The use of nucleation techniques to restore the environment: a bibliometric analysis

AbstractThe population awareness about environmental conservation is raising and this brought about an increase in the number of environmental restoration studies. Nucleation is a technique used for environmental restoration, where small nuclei of vegetation are established within degraded land. The aim of this paper was to evaluate, by doing a bibliometric analysis, the tendencies and gaps in the study of environmental restoration using the nucleation technique. Data were collected using The Web of Science© and Google Scholar© databases, from 1996 to 2012. Keywords used in the search of papers were nucleation, soil recovery, transposition of soil, bird perches, ecological succession, seed rain, restoration ecology, forest regeneration, degraded area and natural regeneration. Results showed that the number of published studies was low, although increasing in the last decade. The majority of the studies used more than one restoration technique or used natural perches as nuclei. Most of the studies were conducted in the Americas and by Brazilian researches. Many studies were not published as papers in scientific journals, but were available as master thesis or monographs. Natural and artificial perches, soil transposition and natural regeneration were the most successful techniques. The number of nucleation studies must increase and spread through the world, and their results need to be published to help other researches in the environmental restoration

Avifauna of the region of the Volta Grande Hydroelectric Power Plant in Southeast Brazil

The Volta Grande region in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais is classified as of “High Biological Importance” for the conservation of birds in the state. Despite this, the avifauna of the region has yet to be adequately sampled, as evidenced by the few papers on the region in ornithological literature. The results of an avifaunal inventory conducted between March 2013 and January 2014 in five sites located throughout the region of the Volta Grande Hydroelectric Power Plant in Southeast Brazil are presented. Point-counts, ad libitum observations and mist-nets recorded 224 species for the region, with insectivorous and omnivorous being the predominant feeding habits. Species that are “independent” of forest habitats comprised 52% of the recorded species. Three species are endemics of the Cerrado, 83 are migratory and 32 are under some degree of threat of extinction. These findings demonstrate that the region of the Volta Grande Hydroelectric Power Plant is important for bird conservation. Additional inventories, adequate management plans and public policies aimed the preserving species are needed for more effective conservation of the biodiversity of the studied region

Environmental enrichment in Brazilian zoos : in search for animal welfare. Animals kept in zoos face constant.

Os animais mantidos em zool?gicos enfrentam amea?as constantes ao seu bem-estar. Um animal est? com alto bem-estar quando est? gozando de completa sa?de f?sica e mental. Algumas estrat?gias s?o utilizadas para se manter o bem-estar dos animais de zool?gicos em n?veis altos, como o enriquecimento ambiental. O enriquecimento ambiental consiste em inserir est?mulos dentro dos recintos dos animais para que eles tenham a oportunidade de exibir comportamentos mais pr?ximos do natural, melhorando sua sa?de f?sica e psicol?gica. O presente estudo teve o objetivo de avaliar, atrav?s de uma an?lise bibliom?trica, como os zool?gicos brasileiros t?m utilizado a t?cnica de enriquecimento ambiental para melhorar o bem-estar de seus animais, bem como elencar lacunas que possam nortear futuros estudos com essa tem?tica pelos gestores/t?cnicos dos zool?gicos e pesquisadores. Os dados foram coletados em tr?s bases: The Web of Science?, Peri?dicos CAPES? e Google Scholar?. As palavras-chaves utilizadas para procura de artigos nessas bases de dados foram: ?environmental enrichment, zoo, Brazil?. A pesquisa foi realizada a partir do ano de 1945 at? 2016. Foram avaliados 52 estudos, que se iniciaram em 2006, sendo a maioria realizados em zool?gicos do Sudeste do Brasil, com carn?voros e primatas, e utilizando mais de um tipo de enriquecimento ambiental. A maior parte dos estudos teve avalia??o comportamental e positiva dos efeitos dos itens oferecidos aos animais. Conclu?mos que os estudos sobre os efeitos do enriquecimento ambiental no pa?s ainda s?o incipientes, embora estejam em franco crescimento. Os estudos sobre o enriquecimento ambiental devem: contemplar um maior n?mero de esp?cies animais; serem delineados com qualidade, especialmente no tamanho amostral; e devem ser realizados por mais zool?gicos no Brasil. Finalmente, os estudos devem ser divulgados em meios de comunica??o cient?fica de qualidade, para que sejam replicados n?o apenas no Brasil, mas por zool?gicos de todo o mundo.Animals kept in zoos face constant threats to their well-being. An animal is in high welfare when it is experiencing complete physical and mental health. Some strategies are used to maintain the well-being of zoo animals at high levels, such as environmental enrichment. Environmental enrichment consists of inserting stimuli into the animals? enclosures so that they have the opportunity to exhibit behaviors that are closer to the natural, improving their physical and psychological health. The present study aimed to evaluate, through a bibliometric analysis, how Brazilian zoos have used the technique of environmental enrichment to improve the welfare of their animals, as well as to list gaps that may guide future studies with this theme by the managers / Zoo technicians and researchers. The data were collected on three databases: The Web of Science ?, Plataforma CAPES ? and Google Scholar ?. The keywords used for searching for articles in these databases were: ?environmental enrichment, zoo, Brazil?. The survey was performed from 1945 until 2016. Fifty-two studies, which began in 2006, were evaluated; most of them in zoos in the Southeast of Brazil, with carnivores and primates, and using more than one type of environmental enrichment. Most of the studies was behaviorally evaluated and showed positive effects to the animals. We conclude that studies on the effects of environmental enrichment in the country are still incipient, although they are in rapid growth. Environmental enrichment studies should: consider a greater number of animal species; be delineated with quality, especially concerning the sample size; and be performed by more zoos in Brazil. Finally, studies should be disseminated in quality scientific communication media, so that they can be replicated not only in Brazil but also in zoos around the world

Leucism in three bird species in a forest fragment on montane region of Espirito Santo, southeastern Brazil

O leucismo ? a perda de melanina nas estruturas que cobrem o corpo de determinados indiv?duos, de forma que os esp?cimes afetados apresentam suas estruturas tegumentares brancas ou acinzentadas sem afetar, entretanto, a pigmenta??o dos olhos. Essa nota registra casos de leucismo em tr?s esp?cies de aves encontradas no Parque Zoobot?nico do Instituto Nacional da Mata Atl?ntica (INMA), localizado no munic?pio de Santa Teresa, regi?o montanhosa do Estado do Esp?rito Santo. Foram registrados esp?cimes leuc?sticos de aracu?de- barriga-branca, Ortalis araucuan (Spix, 1825) (ordem Galliformes), de sabi?laranjeira, Turdus rufiventris (Vieillot, 1818) e de pardal, Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) (ambos da ordem Passeriformes). Os tr?s esp?cimes leuc?sticos observados apresentaram essa anomalia de forma parcial em suas plumagens, estando T. rufiventris com a maior ?rea despigmentada. Fatores que conduzem a ocorr?ncia de leucismo nessas esp?cies necessitam de maiores investiga??es.Leucism is the loss of melanin in the structures that cover the body of a certain species, so that the affected species possess white or grayish dermal structures, but the eyes remain with their normal colorations. The present note reports leucism cases in three bird species registered in the Zoobotanical Park of the National Institute of the Atlantic Forest (INMA), located in the municipality of Santa Teresa, mountainous region of the State of Esp?rito Santo. There were recorded leucistic specimens of the Brazilian chachalaca, Ortalis araucuan (Spix, 1825) (Order Galliformes), the rufous-bellied trush Turdus rufiventris (Vieillot, 1818), and the sparrow Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1865) (both of order Passeriformes). All three species observed had a partial leucistic anomaly in their plumages, with T. rufiventris having the highest area of leucism on its plumages. Factors leading to the occurrence of leucism in these species need to be better investigated

Aves de rapina (Accipitriformes e Falconiformes) do Parque Nacional da Serra de Itabaiana, Nordeste do Brasil

Birds of prey are important for maintaining ecosystems, since they can regulate the populations of vertebrates and invertebrates. However, anthropic activities, like habitat fragmentation, have been decreasing the number of birds of prey, affecting the habitat ecological relations and, decreasing biodiversity. Our objective was to evaluate species of birds of prey (Accipitriformes and Falconiformes) in a protected area of the Atlantic forest in northeastern Brazil. The area was sampled for 17 months using fixed points and walking along a pre-existing trail. Birds of prey were classified by their Punctual Abundance Index, threat status and forest dependence. Sixteen birds of prey were recorded, being the most common Rupornis magnirostris and Caracara plancus. Most species were considered rare in the area and not dependent of forest vegetation. None of the registered species were threatened with extinction. Our results showed that the studied area presents a considerable diversity of birds of prey, including species sensitive to environmental changes. Thus, it is important to protect this area to increase the availability of feeding and nesting areas for birds of prey.  As aves de rapina são importantes para a manutenção dos ecossistemas, pois podem regular as populações de vertebrados e invertebrados. Porém, atividades antrópicas, como a fragmentação do habitat, vêm diminuindo o número de aves de rapina, afetando as relações ecológicas do habitat e diminuindo a biodiversidade. Nosso objetivo foi avaliar espécies de aves de rapina (Accipitriformes e Falconiformes) em uma área protegida de Mata Atlântica no nordeste do Brasil. A área foi amostrada por 17 meses em pontos fixos e percorrendo uma trilha pré-existente. As aves de rapina foram classificadas por seu Índice de Abundância Pontual, status de ameaça e dependência da floresta. Dezesseis aves de rapina foram registradas, sendo as mais comuns Rupornis magnirostris e Caracara plancus. A maioria das espécies foi considerada rara na área e não dependente da vegetação florestal. Nenhuma das espécies registradas estava ameaçada de extinção. Nossos resultados mostraram que a área estudada apresenta uma diversidade considerável de aves de rapina, incluindo espécies sensíveis às mudanças ambientais. Assim, é importante proteger esta área para aumentar a disponibilidade de áreas de alimentação e nidificação para aves de rapina

Lethal concentration (LC50) (120h) of neutral household detergent Limpol in guppy Poecilia reticulata.

Aquatic environments have been destroyed because of increase of pollutants dumped into waters. In some poor countries or in developing ones, like Brazil, detergents are one of the main responsible to impact these environments. Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is a common fish in Central and South America, being very used in vitro experiments, since it is an easy specimen to keep in laboratories. This work aimed to determine the LC50 (120h) of neutral household detergent for guppy. We tested seven different concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 70 and 100 mg/L), and Probit analysis showed that approximately 33.4 mg/L was the lethal dose that killed 50% of guppies in 120h, with doses below 30 mg/L did not killing any fish, while doses above 30 mg/L killed all individuals in few hours. We concluded that even small doses of detergent can be lethal to aquatic organisms, especially if the exposition time is prolonged

Metodologia do censo com play-back: teste de acuracidade do equipamento nos macacos-prego (Cebus nigritus) do Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico (MHNJB) da UFMG

O censo com play-back associado ao transecto de ponto vem mostrando bons resultados em levantamentos de primatas. Porém, existem variáveis que podem prejudicar a acuracidade dos dados como: distância do som emitido, freqüência e distância de relevância do som para os indivíduos. Assim, este estudo objetivou avaliar a eficácia do equipamento de play-back minimizando os efeitos dessas variáveis não consideradas anteriormente. Com a construção de um espectograma verificou-se que não houve variação significativa da freqüência não sendo necessário considera-la para diferenciar o tipo de resposta e/ou distância durante o censo com play-back. O som apresentou-se com propagação circular o que corrobora com o método transecto de ponto. Para quantificar o alcance do som, as vocalizações foram medidas pelo decibelímetro, mas a partir de 100m ele não foi capaz de detectar a vocalização o que infere que o mais importante para atrair os animais é a percepção do som. Para testar a percepção dos indivíduos, realizou-se um teste para sugerir a distância na qual os animais fossem atraídos pelo play-back. A resposta positiva (vocalização e aproximação) ocorre a partir de distâncias inferiores a 200m sendo este o melhor raio de alcance para se calcular a densidade de primatas do gênero Cebus

Riqueza e densidade de aves que nidificam em cavidades em plantações abandonadas de eucalipto

Eucalypt planted forests are replacing natural forests in many areas of the world, impacting wildlife by diminishing availability of habitats and resources. Several species of birds require hollows in trees for nesting, and the lack of this resource may decrease richness and density of cavity-nesting birds in planted forests. The aim of this study was to compare species richness and density of cavity-nesting birds in abandoned eucalypt planted forests and natural forests in two conservation units at Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil. Bird surveys were conducted using 25 point counts in both areas during 2013. Species richness was estimated using Jackknife, and density was estimated using the maximum likelyhood; candidate models that could influence abundance of birds were evaluated using Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). Results showed that species richness was higher in native forests and density was significantly higher in native forests than in abandoned eucalypt planted forests, and that vegetation type and hour of day influences the abundance and detection of the birds. These results indicate that abandoned eucalypt planted forests negatively influence the cavity-nesting bird's community, probably due to the lack of cavities or the lack of a recovered understory. Eucalypt planted forests normally do not substitute native forests and their use should be controlled in conservation areas.Monoculturas de árvores, como as de espécies de eucalipto, têm substituído florestas naturais, impactando a fauna pela perda de habitat e recursos. Diversas espécies de aves necessitam de ocos em árvores para nidificar. A falta de recursos como cavidades formadas pela degradação da árvore ou locais apropriados para serem criadas cavidades leva a diminuição na abundância das populações destas espécies. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de comparar a riqueza e a densidade de aves que nidificam em ocos em áreas de plantação de eucalipto abandonadas com áreas de vegetação nativa em duas unidades de conservação em Minas Gerais. Em cada tipo de vegetação de cada reserva foram estabelecidos 25 pontos, nas quais foi utilizado o método de contagem por remoção para o levantamento das espécies de aves. A riqueza de espécies de aves de cada área foi estimada por Jackniffe e a densidade foi estimada através do método de máxima verossimilhança; modelos candidatos que poderiam influenciar a abundância das aves foram avaliados utilizando-se o Critério de Informação Akaike (AIC). Os resultados mostraram que a riqueza de espécies foi maior nas áreas de florestas nativas e que a densidade foi significantemente mais alta nas áreas de florestas nativas, e que o tipo de vegetação e a hora do dia influenciam na abundância e detecção das aves. Esses resultados indicam que as plantações de eucaliptos influenciam negativamente a comunidade de aves que nidificam em ocos, provavelmente por causa da falta de cavidades ou de sub-bosque. Plantações de eucaliptos normalmente não substituem as florestas nativas e seu uso deve ser controlado em áreas de conservação

Avifauna of the Serra de Itabaiana National Park revisited: additions and deletions in a period of 15 years

The Serra de Itabaiana National Park (PARNASI) is known as an important conservation area in the ecotone between the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga in Northeast Brazil and is one of the main areas of fauna and flora studies in Sergipe. For this reason, there are some studies on its avifauna, which date back to its creation in 2005. However, after 15 years of establishment of PARNASI, an update of the inventory of birds is necessary due to adjustments in the management of the park. The present study aimed to update the bird inventory of the Serra de Itabaiana National Park, chronologically comparing the new ornithological records obtained, aiming to contribute to the knowledge and conservation of Sergipe's avifauna. The data were compiled from scientific publications, personal files and from documented records on a specialized website. The resulting list includes 227 bird species belonging to 49 families, including Thraupidae (28 species; 12.4%), Tyrannidae (25 species; 11.1%) and Accipitridae (17 species; 7.5%) as the most representative. The most representative guilds were insectivorous (87 species; 38.3%) and omnivorous (60 species; 26.4%), and by species independent of the forest environment (87 species; 38.3%). Fourteen bird species are threatened with extinction. Nine species are endemic to the Caatinga biome, eight to the Atlantic Forest and one to the Cerrado. We added 104 species to the first checklist produced for the PARNASI created in 2005, including Nyctibius grandis (Nyctibiidae), a new record for the state of Sergipe. PARNASI's updated list of bird species allows for a better assessment of its effectiveness in the conservation of the local avifauna, facilitating management actions that allow the coexistence and perpetuation of species over time