Physiological diversity in tolerance to water deprivation among species of South American desert rodents

Rodents from and and semi-arid deserts are faced with the problem of water conservation. The physiological responses of small rodents to such conditions have been intensively investigated over broad geographically disjunct areas. Despite the presence of xeric habitats in South America since the late Tertiary, some studies suggest that sigmodontine South-American desert rodents do not display the same diversity of physiological responses at the species level as those observed in other desert-dwelling species of rodents. In this paper, we analyzed the physiological responses to water deprivation, at the interespecific and interindividual level, among eight species of sigmodontine desert-dwelling rodents from different geographical areas within South-American deserts. Using randomization tests, we found no significant phylogenetic signal for resistance to water deprivation or for individual variability in this response. Contrary to our initial predictions, we observed that sigmodontine rodents from arid/semi-arid habitats (Monte Desert) had significantly lower rates of body mass loss per day (higher tolerances to water deprivation) than species from the hyperarid deserts. We showed that sigmodontine rodents from South America showed a remarkable diversity of physiological mechanisms for coping with water shortage resulting from different evolutionary adaptive strategies. This diversity, however, displays a rather unexpected pattern in terms of its geographical distribution. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The first Brazilian municipal initiative of payments for environmental services and its potential for soil conservation

It has become evident that policies aimed at mitigating the growing water resources and water use conflicts in Brazil are crucial. The municipality of Extrema in Minas Gerais state in Brazil pioneered the first Brazilian municipal PES initiative (Conservador das Aguas program), based on the relationship between forests and the benefits they provide. This study aimed to assess soil loss in the Posses sub-basin, where the Conservador das Aguas program began. Additionally, we aimed to determine the potential that this PES initiative has for soil conservation, as well as to minimize the soil losses as a function of forest area size and location in order to propose a technical approach for implementing PES. In this sense, considering the prescribed conservation practices, land use situation, and soil cover in the Posses sub-basin, we analyzed the effectiveness of the Conservador das Aguas program before and after implementation in relation to reduced soil loss under 36 different land use and soil cover scenarios. We used a geographic information system (GIS) for spatializing and producing different information plans and the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) for estimating soil loss. As a result, we found that minimization of soil loss may be obtained by adopting pasture conservation practices. Additionally the expected average soil loss in the Posses sub-basin under conditions of land use and soil cover, before and after implementing the water conservation program was 30.63 and 7.06 Mg ha(-1) year(-1), respectively. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Uso do diluente água de coco em pó (ACP-103®) na conservação prolongada do sêmen do varrão: avaliação in vitro e in vivo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Demanda energética em diferentes sistemas de preparo periódico do solo antes e depois da subsolagem

Both the inadequate use and the ignorance of the different soil tillage implements available in the home market has become one of the leading motives of failures, related to soil and water conservation. The periodical tillage is traditionally utilized after subsoiling for soil clod breaking, leveling and residue incorporation. This work aimed to evaluate the energy requirement for different periodical soil tillage systems performed before and after subsoiling in a soil classified as Distroferric Red Nitosol. The periodic tillage systems were: disk plowing; disk plowing plus one leveling harrowing; disk harrow; disk harrow plus leveling harrowing stirring. The experimental design was a 5x2 factorial scheme with 5 completely randomized blocks. The results show that the periodic soil preparation systems based on disks have better energy efficiency when performed before the operation of subsoiling. The system of soil preparation with harrowing obtained the lower energy demand, in relation to other periodic soil preparation systems, when done after subsoiling.

Minimização da erosão em função do tamanho e localização das áreas de floresta no contexto do programa conservador das águas

Com os crescentes conflitos de uso da água no Brasil, a implantação de políticas para a mitigação desses problemas tornou-se crucial. Nesse sentido, o conceito de Pagamentos por Serviços Ambientais (PSA) tem se difundido ao redor do mundo e, consequentemente, no Brasil. O município de Extrema, em Minas Gerais, implantou a primeira iniciativa municipal brasileira de PSA, conhecida como programa Conservador das Águas. Neste trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar a perda de solo na sub-bacia das Posses, onde se iniciou o programa Conservador das Águas, visando determinar a potencialidade que o conceito adotado nesse programa terá para a conservação do solo e otimizar o provimento desse serviço ambiental em função do tamanho e da localização da área de floresta. Quatorze diferentes cenários de uso e cobertura do solo foram analisados, utilizando-se um Sistema de Informações Geográficas e a Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation. A expectativa de perda de solo na sub-bacia das Posses antes e após a implementação do programa Conservador das Águas foi de 30,63 e 7,06 Mg ha-1 ano-1, respectivamente. A otimização da conservação do solo pode ser feita adotando-se práticas conservacionistas na pastagem e alocando-se a área de floresta de maneira mais otimizada.

Reflorestamento compensatório com vistas à retençãode água no solo da bacia hidrográfica do Córrego Palmital, Jaboticabal, SP

This work had as objective to quantify the reforestation for water retention in the Palmital Stream watershed, County of Jaboticabal, SP, by using the methodology of compensatory forestation for retention of water in watersheds. This methodology esteems the retention of water in watersheds considering the world medium value of destiny of the water in the hydrologic cycle, the use/occupation of the soil (forest, pasture and agriculture) and its permeability. The watershed in this study presents an area of 10,625.21 ha, being 237.75 ha at forest, 467.01 ha in pasture and 9,237.57 ha in agriculture. The medium values of the permeability identified in the soils were of 94.81 mm h -1 in forest, 8.99 mm t -1 in pasture and 36.01 mm h -1 in agriculture (sugar cane). Considering that should infiltrate in the soil 20.55% of the water that precipitates on the watershed, and, that the losses of water in forest areas is considered standard, the total estimated volume to compensate the excessive loss that occur in the areas of pasture and agriculture is 12.21 million of m 3ano. The compensatory forestation to retain that volume of loss should contemplate an area of 942.73 ha (8.87% of the area of the watershed). The reforestation can be priority in permanent conservation area or in areas of Legal Reserve.

Developed and studies on technical and economical viability of an environmental efficient urinal

This work introduces an innovative urinal for public convenience, that promotes at the same time water reuse and personal higiene, in a safe and economical way . Furthermore it demonstrates the latest technology and its technical and economical viabillity of utilization in new and already existing buildings facilities. This new model of personal higiene equipment offers as main benefits the improved economy with subsequent decrease in drinkable water consumption, sanitary safety, low cost and easy installation due to its simplicity and to the fact that it can be installed in already existing facilities. The proposal is constituted by a higienic, ecological and smart system for flushing of public urinals. It is a conjugated system of lavatory and urinal that reuses hands higienization water from the lavatory for flushing purpose. The proposed urinal can be operated manually or automatically by means of a presential sensor. The system promotes drinkable water economy by a rational utilization by avoiding the use of waste water from hand washing in place of clean water for flushing. The proposed equipment increases the economy of clean water in a simple and economical way and it can be installed in any type of public lavatory facilitie such as schools, public buildings, hospitals, commercial buildings, bus terminals, airports, stadiums, parking buildings and shopping centers. Additional benefits of the proposed system is the suggestion of hands washing before and after the use of the urinal without contamination risks from focet handling.and render more attractive the installation for a rational use of clean water in commercial and industrial buildings. Pay-back has shown to be very attractive for a number of internal return rates and also very attractive from the point of view of environmental protection.

Verificação da ocorrencia de algas cianofiticas em agua de dessedentação de bovinos criados extensivamente

Pós-graduação em Ciência Animal - FMVA

Proposta de metodologia para análise de eficiência hidro-energética e ambiental: estudo de caso da agroindústria

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Influência da compactação do solo em subsuperfície sobre o crescimento aéreo e radicular de plantas de adubação verde de inverno

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Por que funcionam limitadamente campanhas e programas de conservação de água? Uma análise comportamental

The issue of water scarcity, besides being a relevant and contemporary environmental problem, can be characterized as a social phenomenon, the result of inadequate cultural practices. As such it can be studied by Behavior Analysis, more specifically, from the point of view of selection by consequences. In this context, our objective was to identify if campaigns and programs of water conservation are consonant with Behavior Analysis’ principles on how to change and control individual behavior in the cultural dimension. Overall, data indicate the absence of contingent reinforcement on behavior of water waste and conservation and the presence of mentalistic practices, in contrast with the foundations of Behavior Analysis, especially with regard to the logic of selection by consequences.

Técnicas construtivas e procedimentos sustentáveis – estudo de caso: edifício na cidade de São Paulo

The environmental problems generated by construction activity have been widely discussed in Brazil, which has begun to incorporate sustainable building techniques in your ventures. Based on these facts, this work focused on addressing the main characteristics of a sustainable building project. Among them are water conservation, energy efficiency in buildings, managing a construction site with little environmental impact and reuse of materials and construction elements. This work, after the presentation of the main characteristics of a sustainable building project, shows a case study about the implementation of environmental certification LEED Gold level in a large building, located in São Paulo - SP, Brazil. With that, we want to produce a research document about the topic of sustainable buildings

Mobilização do solo na semeadura do milho: emissão de CO2 e desempenho de máquinas agrícolas

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Ciência do Solo) - FCAV

Estimativa da correção do coeficiente de retorno de esgoto sanitário em habitações com sistemas de aproveitamento de água pluvial: estudo de caso da cidade de Bauru (SP)

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Civil e Ambiental - FEB

Avaliação das áreas de conflito de uso em APP da microbacia do alto água fria, Bofete (SP)

The misuse of land by man and is causing serious problems to the environment, resulting in ecological imbalance and depletion of natural resources, especially when it comes to areas of permanent preservation, that ecosystems are essential for balance and water conservation importance . Conflicts of land use is a major cause of silting of rivers and water bodies, causing significant losses in soil and decaying natural water resources both in quantity and in quality. Within this scenario, the planning becomes essential for the control of environmental impacts to the environment factor. This study aimed to evaluate land use conflicts in permanent preservation areas of the stream Água Fria watershed, Bofete (SP) using Geographic Information System and satellite image of LANDSAT - 5 of 2010, scale 1:50000. The results show that 51.16% of the permanent preservation areas of the watershed are conflicting, especially for pasture (88.94%) and reforestation with eucalyptus (11.06%). The GIS IDRISI Selva and Cartalinx along with GIS techniques demonstrated speed and efficiency in identifying, measuring and editing maps of land use, preservation and ongoing conflicts in areas of permanent preservation.