Tartarugas marinhas da Bacia Potiguar/RN: diagnóstico, biologia alimentar e ameaças

This work aimed to study the diversity and distribution of marine sea turtles stranded in Potiguar Basin, Rio Grande do Norte, as well as aspects related to feeding behavior associated with human impacts. The study was conducted through the analysis of data from stranded animals, recorded in a daily monitoring in an area bounded on the north by the municipality of Aquiraz, in the state of Ceará, and the east by the municipality of Caicara do Norte, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Stranded dead animals were necropsied and for the analysis of the diet of animals, esophagus, stomach and intestines were fixed in 10% formalin and after that, the stomach contents were sorted and stored in 70% alcohol. Representative fragments of these organs were removed for making histological slides, with a view to histological characterization of the digestive tract. 2.046 occurrences of turtles were recorded during the period from 01/01/2010 to 31/12/2012. The Chelonia mydas species showed the highest number of records and it was observed in 66.81 % (N = 1,367) of cases; followed by Eretmochelys imbricata with 4.45 % (N = 91) and by Lepidochelys olivacea with 1.22% (N = 25). The Caretta caretta and Dermochelys coriacea species were, respectively, 0.93 % (N = 19) and 0.05 % (N = 1) records of strandings. In 26.54 % of cases, it was not possible to identify the species. Regarding the spatial distribution, the stretch A was the one that had the highest number of strandings and a larger number of records were registered in the warm months of the year. The dietary analysis showed that C. mydas fed preferentially on algae; C. caretta had a diet with a predominance of the item "coral´s fragments" and E. imbricata species showed preference for an animal origin material. Related to this anthropic interaction, 57.14 % (n = 76) of animals that died at the rehabilitation s base, showed cause of death due to complications from ingesting debris. According to the data presented, the Potiguar Basin presents itself as an area with important diversity and distribution of marine sea turtle as well is characterized as a feeding and nidification area for these species

Influência do uso e ocupação de solo na qualidade de água de um reservatório mesotrófico na região semiárida tropiocal

In the semiarid region of northeastern of Brazil, the reservoirs are vulnerable to water level seasonal fluctuations, they re related to the hydrological cycle. The rain periods are irregular and there are long periods of drought that increases eutrophication process. That happens because of the water level s reduction and nutrient concentration. The Boqueirao, located in northeastern Brazil , is a mesotrophic reservoir. The reservoir is naturally susceptible to deterioration of water quality. This happens because of the potential diffuse sources arising from the use and occupation of the basin, associated with shallow soil caatinga biome and highly vulnerable to erosion. This study aimed to analyze the influence of the use and occupation of the area around and the water quality of the watershed. A study of the area around the Boqueirão was performed, taking the potentially polluting activities. Limnological variables were monitored monthly in 3 points of the reservoir to assess the water quality. Was evidenced an event of prolonged drought, with rainfall below the historical average for the year of study. By the index of water quality, the watershed was classified as " good " during the whole year of 2012. According to the trophic index adopted the reservoir is characterized as mesotrophic. The main anthropogenic impacts identified in the soil were arboreal selective logging, mining, diffuse contribution of residues from agricultural and livestock activities. The lack of precipitation and the degradation of the surrounding area, affect negatively the water quality, requiring immediate control to prevent degradation of the watershed . Although there wasn t a majority polluting activity in the region. The total of several impacting activities, the high susceptibility of the soil and the selective clearing of caatinga vegetation can accelerate the natural process of eutrophication in the water body

Vegetação dunar: caracterização estrutural de dunas do município de Natal-RN como subsídio para implantação de técnicas de reflorestamernto, recuperação e conservação do ecossistema

The Brazilian coast has a wide variety of complex environments and ecosystems along the coast, about 80% are represented by sandbanks and dunes. The coastal ecosystems were the first to suffer the impacts man and places, as the very fragile ecosystems, are somehow altered. Are few areas of restinga well as natural features, very few protected in conservation units. Only in the last two decades the Brazilian restinga have been studies that are showing their importance for biodiversity of the country, though its economic importance remains largely unknown. In Rio Grande do Norte in the restinga vegetation and dune environments extend for almost the entire coast. The dunes are distinguished in the coastal landscape of the state due to the exuberance of its forms, heights and coating plants. The dune system is of fundamental importance for the maintenance of coastal urban settlements, especially for the city of Natal, acting on the hydrological dynamics of water table and reducing the effect of wind and movement of grains of sand to the interior and thus avoiding the burial City. However, the ecosystem of restinga and dune environments have been weakened and destroyed according to the intense urbanization and the knowledge of the vegetation of restinga installed on the dunes are still scarce. Thus, the objective of this study was to characterize the structure and floristic composition of vegetation established on a dune in the Dunes State Park Christmas and gather information to develop a model of recovery of the dune ecosystem. This dissertation is composed of 2 chapters, the first being: Structure of the vegetation of the dunes Dunes State Park in Natal, RN with the objective of describing the structure and composition of species of tree-shrub vegetation of restinga dunes of the Parque das Dunas and second: Recovery of degraded areas in a sand dune, which aimed to review the terms and concepts used in the theme of recovery and the techniques for recovery of degraded areas with emphasis on sandy environments and poor in nutrients, reporting some experiences within and external to Brazil the country, mainly in the Northeast and dunes positive and negative aspects that should be followed in building a model to be adopted for the recovery of local dunes

Sistemas computacionais espaço-temporais para toma de decisão em questões ambientais relacionadas à indústria de petróleo e gás

The area between São Bento do Norte and Macau cities, located in the northern coast of the Rio Grande do Norte State is submitted to intense and constant processes of littoral and aeolian transport, causing erosion, alterations in the sediments balance and modifications in the shoreline. Beyond these natural factors, the human interference is huge in the surroundings, composed by sensitive places, due to the existence of the Guamaré Petroliferous Pole, RN, the greater terrestrial oil producing in Brazil, besides the activities of the salt companies and shrimp farms. This socioeconomic-environmental context justifies the elaboration of strategies of environmental monitoring of that coastal area. In the environmental monitoring of coastal strips, submitted to human impacts, the use of multi-sources and multitemporal data integrated through a Spatio- Temporal Database that allows the multiuser friendly access. The objective was to use the potential of the computational systems as important tools the managers of environmental monitoring. The stored data in the form of a virtual library aid in making decisions from the related results and presented in different formats. This procedure enlarges the use of the data in the preventive attendance, in the planning of future actions and in the definition of new lines of researches on the area, in a multiscale approach. Another activity of this Thesis consisted on the development of a computational system to automate the process to elaborate Oil-Spill Environmental Sensitivity Maps, based on the temporal variations that some coastal ecosystems present in the sensibility to the oil. The maps generated in this way, based on the methodology proposed by the Ministério do Meio Ambiente, supply more updated information about the behavior of the ecosystem, as a support to the operations in case of oil spill. Some parameters, such as the hydrodynamic data, the declivity of the beach face, types of resources in risk (environmental, economical, human or cultural) and use and occupation of the area are some of the essential basic information in the elaboration of the sensitivity maps, which suffer temporal alterations.In this way, the two computational systems developed are considered support systems to the decision, because they provide operational subsidies to the environmental monitoring of the coastal areas, considering the transformations in the behavior of coastal elements resulting from temporal changes related the human and/or natural interference of the environment

Impactos da adoção de sistemas de informação no judiciário: pesquisa com usuários do sistema processual virtual em um juizado especial federal

The Information Technology (IT) is increasing his applicability to business, both private and public companies. It is necessary the adequate use of the new technologies and get cooperation and technology acceptance of the system. People tend to resist to the changes, contributing so that the technology is rejected or even it is not recognized as promoting of the changes. This study is relevant and aim to evaluate the impacts of new technologies, considering their users as fundamental factors in the change process. The survey analyzed the advantages and the barriers of the system use in three federal special judicial of Rio Grande do Norte, with data collected in May of 2007, through the application of questionnaires to thirty eight users of the virtual system CRETA. The users' perception was evaluated, under the optics of five variables: efficiency, image, agility, ease of use and quality. Starting from the obtained results, it was evidenced that the implementation of the system felt accordingly the expected and it reached the objectives intended that were: the velocity and efficiency in the path of the lawsuits, larger productivity, resulting in a better quality of the final work introduced to the citizen and proportionate an improvement in the organizational image of the judiciary power

Os impactos tecnológicos da implantação da nota fiscal eletrônica: um estudo de casos múltiplos

Increasingly, the Information Technology is used in the society, including the private, public and third sector organizational context. Technological tools are created in order to speed, automate, control and monitor processes. These technologies generate impacts on areas that permeate their use and the objective of this study is to investigate the implementation process of the Eletronic Invoice and the impacts arising from this technological tool in companies. For that, case studies have been conducted in three companies that emit and receive Eletronic Invoice, in a Information System consultancy, that provides softwares of Eletronic Invoice, and in a State Tax Department. Data collection was performed with organizations representatives through electronic questionnaires. The study concludes that it is expected, by the investigated organizations, that the tool reaches the benefits offered by the Tax Administration. However, these benefits have not been identified yet and neither have the use of methodologies in order to identify them. Moreover, the main impact found was the need for better training and participant´s technical qualification, followed by reducing printing costs and paper purchase

Impactos sociais da atividade turística: um estudo de caso em Tibau do Sul/RN

This study has been presented for the Master in business of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, the objectives are evaluate the social impacts of the tourism in the community of Tibau do Sul in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The research is a study of case and the analysis is qualitative and quantitative. The tourism is considerate for many people as an important source of richness, job and an important economic activity. However, for being an activity that involves as main element people, It can cause impacts, could these are beneficial or malign. To evaluate the community's perception about these impacts, it was applied a questionnaire returned to the perceptions of them about the next social indicators: health, job, security, education and life quality. Considering the advent of the tourist activity in a period fifteen year. Through the research could conclude that, of general form the population realizes the changes occurred in the municipal district of positive way. Except for some indicators that receive negative evaluation

Estudo sobre a mortalidade e sobrevivência de micro e pequenas empresas natalenses e seus impactos nas políticas públicas pró-empreendedorismo

The principal purpose of this research was to investigate discriminant factors of survival and failure of micro and small businesses, and the impacts of these factors in the public politics for entrepreneurship in the State of Rio Grande do Norte. The data were ceded by SEBRAE/RN and the Commercial Committee of the Rio Grande do Norte State and it included the businesses that were registered in 2000, 2001 and 2002. According to the theoretical framework 3 groups of factors were defined Business Financial Structure, Entrepreneurial Preparation and Entrepreneurial Behavior , and the factors were studied in order to determine whether they are discriminant or not of the survival and business failure. A quantitative research was applied and advanced statistical techniques were used multivariate data analysis , beginning with the factorial analysis and after using the discriminant analysis. As a result, canonical discriminant functions were found and they partially explained the survival and business failure in terms of the factors and groups of factors. The analysis also permitted the evaluation of the public politics for entrepreneurship and it was verified, according to the view of the entrepreneurs, that these politics were weakly effective to avoid business failure. Some changes in the referred politics were suggested based on the most significant factors found.

Práticas de letramento digital de professores em formação: demandas, saberes e impactos

Over the last decades, the digital inclusion public policies have significantly invested in the purchase of hardwares and softwares in order to offer technology to the Brazilian public teaching institutions, specifically computers and broadband Internet. However, the teachers education to handle these artefacts is put away, even though there is some demand from the information society. With that, this dissertation chooses as an object of study the digital literacy practices performed by 38 (thirty-eight) teachers in initial and continuous education by means of the extension course Literacies and technologies: portuguese language teaching and cyberculture demands. In this direction, we aim at investigating the digital literacy practices of developing teachers in three specific moments: before, while and after this extension action with the intent to (i) delineate the digital literacy practices performed by the collaborators before the formative action; (ii) to narrate the literacy events made possible by the extension course; (iii) to investigate the contributions of the education course to the collaborators teaching practice. We sought theoretical contributions in the literacy studies (BAYNHAM, 1995; KLEIMAN, 1995; HAMILTON; BARTON; IVANIC, 2000), specifically when it comes to digital literacy (COPE, KALANTZIS, 2000; BUZATO, 2001, 2007, 2009; SNYDER, 2002, 2008; LANKSHEAR & KNOBEL, 2002, 2008) and teacher education (PERRENOUD, 2000; SILVA, 2001). Methodologically, this virtual ethnography study (KOZINETS, 1997; HINE, 2000) is inserted into the field of Applied Linguistics and adopts a quali-quantitative research approach (NUNAN, 1992; DÖRNYEI, 2006). The data analysis permitted to evidentiate that (i) before the course, the digital literacy practices focused on the personal and academic dimensions of their realities at the expense of the professional dimension; (ii) during the extension action, the teachers collaboratively took part in the hybrid study sessions, which had a pedagogical focus on the use of ICTs, accomplishing the use of digital literacy practices - unknown before that; (iii) after the course, the attitude of the collaborator teachers concerning the use of ICTs on their regular professional basis had changed, once those teachers started to effectively make use of them, promoting social visibility to what was produced in the school. We also observed that teachers in initial education acted as more experienced peers in collaborative learning process, offering support scaffolding (VYGOTSKY, 1978; BRUNER, 1985) to teachers in continuous education. This occurred because of the undergraduates actualize digital literacy practices were more sophisticated, besides the fact being integrate generation Y (PRENSKY, 2001)

Hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos em sedimentos de fundo do estuário do rio Potengi, região da grande Natal (RN): implicações ambientais

Estuaries are environments prone to the input of chemical pollutants of various kinds and origins, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Anthropogenic PAHs may have two possible sources: pyrolytic (with four or more aromatic rings and low degree of alkylation) and petrogenic (with two and three aromatic rings and high degree of alkylation). This study aimed to evaluate the levels, distribution and possible sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the estuary of the Potengi river, Natal, Brazil. Samples of bottom sediments were collected in the final 12 km of the estuary until its mouth to the sea, where the urbanization of the Great Natal is more concentrated. Sampling was performed on 12 cross sections, with three stations each, totaling 36 samples, identified as T1 to T36. The non alkylated and alkylated PAHs were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC / MS). PAHs were detected in all 36 stations with total concentration on each varying 174-109407 ng g-1. These values are comparable to those of several estuarine regions worldwide with high anthropogenic influence, suggesting the record of diffuse contamination installed in the estuary. PAHs profiles were similar for most stations. In 32 of the 36 stations, low molecular weight PAHs (with 2 and 3 ring: naphthalene, phenanthrene and their alkylated homologues) prevailed, which ranged from 54% to 100% of the total PAH, indicating that leaks, spills and combustion fuels are the dominant source of PAH pollution in the estuary. The level of contamination by PAHs in most stations suggests that there is potential risk of occasional adverse biological effects, but in some stations adverse impacts on the biota may occur frequently. The diagnostic ratios could differentiate sources of PAHs in sediments of the estuary, which were divided into three groups: petrogenic, pyrolytic and mixing of sources. The urban concentration of the Great Natal and the various industrial activities associated with it can be blamed as potential sources of PAHs in bottom sediments of the estuary studied. The data presented highlight the need to control the causes of existing pollution in the estuary

Cara e coroa: O PRONAF B e os impactos na ocupação rural do município de Ceará-Mirim

The present work deals with study on the National Program of Reinforcement of Familiar Agriculture, Group B, referring it offers of agricultural credit the agriculturists who possess familiar prescription until R$ 2,000, 00, and its impact in the agricultural occupation of the city of Ceará-Mirim. From theoretical referencial regarding the agricultural occupation, it collects of data, application of questionnaires between the beneficiaries of PRONAF B and interviews with the involved actors, it was made possible ascertainment of the hypothesis of that the program in this modality of credit, is capable to provide only to the maintenance or diversification of the occupation in the familiar unit and not it generation of remunerated occupation not familiar. This research disclosed to the diverse possibilities of use of the credit and its impact in the agricultural occupation, exactly when it is deviated for other purposes not waked up next to the financial institution, generating impacts not waited, however positive. When destined to the waked up end, still new forms appear of way occupation to complement it the deriving familiar prescription of the main activity. Unable to discard the rise even though very small and informal, non-family gainful occupation. The knowledge is added of that exactly ahead of the easinesses of access to the social base of the program, many familiar agriculturists still find difficulties in the approval of the which had credit, on the other hand, the requirements of the financial institutions

Avaliação dos impactos do programa bolsa família na renda, na educação e no mercado de trabalho das famílias pobres do Brasil

This study aims to verify the impact of the Bolsa Família Program (BFP) in income and school attendance of poor Brazilian families. It is intended to also check the existence of a possible negative effect of the program on the labor market, titled as sloth effect. For such, microdata from the IBGE Census sample in 2010 were used. Seeking to purge possible selection biases, methodology of Quantilic Treatment Effect (QTE) was applied, in particular the estimator proposed by Firpo (2007), which assumes an exogenous and non-conditional treatment. Moreover, Foster- Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) index was calculated to check if there are fewer households below the poverty line, as well as if the inequality among the poor decreases. Human Opportunity Index (HOI) was also calculated to measure the access of young people / children education. Results showed that BFP has positively influenced the family per capita income and education (number of children aged 5-17 years old attending school). As for the labor market (worked hours and labor income), the program showed a negative effect. Thus, when compared with not benefiting families, those families who receive the BFP have: a) a higher family income (due to the shock of the transfer budget money) b) more children attending school (due to the conditionality imposed by the program); c) less worked hours (due to sloth effect in certain family groups) and d) a lower income from work. All these effects were potentiated separating the sample in the five Brazilian regions, being observed that the BFP strongly influenced the Northeast, showing a greater decrease in income inequality and poverty, and at the same time, achieved a greater negative impact on the labor market

Impactos da legislação ambiental brasileira na exportação de camarão: um estudo com exportadores de camarão do Rio Grande do Norte

Brazilian exportations come growing in a constant form in the last years, stimulated for the globalization and public politics directed toward the increase of the internal surplus. In this context the objective of this work was to investigate the perception of the shrimp exporting entrepreneurs of Rio Grande do Norte, with relation to the impact of the Brazilian environmental legislation in the companies competitiveness at the external market. From data collected from the controllers of the companies, it was used a survey methodology, with exploratory and descriptive character. The results found in this study indicate that the companies, in general way, understand that the environmental legal requirements do not confuse nor help in the search and conquest of new international markets. A little more of the half of the researched companies, does not see the legislation rigid as important factor of competitiveness. However a sufficiently significant percentage, already has a more strategical vision on the subject, or at least already it heard to speak on such possibility

Impactos da certificação ISO 9000 no desempenho estratégico :um estudo em empresas brasileiras do setor químico

This thesis deals with analyzing the contribution grade of the ISO 9000 quality system to the strategic performance of the Brazilian firms in the Chemistry sector, using the Balanced Scorecard system as reference. An exploratory research is developed to get technical information about these two management systems, with emphasis in their integration. After, a quantitative research is implemented using a questionnaire, to know and to obtain necessaries data for improving statistical estimations of the multiple relationships between the variables and the strategic performance for the universe of 352 Brazilians firms that make use of ISO 9000 as quality system. The size of the sample totalized 111 firms, which represent more than 31% of the selected universe. The main results show different visions of directors and managers about the significant variables that contribute for the strategic performance of the analyzed firms. The ISO 9000 system presents a big contribution to the strategic performance, when referred by the four perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard: learning and growth; internal process; customer and financial. Better performance was verified in the learning and growth perspective and reasonable performance was verified in the financial perspective

Uma contribuição à avaliação dos impactos da gestão de estoque na satisfação e fidelização pós-vendas de clientes de concessionárias de automóveis : um estudo empírico em Natal-RN

This paper aims to conduct a study to evaluate and measure the possible impact that the unavailability of spare parts can have on customer satisfaction for car dealerships in the post-sales. A theoretical-conceptual review on the subject of satisfaction and loyalty, on the backdrop of the reality of the automobile market, allowed the construction of a research tool dedicated to collect opinions of car owners, to allow an analysis empirical relationship between the availability of parts, repairs or scheduled service possible, and change or stay on the mark on the occasion of change of vehicle. 236 forms were applied to car owners in the city of Natal / RN. The results obtained in this survey allowed the identification of the unavailability of parts as a significant factor, among others, the motivation for the customer to switch brands. Collaterally, we could also conclude that the dynamics of change in marks, whatever its motivation, is reflected in the perceived positions of the different brands as the market share both in strictly quantitative terms and in terms of relative positioning, with significant changes in the ranking of consumer preferences for different brands available