A biotecnologia e a educação ambiental no resguarde a duas espécies em vias de extinção na flora da Mata Atlântica Brasileira

The anthropical action caused destruction of great part of the Atlantic forest remaining today around 7% to 8% of the original portion. A classical example of the degradation is the situation of the Pau-Brasil (Caesalpinia echinata Lam.) which appellant exploration summarized abruptly decreased the wild occurrence of the species. Besides the economic exploration and the threat of extinction, the plant shows some characteristics that its own physiology makes difficult the survival in natural conditions. For this reason, any strategy developed to conserve it should also guarantee ways for its multiplication. In these conditions, the only reasonable technology is micropropagation in vitro based on immature segments of Catullus (explants or internodes). However, in virtue of the threat of extinction, extractivism and fenology, the disponibility of the sources of explants are reduced. Then, to turn this around, the present research showed the hypothesis that arrange these explants would have as a solution to elaborate a bank of matrixes and the utilization of produced seedlings as source of explant. Then, assuming that the soil is a fundamental element for a good formation of the seedlings, there were tests in a greenhouse on the Laboratory of plant biotechnology at UFRN, from May to June of 2008 that showed the influence of the four different soils on the production of Pau-Brasil. The objective of this work was to make possible the seedlings production of the specie and from them to establish a bank of matrixes as source of explant to guarantee the continuity of the process of micropropagation, contributing with the preservation of the specie

Participação social e designação de espécie-bandeira: ações complementares à conservação de um parque estadual em área urbana

Facing environmental problems the planet appears several alternative preventive and control on behalf of the equation between development and environmental protection. One of the alternatives implemented in Brazil to conservation of biodiversity was the creation of protected natural areas regulated by the National System of Conservation Units (SNUC). This is an integrated study of the Comunication / Environmental Conservation, which prioritizes social participation as a complementary in the conservation process, the particular case of the Dunas do Natal State Park, the first conservation area in Rio Grande do Norte, for full protection. It takes into account the roles environmental, scientific and Park, which harbors a unique biodiversity, including endemic species and the fact being located in an urban area. It proposes the use of two complementary instruments, such as strategies for conservation. Considering the various individual experiences, it was analyzed the perception that the community is directly related to the Park. From this promoted the democratization of information about the park, its biodiversity and conservation. As another conservation tool, it was suggested the use of a flagship species for the park, or a body chosen symbol for environmental or social reasons, in order to protect and conserve certain natural environments, from the understanding and co -community participation. In this case, as proposed flag Coleodactylus natalensis species, the lizard-the-litter, to be endemic remnants of Atlantic Forest Park as having the type locality, be one of the smallest species of the world, South America's lowest-dependent shadow of the forest, sensitive to human action and therefore very vulnerable. This suggestion finds support in the degree of public acceptance that interacts directly with the Park, as a result of the evaluation of their perceptions. It was further observed in this study that this symbology to be used in order to promote the democratization of the Park and its biodiversity has an identification result, curiosity and probable involvement of the population with the issues of the Park

Mapeamento de stakeholders nas áreas conexas de turismo e meio ambiente: um estudo em João Pessoa/PB

The present study aims to understand the perception in a manager perspective of the relationship between the stakeholders of tourism and environmental management in João Pessoa (PB). It is a qualitative, transversal, descriptive and exploratory research, held with keys stakeholders of tourism and environment in the capital of Paraíba. The data were collected through structured interviews and the analysis of the minutes of the municipal council of tourism, called COMTUR/ JP. The data research allowed us to affirm that the environmental stakeholders have a higher academic background than those of tourism, on the other hand the tourism stakeholders‟ have longer experience time than the environmental stakeholders‟. In general, the use of environmental resources for tourism is noticed as positively by the tourism stakeholders‟ and as intermediate for the environmental stakeholders‟, the tourism development is consider to be a non predatory active in João Pessoa, but it is very concentrate in the coastal area, the remnants of Atlantic Forest or protected areas are not used for tourism. The main environmental impacts cause by tourism according to the stakeholders interviewed (tourism and environment) were the environmental degradation of reef, beach pollution and the construction of tourism facilities in areas that should be protected, however, there was a stakeholder who believes that the tourism development in Paraíba is so nascent that it is unable to impact the environment. The performance of SETDE, PBTUR and SUDEMA was consider inconsistent by some of the interviewed stakeholders‟. The NGO representatives believe that the most important thing is a paradigm shift from the entrepreneurs and the local population. Despite the apparently close relationship between tourism and environment management in João Pessoa (PB), some actions of tourism agencies and the state government has left some unhappy important environmental stakeholders indicating that the relationship between tourism and environment in the city is becoming tenser each year

Faixas de proteção ambiental do Rio Pitimbu/RN: uma análise como subsídio ao planejamento e ordenamento do território

The Environmental Protection area sof Pitimbu river are important tools for planning and territorial land management. The Pitimbu river protection is aided in laws, so much of Federal stamp, as the Brazilian s Forest Code (Law No. 4771/1965), and in State s and City s Resolutions. So, this research begins in the State s Law No. 8426/2003interpretations, for being the most restrictive in the river's margin occupation and management. The objective is to analyze the applicability of the Environmental Protection areas of Pitimbu river, localized at the State of Rio Grande do Norte, considering environmental legislation and how to use this space by the man. Having specific goals for the discussion of the legislation s scope to this river; the identification of the types of soil s covering and evaluation the effectiveness of Law Nº.8426/2003, as protection instrument and land management. The river is characterized by its ecological importance and for feeding the Jiqui pond, an important reservoir that supplies 30% of drinking water to the east, west and south population sof the capital of the State. Pitimbu river is passing by a process of environmental degradation, originating from actions as deforestations of its ciliary forests by intensive agricultural practices; introduction of urban and industrial effluents leading to its contamination; increase of the pluvial drainage; erosion, sedimentation and discharge of urban waste , along with pressure for urban settlements along its banks. Under the methodological point of view is part of theoretical planning and land management research, and from a vision of social and environmental spaces. It was produced a survey map of the soil s covering, with 16 classes. Divided into coverage and disturbed natural covering. Using the 300 meters spatial limits of the Environmental Protection Strip, according to the State Law. The survey highlighted a higher percentage of classes disturbed, indicating man s interference in the balance of that system, as well as the lack of environmental actions. Leading to the degradation of riparian areas, and lack of conservation of water resources. Finally, it was considered that the strips of environmental protection are not effective as the preservation and territorial ordination

Antiulcerogenic and analgesic effects of Maytenus aquifolium, Sorocea bomplandii and Zolernia ilicifolia

Maytenus aquifolium (Celastraceae), Sorocea bomplandii (Moraceae) and Zolernia ilicifolia (Fabaceae) are native plants from the Tropical Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlantica, Brazil) known a 'espinheira-santa'. These plants are traditionally used as analgesic and antiulcerogenic medicine, with the same traditional uses of the true 'espinheira-santa' (Maytenus ilicifolia, Celastraceae), an efficient antiulcerogenic agent. Pharmacological and toxicological studies with these plants have not been carried out. The purpose in this study was to evaluate the efficacy (analgesic and antiulcerogenic activities), safety (acute toxicity) and quality (phytochemical profile) of these three plants. The analgesic effect was analyzed by writhing and tail flick tests, while anti Ulcerogenic effect was performed through ulcer induction by ethanol and indomethacin/bethanecol assays. LD., and acute toxic effects, as well as phytochemical profiles of all plants also were carried. Surprisingly, the three plants showed analgesic and antiulcerogenic effects at dose of 1000 mg/kg, v.o. Maytenus aquifolium lowering all ulcerogenic parameters (ethanol test), but increased the ulcerogenic effects in the indoniethacin/bethanecol test. Sorocea bomplandii produced antiulcerogenic effects in both experimental models used, while Zolernia ilicifolia showed significant effects only in indomethacin/bethanecol-induced gastric lesions. Pre-treatment with Zolernia ilicifolia induced someone toxic effects, A phytochemical profile for each plant species was determined and its main chemical classes of compounds were described. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seasonal metabolic changes in a year-round reproductively active subtropical tree-frog (Hypsiboas prasinus)

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

Population genetic relationships between Casearia sylvestris (Salicaceae) varieties occurring sympatrically and allopatrically in different ecosystems in south-east Brazil

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

A new species of Tafalisca Walker, 1869 from the Iguacu National Park, Brazil (Grylloidea, Eneopteridae, Tafaliscinae)

The aim of this work was to describe a new cricket species from the Iguacu National Park, Southeastern Brazil. We characterize the genitalia and external morphology of Tafalisca paranaensis n. sp. and the genitalia of Tafalisca paulista Rehn, 1918 providing a comparison between these species.

Comparative cytogenetics of eight species of Cycloramphus (Anura, Cycloramphidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Diversity of Epigeal Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Urban Areas of Alto Tiete

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Seed deposition patterns and the survival of seeds and seedlings of the palm Euterpe edulis

The seed deposition pattern created by a seed disperser is one of the components of the efficiency of a species as seed disperser, and ultimately may influence the recruitment of a plant species. In this study, we used the seeds of a bird-dispersed forest palm, Euterpe edulis, to investigate the effects of two distinct seed deposition patterns created by birds that defecate (clumped pattern) and regurgitate seeds (loose-clumped pattern) on the survival of seeds experimentally set in an E. edulis-rich site, and of seedlings grown under shade-house conditions. The study was conducted in the lowland forest of Parque Estadual Intervales, SE Brazil. Clumped and loose-clumped seeds were equally preyed upon by rodents and insects. Although clumped and isolated seedlings had the same root weight after 1 year, the isolated seedlings survived better and presented more developed shoots, suggesting intraspecific competition among clumped seedlings. Our results indicate that animals that deposit E. edulis seeds in faecal clumps (e.g. cracids, tapirs) are less efficient seed dispersers than those that regurgitate seeds individually (e.g. trogons, toucans). Intraspecific competition among seedlings growing from faecal clumps is a likely process preventing the occurrence of clumps of adult palms. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.

Frugivory and habitat use by fruit-eating birds in a fragmented landscape of southeast Brazil

To investigate the movement of seeds transported by fruit-eating birds in an agricultural, fragmented landscape of the Atlantic forest of southeast Brazil, I asked which bird species are the main seed dispersers in such environment, and how they use the available habitats (small forest fragments, forest thickets, live fences, isolated trees, and active pastures) where they are most likely to drop the seeds they swallow the relative importance of fruit-eating birds as seed vectors was evaluated based on the number of fruit species eaten, the number of visits, and visitation rate to fruiting plants. Habitat use was accessed by recording the habitats where birds were seen or heard during walks conducted throughout the study area. Sixteen plant species were observed during 308.3 plant-hours. Forty-one bird species were observed eating fruits in a total of 830 visits to fruiting plants. Sayaca Tanagers (Thraupis sayaca) and Pale-breasted Thrushes (Turdus leucomelas) ate the greatest number of fruit species, were the most frequent plant visitors in terms of number and rate of visits, and had a broad range of habitat use. These two species and the Rusty-margined Guan (Penelope superciliaris), which is able to swallow large fruits with large seeds that smaller bird species cannot cat, likely have a great contribution to the movement of seeds throughout this highly degraded landscape.

Seed size variation in the palm Euterpe edulis and the effects of seed predators on germination and seedling survival

Intraspecific variation in seed size is common in wild plant populations and has important consequences for the reproductive success of individual plants. Multiple, often conflicting evolutionary forces mediated by biotic as well as abiotic agents may maintain such a variation. In this paper we assessed seed size variation in a population of the threatened, commercially important palm Euterpe edulis in southeast Brazil. We investigated (i) how this variation affects the probability of attack by vertebrate and invertebrate post-dispersal seed predators, and (ii) if seed size influences the outcome of seeds damaged by beetles in terms of seed germination and early survival of seedlings. Euterpe edulis seeds varied in diameter from 8.3 to 14.1 mm. Neither insects nor rodents selected the seeds they preyed upon based on seed size. Seed germination and total, shoot and root biomasses of one-year seedlings were significantly and positively affected by seed size. Root biomass and seedling survival were negatively affected by seed damage caused by a scolytid beetle (Coccotrypes palmarum) whose adults bore into seeds to consume part of the endosperm, but do not oviposit on them. Seed size had a marginally significant effect on seedling survival. Therefore, if any advantage is accrued by E. edulis individuals producing large seeds, this is because of greater seed germination success and seedling vigor. If this is so, even a relatively narrow range of variation in seed size as observed in the E. edulis population studied may translate into differential success of individual plants. (c) 2006 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Variações interanuais na fenologia de uma comunidade arbórea de floresta semidecídua no sudeste do Brasil

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

Levantamento florístico de Floresta Atlântica no sul do Estado de São Paulo, Parque Estadual Intervales, Base Saibadela

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