Uma prática educativa ambiental na construção de agenda 21 local.

This proposal is to search, investigate practical experience in environmental education for the construction of Local Agenda 21, in the municipality of Maxaranguape-RN, attended that brought together various subject and collective social actors of civil society organizations, among them, the Center for Education and Advice Herbert de Souza - CEAHS (NGOs who serves on the council since 1999), associations of farmers and farmers in areas of settlements, teachers / as, groups of women and young people, entrepreneurs, public power, the German partner entities IBAMA. INCRA, BNB in the project of Agenda 21. They are members and participants, constituents of the Permanent Forum of Agenda 21, the main actor privileged in the search. As an object of study to identify the limits and scope of this practice, with regard to aspects of awareness / participation and awaken to an awareness of critical social subjects in the collective social and environmental perspective. The study seeks to investigate if this experience has allowed the individual and collective social subjects, understand and act in their daily life, as the changes in attitudes postures, and expand their interests to participate in various public spaces this intention, is considered the educational activities made with the principles of environmental education in the construction of Agenda 21 that have contributed in raising awareness / participation of social actors of the Permanent Forum of Agenda 21. While reference methodology, the research focuses on theoretical design Freireana with relevance on the dimensions of dialogue, critical thinking and the human dimension comprising the act as educational practice of freedom, the prospect of human emancipation and social transformation of reality, and bring other thinkers as, Carvalho (2004), Trigueiro (2003), Days (2004), among others. The investigation of this practice points to the subject of education, which ECOCIENCIA to install the Agenda 21 and its effect on demand under municipal, German, providing a change of attitudes and postures and certainly, generating a new look and act in the world, broadening their interests and desires of inserting themselves, to participate in public spheres, particularly in establishing relations with dialogical criticality with the authorities and face the demands socio-environmental locations.

Desenvolvimento de metodologia para avaliação de desempenho ambiental em edifícios adaptada à realidade do Nordeste brasileiro

This research refers to the production of green buildings, defined, mainly, based on the use of sources of alternative energies, smaller emission of pollutant, use of recyclable materials, systems of recycling of the waters, maximization of the natural illumination, preservation of green areas or native, and appropriate quality of the internal air. From the conception of those buildings, it appears the needs of evaluating them, creating the methodologies for the evaluation of environmental performance of buildings. In that way, this work can be divided in two moments: the first one when it identifies the methodologies for the evaluation of environmental performance for buildings existents in the literature, defining their categories, criteria and sub-criteria to be appropriate to the reality of the Brazilian Northeast; and the second one when starting from the analysis of the systems of existent evaluation. It defines a methodological base and it generates a new evaluation system, denominated MEDACNE (Methodology of Evaluation of Environmental Acting for Construction in the Northeast). In that moment, the process of framing of the section of the building site is verified under the maintainable optics, stimulated mainly by the pressures of the society - conferences, protocols and agreements. Finally, the proposed methodology was applied in a case study, a residential building, called Maria José Gurgel , located in Natal-RN, Brazil, for its validation. This methodological proposition should increase the patterns environmental places for the production of new buildings, and it will be a reference guide for architects, engineers and planners to develop their constructions considering the criteria of the sustainability. This study made use of bibliographical research in books and specialized magazines and the analysis of the data was realized in an interpretative way

Conservação de espécies nativas em um assentamento rural do município de Apodi-RN: impactos socioambientais e econômicos e o uso da biotecnologia como alternativa promissora

The Caatinga biome has a high diversity of potential and their conservation constitutes one of the greatest challenges of Brazilian science. The sustainable management of the Caatinga emerges as an alternative that through the formation of systems agrossilvipastoris, enables the use of forest resources sustainably, ensuring their conservation, regeneration and recovery. In RN this technique has been developed mainly in settlements of Agrarian Reform, such as P. A. Moaci Lucena, and their impacts go beyond the environmental aspect and reverberate socially and economically on the quality of life of family farmers. Despite the efficiency of the Sustainable Management of the Caatinga in the conservation of native species, many forests species of this biome faces serious problems of propagation and for this reason have become vulnerable to extinction, as is the case of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth . Thus , it is evident the need to use sustainable alternatives to overcome the difficulties of propagation of this species and enable their replacement in areas where their existence is threatened. The Plant Biotechnology is considered as a promising alternative in this sense, considering that by micropropagation enables the large-scale production of seedlings with high health genetics status. This work has the following objectives: evaluate the perception of family farmers of P. A. Moaci Lucena in relation to social, environmental and economic impacts of the Sustainable Management of the Caatinga and check the conditions of germination and in vitro propagation of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth that enabling the production of seedlings of this specie on a large scale. To achieve the first objective, semi-structured interviews showed that in the perception of farmers PA Moaci Lucena, the Sustainable Management of the Caatinga was responsible for generating many social, environmental and economic impacts that affected directly in the improvement in the quality of life of the families of the Settlement Project Moaci Lucena. Have to achieve the second objective, were investigated the influence of different substrates and concentrations of growth regulator BAP in the germination and shoot induction in vitro of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. The vermiculite was presented as the most suitable substrate for germination of this species, because it provided a more rapid germination, higher growth rates and higher dry matter accumulation. Regarding micropropagation, the concentration of 17.76 μmol/L of BAP presented a more responsive in relation to multiplication rate and the number of shoots in M. caesalpiniifolia, thus constituting the most suitable concentration for the in vitro propagation of this specie

Descrição de novas espécies de Entomobryoidea, Womersley, 1934 (Collembola, Hexapoda) em remanescentes urbanos de mata atlântica no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

Springtails are commonly recognized microarthropods edaphic environments. Among the most common (and most visible) forms of these animals are the Entomobryoidea, one of the most diverse groups of springtails. Although more than 8,300 species of Collembola are registered on the globe, in Brazil a little over 310 species are recorded, mostly in the Southeast. In the Northeast, particularly in Rio Grande do Norte, these records are still reduced, even in the Atlantic Forest domain for this admittedly diverse fauna and specifically, for Entomobryoidea. This study aimed to describe new species of Entomobryoidea in urban remnants of Atlantic Forest in Rio Grande do Norte, specifically in Parque das Dunas, Natal in the Environmental Protection Area Genipabu, Extremoz. The collections were made in the months July and August 2012 and January and February 2013, using entomological vacuums and plastic trays. The specimens were identified in the laboratory and described in detail by looking at the literature. In this paper four new species were described Entomobryidae family: Entomobrya sp. nov. 1, Seira sp. nov. 1, Seira sp. nov. 2 and Trogolaphysa sp. nov. 1. Seira sp. nov. 1 has clear similarities to S. paraibensis, however the chaetotaxy of the mesothorax and abdomen IV distinguishes both species. The number of phylogenetic proximity suggests similarities between species. Seira sp. nov. 2 is characterized by its chaetotaxy, mainly in the 'M' head and his mesothorax. There is possibility of a phylogenetic relationship with S. praiana and S. Potiguara due to some similarities. Entomobrya sp. nov. 1 has little resemblance to Brazilian species, from the point of view of color, however there is for the latter detailing the dorsal chaetotaxy, which might obscure evolutionary relationships of proximity. Even so, the main diagnostic feature Entomobrya sp. nov. 1 compared to other species of the genus is the complexity of the chaetotaxy of the fifth abdominal segment. Descriptions of new species of Collembola, potentially endemic to their habitats of occurrence may help to understand the morphological and evolutionary patterns in the sampled taxa, as well as the preservation of the environments in which they were found.

Padrões de diversidade α (alfa) e β (beta) zooplanctônica em lagos tropicais: a importância da estrutura do habitat e da identidade das espécies

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Padrões de diversidade α (alfa) e β (beta) zooplanctônica em lagos tropicais: a importância da estrutura do habitat e da identidade das espécies

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ecologia alimentar e reprodutiva da piaba-do-rabo-amarelo, Astyanax cf. lacustris (Reinhardt, 1874) (Osteichthyes: Characidae) na Lagoa do Piató, Assu, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

The feeding habits and biological aspects of the reproductive cycle of two-spot astyanax, Astyanax cf. lacustris (Reinhardt, 1874) were investigated. Fish samples were captured on a monthly basis, using gillnets of 4 cm mesh size, from the Piató Lake, Assu, Rio Grande do Norte, during the period of September, 2006 to August, 2007. Physico-chemical parameters, such as, temperature, electrical conductivity and dissolved oxygen of the lake were registered. The monthly values of rainfall also were obtained. The 360 individuals captured, were measured, weighed, dissected, and stomach weight and the stage of gonadal maturity were registered. The stomach contents analyses were carried out based on volumetric method, points, frequency of occurrence and applying the Index of Relative Importance. The degrees of repletion of the stomachs were determined besides the Index of Repletion relating to feeding activity variations and frequency of ingestion with limnological parameters and rainfall. The food items identified were separated into distinct groups according to their origin. Sex ratio and Gonadosomatic Relation of females were verified to determine the spawning period and fecundity. The physico-chemical parameters presented the following annual mean values: temperature = 28.8ºC, electrical conductivity = 992.5 µS.cm-1; dissolved oxygen = 4.9 mg.L-1 during the study period. The annual mean of the rainfall was 63.5 mm. The results indicate that this species present an omnivorous feeding habit with a tendency towards insectivory, with an increase in feeding activity during the dry season. The aquatic oxygen to interfere very importance in the feeding activity than the others factors physico-chemicals of water and rainfall. There was a predominance of females, with a sex proportion of 1M:7F. The macroscopic characteristics of the ovaries and testicles revealed four stages of gonadal development: immature, maturing, mature and spent. A temporal variation was observed for the gonadal development of males and females. There was reproductive activity through out the year, with peaks in the months of February, April and June to correspond with the rain of precipitation of the region. The mean fecundity was 7.681 mature oocytes, varying from 4.476 to 12.036, with mean of 7.681. There was positive relation between fecundity and body mass. Condition Factor is not an efficient indicator of the reproductive period of this species. The species A. cf. lacustris is an opportunist and is well adapted to the conditions of the semi-arid Caatinga Biome

Metagenômica comparativa de solo de regiões de mata atlântica e caatinga do estado do Rio Grande do Norte - Brasil

The microorganisms play very important roles in maintaining ecosystems, which explains the enormous interest in understanding the relationship between these organisms as well as between them and the environment. It is estimated that the total number of prokaryotic cells on Earth is between 4 and 6 x 1030, constituting an enormous biological and genetic pool to be explored. Although currently only 1% of all this wealth can be cultivated by standard laboratory techniques, metagenomic tools allow access to the genomic potential of environmental samples in a independent culture manner, and in combination with third generation sequencing technologies, the samples coverage become even greater. Soils, in particular, are the major reservoirs of this diversity, and many important environments around us, as the Brazilian biomes Caatinga and Atlantic Forest, are poorly studied. Thus, the genetic material from environmental soil samples of Caatinga and Atlantic Forest biomes were extracted by direct techniques, pyrosequenced, and the sequences generated were analyzed by bioinformatics programs (MEGAN MG-RAST and WEBCarma). Taxonomic comparative profiles of the samples showed that the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria and Planctomycetes were the most representative. In addition, fungi of the phylum Ascomycota were identified predominantly in the soil sample from the Atlantic Forest. Metabolic profiles showed that despite the existence of environmental differences, sequences from both samples were similarly placed in the various functional subsystems, indicating no specific habitat functions. This work, a pioneer in taxonomic and metabolic comparative analysis of soil samples from Brazilian biomes, contributes to the knowledge of these complex environmental systems, so far little explored

Percepções ambientais de comunidades rurais e indicadores de sustentabilidade como subsídios à conservação de áreas de caatinga no Rio Grande do Norte

Environmental degradation is a global problem that particularly affects areas subject to seasonal climatic variations, such as the brazilian semiarid region, namely the Caatinga Domain. Combined with other negative factors, such as natural resource misuse and disorderly land occupation, the consequences of Environmental Degradation have challenged science in the quest for addressing the resulting social and environmental problems. Accordingly, Environmental Perception methodology, by analyzing the concepts, attitudes and values, (especially those pertaining to environmental conservation) represent an important tool in studies that address the relationship between the environment and human actions. Sustainability Indicators are also relevant tools to assess the possible causes and consequences of environmental problems. Among several Sustainability Indicators available, the PressuresState-Impact-Response (PSIR) method is an analytical tool that permits the grouping of factors affecting sustainability as well as their consequences for nature and human health, and thus indicate mitigating actions for society and the public authorities. From this perspective, three areas of Caatinga were studied in Rio Grande do Norte state: Seridó Ecological Station (ESEC), Municipality of Serra Negra do Norte; Private Natural Reserve Stoessel de Brito (PNRSB), Municipality of Jucurutu; and part of the Serra de Santana, Municipality of Tenente Laurentino Cruz. The areas are both legally protected and unprotected and subject to diferent management protocols, though their share the common characteristic of human misuse of natural resources. In this scenario, this thesis´ main goal was to introduce the rural communities into the conservation process, using the results of Environmental Perception of such communities, combined with the analysis of the sustainability of municipalities through PSIR. Information on Environmental Perception was obtained from primary and secondary data from previous studies carried out in the ESEC Seridó and PRNP Stoessel de Brito. Additional data was obtained through direct observation and interview forms applied to rural communities in the Municipality of Tenente Laurentino Cruz. The results showed that respondents possessed a broad knowledge regarding environmental degradation, its causes and consequences for the caatinga biome. PEIR analysis showed that environmental degradation was smaller in countries with protected areas, as compared to those without. The population´s knowledge about environmental degradation and their acceptance of conservation units, as showed by Environmental Perception Analysis, coupled with the results of PEIR, suggest that those attitudes may foster actions aimed at reduction of environmental degradation in the Caatinga domain

Metagenômica comparativa de solo de regiões de mata atlântica e caatinga do estado do Rio Grande do Norte - Brasil

The microorganisms play very important roles in maintaining ecosystems, which explains the enormous interest in understanding the relationship between these organisms as well as between them and the environment. It is estimated that the total number of prokaryotic cells on Earth is between 4 and 6 x 1030, constituting an enormous biological and genetic pool to be explored. Although currently only 1% of all this wealth can be cultivated by standard laboratory techniques, metagenomic tools allow access to the genomic potential of environmental samples in a independent culture manner, and in combination with third generation sequencing technologies, the samples coverage become even greater. Soils, in particular, are the major reservoirs of this diversity, and many important environments around us, as the Brazilian biomes Caatinga and Atlantic Forest, are poorly studied. Thus, the genetic material from environmental soil samples of Caatinga and Atlantic Forest biomes were extracted by direct techniques, pyrosequenced, and the sequences generated were analyzed by bioinformatics programs (MEGAN MG-RAST and WEBCarma). Taxonomic comparative profiles of the samples showed that the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria and Planctomycetes were the most representative. In addition, fungi of the phylum Ascomycota were identified predominantly in the soil sample from the Atlantic Forest. Metabolic profiles showed that despite the existence of environmental differences, sequences from both samples were similarly placed in the various functional subsystems, indicating no specific habitat functions. This work, a pioneer in taxonomic and metabolic comparative analysis of soil samples from Brazilian biomes, contributes to the knowledge of these complex environmental systems, so far little explored

Ecogenômica de archaea e monitoramento de comunidades de procariotos redutores de sulfato: aplicações na indústria de petróleo e gás

The human activities responsible for the ambient degradation in the modern world are diverse. The industrial activities are preponderant in the question of the impact consequences for brazilian ecosystems. Amongst the human activities, the petroliferous industry in operation in Potiguar Petroliferous Basin (PPB) displays the constant risk of ambient impacts in the integrant cities, not only for the human populations and the environment, but also it reaches the native microorganisms of Caatinga ground and in the mangrove sediment. Not hindering, the elaboration of strategies of bioremediation for impacted areas pass through the knowledge of microbiota and its relations with the environment. Moreover, in the microorganism groups associated to oil, are emphasized the sulfate-reducing prokaryotes (SRP) that, in its anaerobic metabolism, these organisms participate of the sulfate reduction, discharging H2S, causing ambient risks and causing the corrosion of surfaces, as pipelines and tanks, resulting in damages for the industry. Some ancestries of PRS integrate the Archaea domain, group of microorganisms whose sequenced genomes present predominance of extremophilic adaptations, including surrounding with oil presence. This work has two correlated objectives: i) the detection and monitoring of the gene dsrB, gift in sulfate-reducing prokaryotes, through DGGE analysis in samples of mDNA of a mangrove sediment and semiarid soil, both in the BPP; ii) to relate genomic characteristics to the ecological aspects of Archaea through in silico studies, standing out the importance to the oil and gas industry. The results of the first work suggest that the petrodegraders communities of SRP persist after the contamination with oil in mangrove sediment and in semiarid soil. Comparing the populations of both sites, it reveals that there are variations in the size and composition during one year of experiments. In the second work, functional and structural factors are the probable cause to the pressure in maintenance of the conservation of the sequences in the multiple copies of the 16S rDNA gene. Is verified also the discrepancy established between total content GC and content GC of the same gene. Such results relating ribosomal genes and the ambient factors are important for metagenomic evaluations using PCR-DGGE. The knowledge of microbiota associated to the oil can contribute for a better destination of resources by the petroliferous industry and the development of bioremediation strategies. Likewise, search to lead to the best agreement of the performance of native microbiota in biogeochemical cycles in Potiguar Petroliferous Basin ecosystem

Térmitas como bioindicadores de qualidade de habitat na caatinga, Brasil: há uma sintonia entre as variáveis estruturais dos habitats e as taxocenoses amostradas?

The composition of termite assemblages was analyzed at three Caatinga sites of the Seridó Ecological Station, located in the municipality of Serra Negra do Norte, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. These sites have been subjected to selective logging, and cleared for pasture and farming. A standardized sampling protocol for termite assemblages (30h/person/site) was conducted between September 2007 and February 2009. At each site we measured environmental variables, such as soil granulometry, pH and organic matter, necromass stock, vegetation height, tree density, stem diameter at ankle height (DAH) and the largest and the smallest crown width. Ten species of termites, belonging to eight genera and three families, were found at the three experimental sites. Four feeding-groups were sampled: wood-feeders, soil-feeders, wood-soil interface feeders and leaf-feeders. The wood-feeders were dominant in number of species and number of encounters at all sites. In general, the sites were not significantly different in relation to the environmental variables measured. The same pattern was observed for termite assemblages, where no significant differences in species richness, relative abundance and taxonomic and functional composition were observed between the three sites. The agreement between the composition of assemblages and environmental variables reinforces the potential of termites as biological indicators of habitat quality

Determinantes socioeconômicos e ambientais do declínio das hospitalizações por diarréias em lactentes no Rio Grande do Norte - 1992 a 2001

There was a significant decline in hospitalizations for acute diarrhea in children younger than 1 year of age in Brazil between 1992 to 2001. The less economically developed state of Rio Grande do Norte is a case example of the national trend. In this work, we show a significant association between improvements in socioeconomic variables as well as increased access to sanitation and the decreased rate of hospitalization. Additionally, we observed a positive, seasonal correlation between rainfall and hospitalizations. Most notably, however, we show that improvements in income and inflation were positively correlated with a decline in hospitalizations. Improvements in public health infrastructure, socioeconomic variables like education and literacy, and increased investment in health services were important in reducing severe early childhood diarrheas. However, the data suggests that increased buying power and reductions in poverty played an equally crucial role in reducing hospitalizations for acute diarrhea in infants in Brazil. The work includes elements of the demography of the period for the age groups involved, children under one year, women in fertile age and fertility rate

Aspectos ambientais e sociais envolvidos na transmissão da L. chagasi no município de Parnamirim/RN

Visceral leishmaniasis hás adapted in the past 20 years to periurban and urban areas, and in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, it became endemic. Thid study aimed to evaluate the environmental and social aspectsof Leishmania chagasi infection and its epidemiologic transmission chain in an urban, periurban and rural area of Parnamirim-RN. A study with three sections was conducted: Section 1: Sectional study of the human and canine infection by L. chagasi and its environmental and social determinants. Section 2: Observational longitudinal cohort to evaluate the dynamics of the canine infection. Section 3: Longitudinal study to evaluate the behavior of Lu. Longipalpis vector and the seasonal factors related to its dynamics. To include in the study the hauses were randomly selected and georreferenciated. Montenegro skin test was done in the human population and blood samples were collected for anti-Leishmania antibody detection. The canine population was examinated for L. chagasi infection by RIFI, ELISA and ELISA for rK39. An entomologic surveillance was monthly done with CDC light trapsin 10 houses of each locality. Quantitative and qualitative analyses was done using STATISC 6.0. Probality and prediction maps were done using ArcGis 9.0 model. In the human population L. chagasi infection was associated with the area of the hause, age, sex, population densyti, vegetation, kind of the floor of thr hause, water and resides destiny. In the canine population L. chagasi infection was associated with the breed, size, time of living in the hause, presence of dogs in the neighborhood, presence of horses and donkeys in the neighborhood, vegetation, kind of the floor and walls of the hause. The human infection was associated with canine infction only when analyzed taking into account the locality. In the prospective study, serum conversion and antibody lost observed in 30,8% and 22% of the animals examined, respectively. The human infection rate by L. chagasi was 24,6%, by the presence of anti-Leishmania antibody and 38,6% by the Montenegro skin test. The canine infection rate 32,5% by the presence of anti-Leishmania antibody. The vector Lu longipalpis showed an atypical behavior. These results indicate that environmental and social factors are important variables associated with L. chagasi infection in humans and canines, with punctual association of thr last two. Control measures of the infection on the studied points are necessary, in the aim to reduce the endemic focus of the disease in the study area. This research was carried out in a multidisciplinary involving the categories of: doctor, biologist, veterinarian, statistical, pharmaceutical and biochemical

Ajudando os inimigos: espécies nativas facilitam a invasão do semiárido brasileiro por árvores exóticas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior