Biotic interactions recorded in shells of recent rhynchonelliform brachiopods from San Juan Island, USA

Biotic interactions between brachiopods and spionid polychaete worms, collected around San Juan Islands (USA), were documented using observations from live-collected individuals and traces of bioerosion found in dead brachiopod shells. Specimens of Terebratalia tranversa (Sowerby), Terebratulina unguicula (Carpenter), Laqueus californianus (Koch), and Hemithiris psittacea (Gmelin) were collected from rocky and muddy substrates, from sites ranging from 14.7-93.3 m in depth. Out of 1,131 specimens, 91 shells showed traces of bioerosion represented by horizontal tubes. Tubes are U-shaped, straight or slightly curved, sometimes branched, with both tube openings communicating externally. on internal surfaces of infested shells, blisters are observed. All brachiopod species yielded tubes, except for H. psittacea. Tubes are significantly more frequent on live specimens, and occur preferentially on larger, ventral valves. This pattern suggests selectivity by the infester rather than a taphonomic bias. Given the mode of life of studied brachiopods (epifaunal, sessile, attached to the substrate, lying on dorsal valve), ventral valves of living specimens should offer the most advantageous location for suspension-feeding infesters. Frequent infestation of brachiopods by parasitic spionids is ecologically and commercially noteworthy because farmed molluscs are also commonly infested by parasitic polychaetes. In addition, brachiopod shells are among the most common marine macroscopic fossils found in the Phanerozoic fossil record. From a paleontological perspective, spionid-infested brachiopod shells may be a prime target for studying parasite-host interactions over evolutionary time scales.

The Rondonian-San Ignacio Province in the SW Amazonian Craton: An overview

The Rondonian-San Ignacio Province (1.56-1.30 Ga) is a composite orogen created through successive accretion of arcs, ocean basin closure and final oblique microcontinent-continent collision. The effects of the collision are well preserved mostly in the Paragua Terrane (Bolivia and Mato Grosso regions) and in the Alto Guapore Belt and the Rio Negro-Juruena Province (Rondonia region), considering that the province was affected by later collision-related deformation and metamorphism during the Sunsas Orogeny (1.25-1.00 Ga). The Rondonian-San Ignacio Province comprises: (1) the Jauru Terrane (1.78-1.42 Ga) that hosts Paleoproterozoic basement (1.78-1.72 Ga), and the Cachoeirinha (1.56-1.52 Ga) and the Santa Helena (1.48-1.42 Ga) accretionary orogens, both developed in an Andean-type magmatic arc; (2) the Paragua Terrane (1.74-1.32 Ga) that hosts pre-San Ignacio units (>1640 Ma: Chiquitania Gneiss Complex, San Ignacio Schist Group and Lomas Manechis Granulitic Complex) and the Pensamiento Granitoid Complex (1.37-1.34 Ga) developed in an Andean-type magmatic arc; (3) the Rio Alegre Terrane (1.51-1.38 Ga) that includes units generated in a mid-ocean ridge and an intra-oceanic magmatic arc environments; and (4) the Alto Guapore Belt (<1.42-1.34 Ga) that hosts units developed in passive marginal basin and intra-oceanic arc settings. The collisional stage (1.34-1.32 Ga) is characterized by deformation, high-grade metamorphism, and partial melting during the metamorphic peak, which affected primarily the Chiquitania Gneiss Complex and Lomas Manechis Granulitic Complex in the Paragua Terrane, and the Colorado Complex and the Nova Mamore Metamorphic Suite in the Alto Guapore Belt. The Paragua Block is here considered as a crustal fragment probably displaced from its Rio Negro-Juruena crustal counterpart between 1.50 and 1.40 Ga. This period is characterized by extensive A-type and intra-plate granite magmatism represented by the Rio Crespo Intrusive Suite (ca. 1.50 Ga), Santo Antonio Intrusive Suite (1.40-1.36 Ga), and the Teotonio Intrusive Suite (1.38 Ga). Magmatism of these types also occur at the end of the Rondonian-San Ignacio Orogeny, and are represented by the Alto Candeias Intrusive Suite (1.34-1.36 Ga), and the Sao Lourenco-Caripunas Intrusive Suite (1.31-1.30 Ga). The cratonization of the province occurred between 1.30 and 1.25 Ga. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mesoproterozoic rapakivi granites of the Rondonia Tin Province, southwestern border of the Amazonian craton, Brazil - I. Reconnaissance U-Pb geochronology and regional implications

Rapakivi granites and associated mafic and ultramafic rocks in the Rondonia Tin Province, southwestern Amazonian craton, Brazil were emplaced during six discrete episodes of magmatism between ca 1600 and 970 Ma. The seven rapakivi granite suites emplaced at this time were the Serra da Providencia Intrusive Suite (U-Pb ages between 1606 and 1532 Ma); Santo Antonio Intrusive Suite(U-Pb age 1406 Ma), Teotonio Intrusive Suite (U-Pb age 1387 Ma); Alto Candeias Intrusive Suite (U-Pb ages between 1346 and 1338 Ma); Sao Lourenco-Caripunas Intrusive Suite (U-Pb ages between 1314 and 1309 Ma); Santa Clara Intrusive Suite (U-Pb ages between 1082 and 1074 Ma); and Younger Granites of Rondonia (U-Pb ages between 998 and 974 Ma). The Serra da Providencia Intrusive Suite intruded the Paleoproterozoic (1.80 to 1.70 Ga) Rio Negro-Juruena crust whereas the other suites were emplaced into the 1.50 to 1.30 Ga Rondonia-San Ignacio crust. Their intrusion was contemporaneous with orogenic activity in other parts of the southwestern Amazonian craton, except for the oldest, Serra da Providencia Intrusive Suite. Orogenic events coeval with emplacement of the Serra da Providencia Intrusive Suite are not clearly recognized in the region. The Santo Antonio, Teotonio, Alto Candeias and Sao Lourenco-Caripunas Intrusive Suites are interpreted to represent extensional anorogenic magmatism associated with the terminal stages of the Rondonian-San Ignacio orogeny. At least the Sao Lourenco-Caripunas rapakivi granites and coeval intra-continental rift sedimentary rocks may, in contrast, represent the products of extensional tectonics and rifting preceding the Sunsas/Aguapei orogeny (1.25 to 1.0 Ga). The two youngest rapakivi suites, the Santa Clara Intrusive Suite and Younger Granites of Rondonia, seemingly represent inboard magmatism in the Rondonian-San Ignacio Province during a younger episode of reworking in the Rio Negro-Juruena Province during the waning stages of the collisional 1.1 to 1.0 Ga Sunsas/Aguapei orogeny. The six intra-plate rapakivi granite episodes in the southwestern part of the Amazonian craton form three broad periods of anorogenic magmatism that have age-correlative events composed of similar rocks and geologic environments in eastern Laurentia and Baltica, although the exact timing of magmatism appears slightly different. Recognition of lithologic and chronological correlations between various cratons provide important constraints to models explaining the interplay between rapakivi granite magmatism and deep crustal evolution of an early Mesoproterozoic supercontinent. They are, furthermore, important to plate tectonic models for the assembly, dispersal and reassembly of Amazonia, Laurentia and Baltica in the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic. (C) 1999 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Avaliação energética e econômica do agroecossistema algodão: uma abordagem entre sistemas familiares de produção do Paraguai e Brasil

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Avaliação energética econômica do agroecossistema algodão: uma abordagem entre sistemas familiares de produção do Paraguai e do Brasil

The objective of this work was to evaluate the energy and economic efficiency indexes per unit of cotton agro-ecosystem area in family production systems of Paraguay and Brazil; and, to establish a relationship between the energy and economic. Typologies presented by the Program to Support Small Cotton Holdings (Paraguay), and by the National Program for Strengthening Family Agriculture (Brazil). Family systems of the two countries were identified; these are located from Paraguay (San Juan–CA) and from Brazil (Leme–SP). To construct the energy expenditure structure of the cotton agro-ecosystem, as well as to assess the economic efficiency, the mean values obtained were considered, when they presented similarities in production systems and they were within the typology proposed in this study. From the technical itinerary observed the Paraguayan agro-ecosystem depended (fossil fuel 56.76%) and industrial source (35.99%). Thus, the energy balance of the agricultural stage was established, which attained a value of 17,740.69 MJ ha-1; an energy efficiency of 5.28, and a cultural efficiency of 3.04. The Brazilian agro-ecosystem depended on energy from industrial source (insecticides 39.82%) and from fossil fuel (33.59%); it reached an energy balance of 19,547.88 MJ ha-1; an energy efficiency of 2.12, and a cultural efficiency index of 0.71. In the economic and energy indicator ratio, with regard to the months referring to the harvest time, that is to say, March, April, and May, the maximum economic efficiency indicator of paraguay was attained in the month of May (1,00), and from Brazil in the month of May (1,71). Both production systems analyzed were presented efficient, however, dependent of external circumstances and non-renewable energy sources.

Valiação energética e econômica do agroecossistema algodão: uma abordagem entre sistemas familiares de produção do Paraguai e Brasil

The objective of this work was to evaluate the energy and economic efficiency indexes per unit of cotton agro-ecosystem area in family production systems of Paraguay and Brazil; and, to establish a relationship between the energy and economic. Typologies presented by the Program to Support Small Cotton Holdings (Paraguay), and by the National Program for Strengthening Family Agriculture (Brazil). Family systems of the two countries were identified; these are located from Paraguay (San Juan–CA) and from Brazil (Leme–SP). To construct the energy expenditure structure of the cotton agro-ecosystem, as well as to assess the economic efficiency, the mean values obtained were considered, when they presented similarities in production systems and they were within the typology proposed in this study. From the technical itinerary observed the Paraguayan agro-ecosystem depended (fossil fuel 56.76%) and industrial source (35.99%). Thus, the energy balance of the agricultural stage was established, which attained a value of 17,740.69 MJ ha-1; an energy efficiency of 5.28, and a cultural efficiency of 3.04. The Brazilian agro-ecosystem depended on energy from industrial source (insecticides 39.82%) and from fossil fuel (33.59%); it reached an energy balance of 19,547.88 MJ ha-1; an energy efficiency of 2.12, and a cultural efficiency index of 0.71. In the economic and energy indicator ratio, with regard to the months referring to the harvest time, that is to say, March, April, and May, the maximum economic efficiency indicator of paraguay was attained in the month of May (1,00), and from Brazil in the month of May (1,71). Both production systems analyzed were presented efficient, however, dependent of external circumstances and non-renewable energy sources.