Restoring forests degraded by overabundant moose on the island of Newfoundland

Global forests are being degraded at an alarming rate; hence ecological restoration becomes an integral component ensuring future forest health. Beneficial effects of restoration will arise from scientifically based practices that are efficient and effective. On the island of Newfoundland, moose (Alces alces) have become overabundant since their introduction in early 1900’s. Intensive selective browsing by moose on foundation species such as balsam fir (Abies balsamea) interacts with natural insect disturbance and limits advanced regeneration, creating moose meadows. In this thesis, I focused on where and how active restoration should be implemented in Terra Nova National Park (Newfoundland, Canada) balsam fir forests within the context of the natural disturbance regime under conditions of overbrowsing. Environmental surveys and experimental seedling planting were carried out along a disturbance gradient from closed canopy forest to large insect-disturbed stands. To develop cost-effective and science-based planting protocols, several ground treatments were tested to enhance seedlings success: (1) control, field planting, (2) removal of the aboveground vegetation and (3) ground scarification. Results indicate that (1) priority for restoration should be given to insectdisturbed areas > 5 ha rather than smaller gaps, and (2) that active restoration should be implemented following scientifically determined field planting protocols, as no substantial benefit was detected following ground treatment. The recommendations arising for this thesis allow for the development of efficient and effective protocols towards the reestablishment of multi-aged balsam fir forests in Newfoundland.

Classification of Southern Ocean krill and icefish echoes using random forests

Acknowledgements The authors thank the crews, fishers, and scientists who conducted the various surveys from which data were obtained. This work was supported by the Government of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands. Additional logistical support provided by The South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute, with thanks to Paul Brickle. PF receives funding from the MASTS pooling initiative (TheMarine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland), and their support is gratefully acknowledged. MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011) and contributing institutions. SF is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, and data were provided from the British Antarctic Survey Ecosystems Long-term Monitoring and Surveys programme as part of the BAS Polar Science for Planet Earth Programme. The authors also thank the anonymous referees for their helpful suggestions on an earlier version of this manuscript.

Dinâmica da regeneração natural de áreas em restauração pela transposição de solo superficial de cerrado e de floresta estacional

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Ecologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, 2015.

ESTRUTURA DO COMPONENTE DE REGENERAÇÃO NATURAL E ARBÓREO DE DOIS MANGUEZAIS NO ESTADO DO PARANÁ

Esse estudo avaliou comparativamente os parâmetros fitossociológicos da regeneração natural e da vegetação arbórea em dois manguezais distintos no Estado do Paraná, um pertencente à Baía de Paranaguá (manguezal de Antonina) e outro à Baía de Guaratuba (manguezal de Guaratuba). Em cada área, três subáreas foram marcadas e amostradas cinco parcelas de 10 x 10 m para avaliação do componente arbóreo e quinze subparcelas de 1 x 1 m para avaliação da regeneração natural. Avicennia schaueriana , Rhizophora mangle e Laguncularia racemosa exibiram domínio e densidade relativa distintos entre as áreas. Manguezais de Antonina e Guaratuba diferiram tanto na estrutura da regeneração natural como no componente arbóreo. A Análise de Coordenadas Principais (PCoA) mostrou que as diferenças entre as áreas em relação às variáveis abióticas do solo estão fortemente relacionadas com os parâmetros estruturais do componente arbóreo dos manguezais. Os fatores edáficos dos manguezais têm grande importância na separação entre as áreas, já que reflete na capacidade de adaptação das plantas.

Climate seasonality limits leaf carbon assimilation and wood productivity in tropical forests.

The seasonal climate drivers of the carbon cy- cle in tropical forests remain poorly known, although these forests account for more carbon assimilation and storage than any other terrestrial ecosystem. Based on a unique combina- tion of seasonal pan-tropical data sets from 89 experimental sites (68 include aboveground wood productivity measure- ments and 35 litter productivity measurements), their asso- ciated canopy photosynthetic capacity (enhanced vegetation index, EVI) and climate, we ask how carbon assimilation and aboveground allocation are related to climate seasonal- ity in tropical forests and how they interact in the seasonal carbon cycle. We found that canopy photosynthetic capacity seasonality responds positively to precipitation when rain- fall is < 2000 mm yr-1 (water-limited forests) and to radia- tion otherwise (light-limited forests). On the other hand, in- dependent of climate limitations, wood productivity and lit- terfall are driven by seasonal variation in precipitation and evapotranspiration, respectively. Consequently, light-limited forests present an asynchronism between canopy photosyn- thetic capacity and wood productivity. First-order control by precipitation likely indicates a decrease in tropical forest pro- ductivity in a drier climate in water-limited forest, and in cur- rent light-limited forest with future rainfall < 2000 mm yr-1.

Experiences From The Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Ecological Findings And Conservation Initiatives.

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest hosts one of the world's most diverse and threatened tropical forest biota. In many ways, its history of degradation describes the fate experienced by tropical forests around the world. After five centuries of human expansion, most Atlantic Forest landscapes are archipelagos of small forest fragments surrounded by open-habitat matrices. This 'natural laboratory' has contributed to a better understanding of the evolutionary history and ecology of tropical forests and to determining the extent to which this irreplaceable biota is susceptible to major human disturbances. We share some of the major findings with respect to the responses of tropical forests to human disturbances across multiple biological levels and spatial scales and discuss some of the conservation initiatives adopted in the past decade. First, we provide a short description of the Atlantic Forest biota and its historical degradation. Secondly, we offer conceptual models describing major shifts experienced by tree assemblages at local scales and discuss landscape ecological processes that can help to maintain this biota at larger scales. We also examine potential plant responses to climate change. Finally, we propose a research agenda to improve the conservation value of human-modified landscapes and safeguard the biological heritage of tropical forests.

The River And The Sea: Fieldwork In Human Ecology And Ethnobiology.

This article is a commentary on the experiences that motivated my decision to become a human ecologist and ethnobiologist. These experiences include the pleasure of studying and of having the sense of being within nature, as well as the curiosity towards understanding the world and minds of local people. In particular, such understanding could be driven by addressing the challenging questions that originate in the interactions of such individuals with their natural surroundings. I have been particularly interested in the sea and the riverine forests that are inhabited by coastal or riverine small-scale fishers. Sharing the distinctive world of these fishers enjoyably incited my curiosity and challenged me to understand why fishers and their families 'do as they do' for their livelihoods including their beliefs. This challenge involved understanding the rationality (or the arguments or views) that underlies the decisions these individuals make in their interaction with nature. This curiosity was fundamental to my career choice, as were a number of reading interests. These reading interests included political economy and philosophy; evolution and sociobiology; evolutionary, human, and cultural ecology; cultural transmission; fisheries; local knowledge; ecological economics; and, naturally, ethnobiology.

Brazilian Natural Fiber (jute) As Raw Material For Activated Carbon Production.

Jute fiber is the second most common natural cellulose fiber worldwide, especially in recent years, due to its excellent physical, chemical and structural properties. The objective of this paper was to investigate: the thermal degradation of in natura jute fiber, and the production and characterization of the generated activated carbon. The production consisted of carbonization of the jute fiber and activation with steam. During the activation step the amorphous carbon produced in the initial carbonization step reacted with oxidizing gas, forming new pores and opening closed pores, which enhanced the adsorptive capacity of the activated carbon. N2 gas adsorption at 77K was used in order to evaluate the effect of the carbonization and activation steps. The results of the adsorption indicate the possibility of producing a porous material with a combination of microporous and mesoporous structure, depending on the parameters used in the processes, with resulting specific surface area around 470 m2.g-1. The thermal analysis indicates that above 600°C there is no significant mass loss.

Comparing Near-infrared Conventional Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy And Hyperspectral Imaging For Determination Of The Bulk Properties Of Solid Samples By Multivariate Regression: Determination Of Mooney Viscosity And Plasticity Indices Of Natural Rubber.

Conventional reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) and hyperspectral imaging (HI) in the near-infrared region (1000-2500 nm) are evaluated and compared, using, as the case study, the determination of relevant properties related to the quality of natural rubber. Mooney viscosity (MV) and plasticity indices (PI) (PI0 - original plasticity, PI30 - plasticity after accelerated aging, and PRI - the plasticity retention index after accelerated aging) of rubber were determined using multivariate regression models. Two hundred and eighty six samples of rubber were measured using conventional and hyperspectral near-infrared imaging reflectance instruments in the range of 1000-2500 nm. The sample set was split into regression (n = 191) and external validation (n = 95) sub-sets. Three instruments were employed for data acquisition: a line scanning hyperspectral camera and two conventional FT-NIR spectrometers. Sample heterogeneity was evaluated using hyperspectral images obtained with a resolution of 150 × 150 μm and principal component analysis. The probed sample area (5 cm(2); 24,000 pixels) to achieve representativeness was found to be equivalent to the average of 6 spectra for a 1 cm diameter probing circular window of one FT-NIR instrument. The other spectrophotometer can probe the whole sample in only one measurement. The results show that the rubber properties can be determined with very similar accuracy and precision by Partial Least Square (PLS) regression models regardless of whether HI-NIR or conventional FT-NIR produce the spectral datasets. The best Root Mean Square Errors of Prediction (RMSEPs) of external validation for MV, PI0, PI30, and PRI were 4.3, 1.8, 3.4, and 5.3%, respectively. Though the quantitative results provided by the three instruments can be considered equivalent, the hyperspectral imaging instrument presents a number of advantages, being about 6 times faster than conventional bulk spectrometers, producing robust spectral data by ensuring sample representativeness, and minimizing the effect of the presence of contaminants.

Classificação de água de coco processada e natural por meio de HCA, PCA e teores de íons metálicos determinados por ICP OES

Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry was used to determine Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn and Cu in samples of processed and natural coconut water. The sample preparation consisted in a filtration step followed by a dilution. The analysis was made employing optimized instrumental parameters and the results were evaluated using methods of Pattern Recognition. The data showed common concentration values for the analytes present in processed and natural samples. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) indicated that the samples of different kinds were statistically different when the concentrations of all the analytes were considered simultaneously.

Antimycobacterial and cytotoxicity activity of synthetic and natural compounds

Antimycobacterial and cytotoxicity activity of synthetic and natural compounds. Secondary metabolites from Curvularia eragrostidis and Drechslera dematioidea, Clusia sp. floral resin, alkaloids from Pilocarpus alatus, salicylideneanilines, piperidine amides, the amine 1-cinnamylpiperazine and chiral pyridinium salts were assayed on Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. N-(salicylidene)-2-hydroxyaniline was the most effective compound with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 8 µmol/L. Dihydrocurvularin was moderately effective with a MIC of 40 µmol/L. Clusia sp. floral resin and a gallocatechin-epigallocatechin mixture showed MIC of 0.02 g/L and 38 µmol/L, respectively. The cytotoxicity was evaluated for N-(salicylidene)-2-hydroxyaniline, curvularin, dihydrocurvularin and Clusia sp. floral resin, and the selectivity indexes were > 125, 0.47, 0.75 and 5, respectively.

Tree structure and richness in an Atlantic Forest fragment: distance from anthropogenic and natural edges

Approximately 7.2% of the Atlantic rainforest remains in Brazil, with only 16% of this forest remaining in the State of Rio de Janeiro, all of it distributed in fragments. This forest fragmentation can produce biotic and abiotic differences between edges and the fragment interior. In this study, we compared the structure and richness of tree communities in three habitats - an anthropogenic edge (AE), a natural edge (NE) and the fragment interior (FI) - of a fragment of Atlantic forest in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (22°50'S and 42°28'W). One thousand and seventy-six trees with a diameter at breast height > 4.8 cm, belonging to 132 morphospecies and 39 families, were sampled in a total study area of 0.75 ha. NE had the greatest basal area and the trees in this habitat had the greatest diameter:height allometric coefficient, whereas AE had a lower richness and greater variation in the height of the first tree branch. Tree density, diameter, height and the proportion of standing dead trees did not differ among the habitats. There was marked heterogeneity among replicates within each habitat. These results indicate that the forest interior and the fragment edges (natural or anthropogenic) do not differ markedly considering the studied parameters. Other factors, such as the age from the edge, type of matrix and proximity of gaps, may play a more important role in plant community structure than the proximity from edges.

Amostragem e variabilidade espacial de atributos químicos do solo em área de vegetação natural em regeneração

The objectives of this work was to estimate the number of soil subsamples considering the classical statistics and geostatistics and determine the spatial variability of soil fertility attributes of an Ultisol, with clay texture, in an area of regenerating natural vegetation in Alegre - ES. Soil samples were collected in a depth of 0.0-0.2 m, at the crossing points of a regular grid, comprising a total of 64 points located at 10 m-intervals. The area presented low fertility soil. Considering a variation of 5% around the mean in the classic statistics, it is necessary a larger number of samples in relation to geostatistics. All the chemical attributes showed moderate to high spatial dependence, except for the effective cation exchange capacity (CECe), which showed pure nugget effect. The spherical semivariogram model gave the best fit to the data. Isoline maps allowed visualizing the differentiated spatial distribution of the contents of soil chemical attributes.

Variabilidade espacial de atributos físicos de um argissolo vermelho-amarelo sob pastagem e vegetação secundária em regeneração natural

This work was carried out with the objective of studying the spatial variability of the physical attributes of a Red-Yellow Ultisol under pasture and secondary vegetation in natural regeneration. Two areas were chosen in a hillside, with the soil sampling to the depth of 0-0.2 m, with the georeferenced points in a regular grid of 10x10 m, totalizing 64 points. In each point it was evaluated the total volume of porosity, macroporosity, microporosity, bulk density, soil penetration resistance and soil water content. The studied attributes in the pasture area present indicator of soil compaction for the animals' traffic, with moderate and strong structure of spatial dependence, except for the macroporosity and penetration resistance. In the area of secondary vegetation (VN) only the macroporosity does not present spatial dependence. The total volume of porosity and the bulk density present the same spatial standard in the area under pasture.

Ocular masquerade syndrome associated with extranodal nasal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma: case report

A 33-year-old woman complained of unilateral eyelid edema and blurred vision. Initial ophthalmic examination disclosed anterior chamber reaction with keratic precipitates on the cornea, without posterior abnormalities. Anterior uveitis was treated. Despite that, patient showed rapidly progressive unilateral vision loss with optic nerve swelling. Systemic workup was inconclusive, as well as cranial magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid examination. Based on the hypothesis of optic neuritis, intravenous methylprednisolone pulse was performed with no success. During the following days, the patient presented pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade, progressing to death. Necropsy was performed and diagnosis of extranodal natural killers/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type with ocular involvement was confirmed by immunohistochemistry.