Educação ambiental e gestão participativa nos comitês de bacia hidrográfica do estado do Rio de Janeiro

A Resolução 98/2009 do Conselho Nacional de Recursos Hídricos do Brasil reconhece a importância e estabelece os princípios e os fundamentos da Educação Ambiental (EA) no âmbito dos Comitês de Bacias Hidrográficas. Contudo, uma melhor definição dos fundamentos orientadores dos programas de EA implantados pelos comitês faz-se necessária e, para além dessa definição, emerge a premência de se diagnosticar projetos e programas de EA realizados no âmbito desses Comitês. Neste sentido, este estudo teve por objetivo investigar a atuação em EA dos comitês de bacias hidrográficas do estado do Rio de Janeiro. Foi realizada pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, assim como pesquisa de opinião entre representantes dos nove comitês de bacias hidrográficas do estado do Rio de Janeiro em reunião ocorrida no Instituto Estadual de Ambiente. Os resultados preliminares indicaram que uma parcela dos comitês recorre a programas pré-concebidos pelos órgãos ambientais e outros apresentam propostas inovadoras, frutos de parcerias com organizações não governamentais. As investigações sugerem que os caminhos podem ser ampliados e que a multiplicidade de trilhas apresentadas pode enriquecer a educação ambiental para gestão de recursos hídricos

System for the Evaluation of Environmental Education Projects focused on Water Resources Management (SAPEA-Água)

Abstract Given the increased risks of water crises faced by several countries, environmental education emerges as an instrument to help finding solutions to water-related issues, along with local communities and different sectors of society. However, studies have indicated the methodological vulnerability of environmental education programs/projects focused on water resources management. Thus, the current study developed the System for the Evaluation of Environmental Education Programs and Projects focused on Water Resources Management (SAPEA-Água). It adopted a qualitative-quantitative approach, based on the combination of bibliographic research and content analysis of documents substantiating environmental education, in order to evaluate the contextualization, interdisciplinarity, participation, sustainability, communication and self-assessment level of environmental education programs/projects. SAPEA-Água can substantiate the evaluation process, as well as increase the number, quality and effectiveness of environmental education programs/projects implemented in the water resources management context

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

10.1111/gcb.14904GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY261119-18

Growing knowledge: an overview of Seed Plant diversity in Brazil

Abstract An updated inventory of Brazilian seed plants is presented and offers important insights into the country's biodiversity. This work started in 2010, with the publication of the Plants and Fungi Catalogue, and has been updated since by more than 430 specialists working online. Brazil is home to 32,086 native Angiosperms and 23 native Gymnosperms, showing an increase of 3% in its species richness in relation to 2010. The Amazon Rainforest is the richest Brazilian biome for Gymnosperms, while the Atlantic Rainforest is the richest one for Angiosperms. There was a considerable increment in the number of species and endemism rates for biomes, except for the Amazon that showed a decrease of 2.5% of recorded endemics. However, well over half of Brazillian seed plant species (57.4%) is endemic to this territory. The proportion of life-forms varies among different biomes: trees are more expressive in the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforest biomes while herbs predominate in the Pampa, and lianas are more expressive in the Amazon, Atlantic Rainforest, and Pantanal. This compilation serves not only to quantify Brazilian biodiversity, but also to highlight areas where there information is lacking and to provide a framework for the challenge faced in conserving Brazil's unique and diverse flora