Biosystematics of the Genus Andryala L. (Asteraceae)

Andryala (Asteraceae: Cichorieae) is a little-known Mediterranean-Macaronesian genus whose taxonomy is much in need of revision. The aim of the present biosystematic study was to elucidate species relationships within this genus based on morphological and molecular data. In this study several taxa are recognised: 17 species, 14 subspecies, and 3 hybrids. Among these, 5 species are Macaronesian endemics (A. glandulosa, A. sparsiflora, A. crithmifolia Aiton, A. pinnatifida, and A. perezii), 4 species are Northwest African endemics (A. mogadorensis, A. maroccana, A. chevallieri, and A. nigricans) and one species is endemic to Romania (A. laevitomentosa). Historical background regarding taxonomic delimitation in the genus is addressed from Linnaean to present day concepts, as well as the origin of the name Andryala. The origin of Asteraceae and the systematic position of Andryala is shortly summarised. The morphological study was based on a bibliographic review and the revision of 1066 specimens of 13 herbaria as well as additional material collected during fieldwork. The variability of the morphological characters of the genus, including both vegetative taxonomic characters (root, stem, leaf and indumentum characters) and reproductive ones (inflorescence, floret, fruit and pappus characters), is assessed. Numerical analysis of the morphological data was performed using different similarity or dissimilarity measures and coefficients, as well as ordination and clustering methods. Results support the segregation of the recognised taxa and the congruence of the several analyses in the separation of the recognised taxa (using quantitative, binary or multi-state characters). The proposed taxonomy for Andryala includes a new infra-generic classification, new taxa and new combinations and ranks, typifications and diagnostic keys (one for the species and several for subspecies). For each taxon a list of synonyms, typification comments and a detailed description are provided, just as comments on taxonomy and nomenclature, and a brief discussion on karyology. Additionally, information on ecology and conservation status as well as on distribution and a list of studied material are also presented. Phylogenetic analyses based on different nuclear and chloroplast DNA markers, using Bayesian and maximum parsimony methods of inference, were performed. Results support three main lineages: separate ones for the relict species A. agardhii and A. laevitomentosa and a third including the majority of the Andryala species that underwent a relatively rapid and recent speciation. They also suggest a single colonization event of Madeira and the Canary Islands from the Mediterranean region, followed by insular speciation. Biogeography and speciation within the genus are briefly discussed, including a proposal for the centre of origin of the genus and possible dispersal routes.

Ordem econômica e política nacional de recursos hídricos: hermenêutica constitucional para o desenvolvimento sustentável

This research proposes a study about the interpretative techniques application that are compatible with the national legal system under the principles for Sustainable Development characterized in Brazilian Constitution. It verifies the actual possibility of reconciliation between national development and environment protection, with reflections under the water legal protection. It was proposed, therefore, to point subsidies for jurisdictional decisions involving development and the environmental goods, protected as constitutionally guaranteed principles. It was assumed that, both development and environment protection represents basic rights that are eventually placed in conflict situations, considering the many legitimate economic activities within the Brazilian State. A representative case analysis was elected within the current national scene, detailing the judicial and political conflict involving the Transboundery water Project from the São Francisco River Basin to another Northeastern river basin in Brazil. The implementation of several constitutional principles with elements from legal hermeneutics provides subsidies for the legal analysis about the conflict between development and environmental protection. It was assumed that the main discussion item about rights due to development today is the institutions influence and their results, among them the rules, laws and interpretative elements for the constitutional text objectivity, as the institutions credibility and the Supreme Courts interpretations. The use of interpretative resources for specific conflict situations about constitutional principles by Superior Courts, on the search, would bring a contributory factor for decision safety, related to sustainable development principles, elimination of inequalities and regional protecting for the environment. Specific aspects of Law No. 9.433/97 that introduced the National Water Resources Policy were examined, with its instruments, in order to specifically contextualize aspects of the Brazilian water resources management politics

Análise da bacia hidrográfica do Rio Punaú-Rio Grande do Norte utilizando ferramentas de geoprocessamento

Provide data and information on watershed becomes important since the knowledge of their physical characteristics, land use, etcetera, allows for better planning and sustainable use of economically, socially and environmentally in this area. The investigation of the physical environment has been commonly given with the use of geoprocessing, which has proved a very efficient tool. Within this context, this research aims at analyzing the river basin Punaú (located in the cities of Touros, Rio do Fogo and Pureza, state of Rio Grande do Norte) in several aspects, using geoprocessing as a tool of work, to provide information about the entire watershed. Specifically, this study aimed to update pre-existing maps, such as geological, geomorphological and land use, generating map of environmental vulnerability, under the aspect of erosion susceptibility of the area, generating map of legal incompatibility, identifying areas that are already being employed in breach of environmental legislation; propose solutions to the occupation of the river basin Punaú, focused on environmental planning. The methodology was based on the use of geoprocessing tools for data analysis and to make maps of legal incompatibility and environmental vulnerability. For the first map was taken into account the environmental legislation regarding the protection of watersheds. For the vulnerability analysis, the generated map was the result of crossing the maps of geology, geomorphology, soils and land use, having been assigned weights to different attributes of thematic maps, generating a map of environmental vulnerability in relation to susceptibility to erosion. The analysis results indicate that agriculture is the most significant activity in the basin, in total occupied area, which confers a high degree of environmental vulnerability in most of the basin, and some agricultural areas eventually develop in a manner inconsistent with Brazilian environmental legislation. It is proposed to consider deploying a measure of revitalization of the watershed in more critical areas and conservation through mitigation measures on the causes of environmental degradation, such as protection of water sources, protection and restoration of riparian vegetation, protection of permanent preservation areas, containment of erosion processes in general, and others listed or not in specific laws, and even the establishment of a committee of basins in the area

Caracterização espacial de reservatórios do semiárido em função da qualidade da água através do uso de componentes principais

A região semiárida sofre escassez hídrica. A fim de regularizar a disponibilidade hídrica nos períodos de estiagem, são construídas barragens. No entanto, a qualidade da água armazenada tem sofrido os efeitos do descarte irregular de resíduos no meio ambiente e das atividades antrópicas exercidas nas bacias hidrográficas. A degradação hídrica pode ser constatada a partir do monitoramento dos parâmetros de qualidade da água. Estes dados podem ser analisados através de métodos estatísticos tais como a Análise de Componentes Principais e a análise de agrupamento, que seleciona indivíduos com características semelhantes. O objetivo deste trabalho é realizar oagrupamento dos reservatórios do Rio Grande do Norte, com base nos parâmetros de qualidade da água, para a identificação de grupos homogêneos de reservatórios em termos de fontes de poluição. Serão objeto desse estudo as bacias Piranhas-Açu, Apodi-Mossoró, Trairí, Potengi e Ceará-Mirim. Os parâmetros mercúrio, chumbo, cromo, fósforo total, nitrogênio total e zinco contribuíram para a formação da primeira componente principal, que pode indicar poluição por metais pesados; sólidos totais, DBO, OD e cobre, para a segunda componente, que pode ser indicativo de poluição por matéria orgânica e atividades antrópicas; e clorofila a , cádmio e níquel, para a terceira componente, que pode indicar eutrofização e poluição por metais pesados. De posse das componentes principais se procedeu o agrupamento dos reservatórios, formando-se quatro grupos distintos. Os grupos 1 e 2 são constituídos por reservatórios da Bacia Piranhas-Açu, que apresentou maiores valores de metais pesados. O grupo 3, constituído por reservatórios das bacias Ceará-Mirim, Potengi e Trairí, apresentou maiores valores de DBO e sólidostotais e o grupo 4 é formado por reservatórios da Bacia Apodi-Mossoró. Nas Bacias do Trarí e Piranhas-Açu deve ser coibido o lançamento desordenado de efluentes e fontes de poluição difusas, e implantado um sistema de coleta de esgoto para minimizar a poluição por matéria orgânica

Aerofotos convencionais e imagens orbitais TM/LANDSAT no mapeamento morfopedológico em Santa Bárbara D'Oeste (SP)

Foram estudados, com o auxílio de fotografias aéreas, aspectos qualitativos e quantitativos do relevo e da rede de drenagem de solos de uma área de Santa Bárbara D'Oeste, SP. Esta região compreende 14.625 ha, onde foram selecionadas bacias hidrográficas de 3ª ordem de ramificação e amostras circulares de 5km². As unidades de mapeamento simples ou associações de solos são: Latossolo Vermelho Escuro, Podzólico, Litossolo + Podzólico, Terra Roxa Estruturada + Latossolo Roxo distrófico. Após a caracterização das feições fisiográficas, da área de ocorrência desses solos, foram realizados dois mapas morfopedológicos. No primeiro utilizou-se fotografias aéreas verticais pancromáticas na escala 1: 35.000 (data de 25/6/78) e no segundo imagens orbitais do sensor Thematic Mapper do LANDSAT-5, nas bandas 3, 4 e 5 e composição colorida 3/4/5 na escala 1: 100.000 (data de 12/9/91). As análises qualitativas e quantitativas do relevo (índice de declividade média) e rede de drenagem (densidade de drenagem, freqüência de rios, razão de textura) mostraram-se eficientes na diferenciação das unidades de solo estudadas, tanto em bacias hidrográficas como em amostras circulares. A utilização de fotografias aéreas, permitiu maior riqueza de detalhes na precisão dos limites das unidades de mapeamento e no maior número de unidades de mapeamento discriminadas em relação as imagens orbitais. A composição colorida 3/4/5 permitiu diferenciar os Latossolos argilosos dos Latossolos de textura média, assim como o Latossolo Húmico.

Estratégia de vida do peixe anual Hypsolebias antenori (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) do semiárido brasileiro

This work deals with the life strategy of an endangered annual fish, Hypsolebias antenori (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae), of the Brazilian semiarid region. The eggs of these fish hatch at the onset of the rainy season, grows rapidly and they reproduce during the rainy season. When the water puddles dry out, the entire population dies. The resistant eggs which are buried in the bottom of the dried pools go through diapause stages, during which time the embryonic development becomes temporarily arrested. With the onset of the next rainy season, the eggs hatch and a new generation is formed. Specimens of H. antenori were captured during 2011 and 2013, in temporary water pools located in the hydrographic basin of river Jaguaribe in Ceará, Brazil. Sex ratio, the length-weight relationship, the growth type, first sexual maturity, anatomy and histology of the digestive tract, development of gonads, reproductive strategy, karyotypic pattern of the species, and the conservation status of H. antenori were investigated. The results of this study are presented in the form of eight articles. The first article is about the fish faunal composition of the hydrographic basins of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, wherein the record of H. antenori is included. The second article deals with the sex ratio, secondary sexual characteristics of males, the length-weight relationship and the type of growth. Males show a pattern of intense coloration with well developed fins. The sex ratio showed a significant predominance of females (1M:1.7 F). Males were larger in length and weight. The equation of weight and total length relationship was Wt=0.0271Lt3,8937, showing a positively allometric growth, indicating greater increase in weight than in length. The third article discusses the anatomy and histology of the digestive tract of H. antenori. It is considered as a generalist feeder with characteristics of omnivore, which utilizes different food sources. The fourth article discusses the stages and phases of gonad development and type of spawning of H. antenori. The fifth article is about the r reproductive strategy adopted by H. antenori which helps in successful reproduction over a short period of life. The sixth article deals karyotypic pattern of the species, constituting the first cytogenetic contribution to the genus. The seventh article discusses about the risk of extinction of this species which suffers a series of threats, such as, habitat loss through land use, deforestation, construction of reservoirs, pollution due to domestic and industrial sewage, besides pesticides and agrochemicals. Furthermore, decreasing rainfall and intensification of aridity due to global climate changes, interferes with the reproductive cycle. The eighth article deals with aggressive behavior adopted between males and among females during reproduction. All temporary water pools sampled during this study were in high degree of degradation, mainly due to human action. There is a great need for conservation measures to protect the populations of annual fish, including the creation of protected areas in the semiarid ephemeral aquatic environments of Brazil

Protozoários de vida livre em dois trechos da bacia hidrográfica do rio pirangi (RN): relações com a educação em ciências e preservação

The vast hidric wealth of Brazil gets its watersheds more susceptible to impacts that compromise the water quality, affecting the ecosystem stability of aquatic environments. The decrease in the quality of water resources also results in a decrease of its multiple uses, especially in tourist areas of the coast, where the continuous flow of people to these sites increases even further the probability of inappropriate behavior of both tourists and local residents. Studies regarding the microbiological communities are still scarce, especially on the free-living protozoa that play unique roles in the food chain of aquatic ecosystems. Due to the large role played by this group of microorganisms in aquatic environments, the present study aimed at identifying the genus and species of free-living protozoa present in two sections of the Pium River, east coast of Rio Grande do Norte, making an association between the its occurrence and trophic conditions of the environment in which they are, also checking the bioindicator capacity of these organisms in water quality. It also aimed to conduct a survey with students to identify the main difficulties regarding the knowledge of free-living protozoa and hydric transmission diseases in two public schools near the river studied in the Pium district, county of Parnamirim. The survey was analyzed by means of questionnaires at both schools. Students identified several activities developed Pium river, highlighting its multifunctionality and importance to the region. A total of 76 taxa of free-living protozoa was recorded, of these, 33 were ciliates, 19 flagellates and 24 sarcodia. The spatial and temporal patterns of these organisms to both points studied revealed the bioindicator potentiality of some effective species identified. However, knowledge about the free-living protozoa proved quite lagged, presenting misconceptions that show them as pathogenic organisms exclusively, totally disregarding their ecological role. In order to remedy the flaws existing in students in relation to the functional role of protozoa, workshops were planned on these microorganisms while also addressing issues related to hydric transmission diseases through lectures, recreational activities and interactive presentations. These practical activities of Science Education had the goal of bringing students the context of local water resources, aiming to promote a greater clarification regarding of the functional role of free-living protozoa in aquatic environments

Caracterização sonográfica e sismoestratigráfica de alta resolução do estuário do Rio Potengi, Natal - RN

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior

Fragilidade ambiental da bacia hidrográfica do Rio Punaú (RN) e área litorânea adjacente

Hydrographic basins always exercised a big fascination over humankind that attracted for its scenery beauty or for its richness in natural resources, had been acting in order to modify these important ecosystems without, therefore, considering the possible consequences of these changes. The attributed importance to the coast ecosystems, in eminence to the hydrographic basin of Punaú river and adjacent areas, is had when it s verified the diversity of the ecosystems that contemplate it. Hydrographic basin in evidence in Rio Grande do Norte state, occupies an area of nearly 652.71 km², being it sited in the homogeneous micro-region Litoral Nordeste, with a regional population estimated in nearly 75,188 inhabitants, according to the Anuário Estatístico do Rio Grande do Norte 2004. The region of the researched basin is formed by seven municipal districts related as it follows: Maxaranguape, Pedra Grande, Pureza, Rio do Fogo, São Miguel de Touros, Taipu and Touros, but Maxaranguape, Rio do Fogo, Touros and Pureza have a direct participation in the basin. Basin in study have it lands evaluated according to the agriculturist aptitude by the conventionally methodology practiced in the country, having as objective, then, a compara-tive analysis between the ambient unities, Aeolian littoral and coast tray, identified in the researched area. From the characterization of the physic way of the area in study and owning the kept data, it was proceeded the integrated analysis of the structural elements of the landscape which were evidenced that the fragile areas are associated with the areas of agriculture cultivation, such as the ones of irregular occupation. About the degradation, the ambient diagnostic of the basin indicated that the equivalent to the Aeolian Littoral Ambient Unit correspond to the bigger pledging of the ambient quality, in other words, high ambient fragility, being this result due to the use and occupation of the soil, propitiating this way, vulnerability in the vegetal cover of the area, despite it disposes of a low agriculture cultivation percentage. Already in the Coast Ambient Tray, is emphasized the medium ambient fragility, despite of the high index of cultivated area. In a general way, the total area of the hydrographic basin of Punaú river and adjacent areas presented ambient impacts over the tolerance limit, indicating the necessity of a review of the practices of use and handling of the soil, reforesting of the water courses edges, control of erosion and contamination of the aqueous in the perspective to reduce the effects of the impacts due to the use and occupation of the basin in regard. The present search evaluated the ambient impacts diagnosised in the hydrographic basin of Punaú river and adjacent areas, pointing the causes and the probable consequences of the damages caused by these impacts to the basin ambient. From the analysis of these data, if was possible to become explicit how they are fundamental as key elements in the process of decision taking in the ambient questions

Phytoplankton assemblages in a reservoir cascade of a large tropical - subtropical river (SE, Brazil)

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

Concordance between macroinvertebrate communities and the typological classification of white and clear-water streams in Western Brazilian Amazonia

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Community structure of aquatic insects (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) in Cerrado streams of Paraguay, Paraná, and São Francisco river basins

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

A construção coletiva interdisciplinar em educação ambiental no ensino médio: a microbacia hidrográfica do Ribeirão dos Peixes como tema gerador

O Ribeirão dos Peixes é o principal corpo de água do município de Dois Córregos (SP), e as conseqüências das atividades antrópicas no local exigem urgentes providências para a recuperação do sistema. Considerando que as bacias hidrográficas representam uma temática bastante adequada para um programa de Educação Ambiental e, ainda, as dificuldades/necessidades apresentadas, pelos professores, para o desenvolvimento de práticas que estimulem a conscientização dos alunos com respeito às questões ambientais, o presente estudo visou à formação interdisciplinar de educadores que atuavam no terceiro ano do ensino médio de uma escola estadual, no sentido de possibilitar que trabalhassem posteriormente com seus alunos a dimensão ambiental da microbacia hidrográfica do Ribeirão dos Peixes. Uma investigação inicial sobre as práticas pedagógicas dos professores em relação à abordagem do tema e à Educação Ambiental forneceu subsídios para que este trabalho fosse conduzido, por meio da Pesquisa-ação-participativa e complementada pelo Ensino por pesquisa.

A ictiofauna de cabeceiras do rio Tietê, São Paulo, Brasil

Uma síntese das espécies de peixes de cabeceiras do rio Tietê é apresentada com base em material de coleções zoológicas e novas coletas realizadas. São referidas para região 56 espécies pertencentes a sete ordens e 16 famílias, aumentando significativamente números anteriores. Os resultados mostram que as cabeceiras do rio Tietê possuem uma composição ictiofaunistica bastante peculiar, distinta daquela encontrada no restante do Alto rio Paraná, mostrando acentuado grau de endemismo e grande similaridade com bacias hidrográficas litorâneas, corroborando a hipótese de captura de rios da região por drenagens costeiras e vice e versa no passado. Dentre as espécies encontradas na região, oito são endêmicas (14,3%), 13 são encontradas nas cabeceiras do rio Tietê e drenagens litorâneas da região sudeste do Brasil (23,2%), dez ocorrem em todo Alto rio Paraná (17,9%), cinco são encontradas no Alto rio Paraná e drenagens litorâneas da região sudeste do Brasil (8,9%), enquanto 13 espécies mostram uma ampla distribuição na América do Sul (23,2%), das quais parte ainda precisa ter a identidade confirmada. A diversidade de espécies é acrescida de pelo menos cinco espécies novas pertencentes aos gêneros Cyphocharax, Characidium, Astyanax, Pareiorhina e Australoheros e quatro novos registros são feitos para Characidium cf. zebra, Scleromystax barbatus, Crenicicla britskii e Synbranchus cf. marmoratus. Pelo menos sete espécies introduzidas estão estabelecidas na região, enquanto outras dez espécies são relacionadas em listas de espécies ameaçadas.

Tectonic history and the biogeography of the freshwater fishes from the coastal drainages of eastern Brazil: an example of faunal evolution associated with a divergent continental margin

As drenagens costeiras do leste do Brasil correspondem a áreas de grande significado biogeográfico, apresentando um alto grau de endemismo em sua fauna de peixes. Padrões filogenéticos sugerem uma relação próxima entre os rios que correm para o Atlântico a os adjacentes das terras altas do escudo cristalino. Entretanto, pouco tem sido dito sobre a dinâmica dos processos geológicos relacionados aos eventos cladogenéticos entre estas áreas. Padrões de distribuição e filogenéticos sugerem uma íntima associação com a história geológica da margem continental passiva da América do Sul, desde o Cretáceo aos dias atuais. Soerguimentos macrodômicos, rifteamento, movimentos verticais entre blocos falhados e o recuo erosivo da margem leste sul-americana são considerados como as principais forças geológicas atuando sobre a distribuição da ictiofauna de água doce nestas áreas. A atividade tectônica associada à ruptura do Gondwana e separação da América do Sul e África criou seis megadomos que são responsáveis por configurar a maior parte do atual curso das principais bacias hidrográficas do escudo cristalino. Com exceção das bacias localizadas às margens de tais megadomos, estes rios desenvolveram longos e sinuosos circuitos sobre o antigo escudo cristalino brasileiro antes de desaguarem no então recentemente aberto Oceano Atlântico. Eventos cladogenéticos iniciais entre drenagens de terras altas do escudo cristalino e tributários do Atlântico podem estar associados com processos vicariantes desta fase inicial, e alguns táxons antigos, basais, grupos-irmão de táxons muito inclusivos e de ampla distribuição são encontrados nestas bacias hidrográficas. Mais tarde, a denudação erosiva generalizada resultou em um ajuste isostático da margem leste da plataforma. Tal ajuste, concomitantemente a reativações de antigas zonas de falha, resultou em movimentos verticais entre blocos falhados, dando origem, no sudeste do Brasil, a bacias tafrogênicas. Tais bacias, como a de Taubaté, São Paulo, Curitiba e Volta Redonda, entre outras, capturaram drenagens e fauna de terras altas adjacentes. Os peixes fósseis da Formação Tremembé (Eoceno-Oligoceno da Bacia de Taubaté) exemplificam este processo. Outros sistemas tafrogênicos de idade Terciária foram também identificados em outros segmentos da margem continental Atlântica, como na Província Borborema, no NE do Brasil, com marcada influência sobre o padrão de drenagem. Ao mesmo tempo, o recuo erosivo da margem leste da plataforma capturou sucessivamente rios de planalto, os quais se tornaram tributários atlânticos, evoluindo associados aos principais sistemas de falha. A natureza continuada destes processos explica os padrões filogenéticos e de distribuição miscigenados entre os tributários atlânticos e as terras altas do escudo cristalino adjacente, especialmente na margem sudeste do continente, representados por sucessivos, cada vez menos inclusivos, grupos irmãos, associados a eventos cladogenéticos desde o final do Cretáceo ao presente.