The flora and communities Carnaubal Palm Forest in the northern region of Ceará - Brazil

The “dicótilo-palmácea” mixed forest is found in the fluvial plains (floodplains) of watercourses on the Ceará semiarid region (Brazil), distinguishing from the surrounding vegetation (caatinga) by the prevalence of larger tree species. In the river’s margins, presenting high variability in the extension of the riverbanks, arise floodplains in pedologic complexes mainly composed by neossols and argissols, resulting from the deposition of sediments. In these areas of high fertility soils and subjected to flooding during part of the year, it develops a particular type of riparian vegetation dominated by carnauba palm tree (Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E. Moore) forming a particular type of riparian forest, designated by carnaubal palm forest. We aimed to carry out floristic and phytosociological surveys of carnauba palm forests located in the northern region of Ceará. The classical sigmatist method of Braun-Blanquet was applied and classification analysis (Twinspan) was perfomed. The field work occurred in March 2014 and 2016 in eight areas: Fazenda Pedra Branca (03º 37’ 10’’ S e 40º 18’ 30’’ W, 104 m asl), Vale do Rio Bom Jesus (04º 04’ 42’’ S e 39º 57’ 08’’ W, 200 m asl), Lagoa do Peixe (03º 56’ 28’’ S e 40º 23’ 23’’ W, 97 m asl), Fazenda Peixes (04º 06’ 03’’ S e 40º 32’ 43’’ W, 114 m asl), Fazenda Natividade (04º 02’ 50’’ S e 40º 29’ 03’’ W, 109 m asl), Fazenda Morro Alto (02º 53’ 42’’ S e 39º 54’ 51’’ W, 16 m asl), Fazenda Araticum (03º 04’ 58’’ S e 40º 09’ 36’’ W, 19 m asl) and Fazenda Experimental da UVA (03º 37' 04'' S 40º 18' 18'' W, 200 m asl).The floristic list consists of 170 species, distributed between 127 genera and 50 families. Twenty-seven Brazilian endemic species were identified, from which 8 are exclusive of the Caatinga biome. The Fabaceae was the most representative family, with the highest number of species (28), followed by Poaceae (17), Malvaceaea (14), Euphorbiaceae (12), Asteraceaea (9), Convolvulaceae and Rubiaceae (9). The dominant life forms were therophytes (34%), phanerophytes (30%) and chamaephytes (18%). Two communities were identified as a result of the classification analysis using the Twinspan.

Landscape structure shapes carnivore-mediated seed dispersal kernels

Context Seed dispersal is recognized as having profound effects on the distribution, dynamics and structure of plant populations and communities. However, knowledge of how landscape structure shapes carnivore-mediated seed dispersal patterns is still scarce, thereby limiting our understanding of large-scale plant population processes. Objectives We aim to determine how the amount and spatial configuration of forest cover impacted the relative abundance of carnivorous mammals, and how these effects cascaded through the seed dispersal kernels they generated. Methods Camera traps activated by animal movement were used for carnivore sampling. Colour-coded seed mimics embedded in common figs were used to know the exact origin of the dispersed seed mimics later found in carnivore scats. We applied this procedure in two sites differing in landscape structure. Results We did not find between-site differences in the relative abundance of the principal carnivore species contributing to seed dispersal patterns, Martes foina. Mean dispersal distance and the probability of long dispersal events were higher in the site with spatially continuous and abundant forest cover, compared to the site with spatially aggregated and scarcer forest cover. Seed deposition closely matched the spatial patterning of forest cover in both study sites, suggesting behaviour-based mechanisms underpinning seed dispersal patterns generated by individual frugivore species. Conclusions Our results provide the first empirical evidence of the impact of landscape structure on carnivore-mediated seed dispersal kernels. They also indicate that seed dispersal kernels generated strongly depend on the effect that landscape structure exerts on carnivore populations, particularly on habitat-use preferences.

Effects of pitch area-restrictions on tactical behavior, physical and physiological performances in soccer large-sided games

The aim of this study was to identify how pitch area-restrictions affects the tactical behavior, physical and physiological performances of players during soccer large-sided games. A 10 vs. 9 large-sided game was performed under three experimental conditions: (i) restricted-spacing, the pitch was divided into specific areas where players were assigned and they should not leave it; (ii) contiguous-spacing, the pitch was divided into specific areas where the players were only allowed to move to a neighboring one; (iii) free-spacing, the players had no restrictions in space occupation. The positional data were used to compute players’ spatial exploration index and also the distance, coefficient of variation, approximate entropy and frequency of near-in-phase displacements synchronization of players’ dyads formed by the outfield teammates. Players’ physical and physiological performances were assessed by the distance covered at different speed categories, game pace and heart rate. Most likely higher values were found in players’ spatial exploration index under free-spacing conditions. The synchronization between dyads’ displacements showed higher values for contiguous-spacing and free-spacing conditions. In contrast, for the jogging and running intensity zones, restricted-spacing demanded a moderate effect and most likely decrease compared to other scenarios (~20-50% to jogging and ~60-90% to running). Overall, the effects of limiting players’ spatial exploration greatly impaired the co-adaptation between teammates’ positioning while decreasing the physical and physiological performances. These results allow for a better understanding of players’ decision-making process according to specific task rules and can be relevant to enrich practice task design, such that coaches acknowledge the differential effect by using specific pitch-position areas restrictions.

Bacterial community associated to the pine wilt disease insect vectors Monochamus galloprovincialis and Monochamus alternatus

Monochamus beetles are the dispersing vectors of the nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causative agent of pine wilt disease (PWD). PWD inflicts significant damages in Eurasian pine forests. Symbiotic microorganisms have a large influence in insect survival. The aim of this study was to characterize the bacterial community associated to PWD vectors in Europe and East Asia using a culture-independent approach. Twenty-three Monochamus galloprovincialiswere collected in Portugal (two different locations); twelve Monochamus alternatus were collected in Japan. DNA was extracted from the insects’ tracheas for 16S rDNA analysis through denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and barcoded pyrosequencing. Enterobacteriales, Pseudomonadales, Vibrionales and Oceanospirilales were present in all samples. Enterobacteriaceae was represented by 52.2% of the total number of reads. Twenty-three OTUs were present in all locations. Significant differences existed between the microbiomes of the two insect species while for M. galloprovincialis there were no significant differences between samples from different Portuguese locations. This study presents a detailed description of the bacterial community colonizing the Monochamus insects’ tracheas. Several of the identified bacterial groups were described previously in association with pine trees and B. xylophilus, and their previously described functions suggest that they may play a relevant role in PWD.

Sample size for monitoring sirex populations and their natural enemies.

A vespa-da-madeira, Sirex noctilio Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) foi introduzida no Brasil em 1988 e tornou-se a principal praga dos plantios de pínus. Encontra-se distribuída em aproximadamente 1.000.000 de ha em diferentes níveis populacionais nos Estados do Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná, São Paulo e Minas Gerais. O controle da população da vespa-da-madeira é feito principalmente pela utilização do nematoide Deladenus siricidicola Bedding (Nematoda: Neothylenchidae). A avaliação da eficiência dos inimigos naturais é dificultada por não haver um sistema de amostragem apropriado. Este estudo testou o sistema de amostragem hierárquica para definir o tamanho da amostra para monitorar a população de S. noctilio e também a eficiência dos inimigos naturais, a qual mostrou-se adequada.

Agroecological management of insect pests on sugarbeets and lettuce cultivated in organic farming

Two-year field trials were conducted in northern Italy with the aim of developing a trapcrop-based agroecological approach for the control of flea beetles (Chaetocnema tibialis (Illiger), Phyllotreta spp. (Chevrolat) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)) and Lygus rugulipennis Poppius (Hemiptera: Miridae), key pests of sugar beet and lettuce, respectively. Flea beetle damage trials compared a trap cropping treatment, i.e., a sugar beet plot with a border of Sinapis alba (L.) and Brassica juncea (L.) with a control treatment, i.e., a sugar beet plot with bare soil as field border. Sugar beets grown near trap crops showed a significant decrease (≈40%) in flea beetle damage compared to control. Moreover, flea beetle damage varied with distance from the edge of the trap plants, being highest at 2 m from the edge, then decreasing at higher distances. Regarding L. rugulipennis on lettuce two experiments were conducted. A semiochemical-assisted trap cropping trial was supported by another test evaluating the efficacy of pheromones and trap placement. In this trial, it was found that pheromone baited traps caught significantly more specimens of L. rugulipennis than unbaited traps. It was also found that traps placed at ground level produced larger catches than traps placed at the height of 70 cm. In the semiochemical-assisted trap cropping experiment, a treatment where lettuce was grown next to two Alfa-Alfa borders containing pheromone baited traps was compared with a control treatment, where lettuce was grown near bare soil. This experiment showed that the above-mentioned strategy managed to reduce L. rugulipennis damage to lettuce by ≈30%. From these studies, it appears that trap crop-based strategy, alone or with baited traps, made it possible to reduce crop damage to economically acceptable levels and to minimize the need for insecticide treatments, showing that those strategy could be implemented in organic farming as a means of controlling insect pests.

Applied genomics to monitor the genetic diversity and integrity of honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations and define sustainable strategies to benefit the beekeeping sector

Honey bees are considered keystone species in ecosystem, the effect of harmful pesticides for the honey bees, the action of extreme climatic waves and their consequence on honey bees health can cause the loss of many colonies which could contribute to the reduction of the effective population size and incentive the use of non-autochthonous queens to replace dead colonies. Over the last decades, the use of non-ligustica bee subspecies in Italy has increased and together with the mentioned phenomena exposed native honey bees to hybridization, laeding to a dramatic loss of genetic erosion and admixture. Healthy genetic diversity within honey bee populations is critical to provide tolerance and resistance to current and future threatening. Nowadays it is urgent to design strategies for the conservation of local subspecies and their valorisation on a productive scale. In this Thesis we applied genomics tool for the analysis of the genetic diversity and the genomic integrity of honey bee populations in Italy are described. In this work mtDNA based methods are presented using honey bee DNA or honey eDNA as source of information of the genetic diversity of A. mellifera at different level. Taken together, the results derived from these studies should enlarge the knowledge of the genetic diversity and integrity of the honey bee populations in Italy, filling the gap of information necessary to design efficient conservation programmes. Furthermore, the methods presented in these works will provide a tool for the honey authentication to sustain and valorise beekeeping products and sector against frauds.

Elaboració de nous recursos docents en el camp de la biologia vegetal, mitjançant l'ús de noves tecnologies de microscòpia com làser confocal i multifotó

Aquest projecte s'ha realitzat al Servei de Microscòpia de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, i ha tingut una durada de dos anys (2007-2009). Els objectius concrets d'aquest projecte assolits per a les diferents assignatures ha estat l'anàlisi de característiques citològiques, característiques morfològiques i anatòmiques de les estructures vegetatives dels diferents nivells d’organització, característiques morfològiques i anatòmiques de les estructures reproductores. El material docent obtingut en aquest projecte està sent utilitzat en les assignatures següents: Botànica Farmacèutica, Biodiversitat vegetal marina, Recursos vegetals aquàtics: les algues, Plantes d'ús alimentari, Conserv. i gestió de poblacions i comunitats marines, Usos i cultius de recursos algals marins, B. i diversitat de criptògames, Biologia II, Tècniques Exp. de biologia II, Botànica, Biologia animal i vegetal. Per a la realització de l’estudi, s'ha obtingut una col·lecció d’imatges al MLC, MER i MET per aclarir els criteris sistemàtics. Durant el primer any s’han adquirit totes les imatges necessàries, per tal de poder elaborar el material didàctic en suport digital. Durant el segon any s’ha implementat aquest material a les respectives classes pràctiques i s’ha avaluat la seva importància en la millora de la formació dels alumnes i del suport al professor. L’aplicació del material elaborat a la docència pràctica durant el tot segon any ha permès fer un primer estudi per valorar la seva eficàcia i fer-hi les correccions oportunes. Durant tot el projecte, el treball conjunt de professors i tècnics ha estat bàsic per a l’obtenció de material didàctic adequat a la realitat dels estudis actuals i a la docència pràctica.

INVESTIGATIONS ON THE STRESS EFFECTS OF PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS ON METAPENAEUS DOBSON (MIERS)

The present investigation has addressed the effects of PHC contaminated culture medium on the morphology, physiology and behaviour of shrimps. The shrimp Metapenaeus dobsoni is an important member of the crustacean animal community abounding the oil contaminated benthic regions of Cochin backwater system. Since it is known that true pollutants can disrupt the sustainability of ecosystems by its effect on species, populations and communities,a representative species was used for the study. The results discussed in this work is bound to help in understanding the ecotoxicant resistance that the animal may display under toxic conditions compared to dynamic steady-state systems in nature.

Investigations on the stress effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on Metapenaeus dobsoni (Miers)

The present investigation has addressed the eflects of PHC contaminated culture medium on the morphology, physiology and behaviour of shrimps] The shrimp Metapenaeus dobsoni is an important member of the crustacean animal community abounding the oil contaminated benthic regions of Cochin backwater system. Since it is known that true pollutants can disrupt the sustainability of ecosystems by its eflect on species, populations and communities, a representative species was used for the study. The results discussed in this work is bound to help in understanding the ecotoxicant resistance that the animal may display under toxic conditions compared to aynamic steaay-state systems in nature

Influence of aquaculture effluents on the growth of Salvinia molesta

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

Dispersão de sementes por sauins-de-coleira (Saguinus bicolor Spix, 1823; Primates:Cebidae): efeitos do padrão de deslocamento na formação de sombras de sementes

Quantificar a sombra de sementes gerada por um dispersor, ou seja, a maneira como as sementes são distribuídas em função do tempo que o dispersor as retém e de como este se desloca pelo habitat, é etapa essencial para avaliar os impactos do dispersor na estruturação e funcionamento de populações e comunidades vegetais. Este é o primeiro estudo com o primata S. bicolor como dispersor de sementes e teve como objetivo investigar o padrão de formação de sombra de sementes e sua relação com o padrão de deslocamento da espécie. O deslocamento de quatro grupos de S. bicolor foi monitorado em três fragmentos florestais em Manaus, Amazonia Central. O posicionamento dos animais em um sistema de trilhas foi registrado em intervalos de cinco minutos, ao longo de todo período de atividade, cinco dias ao mês durante o mínimo de 15 meses cada grupo. O tempo de retenção de sementes foi estimado registrando-se o tempo de ingestão, de defecação e o número de sementes de cinco espécies de frutos cultivados ofertados a quatro indivíduos criados em cativeiro. Sombras de sementes foram estimadas através da combinação de dados do padrão de deslocamento com dados do tempo de retenção de sementes. Para cada grupo, foram obtidas a distância média de dispersão e a proporção da área de uso ocupada em uma base mensal, e a relação destas duas variáveis foi verificada através de uma regressão linear simples. O tempo de retenção de sementes variou de 27 a 295 minutos (N = 394), sendo que mais da metade das sementes ficam retidas em até duas horas no trato digestivo, e o número médio de sementes por defecação foi de 3,5 (± 3,7; N = 111). Probabilidades de dispersão de sementes para fora das imediações da planta-matriz ultrapassam 80%, além de incluírem distâncias maiores do que 1 km. Apenas para dois grupos foi verificado que há relação entre a proporção da área de uso e as distâncias de dispersão sendo que para um destes o poder explanatório do modelo foi menor do que 20%. Os resultados indicam que S. bicolor dispersa sementes de forma efetiva e, assim como outros calitriquíneos, pode contribuir para a estruturação e regeneração de ecossistemas florestais.

“Se querem que façamos algo pela floresta tem que nos pagar”: As lógicas da participação dos camponeses nos Comités de Gestão dos Recursos Naturais nos distritos de Palma e Mocimboa da Praia em 2009: Relatório do trabalho de campo em Namiune, Nkonga e 5º Congresso, Maputo, Dezembro de 2010

Our study considers the natural resources of the Miombo forests in Cabo Delgado from a broad ecosystems perspective. Thus, our view goes beyond the disciplinary approaches of forestry, agronomy, biology or zoology, and also of the social sciences, namely anthropology, history, sociology, political science or economics. The present study aims to establish a dialogue and create synergies between Miti Ltd. – the logging company and owner of the forest concessions – as well as government and state structures at the various levels and the communities – through the Committees on Natural Resources – in order to promote the sustainable use of resources and ecosystems. The research methodology we used can broadly be described as moderated transdisciplinary interaction for action-research based on the approach known as Learning for Sustainability (LforS, http://www.cde.unibe.ch/Pages/Project/2/14/Learning-for-Sustainability-Extension-Approach.aspx). The research methods used include: LforS seminars; field work; forests observations focusing, among others, on ecosystems, trees, wildlife, and burned areas; visits to farms; and interviews. We conducted both collective interviews and individual interviews, including with key informants. The main results indicate that members of the Committee on Natural Resources have a dual attitude: their statements defend the paradigm of sustainable use of natural resources as well as their own immediate monetary gain. They are willing to apply the values, concepts and theories of sustainable development that underpin the establishment of Committees on Natural Resources if they are paid for their work or if they can derive direct benefits from it, i.e. if they can earn a salary or allowance. If this does not happen, however, they are willing to allow actors to engage in illegal hunting or logging activities. This dual attitude also exists in relation to forestry operators. If the concession workers pay the committee members in cash or provide goods, they can run their business even if they violate the law. Natural forest regeneration in Nkonga and Namiune already shows the impact of such use. Although there are many saplings that could basically ensure continuous regeneration under sustainable management, repeated burning is damaging the young trees, deforming them and killing a great number of them. Campaigns against uncontrolled fires are ineffective because the administrative and political authorities have a dual attitude as well and are also part of the group that uses resources to their own profit and benefit. There are institutional structures within the administration, populations, and communities to perform regulating functions, create and implement rules, punish offenders, and oversee resource use. However, they feel that since they are not paid for performing these functions, they do not have to do so. This attitude shows a lack of awareness, but also indicates a situation where everyone seeks to derive maximum benefits from existing resource use patterns. Anything goes.

Monitoring Ecosystems: Interdisciplinary Approaches For Evaluating Ecoregional Initiatives

Monitoring Ecosystems brings together leading scientists and researchers to offer a ground-breaking synthesis of lessons learned about ecological monitoring in major ecoregional initiatives around the United States. Contributors present insights and experiences gained from their work in designing, developing, and implementing comprehensive ecosystem monitoring programs in the Pacific Northwest, the lower Colorado River Basin, and the Florida Everglades. The book: outlines the conceptual and scientific underpinnings for regional-scale ecosystem monitoring examines the role and importance of data management, modeling, and integrative analyses considers techniques for and experience with monitoring habitats, populations, and communities Chapters by the editors synthesize and expand on points made throughout the volume and present recommendations for establishing frameworks for monitoring across scales, from local to international. Monitoring Ecosystems presents a critical examination of the lessons learned from direct experience along with generalized conclusions that can be applied to monitoring programs in the United States and around the world. It is a vital contribution to science-based monitoring efforts that will allow those responsible for developing and implementing ecoregional initiatives to make use of knowledge gained in previous efforts.