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Plants cope with the environment by displaying large phenotypic variation. Two spectra of global plant form and function have been identified: a size spectrum from small to tall species with increasing stem tissue density, leaf size, and seed mass; a leaf economics spectrum reflecting slow to fast returns on investments in leaf nutrients and carbon. When species assemble to communities it is assumed that these spectra are filtered by the environment to produce community level functional composition. It is unknown what are the main drivers for community functional composition in a large area such as Amazonia. We use 13 functional traits, including wood density, seed mass, leaf characteristics, breeding system, nectar production, fruit type, and root characteristics of 812 tree genera (5211 species), and find that they describe two main axes found at the global scale. At community level, the first axis captures not only the 'fast-slow spectrum', but also most size-related traits. Climate and disturbance explain a minor part of this variance compared to soil fertility. Forests on poor soils differ largely in terms of trait values from those on rich soils. Trait composition and soil fertility exert a strong influence on forest functioning: biomass and relative biomass production., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

A reliable response of bioindicators to environmental variation is a cornerstone for effective bioassessment and biomonitoring. Fish and aquatic macroinvertebrates are widely used as bioindicators of different human impacts in freshwater ecosystems, but the cost-effectiveness of their usage can be improved through the use of surrogates. We investigated congruence patterns between using different taxonomic and numeric resolutions for aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish to assess community-environment relationships. We also tested whether dataset characteristics (e.g., area sampled, species pool) could explain the variation in the effectiveness of using different taxonomic and numerical resolutions. We used a Brazilian nationwide database encompassing multiple datasets with a gradient of riparian deforestation each. Our findings suggest that families and genera can effectively represent macroinvertebrate genera and fish species, respectively, when using community matrices for assessing community-environment relationships, with an acceptable loss of information. EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) and Characiformes or Siluriformes may be used as a surrogate, in some cases, for the entire assemblages of macroinvertebrates and fish, respectively, but their use may result in higher loss of information. Presence-absence data also presented a minimal loss of information compared to abundance data, for both macroinvertebrates and fish. The variation in congruence levels among macroinvertebrate datasets was less predicted by dataset characteristics than fish. Across distinct resolutions, on average, 10 % and 19 % of the variation in community composition of macroinvertebrates and fish, respectively, was explained by broad-scale environmental variables, and the effect size was negatively affected by the dataset's sample size and spatial extent for fish. Whereas identification at species (fish) and genus (macroinvertebrates) level and quantification of all individuals still provide the best scenario, we provide evidence that coarser taxonomical resolution and presence-absence data can be used as cost-effective alternatives to facilitate biomonitoring and bioassessment of freshwaters in the Neotropical region impacted by deforestation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Cyperus articulatus L., popularly known as priprioca, is a plant used in the Amazon for perfumed baths and homemade perfumes. In traditional medicine, its rhizomes are used to treat diseases related to inflammatory processes., Aim of the Study: Due to its promising bioactive properties, this study sought to investigate its phytochemistry and the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity of the essential oil obtained from C. articulatus (CAEO) in in vitro and in vivo tests., Material and Methods: The essential oil was obtained from the rhizomes of C. articulatus and extraction was carried out via hydrodistillation. Then, the oil was analyzed by GC-MS analyses. Initially, culture of RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to evaluate cytotoxicity and interference in the production of mediators of the inflammatory process (nitrite, IL-1β, TNF-α and PGE 2 ) after exposure to CAEO. The acute toxicity of CAEO was evaluated and the results were used to define doses of 10, 100 and 400 mg kg -1 for evaluation of CAEO in in vivo tests using mice. The carrageenan-induced air pouch models and the Evans test were used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity by measuring the number of total leukocytes and vascular permeability. Antinociceptive activity was evaluated via tests of contortions induced by acetic acid, hot plate, and formalin., Results: Treatment with CAEO reduced the levels of nitrite IL-1β, TNF-α and PGE 2 in the macrophage culture, revealing its anti-inflammatory potential. CAEO decreased carrageenan-induced leukocyte migration and vascular permeability, which are important events related to the acute inflammatory response. Nociceptive activity was significantly inhibited by CAEO in the acetic acid-induced contortions model, hot plate, and in both phases of the formalin test. The treatment with naloxane reversed the antinociceptive effect observed in the formalin test, suggesting the participation of opioid receptors in the mechanism of action of CAEO., Conclusion: The observed results reveal the anti-inflammatory and antinocipeptive activity of C. articulatus essential oil in vivo and support the traditional use of this plant in the treatment of different diseases involving inflammation and pain., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Freshwater ecosystems under the influence of human activities are subject to multiple environmental stressors that lead to biodiversity loss and habitat modification. In recent years, various organisms have been used as bioindicators to detect environmental changes by their ability to perceive changes in community attributes. A good example is the semiaquatic bugs (Hemiptera, infra order Gerromorpha) that act as predators and are sensitive to subtle changes in environmental conditions. Our research aimed to investigate the responses of Gerromorpha communities, genera, and species along an environmental gradient in 45 Amazon streams. The environmental gradient was assessed utilizing the Habitat Integrity Index (HII) across the sampled streams, yielding a collection of 2.212 specimens representing three families, seven genera, and 36 species. The habitat integrity, represented by the HII, showed a positive relationship between species richness and the richness of genera of Gerromorpha, underscoring that both species and genera respond to environmental change in the analyzed habitats. Brachymetra lata (Gerridae), Rhagovelia jubata, and R. elegans (Veliidae) were the most sensitive taxa with a positive relationship to HII. Streams characterized by higher anthropogenic disturbance and reduced riparian vegetation were associated with a biodiversity pattern marked by increased abundance and frequency of generalist species and reduced genus frequency within the Veliidae family. We hope that the results of this study will contribute to future biomonitoring programs in response to habitat and species loss, aiming to assist decision-making to protect and restore riparian vegetation areas., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Histopathological studies of parasitic infections in fish from the natural environment of Brazilian Amazon, are quite scarce. In this study, we investigated the histopathological changes of the proximal intestine of specimens of the Amazonian fish Hoplias malabaricus infected by the hematophagous nematode Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) paraensis. The prevalence of the infection was 60%, with an average abundance of 1.46 and an average intensity of 2.43 parasites/fish. No significant difference was observed in the prevalence of infection and fish size or sex, but larger fish showed greater infection intensity, which was also significantly higher in male hosts. Histological sections of the proximal intestine showed reduction and loss of the epithelial lining, exposure of the lamina propria where the nematode interacts with the intestine wall, through the insertion of the buccal capsule and fish cellular debris in the intestinal lumen. In addition, areas with bleeding and inflammatory infiltrate were observed, but no changes or presence of parasite structures were observed in the other tunics of the intestinal wall., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The relationship between the environment and health has become a relevant topic on the public policy agenda since the 1990s. This study seeks to describe this relationship from the perspective of the National Policy for Comprehensive Health of Populations of the Countryside, Forest, and Waters in the community of São Pedro, in the Lower Amazon region of Pará. This is a descriptive study focused on conducting diagnoses that consider the environment-health relationship in the Community. A participatory Rural Diagnosis was used to construct conceptual maps and conversation circles. According to the results, issues, such as excess trash, shortage of medicines and deficiencies in basic education are some key conditions that can make the community vulnerable. Furthermore, it is clear that the health policy, despite being important, still faces challenges for its full implementation in regions where there is a strong presence of this group.

Hydroelectric plants impact the dynamics of mercury accumulation and transfer to aquatic ecosystems and organisms. This study aimed to determine total mercury (THg) concentration in filtered water, aquatic macrophytes, and fish and assess the influence of fluvial regime (low-water, rising-water, and high-water) and the feeding habits of fish species caught upstream and downstream of the Curuá-Una hydroelectric dam in the Brazilian Amazon. THg levels were determined by cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry. THg concentration in filtered water was higher (5.3-11.2 ng L -1 ) during the low-water period. THg concentration in fish ranged from 0.075 to 1.160 µg g -1 in specimens caught downstream and from 0.014 to 1.036 µg g -1 in specimens caught upstream of the dam. The highest THg concentrations were detected in specimens of the piscivorous species Acestrorhynchus falcirostris (1.161 µg g -1 ) caught at downstream sites. There were significant correlations of THg concentration with the trophic level (Analysis of Variance; p ≤ 0.001) of fish species and fluvial regime (Analysis of Variance; p ≤ 0.001). The macrophyte Utricularia foliosa contained the highest THg levels in leaf tissues in the low-water period (71.4 µg g -1 ). It is concluded that THg concentration varies between fish trophic levels and fluvial regimes. Macrophytes contribute to enhancing mercury transfer and availability along the aquatic trophic chain., Competing Interests: Compliance with ethical standards. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Informed consent: All authors consent their participation., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The biological diversity of a region may not be fully sampled due to the low abundance or rarity of species, or the absence of species determined by their niche specificity. Investigating these species is essential for understanding the unrealized ecological potential in different habitats, identifying gaps in local and regional communities, and gaining a better understanding of the impacts of environmental changes. Therefore, to expand knowledge about the diversity of Odonata in Eastern Amazonia considering the absent species, we tested the hypotheses that: 1) Environmental variables will influence dark diversity, with greater explanation by canopy cover where sites with lower canopy cover will have higher dark diversity values, and; 2) Functional traits associated with better species dispersal will be correlated with low dark diversity of Odonata, such as larger and wider wings for example. For this, adult Odonata specimens were sampled, while structural habitat characteristics and physical and chemical water variables were measured in 128 first- to third-order streams in the Eastern Amazon. Morphological and behavioral data were recorded for each specimen. Generalized linear models were applied to predict the effects of habitat structural characteristics and physical and chemical water variables on the dark diversity of Odonata. Additionally, we assessed which functional traits contribute most to the variation of dark diversity within these communities. Habitat structural features and physical and chemical water variables had no effect on dark diversity. Morphological traits, such as body conformation, with species having narrower wings, longer hind wings, narrower thoraxes, and shorter abdomens, comprised most of the dark diversity. The dispersal limitations of some Odonata species strongly suggest the role of space and time in nature planning and management., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Accidents caused by snakes constitute a serious public health problem in Latin America and worldwide. The situation in the Brazilian Amazon region is neglected, resulting in the highest incidence of cases per capita in the country. Furthermore, the distance from urban areas makes it difficult for the population to access timely and effective medical care, including antivenom treatment. The Brazilian Amazon is characterised by high ethnic and cultural diversity, yet it lacks robust epidemiological information that would allow for the development of surveillance and prevention policies. This study aimed to assess the epidemiological profile of individuals affected by snakebite accidents from 2007 to 2021 in a poorly studied region of the Brazilian Amazon., Methods: To assess the relationship between snakebite accidents, rainfall and river flood levels, cross-correlation functions were employed. Data from the public healthcare system database was used for this analysis., Results: The results indicate that the study area experiences a snakebite rate 10 times greater than the Brazilian average and double that of other Amazonian regions. The most affected victims consist of adult males residing in rural areas, with snakebite accidents being more common during the rainy season. Viperid snakes were responsible for most bites, with the lower limbs being the most common location of injury. The data revealed a positive correlation between the number of snakebite accidents both rainfall and fluvial data., Conclusions: The accident peak coincides with the Brazil nut harvest season, a highly significant forest product for the economy of rural communities. Our data reinforces the need for public policies focused on environmental education and prevention, such as the use of boots and leg guards. These preventive measures have the potential to reduce the number of snakebites accidents by approximately 85%., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Epidemiological surveys by ethnic groups are scarce in Brazil. The health and nutrition conditions of indigenous peoples who face situations of social inequities and inequalities, negatively influence their health indicators. This study is the widest investigation on the subject ever carried out on the Baniwa ethnic group, one of the most numerous in the country. The survey aimed to analyze the living conditions and nutritional profile of children aged under 60 months and women aged 14 to 49 years of the Baniwa ethnic group, residing in the northwest region of the state of Amazonas, in the Indigenous Land of Alto Rio Negro, an area that serves as a border connecting Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. The results show a high prevalence of chronic malnutrition in 52.5% (95%CI 48.9-56.1) and anemia in 68.3% (95%CI 64-5-71.8) of children under 60 months, in addition to overweight in 26.3% (95%CI 18.4-27.0) and anemia in 52.3% (95%CI 43.6-53.6) of the women. The situations of food insecurity observed in this study are linked to poor income and sanitation conditions. The magnitude of these injuries expresses the low effectiveness of primary care actions offered by the health system, with a significant percentage of hospitalizations resulting from injuries sensitive to basic care at the primary care level.

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of alien phytoplankton species transported through ballast water of ships that docked on the Amazon coast. Phytoplankton samples were collected from 25 ships between 2012 and 2014, revealing 215 identified species, mostly comprising oceanic planktonic marine species. However, several coastal and freshwater species not yet documented on the Maranhão coast were also observed. The identification of several coastal and freshwater species not yet recorded for Amazonian environments in the ballast water of the Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal (TMPM), as well as toxic microalgae genera such as the dinoflagellates Alexandrium and Gymnodinium and of some diatom species from the genus Pseudo-nitzchia, raises concerns regarding the possibility of introducing species. This indicates that ballast water can be responsible for the introduction of alien species in Amazonian aquatic environments, thereby highlighting the TMPM as a critical hotspot in the Amazonian region., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Rauquirio Marinho da Costa reports financial support was provided by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development. Jislene Brito Matos Queiroz reports financial support was provided by Coordination of Higher Education Personnel Improvement. Luci Cajueiro Carneiro Pereira reports financial support was provided by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development. Rauquirio Marinho da Costa reports financial support was provided by Coordination of Higher Education Personnel Improvement. Rauquirio Marinho da Costa reports was provided by Paraense Amazon Foundation for Research Support. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

During early development, fishes undergo significant changes that influence external morphology and the functioning of internal organs and systems. This often results in gradual variation of the morphological traits of individuals across developmental stages. The investigation of larval and juvenile fish development and growth patterns has pertinent implications for the systematic and ecological elucidation of species. Bryconops gracilis is a medium-sized fish, omnivorous that inhabits lotic and lentic environments with acidic and transparent waters in the Amazon basin. In this study, the early development of B. gracilis is described, until recently a practically unknown species. In terms of development, we used morphological, meristic, and morphometric data to characterize the larvae and juveniles. The individuals were collected in the Curuá-Una River, Amazon basin, Brazil. Fifty-four specimens were examined. Samples include individuals with 3.39-21.79 mm SL. Yolk-sac larvae have two attachment organs on the dorsal surface of head and body. The larvae of B. gracilis are considered altricial, with a fusiform body, and the intestine reaches the median region of the body. Initially, the mouth is subterminal and becomes isognathic from the postflexion stage on. During the postflexion stage, the most relevant morphological changes occur (e.g., presence of all fins, mouth position similar to adults, increased body pigmentation), making individuals more specialized to explore new habitats and diets and maximize their chances of survival. Furthermore, vertebrae and myomeres are compared and assist with differentiating some Bryconops species at early life stages that occur in sympatry in the Amazon basin. Our results contribute to knowledge about the external morphology of neotropical freshwater fishes, enabling the identification of larvae and juveniles through traditional taxonomy and broadening the perspective on the ontogenetic study of the adipose fin in Characoidei., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Estimates of dark diversity, species that belong to a given species pool but are not present locally, can help to understand how environmental conditions influence species distribution. However, it remains uncertain whether dark diversity can predict the absence of indicator species in preserved environments after environmental changes. We explored the sensitivity of dark diversity (the set of species absent from a particular area), in detecting the absence of Zygoptera (Odonata) indicative of preserved forest environments in altered habitats, and the influence of sample coverage on the detected patterns. We sampled 98 streams in the Amazon region, where the dark diversity of Zygoptera was estimated based on probabilistic species co-occurrence patterns using the Beals index, encompassing 16 species in the Santarém/Belterra region and 23 species in the Paragominas region. The mean total richness of observed Zygoptera species in Paragominas, 42.7 species, and Santarém/Belterra, 25.93 species, was higher than the estimated mean dark diversity for the two study sites, which were 12.32 and 12.20 species, respectively. The dark diversity was not effective in detecting the absence of forest-indicator Zygoptera in human-altered streams and exhibited a positive relationship between Zygoptera dark diversity and species common to different environments concerning environmental integrity only in Paragominas, but not in Santarém. We found that there is a possibility that observed values of dark diversity may occasionally be subject to sampling coverage biases. In this regard, we suggest considering sampling coverage alongside field-collected biological datasets to assess whether it is related to dark diversity., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: In Brazilian popular medicine, Lippia alba leaves are used in teas to treat pain and inflammatory diseases., Aim of the Study: to evaluate the chemical composition, antinociceptive, and anti-inflammatory activities of Lippia alba essential oil and its major compound geraniol., Material and Methods: Lippia alba leaves were collected in Pará state, Brazil. The leaf essential oil was obtained using a modified Clevenger-type extractor. Then, the oil was analyzed by GC and GC-MS analyses. To evaluate the toxicity of LaEO and geraniol, the doses of 50, 300, and 2000 mg/kg were used in a mouse model. For antinociception tests, abdominal contortion, hot plate, and formalin tests were used; all groups were treated with LaEO and geraniol at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg; and to evaluate inflammation using the ear edema model., Results: The constituents identified in the highest content were oxygenated monoterpenes: geraniol (37.5%), geranial (6.7%) and neral (3.8%). The animals treated with LaEO and geraniol demonstrated atypical behaviors with aspects of lethargy and drowsiness, characteristics of animals in a state of sedation; the relative weights showed no significant difference compared to the controls. In the abdominal contortion test, LaEO at 25 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg doses, and 100 mg/kg reduced the number of contortions, representing a percentage reduction of 84.64%, 81.23%, and 66.21% respectively. In the hot plate test, LaEO and geraniol increased the latency time at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg in all test periods; there was no statistical difference between LaEO and geraniol. In the first phase of the formalin test, only doses of 25 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg of LaEO showed significant activity, reducing the latency time by 53.40% and 58.90%. LaEO at doses of 25 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg reduced the size of the edema, demonstrating an anti-inflammatory activity of 59.38% (25 mg/kg) and 50% (100 mg/kg)., Conclusion: Lippia alba essential oil and geraniol showed central/peripheral analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential and can be used as an alternative or complementary treatment to conventional drugs. More studies are needed to evaluate its action mechanisms and its analgesic effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We describe the geographical variation in tree species composition across Amazonian forests and show how environmental conditions are associated with species turnover. Our analyses are based on 2023 forest inventory plots (1 ha) that provide abundance data for a total of 5188 tree species. Within-plot species composition reflected both local environmental conditions (especially soil nutrients and hydrology) and geographical regions. A broader-scale view of species turnover was obtained by interpolating the relative tree species abundances over Amazonia into 47,441 0.1-degree grid cells. Two main dimensions of spatial change in tree species composition were identified. The first was a gradient between western Amazonia at the Andean forelands (with young geology and relatively nutrient-rich soils) and central-eastern Amazonia associated with the Guiana and Brazilian Shields (with more ancient geology and poor soils). The second gradient was between the wet forests of the northwest and the drier forests in southern Amazonia. Isolines linking cells of similar composition crossed major Amazonian rivers, suggesting that tree species distributions are not limited by rivers. Even though some areas of relatively sharp species turnover were identified, mostly the tree species composition changed gradually over large extents, which does not support delimiting clear discrete biogeographic regions within Amazonia., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Ayapana triplinervis (M.Vahl) R.M.King & H.Rob. (Asteraceae), popularly known as japana, is a tropical, aromatic subshrub widely used as tea to combat some diseases. The essential oil was obtained from the leaves by hydrodistillation (3 h), and the chemical composition was analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. For in vivo assays, Mus musculus/Swiss mice were used to evaluate oral acute toxicological (at dose of 2000 mg/kg); peripheral and central analgesic for abdominal contortion (doses of 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg), hot plate test (12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) and formalin (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg); open field test (100 mg/kg); and anti-inflammatory by ear swelling induced by xylene (6.25,12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg). The yield of A. triplinervis essential oil (AtEO) was 4.6%, and the oxygenated monoterpene 2,5-dimethoxy-p-cymene was the major compound in this study (63.6%). AtEO at a dose of 2,000 mg/kg orally did not change the behavior patterns or mortality of the animals; liver and kidney biochemical levels were similar to the control group, indicating no liver and kidney toxicity. Moreover, AtEO, at doses of 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, reduced abdominal contortions by 21%, 54%, 91%, 58%, and 55%, respectively. In the hot plate test, AtEO showed a significant increase in latency time in the 60-min interval at doses of 25 mg/kg (11.3 ± 3.3 s) and 100 mg/kg (11.9 ± 0.9 s). In the first phase of the formalin test, AtEO decreased paw licking time at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, with inhibition of 22%, 38%, and 83%; in the second phase, the same doses, decreased licking time with inhibition of 24%, 34%, and 76%. AtEO did not present a significant change in the spontaneous locomotor activity of the animals. Doses of 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg significantly reduced ear edema induced by topical application of xylene with percentages of 40%, 39%, 54%, 45%, and 45%, respectively. So, AtEO demonstrated low acute oral toxicity and exhibited significant antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory actions, consistent with the use of A. triplinervis in traditional medicine., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

There is limited knowledge about tick diversity in the Amazon region. Here, we survey small terrestrial mammals for tick infestation at the Rio Pardo settlement, Amazonas State, Brazil. Sampling included rainy and dry seasons and four ecotones (primary forest, forest in regeneration, field crops and households). Each animal was inspected for ticks, which, if present, were placed in 70% alcohol and identified. Parasitological indexes were calculated and the presence/absence of ticks on hosts was tested for possible associations with independent variables (ecotone, host sex, host order, host family, host age and season). A total of 208 small mammals were captured, 47 individuals (10 species) in the primary forest, 124 (15 species) in the forest in regeneration, 11 (7 species) in the field crops, and 26 (4 species) in the households. A total of 14 small mammals were infested by ticks (overall prevalence: 6.7%; 95% CI: 3.72 - 11.04%), which consisted of 51 specimens that were identified into four species, as follows: Amblyomma humerale (32 nymphs); Ixodes luciae (6 females); Amblyomma coelebs (1 nymph); and Ornithodoros mimon (1 larva). In addition, 11 larvae were retained as Amblyomma spp. Only host order showed association (P = 0.002) with tick infestation, with marsupials 5.5 times more infested than rodents. Our record of O. mimon on D. marsupialis is the first on this host species, and the first record of a Argasidae tick in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that actively screened free-living terrestrial small mammals and provided data on prevalence, mean intensity and mean abundance of tick infestations in the Brazilian Amazonas state., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Increases in hydrological extremes, including drought, are expected for Amazon forests. A fundamental challenge for predicting forest responses lies in identifying ecological strategies which underlie such responses. Characterization of species-specific hydraulic strategies for regulating water-use, thought to be arrayed along an 'isohydric-anisohydric' spectrum, is a widely used approach. However, recent studies have questioned the usefulness of this classification scheme, because its metrics are strongly influenced by environments, and hence can lead to divergent classifications even within the same species. Here, we propose an alternative approach positing that individual hydraulic regulation strategies emerge from the interaction of environments with traits. Specifically, we hypothesize that the vertical forest profile represents a key gradient in drought-related environments (atmospheric vapor pressure deficit, soil water availability) that drives divergent tree water-use strategies for coordinated regulation of stomatal conductance (gs) and leaf water potentials (ΨL) with tree rooting depth, a proxy for water availability. Testing this hypothesis in a seasonal eastern Amazon forest in Brazil, we found that hydraulic strategies indeed depend on height-associated environments. Upper canopy trees, experiencing high vapor pressure deficit (VPD), but stable soil water access through deep rooting, exhibited isohydric strategies, defined by little seasonal change in the diurnal pattern of gs and steady seasonal minimum ΨL. In contrast, understory trees, exposed to less variable VPD but highly variable soil water availability, exhibited anisohydric strategies, with fluctuations in diurnal gs that increased in the dry season along with increasing variation in ΨL. Our finding that canopy height structures the coordination between drought-related environmental stressors and hydraulic traits provides a basis for preserving the applicability of the isohydric-to-anisohydric spectrum, which we show here may consistently emerge from environmental context. Our work highlights the importance of understanding how environmental heterogeneity structures forest responses to climate change, providing a mechanistic basis for improving models of tropical ecosystems., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permission@oup.com.)

Pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) is a fish with a high production potential in Brazil. However, one limitation is the excessive amount of ether extract in its carcass, an undesirable characteristic for the consumer. One approach to overcome this limitation is to improve carcass quality through zootechnical additives such as caffeine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementing the diet of pacu with caffeine on cut yield, biological indices, and carcass composition. Two hundred pacu with an initial weight of 1,687 g were used. The animals were allocated to 20 aquaculture cages of 1 m³, with 10 animals per cage. A completely randomized design with four treatments and five replicates was used. The treatments evaluated consisted of four inclusion levels of caffeine: T1 = 0.00 g; T2 = 0.16 g; T3 = 0.32 g, and T4 = 0.48 g caffeine.kg-1 of feed. The findings show that caffeine can be recommended as a diet supplement for carcass improvement of pacu, reducing the fat content and increasing the protein content of the carcass. Caffeine up to 0.32 g.kg-1 of feed can be added to the diet of pacu without affecting its performance or cut yield.

Gobionellus stomatus, a fish species endemic to Brazil, was previously known to occur from the State of Piauí to the State of Rio Grande do Sul. Here we present the first record of this species for the State of Maranhão, specifically for the Upaon-Açu island, extending its distribution further west, to the coastal zone of the Amazon region. This species inhabits estuarine ecosystems susceptible to environmental pressures, such as pollution and the introduction of non-native species. Despite G. stomatus being classified as of least concern for conservation, it is crucial to highlight potential risks associated with human activities in these environments, emphasizing the importance of preservation measures to mitigate future impacts on the populations of this species, as well as of other estuarine gobies.

The early development stages of Brachyplatystoma juruense (Boulenger) are described through morphological, meristic, and morphometric data, providing useful traits to identify its larvae and juveniles. Additionally, the growth pattern throughout the species' development has been determined from the smallest specimen of 3.93 mm (flexion) to the largest of 25.77 mm (juvenile). Ninety-one specimens classified into two larval stages (flexion and postflexion) and five juveniles were analyzed. The individuals were collected between 2011 and 2019 at sampling stations distributed across the Amazon basin, in the water systems of the Japurá, Solimões, and Amazonas rivers. The larvae and juveniles are characterized by having small, spherical eye, terminal mouth, rounded snout, and a dorsoventrally flattened head with three pairs of barbels (two pairs of mental barbels and one pair of maxillary). The anus does not reach the midbody region, and the adipose fin has a triangular shape. The upper caudal-fin rays extend, forming long caudal filaments. Initial pigmentation is restricted to dendritic and punctiform chromatophores irregularly distributed on the dorsal region of the head, and from postflexion onwards, along the dorsal region of the body. The total number of myomeres varies from 58 to 59 (22 pre-anal and 36 to 37 post-anal). During early development, B. juruense exhibits predominantly isometric growth. Larvae and juveniles of B. juruense can be identified by the number of myomeres, external morphology including pigmentation, head shape, and morphometric proportions. This information is essential for the accurate identification of larvae and juveniles captured in their natural environment.

Due to their natural history and ecological attributes, turtles are excellent organisms for studies of heavy metal contamination. Turtles have a large geographical distribution, occupy different aquatic habitats, and occupy various trophic levels. The present study investigated mercury bioaccumulation in the carnivorous chelonian Chelus fimbriata (Matamata turtle) and Hg biomagnification in relation to its aquatic food chain in the middle Rio Negro, AM-Brazil. Tissue samples of muscle, carapace and claws were collected from 26 C. fimbriata individuals, as well as collections of autotrophic energy sources found in the turtle's aquatic habitat area. The samples were collected in February-March/2014 and analyzed for THg concentrations and carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) stable isotopes. The highest THg levels were found in claws (3780 ng.g -1 ), carapace (3622 ng.g -1 ) and muscle (403 ng.g -1 ), which were found to be significantly different [F(2.73) = 49.02 p < 0.01]. However, THg concentrations in muscle tissue were below the consumption threshold indicated by the WHO and Brazilian Health Ministry. The average δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in Matamata samples were -31.7‰ and 11.9‰, respectively. The principal energy source sustaining the food chain of C. fimbriata was found to be terrestrial shrubs, with smaller contributions from emergent aquatic herbaceous plants and algae, while δ 15 N values showed its trophic position to be two levels above the autotrophic energy sources. There was a positive correlation between THg and turtle size, while a significant relationship was found between THg and δ 15 N, showing strong biomagnification in the food chain of C. fimbriata: y = 0.21x + 0.46; r 2  = 0.45; p < 0.001, for which the slope presented a value of 0.21., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Fish is an important source of food and income for a significant portion of the Amazonian population, especially those who live along the rivers and lakes in the region. Pseudoplatystoma punctifer (Castelnau, 1855), known as surubim, is a species of Neotropical catfish widely exploited by fisheries and commercially valuable in the Guaporé River basin, Brazil. However, population dynamics are poorly known in the region. To understand the population structure and reproductive biology aspects of the surubim, monthly experimental fisheries were carried out in the São Miguel River, state of Rondônia, Brazil, between August 2020 and July 2021. The captured fish were weighed, and its gonads were removed and weighed for histological analyses (microscopic description) and classification of the maturation stages (macroscopic description). The collected gonads were fixed in 10% buffered formalin, dehydrated, cut into 4-μm-thick sections, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. A total of 34 individuals were collected (20 females and 14 males), showing positive allometric growth and condition factor from 0.81 to 1.79 for females and males, respectively. Females were larger in size and weight than males. P. punctifer reaches its first maturation at an average length of 68.30 cm, indicating the importance of respecting the minimum capture size as an alternative to ensure the natural stocks of this fishery resource in the region. The results provide support for the establishment of public policies and actions for conservation, management, and regulation of fishing., (© 2024 Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

The early development of the freshwater fish Rhytiodus microlepis is characterized by the description of external morphological, meristic, and morphometric changes, as well as the growth patterns, thereby establishing a reference for the identification of its larvae and juveniles. Specimens were collected from the Amazon river channel and floodplain. Ninety-seven individuals were analysed with standard length varying between 4.31 and 79.23 mm. Rhytiodus microlepis larvae are altricial, with an elongated and fusiform body, anal opening reaching the middle region of the body, and simple nostrils becoming double and tubular during development. The pigments vary from one to two chromatophores in the dorsal region of the head in pre-flexion and flexion, but later the pigmentation pattern intensifies, transverse bands appear along the body, and a conspicuous spot appears in the basal region of the caudal fin. The total number of myomeres ranges from 49 to 50. During the transition from larval (post-flexion) to the juvenile periods, the most significant anatomical changes occur, such as the presence of all fins and increased body pigmentation. Integrated myomere count and pigmentation pattern are effective for the correct identification of the initial life stages of R. microlepis from the Amazon basin. Our results expand the knowledge about the early life history of Neotropical freshwater fish species., (© 2024 Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

Amazonia's floodplain system is the largest and most biodiverse on Earth. Although forests are crucial to the ecological integrity of floodplains, our understanding of their species composition and how this may differ from surrounding forest types is still far too limited, particularly as changing inundation regimes begin to reshape floodplain tree communities and the critical ecosystem functions they underpin. Here we address this gap by taking a spatially explicit look at Amazonia-wide patterns of tree-species turnover and ecological specialization of the region's floodplain forests. We show that the majority of Amazonian tree species can inhabit floodplains, and about a sixth of Amazonian tree diversity is ecologically specialized on floodplains. The degree of specialization in floodplain communities is driven by regional flood patterns, with the most compositionally differentiated floodplain forests located centrally within the fluvial network and contingent on the most extraordinary flood magnitudes regionally. Our results provide a spatially explicit view of ecological specialization of floodplain forest communities and expose the need for whole-basin hydrological integrity to protect the Amazon's tree diversity and its function., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The water treatment depends exclusively on the identification of residues containing toxic chemical elements accumulated in NPs (nanoparticles), and ultrafine particles sourced from waste piles located at old, abandoned sulfuric acid factories containing phosphogypsum requires global attention. The general objective of this study is to quantify and analyze the hazardous chemical elements present in the leachate of waste from deactivated sulfuric acid factories, coupled in NPs and ultrafine particles, in the port region of the city of Imbituba, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Samples were collected in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Corresponding images from the Sentinel-3B OLCI satellite, taken in the same general vicinity, detected the levels of absorption coefficient of Detritus and Gelbstoff (ADG443&#95;NN) in 443 m -1 , chlorophyll-a (CHL&#95;NN (m -3 )), and total suspended matter (TSM&#95;NN (g m -3 ) at 72 points on the marine coast of the port region. The results of inductively coupled plasma atomic-emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) demonstrate that the leaching occurring in waste piles at the port area of Imbituba was the likely source of hazardous chemical elements (e.g., Mg, Sr, Nd, and Pr) in the environment. These leachates were formed due to the presence of coal pyrite and Fe-acid sulfates in said waste piles. The mobility of hazardous chemical elements potentiates changes in the marine ecosystem, in relation to ADG443&#95;NN (m -1 ), CHL&#95;NN (m -3 ), and TSM NN (g m -3 ), with values greater than 20 g m -3 found in 2021 and 2022. This indicated changes in the natural conditions of the marine ecosystem up to 30 km from the coast in the Atlantic Ocean, justifying public initiatives for water treatment on a global scale., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Pectis elongata, a herbaceous species that is known in northern Brazil as "cominho" or "limãozinho", is traditionally used in the region for the treatment of fevers, colds, hypotension, genitourinary and gastric disorders, and pain., Aim of the Study: Determine the chemical composition and acute oral toxicity and evaluate whether Pectis elongata essential oil (PeEO) has antiedema and antinociceptive activity., Materials and Methods: The chemical composition was determined using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and the degree of toxicity determined by the LD 50 . The antiedema and antinociceptive potential was evaluated via the λ-carrageenan-induced paw edema test and formalin test, respectively., Results: Citral (geranial and neral) was characterized as a major component of the PeEO, representing 89% of the total identified compounds. According to OECD criteria (2002), the EO was considered non-toxic since it presented LD 50 values over 2000 mg kg -1 . Its antiedema potential was observed at doses of 200 and 400 mg kg -1 (p ≤ 0.05). At a dose of 400 mg kg -1 , PeEO also showed antinociceptive potential (p ≤ 0.05), both in the neurogenic phase and in the inflammatory phase., Conclusions: PeEO, which is rich in citral, did not induce any characteristic signs of acute oral toxicity and was also efficient in reducing carrageenan-induced paw edema, in addition to presenting antinociceptive potential and acting on both central and peripheral pain. It is thus a promising candidate for the development of a new herbal medicine with anti-inflammatory and analgesic action., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that have no conflicts of financial or personal relationship interests that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Malaria continues to be a serious global public health problem in subtropical and tropical countries of the world. The main drugs used in the treatment of human malaria, quinine and artemisinin, are isolates of medicinal plants, making the use of plants a widespread practice in countries where malaria is endemic. Over the years, due to the increased resistance of the parasite to chloroquine and artemisinin in certain regions, new strategies for combating malaria have been employed, including research with medicinal plants., Aim: This review focuses on the scientific production regarding medicinal plants from Brazil whose antimalarial activity was evaluated during the period from 2011 to 2022. 2., Methodology: For this review, four electronic databases were selected for research: Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Scielo and Periódicos CAPES. Searches were made for full texts published in the form of scientific articles written in Portuguese or English and in a digital format. In addition, prospects for new treatments as well as future research that encourages the search for natural products and antimalarial derivatives are also presented., Results: A total of 61 publications were encountered, which cited 36 botanical families and 92 species using different Plasmodium strains in in vitro and in vivo assays. The botanical families with the most expressive number of species found were Rubiaceae, Apocynaceae, Fabaceae and Asteraceae (14, 14, 9 and 6 species, respectively), and the most frequently cited species were of the genera Psychotria L. (8) and Aspidosperma Mart. (12), which belong to the families Rubiaceae and Apocynaceae. Altogether, 75 compounds were identified or isolated from 28 different species, 31 of which are alkaloids. In addition, the extracts of the analyzed species, including the isolated compounds, showed a significant reduction of parasitemia in P. falciparum and P. berghei, especially in the clones W2 CQ-R (in vitro) and ANKA (in vivo), respectively. The Brazilian regions with the highest number of species analyzed were those of the north, especially the states of Pará and Amazonas, and the southeast, especially the state of Minas Gerais., Conclusion: Although many plant species with antimalarial potential have been identified in Brazil, studies of new antimalarial molecules are slow and have not evolved to the production of a phytotherapeutic medicine. Given this, investigations of plants of traditional use and biotechnological approaches are necessary for the discovery of natural antimalarial products that contribute to the treatment of the disease in the country and in other endemic regions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: We tested the hypothesis that children of non-depressed mothers perform better in a developmental test at 3 years than children of depressed mothers., Method: Longitudinal analysis from a trial to assess the impact of a child development promotion program in 30 Brazilian municipalities. Mothers and children were appraised at first-year post-partum, 1 and 3 years after enrollment. Child development was assessed through the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ3) and maternal depression through the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Crude and adjusted beta coefficients were obtained by linear regression before and after multiple imputation., Results: In total, 2098 mother/child dyads were included and 8.2% of the mothers had persistent depressive symptoms. There was a decrease in ASQ3 as the number of follow-ups with EPDS ≥ 10 increased (p for trend <0.001). In adjusted analysis, the direction of the association persisted but lost statistical significance. After multiple imputation, children from mothers with EPDS ≥ 10 in three follow-ups presented a decrease of about 14 points in ASQ3 (adjusted beta coefficient = -13.79; -22.59 to -5.00) (p for trend = 0.001)., Conclusions: Identification of women at increased risk of depression should be among the primary health care sector priorities in maternal and child health in Brazil., Impact: In our population study, almost one in every ten women presented persistent depression symptoms across the first 3 years postpartum. In adjusted analysis there was a detrimental impact of persistent maternal depression on child development at 3 years of age. The persistent exposure to maternal depression across early childhood negatively influences children's development. Considering its prevalence, identification of women at increased risk of depression should be among the primary health care sector priorities in maternal and child health in Brazil., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Methods: Sampling was performed at three sites in the Tapajós River mouth, Pará State, Brazil, and an aliquot of blood was collected from each turtle by post-occipital dorsal vein puncture. The aliquots were used for the determination of hematological parameters and for the study of hemoparasites in the blood samples., Results: A total of 37 turtles were sampled: 21 Podocnemis expansa, three P. sextuberculata, nine P. unifilis, and four P. erythrocephala. Parasitological analyses showed inclusions in erythrocytes compatible with Haemogregarina sp., representing an overall prevalence of parasitized animals of 64.8% with an average of 94,789 parasites/ml of blood. In this study, the evolutionary forms of Haemogregarina spp. from trophozoites, pre-meronts, meronts, and mature and immature gamonts were observed in three species of freshwater turtle species, and one morphotype of the parasite with high similarity to Haemogregarina podocnemis has been observed., Conclusion: Despite recent research on freshwater turtles, this study provides new information on the intensity of blood parasite infection and hematological parameters of free-living animals, highlighting the need for studies on infected and uninfected animals from the same population., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Background: Frederico José de Santa-Anna Nery (1848-1901) was a Brazilian Baron who referred to himself as a "volunteer propagandist" for Brazil in Europe, serving as an immigration agent to publicize the living conditions in the Amazon region, advocating for its development and modernization at the end of the nineteenth century. Santa-Anna Nery's most famous book is "Le Pays des Amazones" (The Lands of the Amazons), first published in 1885, which the author dedicated a chapter to introduce and report on the Amazonian useful plant species and its relationship with humans. The aim of this work is to understand the historical context and ethnobotanical value of the plant species in the Brazilian Amazon at the end of the nineteenth century through an analysis of the book "Le Pays des Amazones" (1885) by Baron de Santa-Anna Nery, as well as to bring to light the historical importance of this very influential propagandist, who has been forgotten nowadays., Methods: The original book "Le Pays des Amazones" (1885), as well as the original 3rd edition and its translated version into Portuguese, was carefully analyzed and all information about plants was systematized, with botanical names being updated. Finally, using the scientific name of medicinal plants alone or in combination with their traditional use, a search was carried out in databases in order to indicate current pharmacological studies that provide evidence about the described traditional uses., Results: A total of 156 plant species were identified in the book, although 132 species had their scientific names updated. These species belong to 45 different families, with Fabaceae and Arecaceae the most represented, and 109 plants are Brazilian native. Considering only the 36 medicinal plants, the main medicinal indications reported were astringent, purgative/laxative, stimulant and tonic, vermifuge, febrifuge, sudorific, emetic, diuretic and antidysenteric. Regarding other useful plants (non-medicinal), 97 species were cited for food, constructions and buildings, spices and condiments, ornaments and objects, carpentry, textile fibers, gums, oils, balms and essences, pigments and tanning, hunting and fishing., Conclusions: When the book "Le Pays des Amazones" is analyzed from a timeless perspective, with a particular focus on historical ethnobotany, it is possible to observe the economic, social, and political importance of many useful plants for the Amazon at the end of the nineteenth century and how the relationship between local people, indigenous communities, and immigrants was established with plant biodiversity., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Understanding how functionally similar species segregate resources to minimize competition is vital for predicting evolutionary factors and patterns of coexistence. We conducted a study in Mata de Itamacaoca, in the middle Munim River basin, Maranhão, northeastern Brazil, to characterize the functional morphology and trophic niches of five coexisting Characiform species in this area - including a recently described species, and to investigate whether their functional morphology is a key determinant of their trophic niches. Our analysis of functional morphology and diet, employing linear measurements to predict dietary specializations, showed that these species are predominantly generalist insectivores with a significant morphological overlap. This study underscores the influence of species' natural history on their ecological characteristics, contributing to more effective conservation strategies.

The main objective of this study is to analyze hazardous elements in nanoparticles (NPs) (smaller than 100 nm) and ultrafine particles (smaller than 1 µm) in Porto Alegre City, southern Brazil using a self-made passive sampler and Sentinel-3B SYN satellite images in 32 collection points. The Aerosol Optical Thickness proportion (T550) identification was conducted using images of the Sentinel-3B SYN satellite at 634 points sampled in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. Focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy analyses were performed to identify chemical elements present in NPs and ultrafine particles, followed by single-stage cascade impactor to be processed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. This process was coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and later analysis via secondary ion mass spectrometry. Data was acquired from Sentinel-3B SYN images, normalized to a standard mean of 0.83 µg/mg, at moderate spatial resolution (260 m), and modeled in the Sentinel Application Platform (SNAP) software v.8.0. Statistical matrix data was generated in the JASP software (Jeffreys's Amazing Statistics Program) v.0.14.1.0 followed by a K-means cluster analysis. The results demonstrate the presence of between 1 and 100 nm particles of the following chemical elements: Si, Al, K, Mg, P, and Ti. Many people go through these areas daily and may inhale or absorb these elements that can harm human health. In the Sentinel-3B SYN satellite images, the sum of squares in cluster 6 is 168,265 and in cluster 7 a total of 21,583. The use of images from the Sentinel-3B SYN satellite to obtain T550 levels is of great importance as it reveals that atmospheric pollution can move through air currents contaminating large areas on a global scale., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Ethnopharmacology and botanical taxonomy are valid criteria used to selecting plants for antimalarial bioprospection purposes. Based on these two criteria, ethanol extracts of 11 plants from Santarém City vicinities, Western Pará State, Brazilian Amazonia, had their in vitro antiplasmodial activity against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum (W2 clone) assessed by the PfLDH method, whereas their cytotoxicity to HepG2-A16 cells was assessed through MTT assay. Acmella oleracea, Siparuna krukovii and Trema micrantha extracts disclosed the highest rate of parasite growth inhibition (90 %) in screening tests. In vivo antimalarial assays were conducted with these extracts against Plasmodium berghei (NK 65 strain) infected mice. Inhibition rate of parasite multiplication ranged from 41.4 % to 60.9 % at the lowest extract dose (25 mg/kg). HPLC-ESI-HRMS 2 analyses allowed the putative identification of alkylamides, fatty acids, flavonoid glycosides and alkaloids in ethanol extracts deriving from these three plant species. Results pointed towards A. oleracea flowers ethanol extract as the most promising potential candidate to preclinical studies aiming the development of antimalarial phytomedicine., (© 2023 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Amazonian várzeas are annually flooded for at least five months, which influences the occurence of waterbirds. This study investigates the species richness and composition, and individual abundance of waterbird assemblages in 10 várzea lakes on the lower Amazon River across a seasonal cycle. A total of 7,970 birds belonging to 52 species were recorded. Of these, 25 species were present in all four phases of the cycle, 5 in three phases, 10 in two and 12 during just one phase. Families with the highest species richness were Ardeidae and Scolopacidae. In the dry season, we recorded the highest species richness and the highest total abundance values. Thirteen species showed variation in abundance across the seasonal cycle, most being more abundant in the dry season Variation in species richness, abundance, and composition suggests that research on waterbird assemblages in Amazonian várzeas should consider all phases of the seasonal cycle. Furthermore, the occurrence of several migratory species demonstrates the importance of this region for the conservation of this group. Multi-year monitoring would contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of Amazonian várzea waterbird assemblages.

The emergence of bacterial resistance to antimicrobials poses a significant health threat. To address this issue, exploring the fungal diversity in freshwater environments in the Amazon Forest has potential in the search for new antimicrobials. This study aimed to investigate the production of antibacterial metabolites by aquatic fungi from Amazon lakes, specifically Lake Juá and Lake Maicá (Brazil-PA). The fungal isolates were obtained from wood fragments submerged in these lakes, and the ethyl acetate extracts were evaluated for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, S. aureus (MRSA), ATCC 43300, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and E. coli (ESBL) NCTC 13353. Additionally, toxicity of the extracts (EtOAc with antimicrobial activity) against human fibroblasts MRC-5 was investigated. The study identified 40 fungal strains with antimicrobial screening, and the ethyl acetate extracts of Fluviatispora C34, Helicascus C18, Monodictys C15, and Fusarium solani LM6281 exhibited antibacterial activity. F. solani LM6281 showed the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 50 µg/mL against S. aureus strains and MIC of 100 µg/mL against E. coli strains including ESBL. The cytotoxicity (IC50) of the extract (EtOAc) of F. solani LM6281 was 34.5 µg/mL. Preliminary studies of the TLC culture and RNM-H from the extract (EtOAc) of F. solani suggested the presence of substances from the class of terpenes, quinones, phenolics, and flavonoids. This study highlights the potential of submerged wood fungi in the Amazon region to produce antibacterial substances, thus identifying them as sources of novel bioactive compounds with potential use in the pharmaceutical industry and regional bioeconomy.

This study aimed to describe the prevalence of demand for health services among Brazilian adolescents and to investigate its association with contextual characteristics of the territory. Study with data from the Brazilian National Health Survey, conducted in 2019, including 43,774 individuals aged from 10 to 19 years. Adolescent's information was obtained through a proxy resident of 18 years or more who answered for all the residents of the household. Poisson regression was used to assess the demand for health services according to geopolitical region, economic status, and type of municipality. The interaction of the health insurance was also evaluated in these associations. Of the total, 11.7% (95%CI: 11.1; 12.3) of the adolescents sought health services in the two weeks prior to the survey. Greater figures of demand were observed in the Southeast (PR = 1.32; 95%CI: 1.15; 1.52) and South regions (PR = 1.31; 95%CI: 1.13; 1.52) compared to the Northern Region of Brazil. Having a health insurance increased the demand for services by adolescents living in rural areas and in capitals and the municipalities of the Metropolitan Areas and/or Integrated Development Regions. The study showed a low prevalence of demand for health services among adolescents and contextual inequalities for the geopolitical region. Having a health insurance was an important marker to understand the disparities in the economic status and in the type of municipality.

This paper investigates the perception of river dwellers in the Brazilian Amazon region about factors that influence the transmission of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) regarding medicinal plants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 43 residents of Vila Franca community (Pará, Brazil). The data were analyzed using the methodological strategy of the Discourse of the Collective Subject. The determining factors in the transmission of TEK were found to be: illness, family coexistence, and necessity, which were represented in the discourses as the most important factors for the acquisition of TEK. In the community context, the locally developed Natural Remedies Project, the beneficial effects of natural remedies, and the lack of resources to purchase allopathic medicines were cited as collaborative factors in the maintenance of TEK. Finally, the most significant determining factors in the decrease or loss of transmission of TEK found in the interviews were: lack of commitment, disbelief, and the valorization of allopathic medicines. A complex network of interactions between the villagers and their natural environment affects the transmission of TEK about medicinal plants. However, we found that the perpetuation of TEK is being threatened by various socio-economic and cultural factors.

The impact of the Antarctic Ozone Hole Influence over Southern Brazil in October 2015 was analyzed using daily mean data of the Total Column Ozone (TCO), Ultraviolet Index (UVI) and Radiative Cloud Fraction (RCF) from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument satellite instrument. Vertical profiles and fields of ozone content and Potential Vorticity available from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast reanalysis, air masses backward trajectories from the HYbrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model and channel 3 water vapor images from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite GOES-13 were also analyzed. The five identified events showed an -7.4±2.3% average TCO reduction, leading to an +16.6±54.6% UVI increase even with a predominance of partly cloudy days. Other impacts were observed in the ozone profiles, where the most significant anomalies occurred from 650 K reaching 1.2 ppmv at the 850 K level. In the ozone fields at 700 K, the presence of a polar origin tongue was observed causing negatives anomalies between -0.2 and 0.4 ppmv in a transient system format forced with eastward-traveling Rossby waves passing through the Southern of Brazil and Uruguay.

Indigenous societies are known to have occupied the Amazon basin for more than 12,000 years, but the scale of their influence on Amazonian forests remains uncertain. We report the discovery, using LIDAR (light detection and ranging) information from across the basin, of 24 previously undetected pre-Columbian earthworks beneath the forest canopy. Modeled distribution and abundance of large-scale archaeological sites across Amazonia suggest that between 10,272 and 23,648 sites remain to be discovered and that most will be found in the southwest. We also identified 53 domesticated tree species significantly associated with earthwork occurrence probability, likely suggesting past management practices. Closed-canopy forests across Amazonia are likely to contain thousands of undiscovered archaeological sites around which pre-Columbian societies actively modified forests, a discovery that opens opportunities for better understanding the magnitude of ancient human influence on Amazonia and its current state.

Previous studies about the genetic diversity, connectivity and demographic history in Lutjanidae fishes have reported a common pattern of genetic homogeneity and expansion in populations from Western South Atlantic. In the present work, we inferred the population structure, the levels of genetic diversity and the demographic history of the Brazilian snapper Lutjanus alexandrei , a recently described and endemic species from Northeastern coast of Brazil. Five different fragments, including mitochondrial DNA (Control Region, Cyt b and ND4) and nuclear DNA (Myostatin and S7) regions were analyzed in 120 specimens of L. alexandrei from four localities in Northeastern Brazil, representing the first study of population genetics in this species. High levels of genetic diversity were observed following a panmictic pattern, probably related to the larval dispersal by the current tides along the Brazilian coast. In addition, both demographic history and neutrality tests indicated that L. alexandrei has undergone population expansion during Pleistocene. In this sense, the sea level variation from this period could have increased the available resources and suitable habitats for the Brazilian snapper., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2023 Veneza et al.)

The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between air temperature data against hospital admissions due to respiratory diseases of children (under five years of age) and the elderly (over 65) in subtropical Porto Alegre, Brazil, comparing outcomes for 3 sequential years, 2018-2020, pre- and post-COVID 19 pandemic. Meteorological and hospital admission (HA) data for Porto Alegre, marked by a Koeppen-Geiger's Cfa climate type with well-defined seasons, were used in the analyses. HA was obtained for respiratory diseases (J00-99, according to the International Classification of Diseases, ICD-10) from the Brazilian DATASUS (Unified Health System database). We performed correlation analysis between variables (HA versus air temperature and heat stress) in order to identify existing relationships and lag effects (between meteorological condition and morbidity). Relative risk (RR) was also obtained for the two age groups during the three years. Results showed that the pandemic year disrupted observed patterns of association between analyzed variables, with either very low or non-existent correlations., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to International Society of Biometeorology.)

Background: Women living in low- and middle-income countries are more exposed to known risk factors for depression occurrence and persistency over time., Aim: Our aim was to investigate the course of depression in the first 2 years postpartum among Brazilian women enrolled in a cash transfer program., Method: Longitudinal analysis of baseline (T0; mean 3.7 months postpartum) and first follow-up data (T1; mean 18.6 months postpartum) from a trial to assess the impact of a child development promotion program in 30 municipalities from six Brazilian states. The program does not include any interventions against maternal depression. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at cutoff ⩾10 was applied. Women were categorized into four groups based on EPDS at T0 and T1: absence of depression, persistence, discontinuity, or emergence pattern. Adjusted Poisson regressions were run using a multilevel hierarchical model., Results: Two thousand eight hundred sixty-three women were assessed. Prevalence of depression was 26.4% [24.8, 28.1] at T0 and 24.4% [22.8, 26.0] at T1. Persistence, discontinuation, and emergence were found in 14.1% [11.3, 17.6%], 12.8% [11.4, 14.3%], and 10.2% [8.0, 13.0], respectively. In adjusted analyses, the persistence pattern was directly associated with parity and inversely associated with schooling of the woman and of the child's father. Living with husband/partner and support from the child's father and family members during pregnancy were protective against persistence. The discontinuity and the emergence patterns were not associated with any of the exposure variables., Conclusions: Depressive symptoms were highly prevalent during the first 2 years postpartum. About half of the women with depression at T1 were persistent cases that could have been detected earlier. Screening for maternal depression should be an essential component in every encounter of women with health professionals in primary health care settings.

A new species of Knodus from the Rio Cupari, a right-bank tributary of the lower Rio Tapajós, is described. Among its congeners, the new species shares exclusively with K. figueiredoi the presence of only uni-tricuspid teeth in the premaxilla, maxilla and dentary. Knodus borari differs from K. figueiredoi by the colour pattern and morphological characteristics. The new species is the fifth species of the genus described from the Rio Tapajós basin, and the second restricted to the lower portion of the basin. This is additional evidence that the lower Rio Tapajós basin is a region of ichthyofaunal endemism., (© 2023 Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

Climate change is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, especially for species of high altitudes. However, biodiversity conservation policies that consider mitigation strategies for long-term climate impacts are still scarce. To analyze the effects of climate change on lizards in tropical mountainous areas, we selected two species from Serra do Espinhaço (Brazil) with different thermoregulation strategies and distributions (Tropidurus montanus and Rhachisaurus brachylepis). Serra do Espinhaço mountain range is recognized as an important center of endemism and can act as a refuge for species that manage to survive climate change. We produce models of environmental suitability from bioclimatic, edaphic, and topographic variables, and create projections for the present and for the year 2070 under an optimistic (RCP 4.5) and a pessimistic (RCP 8.5) climatic scenario. The results indicate that both future climate scenarios foresee a reduction of areas of environmental suitability for the studied species, but especially for the restricted distribution one (R. brachylepis). Although our results indicate that the studied species are recorded in areas of integral protection that possess climatic stability, the future will see a reduction of areas with environmental suitability, especially under the pessimistic scenario.

The aim of this study was to classify the diversity of anal HPV and non-HPV sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and compare the concordance between anal and genital infections in HIV-infected and uninfected women living in the Tapajós region, Amazon, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was performed with 112 HIV-uninfected and 41 HIV-infected nonindigenous women. Anal and cervical scrapings were collected and analyzed for HPV, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) , Neisseria gonorrheae (NG), Trichomonas vaginalis (TV), Mycoplasma genitalium (MG), and Human alphaherpesvirus 2 (HSV-2). The Kappa test evaluated the concordance between anal and genital infections. The overall prevalence of anal HPV infection was 31.3% in HIV-uninfected and 97.6% in HIV-infected women. The most frequent anal high-risk HPV (hrHPV) types were HPV18 and HPV16 in HIV-uninfected women and HPV51, HPV59, HPV31, and HPV58 in HIV-infected women. Anal HPV75 Betapapillomavirus was also identified. Anal non-HPV STIs were identified in 13.0% of all participants. The concordance analysis was fair for CT, MG, and HSV-2, almost perfect agreement for NG, moderate for HPV, and variable for the most frequent anal hrHPV types. Thus, a high prevalence of anal HPV infection with moderate and fair concordance between anal and genital HPV and non-HPV STIs was observed in our study.

Phaegopterina moths comprise approximately 750 species recorded in Brazil. In the Cerrado, there are 254 recorded species, while in the Amazon region there are 469. In this study we present an annotated catalogue of species distribution for the Phaegopterina subtribe, recorded in the state of Maranhão for 11 municipalities. After examining the material and reviewing the bibliography, we developed a catalogue containing 119 species within 59 genera of Phaegopterina, of which 26 species are newly recorded for Maranhão, Brazil. The continuous inventory of Arctiinae for Maranhão will contribute to the identification and understanding of the diversity of Lepidoptera present in the region between the Cerrado and Amazon biomes.

Dredging activities cause sediment resuspension, which can change the bioavailability of nutrients such as phosphorus (P) in aquatic ecosystems due to remobilization. This study evaluated the remobilization of P in the solid and dissolved phase before and after sediment resuspension in the Meriti and Iguaçu River estuaries and the Rio de Janeiro and Niterói harbor in Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). Three water and sediment samples were collected at each point. Dissolved phosphorus (DP), total phosphorus (TP), organic phosphorus (OP), and inorganic phosphorus (IP) were analyzed before and after resuspension. Resuspension directly impacted the fine-grained samples, causing the release of P into the water column after resuspension, increasing eutrophication of the estuary and risk to biota. The phosphorus enrichment index (PEI) was calculated in the four areas, and in all areas, the index was above 1, which means high ecological risk. The area with sandy granulometry and a lower percentage of organic matter showed an increase in the index after resuspension. The resuspension may impact the increase of eutrophication in some areas, due to the remobilization of the sediment and the adsorbed contaminants., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)