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Aquatic humic substances (AHS) are defined as an important components of organic matter, being composed as small molecules in a supramolecular structure and can interact with metallic ions, thereby altering the bioavailability of these species. To better understand this behavior, AHS were extracted and characterized from Negro River, located near Manaus city and Carú River, that is situated in Itacoatiara city, an area experiencing increasing anthropogenic actions; both were characterized as blackwater rivers. The AHS were characterized by 13C nuclear magnetic ressonance and thermochemolysis GC–MS to obtain structural characteristics. Interaction studies with Cu (II), Al (III), and Fe (III) were investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy applied to parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (2D-COS FTIR). The AHS from dry season had more aromatic fractions not derived from lignin and had higher content of alkyls moities from microbial sources and vegetal tissues of autochthonous origin, while AHS isolated in the rainy season showed more metals in its molecular architecture, lignin units, and polysacharide structures. The study showed that AHS composition from rainy season were able to interact with Al (III), Fe (III), and Cu (II). Two fluorescent components were identified as responsible for interaction: C1 (blue-shifted) and C2 (red-shifted). C1 showed higher complexation capacities but with lower complexation stability constants (KML ranged from 0.3 to 7.9 × 105) than C2 (KML ranged from 3.1 to 10.0 × 105). 2D-COS FTIR showed that the COO− and C-O in phenolic were the most important functional groups for interaction with studied metallic ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) 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 δ13C and δ15N 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 δ15N 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 δ15N, showing strong biomagnification in the food chain of C. fimbriata: y = 0.21x + 0.46; r2 = 0.45; p < 0.001, for which the slope presented a value of 0.21. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Amazon region has the largest diversity of freshwater stingrays; however, there are still places where information about this group is scarce. The present work aims to record the occurrence of freshwater stingrays in the Uatumã river basin, Amazonas, Brazil. For this, collections were carried out in three municipalities bathed by the Uatumã River, Presidente Figueiredo, Itapiranga, and São Sebastião do Uatumã. The rays were collected through fishing using a hand net and, after capture, were identified through the pattern of the dorsal and ventral color of the disc, the absence or presence of the labial groove, and the organization of the row of spines on the tail, and were also measured, weighed, and sexed. In total, 69 specimens of Potamotrygonines were captured, 59 of which were from the genus Potamotrygon and ten individuals from the genus Paratrygon. The present study provides preliminary information on the characteristics of freshwater stingray species that may occur in the Uatumã River. Furthermore, new research is necessary to improve the identification of specimens to determine the diversity and elucidate aspects related to the biology of elasmobranchs in the Uatumã River Basin, Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a survey of small-stream fish species from the Purus-Madeira interfluve, collected in four streams near Humaitá on the highway BR-319. The results reveal a rich and diversified ichthyofauna with 3016 collected individuals distributed in 84 species, six orders, 25 families, and 60 genera. Of all the specimens collected, the Characiformes was the most representative, with eight families, 26 genera, and 42 species, followed Siluriformes, with nine families, 20 genera, and 23 species. In terms of families, Characidae had the highest number of species (25), followed by Loricariidae (9), and Cichlidae (8). Among the 95 captured species's 11 are the first records for the region, evidencing a high diversity in these environments. Of the 84 species recorded in this study, 15 have not been assessed by the IUCN, while the remaining 62 include 23 listed as Least Concern (LC), three as data deficient (DD), and one as Near Threatened (NT). The southeastern Amazon region still has few fish surveys, especially in the region comprising the Purus-Madeira Interfluve, which highlights the importance of surveys to fill gaps and understand the biodiversity distribution patterns in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Optimizing research efforts for biodiversity monitoring is crucial to conservation projects and actions to increase our ability to inform conservation priorities. However, it requires the financial and human capacity. Euglossini bees have been used in monitoring actions as successful bioindicators. Yet, relationships among variables and stressors are complex and can change over time, environment, and local conditions. Here we investigated the influence of sample area on sampling to maximize the cost-benefit ratio of collection effort and the relationship from Euglossini bees with environmental predictors at a mesoscale (25 km2) in central Amazonia considering PPBio plots structure. We found differences considering the sampling unit scale, including capturing different assemblage species compositions. Most bee species were sampled along the phosphorus gradient. Due to the growth of deforestation in the Amazon Forest, especially in the so-called “Arc of Deforestation”, these bees could provide quick and valuable information about landscape quality. Here we present part of the pieces from a giant puzzle that we still need to complete to provide conservation efforts for this group. Our work highlighted the need to consider soil and nutrient variables other than vegetation and distribute scents traps in larger areas instead of in small plots.

Mineralogical evidence of water–rock interactions is a strong indicator of the presence of liquid water on ancient Mars. Previous observations have found widely distributed hydrated minerals in the southern highlands, whereas such discoveries have been rare in the younger northern lowlands. China’s first Mars exploration mission successfully landed a rover (Zhurong) in southern Utopia Planitia, providing an opportunity to analyze the exposed rocks in the northern lowlands. Using data from the short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectrometer and the laser-induced breakdown spectrometer (LIBS) onboard the Zhurong rover, we found evidence for the widespread presence of hydrated minerals (probably sulfates or silica) around the landing site. The basaltic-like elemental compositions of the targeted samples further indicated that hydrated minerals are likely minor components. The results from Zhurong suggest that active aqueous activities occurred during the overall cold and dry Amazonian era on Mars. However, further evaluations are needed on the duration and scale of these activities.

The Amazon region has the largest diversity of freshwater stingrays; however, there are still places where information about this group is scarce. The present work aims to record the occurrence of freshwater stingrays in the Uatumã river basin, Amazonas, Brazil. For this, collections were carried out in three municipalities bathed by the Uatumã River, Presidente Figueiredo, Itapiranga, and São Sebastião do Uatumã. The rays were collected through fishing using a hand net and, after capture, were identified through the pattern of the dorsal and ventral color of the disc, the absence or presence of the labial groove, and the organization of the row of spines on the tail, and were also measured, weighed, and sexed. In total, 69 specimens of Potamotrygonines were captured, 59 of which were from the genus Potamotrygon and ten individuals from the genus Paratrygon. The present study provides preliminary information on the characteristics of freshwater stingray species that may occur in the Uatumã River. Furthermore, new research is necessary to improve the identification of specimens to determine the diversity and elucidate aspects related to the biology of elasmobranchs in the Uatumã River Basin, Brazil.

Objective: To compare the mortality rates from COVID-19 among indigenous populations of the Amazon and Andean regions of Peru during the years 2020, 2021 and 2022. Methods: Secondary analysis of 33,567 data from the COVID-19 Notification System of the National Epidemiology Center, Prevention and Control of Diseases (CDC-Peru), from the years 2020–2022. The variables were age, sex, belonging to the Andean or Amazonian ethnic group, number and type of symptoms and risk conditions, abnormal findings in chest X-rays, year of data collection for hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Poisson family generalized linear regression models with logarithmic linkage and robust variance were used to establish differences in mortality between ethnic groups. Crude and adjusted risk ratio (RR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: 33,567 participants with an average age of 33.6 years were included, 44.4 % were men and 70.2 % belonged to the Amazonian ethnic group. Most of those affected by COVID-19 presented 2 symptoms (38.8 %), 4.8 % presented some risk condition, 1451 (4.3 %) were hospitalized, and 433 (1.3 %) died. The adjusted analysis showed that the Andean group, compared to the Amazonian, tended to have a higher probability of death, and this association was statistically significant, RR =7.6, 95 % CI (5.5–10.5). Conclusions: Patients from Andean indigenous communities had an almost 8 times higher risk of death from COVID-19.

The Echus-Kasei region on Mars has been exposed to different episodic volcanic, fluvial, and glacial events in Amazonian time. The goal of the present work is to demonstrate the usefulness of radar instruments to find preserved late Amazonian subsurface structures that may have been encapsulated underneath recent lava flows on Mars. We have analysed 27 radar observations of the SHAllow RADar (SHARAD) instrument on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), over the region of Echus Chasma. We discovered the presence of subsurface reflectors in five consecutive SHARAD radargrams at a depth from 35 to 79 m beneath the structure of a lava fan that formed about 59 ± 4 Ma ago. Some vents are preserved above the surface of this lava flow, which stands at a height of 80 m above the surrounding surface. A few kilometres to the north, we find other subsurface reflectors at a depth of about 30 m and a long pit chain formed by the collapse of a lava tube. These kinds of subsurface late Amazonian structures are of interest for astrobiology because they date from the last period when the planet still experienced intense volcanic activity over regions that were previously extensively covered by water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Muiraquitã: Revista de Letras e Humanidades is the property of Muiraquita 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 aim of the present study was to describe the secondary sexual characteristics of adult Hypancistrus sp. A total of 120 specimens were used to evaluate the morphometric characters, to confirm the morphometric data, histological identification of sex and maturation stages of gonads was performed. The results showed that males had higher median total and standard body lengths, open fin length, right and left fin lengths, head length and width and inter‐eye width than females. However, the females showed a high median abdominal width. Both sexes presented odontodes along the body, with thick odontodes present near the interopercular region and pectoral fins. In mature males, small odontodes were present along the snout. Scanning microscopy analysis confirmed that odontodes in females had a thicker base than those in males, conferring the former with a "cone" morphology. Additionally, it was observed that males had a long and broad head with a triangular shape and "V"‐shaped genital papilla, while females had a round head and "U"‐shaped genital papilla. Thus, we conclude that Hypancistrus sp. had secondary sexual characteristics, being possible to differentiate the sex by the size of the body, abdominal width, shape of the head, size of the odontodes and distinct morphology of the ovipositor. This study will serve as a basis for the development of breeding protocols, as it aims to identify sexually mature males and females of Hypancistrus sp. for breeding in captivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Colombiana de Investigaciones Agroindustriales is the property of Revista Colombiana de Investigaciones Agroindustriales del Centro Agropecuario Sena Buga 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 ecotone forests in the northern region of Brazilian Amazonia are important areas representing transition zones between forest and non-forest ecosystems. These areas have soils nutrient-poor that poorly drain. Under these environmental conditions, Peltogyne gracilipes (Leguminoseae), an endemic tree species, can form natural monodominant forests. Here, we assessed the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community in three forest types on the eastern side of Maracá Island and the relationship of these microorganisms with the monodominance of P. gracilipes. In this study, soil samples were collected in two seasons (dry and rainy). The samples were collected in 9 plots, in rich areas, poor areas and areas without P. gracilipes. Soil samples were evaluated for chemical and particle size analysis, spore density and morphology, and identification of AMF. AMF species were identified using two approaches: spores collected in the field and trap cultures. Eighteen and 13 AMF species were identified in the dry and rainy seasons, respectively, for spores extracted from the field. Six total species were detected exclusively in trap cultures in the dry season. AMF communities were co-dominated by members of the Gigasporaceae, Acaulosporaceae and Glomeraceae families. Redundancy analyses indicated that several soil attributes, such as pH, Fe, Mg, and sand content associated with the AMF species richness in both seasons. We conclude that the ecotone forests in the eastern region of Maracá Island are home to important richness and diversity of AMF species and that various soil factors influence the composition of the AMF community in this ecosystem.

The ecotone forests in the northern region of Brazilian Amazonia are important areas representing transition zones between forest and non-forest ecosystems. These areas have soils nutrient-poor that poorly drain. Under these environmental conditions, Peltogyne gracilipes (Leguminoseae), an endemic tree species, can form natural monodominant forests. Here, we assessed the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community in three forest types on the eastern side of Maracá Island and the relationship of these microorganisms with the monodominance of P. gracilipes. In this study, soil samples were collected in two seasons (dry and rainy). The samples were collected in 9 plots, in rich areas, poor areas and areas without P. gracilipes. Soil samples were evaluated for chemical and particle size analysis, spore density and morphology, and identification of AMF. AMF species were identified using two approaches: spores collected in the field and trap cultures. Eighteen and 13 AMF species were identified in the dry and rainy seasons, respectively, for spores extracted from the field. Six total species were detected exclusively in trap cultures in the dry season. AMF communities were co-dominated by members of the Gigasporaceae, Acaulosporaceae and Glomeraceae families. Redundancy analyses indicated that several soil attributes, such as pH, Fe, Mg, and sand content associated with the AMF species richness in both seasons. We conclude that the ecotone forests in the eastern region of Maracá Island are home to important richness and diversity of AMF species and that various soil factors influence the composition of the AMF community in this ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Kavilando is the property of Kavilando 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 chemical investigation of museum collection items can provide key information on the provenance and technical aspects involved in their production and, additionally, can help in the establishment of restoration and conservation strategies of rare or valuable assets. Natural organic materials are challenging because of their chemical complexity and expected degradation. In this work, eight ethnographic resins from different sites in the Amazon and central areas in Brazil were studied by FT‐Raman spectroscopy aiming at the non‐invasive and non‐destructive identification of their chemical composition; chromatographic methods (Thin Layer Chromatography and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry—TLC and GC‐MS, respectively) were used as destructive confirmatory techniques. The samples were classified into five groups, each one presenting a common set of spectroscopic features: diterpenoid resins with chemical composition similar to the Brazil copal in some cases with carotenoids in their composition as did the triterpenoid resins also identified. Additionally, two gums (polysaccharides) were detected, and two very dark samples only generated a thermal or a luminescent background (1064 and 632.8 nm excitation, respectively). Total ion current (TIC) chromatograms from these very dark samples only showed peaks assigned to fatty acids probably because the resinous compounds were not soluble in the solvent used in GC‐MS analysis. These results show that resin‐containing museum assets in the Brazilian ethnographic context can be studied directly by Raman spectroscopy, contributing to a better understand of the culture of indigenous peoples from resin provenance, uses and processing for example. The results will be used as a database to be compared with certified reference samples, when available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We determine the environmental setting and timing of enigmatic large‐scale chloride deposits on Mars, examining all available high‐resolution imagery globally, building digital elevation models, surveying targeted infrared images intersecting chloride deposits for accessory minerals (e.g., clay, carbonate, and sulfate), and performing crater counting for age‐dating when possible. We find that chloride deposits are commonly draped atop underlying topography, often associated with channels, sometimes perched above deep craters in local topographic lows, and span a wide range of elevations. Where measurable, chloride deposit thicknesses are typically

The Echus-Kasei region on Mars has been exposed to different episodic volcanic, fluvial, and glacial events in Amazonian time. The goal of the present work is to demonstrate the usefulness of radar instruments to find preserved late Amazonian subsurface structures that may have been encapsulated underneath recent lava flows on Mars. We have analysed 27 radar observations of the SHAllow RADar (SHARAD) instrument on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), over the region of Echus Chasma. We discovered the presence of subsurface reflectors in five consecutive SHARAD radargrams at a depth from 35 to 79 m beneath the structure of a lava fan that formed about 59 ± 4 Ma ago. Some vents are preserved above the surface of this lava flow, which stands at a height of 80 m above the surrounding surface. A few kilometres to the north, we find other subsurface reflectors at a depth of about 30 m and a long pit chain formed by the collapse of a lava tube. These kinds of subsurface late Amazonian structures are of interest for astrobiology because they date from the last period when the planet still experienced intense volcanic activity over regions that were previously extensively covered by water.

We present new aspects of breeding biology of Gray-fronted Dove Leptotila rufaxilla, from five nests found between 2012 and 2014 in a lowland forest fragment in southwestern Brazil. The nests simple/platform shape were built at a mean height of 1.90 m above ground. The clutch size was two eggs white and elliptic, incubated for 15 days (based on three nests). We recorded predation in two nests still in incubation phase. Minimum hatch weight of nestlings was 10 g and young fledged with a mean mass of 56 g. The constant growth rate (K) of nestlings was 0.40 with a growth asymptote of 60.7 g. Daily survival rate, Mayfield and apparent nesting success in the incubation period was 90, 20 and 56%, respectively, while in the nestling period were all 100%. Our data and the contribution of citizen science showed that L. rufaxilla breeds over the year, mainly in the rainy season, both in southwestern Amazonia and in other regions of occurrence.

Ant-gardens are a mutualistic association involving epiphyte plants and one or several ant species. Ant-gardens inhabited by Camponotus femoratus (Fabricius, 1804) and Crematogaster levior (Longino, 2003), are the most commonly found in the Neotropical Region. These two ant species share the nest and their foraging trails but keep their brood separated (i.e., parabiosis). The larger Ca. femoratus defends the nest, while benefits from the foraging ability of C. levior. However, it is still not experimentally proven which of the two parabiotic species initiates nest building. Moreover, the growth dynamic of population for these two ant species is unknown. To address these topics, we analyzed the change in proportion of individuals from the two species depending on the nest volume. Our results show that (1) the proportion of Ca. femoratus workers increased with nest volume leading to a numerically domination of Ca. femoratus in the largest nests and (2) C. levior workers are likely to initiate the nest construction given that it represents the overwhelming majority of the small nests. These results reinforce the knowledge of the complex and understudied interaction between these two ant species. Ant-gardens arise as a mutualistic association between ants and epiphyte plants. Plants benefit from the dispersal of their seeds and defense by the patrolling ants, while provide nest structure to the ants. The ants Crematogaster levior and Camponotus femoratus live within common Ant-gardens. We studied the growth dynamic of the two species population with the volume of the Ant-garden nest. The proportion of Ca. femoratus increases with the nest volume resulting in a domination of the latter species on C. levior in the largest nets. Furthermore, our results, combined with field observations, suggest that C. levior can initiate the nest construction. These findings precise the complex relationship between the two ant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first step toward a Smart Village is that the community itself can benefit from the novel techniques that are applied. Some communities are far from being able to use the benefits that these technologies usually offer; however, they can benefit from the techniques that have led to the development of smart cities. This is the case of the indigenous people belonging to communities in the Amazon: They have seen their identity drastically eroded in recent decades as a result of the process of Western acculturation. In this context, the use of artificial intelligence techniques may contribute to the detection and quantification of cultural identity loss by identifying the most and least affected identity components of this process. This research work presents a quantitative method, which evaluates several variables of the cultural identity of an Ecuadorian Amazonian indigenous community: the Waorani. The proposed method automatically classifies the individuals and provides a subspace of it able to identify the weights of the subcomponents of this instrument in regard to its contribution to the Waorani identity. The systematic application of the instrument together with the artificial intelligence-based approach can provide decision makers with valuable information about which aspects of their identity are most sensitive to change and thus help design development policies that minimally interfere with their ethnic identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Guiana Region is the area bordered by the Orinoco and Negro rivers to the west, by the Amazonas River to the south and by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east. This area is a biogeographic unit known as the Guiana Shield, with a variety of landscapes. Located in the extreme north of Brazil, in the Guiana Shield lowlands, the state of Amapá presents great diversity of habitats. In this study we provide composition and diversity data of the Squamata from Serra do Navio (SN) region, in the northeastern part of the state of Amapá, Brazil, a lowland area of the Guiana Shield. The species list was based on data obtained from herpetological collections and collection expeditions carried out at 10 sites in the municipalities of Pedra Branca do Amapari and Serra do Navio. We consider literature data from 14 sites and SN data to compare the composition of herpetofauna between the lowland and highland areas in the Brazilian Amazon. We recorded 95 species, including 57 snakes, 36 lizards, and two species of amphisbaenians. Atractus aboiporu, A. trefauti, and Erythrolamprus rochai were described from the data collected in this study. The Squamata community of SN consists mainly of diurnal lizards and nocturnal snakes, with terrestrial and cryptozoic habits, present in pristine and altered environments. The most abundant species of lizard and snake were Loxopholis guianense and Atractus latifrons, respectively. The SN region has 17 exclusive Squamata species, with a fauna similar to the Tumucumaque Mountains and northern Pará sites, geographically closer regions with similar altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Stephanopoides is a genus of crab spiders (Thomisidae), currently composed of four species distributed only in the Neotropics, from Panama to Argentina. In this study, we redescribe Stephanopoides cognata, including a description of the male, previously unknown, and an updated description of the female epigynum. The examination of 12 arachnological collections allowed us to update the geographic records of the genus, including the first report of occurrence of Stephanopoides in Venezuela and Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This examination reports the practice experienced by a student in Agricultural Education, linked to UFRRJ (Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro), before the execution of internship module – professional and pedagogical, made effective at Maués and Parintins towns, respectively. The professional practice was experienced in loco, in an indigenous association, through exchange of knowledge aimed at management processes inherent to genuinely Amazonian Products’ commercialization. At the pedagogical experience, we enforced the technical practice of workshops that were scheduled for students at 2nd and 7th grade at elementary school at municipal schools. Both internships led us to reflection about our daily practices, specially about the importance of significative learning, making use of objects that are near to the students’ reality, like, for example, guarana, product that is symbol of cultural identity of Sateré-Mawé tribal. This way, the program keeps the commitment of leading professional training to the corners of Brazil in terms of master courses offers, promoting effective improvements at teacher-student formative process.

ABSTRACT We report for the first time field infestation under natural conditions by Anastrepha bahiensis on star fruit (Averrhoa carambola L., Oxalidaceae) in the state of Pará, Eastern Amazon, Brazil. This report reinforces the importance of field infestation studies on fruit flies in the Brazilian Amazon.

The Amazon is the largest tropical forest in the world and a source of healthy food, such as fruits and fish. Surprisingly, the Amazonian riverine population present an increased prevalence (as high as 58%) of non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension and insulin resistance, even higher than that described for the urban population of the Amazon. Therefore, this work aimed to analyze the nutritional status and associated risk of the riverine population. Body mass index, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio, and neck circumference (NC) were evaluated, and risk analysis was assayed. Furthermore, data about occupation and the prevalence of consumers of the different groups of food were analyzed. All anthropometric parameters revealed high proportions of individuals at risk, WC and NC being the factors that had more high-risk women and men, respectively. Our data confirmed the characteristic profile of the riverine communities with a high number of fish consumers, but also observed different patterns probably associated to a phenomenon of nutrition transition. Based on our data, some nudge interventions that take into account the principles of behavior analysis are discussed and proposed for these populations, aiming to improve the nutritional status and avoid the long-term consequences of the results showed by this work.

The occurrence of past habitable conditions in Gale crater is generally associated with lacustrine and alluvial environments present >3 Ga ago, during the Hesperian Period on Mars. However, later‐occurring aqueous activity is consistent with superposition relations between some alluvial deposits and bounding materials on the crater walls, preservation of fine‐scale morphology on these alluvial deposits, and their superposing crater densities. The alluvial deposits include some not previously considered, and collectively lend confidence to the interpretation that local aqueous activity persisted in Gale crater into the Amazonian, or <2 Ga ago. Our conclusions are generally in accordance with late aqueous activity inferred from geochronology data (Martin et al., 2017, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JE005445), in addition to late alluvial activity elsewhere. Interpreted late aqueous activity points to possible habitable settings in Gale later than previously recognized. Plain Language Summary: Several fan‐shaped deposits on the walls and floor of Gale crater formed via deposition of water transported sediment. Overall, the fan deposits are fairly well preserved, and the number of impact craters on their surfaces indicate they are much younger (~2 billion years old or less) relative to the older, more widespread water‐related deposits that formed in the crater over 3 billion years ago. The late episode(s) of water‐related activity in Gale crater may be associated with late‐occurring chemical precipitation within and (or) cementation of older rocks within the crater and suggests that habitable conditions persisted inside the crater later than previously thought. Key Points: Local alluvial deposits in Gale crater were likely emplaced less than 2 Ga, postdating more widespread water‐related deposits in GaleWater associated with the younger alluvial deposits may be related to late‐occurring diagenetic activityAlluvial deposits formed when Aeolis Mons achieved its present expression, suggesting late‐occurring habitable conditions within Gale [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of snow and ice at midlatitudes of Mars cannot be explained by current climatic conditions, as surface ice is unstable. However, a large variety of debris‐covered glaciers have been observed at both midlatitudes. Here, we report the presence of local, small‐scale, and debris‐covered stagnant ice deposits on the floor of a valley system in Terra Cimmeria. These deposits, termed valley fill deposits (VFD), have a distribution that is restricted to the host valley floor and to the extent of the ejecta blanket associated with Tarq impact crater. The VFD are characterized by convex‐upward morphology, various crevasses, sublimation pits, an average area of a few square kilometers, and occasional ejecta streaks on their surface. Our model age estimation points to two possible time frames for the Tarq impact event; thus, we suggest two formation scenarios for VFD: (I) distribution of ice due to impact into shallow ice during the Middle Amazonian and (II) post‐impact deposition of VFD due to precipitation. In both scenarios, ice preservation is most likely due to a lag of dust and debris deposited in the valley's topographic lows. Scenario I is more consistent with our geomorphological observation of the VFD being overlain by ejecta streaks. Our results highlight the importance of local geological events and conditions in the distribution and preservation of buried ice deposits on Mars and suggest that more small‐scale and debris‐covered ice deposits may exist in the midlatitudes than previously thought. These deposits are of high importance for future human exploration missions to Mars. Plain Language Summary: In the last two decades with the increase of high‐resolution imagery data, more studies report the presence of ice deposits covered by dust and debris on the Martian surface, in both midlatitudes. These deposits must have been formed under different atmospheric conditions, since water ice is not stable in the current surface environment. One of the generally accepted hypotheses for their formation is precipitation induced by variations of Mars' axial tilt known as obliquity. During high obliquity phases, ice would have sublimated from the poles and redeposited in the midlatitudes. Here, we report the presence of small‐scale ice deposits, located on the floor of a valley system in Terra Cimmeria. Although it is clear that these deposits were formed in different climatic conditions, their formation seems to be related to an impact into a shallow subsurface ice layer, redistributing a mixture of ejected material and ice across the region around the impact site. This study shows the importance of local geological processes, for example, impact cratering, in investigations of water ice distribution on Mars. Near‐surface ice reservoirs are of high importance in the search for life and for future human exploration on Mars. Key Points: Small debris‐covered stagnant ice deposits (termed valley fill deposits or VFD) are located inside a valley system in Terra Cimmeria, MarsMorphological properties (convex upward morphology, crevasses, and sublimation pits) suggest a current degradational stage of VFD evolutionThe location of VFD within the ejecta blanket of Middle Amazonian Tarq crater points to impact into shallow ice as a likely formation process [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the mineral composition in native and non-native Amazonian fruits using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and multivariate methods, such as principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), in order to conduct a more thorough evaluation of the original data. The accuracy was checked by certified reference material analysis (Poplar leaves) and spike experiments. The results of the analysis were in agreement with the certified values, with analytical recoveries for all analytes in an acceptable range from 82 to 113%, and relative standard deviations (RSD) were in the range of 0.2–18%. Furthermore, PCA explained 68% of the total variance, while HCA confirmed the correlations found in the PCA, allowing for the evaluation of the degree of similarity between the fruits studied. These results will be used to better understand the distribution of inorganic constituents within these Amazonian fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Amazon floodplains become periodically submerged as result of seasonal changes in the water levels throughout the year. These changes influence the availability of microhabitats and consequently the abundance of organisms in these ecosystems. In this study we investigated 1) how changes in the water level affect the richness and abundance of ardeid birds in the lowland floodplain lakes of the lower Amazon River, and 2) the microhabitats used by these birds throughout the seasonal cycle. Ten lakes were surveyed at each of the four phases of the seasonal cycle. In total, 3,280 individuals of 11 species were recorded. Of these, eight species occurred in the four phases, and three were observed in one or two phases. In the analysis including the entire family, there were more individuals in the phase with waters at lowest level and less in the phase that the water level was lowering. Many species were present throughout the seasonal cycle, suggesting that they might be resident species. However, their abundance varied throughut the cycle, suggesting that parts of their populations temporarily migrate elsewhere. The microhabitat that was most commonly used by most species at all phases of the seasonal cycle, with the excetions noted below, was “aquatic macrophytes”, suggesting that ardeid birds have a strong preperence for this kind of habitat. Three species – Egretta caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758), Nycticorax nycticorax (Linnaeus, 1758) and Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus, 1758) – preferred other microhabitats at some phase of their seasonal cycle. The present study shows that the floodplain lakes of the lower Amazon River are richer in ardeid bird species than other areas of the Amazon biome and other biomes in Brazil. The fact that we found rare species in our study and that they depend on aquatic macrophytes demonstrates the importance of conserving the floodplain lakes of the lower Amazon River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Boletín Científico Centro de Museos de Historia Natural is the property of Universidad de Caldas 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 article follows the theme of dealing with adversaries and conflict resolution. As an exercise in intercultural philosophy, the paper explores the philosophies of two different regions, the Amazon of South America (Jivaro and Yanesha/Amuesha people of Peru) and Western Province of Kenya, East Africa (with a focus on the Bukusu people). Exploring the insights of other researchers as well as drawing upon interviews by the author, the article explains each group's philosophy of conflict resolution referencing myths, folktales, proverbs, and interviews with sages. In the case of both communities, practitioners of peace must engage in bravery to reach out to others and address them with a message of peaceful relations. The Yanesha have a founding myth that emphasizes the role of a woman in establishing harmonious relations, whereas the Bukusu folktales emphasize men's leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the mortality rates from COVID-19 among indigenous populations of the Amazon and Andean regions of Peru during the years 2020, 2021 and 2022. Secondary analysis of 33,567 data from the COVID-19 Notification System of the National Epidemiology Center, Prevention and Control of Diseases (CDC-Peru), from the years 2020–2022. The variables were age, sex, belonging to the Andean or Amazonian ethnic group, number and type of symptoms and risk conditions, abnormal findings in chest X-rays, year of data collection for hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Poisson family generalized linear regression models with logarithmic linkage and robust variance were used to establish differences in mortality between ethnic groups. Crude and adjusted risk ratio (RR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. 33,567 participants with an average age of 33.6 years were included, 44.4 % were men and 70.2 % belonged to the Amazonian ethnic group. Most of those affected by COVID-19 presented 2 symptoms (38.8 %), 4.8 % presented some risk condition, 1451 (4.3 %) were hospitalized, and 433 (1.3 %) died. The adjusted analysis showed that the Andean group, compared to the Amazonian, tended to have a higher probability of death, and this association was statistically significant, RR =7.6, 95 % CI (5.5–10.5). Patients from Andean indigenous communities had an almost 8 times higher risk of death from COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]