2 (natural variation-adjusted metrics) in discriminating least- and most-disturbed sites, but MMI2 distinguished intermediate from most-disturbed sites better than MMI1. Both indices were negatively correlated with the CDI scores; however, only MMI2 was negatively correlated with the IDI scores. We inferred that 709 km (9.35%) of streams in the studied hydrologic region were in good condition, 8115 km (82.73%) were intermediate, and 641 km (7.91%) were in poor condition. We conclude that the MMIs proposed in this study have great potential for widespread application because they integrate data from two of the most important Brazilian river basins included in a biome that represents more than 20% of the country. Furthermore, the metrics retained in the indexes are easy to access with a rapid low-cost field method. However, their feasibility in areas influenced by mining, as well as in different biomes, should be tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare the structure of soil bacterial communities across a gradient of three different types of Cerrado within Sete Cidades National Park, northeast Brazil. We evaluated the preserved Cerrado sites across a gradient ranging from ‘campo graminoide’ (CG; open grassland), ‘Cerrado strictu sensu’ (CSS; savannah), and ‘Cerradao’ (CD; closed formation). Bacterial diversity, as estimated by T-RF richness and alpha and beta diversity showed different patterns across the gradient of the Cerrado. For the restriction enzymeHhaI andMspI, the highest T-RF richness and beta diversity were found at CSS. The distribution and abundance of various fragments sizes varied between different sites. The non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis obtained with the restriction enzymeHhaI separated the sites according to bacterial community; whereas the analysis based on the restriction enzymeMspI did not clearly separate the evaluated sites. The results show that bacterial structure does not follow the same pattern as found in the others regions with Cerrado vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Oceanography is the property of Instituto Oceanografico da Universidade de Sao Paulo 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.)

An international multi-disciplinary group of 24 researchers met to discuss ocean acidification (OA) during the Brazilian OA Network/Surface Ocean-Lower Atmosphere Study (BrOA/SOLAS) Workshop. Fifteen members of the BrOA Network () authored this review. The group concluded that identifying and evaluating the regional effects of OA is impossible without understanding the natural variability of seawater carbonate systems in marine ecosystems through a series of long-term observations. Here, we show that the western South Atlantic Ocean (WSAO) lacks appropriate observations for determining regional OA effects, including the effects of OA on key sensitive Brazilian ecosystems in this area. The impacts of OA likely affect marine life in coastal and oceanic ecosystems, with further social and economic consequences for Brazil and neighboring countries. Thus, we present (i) the diversity of coastal and open ocean ecosystems in the WSAO and emphasize their roles in the marine carbon cycle and biodiversity and their vulnerabilities to OA effects; (ii) ongoing observational, experimental, and modeling efforts that investigate OA in the WSAO; and (iii) highlights of the knowledge gaps, infrastructure deficiencies, and OA-related issues in the WSAO. Finally, this review outlines long-term actions that should be taken to manage marine ecosystems in this vast and unexplored ocean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As industrial activities continue to grow on the Brazilian coast, underwater sound measurements are becoming of great scientific importance as they are essential to evaluate the impact of these activities on local ecosystems. In this context, the use of commercial underwater recorders is not always the most feasible alternative, due to their high cost and lack of flexibility. Design and construction of more affordable alternatives from scratch can become complex because it requires profound knowledge in areas such as electronics and low-level programming. With the aim of providing a solution; a well succeeded model of a highly flexible, low-cost alternative to commercial recorders was built based on a Raspberry Pi single board computer. A properly working prototype was assembled and it demonstrated adequate performance levels in all tested situations. The prototype was equipped with a power management module which was thoroughly evaluated. It is estimated that it will allow for great battery savings on long-term scheduled recordings. The underwater recording device was successfully deployed at selected locations along the Brazilian coast, where it adequately recorded animal and manmade acoustic events, among others. Although power consumption may not be as efficient as that of commercial and/or micro-processed solutions, the advantage offered by the proposed device is its high customizability, lower development time and inherently, its cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on efforts to stop deforestation in Brazil by controlling agricultural expansion and preserving diverse ecosystems. Topics cited include the 75 percent deforestation rate in Brazil in 2014, factors that curtailed deforestation including the designated areas in the Amazon basin for protection, monitoring of ranchers, farmers and land speculators, and campaigns against companies that export beef, leather and soya beans from illegally cleared land.

Historical records of socio-environmental impacts related to large-scale iron ore development in Brazil are driving different planning approaches in the burgeoning iron mining and smelting complex of Corumbá, located at the border of the Pantanal ecosystem in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Among the most relevant efforts are two strategic environmental assessments (SEA): one was led by a mining company and the other by a civil society committee. This paper assesses to what extent these SEAs can contribute to the mitigation of negative socio-environmental impacts of the Corumbá Complex. It also evaluates if the SEA methodologies meet a number of SEA Performance Criteria. The analyses, which were based on literature reviews and content analysis of the SEA documents, reveal that the two SEAs represent an important effort to incorporate environmental variables into more strategic levels of the Pantanal region's planning. Nonetheless, both SEAs have serious limitations, given that they are not formally nested in governmental policies, plans and programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the requirements for a good Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is its capacity to adjust itself to the planned decision-making process. This paper presents recent experiences involving the application of SEA in Brazil in three different contexts. In the first case, an SEA was conducted to meet a request of the Ministry of Tourism for information to prepare the Development Plan for Sustainable Tourism in the North Coast. The second case is an initiative undertaken by the Secretary of Environment of the State of Bahia for the construction of a seaport-industrial complex in the region of Ilhéus (Bahia). Finally, an SEA commissioned by a group of environmental NGOs to assess options for the development of a mining-metal and chemical-gas complex in the Pantanal Region near the Bolivian and Paraguayan border is presented. The paper highlights the differences in the contexts of the three studies (responsibilities in the decision-making process, stages of the planning process, etc.) as well as in their methodological approaches. Difficulties, gaps, advances and findings in each case are also analysed to assess the effectiveness of each SEA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Northeast region of Brazil is characteristic the significant spatial and temporal variability of rainfall, due to the action of different meteorological systems. At certain locations in the state of Paraíba is common the absence of rain for prolonged periods, causing serious problems for society and natural ecosystems. In this sense, the present study aims to the evaluation of rainfall and number of days with rain observed in two distinct cities of Paraíba. The data has been provided by the National Institute of Meteorology and came from observations performed between the years 2002 and 2011. From the analysis of the results it has been found that the annual and monthly rainfall total observed in João Pessoa is largely higher than that of Campina Grande. In both places, the rains were more abundant and regular in the first half of the year, with peaks around the month of June. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pesquisa em Educação Ambiental is the property of Pesquisa em Educacao Ambiental 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.)

The environment is an indispensable resource for human survival, as well as certain economic activities are essential, and difficult to reconcile a peaceful coexistence between the two. It is of growing concern in proposing an economic development covering issues related to the environment, to promote basic environmental conditions, not attacking the nature and place where such ventures are installed. Accordingly, the gas stations because they are characterized by the development of high-risk activities for the environment, should invest in environmental protection in order to make their activity less aggressive as possible. Any measure adopted environmental management in order to preserve the environment involves the consumption of resources, which need to be controlled and properly accounted for. Therefore, it is the duty of accounting to identify and assess the economic and financial events related to the environment, can affect the outcome of state assets and entities. This study sought to identify the environmental management measures implemented by the Cooperative of Autonomous Road Vehicles Drivers of Santa Maria, and analyzing costs associated with environmental management actions. Technique was employed for observation combined with the structured interview technique. The results revealed that the environmental costs had a negative representative for the company, in other words, instead of contributing to the maintenance and growth of the company, represented an economic sacrifice, as it is not diluted in the volume of revenues during the year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It's necessary to know the mechanisms of self-regulation, relationships and integration levels of autonomy of nature and human societies, so that you can prevent possible disruption of nature equilibrium. The aim of this work, a brief exploration of some elements of the concepts and fundamentals of social and environmental disruption in relations of human populations demonstrating the conceptual and behavioral change in the relations between society, development and sustainability. This study deals with a literature review developed exclusively from literature sources, with the following approaches: 1) cities and human adaptive capacity, emphasizing the human organism as an indicator of any change that happens around him, both in the nature, as in the social sector; 2) the relationship between culture and nature, in which culture influences the way of conceiving ideas and priorities; 3) the environmental problems, where the ecological problem is that all human activities which we call development tend to involve interference in natural ecosystems; 4) the methods of production and consumption, minimizing environmental impacts through new patterns of consumption; 5) on industrial ecology, natural relating to the industrial systems and; 6) the environmental management in companies, in search of a reassessment of the production process. It was found that some aspects such as economic globalization, the introduction of consumer goods and technologies in countries whose economy was closed, adjustment policies and international agreements had higher inference to change the models of development, changing own societies and the concepts of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposal for a debate in search of an alternative to implementing a project of sewage treatment at the Spa of Conceição da Barra ES presents a methodology based on reviews. The results show the need for an awareness program and education in schools, aiming at prevention as it pertains to preservation of the ecosystem, and no contamination of groundwater, since the entire drainage system of the city consists of septic tanks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work aims to raise awareness and sensitize the population of the Garden District Jardim Cumbica, Guarulhos city-SP regarding the dangers of trafficking of wild birds, to show the impacts that may be caused in the ecosystem, possible diseases, and the negative impact on the issue environmental partner, the result of practice in the creation of wild birds, presenting the main Brazilian birds, trafficked in Brazil end other countries, pointing also the amount of dirty money generated by this traffic, where it ends by encouraging and stimulating other illegal practices such as trafficking drugs end weapons, where we expect to actually realize a portion of the population of all possible crimes caused the trafficking of wild birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BSTRACT [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management / Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada is the property of Associacao Portuguesa dos Recursos Hidricos 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 Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management / Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada is the property of Associacao Portuguesa dos Recursos Hidricos 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 Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management / Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada is the property of Associacao Portuguesa dos Recursos Hidricos 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 Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management / Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada is the property of Associacao Portuguesa dos Recursos Hidricos 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 Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management / Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada is the property of Associacao Portuguesa dos Recursos Hidricos 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 Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management / Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada is the property of Associacao Portuguesa dos Recursos Hidricos 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 Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management / Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada is the property of Associacao Portuguesa dos Recursos Hidricos 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 Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management / Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada is the property of Associacao Portuguesa dos Recursos Hidricos 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 Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management / Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada is the property of Associacao Portuguesa dos Recursos Hidricos 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 Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management / Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada is the property of Associacao Portuguesa dos Recursos Hidricos 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 studies the coevolutionary ecological–economic dynamics of agro-environmental change. The case study is Santa Rosa (Brazil) and the modernization of subsistence agriculture followed by the more recent emergence of organic farming. We use coevolution as an integrative framework for explaining how and why economic production changed over time in Santa Rosa in interdependence with the ecosystem resulting in a mosaic of diverse farm practices. A coevolutionary framework expands the explanatory breadth of prevailing accounts of agro-environmental change that rely on a notion of shifts from one singular, homogeneous production economy to the next. It unveils the complex processes driving agro-environmental change, instead of focusing on the structures resulting from it. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Four strains of a new yeast species were isolated from rotting wood from two sites in an Atlantic Rain Forest and a Cerrado ecosystem in Brazil. The analysis of the sequences of the D1/D2 domains of the large-subunit rRNA gene showed that this species belongs to the Spathaspora clade. The new species fermentsd-xylose efficiently and is related to Candida jeffriesii and Spathaspora passalidarum, both of which also fermentd-xylose. Similar to S. passalidarum, the new species produces unconjugated asci with a single greatly elongated ascospore with curved ends. The type strain of Spathaspora arborariae sp. nov. is UFMG-HM19.1AT (=CBS11463T=NRRL Y-48658T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Legal Brazilian Amazon, while the largest rainforest in the world, is also a region where most residents are urban. Despite close linkages between rural and urban processes in the region, rural areas have been the predominant focus of Amazon-based population-environment scholarship. Offering a focus on urban areas within the Brazilian Amazon, this paper examines the emergence of urban hierarchies within the region. Using a combination of nationally representative data and community based surveys, applied to a multivariate cluster methodology (Grade of Membership), we observe the emergence of sub-regional urban networks characterized by economic and political inter-dependency, population movement, and provision of services. These networks link rural areas, small towns, and medium and large cities. We also identify the emergence of medium-size cities as important nodes at a sub-regional level. In all, the work provides insight on the proposed model of ‘disarticulated urbanization’ within the Amazon by calling attention to the increasing role of regional and sub-regional urban networks in shaping the future expansion of land use and population distribution in the Amazon. We conclude with a discussion of implications for increasing intra-regional connectivity and fragmentation of conservation areas and ecosystems in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on bat richness and diversity in coastal sand dunes ('restinga') are still scarce. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were to estimate bat richness in the restinga of Praia das Neves (state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil) and to analyze species abundance. Ten sampling nights were carried out in May and July 2008, resulting in a sampling effort of 21,847.5 h.m2. We captured 125 individuals from 17 bat species. In this study, Tonatia saurophila was recorded for the first time not only in the state of Espírito Santo but also in the restinga ecosystem. The most abundant species was Artibeus lituratus with 32% of all captures. Surveys in coastal restingas are urgently needed in order to obtain more information about the bats living in this environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of crustaceans for the sustainability of mangrove areas in Brazil. It states that crustaceans are important faunal components of mangrove ecosystems because of their abundance and participation in the food chain. Accordingly, crabs are the most abundant components of epibenthic macrofauna in the ecosystems of mangroves, and carries out several ecological functions taking in a large amount of carbon. Moreover, crabs are one of the most exploited resources in the mangrove areas in Brazil as it's the way people generate the jobs and incomes for coastal communities near mangrove habitats.

Aim Most of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil occurs in fragments of various sizes. Previous studies indicate that forest fragmentation affects fruit-feeding butterflies. Conservation strategies that seek to preserve organisms that are distributed in high-fragmented biomes need to understand the spatial distribution of these organisms across the landscape. In view of the importance of understanding the fauna of these forest remnants, the objective of the present work is to investigate the extent to which the diversity of this group varies across spatial scales ranging from within-forest patches to between landscapes. Location South America, south-eastern Brazil, São Paulo State. Methods We used bait traps to sample fruit feeding butterflies at 50 points in 10 fragments in two different landscapes during a period of 12 months. Total species richness and Shannon index were partitioned additively in diversity at trap level, and beta diversity was calculated among traps, among forest patches, and between landscapes. We used permutation tests to compare these values to the expected ones under the null hypothesis that beta diversity is only a random sampling effect. Results There was significant beta diversity at the smallest scale examined; however, the significance at higher scales depends on the diversity measurement used. Beta diversity with Shannon index was smaller than expected by chance among fragments, whereas species richness was not. Among landscapes, only beta diversity in richness was higher than expected by chance. Main conclusions The results observed occur because there is great variability in species composition among forest patches in the same landscape, changing this diversity even though the communities are formed from the same pool of species. At the largest scale evaluated (between landscapes), these pattern changes and differences in beta diversity in richness were detectable. This difference is probably caused by the presence of rare species. Thus, a conservation strategy that seeks to preserve as many species as possible per unit of area in high-fragmented biomes should give priority to protecting fragments in different landscapes, rather than more fragments in the same landscape. [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.)