Mercury contamination in fanned fish setup on former garimpo mining areas in the Northern Mato Grosso State, Amazonian region, Brazil

The garimpo gold mining activity has released about 2.500 tons of mercury in the Brazilian Amazonian environment in the 1980-1995 period. The northern region of Mato Grosso State, an important gold mining and trading area during the Arnazonian gold rush is now at a turning point regarding its economic future. Nowadays, the activities related to gold mining have only a low relevance on its economy. Thus, the local communities are looking for economic alternatives for the development of the region. Cooperative fish farming is one of such alternatives. However, some projects are directly implemented on areas degraded by the former garimpo activity and the mercury left behind still poses risks, especially by its potential accumulation in fish. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the levels of mercury contamination in two fish farming areas, Paranaita and Alta Floresta, with and without records of past gold-washing activity, respectively. Data such as mercury concentration in fish of different trophic level, size, and weight as well as the water physical and chemical parameters were measured and considered. These preliminary data have shown no significant difference between these two fish fanning areas, relatively to mercury levels in fish. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dairy cattle, dogs, and humans from the Jauru micro-region, Mato Grosso state, Brazil

In order to determine the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies, 2000 serum samples from female dairy cattle belonging to 50 farms in the southwest of Mato Grosso state were analyzed by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT >= 64). Serum samples from 61 dogs (IFAT >= 40) and 116 humans (IFAT = 40), all from the same farm, were also tested. Among these samples, 1420 (71.0%) cattle, 54 (88.5%) dogs, and 113 (97.4%) humans were seropositive for the infection. No significant differences (P >= 0.05) were observed for risk factors associated with the occurrence of toxoplasmosis in humans due to contaminated sources such as fresh milk, cheese/sausage, and contact with felines or other animals. The presence of felines can indicate the likelihood of a contaminated environment, posing a risk to the human population and other animals. The work presented herein is the first report to evaluate the seroprevalence of T gondii in bovines from the Southwest region of the Mato Grosso state, Brazil. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Helminths of Lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) from Mato Grosso State, Brazil

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

Plant inhabiting mites (Acari) from the Cerrado biome of Mato Grosso State, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Two new species of Perlidae (Plecoptera) from Mato Grosso State, western Brazil

Adult stoneflies collected in emergence and light traps in central Mato Grosso State are studied. Two new species, Anacroneuria jaciara sp.n. and Macrogynoplax matogrossensis sp.n. are described. Copyright © 2005 Magnolia Press.

New records and distribution extensions of three species of Mesoclemmys Gray, 1863 (Testudines: Chelidae) in Mato Grosso state, Brazil, with observations on terrestrial movements

Distribution patterns of most of the 20 Neotropical freshwater turtles belonging to the family Chelidae are usually based on few locality records. We here report on vouchered records of three species of the chelid genus Mesoclemmys in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. Presence of M. vanderhaegei is confirmed for the Amazon River Basin, and M. gibba and M. raniceps are recorded in Mato Grosso for the first time. © 2012 Check List and Authors.

Endoparasites infecting the semiaquatic coral snake Micrurus surinamensis (Squamata: Elapidae) in the southern amazonian region, Mato Grosso state, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Evaluation of oral health in a community of native brazilians of the umutina reservation, Mato Grosso State

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

Prey-capture efficiency between juveniles and adults, feeding habitat and abundance of Wattled Jacana foragers in northern Pantanal, Mato Grosso state, Brazil

The choice of foraging strategies implies an attempt at gaining energy by predators. Supposedly, the difference in employing the "sit and wait" or "active foraging" behavior lays in hunter skills, experience and the kind of prey consumed. With the hypothesis that "active foraging" demands no learning, in this study we compared the prey capture efficiency among Wattled Jacana juveniles and adults, and also present descriptive information about feeding habitat and the abundance variation of foragers throughout the day in the northern Pantanal. Prey capture efficiency did not differ significantly among juveniles and adults, corroborating our initial hypothesis that "active foraging" is an instinctive behavior and demands no experience to be effective. However, future work is necessary to compare the energetic quality of consumed items by juveniles and adults, searching for differences explained by adults' experience. Foraging individuals were found at an average distance of 14 m ranging from 2 to 42 m) from the margin of the sampled swamps, however 64% of the foragers were found closer to the margins. The average depth of foraging sites was 17 cm, ranging from 5 to 40 cm, although no preference for specific classes of depth was found (p > 0,05). Despite the accepted general pattern of birds being more active in the early morning, the largest number of individuals foraging was observed between 11:00 and 12:00 AM, but no significant difference was found in the abundance of foraging individuals among different periods of the day. Factors, which were not analyzed, such as food availability and presence of competitors and predators need to be studied to reveal the main factors of the spatial and temporal distribution of the Wattled Jacana.

Mercury contamination in fanned fish setup on former garimpo mining areas in the Northern Mato Grosso State, Amazonian region, Brazil

The garimpo gold mining activity has released about 2.500 tons of mercury in the Brazilian Amazonian environment in the 1980-1995 period. The northern region of Mato Grosso State, an important gold mining and trading area during the Arnazonian gold rush is now at a turning point regarding its economic future. Nowadays, the activities related to gold mining have only a low relevance on its economy. Thus, the local communities are looking for economic alternatives for the development of the region. Cooperative fish farming is one of such alternatives. However, some projects are directly implemented on areas degraded by the former garimpo activity and the mercury left behind still poses risks, especially by its potential accumulation in fish. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the levels of mercury contamination in two fish farming areas, Paranaita and Alta Floresta, with and without records of past gold-washing activity, respectively. Data such as mercury concentration in fish of different trophic level, size, and weight as well as the water physical and chemical parameters were measured and considered. These preliminary data have shown no significant difference between these two fish fanning areas, relatively to mercury levels in fish. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Leposoma osvaldoi avila-pires, 1995 (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae): New records and distribution map in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

The present study provides the distribution map and reports new records of the gymnophthalmid lizard Leposoma osvaldoi Avila-Pires, 1995, from Mato Grosso state, Brazil, extending the known geographical distribution of the species ca. 42 km northeastern in straight line from the nearest record in the state. © 2011 Check List and Authors.

Lower mantle diamonds from Rio Soriso (Juina area, Mato Grosso, Brazil)

The morphology, colour, fluorescence, cathodoluminescence, nitrogen content and aggregation state, internal structure and mineral inclusions have been studied for 69 alluvial diamonds from the Rio Soriso (Juina area, Mato Grosso State, Brazil). Nitrogen in most diamonds (53%) is fully aggregated as B centres, but there is also a large proportion of N-free stones (38%). A strong positive correlation between nitrogen and IR-active hydrogen concentrations is observed. The diamonds contain (in order of decreasing abundance) ferropericlase, CaSi-perovskite, magnetite, MgSi-perovskite, pyrrhotite, 'olivine', SiO2, perovskite, tetragonal almandine-pyrope phase and some other minerals represented by single grains. The Rio Soriso diamond suite is subdivided into several subpopulations that originated in upper and lower mantle of ultramafic and mafic compositions, with the largest subgroup forming in the ultramafic lower mantle. Analysed ferropericlase grains are enriched in Fe (Mg#=0.43-0.89), which is ascribed to their origin in the lowermost mantle. The Juina kimberlites may be unique in sampling the material from depths below 1,700 km that ascended in a plume formed at the core-mantle boundary.