Qualidade de água como tema para a socialização do conhecimento científico em região semi-árida brasileira

During the dry and rainy periods, in the Piranhas-Assu river hydrographic basin, variations in bacterioplankton and trophic state indexes were studied in the lotic and lentic environments. The means of total bacterial density wavered in the order of 107 organisms. mL-1 and they were higher in the rainy period. Cocci bacteria were numerically predominant in all sampling points, influencing the total abundance of bacterioplankton. Total bacterial biomass varied from 659 to 1997,3 µgC.L-1 due to the high values of filaments cellular volume. Total phosphorus amounted 108 µg.L-1 and it had a positive correlation with chlorophyll a (r = 0,94; p < 0,05) during dry period, when these variables presented higher concentrations. There wasn t a high spatial variation. The low transparency of water and the phosphorus and chlorophyll concentrations indicated eutrophic or hipereutrophic levels in studied points of reservoir. These variables, associated with high density and biomass values found, alert to the necessity of a constant monitoring of the semi-arid aquatic ecosystems, where the quality of water is affected by dry occurrence

Estudo das percepções ambientais e de ações educativas promotoras da biodiversidade em unidade de conservação no Rio Grande do Norte

Important issues involving the awakening to the need for conservation of biodiversity and the importance of establishing protected areas as a strategy in pursuit of environmental protection, are increasingly being developed in biological and social investigative fields. In this sense, this research aimed to emphasize the use of environmental perception of social agents are significant elements for the understanding of the man / nature, and develop educational activities aimed at raising awareness and changing attitudes towards environmental issues thus promoting reflections on Environmental Education (EE) as a critical and transformative tool for conservation of rich biological diversity. This research covers as a place of study, schools located in the Environmental Protection Area Jenipabu (APAJ), Rio Grande do Norte. Methodology in general, we highlight the use of questionnaires and mind maps as generators of the contents of empirical research, and execution of content analysis for the treatment of data collected. This dissertation has two chapters in the form of scientific articles, where the first is entitled: "Study of the perceptions and evaluation of interactions concerning environmental education in schools in a conservation area of Rio Grande do Norte - Brazil", obtaining thus a primary diagnosis for analysis about the visions that students and teachers from two schools located in APAJ have on the environment. The second article, entitled: "Effective and analysis of educational activities that promote biodiversity in a coastal area of Environmental Protection Northeast - Brazil" provides an analysis of the educational use of biodiversity as a way to raise awareness of the need for environmental conservation. It appears from research that there is a lack of training in EA by teachers, but there is a need for greater involvement of students in conservation areas, however, from the analysis of educational activities, we observed that the effectiveness of such actions acts to promote awareness and change in actors involved. Thus, environmental education needs to take into account the different perceptions found in each individual, and it can not be based solely on transmission of knowledge, so that we reach a model of conservation.

Conservação dos invertebrados em área de proteção ambiental litorânea no nordeste do Brasil: contribuições da educação ambiental para a sustentabilidade

Today's society is in a real collapse of an environmental nature. The populations are lost due to a dream of development without thinking of the consequences that said development can bring to human populations. Thus, it is necessary that strategies be developed for the purpose of protecting the flora and fauna that is at risk from suffering the pressure to achieve this development. Thus important issues involving the need to conserve nature and the creation of protected areas as these strategies are increasingly being developed in research, whether in the biological and / or social. In this sense, the aim of this research through environmental perception social actors for the formation of significant elements for understanding the relationship between man and nature, and from there to provide actions for sensitization. As well as changing attitudes towards environmental issues, to thereby provide analysis based on Environmental Education in order to provide the production of environmental knowledge as a tool that provides value shift. This area of research was to study the Environmental Protection Area Jenipabu - APA Jenipabu, located in northeastern Brazil. Where, from the environmental perception of students from schools within and around this Nature Conservation Unit notes were made regarding the value and meaning given by students, and how this, the feeling of belonging to these groups. This dissertation is composed of two chapters, the first is titled Environmental perception and feeling of belonging in the area of environmental protection in coastal RN - Brazil, where it makes a diagnosis of how these groups understands and realizes the Unity of Nature Conservation. The second, which is titled Construction of environmental knowledge and conservation of invertebrates in the Environmental Protection Area in the northeast coast of Brazil, specifically developed in the school from within the APA Jenipabu, in order to promote a sense of belonging for those students who become multipliers, in order to realize the importance and necessity of having this unit for Nature Conservation. Looking to the degree of importance of environmental education as a tool to raise awareness on conservation of invertebrates and is all the fauna and flora exists, whether in a conservation of nature or not

Protozoários de vida livre em ambientes aquáticos do RN: ocorrência, caracterização e importância para a educação básica

Water is considered an essential right to life, besides being a determinant of economic development and social welfare, represented by both the quantity available, and the quality. In semi-arid Northeast, droughts occurring on a regular basis combined with human activities, aggravate the situation regarding the conservation of water resources in this area. To alleviate this condition is common to construction of artificial reservoirs, such as reservoirs and dams. As in natural aquatic environments, these reservoirs are potential sites for the proliferation, growth and development of diverse biological communities, whether of animals, plants and microorganisms. Research on the composition and ecology of these communities, especially microbial, are still restricted. One of the least studied groups in these environments are free-living protozoa, which over time have been neglected and after discoveries about its various functions in the aquatic ecosystem are beginning to receive more attention from scholars. They are, in quantitative terms, the most important consumers of microorganisms (mainly bacteria and algae) in aquatic environments, and therefore control the abundance of these. They may therefore influence the structure of the aquatic food chain in terms of species composition, abundance, biomass and biodiversity. Despite the recognition of the importance of protozoa in the final of the trophic transfer in aquatic environments, there are few data and, in general, are still precarious knowledge of them. Given the importance of protozoa in aquatic environments and the paucity of research on this group, especially in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, the present study aimed at identifying the genus and species of free-living protozoa that are present in the Armando Ribeiro Gonçalves Dam as well as to relate the occurrence and dynamics of the trophic conditions in the environment in which they are inserted, in order to support the hypothesis that species that are in these environments can serve to indicate the water quality. We observed the presence of 65 taxa of free-living protozoa, of which 29 were identified at the species level. There was a similarity space in taxonomic composition of protozoa, suggesting a possible regulation of this type of community for limnological variables other than those studied in this work (chlorophyll a, pH, temperature). Although it was aimed to analyze the conceptions of teachers and students from nearby towns Dam Armando Ribeiro Gonçalves, on issues relating to water quality and the role of protozoa. For this, we applied questionnaires with teachers and pupils of public schools of San Rafael and Itajá. It was concluded that teachers and students recognize the multi-dam Armando Ribeiro Gonçalves, although unaware of important aspects of the dynamics and ecology of this environment. Conceptions of teachers and students are matched at various times, especially with regard to waterborne diseases. In an attempt to identify possible misconceptions about the knowledge of the protozoa, assuming that these organisms have neglected their ecological role, and are seen as only, disease, a study was done with teachers and students, following a particular methodology that allowed look so clear and precise results. It was clear that knowledge about the free-living protozoa is still quite limited. The alternative conceptions that were found show a direct relation of protozoans and diseases. From the data obtained by these studies, we planned a series of science communication activities, environmental education and health education in schools close to study environments in order to promote a didactic transposition of accumulated knowledge about these organisms, favoring continuing education of teachers and the increase of information to the local community through the knowledge of biodiversity and ecology of these organisms. Moreover, the results found in this study and reflections on it that led to propose the elaboration of a book Readers with an emphasis on the group of freeliving protozoa in the populations for use in public schools in the region where it was developed the semiarid work

Biomonitoramento da qualidade da água e ações em educação ambiental em dois açudes da bacia hidrográfica Apodi-Mossoró, RN

Water scarcity is a reality for the inhabitants of the Brazilian semiarid region. The problem, in quantitative terms , is caused due to local climatic conditions due mostly to a water deficit. Qualitatively, results of multiple uses and resulting contamination by human activities. Eutrophication is presented as a threat to the sustainable use of water resources, in order to favor the predominance of dense populations of cyanobacteria, which can be potentially harmful to human health. The aim of this study is to understand the population dynamics of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria to assess water quality of reservoirs Santa Cruz do Apodi and Pau dos Ferros belonging to bacia Apodi Mossoró-RN . Water samples were collected monthly between October 2011 and May 2012 in reservoirs Santa Cruz do Apodi and Pau dos Ferros, in this latter , in Jan/12 we performed a diel profile . The abiotic variables obtained in the field and in the laboratory were: water temperature , dissolved oxygen , pH , turbidity , transparency , total nitrogen and total phosphorus . Phytoplankton samples were collected with a plankton net and bottle of Van dorn . Were performed : identification , quantification , calculation of biovolume , classification into functional groups and index calculation phytoplankton assembly ( Q ) , cyanotoxins were quantified by ELISA . Statistical analyzes supported the evaluation of the dynamics between biotic and abiotic factors. A questionnaire was conducted to examine the conceptions of the population, education professionals and students. The reservoir of Pau dos Ferros, shallow , turbid and eutrophic showed dominance of the functional group SN throughout the sample period . The phytoplankton biomass ranged from 20 to 70 mm ³ . L - 1, the lowest values coincided with the increase of the mixing zone and transparency, which contributed to the occurrence of a change in species composition phytoplankton . The application of the index Q proved relevant, the reservoir of Pau dos Ferros , depending on the species present , was classified ecologically as bad for almost the entire sample period . The reservoir Santa Cruz do Apodi showed low biomass ( 0.04 and 4.31 mm ³ . L - 1 ) and greater diversity in the phytoplankton composition . According to the index assembly (Q ), it showed moderate condition during most of the period influenced by different functional groups of typical meso- eutrophic environment (K S0, H1, C, F , J , E, D and N) . Associations of diatoms and green algae D and X1 succeeded populations of cyanobacteria in periods marked by greater instability in the system , caused by wind or rain. In summary , the occurrence of drought has a direct influence on the hydrological conditions of the reservoirs , in general, these events, reducing the reservoir level is directly related to decreased water quality and increased density of phytoplankton occurring predominance of cyanobacteria , the index Q reflected well to changes in phytoplankton composition , being a good indicator for biomonitoring of reservoirs in this study and survey of previous conceptions showed the need to work on environmental awareness for the preservation of water resources by conducting workshops for Environmental Education

Avaliação do potencial de toxicidade de florações de cianobactérias como subsídio para ações de gestão ambiental em açudes do semiárido potiguar

Blooms negatively compromise the aquatic environment, plants, animals and human health.Some species are toxin-producing, such as the neurotoxin saxitoxin and the hepatotoxin microcystin, which may contaminate water reservoirs, as those existing in the semiarid region of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil) which are used to supply the population, fishing, aquiculture and recreational activities, thereby providing the risk of human exposure through water intake, dermal contact and respiratory tract. Thus, it is recommended a constant monitoring of the density of cyanobacteria with the quantification of cyanotoxins. One goal with this work was the monitoring of water in four reservoirs in semiarid of RN through the identification and enumeration of cyanobacteria and through the identification and quantification of cyanotoxins by ELISA. Furthermore, we intended to assess the environmental perception of farmers and artisanal fishers in reservoirs of semiarid of RN through semi-structured interviews with questions mostly related to water and eutrophication. Through these objectives the aim was the development of management strategies for aquaculture and prevention of risks to public health. The results showed that the highest values of microcystins were found in the rainy season. Standards for drinking water, according to the guidelines of Ministry of Health 2914/2011 and CONAMA 357/05, setting the maximum values for raw water density of cyanobacteria: 50,000 cel.mL-1; microcystin: 1 μg. L-1 and saxitoxin: 3 μg. L-1. The values found for microcystin ranged between 0.00227 μg. L-1 and 24.1954 μg. L-1. From 128 samples analyzed, 27% were above the limit. There was no clear seasonal pattern for saxitoxins and their values ranged between 0.003 μg. L-1 and 0.766 μg. L-1 with none of the values above the limit. Furthermore, 76% of the densities of cyanobacteria values were above the limit. About environmental perception, 52 interviews were conducted and the results show that the respondents recognize the main uses of water of the rervoirs, recognize the importance and have a positive view about the reservoirs. They also realize that the water has a poor quality and can cause health problems. The results provide data showing the persistence of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins, many times over the limit, reinforcing the importance of constant monitoring. The assessment of environmental perception gives foundation for later proposed environmental education linked to public health management into the context of this particular population, making it more effective

Gestão Sustentável da água: um estudo da conscientização ambiental em atividades residenciais urbanas

The search for sustainable solutions through an appropriate environmental administration of the available natural resources, that comes from encounter to the aspirations of preservation of the environment and of the human being, in way to diagnose and to solve the environmental and social problems with the smallest possible impact to the nature and the man, it is the great challenge, so much for that generation, as for the future generations. The study of the environmental problems of the water and the participation and the social actors' environmental understanding as a whole, interferes in the field of the thematic environmental international, contemplating the strategic need of an appropriate administration of that very natural one, through a program returned to the diagnosis of the problems and in the search of compatible maintainable solutions, in a social and environmental politics of planning and environmental education, centered above all in the citizen's voice , user of that system. The present thesis she seeks to study the problem of the maintainable administration of the water, focusing the participation and the citizen's environmental understanding in the use of that very natural one for urban residential activities, in what concerns the approach and analyses of variables that treat of the measurement of general knowledge and you adapt, sense of community of the access to the means of information and of the attitudes and environmental behaviors, besides the variables of partner-demographic characterization or personal identification of the interviewed ones of an exploratory research of the type " survey ", accomplished through a stratified aleatory sampling, being the strata each one of the 4 (four) Political-Administrative Areas of the Natal city, having happened the collection of the data in the period of february to april/2002. The methodology used in this work it constitutes in the application of questionnaires with scales of the type Likert to measure the echo-varied of the study, besides a partner-demographic scale for the characterization of the studied sample. For the analysis of the results, it was made an exploratory descriptive study initially, followed by the use of techniques statistical multivariate s, such as, factorial analysis through the application of main components, besides the accomplishment of studies of multiple lineal regression. To complement this study, the accomplishment of Tests of Independence was proceeded through the Qui-square of Pearson, in way to verify the dependence of the associations between the partner-demographic variables and the principal selected variables and presents in the resulting factors of the factorial analysis. The results appear for a low level of environmental knowledge, of access to the information and community's sense, besides the verification that the principal factors resultants send for the need of feeling emphasis in the programs and administration actions addressed for the environmental understanding, the behaviors and attitudes that approach the information and the environmental education, besides the reuse of the water

Análise do processo de internalização de propostas de educação ambiental em escolas de Ensino Médio no município de Acaraú-CE

To insert environmental education in the school is a very hard task, although the question has been largely discussed since some years ago. The main object of this research is limited to the way the contents of Environmental Education are inserted in school programs, as well as to assert that, as a law, it must be put in practice not only because it is obligatory, but because it is important to school programs, especially to Acaraú´s primary and secondary schools, having in view the importance of the natural resources in which schools are inserted and the development of ways to solve problems related to the quality of life of the dwellers of these places. It is important the study of the law 9795/99 on Environmental Education, passed on July 25th, 2005, by means of the decree no. 4.281, established in the Municipal Organic Law and other documents ruling the Environmental Education. Our purpose is to give orientation on Environmental Education to the above-mentioned schools aiming at the permanent formation about that subject, in order to constitute, in the future, a real net between school and community and to spread out concepts about sustainability. This way, poverty conditions should be faced as environmental problems, bringing about the relationship between natural resources and poverty. The making of shrimp beds, predatory fishing, swamp degradation and irregular occupation constitute elements to this research. The theoretic terms are based upon principles of Environmental Education, area sustainability and inter-disciplinarily and trans-disciplinarily in Environmental Sciences, which have been applied under the form of capacities and the presentation of documents, projects, maps, discussions and reflections about the mass social movements as a positive consequence of the implementation of this project

Parque Estadual da Pedra da Boca (Araruna/PB): uma avaliação sobre as atividades turísticas e as ações de gestão territorial

The Conservation Units, specially the National and State parks are among the major destinations for adventure tourism and ecotourism, so that the National System of Unit Conservation (Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação) SNUC (Law 9.985/2000) covers the practice of touristic activities, specially the ecotourism in these territorial unities. Despite these are areas for environmental conservation, practice of environmental education, scientific research and contemplation of the nature in its primary or in a similar condition, the practice of touristic activity does not often meet these aims. The main aim of this research was to evaluate the touristic activities and the actions of territorial management in the State Park of Pedra da Boca (PEPB), situated in the city of Araruna/PB. According to the results, the PEPB has in its territorial area a porphyritic granite rock set, whose geological and geomorphologic settings are unique and have scenic value. It is also home of flora and fauna endemic species and representative of the savanna biome. The data and information achieved show that the Park has a remarkable potential for tourism, especially ecotourism, however, there is a need for development of territorial management actions, in order to subsidize the use of spatial tourism site

Educação ambiental em praça pública: relato de experiência com oficinas pedagógicas

Oficinas para professores do ensino fundamental foram organizadas com a finalidade de elaborar uma Proposta de Educação Ambiental em uma praça pública no centro histórico da cidade de Botucatu, no estado de São Paulo. Tais oficinas basearam-se em informações sobre o município e informações botânicas da Praça Rubião Júnior, em Botucatu, no âmbito da Educação Ambiental. O resultado foi uma proposta de Educação Ambiental para a praça com a participação efetiva dos professores, em que foi possível resgatar a história da cidade e seus aspectos sócio-econômicos. Foi também demarcada uma trilha ecológica nessa praça utilizando-se as plantas presentes no local, as quais foram previamente identificadas. O trabalho com os professores durante a oficina mostrou-se de fundamental importância para a formação desses profissionais e também estimulou seu interesse a respeito da história local. Essa abordagem, articulada com a diversidade cultural local, enriqueceu a proposta de E. A. e trouxe benefícios para a prática educativa.

Construção coletiva de uma trilha ecológica no cerrado: pesquisa participativa em educação ambiental

Dentre os muitos temas ambientais que podem ser problematizados pela Educação Ambiental encontra-se a proteção aos ecossistemas. Definiu-se como tema, num projeto de Educação Ambiental, o Cerrado, bioma amplamente degradado por ações antrópicas e que faz parte do ambiente natural de Botucatu, interior de São Paulo. Com o objetivo de despertar um olhar crítico-ambiental, visando a integração do ambiente natural e urbano, o projeto, realizado com alunos da 8ª série do Ensino Fundamental, teve como eixo a construção de uma Trilha Ecológica no Cerrado. Todo o processo de planejamento, realização e avaliação da trilha foi participativo: os participantes estudaram as características do Cerrado; identificaram, na área, as espécies remanescentes; discutiram as condições de conservação da área, e tomaram decisões sobre a construção da trilha como recurso educativo. Problematizaram, coletivamente, a interação comunidade-ambiente, articulando consciência ambiental e ação educativa, concluindo sobre o potencial desencadeador deste recurso para reflexões sobre temas socioambientais. O grupo teve a oportunidade de vivenciar um trabalho educativo com crianças da educação infantil, concretizando a trilha como recurso didático-pedagógico na aproximação visitantes-educandos-ambiente.

Exotic snakes in São Paulo City, southeastern Brazil: Why xenophobia ?

Introduced exotic species cause environmental changes and threat public health in target sites. Illegal trade has enhanced this problem. To first report these risks in Brazil, exotic snakes found in São Paulo City (SPC) (23degrees32' S, 46degrees38' W), southeastern Brazil, and sent to Instituto Butantan between 1995 and 2000, were listed and characterized by their biological attributes. Seventy-six individuals of sixteen alien species were collected. Euriecians snakes, mainly booids, were predominant. Using multivariate techniques, their ecological niches were compared to those of 26 native species, as a way to point out the resource's availability. To evaluate the potential of successful implantation, two species absent in SPC and considered as problem snakes are included in these analyses: the brown treesnake Boiga irregularis and the habu Trimeresurus flavoviridis. There were niche similarities between these pest snakes, exotic booids and native viperids largely due to the similarities in the chosen prey (mammals), diel activity (nocturnal), color pattern (variegated) and body size (medium to large). To avoid predictable undesirable effects of implanted pest snakes, traffic control and punishment should be improved, as well as parallel environmental education programs.

Diet of the maned wolf, Chrysocyon brachyurus (Mammalia : Canidae), during wet and dry seasons at Ibitipoca State Park, Brazil

Analysis of 141 seats of maned wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus collected in a region of upland forest and meadows of south-eastern Brazil yielded 351 food items in the wet season (60 seats) and 407 in the dry season (81 seats). Scarabaeidae and rodents were the most frequent animal food in both seasons, complemented by birds in the wet season and unidentified mammals in the dry season. Seeds revealed Solanum lycocarpum to be the most frequent plant food in the dry season and an Annonaceae and a Cactaceae the most frequent in the wet season. A total of 33 seed morphospecies were retrieved. Although our results reveal some shared and some divergent trends from dietary studies undertaken in savanna ('cerrado') areas, we found a very high frequency of potentially harmful tourists' garbage. This highlights the necessity for better environmental education and confirms that the maned wolf is a generalist and opportunist omnivore.

Contribuições para o trabalho com valores em Educação Ambiental

Neste artigo discute-se o trabalho com valores em Educação Ambiental, o que exige uma fundamentação e posicionamento adequados. Diante do impasse entre posições relativistas e universalistas para a educação em valores, aponta-se para a necessidade de explicitar nossa posição e ação em favor dos valores ambientalmente desejáveis, considerando que as questões envolvidas com o meio ambiente dizem respeito à vida e à sobrevivência de todos os seres do planeta. Estes valores podem ser identificados junto aos princípios presentes no Tratado de educação global para sociedades sustentáveis e responsabilidade global, apresentado pela sociedade civil na ECO-92. Por fim, ressalta-se a necessidade de se desenvolverem estratégias educativas que envolvam as dimensões aqui denominadas de cognição, afetividade e ação, resultando em um trabalho abrangente, que amplie as possibilidades de o indivíduo apreender, de maneira mais efetiva, um dado valor, tendo, então, melhores condições de construí-lo em sua vida.

Concepções e práticas de educação ambiental de professores de uma escola pública

Os dados e análises que apresentaremos neste artigo resultam de investigação sobre a realização de projetos de educação ambiental na escola pública, cujo objetivo principal foi investigar as concepções e práticas de Educação Ambiental de professores que afirmam realizar tais ações. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio de análise documental, entrevistas semi-estruturadas e de observação. As concepções de professores acerca da Educação Ambiental orientam, de certa forma, a maneira como eles interpretam as finalidades atribuídas a ela e o tipo de práticas a que recorrem para alcançá-las. Na investigação feita, constatou-se que essas concepções e práticas eram de natureza comportamental e focavam-se na resolução de problemas de modo pragmático, revelando-se limitadas no desenvolvimento de atividades de Educação Ambiental por meio de projetos.