Community structures of soil animals and survival of land snails on an island of the Ogasawara Archipelago

On Chichijima, one of the Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands located in the Western Pacific Ocean, land snails have declined, the suggested cause being predation pressure by an invasive flatworm (Platydemus manokwari). Soil fauna were investigated in areas where the snail survives, and where it has become extinct. Much of the fauna, dominated by introduced earthworms and ants, was undiminished, however, one undescribed but endemic carabid (Badister sp.), which selectively feeds on land snails, was absent in snail-extinct areas. The invasive flatworm P. manokwari has been reported to feed also on the carcasses of earthworms, as well as on live snails, and is therefore expected to occur in most parts of Chichijima Island. Among other groups, the density of isopods (also dominated by exotic species) was very low, in comparison with the reported ones 30 years ago. Community structure is currently reflected by dominance of earthworms and ants, decline of endemic isopods, and a high frequency of introduced or alien species.

Atividade celulolítica de fungos isolados de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar e madeira em decomposição

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar isolados de fungos a partir de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar e madeira em decomposição e avaliar a sua atividade celulolítica em bagaço de cana. Cinco isolados foram avaliados, tendo-se como referências os fungos Trichoderma reesei QM9414 e T. reesei RUT C30. A atividade celulolítica foi estimada pela capacidade hidrolítica do extrato enzimático dos fungos cultivados em bagaço de cana sobre os substratos papel de filtro (atividade celulolítica total) e carboximetilcelulose sódica (atividade da endoglucanase). Os isolados foram identificados pela análise molecular da região 26S rDNA. Os gêneros Paecilomyces, Aspergillus, Acremonium/Penicillium e Trichoderma foram identificados. Embora T. reesei QM9414 tenha apresentado a mais alta atividade celulolítica total, alguns isolados também apresentaram alta atividade de endoglucanase. A biodiversidade, em nichos como bagaço de cana-de-açúcar, pode fornecer linhagens de fungos celulolíticos com grande potencial biotecnológico.

Determinação do volume de madeira em povoamento de eucalipto por escâner a laser aerotransportado

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a possibilidade de se estimar o diâmetro à altura do peito (DAP) com os dados de altura e de número de árvores derivados do escâner a laser aerotransportado (LiDAR, "light detection and ranging"), e determinar o volume de madeira de talhão de Eucalyptus sp. a partir dessas variáveis. O número total de árvores detectadas foi obtido com uso da filtragem de máxima local. A altura de plantas estimada pelo LiDAR apresentou tendência não significativa à subestimativa. A estimativa do DAP foi coerente com os valores encontrados no inventário florestal; porém, também mostrou tendência à subestimativa, em razão do comportamento observado quanto à altura. A variável número de fustes apresentou valores próximos aos observados nas parcelas do inventário. O LiDAR subestimou o volume total de madeira do talhão em 11,4%, em comparação ao volume posto na fábrica. A tendência de subestimação da altura das árvores (em média, cerca de 5%) impactou a estimativa do volume individual de árvores e, consequentemente, a do volume do talhão. No entanto, é possível gerar equações de regressão que estimam o DAP com boa precisão, a partir de dados de altura de plantas obtidos pelo LiDAR. O modelo parabólico é o que possibilita as melhores estimativas da produção volumétrica dos talhões de eucalipto.

Redes neurais artificiais para a modelagem do volume de madeira e biomassa do cerradão com dados de satélite

Resumo:O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficácia da aplicação de modelos de análise de regressão e redes neurais artificiais (RNAs) na predição do volume de madeira e da biomassa acima do solo, da vegetação arbórea em área de cerradão. Volume de madeira e biomassa foram estimados com equações alométricas desenvolvidas para a área de estudo. Os índices de vegetação, como variáveis preditoras, foram estimados a partir de imagens do sensor LISS-III, e a área basal foi determinada por medições na floresta. A precisão das equações foi verificada pela correlação entre os valores estimados e observados (r), erro-padrão da estimativa (Syx) e gráfico residual. As equações de regressão para o volume de madeira total e do fuste (0,96 e 0,97 para r, e 11,92 e 9,72% para Syx, respectivamente) e para a biomassa (0,91 e 0,92 para r, e 22,73 e 16,80% para Syx, respectivamente) apresentaram bons ajustes. As redes neurais também apresentaram bom ajuste com o volume de madeira (0,99 e 0,99 para r, e 4,93 e 4,83% para Syx) e a biomassa (0,97 e 0,98 r, e 8,92 e 7,96% para Syx, respectivamente). A área basal e os índices de vegetação foram eficazes na estimativa do volume de madeira e biomassa para o cerradão. Os valores reais de volume de madeira e biomassa não diferiram estatisticamente dos valores estimados pelos modelos de regressão e redes neurais (χ2ns); contudo, as RNAs são mais acuradas.

Alcatrão ou creosoto de eucalipto na produção de adesivos fenólicos para colagem de madeira

This study has shown that Eucalyptus tar and creosote can be used in phenolic adhesive formulations (resols) for wood products bonding. Some adhesives were prepared substituting 0; 17.7; 35.0 and 67.0% of the phenol by anhydrous tar and 0; 15.0 e 28.5% by creosote. In gluing Brazilian pine veneers, eucalypt tar and creosote based adhesives required longer pressing times for curing than conventional phenol-formaldehyde adhesives. By using 13C NMR, the number of carbons in side chains and hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl and methoxyl groups related to 100 aromatic rings could be estimated in tar and creosote. In creosote, after reaction with excess formaldehyde in alkaline medium, only 0,28 hydroxymethyl groups was detected per phenolic ring. This low amount of hydroxymethylation explains the lack of reactivity in curing observed when creosote was introduced in a standard adhesive formulation.

Caracterização das O-acetil-(4-O-metilglicurono)xilanas isoladas da madeira de Eucalyptus urograndis

The O-acetyl-4-O-methyl-(glucurono)xylans were isolated from E. urograndis by extraction with dimethyl sulfoxide, analysed for monosaccharide composition and structurally characterized by NMR spectroscopy. These xylans contained one 4-O-methyl-glucuronic acid substituent and 5.5 acetyl groups for approximately 10 xylose residues. About 10% of 4-O-methyl-glucuronic acid (MeGlcA) units were branched at O-2. The O-acetyl-4-O-methyl-(glucurono)-xylans were composed of the following (1 → 4)-linked β-D-xylopyranosyl structural elements: unsubstituted (51 mol%), 2-O-acetylated (12 mol%), 3-O-acetylated (20 mol%), 2,3-di-O-acetylated (6 mol%) and [MeGlcA α-(1 → 2)] [3-O-acetylated] (11 mol%). The weight-average molar mass and polydispersity of this xylan were 34.9 kDa and 1.16, respectively, as measured by size-exclusion chromatography.

5-desoxiflavonóides e lignana isolados da madeira de Schizolobium parahyba (Vell.) S.F. Blake (guapuruvu)

Four flavonoids, 3,7,4'-trihydroxyflavanone (garbanzol), 7,4'-dihydroxyflavone, 7,4'-dihydroxy-3'-methoxyflavone (geraldone) and 3,4,7,4'-tetrahydroxyflavane (Rel-2R,3S,4S-leucoguibourtinidine, guibourtacacidine) were isolated from the wood of Schizolobium parahyba (Leg., Caesalpinoideae) together with lignan balonofonine, sitosterol, and stigmasterol. The structures were established by IR, NMR and mass spectral data analysis and comparison with literature values.

Relevância de compostos de baixa massa molar produzidos por fungos e envolvidos na biodegradação da madeira

Over the last decade, evidences have been shown that the wood biodegradation by fungi is not only a result of the action of their enzymatic machinery but also of various low molecular weight non-enzymatic compounds, especially in fungi that promote brown and white decay, which in nature are the major wood decaying microorganisms. The present review focuses on the recent theories involving these low molecular weight compounds that act direct or synergistically with lignocellulolytic enzymes to attack the wood main macromolecular constituents, their relevance as potential degradative systems, in the overall wood biodegradation, and also outlines their potential biotechnological applications.

Uma visão sobre a estrutura, composição e biodegradação da madeira

Wood is the main raw material used in the pulp and paper industry. It is a material that presents heterogeneous structure and complex composition, which results in a relatively resistant material to the biodegradation process. In the present review, we attempted to summarize the structural characteristics of wood and describe the chemical nature of its major components to, afterwards, comment about its biodegradation. The role of the enzyme manganese peroxidase in the lignin degradation by a selective white-rot fungus, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora, was highlighted.

Estudo fitoquímico da madeira de Guarea macrophylla (Meliaceae)

In the present work, the crude ethanol extract from wood of G. macrophylla was submitted to liquid/liquid partition between hexane, CH2Cl2, EtOAc and n-BuOH. Each phase was individually chromatographed over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 or Amberlite XAD-2 to give eight terpene derivatives, such as five sesquiterpenoids (caryophyllene oxide, guai-6-en-10β-ol, spathulenol, aromadendrane-4β,10α-diol and aloaromadendrane-4α,10β-diol) as well as three triterpenoids (cicloart-24-ene-3β,23(R*)-diol, cicloart-24-ene-3β,23(S*)-diol, and cicloart-23E-ene-3β,25-diol). Additionally, were isolated three fatty acids (linolenic, linoleic and stearic), two steroids (sitosterol and stigmasterol) and sacarose. The structures of all these compounds were characterized by spectrometric analysis, mainly mass spectrometry and NMR and comparison of these data described in the literature.

Análise comparativa entre vários métodos de quantificação de hemiceluloses da madeira de eucalipto

Pulp hemicelluloses can be extracted with NaOH and quantified by colorimetric and gravimetric techniques. However the most usual methods to measure eucalyptus pulp hemicelluloses have been through the pentosan method or through xylan analyses by GC or HPLC techniques. In this study a comparison was made between the more traditional methods and indirect method of NaOH 5% extraction followed by colorimetric analyses. It was observed that the content of NaOH 5% extract correlates very well with pulp xylan content and reasonably well with the pentosan content. It is concluded that the 5% NaOH solubility method can be used in replacement of the other two, since it is faster, simpler and less costly to carry out than the others.

Determinação de constituintes químicos em madeira de eucalipto por Pi-CG/EM e calibração multivariada: comparação entre redes neurais artificiais e máquinas de vetor suporte

Multivariate models were developed using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Least Square - Support Vector Machines (LS-SVM) for estimating lignin siringyl/guaiacyl ratio and the contents of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin in eucalyptus wood by pyrolysis associated to gaseous chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). The results obtained by two calibration methods were in agreement with those of reference methods. However a comparison indicated that the LS-SVM model presented better predictive capacity for the cellulose and lignin contents, while the ANN model presented was more adequate for estimating the hemicelluloses content and lignin siringyl/guaiacyl ratio.

Uso de aditivos na biodegradação de madeira pelo fungo Ceriporiopsis subvermispora: efeito na peroxidação de lipídios dependente de manganês-peroxidase

Ceriporiopsis subvermispora is a selective fungus in the wood delignification and the most promising in biopulping. Through the lipid peroxidation initiated by manganese peroxidase (MnP), free radicals can be generated, which can act in the degradation of lignin nonphenolic structures. This work evaluated the prooxidant activity (based in lipid peroxidation) of enzymatic extracts from wood biodegradation by this fungus in cultures containing exogenous calcium, oxalic acid or soybean oil. It was observed that MnP significant activity is required to promote lipid peroxidation and wood delignification. Positive correlation between prooxidant activity x MnP was observed up to 300 IU kg-1 of wood.

Classificação de resíduos de madeira tratada com preservativos à base de arseniato de cobre cromatado e de boro/flúor

Classification of waste wood treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) and boron/fluorine preservatives, according to NBR 10004, was investigated. The leaching test (ABNT NBR 10005) for As and Cr, and solubilization test (ABNT NBR 10006) for F, were applied to out-of-service wooden poles. Concentrations of As and Cr in leachates were determined by ICP-MS and of F by ESI. Values for As were higher than 1 mg L-1 classifying the waste as hazardous material (Class I) whereas values for F (> 1.5 mg L-1) were non-hazardous but indicated non-inert material (Class IIA).

Caracterização através de análise química da escultura portuguesa sobre madeira de produção erudita e de produção popular da época barroca

Making use of several analytical techniques, four erudite and four popular Portuguese baroque wooden sculptures were studied. The materials and techniques employed were identified and the relationship between their artistic quality and the materials used was investigated. In general, the pigments were common at the time, but one pigment discovered in the beginning of the 18th century and two rare arsenic pigments were also identified. In popular sculptures cost-saving was detected, particularly concerning the gold leaf. Regarding some technical procedures identified, recommendations found in historical documents did not seem to have been entirely followed, neither in erudite nor in popular sculptures.