New and significant bird records from Rio Grande do Sul, with comments on biogeography and conservation of the southern Brazilian avifauna

I report on the occurrence of 16 species of birds in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, of which seven are new for the state - Accipiter superciliosus (Linnaeus, 1766), Brotogeris tirica (Gmelin, 1788), Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer (d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837), Phyllomyias griseocapilla Sclater, 1862, Saltator coerulescens Vieillot, 1817, Orthogonys chloricterus (Vieillot, 1819), and Sporophila lineola (Linnaeus, 1758) - and seven were previously known from unsubstantiated or poorly documented records - Ixobrychus exilis (Gmelin, 1789), Brotogeris chiriri (Vieillot, 1818), Coccyzus euleri Cabanis, 1873, Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana (Bertoni & Bertoni, 1901), Psilorhamphus guttatus (Ménétriès, 1835), Serpophaga griseicapilla Straneck, 2007, and Hemithraupis ruficapilla (Vieillot, 1818). Descriptive and natural history notes are presented for some of these species. The records of B. tirica, P. guttatus, P. griseocapilla, Myiozetetes similis (Spix, 1825), O. chloricterus, H. ruficapilla, and S. lineola represent significant southward range extensions of up to 300 km. Also, a new confirmed record of Myiarchus ferox (Statius Muller, 1776) is divulged. Finally, I argue that the Atlantic forests of north-eastern Rio Grande do Sul should be included in the Serra do Mar area of endemism (sensu SILVA et al., 2004) because of the presence of Orthogonys chloricterus, and comment on the possible range expansion of Myiozetetes similis, Sporophila lineola and other primarily tropical species in southern Brazil.

Primatology in southern Brazil: a transdisciplinary approach to the conservation of the brown-howler-monkey Alouatta guariba clamitans (Primates, Atelidae)

Human interventions in natural environments are the main cause of biodiversity loss worldwide. The situation is not different in southern Brazil, home of five primate species. Although some earlier studies exist, studies on the primates of this region began to be consistently carried out in the 1980s and have continued since then. In addition to important initiatives to study and protect the highly endangered Leontopithecus caissara Lorrini & Persson, 1990 and Brachyteles arachnoides E. Geoffroy, 1806, other species, including locally threatened ones, have been the focus of research, management, and protection initiatives. Since 1993, the urban monkeys program (PMU, Programa Macacos Urbanos) has surveyed the distribution and assessed threats to populations of Alouatta guariba clamitans (Cabrera, 1940) in Porto Alegre and vicinity. PMU has developed conservation strategies on four fronts: (1) scientific research on biology and ecology, providing basic knowledge to support all other activities of the group; (2) conservation education, which emphasizes educational presentations and long-term projects in schools near howler populations, based on the flagship species approach; (3) management, analyzing conflicts involving howlers and human communities, focusing on mitigating these problems and on appropriate relocation of injured or at-risk individuals; and finally, (4) Public Policies aimed at reducing and/or preventing the impact of urban expansion, contributing to create protected areas and to strengthen environmental laws. These different approaches have contributed to protect howler monkey populations over the short term, indicating that working collectively and acting on diversified and interrelated fronts are essential to achieve conservation goals. The synergistic results of these approaches and their relationship to the prospects for primatology in southern Brazil are presented in this review.

Density estimates and conservation of Leopardus pardalis southernmost population of the Atlantic Forest

ABSTRACT Using camera traps and capture/recapture analyses we recorded the presence and abundance of cat species at Turvo State Park, in southern Brazil. Ocelot [Leopardus pardalis (Linnaeus, 1758)] population density was estimated for two areas of the park, with differing management profiles. Density estimates varied from 0.14 to 0.26 indiv. km2. Another five cat species were recorded at very low frequencies, precluding more accurate analyses. We estimate 24 to 45 ocelots occur in the reserve, which is probably too small for long-term maintenance of the population, if isolated. However, if habitat integrity and connectivity between the Park and the Green Corridor of Misiones is maintained, an estimated ocelot population of 1,680 individuals should have long-term viability.

A recombinant hybrid protein as antigen for an anti-blood stage malaria vaccine: a study on the conservation of a protective component

Recently we have shown that two hybrid proteins expressed in Escherichia coli confer protective immunity to Aotus monkeys against an experimental Plasmodium falciparum infection (Knapp et al., 1992). Both hybrid proteins carry a sequence containing amino acids 631 to 764 of the serine stretch protein SERP (Knapp et al., 1989b). We have studied the diversity of this SERP region in field isolates of P. falciparum. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood of six donors from different endemic areas of Brazil and West Africa. The SERP region encoding amino acids 630 to 781 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. Only conserved amino acid substitutions in maximally two positions of the analyzed SERP fragment could be detected which supports the suitability of this SERP region as a component of anti-blood stage malaria vaccine.

Conservation and developmental expression of ubiquitin isopeptidases in Schistosoma mansoni

Several genes related to the ubiquitin (Ub)-proteasome pathway, including those coding for proteasome subunits and conjugation enzymes, are differentially expressed during the Schistosoma mansoni life cycle. Although deubiquitinating enzymes have been reported to be negative regulators of protein ubiquitination and shown to play an important role in Ub-dependent processes, little is known about their role in S. mansoni . In this study, we analysed the Ub carboxyl-terminal hydrolase (UCHs) proteins found in the database of the parasite’s genome. An in silicoana- lysis (GeneDB and MEROPS) identified three different UCH family members in the genome, Sm UCH-L3, Sm UCH-L5 and SmBAP-1 and a phylogenetic analysis confirmed the evolutionary conservation of the proteins. We performed quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and observed a differential expression profile for all of the investigated transcripts between the cercariae and adult worm stages. These results were corroborated by low rates of Z-Arg-Leu-Arg-Gly-Gly-AMC hydrolysis in a crude extract obtained from cercariae in parallel with high Ub conjugate levels in the same extracts. We suggest that the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins in the cercaria and early schistosomulum stages is related to a decrease in 26S proteasome activity. Taken together, our data suggest that UCH family members contribute to regulating the activity of the Ub-proteasome system during the life cycle of this parasite.

Rediscovery of the putatively extinct ant species Simopelta minima (Brandão) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), with a discussion on rarity and conservation status of ant species

Simopelta minima (Brandão, 1989) was originally described based on four workers collected in soil samples from a small cocoa plantation in Ilhéus, state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. In the subsequent years after the description, this cocoa plantation was eliminated and the species was then considered extinct by the Brazilian environmental institutions. The recent rediscovery of S. minima workers in subterranean pitfall trap samples from Viçosa, state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil, over 1.000 km distant from type locality, suggests that the rarity and vulnerability status of some ant species may be explained by insufficient sampling of adequate microhabitats, in time and space.

Conservation of mayflies (Insecta, Ephemeroptera) in Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil

Conservation of mayflies (Insecta, Ephemeroptera) in Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. Ephemeroptera exhibits great diversity among bodies of freshwater in the Atlantic Forest, a biome that is suffering from massive human impact. Within this context, the creation of conservation units using biological information is more recommended than economic, cultural, or political criteria. The distribution pattern of 76 Ephemeroptera species was analyzed using the biogeographical methods Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity and Network Analysis Method in order to infer relevant areas for conservation of the mayfly community in Espírito Santo. The results obtained from both analyses were largely congruent, and pointed out four relevant areas for conservation: two in the south of the state, where conservation units or priority areas for conservation are well established; and two in the north, a region in the state where little conservation efforts have been historically done. Therefore, based on our analyses on mayflies, we recommend the expansion of the existing APCs or the creation of new APCs on the north of Espírito Santo.

Stichelia pelotensis (Lepidoptera, Riodinidae): conservation, notes, and rediscovery of an endangered butterfly from southern Brazil

ABSTRACT Stichelia pelotensis (Lepidoptera, Riodinidae) is an endemic and threatened butterfly from the Pampa biome in southern Brazil, and has not been recorded in its type locality in the last 56 years. Recently, a population was found in two sites from extreme south Brazil, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul state. These records are an important find given the conservation status of S. pelotensis, since all the information gathered is new and involve the natural history of this species. The information obtained is useful for the management, monitoring and conservation priorities of this species and its associated habitats, since its known distribution is restricted to a narrow area in the Rio Grande do Sul Coastal Plain inside this threatened biome in southern Brazil.

Influência de semeaduras sucessivas de feijoeiro na severidade da mancha-angular e ferrugem e perdas na produção

A mancha-angular (Phaeoisariopsis griseola) e a ferrugem (Uromyces appendiculatus) são algumas das mais prejudiciais doenças do feijoeiro na região do Triângulo Mineiro, Minas Gerais. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a influência das semeaduras sucessivas na severidade da mancha-angular e da ferrugem, bem como as perdas na produção em decorrência dessas doenças. Os experimentos foram conduzidos em condições de campo, nas safras outono-inverno (1994) e das águas (1994/95), cada uma com três semeaduras sucessivas de feijão. A severidade da mancha-angular e da ferrugem aumentou significativamente da primeira para a terceira semeadura, atingindo nível mais elevado na última. As semeaduras anteriores foram a fonte de inóculo para os cultivos subseqüentes. Aplicações de fungicida foram eficientes no controle das doenças, permitindo um aumento significativo da produção de grãos, quando comparado com o controle. A mancha-angular apresentou maior incidência no outono-inverno e nas águas, e a ferrugem, apenas no outono-inverno. Nessas safras as condições climáticas (temperatura e umidade relativa) favoreceram a evolução das doenças, resultando num aumento da severidade. Houve uma correlação negativa e altamente significativa entre a severidade da mancha-angular e da ferrugem com a produção de grãos nas duas safras.

Mapeamento de QTLs para reação ao oídio e mancha-angular do feijoeiro-comum em diferentes locais

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram mapear, em diferentes locais, marcadores RAPD ligados a QTLs (Quantitative Trait Loci) de reação do feijoeiro-comum ao oídio e à mancha-angular, avaliar a interação de QTLs por locais e comparar os métodos de mapeamento e regressão múltipla no processo de detecção de QTLs. Foram avaliadas 196 linhagens recombinantes, oriundas do cruzamento entre as cultivares Carioca e Flor de Mayo, em duas épocas de cultivo: época da seca, para mancha-angular, e inverno para oídio, nos anos de 1996, 1997 e 1998, em dois locais de Minas Gerais. Foram conduzidos sete experimentos de avaliação fenotípica utilizando o delineamento experimental em látice quadrado simples. Os resultados mostraram que a interação QTLs por locais foi significativa, mas foram identificados alguns QTLs com maior estabilidade. O método da regressão múltipla detectou maior número de marcadores ligados a QTLs do que o processo de mapeamento por intervalo composto; não houve concordância entre os resultados apresentados pelos dois métodos. Os marcadores que se mostraram mais estáveis e promissores para serem utilizados em programas de seleção assistida foram OPR02-832, OPD08-759 e OPN10-851 para reação a oídio; OPN02-436, e OPN07-1072 para reação à mancha-angular.

Basil conservation affected by cropping season, harvest time and storage period

Fresh basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is used in food, phytotherapic industry, and in traditional therapeutic, due to its essential oil content and composition. Nevertheless basil can not be kept for long periods after harvest and its quality can be reduced. This work aimed to assess the influence of the season and harvest time in the postharvest conservation of basil stored for different periods. Basil was harvested at 8 am and 4 pm both in August/1999 and January/2000. Cuttings were conditioned in PVC packages and stored for 3, 6, and 9 days. During storage, chlorophyll content, essential oil content and composition were determined as well as microbiological analyses were carried out. Harvest season and the days of storage influenced the final content of essential oil. There was a linear decrease in the content of essential oil, in the chlorophyll content and in the number of mold and yeast colonies during storage. There was no effect of cropping season or harvest hour on essential oil composition, but the eugenol and linalool content increased during storage. Coliforms were under 0.3 MPN g-1 and the number of Staphylococcus aureus was under 1.0x10² UFC g-1.

Conservation of 'Pedro Sato' guavas under treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene

The search for techniques that extend shelf life of guava (Psidium guajava) fruits, and reduce its postharvest losses is desirable. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of concentrations of competitive ethylene antagonist 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on conservation of 'Pedro Sato' guava fruits. Treatments consisted of 0, 100, 300 or 900 nL L-1 of 1-MCP for 3 hours followed by storage at 25ºC, and 10ºC with 90±5% RH. The application of 900 nL L-1 1-MCP for 3 hours was efficient in delaying loss of skin color, and in keeping fruit firmness at both storage temperatures. The 300 nL L-1 of 1-MCP concentration was efficient in delaying skin color loss only when fruits were stored at 10ºC. The effect of 1-MCP was quite significant on the reduction of rot incidence at both storage temperatures. The respiratory rate was lower in fruits treated with 300 and 900 nL L-1 of 1-MCP during storage at 25ºC. The product was efficient in delaying the ripening of fruits, and the concentration of 900 nL L-1 showed the best effect.

Seleção de famílias de feijoeiro resistente à antracnose e à mancha-angular

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar famílias de feijoeiro com resistência a Colletotrichum lindemuthianum e Phaeoisariopsis griseola e com outros fenótipos agronômicos desejáveis. As famílias utilizadas foram obtidas do cruzamento entre a linhagem H91, portadora de três alelos de resistência à antracnose, com três famílias F2:5 resistentes à mancha-angular, derivadas da cultivar Jalo EEP 558. Foi utilizado o delineamento látice quadrado em todos os experimentos. Inicialmente, foram avaliadas 144 famílias F2:3, no inverno de 2004, em Lavras, MG, com base no tipo de grão. Foram selecionadas 80 famílias F2:4 e avaliadas com a testemunha BRSMG Talismã, no período das águas de 2004/2005, no mesmo local. Considerando-se o tipo de grão e a resistência à mancha-angular e antracnose, foram mantidas 48 famílias F2:5, que foram avaliadas na seca de 2005, em Lavras e Lambari, MG. Essas 48 famílias passaram por inoculação das raças 2047, 73 e 1545 de C. lindemuthianum, para verificação da presença dos alelos de resistência Co-4², Co-5 e Co-7, respectivamente. Foram identificados genótipos da maioria das 48 famílias, quanto à reação à antracnose, das quais se destacaram quatro, em relação ao tipo de grão semelhante ao 'Carioca', de porte ereto, produtividade elevada e resistência à mancha-angular.

Potassium permanganate effects in postharvest conservation of the papaya cultivar Sunrise Golden

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of KMnO4 on the extension of postharvest life of 'Sunrise Golden' papaya, stored under modified atmosphere and refrigeration. Fruit with up to 10% yellow peel were harvested in a commercial orchard in Linhares, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Sets of three fruit (unit mass of 289.9±18.5 g) were wrapped in low-density polyethylene films (28 ¼m thick) containing sachets of KMnO4 at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 g per bag. The bags were sealed and stored at 10.4±0.9°C and 90±5% relative humidity for 25 days. After this period, the fruit were removed from the bags and maintained at 21±0.8°C and 90±5% relative humidity until complete ripening. Four days after bag sealing, CO2 concentration stabilized in all treatments, and was higher in bags without KMnO4. In all treatments, fruit reached the climacteric respiratory peak on the third day after bag removal, coinciding with peel color index of 3.5. Increasing the KMnO4 dose reduced the losses in fruit fresh matter, consistency and pulp electrolyte leakage. Potassium permanganate was effective in maintaining the fruit at the pre-climacteric stage during the 25-day storage, and did not interfere with normal ripening after bag removal.