Estudo dos efeitos comportamentais do neuropeptídeos em camundongos submetidos a modelos animais de Parkinson

Neuropeptide S (NPS) is the endogenous ligand of a G-protein coupled receptor. Preclinical studies have shown that NPSR receptor activation can promote arousal, anxiolytic-like behavioral, decrease in food intake, besides hyperlocomotion, which is a robust but not well understood phenomenon. Previous findings suggest that dopamine transmission plays a crucial role in NPS hyperactivity. Considering the close relationship between dopamine and Parkinson Disease (PD), and also that NPSR receptors are expressed on dopaminergic nuclei in the brain, the current study attempted to investigate the effects of NPS in motor deficits induced by intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of 6-OHDA and systemic administration of haloperidol. Motor deficits induced by 6-OHDA and haloperidol were evaluated on Swiss mice in the rota-rod and catalepsy test. Time on the rotating rod and time spent immobile in the elevated bar were measured respectively in each test. L-Dopa, a classic antiparkinsonian drug, and NPS were administrated in mice submitted to one of the animal models of PD related above. 6-OHDA injection evoked severe motor impairments in rota-rod test, while the cataleptic behavior of 6-OHDA injected mice was largely variable. The administration of L-Dopa (25 mg/kg) and NPS (0,1 and 1 nmol) reversed motor impairments induced by 6-OHDA in the rota-rod. Haloperidolinduced motor deficits on rota-rod and catalepsy tests which were reversed by L-Dopa (100 e 400 mg/kg), but not by NPS (0,1 and 1 nmol) administration. The association of L-Dopa 10 mg/kg and NPS 1 nmol was also unable to counteract haloperidol-induced motor deficits. To summarize, 6-OHDA-, but not haloperidol-, induced motor deficits were reversed by the central administration of NPS. These data suggest that NPS possibly facilitates dopamine release in basal ganglia, what would explain the overcome of motor performance promoted by NPS administration in animals pretreated with 6-OHDA, but not haloperidol. Finally, the presented findings point, for the first time, to the potential of NPSR agonist as an innovative treatment for PD.

Ecologia alimentar e comportamento de forrageamento de Ameivula aff. ocellifera (Squamata: Teiidae) em área de caatinga do nordeste do Brasil

This study investigated the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the feeding ecology and foraging behavior of the whiptail lizard Ameivula aff. ocellifera, a new species widely distributed in the Brazilian Caatinga, and that is in process of description. In attendance to the objectives, the Dissertation was structured in two chapters, which correspond to scientific articles, one already published and the other to be submitted for publication. In Chapter 1 were analyzed the general diet composition, the relationship between lizard size and prey size, and the occurrence of sexual and ontogenetic differences in the diet. Chapter 2 contemplates a seasonal analysis of diet composition during two rainy seasons interspersed with a dry season, and the quantitative analysis of foraging behavior during two distinct periods. The diet composition was determined through stomach analysis of lizards (N = 111) collected monthly by active search, between September 2008 and August 2010, in the Estação Ecológica do Seridó (ESEC Seridó), state of Rio Grande do Norte. Foraging behavior was investigated during a rainy and a dry month of 2012 also in ESEC Seridó, by determining percent of time moving (PTM), number of movements per minute (MPM) and prey capture rate by the lizards (N = 28) during foraging. The main prey category in the diet of Ameivula aff. ocellifera was Insect larvae, followed by Orthoptera, Coleoptera and Araneae. Termites (Isoptera) were important only in numeric terms, having negligible volumetric contribution (<2%) and low frequency of occurrence, an uncommon feature among whiptail lizards. Males and females did not differ neither in diet composition nor in foraging behavior. Adults and juveniles ingested similar prey types, but differed in prey size. Maximum and minimum prey sizes were positively correlated with lizard body size, suggesting that in this population individuals experience an ontogenetic change in diet, eating larger prey items while growing, and at the same time excluding smaller ones. The diet showed significant seasonal differences; during the two rainy seasons (2009 and 2010), the predominant prey in diet were Insect larvae, Coleoptera and Orthoptera, while in the dry season the predominant prey were Insect larvae, Hemiptera, Araneae and Orthoptera. The degree of mobility of consumed prey during the rainy seasons was lower, mainly due to a greater consumption of larvae (highly sedentary prey) during these periods. Population niche breadth was higher in the dry season, confirming the theoretical prediction that when food is scarce, the diets tend to be more generalized. Considering the entire sample, Ameivula aff. ocellifera showed 61,0 ± 15,0% PTM, 2,03 ± 0,30 MPM, and captured 0,13 ± 0,14 per minute. Foraging mode was similar to that found for other whiptail lizards regarding PTM, but MPM was relatively superior. Seasonal differences were verified for PTM, which was significantly higher in the rainy season (66,4 ± 12,1) than in the dry season (51,5 ± 15,6). It is possible that this difference represents a behavioral adjustment in response to seasonal variation in the abundance and types of prey available in the environment in each season

Estudo sobre orçamento de atividade do Boto Cinza (Sotalia guianensis) no litoral sul do Rio Grande do Norte

A fundamental analysis on Behavioral Ecology is the construction of Activities Budget, which can be defined as the quantification of the time that each animal uses in activities that are important for its survival and reproduction. Initially developed for theoretical studies about Optimal Foraging, the construction of Activities Budgets has recently being used for analyses in Conservation Biology. However, the measurement of behavior through an adequate methodology that allows the comparison between different samples is a challenge for researchers in the area of Ethology. This problem is even bigger for the students of cetaceans behavior due to the difficulty of visualization of these animals. The present work deals with two aspects of the specialized literature on cetaceans: i) it explores possible variations of results in quantification of behavioral states decurrent of the application of different methods of data collection, and ii) it describes the activity budget of a population of Sotalia guianensis that inhabits coastal waters, south Rio Grande do Norte. The results showed that the use different methods of data collection result in significant differences, but of small scale, in the quantification of the behavioral frequency. The activity budget of Sotalia in the area here analyzed was similar to that described for other populations of this species inhabiting typically estuarine habitats. Tide and day-hour did not influence the dolphin s behavior, however, significant differences were found related to the position of the animals within the area. These results are discussed considering the dietary and behavioral flexibility of the species, contributing to the scientific knowledge and offering information that will be useful in comparative studies and for analyses on the determination of areas for species conservation

Cuidado ao filhote de boto cinza, Sotalia guianensis (van Benédén, 1864)

In some species parental care is vital to survival. Many studies have reported various parental care behaviours in cetaceans. In Sotalia guianensis, some behaviours have been already described and linked to parental care. However, many aspects are still unknown and all these information might be important for the species conservation. The aim of the present study was minimize these gaps, showing the options involved in the marine tucuxi parental care. The observations took place in Enseada do Curral, located in Pipa, Tibal do Sul, Rio Grande do Norte Coast. Between January and December of 2005 the local population of tucuxi was observed during 42 days. The methods used were Focal Animal and Ad Libitum. The results suggest that calves are present in the bay all year long. Groups with calves had a mean of 6,9 animals, allowing the animals to participate in different activities in the group besides caring. The calves created different associations, being usually followed by an adult. In groups, the calves stay mainly in the centre, which offers them protection. Calves remained next to the adults tail, facilitating breastfeeding. The calves most noticeable activities were those in the surface and the behaviour frequencies decreased, in general, in the presence of human swimmers and boats, what could be considered a threat to the animals. Adults shared positions when caring for calves, suggesting allomaternal care; food transfer from adults to calves was observed, which might be related to diet acquisition; three non-described behaviours were seen, indicating a diversified behavioural repertoire for this species

Aspectos do cuidado cooperativo em dois grupos de Callithrix jacchus selvagens

The Callitrichidae family presents cooperative breeding, where breeders and non breeders take care of the offspring. The aspects of care analyzed in this study were infant carrying, supervision, proximity and food transfer. Three sets of infants from two wild groups of Callithrix jacchus were studied in the environments of Caatinga (Assu group) and Atlantic Forest (Jundiaí group). The methods used in the study were instantaneous focal sampling (infant carrying, supervision and proximity) and continuous focal sampling (food transfer). In the two sets observed in Assu group, the father carried and transferred food to infants more than the rest of the group. The biggest contribution in supervision was from the father and from another adult male. The members that remained in proximity to the infants in both groups were the younger in the groups (juveniles and sub-adults). In the Jundiaí group, the father and the adult male helper of the group were the main caregivers; one of the sub-adult females was responsible for supervision of the infants. With the disappearance of the reproductive male and one of the sub-adults females in 3º month of infants life, the care was redistributed and the only adult male left in the group was the animal that contributed more in provisioning of the infant. In the Assu group, there were adult females in its composition which were involved in agonistic interactions with breeders and adult males, and seemed to influence their low participation in care. Food transfer initiates early in the development of the infants, as a way to encourage nutritional independence. Different types of food transfer (active food transfer, food steal, food steal attempt, passive food transfer and food handling) were observed in the study and frequency of each one varied with developmental phase and tolerance by the members. One relevant data of the study was the presence of active food transfer in Assu group, since in literature there are very few registers of this type of transfer for this species. It is important that groups from distinct environments and composition be studied for a better understanding of the dynamics of infants development

HELMINTH FAUNA of TWO GECKO LIZARDS, HEMIDACTYLUS AGRIUS and LYGODACTYLUS KLUGEI (GEKKONIDADE), FROM CAATINGA BIOME, NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL.

This study presented data on helminth fauna of two gecko lizards, Hemidactylus agrius and Lygodactylus klugei, from Caatinga biome in northeastern Brazil. It was found four helminth species parasitizing H. agrius, cistacanth of Centrorhynchidae (Acanthocephala) and the nematodes Physalopteridae (larvae), Parapharyngodon alvarengai (Pharyngodonidae) and Skrjabinelazia sp. (Seuratidade). The host Lygodactylus klugei presented two helminth species, one individual of Mesocoelium monas (Trematoda: Mesocoeliidae) in the small intestine and one encysted larvae of Physalopteridae (Nematoda: Physalopteridae) attached at stomach wall. The lizard species showed a low prevalence and low richness of helminths. Moreover, H. agrius presented a low intensity of infection. The foraging mode, arboreal habit and a restricted composition of diet could favoring the low prevalence, low infection rates and low richness of helminths found in these geckonid host species.

Diversidade de Seirini (Collembola, Arthropleona, Entomobryidae), em áreas úmidas da caatinga

The family Entomobryidae is one of the most diverse families of Collembola in Northeast Brazil. Data on its diversity may be considered undervalued due to low collection efforts in the region. In this study, five areas in the Northeast region were sampled, to evaluate the species richness of this family. The study was done in the Serra da Jibóia, Santa Terezinha municipality, Bahia; Serra das Confusões, Caracol municipality, Piauí; Chapada do Araripe, Crato municipality, Ceará; Mata do Pau-Ferro, Areia municipality, Paraíba and Parque Nacional de Ubajara, Ubajara municipality, Ceará, all considered humid areas of Caatinga. Collections were made using pitfall traps and entomological aspirators. All the collected material was screened, mounted on slides, identified and, finally, the descriptions of some of the new species encountered were made. A total of 48 Entomobryidae species belonging to nine genera were recorded and 27 of these were new to science, representing a percentage of 56.25% of the total. A new record for Brazil was identified and several new records were made to the States. Seira was the genus with wider distribution and it was the only one found in all areas and the most representative with the highest number of recorded species (26). This result was expected, because individuals of the genus Seira have a good adaptability to semi-arid environments, a fact that has already been proven in previous research. Seven new species of Seira were described. A dichotomous key to genera and species of Seirini from Brazil was drafted. This work demonstrates the great potential of Entomobryidae and Seirini in the Northeast, despite having been held in very restricted areas, obtained important results for the knowledge of fauna of the group

Genética e biologia reprodutiva de vriesea minarum (Bromeliaceae): em busca de estratégias de conservação no quadrilátero ferrífero, minas gerais

Vriesea minarum is a rupiculous bromeliad species, with naturally fragmented populations, restricted to the Iron Quadrangle, Minas Gerais, Brazil. It is a threatened species, which is suffering from habitat loss due to the growth of cities and mining activities. The knowledge of genetic variability in plant populations is one of the main branches of conservation genetics, linking genetic data to conservation strategies while the knowledge about plant reproductive biology can aid in understanding key aspects of their life story, as well as in the comprehension of their distribution and survival strategies. Thus, the study of diversity, richness, and genetic structure, as well as the reproductive biology of populations of V. minarum can contribute to the development of conservation actions. Chapter 1 presents the transferability of 14 microsatellite loci for V. minarum. Among the results of this chapter, we highlight the successful transferability of 10 microsatellite loci described for other species of Bromeliaceae, all of which are polymorphic. In Chapter 2, we present the genetic analyses of 12 populations of V. minarum that are distributed throughout the Iron Quadrangle. We used the 10 microsatellite loci tested in Chapter 1. The results show a low population structuring (Fst = 0.088), but with different values of genetic richness (mean = 2.566) and gene diversity (mean = 0.635) for all populations; and a high inbreeding coefficient (Gis = 0.376). These may be the result of pollinators action and/or efficient seed dispersal, thus allowing a high connectivity among populations of naturally fragmented outcrops. The reproductive biology and floral morphology of a population of V. minarum, located in the Parque Estadual da Serra do Rola-Moça, are studied in Chapter 3. This reserve is the only public environmental protection area where the species occurs. As a result of field experiments and observations, we found that the species has its flowering period from January to March, with flowers that last for two days and that it has a mixed pollination syndrome. It is primarily alogamous, but also has the capacity to be self-ferilized. It is expected that data obtained in chapters 1, 2 and 3 serve as basis for other studies with species from the ferruginous rocky fields, since until now, to our knowledge, there are no other survey of endemic species from the Iron Quadrangle, seeking to merge the genetic knowledge, with the data of the reproductive biology, with the ultimate aim of biodiversity conservation. Considering the great habitat loss for the species by mining, it becomes crucial to analyze the creation of new protected areas for its conservation

Colêmbolos (arthropoda: hexapoda: collembola) numa área de caatinga do nordeste brasileiro

Edaphic ecosystems are the basis for the production of terrestrial biological resources and their dynamics affect not only the natural environment but also society and their economic activities. In Caatinga biome, the semi-arid climate associated with an inadequate soil management has increased the degradation and loss of productive potential of the soil. In this context, the study of soil fauna, including springtails, becomes an important indicator of soil quality. This study aimed to evaluate the fauna of Collembola in an area of Caatinga of Rio Grande do Norte State and the influence of biotic and abiotic factors, such as soil, vegetation and climate characteristics, on the structure of the taxocenosis. The environmental variables which were used were the following ones: granulometry (represented by the proportion of sand), quantity of organic matter and soil pH, richness, density and aerial biomass of the vegetal structure, and necromass. We used pitfall traps intending to collect specimens of the epiedaphic fauna of Collembola in 30 points located on Cauaçu Farm, João Câmara, RN, in July (rainy season) and November (dry season) 2011. We collected 5513 individuals of 15 species distributed in 13 genera and 9 families of Collembola. Five of the recorded species are new to science, confirming the expected high degree of endemism for Caatinga biome, and the highest abundance was recorded in the rainy season, which suggests Collembola sensitivity to low humidity. Four species were more abundant in the dry season, all of them belonged to the Order Entomobryomorpha. Results of statistical analyzes suggest that plant species richness, aerial biomass of vegetal structure, proportion of sand in the soil, pH and humidity are the main influences to the abundance of Collembola in the region studied

Fungos gasteroides (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes) de três áreas de semiárido no Estado do Ceará, Brasil

Gasteroid fungi include several distinct lineages of basidiomycetes that were grouped by presenting some striking features in common like angiocarpic development and passive release of basidiospores. For a long period these fungi were accomodate in Gasteromycetes class. However, biochemistry and molecular studies showed the polyphyly of this group and curriently this class lies devoid of taxonomic value. These organisms influence the ecology of the various biomes, however, are poorly studied and knowledge of their diversity in neotropical ecosystems remains insufficient, despite studies that have been developed in recent years. The Brazilian semiarid region has many areas with an unexplored mycobiota. Ceará State has many areas of extreme biological importance and for this study three protected areas were chosen: Área de Proteção Ambiental da Serra da Ibiapaba, Parque Nacional de Ubajara and Área de Proteção Ambiental de Baturité. Therefore, the aim of this study was to inventory gasteroid fungi ocorring in these three areas in the semiarid region of Ceará. The expeditions, herborization and analysis of specimes were based in traditional methodology used to identify gasteroid fungi. Were identified 16 species belong to 5 families: Agaricaceae, Clathraceae, Geastraceae, Nidulariceae and Phallaceae. Morganella nuda Alfredo & Baseia is recorded for the second time in the world, Blumenavia angolensis (Welw. & Curr) Dring and Mutinus elegans (Mont.) E. Fisch. corresponds to a first record in the Brazilian Northeastern. Except for Abrachium floriforme (Baseia & Calonge) Baseia & T.S. Cabral and Geastrum lloydianum Rick, all remaining species are new records for Ceará, increasing the list of gasteroid fungi in the region of 3 for 17 species. Identified species were deposited in the collection of the Herbarium of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Although these areas have proved conducive to the study of gasteroid fungi, more efforts are still needed to increase knowledge of these fungi in the region

O ecoturismo sob a égide da sociedade do consumo: um estudo das Unidades de Conservação de uso sustentável do RN

Ecotourism, in face to environmental demands and discussions, has achieved prominence in the tourism market and wide global development, occasioning a concern about the need for a scientific deepening through a critical approach of the dynamics of consumption and conservation that permeate this practice. This study addresses the ecotourism under aegis of consumer society, in which is perceived that it constitutes a contester practice of society in which it is embedded, nevertheless has been subjected to the logic of capital through commodification of nature. In order to comprehend the reality presented, this study had as geographical cutting two Conservation Units of Sustainable Use in Rio Grande do Norte state: the Jenipabu Environmental Protection Area (APAJ) and Ponta do Tubarão State Sustainable Development Reserve (RDSEPT). The research sought to investigate the relationship between conservation and consumption and their influences on ecotourism held in the Conservation Units (UCs) of sustainable use selected for this study. To this aim it was made a critical reflection about the relationship conservation versus consumption constant in the practice of ecotourism in UCs in the context of current society, analyzing the historical process of formation of UCs of sustainable use in RN state under the light of the contradictory pair conservation-consumption, as well as looking to apprehend the perception of ecotourism of the actors involved with this practice. It was adopted a qualitative approach under a critical perspective based on bibliographical and documentary research and realization of semi-structured interviews with three groups of actors, namely managers/technician, community and ectourists involved with ecotourism in the selected UCs. The analysis was made using two basic units of analysis (consumption and maintenance) and twelve categories. For definition of units of analysis and categories were taken as reference the authors Santos (1987; 1988; 1994; 2001; 2006), Guerreiro Ramos (1989) and A. B. Rodrigues (1996; 2003), which perform critical to society of consumption and describe the key characteristics of the technical-scientific-informational predominant means, and Diegues (1998; 2000), A. B. Rodrigues (2001), Pires (2002) and Neiman and Rabinovici (2010), which discusse historic and scientifically about the emphasis on conservation present in origins and discourse of ecotourism, describing also its founding characteristics. The main results show that the marketing use of the prefix eco has acted as a new dress for what in reality is in fact ancient, ie, the conservation is used as a justification for another new type of consumption. The results also show that despite the coexistence of commercial and symbolic intentions in both UCs, one can observe the predominance consumer society characteristics in the process of creation and the production activities of APAJ, while in RDSEPT we note the predominance of the conservationist characteristics proclaimed by ecotourism. It can be inferred therefore that tourism held in the APAJ can not be called ecotourism, while the practice found in RDSEPT show an alignment with the guidelines of ecotourism

Vegetação dunar: caracterização estrutural de dunas do município de Natal-RN como subsídio para implantação de técnicas de reflorestamernto, recuperação e conservação do ecossistema

The Brazilian coast has a wide variety of complex environments and ecosystems along the coast, about 80% are represented by sandbanks and dunes. The coastal ecosystems were the first to suffer the impacts man and places, as the very fragile ecosystems, are somehow altered. Are few areas of restinga well as natural features, very few protected in conservation units. Only in the last two decades the Brazilian restinga have been studies that are showing their importance for biodiversity of the country, though its economic importance remains largely unknown. In Rio Grande do Norte in the restinga vegetation and dune environments extend for almost the entire coast. The dunes are distinguished in the coastal landscape of the state due to the exuberance of its forms, heights and coating plants. The dune system is of fundamental importance for the maintenance of coastal urban settlements, especially for the city of Natal, acting on the hydrological dynamics of water table and reducing the effect of wind and movement of grains of sand to the interior and thus avoiding the burial City. However, the ecosystem of restinga and dune environments have been weakened and destroyed according to the intense urbanization and the knowledge of the vegetation of restinga installed on the dunes are still scarce. Thus, the objective of this study was to characterize the structure and floristic composition of vegetation established on a dune in the Dunes State Park Christmas and gather information to develop a model of recovery of the dune ecosystem. This dissertation is composed of 2 chapters, the first being: Structure of the vegetation of the dunes Dunes State Park in Natal, RN with the objective of describing the structure and composition of species of tree-shrub vegetation of restinga dunes of the Parque das Dunas and second: Recovery of degraded areas in a sand dune, which aimed to review the terms and concepts used in the theme of recovery and the techniques for recovery of degraded areas with emphasis on sandy environments and poor in nutrients, reporting some experiences within and external to Brazil the country, mainly in the Northeast and dunes positive and negative aspects that should be followed in building a model to be adopted for the recovery of local dunes

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

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