Creolo beans production systems in Juruá valley, Acre, Brazilian Amazon.

The Juruá valley mesoregion is recognized for its diversity of cultivars of common beans and cowpea and is an important center for on farm bean conservation in Brazil. However, there is little information about production systems of Creoles cultivars and, in this approach, the study aimed to identify the production centers and to gather information about beans production systems. Thirty eight farmers and five merchants were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaries. Juruá valley farmers use three beans production systems: "beach farming", "slash burn system" and "stuffy farming". The systems use family labor with low dependence on external inputs, two classified as itinerant. The study identified two beans production centers: Alto Juruá extractive reserve and Santa Luzia directed settlement project.

Frugivorous flies (Diptera: Tephritidae, Lonchaeidae) associated with fruit production on Ilha de Santana, Brazilian Amazon.

Este trabalho teve por objetivo identificar as espécies de moscas frugívoras (Tephritidae e Lonchaeidae), seus hospedeiros e parasitoides na Ilha de Santana, Estado do Amapá, Amazônia brasileira. Adicionalmente, objetivou estudar a exploração hospedeira por Bactrocera carambolae Drew & Hancock. Foram realizadas coletas de frutos de diversas espécies vegetais, a cada 30 dias, no período de janeiro a julho de 2015. Foram coletadas 149 amostras de frutos (3.142 frutos, 76,3 Kg), pertencentes a 20 espécies vegetais (9 nativas e 11 introduzidas) de 13 famílias botânicas. Houve infestação por moscas frugívoras em 86 amostras (11 espécies de 8 famílias botânicas). Foram obtidos espécimes de cinco espécies de Tephritidae, quatro de Lonchaeidae e três de parasitoides Braconidae. As espécies de moscas frugívoras mais importantes na Ilha de Santana são: B. carambolae, devido sua expressão quarentenária; e Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) e Anastrepha striata Schiner, pelo fato de infestarem espécies vegetais de importância socioeconômica local. Os hospedeiros Averrhoa carambola (Oxalidaceae), Eugenia uniflora (Myrtaceae), Malpighia emarginata (Malpighiaceae) e Psidium guajava (Myrtaceae) são responsáveis pela manutenção da população de B. carambolae.

A new type of Brazilian propolis: Prenylated benzophenones in propolis from Amazon and effects against cariogenic bacteria

Ethanol extracts of four propolis samples (E1-E4) from Manaus (Brazilian Amazon) were analysed by HPLC/DAD/ESI-MS/MS and GC/EIMS. The major constituents of E2 and E4 were analysed by NMR ((1)H and (13)C) and ESI/MS/MS. The main constituents of E2 and E4 are polyprenylated benzophenones: 7-epi-nemorosone, 7-epi-clusianone (major E4 constituents), xanthochymol and gambogenone (major E2 constituents), making up a chemical profile so far unreported for Brazilian propolis. Aristhophenone, methyl insigninone, 18-ethyloxy-17-hydroxy-17,18-dihydroscrobiculatone B, and derivatives of dimethyl weddellianone A and B, propolones, and a scrobiculatone derivative, were detected as minor constituents. Triterpenoids (beta-amyrins, beta-amyrenone, lupeol and lupenone) were ubiquitous and predominant in El and E3. The extracts E2 and E4 were highly active against the cariogenic bacteria Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus salivarius. E2 was more active than E4, probably due to a higher content of 2-epi-nemorosone, while the latter was richer in di-hydroxylated compounds. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impacts of Climate Change and the End of Deforestation on Land Use in the Brazilian Legal Amazon

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Urban and suburban malaria in Rondônia (Brazilian Western Amazon) II. Perennial transmissions with high anopheline densities are associated with human environmental changes

Longitudinal entomological surveys were performed in Vila Candelária and adjacent rural locality of Bate Estaca concomitantly with a clinical epidemiologic malaria survey. Vila Candelária is a riverside periurban neighborhood of Porto Velho, capital of the state of Rondônia in the Brazilian Amazon. High anopheline densities were found accompanying the peak of rainfall, as reported in rural areas of the region. Moreover, several minor peaks of anophelines were recorded between the end of the dry season and the beginning of the next rainy season. These secondary peaks were related to permanent anopheline breeding sites resulting from human activities. Malaria transmission is, therefore, observed all over the year. In Vila Candelária, the risk of malaria infection both indoors and outdoors was calculated as being 2 and 10/infecting bites per year per inhabitant respectively. Urban malaria in riverside areas was associated with two factors: (1) high prevalence of asymptomatic carriers in a stable human population and (2) high anopheline densities related to human environmental changes. This association is probably found in other Amazonian urban and suburban communities. The implementation of control measures should include environmental sanitation and better characterization of the role of asymptomatic carriers in malaria transmission.

Frequency of the HFE C282Y and H63D polymorphisms in Brazilian malaria patients and blood donors from the Amazon region

Malaria is an endemic parasitosis and its causitive agent, Plasmodium, has a metabolism linked to iron supply. HFE is a gene with the polymorphisms C282Y and H63D, which are associated with a progressive iron accumulation in the organism leading to a disease called hereditary hemochromatosis. The aim of the present study was to determine the allelic and genotypic frequencies of the HFE gene polymorphisms in malaria patients and blood donors from the Brazilian Amazon region. We screened 400 blood donors and 400 malaria patients for the HFE C282Y and H63D polymorphisms from four states of the Brazilian Amazon region by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. We did not find any C282Y homozygous individuals, and the only five heterozygous individuals detected were from Pará State. The most frequent genotype in the North region of Brazil was the H63D heterozygote, in both study groups. Our results contribute to the concept that the Brazilian Amazon region should not be regarded as a single entity in South America. These polymorphisms did not influence the symptoms of malaria in the population studied, as neither severe signs nor high parasitemia were observed. Therefore, different hereditary hemochromatosis diagnostic and control measures must be developed and applied within its diverse locations. Investigations are currently being carried out in our laboratory in order to determine the importance of the coexistence of hereditary hemochromatosis in patients affected by parasitic diseases, such as malaria. ©FUNPEC-RP.

Micronucleus frequency in children exposed to biomass burning in the Brazilian Legal Amazon region: a control case study

Background: The Amazon represents an area of 61% of Brazilian territory and is undergoing major changes resulting from disorderly economic development, especially the advance of agribusiness. Composition of the atmosphere is controlled by several natural and anthropogenic processes, and emission from biomass burning is one with the major impact on human health. The aim of this study was to evaluate genotoxic potential of air pollutants generated by biomass burning through micronucleus assay in exfoliated buccal cells of schoolchildren in the Brazilian Amazon region. Methods: The study was conducted during the dry seasons in two regions of the Brazilian Amazon. The assay was carried out on buccal epithelial cells of 574 schoolchildren between 6-16 years old. Results: The results show a significant difference between micronucleus frequencies in children exposed to biomass burning compared to those in a control area. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that in situ biomonitoring using a sensitive and low cost assay (buccal micronucleus assay) may be an important tool for monitoring air quality in remote regions. It is difficult to attribute the increase in micronuclei frequency observed in our study to any specific toxic element integrated in the particulate matters. However, the contribution of the present study lies in the evidence that increased exposure to fine particulate matter generates an increased micronuclei frequency in oral epithelial cells of schoolchildren.

BRAZILIAN MOSQUITO (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) FAUNA. I. Anopheles SPECIES FROM PORTO VELHO, RONDONIA STATE, WESTERN AMAZON, BRAZIL

This study contributes to knowledge of Anopheles species, including vectors of Plasmodium from the western Brazilian Amazon in Porto Velho, Rondonia State. The sampling area has undergone substantial environmental changes as a consequence of agricultural and hydroelectric projects, which have caused intensive deforestation and favored habitats for some mosquito species. The purpose of this study was to diagnose the occurrence of anopheline species from collections in three locations along an electric-power transmission line. Each locality was sampled three times from 2010 to 2011. The principal adult mosquitoes captured in Shannon trap were Anopheles darlingi, An. triannulatus, An. nuneztovari l.s., An. gilesi and An. costai. In addition, larvae were collected in ground breeding sites for Anopheles braziliensis, An. triannulatus, An. darlingi, An. deaneorum, An. marajoara, An. peryassui, An. nuneztovari l.s. and An. oswaldoi-konderi. Anopheles darlingi was the most common mosquito in the region. We discuss Culicidae systematics, fauna distribution, and aspects of malaria in altered habitats of the western Amazon.

Brazilian mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna: I. Anopheles species from Porto Velho, Rondônia state, western Amazon, Brazil

This study contributes to knowledge of Anopheles species, including vectors of Plasmodium from the western Brazilian Amazon in Porto Velho, Rondônia State. The sampling area has undergone substantial environmental changes as a consequence of agricultural and hydroelectric projects, which have caused intensive deforestation and favored habitats for some mosquito species. The purpose of this study was to diagnose the occurrence of anopheline species from collections in three locations along an electric-power transmission line. Each locality was sampled three times from 2010 to 2011. The principal adult mosquitoes captured in Shannon trap were Anopheles darlingi, An. triannulatus, An. nuneztovari l.s., An.gilesi and An. costai. In addition, larvae were collected in ground breeding sites for Anopheles braziliensis, An. triannulatus, An. darlingi, An. deaneorum, An. marajoara, An. peryassui, An. nuneztovari l.s. and An. oswaldoi-konderi. Anopheles darlingi was the most common mosquito in the region. We discuss Culicidae systematics, fauna distribution, and aspects of malaria in altered habitats of the western Amazon.

Oil and gas projects in the Western Amazon: threats to wilderness, biodiversity, and indigenous peoples.

BACKGROUND: The western Amazon is the most biologically rich part of the Amazon basin and is home to a great diversity of indigenous ethnic groups, including some of the world's last uncontacted peoples living in voluntary isolation. Unlike the eastern Brazilian Amazon, it is still a largely intact ecosystem. Underlying this landscape are large reserves of oil and gas, many yet untapped. The growing global demand is leading to unprecedented exploration and development in the region. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We synthesized information from government sources to quantify the status of oil development in the western Amazon. National governments delimit specific geographic areas or "blocks" that are zoned for hydrocarbon activities, which they may lease to state and multinational energy companies for exploration and production. About 180 oil and gas blocks now cover approximately 688,000 km(2) of the western Amazon. These blocks overlap the most species-rich part of the Amazon. We also found that many of the blocks overlap indigenous territories, both titled lands and areas utilized by peoples in voluntary isolation. In Ecuador and Peru, oil and gas blocks now cover more than two-thirds of the Amazon. In Bolivia and western Brazil, major exploration activities are set to increase rapidly. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Without improved policies, the increasing scope and magnitude of planned extraction means that environmental and social impacts are likely to intensify. We review the most pressing oil- and gas-related conservation policy issues confronting the region. These include the need for regional Strategic Environmental Impact Assessments and the adoption of roadless extraction techniques. We also consider the conflicts where the blocks overlap indigenous peoples' territories.

Certification of community-based forest enterprises (CFEs): limits of the Brazilian experiences

The Brazilian Amazon is one of the world’s largest tropical forests. It supplies more than 80 % of Brazil’s timber production and makes this nation the second largest producer of tropical wood. The forestry sector is of major importance in terms of economic production and employment creation. However, the Brazilian Amazon is also known for its high deforestation rate and for its rather unsustainably managed timber resources, a fact which puts in the balance the long-term future of the forestry sector in the region. Since the mid- 1990s, with strong support from World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the number of tropical forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has significantly increased. This is especially true for projects sponsored by large scale companies. The number of community- based forest management projects has also increased. Certification of community-based forest enterprises (CFEs) was initially a goal for the sponsors and community members. Certification is viewed as a way to reach alternative timber markets. In Brazil, the state of Acre has the highest concentration of CFEs certified by FSC. Most of them have been implemented with the support of environmental NGOs and public funds. Environmental NGOs strongly defend the advantages of certification for communities; however, in reality, this option is not that advantageous. Despite all the efforts, the number of participants in each project remains low. Why is this occurring? In this paper, we analyze the underlying motives of a few individual’s participation in CFEs certification projects. We aim to present and discuss some factors that shape the success of CFEs and their later certification. The results are based on surveys conducted in two certified CFEs in the state of Acre.

Seasonal drought stress in the Amazon: Reconciling models and observations

The Amazon Basin is crucial to global circulatory and carbon patterns due to the large areal extent and large flux magnitude. Biogeophysical models have had difficulty reproducing the annual cycle of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon in some regions of the Amazon, generally simulating uptake during the wet season and efflux during seasonal drought. In reality, the opposite occurs. Observational and modeling studies have identified several mechanisms that explain the observed annual cycle, including: (1) deep soil columns that can store large water amount, (2) the ability of deep roots to access moisture at depth when near-surface soil dries during annual drought, (3) movement of water in the soil via hydraulic redistribution, allowing for more efficient uptake of water during the wet season, and moistening of near-surface soil during the annual drought, and (4) photosynthetic response to elevated light levels as cloudiness decreases during the dry season. We incorporate these mechanisms into the third version of the Simple Biosphere model (SiB3) both singly and collectively, and confront the results with observations. For the forest to maintain function through seasonal drought, there must be sufficient water storage in the soil to sustain transpiration through the dry season in addition to the ability of the roots to access the stored water. We find that individually, none of these mechanisms by themselves produces a simulation of the annual cycle of NEE that matches the observed. When these mechanisms are combined into the model, NEE follows the general trend of the observations, showing efflux during the wet season and uptake during seasonal drought.

Infection rates and genotypes of Trypanosoma rangeli and T. cruzi infecting free-ranging Saguinus bicolor (Callitrichidae), a critically endangered primate of the Amazon Rainforest

Parasites of wild primates are important for conservation biology and human health due to their high potential to infect humans. In the Amazon region, non-human primates are commonly infected by Trypanosoma cruzi and T rangeli, which are also infective to man and several mammals. This is the first survey of trypanosomiasis in a critically endangered species of tamarin, Saguinus bicolor (Callitrichidae), from the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. Of the 96 free-ranging specimens of S. bicolor examined 45 (46.8%) yielded blood smears positive for trypanosomes. T rangeli was detected in blood smears of 38 monkeys (39.6%) whereas T. cruzi was never detected. Seven animals (7.3%) presented trypanosomes of the subgenus Megatrypanum. Hemocultures detected 84 positive tamarins (87.5%). Seventy-two of 84 (85.7%) were morphologically diagnosed as T rangeli and 3 (3.1%) as T. cruzi. Nine tamarins (9.4%) yielded mixed cultures of these two species, which after successive passages generated six cultures exclusively of T. cruzi and two of T rangeli, with only one culture remaining mixed. Of the 72 cultures positive for T rangeli, 62 remained as established cultures and were genotyped: 8 were assigned to phylogenetic lineage A (12.9%) and 54 to lineage B (87.1%). Ten established cultures of T. cruzi were genotyped as TCI lineage (100%). Transmission of both trypanosome species, their potential risk to this endangered species and the role of wild primates as reservoirs for trypanosomes infective to humans are discussed. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bacterial Community Composition in Brazilian Anthrosols and Adjacent Soils Characterized Using Culturing and Molecular Identification

Microbial community composition was examined in two soil types, Anthrosols and adjacent soils, sampled from three locations in the Brazilian Amazon. The Anthrosols, also known as Amazonian dark earths, are highly fertile soils that are a legacy of pre-Columbian settlement. Both Anthrosols and adjacent soils are derived from the same parent material and subject to the same environmental conditions, including rainfall and temperature; however, the Anthrosols contain high levels of charcoal-like black carbon from which they derive their dark color. The Anthrosols typically have higher cation exchange capacity, higher pH, and higher phosphorus and calcium contents. We used culture media prepared from soil extracts to isolate bacteria unique to the two soil types and then sequenced their 16S rRNA genes to determine their phylogenetic placement. Higher numbers of culturable bacteria, by over two orders of magnitude at the deepest sampling depths, were counted in the Anthrosols. Sequences of bacteria isolated on soil extract media yielded five possible new bacterial families. Also, a higher number of families in the bacteria were represented by isolates from the deeper soil depths in the Anthrosols. Higher bacterial populations and a greater diversity of isolates were found in all of the Anthrosols, to a depth of up to 1 m, compared to adjacent soils located within 50-500 m of their associated Anthrosols. Compared to standard culture media, soil extract media revealed diverse soil microbial populations adapted to the unique biochemistry and physiological ecology of these Anthrosols.

Mercury emissions from forest burning in southern Amazon

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)