Soil and crop residue CO2-C emission under tillage systems in sugarcane-producing areas of southern Brazil

Appropriate management of agricultural crop residues could result in increases on soil organic carbon (SOC) and help to mitigate gas effect. To distinguish the contributions of SOC and sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) residues to the short-term CO2-C loss, we studied the infl uence of several tillage systems: heavy offset disk harrow (HO), chisel plow (CP), rotary tiller (RT), and sugarcane mill tiller (SM) in 2008, and CP, RT, SM, moldboard (MP), and subsoiler (SUB) in 2009, with and without sugarcane residues relative to no-till (NT) in the sugarcane producing region of Brazil. Soil CO2-C emissions were measured daily for two weeks after tillage using portable soil respiration systems. Daily CO2-C emissions declined after tillage regardless of tillage system. In 2008, total CO2-C from SOC and/or residue decomposition was greater for RT and lowest for CP. In 2009, emission was greatest for MP and CP with residues, and smallest for NT. SOC and residue contributed 47% and 41%, respectively, to total CO2-C emissions. Regarding the estimated emissions from sugarcane residue and SOC decomposition within the measurement period, CO2-C factor was similar to sugarcane residue and soil organic carbon decomposition, depending on the tillage system applied. Our approach may define new emission factors that are associated to tillage operations on bare or sugarcane-residue-covered soils to estimate the total carbon loss.

A Framework to Optimize Biodiversity Restoration Efforts Based on Habitat Amount and Landscape Connectivity

The effectiveness of ecological restoration actions toward biodiversity conservation depends on both local and landscape constraints. Extensive information on local constraints is already available, but few studies consider the landscape context when planning restoration actions. We propose a multiscale framework based on the landscape attributes of habitat amount and connectivity to infer landscape resilience and to set priority areas for restoration. Landscapes with intermediate habitat amount and where connectivity remains sufficiently high to favor recolonization were considered to be intermediately resilient, with high possibilities of restoration effectiveness and thus were designated as priority areas for restoration actions. The proposed method consists of three steps: (1) quantifying habitat amount and connectivity; (2) using landscape ecology theory to identify intermediate resilience landscapes based on habitat amount, percolation theory, and landscape connectivity; and (3) ranking landscapes according to their importance as corridors or bottlenecks for biological flows on a broader scale, based on a graph theory approach. We present a case study for the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (approximately 150 million hectares) in order to demonstrate the proposed method. For the Atlantic Forest, landscapes that present high restoration effectiveness represent only 10% of the region, but contain approximately 15 million hectares that could be targeted for restoration actions (an area similar to today's remaining forest extent). The proposed method represents a practical way to both plan restoration actions and optimize biodiversity conservation efforts by focusing on landscapes that would result in greater conservation benefits. © 2013 Society for Ecological Restoration.

Building consensus and establishing compacts in social policy: Notes for an analytical framework

Includes bibliography.

Avaliação comparativa entre a estimativa do impacto gerado por efluentes domésticos de assentamentos espontâneos e de ocupação formal na bacia do Tucunduba em Belém - Pará

A presente pesquisa apresenta avaliação comparativa do impacto ambiental gerado por contextos habitacionais diferentes dentro do mesmo espaço urbano, no caso o bairro do Guamá, município de Belém, o contexto formal corresponde à ocupação da Av. José Bonifácio e o contexto de produção informal corresponde à comunidade do Riacho Doce. Na referida avaliação foram levados em consideração para investigação os seguintes aspectos: Consumo per capita de água, consumo per capita de esgoto, universalidade e equidade do fornecimento dos serviços de saneamento (abastecimento de água e esgotamento sanitário), tarifação de abastecimento de água, qualidade e acessibilidade dos serviços, contexto habitacional, aspectos socioambientais, com objetivo de caracterizar a população residente nessas áreas e finalmente estimar a carga orgânica (Kg de DBO/dia) e a vazão (m3/d) de efluentes domésticos gerados de assentamentos espontâneos e em uma área urbana consolidada, com o intuito de identificar qual contexto habitacional apresenta maior potencial de impacto em termos de geração de vazão e carga orgânica sobre a bacia receptora de efluentes, neste caso a Bacia do Tucunduba. Apesar dos resultados serem valores relativamente próximos, na área de Assentamento Espontâneo, a vazão de esgotos estimada 44,38 m3/dia e Carga Orgânica de 13,31 Kg de DBO/dia, e na área de Ocupação Formal a vazão de esgotos estimada 43,06 m3/dia e Carga Orgânica de 12,91 Kg de DBO/dia, foi possível observar neste trabalho que existe diferenciação do impacto ambiental gerado pelas duas áreas na bacia receptora no Igarapé Tucunduba, sendo maior no Riacho Doce onde a população permanece em contato com os efluentes e sob maior vulnerabilidade sanitária, pois, os efluentes da José Bonifácio são encaminhados pela rede de drenagem e sua carga orgânica é diluída pela vazão de águas pluviais ao chegarem ao Igarapé (distanciando a contaminação de sua fonte) e os efluentes do Riacho Doce são lançados in natura diretamente sob as casas e no Igarapé.

Mineralogical and geochemical influences on sediment color of Amazon wetlands analyzed by visible spectrophotometry

Com base em dados sedimentológicos e geoquímicos, este trabalho relaciona medições espectrofotométricas com a composição do sedimento, e sua aplicação em estudos paleoecológicos das áreas alagáveis da Amazônia. Os dados CIELAB estão diretamente relacionados à composição mineralógica e química dos sedimentos, especialmente quartzo, oxihidróxidos e sulfetos de ferro, e carbono orgânico total. Conteúdos de carbono orgânico total entre 0,4-1%, 1-2%, 3-5% e 15-40% foram relacionados a dados de L* (luminosidade) de 27, 26-15, 7-10 e 7 ou menos, respectivamente. Os valores CIELAB de um depósito com turfa em Marabá, Pará, foram proporcionais a variações no conteúdo de quartzo e carbono orgânico total, mas mudanças nas zonas de cores similares, principalmente nos valores de +a* (vermelho) e +b* (amarelo), ao longo de outros depósitos em Calçoene, Amapá e Soure, Pará, indicam uma relação muito próxima entre os conteúdos de carbono orgânico total, oxihidróxidos e sulfetos de ferro. Além disso, o diagrama Q7/4 (razão entre valores percentuais de refletância em 700 nm e 400 nm, juntamente com dados de L*) indicou sedimentos ricos em ferro para a fácies lama bioturbada no depósito do Amapá, fácies lama bioturbada e areia bioturbada do depósito de Soure, e das fácies areia com laminação cruzada e areia maciça do depósito de Marabá. Ainda, sedimentos ricos em carbono orgânico foram encontrados na lama bioturbada no depósito do Amapá, fácies heterolítica lenticular e lama bioturbada do depósito de Soure, e das fácies lama laminado e turfa do depósito de Marabá. Na área de Marabá, os dados sugerem uma influência autóctone com formação de turfa. As áreas de zonas úmidas costeiras no Marajó e Amapá representam o desenvolvimento típico de planícies de maré com formação de sulfetos e oxihidróxidos de ferro durante alternâncias entre inundação e exposição.

Foraminifera, thecamoebians and palynomorphs as hydrodynamic indicators in Araguari Estuary, Amazonian Coast, Amapá State - Brazil

O regime de macromaré e a pororoca controlam a dinâmica estuarina do Araguari, na qual é muito diferente dos modelos tradicionais dos estuários sob este regime de maré. Objetivando estabelecer zonas estuarinas no Araguari com base em assembléias de foraminíferos, tecamebas, palinomorfos e parâmetros físico-químicos, foram estabelecidas dezesseis estações amostrais ao longo do estuário. A turbidez e a temperatura foram os parâmetros ambientais que permitiram determinar gradiente estuarino. Dezoito espécies de foraminíferos, dez espécies de tecamebas e quatorze espécies de palinomorfos foram identificadas. A análise de agrupamento em modo-R mostrou a existência de assembléias de foraminíferos e quatro de palinomorfos. A análise em CCA demonstrou que a turbidez e a matéria orgânica como os parâmetros de maior influência na distribuição dos foraminíferos tecamebas no Araguari. A análise de agrupamento em Modo-Q usando todos os dados formou quarto grupos de estações que sugerem a existência de três zonas estuarinas: Zona I - composta por tecamebas e palinomorfos continentais; Zona II - compostas por foraminíferos de manguezal, acritacos e todas as assembléias de palinomorfos; e Zona III - composta por foraminíferos de manguezal e estuarinos e por todas as assembléias de palinomorfos.

Effects of traffic control on the soil physical quality and the cultivation of sugarcane

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Electrochemical Determination of Organic Compounds in Automotive Fuels

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Evaluation of diffusive gradients in thin films technique (DGT) for measuring Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn in Amazonian rivers

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

Sources and levels of selenium on breast meat quality of broilers

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

The relationships between parasite intensity, locomotor performance, and body condition in adult toads (Rhinella icterica) from the wild

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

The Role of the (In)visible and the Secret in the Translation of Harryette Mullen s Muse & Drudge

This paper, based on Jacques Derrida’s thoughts in Des Tours of Babel, addresses the issue regarding the (in)visible in translation, by arguing that the latter, beyond the traditional conception of communication, produces a complex set of relations between the visible and the invisible, which highlights the values of the non-dit and the secret that take place in their relation to interpretation. This line of thought underpins the discussion of my translation of two poems from Muse & Drudge (1995), by the African-American poet Harryette Mullen, whose dense poetry displays un(expected) possibilities of meanings and associations that proliferate in translation. It is argued that every act of translation entails a relationship between that which is translated (and made visible or intelligible through this act) and that which remains invisible and secret by resisting a definitive translation, which, as such, requires further interpretations in search for intelligibility (or “visibility”). We analyze the extent to which such relation between the visible and the invisible takes part in the translation of the notion of blackness raised by Mullen’s poems and how her translated poetry dialogues with issues of reception in Brazilian culture.

Zero-valent iron mediated degradation of ciprofloxacin - Assessment of adsorption, operational parameters and degradation products

The zero-valent iron (ZVI) mediated degradation of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) was studied under oxic condition. Operational parameters such as ZVI concentration and initial pH value were evaluated. Increase of the ZVI concentration from 1 to 5 g L−1 resulted in a sharp increase of the observed pseudo-first order rate constant of CIP degradation, reaching a plateau at around 10 g L−1. The contribution of adsorption to the overall removal of CIP and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was evaluated after a procedure of acidification to pH 2.5 with sulfuric acid and sonication for 2 min. Adsorption increased as pH increased, while degradation decreased, showing that adsorption is not important for degradation. Contribution of adsorption was much more important for DOC removal than for CIP. Degradation of CIP resulted in partial defluorination since the fluoride measured corresponded to 34% of the theoretical value after 120 min of reaction. Analysis by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry showed the presence of products of hydroxylation on both piperazine and quinolonic rings generating fluorinated and defluorinated compounds as well as a product of the piperazine ring cleavage.

The assemblage composition and structure of swimming crabs (Portunoidea) in continental shelf waters of southeastern Brazil

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

Exercise and oxidative stress: p,otential effects of antioxidant dietary strategies in sports

Free radicals are produced during aerobic cellular metabolism and have key roles as regulatory mediators in signaling processes. Oxidative stress reflects an imbalance between production of reactive oxygen species and an adequate antioxidant defense. This adverse condition may lead to cellular and tissue damage of components, and is involved in different physiopathological states, including aging, exercise, inflammatory, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. In particular, the relationship between exercise and oxidative stress is extremely complex, depending on the mode, intensity, and duration of exercise. Regular moderate training appears beneficial for oxidative stress and health. Conversely, acute exercise leads to increased oxidative stress, although this same stimulus is necessary to allow an up-regulation in endogenous antioxidant defenses (hormesis). Supporting endogenous defenses with additional oral antioxidant supplementation may represent a suitable noninvasive tool for preventing or reducing oxidative stress during training. However, excess of exogenous antioxidants may have detrimental effects on health and performance. Whole foods, rather than capsules, contain antioxidants in natural ratios and proportions, which may act in synergy to optimize the antioxidant effect. Thus, an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals through a varied and balanced diet remains the best approach to maintain an optimal antioxidant status. Antioxidant supplementation may be warranted in particular conditions, when athletes are exposed to high oxidative stress or fail to meet dietary antioxidant requirements. Aim of this review is to discuss the evidence on the relationship between exercise and oxidative stress, and the potential effects of dietary strategies in athletes. The differences between diet and exogenous supplementation as well as available tools to estimate effectiveness of antioxidant intake are also reported. Finally, we advocate the need to adopt an individualized diet for each athlete performing a specific sport or in a specific period of training, clinically supervised with inclusion of blood analysis and physiological tests, in a comprehensive nutritional assessment. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.