Search

Simple Summary: Water measurers (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Hydrometridae) can be found mainly on marginal vegetation or on plants on the surface of freshwater bodies. Recently, two monotypic genera restricted to subterranean habitats were described from Brazil, namely Cephalometra Polhemus & Ferreira, 2018 and Spelaeometra Polhemus & Ferreira, 2018. Here, a second species of Spelaeometra is described based on material collected in a hotspot of subterranean animals in the Serra do Ramalho karst area, Brazil. Spelaeometra Polhemus & Ferreira, 2018 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Hydrometridae) is a monotypic and troglobitic genus, recently described based on material collected in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. From specimens collected in the Gruna do Enfurnado Cave in the Serra do Ramalho karst area, municipality of Coribe, state of Bahia, Brazil, we describe Spelaeometra hypogea Cordeiro & Moreira, sp. nov. and compare it with Spelaeometra gruta Polhemus & Ferreira, 2018. The new species is diagnosed by the general body color being pale-yellow to light-brown; antennal segments I and II being subequal in length; the reduced gular lobe, not covering any labial segment; the male proctiger without apical projections; and the male paramere with convex dorsal margin after the curvature, with a narrow hook-like apex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lady beetles Tenuisvalvae notata (Mulsant) and Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (both Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), are used in biological control of mealybugs in many countries, including Brazil. As individuals of these species walk on plant surfaces, they leave chemical footprints that can affect their interactions with conspecifics, as well as other coccinellid species in the same environment. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of T. notata and C. montrouzieri footprints on both their own and each other's foraging behavior and predatory potential. Arena bioassays were conducted to evaluate the effect of the footprints on conspecifics and heterospecifics. In addition, the chemical profiles of these footprints were analyzed by gas chromatography, flame ionization detection, and mass spectrometry (GC‐FID and GC–MS). For this, extracts of footprints were obtained from a glass Petri dish where 20 adults (males or females) were allowed to walk for 24 h. Behavioral bioassays showed that both species can recognize each other's footprints. Tenuisvalvae notata females avoided areas treated with footprints of heterospecific females, whereas C. montrouzieri females were arrested on areas with footprints of T. notata females. Tenuisvalvae notata adults did not change their predation rate when exposed to the footprints of heterospecifics, but second instars had a higher predation rate on areas treated with heterospecific footprints. Second instar C. montrouzieri also had an increase in predation when exposed to footprints of heterospecifics, and females captured significantly more prey when exposed to footprints of conspecifics, whereas males' predation rate decreased when exposed to footprints of both conspecifics and heterospecifics. The chemical analyses showed that the hexane extracts of footprints were composed mainly of linear hydrocarbons, saturated and non‐saturated, from C20 to C33. The composition (qualitative and quantitative) of footprint extracts is species‐ and sex‐specific. This is the first report on the effects of footprints on the behavior of these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytolith reference collections of plants and surface soils are a critical part of studies that use these microbotanical remains for archaeological and paleoecological reconstruction. In the archaeologically-rich region of the Upper Madeira river in Rondônia, Brazil, phytolith analysis is being applied in both on- and off-site contexts in order to shed light on human-environment interactions over a period that extends almost the entire Holocene. The present study brings together data on phytolith production patterns among 90 native species, representing 36 plant families, as well as 56 surface soil samples taken from underneath 11 monitored forest plots. Our discussion focuses on the comparison between the surface soil phytolith records and the above-ground floristic inventories, scrutinized considering the plant reference collection results. We found that the phytoliths of several species which produce diagnostic or potentially-diagnostic morphotypes were under-represented in the surface soils, including several understory herbs. While the phytolith assemblages from three forest types (palm, sororoca and dense forest) presented considerable overlap, in accordance with similarities in the floristic inventories, bamboo forest and different types of campinaranas were able to be distinguished based on their phytolith signatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consumption of low-calorie sweeteners (LCSs) such as acesulfame (ACE), sucralose (SUC), saccharin (SAC), cyclamate (CYC), aspartame (ASP), neotame (NEO), and stevioside (STV) is increasing worldwide to meet the demand for reduced-calorie foods and beverages. However, there are no consumption data available in Brazil, as well as their concentration in sewage and removal on wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In the present study, ACE, SUC, SAC, CYC, ASP, NEO, and STV were assessed at five WWTPs located in the metropolitan region of Campinas (São Paulo State, Brazil), in operation with different treatment processes. Surface water was also analyzed. Analyses were carried out by on-line solid-phase extraction ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The major points are the following: LCS concentrations in the influents ranged from 0.25 to 189 μg L−1 and followed the order CYC > ACE > SAC > SUC. NEO, ASP, and STV were not detected at any sampling site. Sweetener concentrations in the WWTP outputs differed mainly due to the different treatment setups employed. CYC and SAC were completely removed by biodegradation-based processes, while ACE removal was favored by the anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic process. SUC presented the highest concentration in the treated sewage, even at the WWTP operating with ultrafiltration membranes and therefore could be a marker compound for evaluation of the efficiency of removal of contaminants in WWTPs. Risk quotient estimation, using the PNEC and MEC values, indicated that the levels of the LCS reported here were harmless to the biota. The consumption of ACE, CYC, SAC, and SUC was estimated to be 2634 t year−1. [Display omitted] • Evaluating sweeteners occurrence in the aquatic environment using SPE-UHPLC-MS/MS. • Assessment of sweeteners removal at five WWTP using different treatment setups. • Acesulfame, cyclamate, saccharin, and sucralose were the major detected compounds. • Brazilian consumption of sweeteners was estimated by sewage-based epidemiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naturally infertile soils require large amounts of mineral fertilizers to obtain the desired crop yield. In the Cerrado region of Brazil, there is a need to investigate the potential of organic fertilizers to sustainably increase crop productivity and food security. A field study was conducted over two experimental seasons to evaluate the agronomic effectiveness of composted sewage sludge (CSS) as a fertilizer for soybean cultivation in infertile tropical soils. A 4 × 2 + 2 factorial randomized complete block design was applied with the following treatments: (i) CSS: 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, and 12.5 Mg ha−1 on a wet basis applied according to two different methods: whole area (WA) or between rows (BR); (ii) comparison with two alternative treatments: a control with no CSS and mineral fertilizer application, and an area treated with conventional fertilizers only. All the treatments were compared in terms of micronutrient concentrations in surface soil and plant leaves, plant development, crop productivity, and yield. Bi- (ANOVA, correlation matrix, and polynomial regression analysis) and multivariate (PCA, principal factor analysis) statistics were applied to determine statistical differences and relationships/observed variability among the treatments. Results showed that at higher CSS-WA rates: (i) soil and leaf micronutrient concentrations increased; (ii) there was an increase in soybean yield by 12 and 20%, respectively, as compared to control and conventional fertilization; (iii) soybean yield was 67% higher than the mean soybean yields for Brazil. Research outcomes confirm the benefits of CSS application on infertile agricultural soils in the Cerrado region, representing a strong alternative source of micronutrients in the CSS with respect to conventional fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]