Ecologia parasitária de isópodos e biologia reprodutiva em tibiro, Oligoplites spp (OSTEICHTHYES: CARANGIDAE) das águas costeiras de Natal, Rio Grande do norte

Oligoplites palometa (Cuvier) and Oligoplites saurus (Bloch & Schneider) (Osteichthyes: Carangidae) are coastal pelagic fish species. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of parasitism by isopods and the reproductive biology of the leather jack, Oligoplites spp. A total of 113 individuals of Oligoplites spp (35 of O. saurus and 78 of O. palometa) were captured during the period between January, 2005 and July, 2007 from the coastal waters of Natal, RN. The morphometric and meristic characters were registered; macroscopic analyses were done to collect the isopod parasites and the gonads were observed to verify the reproductive aspects. The crustacean isopod parasite, Cymothoa spinipalpa (Isopoda: Cymothidae) was encountered on the tongue in the oral cavity in both fish hosts. The parasitic indices of C. spinipalpa showed high values of prevalance of 51,4% for O. saurus and 64,1% for O. palometa. The host presented significant correlations between body mass and body length of O. palometa and the number of parasites. Body lengths of female C. spinipalpa were small due to the limited space available in the oral cavity of the host. There was a significant difference in the sex ratio of O. palometa, males outnumbered the females. The isopod parasites showed specificity to the oral cavity of hosts. Macroscopic analyses of gonads showed four stages of gonadal development for both sex of O. palometa: immature, maturing, mature and spent

Fungos ectomicorrízicos em áreas de Mata Atlântica do Nordeste do Brasil

Ectomycorrhizal associations are poorly known from tropical lowlands of South America. Recent field trips to the reserve Parque Estadual das Dunas in Natal, in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, revealed a undocumented community of ectomycorrhizal fungi. This type of Mycorrhizal association is frequently in the north hemisphere in temperate and boreal forests. The aim of this work is to analyze the occurrence of ectotrophic areas in atlantic rainforest. Collections along and around the trails in the reserve revealed six genera of putatively ECM fungi which belong to the basidiomycete, Amanitaceae, Boletaceae, Russulaceae, Entolomataceae, and Sclerodermataceae family which are poorly documented in Brazil. Plants belonging to Myrtaceae, Polygonaceae, Leguminosae/Caesalpinioideae, Erythroxylaceae, Malphigiaceae, Bromeliaceae, Loganiaceae, Sapotaceae e Celastraceae were found living next to the species of fungi analized. Our results suggest that the area studied is an ectotrophic environment which shows high diversity of putatively ECM fungi and some plants probably host ECM. The tropical lands are a potential focus to study reinforced by the new records of Scleroderma in Brazil and Northwest of Brazil

Ecologia do fitoplâncton impactado por cultivo de tilápia do Nilo, oreochromis niloticus, em tanques-rede no açude Ministro João Alves, Parelhas, Rio Grande do Norte

The dams are limnic ecosystems of great importance for its multiple uses, among them, water supply for the public and to culture of artisanal fish are most relevant. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the physical-chemical characteristics and the phytoplankton community in two chosen sites (Point 1 littoral zone of point source; Point 2 pelagic zone of non-point source) of the Minister João Alves dam, which is also known as Boqueirão de Parelhas/RN. This represents the spatial distribution of the phytoplankton species in order to understand any possible alterations of the water quality and the phytoplankton composition in relation to the water quality originating from the impact of the tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, culture. The study period also encompasses temporal variations exhibited in two seasons of an annual cycle, one during the dry season (Oct, Nov and Dec of 2008 and Jan of 2009), and the other rainy season (Mar, Apr, May and June of 2008) to extend the observation. The physicalchemical parameters, such as pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, concentration of dissolved oxygen were measured in situ and the values of the inorganic nutrients (nitrate, ammonium and orto-phosfato) and chlorophyll in the laboratory. The quali-quantitative analyses of the phytoplankton had been carried through sedimentation technique and the enumeration of the random of 400 cells, colonies and filaments counted using Sedgwick-Rafter counting chamber. The results of pH varied widely from the acidic to alkaline range with the minimum of 5.8 (± 0.8) and the maximum of 9.2 (± 0.7-0.8), at point 1 and 2. The dissolved oxygen content was higher in the rainy period than that in the dry period. The maximum electrical conductivity was of 1409 μScm-1 in point 1 and 431 minim of μScm-1, in point 2. There was a considerable alteration in the levels of inorganic nutrients such as nitrate-nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen and orthophosphate during the two cycles of study period. Phytoplankton assemblages presented a picture of alternate dominance among species Cyanobacteria, Bacillariophyceae and Chlorophyceae. The trophic state index diagnosed to the category of mesotrophic, which is based on the values of chlorophyll, total phosphorus and Secchi-disc measurements. The wind driven turbulence of the water column and the fresh inflow of water (flushing and dilution) during rainy season acted as constraint and did-not allow an exaggerated growth of the species of cyanobacteria. On the basis of the present we conclude that the culture of tilapias in cage-culture fails to produce pollution load that could compromise the quality of the water of the dam, probably be due to small dimension of the culture in relation to the size, volume of the water and the reservoir capacity support its own environment

Ecologia alimentar de aves insetívoras de um fragmento de mata decídua do extremo norte da Mata Atlântica

The diet study of birds has contributed historically as a model for use to understanding ecological patterns and strategies used by several other groups of vertebrates, which are observed in season patterns and temporal availability of resources, and other. This study has as objective generate information concerning the diet of insectivorous birds during rainy season and dry season, as well as analyze Index food importance, niche overlap, niche breadth, electivity, and seasonal availability of prey. The study was conducted in a fragment of about 270 ha (center coordinates and 5 º 53'S 35 ° 23'W). The sampling of birds occurred between March 2008 and December 2009 in three pre-established trails. Catches of birds were performed using 10 mist nets placed in line, where each trails was sampled once a month. Samples of pellets were obtained by means of tartar emetic. Sampling of availability of prey occurred between February 2009 to December 2009. We used two methods of sampling (pitfall traps and Shake cloths). We captured 269 individuals of 21 species of insectivorous birds. We collected 4116 invertebrates of which 3259 in the rainy season and 857 in the dry season. We obtained 174 samples stomach, where 10 species were exclusively insectivorous diet, nine fed on insect/plant material, an insect/plant material/vertebrate and one for insect/vertebrate. During the rainy season was observing difference between the consumption of items with higher food importance. The Coleoptera was item with higher food importance (73%), followed by Formicidae (7%) and Araneae (6%). During the dry season, no difference was found difference between the consumption of items with higher food importance. The Coleoptera was item with higher food importance (34%), followed by seeds (29%) and Formicidae (18%). The highest levels of niche overlap occurred during the rainy season, while the dry season was characterized by high levels of niche 11 segregation. This indicates that the local insectivorous birds community was structured differently between periods. No was found correlation between the values of niche breadth to the mean weight of the body size. We observed seasonal patterns in prey availability, with the peak availability of invertebrates observed seasonal patterns in rainy season. The insectivorous birds selected the same species richness during both periods, showing a specialized diet. Thamnophilus pelzelni was the only species that had their diet influenced by seasonality. Regarding the overall diet of insectivorous birds, observed a high consumption of prey, whose food availability caused the birds could invest and increase their food resources

Diversidade de espécies e ecologia da comunidade de lagartos de um fragmento de Mata Atlântica no nordeste do Brasil

Neste estudo foram investigadas a diversidade, a composição, e as diferenças no uso do espaço (hábitat e microhábitat) e do alimento em uma comunidade de lagartos habitantes da serapilheira de um fragmento de Mata Atlântica, do Estado de Alagoas, Brasil. Para a observação e/ou coleta dos espécimes, foram utilizados os métodos de busca ativa e armadilhas de queda (pit-fall traps) sem cerca-guia. Para análises de diversidade e da existência de diferenças de diversidade entre os hábitats e microhábitats, utilizou-se o índice de Shannon. A largura dos nichos espacial (hábitat e microhábitat) e alimentar foi avaliada, utilizando-se o índice de diversidade de Simpson. A similaridade entre as áreas foi averiguada utilizando-se o índice de Jaccard. Para avaliar o grau de sobreposição quanto ao uso do espaço (hábitats e microhábitats) e do alimento pelas espécies, foi utilizada uma versão da equação de MarcArthur & Levis. Foram obtidas vinte e três espécies de lagartos, pertencentes a nove famílias; destas, dezenove foram obtidas no interior da mata e nove na borda. Para o interior da mata as espécies mais abundantes foram Kentropyx calcarata, Dryadosaura nordestina, Enyalius catenatus e Gymnodactylus darwinii. Na borda da mata as espécies mais abundantes foram Tropidurus hispidus, T. semitaeniatus, Ophiodes striatus e Ameiva ameiva. Quanto à utilização dos recursos, os resultados mostraram que espécies filogeneticamente próximas nem sempre utilizam de maneira semelhante os recursos disponíveis. A dieta em geral foi composta por artrópodes. Tropidurus hispidus e T. semitaeniatus se mostraram especialistas no consumo de Himenoptera (Formicidae), que estiverem presentes em 100% dos seus estômagos. Ophiodes striatus teve como principal alimento caramujos (Gastropoda) e aranhas com 60% cada; sendo Gastropoda mais abundante para esta espécie

Ecologia trófica em uma taxocenose de anfíbios: estrutura, filogenia e especialização individual

Historically, ever since the pre-Darwinian naturalists interspecific competition was considered the main force responsible for structuring ecological communities. This interpretation lost strength in the late 70s and throughout the 80s giving room for other views, which consider other factors such as predation, parasitism and the phylogenetic inertia more important. Studies on changes in the trophic niche of a species are still uncommon in general and especially in amphibians. Species considered generalist might actually be a group of individual specialists, or individuals that specialize in a particular category of prey during a period of scarcity of resources, thus reducing intraspecific competition. This work studied the community structure of litter amphibians and trophic variation along the dry and rainy seasons in a population of Leptodactylus macrosternum. Sixteen-litter frog species were studied for their diet. Two central assumptions were tested: 1a) if the community is structured in the niche trophic level, and 1b) if there is a significant difference in the use of food resources by different species (i.e. if the community is structured), the observed structure is the result of ecological interactions or just the current phylogenetic inertia of species. Finally, 2) if there is variation in food resource use between seasons for L. macrosternum. The community showed a structure with respect to the use of food resources, and this structure persisted after taking into account the phylogenetic relationships among species. The diet of Leptodactylus macrosternum varied with the seasons, with a significant degree of individual specialization for the dry season. Patterns of a local community are important to understand its dynamics, and this may play a role in larger- scale processes. Therefore, the studies in community ecology are fundamental to understand and eventually restoring degraded areas

Avaliação da atividade antioxidante e antiproliferativa do extrato aquoso de frutas tropicais

The antioxidant activity of aqueous extracts of five edible tropical fruits (Spondias lutea, Hancornia speciosa, Spondias purpurea, Manilkara zapota and Averrhoa carambola) was investigated using different methods. The amount of phenolic compounds was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The M. zapota had Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) higher than the other fruits. Extracts showed neither reducing power nor iron chelation (between 0.01 and 2.0 mg/mL). H. speciosa exhibited the highest superoxide scavenging activity (80%, 0.5 mg/mL). However, at high concentrations (8.0 mg/mL) only A. carambola, S. purpurea and S. lutea scavenging 100% of radicals formed. M. zapota and S. purpurea had higher phenolic compound levels and greater OH radical scavenging activity (92 %, 2.0 mg/mL). Antiproliferative activity was assessed with 3T3 fibroblasts and cervical tumor cells (HeLa). The most potent extract was S. purpurea (0.5 mg/mL), which inhibited HeLa cell proliferation by 52%. The most fruits showed antioxidant and antiproliferative properties, characterizing them as functional foods.

Efeitos de peixes zooplanctívoros e onívoros sobre a resposta de comunidades planctônicas à fertilização por nutrientes

The food chain theory predict that presence of omnivory prevent the trophic cascade and could be a strong stabilizing factor over resource and consumer community dynamics, and that the nutrient enrichment destabilize populations dynamics. Most of the freshwater tropical reservoirs are eutrophic, and strategies that seek improve the water quality through the control of phytoplankton biomass and nutrient input, become essential for the improvement and preservation of water quality. The aim of this study was test the zooplanktivory (when larvae) and omnivory (when young and adult) effects of Nile Tilapia over the structure and dynamics of plankton communities, in addition or absence of nutrients enrichment. For this, one field experiment was performed with a factorial design 2x3 resulting in six treatments: control, without fish and nutrient (C); with omnivorous fish (O); with zooplanktivorous fish (Z); without fish and with enrichment of nutrients (NP); with omnivorous fish and nutrients (ONP); and, with zooplanktivorous fish and nutrients (ZNP). The two planktivory types reduced the zooplankton biomass and increased the phytoplankton biomass, but the omnivory of filter-feeding fish attenuated the trophic cascade magnitude. The fertilization by nutrients increases the nutrient concentrations in water and the phytoplankton biomass, but the effect on zooplankton is dependent of the trophic structure. In a general way, the effects of the fish and nutrient addition were addictive, but significant interactions among those factors were observed in the answer of some zooplankton groups. The effects of omnivorous fish over the temporal variability of phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass were very variable, the increase or reduce in variability of the plankton depending of the level of nutrients and of the analyzed variable. With base in this study, we conclude that the planktivory type exercised by the fish and the concentrations of nutrients in the water affects the force of pelagic trophic cascades and probably the success of biomanipulation programs for the handling of water quality in lakes and tropical reservoirs

Biologia populacional comparada de duas espécies de heliconius (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) em um ambiente sazonal de floresta atlântica do nordeste brasileiro

Tropical environments often face strong seasonal variations in climate, such as alternate periods of dry and rain, that may often be important influence in the annual X the organisms lives. Here we assess how population dynamics of two butterfly species (Heliconius erato and Heliconius mepomene) respond to environmental and seasonal variations. A mark-release-recapture study carried out in an Atlantic forest reserve, 15 Km from Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, for 3 years, during the dry and rainy season, with three visits weekly done. Information such as species, wing lenght, site of capture, pollen load and phenotype (number of spots) (in H. erato only) were noted for each capture. Seasonal variation exists in capture rates of the two species, with great capture rates during the rainy season. Despite finding differences in the mean density of individuals of the two species among the different collection areas, this difference was only significant between floodplain and central areas, and no influence of seasonality was observed in the mean density between the areas. Seasonality in wing size was only observed for H. erato, with larger wings during the rainy season. Females carried larger pollen loads than males both species, but species were similar. Only males differed seasonally, with larger pollen loads during the rainy season. The distribution of the number of wing spots did not vary between the dry and rainy seasons, and the number of spots in males and females was similar. Therefore, we conclude that there was a strong influence of seasonal variation in the population dynamic of the two Heliconius species, as well as in several aspects of their biology

Sobrevivência e tamanho populacional do Tiê-preto Tachyphonus Rufus (aves: thraupidae) em fragmento de restinga no extremo Norte da Mata Atlântica

For a long time, we believed in the pattern that tropical and south hemisphere species have high survival. Nowadays results began to contradict this pattern, indicating the need for further studies. Despite the advanced state of the study of bird population parameters, little is known about their variation throughout the year and the factors affecting them. Reproduction, for example, is one factor that may alter adult survival rates, because during this process the breeding pair allocates resources to maintain itself to maintain offspring, making itself more susceptible to diseases and predation. The aim of this study was to estimate survival and population size of a Central and South America passerine, Tachyphonus rufus (Boddaert, 1783), testing hypotheses about the factors that define these parameters. We performed data collection between Nov/2010 and ago/2012 in 12 ha plot, in a fragment of Atlantic Forest in northeastern Brazil. We used capture-mark-recapture methods to generate estimates using Closed Design Robust model in the program MARK. We generated Multi-state models to test some assumptions inherent to Closed Robust Design. The influence of co-variables (time, rain and reproductive cycle) and the effect of transient individuals were measured. Capture, recapture and apparent survival parameters were defined by reproductive cycle, while temporary dispersal was influence by rain. The estimates showed a higher apparent survival during the non-breeding period (92% ± 1%) than during breeding (40% ± 9%), revealing a cost of reproduction and suggesting a trade-off between surviving and reproducing. The low annual survival observed (34%) did not corroborate the pattern of high rates expected for a tropical bird. The largest population size was estimated to be 56 individuals in Nov/11, explained by high recruitment of juveniles, while the lowest observed in May/12: 10 individuals, probably as a result of massive influx of competitor species. Results from this study add to the growing literature on life history of Neotropical species. We encourage studies like this especially in Brazil, where there are few information, and suggest that covariates related to habitat quality and environmental changes should be tested, so that we can generate increasingly reliable models

Sobrevivência de adultos e estimativa populacional da guaracava-de-topete-uniforme elaenia cristata (aves: tyrannidae) em fragmento de mata atlântica no Nordeste do Brasil

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Ecologia trófica de anfíbios anuros: relações filogenéticas em diferentes escalas

Understand the origin, maintenance and the mechanisms that operate in the current biodiversity is the major goal of ecology. Species ecology can be influenced by different factors at different scales. There are three approaches about the ecological differences between species: the first brings that differences result from current processes on niche characteristics (e.g. diet, time, space); the second that species differences are explained by random patterns of speciation, extinction and dispersion, the third that historical events explain the formation and composition of species in communities. This study aims to evaluate the influence of phylogenetic relationships in determining ecological characteristics in amphibians (globally) and test with that, if ecological differences between species of frogs are the result of ancient pre-existing differences or as result of current interactions. Another objective of this study is to verify if ecological, historical or current characteristics determine the size of species geographical distribution. The diet data for analysis of trophic ecology were collected from published literature. We performed a non-parametric MANOVA to test the existence of phylogenetic effects in diet shifts on frogs history. Thus, it is expected to know the main factors that allow the coexistence of anuran species. We performed a phylogenetic regression to analyze if niche breadth, body size and evolutionary age variables determine the size of the geographical distribution of amphibians in the Amazon. In the present study, new contributions to knowledge of major ecological patterns of anurans are discussed under a phylogenetic perspective

Uma ecologia de base complexa

This thesis objective systemize and discuss the ecological knowledge constructed by means of tradition knowledge with basis in a complex ecology (MORIN, 2002b). The conception of tradition knowledge (ALMEIDA, 2001c) corresponds to a diversity of knowledgement, of men and women, constructed from heteroclite elements of the geographic way, making use of analogies and homologies which serves as the base for this scientific inquiry. These knowledge are extremely related the context where these people are inserted. To construct an ecology of complex base is to understand that the reality is not given previously, and that its construction assumes indissociability among the elements that composes it, that is, between nature and society, material and immaterial elements. To incorporate the disorder, the uncertainty, the unpredictable and the auto-echo-organization as guide principles of a new ecology, constitutes in a new vision of the biological science and the scientific ecology in direction to a science of complexity. The work focuses the ecological knowledge of the Piató lagoon, municipality of Açu, in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, having as interlocutor of this boarding Mr. Francisco Lucas da Silva (known in the local as Chico Lucas), fisherman and agriculturist, who was born, and lives until today, in the community of Areia Branca, around the lagoon. Having for base the method as strategy (MORIN, 2001a), the research construction was performed through the realization of more than 10 trips carried out between the years of 2005 and 2007. In these trips the ecological aspects of the environments such as, the flora and the fauna, as well as the environmental impacts on the lagoon, were obtained in recorded dialogues and interviews with Chico Lucas, which were later transcripts. The information from there showed a natural and social complex reality, little known by Cartesian science, since it brings a wealth of details of daily life full, over all, for tradition knowing of the people that had lived there and the ones who remain living there. The thesis looks to understand the strategies of thought and the knowledge production referring to traditional knowing and its ability of interchange between different cognitive operators. The ecological knowledge that emerges of these knows reveals a systemic perception of the environment, presenting the beings and phenomena in its peculiarities and its degrees of complexity, but immutable in its indissociability

Estudo das características físico-químicas e funcionalidade de bagaços de frutas tropicais desidratados em leito de jorro

Fruits are rich sources of bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds. Tropical fruit cultivation is an important productive segment in Brazilian Northeast. Its industrialization generates solid wastes as co-products, with potential environmental impact. Considering the recognized bioactive content of fruit and its derivatives, this research has the objective of investigating acerola (Malpighia glabra L.), cajá-umbu (Spondia ssp), jambolan (Syzygium cumini) and pitanga (Eugenia uniflora) dried wastes obtained by spouted bed drier. It was analyzed the physical-chemical composition, solubility and microphotographic aspect of these dried wastes. Besides this, it was also evaluated the bioactive content, antioxidant activity and inhibitory activity against aamylase and a-glycosidase enzymes of water and ethanol (70%, 80% e 100% v/v) extracts prepared from fruit dried wastes, as well as their possible correlations. The dried fruit wastes showed high phenolic (606.04 to 3074.6 mg GAE eq/100 g sample), anthocyanin (478.7 mg/100 g for jambolan) and ascorbic acid (2748.03 mg/100 g for acerola) contents, as well as high antioxidant DPPH activity (14.27 a 36.30 mg Trolox eq/g sample). The extracts exhibited moderate to high a-amylase inhibition (23.97% a 76.58%) and high α-glycosidase inhibition, which 99.32% peak was reached for ethanol 70% pitanga extracts. It was also observed great positive correlation between phenolic content and DPPH activity (0.97 for acerola), anthocyanin (0.95 for jambolan) and α- glycosidase inhibition (0.98 for acerola). The α-glycosidase inhibition also correlated well with the antioxidant activity for all fruit extracts. The results show that these dried fruit wastes are valuable material for further applications as functional ingredients

Sistema de secagem solar para frutos tropicais e modelagem da secagem de banana em um secador de coluna estática

In this study were projected, built and tested an electric solar dryer consisting of a solar collector, a drying chamber, an exhaust fan and a fan to promote forced hot air convection. Banana drying experiments were also carried out in a static column dryer to model the drying and to obtain parameters that can be used as a first approximation in the modeling of an electric solar dryer, depending on the similarity of the experimental conditions between the two drying systems. From the banana drying experiments conducted in the static column dryer, we obtained food weight data as a function of aqueous concentration and temperature. Simplified mathematical models of the banana drying were made, based on Fick s and Fourier s second equations, which were tested with the experimental data. We determined and/or modeled parameters such as banana moisture content, density, thin layer drying curves, equilibrium moisture content, molecular diffusivity of the water in banana DAB, external mass transfer coefficient kM, specific heat Cp, thermal conductivity k, latent heat of water evaporation in the food Lfood, time to heat food, and minimum energy and power required to heat the food and evaporate the water. When we considered the shrinkage of radius R of a banana, the calculated values of DAB and kM generally better represent the phenomenon of water diffusion in a solid. The latent heat of water evaporation in the food Lfood calculated by modeling is higher than the latent heat of pure water evaporation Lwater. The values calculated for DAB and KM that best represent the drying were obtained with the analytical model of the present paper. These values had good agreement with those assessed with a numeric model described in the literature, in which convective boundary condition and food shrinkage are considered. Using parameters such as Cp, DAB, k, kM and Lfood, one can elaborate the preliminary dryer project and calculate the economy using only solar energy rather than using solar energy along with electrical energy