Environmental Costs of Government-Sponsored Agrarian Settlements in Brazilian Amazonia

Brazil has presided over the most comprehensive agrarian reform frontier colonization program on Earth, in which ~1.2 million settlers have been translocated by successive governments since the 1970's, mostly into forested hinterlands of Brazilian Amazonia. These settlements encompass 5.3% of this ~5 million km2 region, but have contributed with 13.5% of all land conversion into agropastoral land uses. The Brazilian Federal Agrarian Agency (INCRA) has repeatedly claimed that deforestation in these areas largely predates the sanctioned arrival of new settlers. Here, we quantify rates of natural vegetation conversion across 1911 agrarian settlements allocated to 568 Amazonian counties and compare fire incidence and deforestation rates before and after the official occupation of settlements by migrant farmers. The timing and spatial distribution of deforestation and fires in our analysis provides irrefutable chronological and spatially explicit evidence of agropastoral conversion both inside and immediately outside agrarian settlements over the last decade. Deforestation rates are strongly related to local human population density and road access to regional markets. Agrarian settlements consistently accelerated rates of deforestation and fires, compared to neighboring areas outside settlements, but within the same counties. Relocated smallholders allocated to forest areas undoubtedly operate as pivotal agents of deforestation, and most of the forest clearance occurs in the aftermath of government-induced migration

Combining remote sensing and household level data for regional scale analysis of land cover change in the Brazilian Amazon

Land cover change in the Brazilian Amazon depends on the spatial variability of political, socioeconomic and biophysical factors, as well as on the land use history and its actors. A regional scale analysis was made in Rondônia State to identify possible differences in land cover change connected to spatial policies of land occupation, size and year of establishment of properties, accessibility measures and soil fertility. The analysis was made based on remote sensing data and household level data gathered with a questionnaire. Both types of analyses indicate that the highest level of total deforestation is found inside agrarian projects, especially in those established more than 20 years ago. Even though deforestation rates are similar inside and outside official settlements, inside agrarian projects forest depletion can exceed 50% at the property level within 10–14 years after establishment. The data indicate that both small-scale and medium to large-scale farmers contribute to deforestation processes in Rondônia State encouraged by spatial policies of land occupation, which provide better accessibility to forest fringes where soil fertility and forest resources are important determinants of location choic

In Vitro Antiophidian Mechanisms of Hypericum brasiliense Choisy Standardized Extract: Quercetin-Dependent Neuroprotection

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)The neuroprotection induced by Hypericum brasiliense Choisy extract (HBE) and its main active polyphenol compound quercetin, against Crotalus durissus terrificus (Cdt) venom and crotoxin and crotamine, was enquired at both central and peripheral mammal nervous system. Cdt venom (10 mu g/mL) or crotoxin (1 mu g/mL) incubated at mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation (PND) induced an irreversible and complete neuromuscular blockade, respectively. Crotamine (1 mu g/mL) only induced an increase of muscle strength at PND preparations. At mouse brain slices, Cdt venom (1, 5, and 10 mu g/mL) decreased cell viability. HBE (100 mu g/mL) inhibited significantly the facilitatory action of crotamine (1 mu g/mL) and was partially active against the neuromuscular blockade of crotoxin (1 mu g/mL) (data not shown). Quercetin (10 mu g/mL) mimicked the neuromuscular protection of HBE (100 mu g/mL), by inhibiting almost completely the neurotoxic effect induced by crotoxin (1 mu g/mL) and crotamine (1 mu g/mL). HBE (100 mu g/mL) and quercetin (10 mu g/mL) also increased cell viability in mice brain slices. Quercetin (10 mu g/mL) was more effective than HBE (100 mu g/mL) in counteracting the cell lysis induced by Cdt venom (1 and 10 mu g/mL, resp.). These results and a further phytochemical and toxicological investigations could open new perspectives towards therapeutic use of Hypericum brasiliense standardized extract and quercetin, especially to counteract the neurotoxic effect induced by snake neurotoxic venoms.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundo de Apoio ao Ensino, a Pesquisa e Extensao (FAEPEX)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)CAPES [063/2010

Polyembryony increases embryo and seedling mortality but also enhances seed individual survival in Handroanthus species (Bignoniaceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Polyembryony seems to be advantageous to mother plants in detriment of their siblings which face competition since the beginning of seed development. This competition may limit the turnover of embryos into seedlings and their survival ability. We analysed polyembryony frequency and embryo to seedling turnover in three Handroanthus species with sporophytic apomixis. We tested if the embryo number per seed affected seed and embryo morphometry, seedling survival ability and seed individual survival (i.e. survival of at least one seedling per seed): The number of embryos per seed was compared with seedling number at different developmental stages. All 14 populations showed high frequencies of polyembryonic seeds (21-91%). As the number of embryos per seed increased (up to eight embryos/seed), there was a reduction of mean embryo mass, area, seedling length, individual seedling survival ability, and embryo to seedling turnover. There was also an increase in embryo morphological anomalies. However, enhanced seed individual survival was also observed. Thus, the high frequency of polyembryonic seeds and the increase in seed individual survival support the idea that polyembryony represents an alternative reproductive mechanism which can favours these species. (C) 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.2074264274Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

A vivência de mães de bebês com malformação La vivencia de madres de bebés con mala formación The experience of mothers of babies with malformation

O objetivo do estudo foi conhecer e compreender a vivência de mães diante do diagnóstico e nascimento de bebês com malformação. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritivo-exploratória, de natureza qualitativa, desenvolvida em Maringá- PR, com sete mães. Os dados foram coletados em abril de 2009, por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, e analisados mediante a análise de conteúdo. Os dados mostraram que os diferentes momentos do ciclo gravídico-puerperal apresentam fatos e emoções distintos, mas completamente interligados, destacando-se momentos como a constatação da malformação, geralmente durante a gravidez, a sua confirmação ao nascimento e a vivência com o bebê após o nascimento. Conclui-se que a descoberta e confirmação da malformação produz crise e negação das expectativas na mãe e em todos os membros da família, desencadeando mudanças em seu modo de viver; porém, aos poucos, a mãe demonstra superação e aprende maneiras para enfrentar o problema e os preconceitos ligados à malformação.<br>El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo conocer y comprender la vivencia de madres delante del diagnóstico y nacimiento de bebés con mala formación. Se trata de una investigación descriptiva y exploratoria, de naturaleza cualitativa, desarrollada en Maringá (PR), con siete madres. Los datos fueron recogidos en abril de 2009, por medio de entrevista seme estructurada y analizados mediante el análisis de contenido. Los datos mostraron que los diferentes momentos del ciclo, del embarazo al nacimiento, presentan hechos y emociones distintos, pero, completamente interconectados, destacándose momentos como la constatación de la mala formación, generalmente durante el embarazo, su confirmación al nacimiento y la vivencia con el bebé después del nacimiento. Se concluye que la descubierta y confirmación de la mala formación produce crisis y negación de las expectativas en la madre y en todos los miembros de la familia, desencadenando cambios en su modo de vivir, pero a los pocos la madre demuestra superación y aprende maneras para enfrentar el problema y los prejuicios relacionados a la mala formación.<br>The objective of the present study was to discover and understand the experience of mothers faced with the diagnosis and birth of babies with malformation. It was a descriptive-exploratory qualitative research study, performed with seven mothers in Maringá-PR, Brazil. Data were collected in April 2009 through previously scheduled semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using content analysis. The data showed that the different moments of the pregnancy-puerperium cycle involve various facts and emotions, which are nevertheless interconnected, including confirmation of malformation (usually during pregnancy), confirmed diagnosis at birth, and life with the baby after birth. It is concluded that the discovery and confirmation of malformation leads to crisis and denial of expectations in the mother and all family members, resulting in changes in their way of life. However, the mother gradually overcomes and learns ways to cope with the problem and prejudices associated with malformation