Morphometrical diagnosis of the malaria vectors Anopheles cruzii, An. homunculus and An. bellator

Background: Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii is a primary vector of Plasmodium parasites in Brazil's Atlantic Forest. Adult females of An. cruzii and An. homunculus, which is a secondary malaria vector, are morphologically similar and difficult to distinguish when using external morphological characteristics only. These two species may occur syntopically with An. bellator, which is also a potential vector of Plasmodium species and is morphologically similar to An. cruzii and An. homunculus. Identification of these species based on female specimens is often jeopardised by polymorphisms, overlapping morphological characteristics and damage caused to specimens during collection. Wing geometric morphometrics has been used to distinguish several insect species; however, this economical and powerful tool has not been applied to Kerteszia species. Our objective was to assess wing geometry to distinguish An. cruzii, An. homunculus and An. bellator. Methods: Specimens were collected in an area in the Serra do Mar hotspot biodiversity corridor of the Atlantic Forest biome (Cananeia municipality, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil). The right wings of females of An. cruzii (n= 40), An. homunculus (n= 50) and An. bellator (n= 27) were photographed. For each individual, 18 wing landmarks were subjected to standard geometric morphometrics. Discriminant analysis of Procrustean coordinates was performed to quantify wing shape variation. Results: Individuals clustered into three distinct groups according to species with a slight overlap between representatives of An. cruzii and An. homunculus. The Mahalanobis distance between An. cruzii and An. homunculus was consistently lower (3.50) than that between An. cruzii and An. bellator (4.58) or An. homunculus and An. bellator (4.32). Pairwise cross-validated reclassification showed that geometric morphometrics is an effective analytical method to distinguish between An. bellator, An. cruzii and An. homunculus with a reliability rate varying between 78-88%. Shape analysis revealed that the wings of An. homunculus are narrower than those of An. cruzii and that An. bellator is different from both of the congeneric species. Conclusion: It is possible to distinguish among the vectors An. cruzii, An. homunculus and An. bellator based on female wing characteristics.

The influence of rifting on escarpment migration on high elevation passive continental margins

Using numerical models that couple surface processes, flexural isostasy, faulting and the thermal effects of rifting, we show that fault-bounded escarpments created at rift flanks by mechanical unloading and flexural rebound have little potential to "survive" as retreating escarpments if the lower crust under the rift flank is substantially stretched. In this configuration, a drainage divide that persists through time appears landward of the initial escarpment in a position close to a secondary bulge that is created during the rifting event at a distance that depends on the flexural rigidity of the upper crust. Moreover, the migration of the escarpment to the secondary bulge occurs when the pre-rift topography dips landward, otherwise the evolution of the escarpment is guided by the pre-existing inland drainage divide. To illustrate this new mechanism for the evolution of passive margins, we study the examples of Southeastern Australia and Southeastern Brazil. We propose that a pre-existing inland drainage divide with rift related flank uplift can produce the double drainage divide observed in Southeastern Australia. On the other hand, we conclude that it is possible that the Serra do Mar escarpments on the Southeastern Brazilian margin originated as a secondary flexural bulge during rifting that persisted through time. In both cases, the retreating escarpment scenario is unlikely and the present-day margin morphology can be explained as resulting from rift-related vertical motions alone, without requiring significant post-rift "rejuvenation".

Baccharis umbellata (Asteraceae, Astereae): a new species endemic to the highest summits of Parana, Southern Brazil

Baccharis umbellata, a new species of Parana State, southern Brazil, is described. The new species, belonging to subgen. Baccharis sect. Agglomeratae, is easily recognized by the pedunculate heads arranged in an umbel-like capitulescence. Baccharis umbellata is a narrow endemic of the peaks of the southern range of Serra do Mar. It is morphologically most similar to the allopatric species B. platypoda, which mainly inhabits mountain summits in western and eastern South America. Illustrations, a distribution map, habitat information, and a conservation assessment are also provided for the new species.

Erosão praial por sdesorganização de drenagem: Exemplos no litoral norte do Estado de São Paulo (sudeste do Brasil)

Por seu condicionamento geológico‐geomorfológico, suas características climáticas tropicais a sub‐tropicais, com temperaturas amenas e vegetação exuberante, e por sua proximidade com importantes centros urbanos, o litoral norte do estado de São Paulo (Sudeste do Brasil) vem, há décadas sofrendo uma intensa modificação em sua paisagem. Este trecho do litoral brasileiro caracteriza‐se por intenso recorte, determinado pela proximidade da Serra do Mar com relação à linha de costa, e em cujas reentrâncias desenvolvem‐se pequenas planícies arenosas, normalmente com cobertura sedimentar holocênica. Em função deste controle morfo‐estrutural, as redes de drenagem são restritas, assim como o aporte sedimentar, que adquire caráter episódico, determinado pelo regime de pluviosidade desigual, característico da região

Bridging natural and social sciences: a framework for identify strategies and actions for the conservation of biodiversity.

The Atlantic Forest is one of the most diverse areas in the world and considered a hotspot. Several actions are needed for its preservation, among them the implementation of the Biodiversity Corridors. The Atlantic Forest has three biodiversity corridors and the Rio de Janeiro State, which harbors huge species diversity, is in the Serra do Mar Corridor. We developed socioeconomic, political and environmental indicators to present conservation strategies supported by a wide database. These indicators complemented the previous surveys of priority areas which emphasized biotic elements, and their integration allowed the elaboration of strategies for the conservation and management, regionally directed, to support actions to be implemented by the Government. The analysis was done considering three subjects: Anthropic Pressure, Physical and Biotic State, and Present Ability of Response. Data analysis followed a synthesis-aggregation schedule and the resulting database was taken to a workshop, where specialists proposed strategies and actions for the conservation. These strategies were discussed considering vegetation remnant distribution, biological relevance, environmental vulnerability, kind of anthropic pressure in the region and potential for success of the actions proposed, based on the ability of response. Rio de Janeiro State is very diverse in biotic, physical, political, socioeconomic and cultural aspects which demand specific actions for each region. So, depending on the present situation of the natural and anthropic environments and on the present and future sources of degradation, regionally directed actions are applicable. This specificity in conservation actions will enable that the State remnants will be more successfully protected.

Territorial planning of Juquiá municipality (State of São Paulo, Brazil), using an integrated analysis of the land cover and slope.

2008

POLÍTICAS AMBIENTAIS E ORDENAMENTO DO TERRITÓRIO NA REGIÃO DO LITORAL NORTE DE SÃO PAULO, BRASIL

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar as políticas ambientais e os instrumentos de ordenamento territorial na região do Litoral Norte de São Paulo, em sua porção terrestre. Foi efetuado levantamento da legislação vigente, de documentos oficiais e do material bibliográfico e cartográfico existente, entrevistas com representantes dos órgãos públicos e trabalhos de campo. A região possui cerca de 80 % de sua área recoberta por vegetação de Mata Atlântica, legalmente protegidos por Unidades de Conservação, com destaque para os Parques Estaduais da Serra do Mar, de Ilhabela e da Ilha Anchieta. Houve um elevado crescimento populacional e ampliação da ocupação urbana nas últimas décadas, com aumento da degradação ambiental e da pressão sobre as áreas protegidas. O Zoneamento Ecológico-Econômico instituído em 2004, principal instrumento de ordenamento territorial regional, enfrenta dificuldades para a sua aplicação, estando em fase de revisão. Diversos empreendimentos estão previstos para a região, como o Campo de Exploração de Gás de Mexilhão, envolvendo gasoduto e Centro de Tratamento de Gás em Caraguatatuba, a duplicação da Rodovia dos Tamoios e a ampliação do Porto de São Sebastião. O efeito cumulativo destas obras poderá trazer grandes impactos sociais e ambientais, necessitando-se de uma gestão ambiental integrada e eficaz.

A INFLUÊNCIA DO ESTOQUE DE MATÉRIA ORGÂNICA DO SOLO EM FRAGMENTOS FLORESTAIS DE MATA ATLÂNTICA

In the Atlantic forest biome, very fragmented and with high diversity of ecosystems, of species, and high endemism degree, the maintenance of the status of the biological diversity presupposes the recovery and conservation of the mosaic of existent fragments. In that context, the use of global functional indicators for the evaluation of the state of conservation of fragments, for the character of systemic synthesis that they act becomes interesting. In tropical forests ecosystems, the surface organic matter stock of the soil is one functional indicator of the decomposition subsystem and they are responsible in big measured by the maintenance and survival of the communities of those ecosystems group. The human action when fragmenting the forest ecosystems, as it substitutes the native forest for different forms of use of the soil, it creates different head offices that they exercise pressures differentiated on the fragment and, consequently, on the operation of the fundamental processes of the ecosystem that represents it. Thus, in the sense of understanding the state of functional conservation of fragments forest remainders of the Atlantic forest, in the extent of the Environmental Protection Area of Petrópolis - Rio de Janeiro, which interferes in the Mosaic of Units of Conservation of the Fluminense Central Atlantic forest and, in a larger scale still, in the Ecological Corridor of the Serra do Mar, in the present study the stock of organic matter of surface of four forest fragments in summer of 2008 and summer of 2009 are analyzed comparatively.

Qualidade microbiológica de peixes e frutos do mar em Botucatu, SP

whole world. The world production of fish is around 100 million tons/year and 70% of them is destined exclusively to the human feeding. The fish and derived have a great importance in the human diet, contributing with ¼ of offer of protein of animal origin. Sseafood and fish are health, because they are rich in proteins, vitamins, micronutrients and insatured fats. However, one of the most important themes, in public health, refers to the safe food. Only in the USA, 76 million case of foodborne diseases occurs every year, with 325 thousand hospitalized and 5 thousand deaths. According to the microbiological parameters, the Brazilian Food Sanitation Standard (Decree No. 12, 2001) defined that fish, roes of fish, crustaceans and mollusks in natura cooled or frozen, no consumed raw should present up to 103 MPN of coagulase positive Staphylococcus in the absence of Salmonella in 25g. Based on this, this work verified the microbiological quality of fish and seafood retailed in supermarkets and fish store in Botucatu city. A hundred samples were analyzed, being 65 frozen (65%) and 35 cooled (35%). The samples included various kinds of fish and seafood. Among the frozen samples, 31 were fish and 34 seafood. About the cooled ones, 28 were fish and 7 seafood. The methods used for analysis are in agreement with APHA (2001). The samples were acquired in 4 establishments (3 supermarkets and a fish store). Ina total of 100 samples, all were negative to coagulase positive Staphylococcus and 2 were positive for Salmonella (2%). According to the results, we conclude that the presence of Salmonella is a risk factor for the consumers' health and these foods should not be consumed raw. In spite of the freezing to be a good conservation way, this process doesn't totally eliminate the pathogens of the food

The finding of Lutzomyia almerioi and Lutzomyia longipalpis naturally infected by Leishmania spp. in a cutaneous and canine visceral leishmaniases focus in Serra da Bodoquena, Brazil

To identify natural infections by Leishmania spp. in insect vectors of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, we performed field studies in natural and anthropic environments in the Guaicurus Settlement (Bodoquena Range) of the Bonito municipality, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. From October 2002 to October 2003, a total of 1395 sandfly females were captured with Shannon and light traps and dissected in search of flagellates. The sample is composed of a total of 13 species, with Lutzomyia almerioi (59.9%) and Lutzomyia longipalpis (31.4%) predominant. Infections by flagellates were directly observed in three of the dissected of Lu. almerioi females (0.36%). To increase the sensitivity of detection, DNA extracted from pools of the 1220 dissected females (Lu. almerioi 808, Lu. longipalpis 399 and Nyssomyia whitmani 13) was subjected to small subunit rRNA-based polymerase chain reactions (SSU-PCR). DNA from Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi was detected in at least 0.37% of Lu. almerioi females and in 0.25% of Lu. longipalpis females. The DNA of the Leishmania (Viannia) sp. was detected in 0.12% of Lu. almerioi and in 0.70% of Lu. longipalpis. Leishmania (L.) amazonensis was found in 1.25% of Lu. longipalpis. Mixed infections of L. (Leishmania) sp. and L. (Viannia) sp. were found in 0.50% of Lu. longipalpis. When considering that each positive pool contained at least a single infected specimen, we found a 1.23% rate of Leishmania spp. infection among the total population of dissected female sand flies as determined by PCR. This is the first report of natural infection by L. (L.) infantum chagasi and L. (Viannia) sp. in Lu. almerioi. It is also the first report of infection by L. (Viannia) sp. in Lu. longipalpis. The observation that Lu. longipalpis and Lu. almerioi are naturally infected by agents of both cutaneous and visceral leishmaniases suggests that these two species play a role in the transmission (continua) (continuação) of these diseases within the study area. Furthermore, the finding that Lu. longipalpis has been naturally infected by L. (L.) amazonensis and L. (Viannia) sp., and Lu. almerioi by L. (L.) infantum chagasi and L. (Viannia), suggests their participation as permissive vectors

Nota sobre a ocorrência de leishmaniose tegumentar americana na Serra da Cantareira, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

Relata-se a ocorrência de um pequeno surto de leishmaniose tegumentar americana, na Serra da Cantareira, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Foram feitas considerações sobre a persistência de nichos de leishmaniose no Estado de São Paulo.

Níveis de radioatividade natural decorrente do radônio no complexo rochoso da Serra de São Vicente, SP

OBJETIVO: Realizar monitoração passiva e integrada do radônio em várias amostras de águas, solos e locais fechados do complexo rochoso da Serra de São Vicente, SP, com o intuito de avaliar a distribuição de ocorrência deste gás radioativo naquele local. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: A técnica utilizada consistiu em expor detectores plásticos policarbonatos (SSNTD) do tipo Makrofol E, na geometria de copo fechado, ao radônio emanado das amostras de águas coletadas dos solos e ao acumulado em ambientes internos (residências e cavidades nas rochas) existentes no complexo rochoso de São Vicente. RESULTADOS: Os valores obtidos para os teores de radônio variaram entre 8,1 e 36 Bq/l para as fontes de água natural, entre 68 e 610 Bq/m³ nas residências, entre 0,41 e 3,46 kBq/m³nos solos e entre 0,72 e 5,85 kBq/m³ nas cavidades do Maciço de São Vicente. CONCLUSÃO: Para algumas residências e na maioria das fontes de água estudadas, os teores de radônio encontrados neste trabalho estiveram acima dos limites máximos propostos por organismos internacionais. Recomenda-se, portanto, que ações de intervenção sejam implementadas para a dissipação do radônio, tanto nessas residências como durante a coleta das águas para fins de consumo.

Fungos zoospóricos (Mastigomycotina) da mata atlântica da Reserva Biológica do Alto da Serra de Paranapiacaba, município de Santo André, SP

Trezentas e dezesseis ocorrências de 20 táxons de Mastigomycotina (fungos zoospóricos) foram registradas em folhas de Alchornea triplinervia (Spreng.) Müll. Arg. colocadas em ambientes terrestre e aquático, em amostras de solo e de água de riacho coletadas mensalmente de julho de 1988 a maio de 1990. Entre os 13 táxons de Chytridiomycetes e sete de Oomycetes, as espécies com maior ocorrência foram: Karlingia rosea (De Bary & Woronin) Johanson (35 ocorrências), Polychytrium aggregatum Ajello (32 ocorrências), Rhizophydium elyensis Sparrow (34 ocorrências) e Nowakowskiella elegans (Nowak.) Schroeter (32 ocorrências). São citados pela primeira vez para a mata atlântica: Karlingiomyces sp., Phlyctochytrium sp. e Rhizophydium chitinophyllum Sparrow.

Ecologia da paisagem: mapeamento da vegetação da Reserva Biológica da Serra do Japi, Jundiaí, SP, Brasil

Foi realizado o mapeamento da vegetação da Reserva Biológica (REBIO) Municipal da Serra do Japi, Jundiaí, SP, por meio de fotointerpretação analógica, em escala 1:30.000. O mapa foi digitalizado e transferido para computador pelo sistema de informação geográfica (Idrisi) e posteriormente para o programa Corel Draw. Foram identificadas, mapeadas e descritas oito unidades de paisagem (UP) sendo três antrópicas (solo exposto, campo antrópico e reflorestamento homogêneo) e cinco naturais (floresta estacional semidecidual montana dossel uniforme - microfanerófitos; floresta estacional semidecidual montana dossel uniforme - mesofanerófitos; floresta estacional semidecidual montana dossel emergente; floresta estacional semidecidual aluvial dossel emergente e refúgio montano arbustivo). As unidades naturais somaram 98,46% do total dos 2.071,20 ha da área, indicando que a Reserva vem cumprindo seu papel na preservação do ecossistema em questão. No entanto, como algumas unidades não tem expressiva representatividade na área, e como existe grande extensão de floresta no entorno da Reserva, sugere-se a ampliação e a transformação da mesma em uma unidade que contemple inclusive a visitação pública como forma de auxiliar no processo de conservação. Sugere-se que a área seja transformada em parque estadual, cujo nome poderia ser Parque Estadual da Serra do Japi.

Alimentação de peixes na microbacia do Ribeirão Grande, Serra da Mantiqueira oriental, SP

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