Variação diária e anual de freqüência e atividade do Boto Cinza Sotalia guianensis em Pipa, Nordeste do Brasil

The aim of this study was to investigate the daily and annual variation in frequency and in activity of an estuarine dolphin population, Sotalia guianensis, in Brazilian northeastern. Thus we estimated the daily variation and seasonality in frequency of adult and immature and in behavior of socialization, aerial activity, foraging of a boto equatorial population in the Curral inlet (6º13 00 S; 35º3 36 W). We detect some variation. Thus we associate the daily variation with daily period, tide fluctuation and annual season. And the seasonality variation we associate with the fotoperíodo and precipitation variation. From October 1999 to September 2003, through collect four times at month, we made instantaneous record at each five minute in six hours of survey. The surveys hours were ranged into light time of 24 hours, that is, between 06:00 and 17:00 o clock. These observations were developed simultaneous for two observers in a land-based survey at coastline cliff top of which observer have a fully visualization of whole inlet. We found that animals were more active and frequent during the morning. They were more active during low tide than high tide. However they did not show association with tide. We found yet that in a period from June to November (winter-spring) there was the highest socialization, aerial activity and foraging frequency. However adult and immature individual number did not have significance variation along the year. The larger concentration of this behaviors were not associate with photoperiod neither precipitation in the region. These results showed the existence of behavioral daily variation and seasonality in a species that live in equatorial region

Fidelidade à área e padrão de associação em Sotalia guianensis, baseado na técnica de foto-identificação

The behavioral patterns follow to environmental changes, including area fidelity and individuals association patterns. Several techniques are used to record these behavioral patterns and the photo-identification has been suggested as a proper tool because of its various advantages. Based on this technique, this research verified, between August of 2005 and January of 2006, area fidelity and association patterns of Sotalia guianensis, at Distrito de Pipa s bays, Rio Grande do Norte State south coast. Besides, we measured the association patterns by using the Jaccard index or Half-Weight Index (HWI). According the observation, 22 individuals were not resighted, 11 were resighted, and 36 new individuals were recorded. Nowadays, 69 individuals are cataloged. The residency rate indicated heterogeneity on studied area permanence and the association patterns between photo-identified seem to be context-specific. In addiction, the comparison of associations between two different age classes showed some individuals more frequently interacting with immature individuals. We also observed fluidity on association patterns among our individuals. We suggest that S. guianensis population from Pipa shows plasticity

A biotecnologia e a educação ambiental no resguarde a duas espécies em vias de extinção na flora da Mata Atlântica Brasileira

The anthropical action caused destruction of great part of the Atlantic forest remaining today around 7% to 8% of the original portion. A classical example of the degradation is the situation of the Pau-Brasil (Caesalpinia echinata Lam.) which appellant exploration summarized abruptly decreased the wild occurrence of the species. Besides the economic exploration and the threat of extinction, the plant shows some characteristics that its own physiology makes difficult the survival in natural conditions. For this reason, any strategy developed to conserve it should also guarantee ways for its multiplication. In these conditions, the only reasonable technology is micropropagation in vitro based on immature segments of Catullus (explants or internodes). However, in virtue of the threat of extinction, extractivism and fenology, the disponibility of the sources of explants are reduced. Then, to turn this around, the present research showed the hypothesis that arrange these explants would have as a solution to elaborate a bank of matrixes and the utilization of produced seedlings as source of explant. Then, assuming that the soil is a fundamental element for a good formation of the seedlings, there were tests in a greenhouse on the Laboratory of plant biotechnology at UFRN, from May to June of 2008 that showed the influence of the four different soils on the production of Pau-Brasil. The objective of this work was to make possible the seedlings production of the specie and from them to establish a bank of matrixes as source of explant to guarantee the continuity of the process of micropropagation, contributing with the preservation of the specie

Culicídeos vetores em uma unidade de conservação da caatinga na região do seridó no Rio Grande do Norte aspectos da transmissão de doenças

The scarcity of occurrence records of culicid species, transmitting insects of etiologic agents for arboviruses, protozoan diseases and philarioses, and lack of information about their interactions with the forest environment make the Caatinga one of the most unknown biomes in Brazil. The aim of this study was to identify culicid species in a conservation unit located in a preserved area of the Caatinga and the possible associations with local abiotic factors, as well as characterize the natural and artificial ecotopes present in the Caatinga of Rio Grande do Norte state. The Ecological Station of Serido (ESEC-Seridó) is a Caatinga Conservation Unit located in a rural area of Rio Grande do Norte. The hot and dry climate of the Caatinga, along with a short rainy season, favor the adaptation and resistance of plants, resulting in completely distinct landscapes over the course of the year. The study took place over the course of one year, with monthly collections between 10h-12h, 14h-16h and 18h-20h. Adult mosquitoes were collected in a forest area using a manual suction trap with human bait as attractant at the three times and a Shannon trap for night collections. During the rainy season ovitraps were randomly distributed at different sites. The different capture sites were observed and photographed. Immature and adult insects captured were taken to the laboratory for identification. Of the 5081 insects collected in human-bait and Shannon traps, 75% were Mansonia wilsoni. In addition, Aedeomyia, Aedes, Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Culex, Haemagogus, Mansonia and Psorophora were identified. Of the 92 Haemagogus eggs found, 71 were collected on the banks of a reservoir. Mosquito larvae were found and photographed in an artificial breeding site of a neighboring rural area. Humidity had the greatest influence on culicid density in the Caatinga. Rain was important in the appearance of Haemagogus, Anopheles, Aedes and Psorophora. Temperature had a negative influence on Anopheles triannulatus. The occurence of important vector species of diseases in a little known preserved area of the Caatinga as well as environmental and sociocultural questions are factors that favor the emergence of transmitting insects, making these areas potential subject to the resurgence of diseases

Arquitetura, litofácies e evolução tectonoestratigráfica da bacia do rio do peixe, nordeste do Brasil

The Rio do Peixe Basin is located in the border of Paraíba and Ceará states, immediately to the north of the Patos shear zone, encompassing an area of 1,315 km2. This is one of the main basins of eocretaceous age in Northeast Brazil, associated to the rifting event that shaped the present continental margin. The basin can be divided into four sub-basins, corresponding to Pombal, Sousa, Brejo das Freiras and Icozinho half-grabens. This dissertation was based on the analysis and interpretation of remote sensing products, field stratigraphic and structural data, and seismic sections and gravity data. Field work detailed the lithofacies characterization of the three formations previously recognised in the basin, Antenor Navarro, Sousa and Rio Piranhas. Unlike the classical vertical stacking, field relations and seismostratigraphic analysis highlighted the interdigitation and lateral equivalency between these units. On bio/chrono-stratigraphic and tectonic grounds, they correlate with the Rift Tectonosequence of neocomian age. The Antenor Navarro Formation rests overlies the crystalline basement in non conformity. It comprises lithofacies originated by a braided fluvial system system, dominated by immature, coarse and conglomeratic sandstones, and polymict conglomerates at the base. Its exposures occur in the different halfgrabens, along its flexural margins. Paleocurrent data indicate source areas in the basement to the north/NW, or input along strike ramps. The Sousa Formation is composed by fine-grained sandstones, siltites and reddish, locally grey-greenish to reddish laminated shales presenting wavy marks, mudcracks and, sometimes, carbonate beds. This formation shows major influence of a fluvial, floodplain system, with seismostratigraphic evidence of lacustrine facies at subsurface. Its distribution occupies the central part of the Sousa and Brejo das Freiras half-grabens, which constitute the main depocenters of the basin. Paleocurrent analysis shows that sediment transport was also from north/NW to south/SE