Faecal bacteria in Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mollusca: Bivalvia) for biomonitoring coastal waters and seafood quality

Urban development in coastal areas is intense and leads to the increase of sewage outfall and other negative impacts as consequences. Thus, stringent regulations establishing limits to the microbiological contamination of water and seafood are needed. The objective of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of Enterococci and Thermotolerant Coliform densities in the flesh of mussels Perna perna as an alternative tool for monitoring the microbiological quality of coastal waters. The study also considers allometric relations applied to clearance rates to understand rates of bacterial concentration. Bacterial loads obtained in mussels' flesh were from 50 to 4,300 times greater than in the water sampled in the vicinity of the mussels and some were considered inappropriate for consumption even when the water presented no restrictions. The mean clearance rate obtained for Enterococci retention was 317.7 ml h-1 and this rate (CR) is related to the mussels' size (L) by the equation CR = 28.3229L1.6421. The results showed that bacterial densities in the mussels' tissues may reflect chronic contamination of the environment and that clearance rates are important for taking the best decision in situations where, for example, it is desired to introduce mussels for aquaculture and the evaluation of the water concerned is required.O desenvolvimento urbano em áreas costeiras é intenso e o aumento das descargas de esgoto é uma das conseqüências. Assim, leis específicas que regulem limites para a contaminação microbiológica das águas e de alimentos de origem marinha são necessárias. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar a utilização de Enterococos e coliformes termotolerantes na carne de mexilhões Perna perna como alternativa para o monitoramento da qualidade microbiológica de águas costeiras. O estudo também considera relações alométricas aplicadas às taxas de "clearance" para entender a concentração de bactérias pelo molusco. As densidades bacterianas obtidas no molusco foram de 50 a 4300 vezes maiores do que nas amostras de água coletadas próximas dos moluscos e alguns foram considerados impróprios para consumo, mesmo quando as águas não mostraram restrições. A taxa de "clearance" média obtida para retenção de Enterococos foi 317.7 ml h-1 e essas taxas (CR) puderam ser relacionadas com o tamanho dos mexilhões (L) pela equação CR = 28.3229L1.6421. Os resultados mostram que as densidades bacterianas nos tecidos dos mexilhões podem refletir a contaminação crônica do ambiente e que as taxas de "clearance" devem ser consideradas para a tomada de decisão em situações onde, por exemplo, se deseja implantar mexilhões para cultivo

Climate changes in mangrove forests and salt marshes

This synthesis is framed within the scope of the Brazilian Benthic Coastal Habitat Monitoring Network (ReBentos WG 4: Mangroves and Salt Marshes), focusing on papers that examine biodiversity-climate interactions as well as human-induced factors including those that decrease systemic resilience. The goal is to assess difficulties related to the detection of climate and early warning signals from monitoring data. We also explored ways to circumvent some of the obstacles identified. Exposure and sensitivity of mangrove and salt marsh species and ecosystems make them extremely vulnerable to environmental impacts and potential indicators of sea level and climate-driven environmental change. However, the interpretation of shifts in mangroves and salt marsh species and systemic attributes must be scrutinized considering local and setting-level energy signature changes; including disturbance regime and local stressors, since these vary widely on a regional scale. The potential for adaptation and survival in response to climate change depends, in addition to the inherent properties of species, on contextual processes at the local, landscape, and regional levels that support resilience. Regardless of stressor type, because of the convergence of social and ecological processes, coastal zones should be targeted for anticipatory action to reduce risks and to integrate these ecosystems into adaptation strategies. Management must be grounded on proactive mitigation and collaborative action based on long-term ecosystem-based studies and well-designed monitoring programs that can 1) provide real-time early warning and 2) close the gap between simple correlations that provide weak inferences and process-based approaches that can yield increasingly reliable attribution and improved levels of anticipation.Esta é uma síntese enquadrada na Rede de Monitoramento de Habitats Bentônicos Costeiros (ReBentos, GT4: Manguezais e Marismas), embasada em literatura científica que examina interações entre clima e biodiversidade, assim como fatores antrópicos, incluindo aqueles responsáveis pela diminuição da resiliência sistêmica. O objetivo deste trabalho é determinar as dificuldades quanto à detecção de sinais precoces e alertas de mudanças climáticas com dados de monitoramento. No presente trabalho, também foram exploradas formas de contornar os diversos obstáculos identificados. A exposição e a sensitividade de espécies de mangue e de marisma, bem como dos ecossistemas dos quais fazem parte, os tornam extremamente vulneráveis e potenciais indicadores ambientais de mudanças de nível do mar e outras respostas às variações do clima. Entretanto, a interpretação de mudanças em manguezais e marismas e em seus atributos sistêmicos deve ser meticulosa, considerando assinatura energética, regime de distúrbios e pressões ambientais em cada local de estudo. Os potenciais de adaptação e de sobrevivência, em resposta a tais mudanças, dependem da fisiologia de cada espécie e dos processos contextuais onde reside a resiliência e a capacidade de persistir (em níveis local, de paisagem e regionais). A zona costeira deve ser alvo de medidas antecipatórias para redução de riscos por quaisquer impactos, uma vez que nela há intensa convergência de processos sociais e ecológicos. Os ecossistemas dessa zona devem ser integrados em estratégias de adaptação. O manejo costeiro deve ser embasado em mitigação pró-ativa e colaborativa de longo-termo, sempre com base em estudos ecossistêmicos e em programas de monitoramento que possam 1) prover sistema de alerta precoce; 2) preencher lacunas entre correlações simplistas que proveem inferências fracas, e abordagens baseadas em processos que levem a atribuições mais confiáveis e a melhores níveis de antecipação

Representations and perceptions about environment and conservation as a subsidy to Integrated Coastal Management: case study with social groups from Cananéia region, São Paulo State, Brazil

O Gerenciamento Costeiro Integrado (GCI) pressupõe diálogo entre diferentes interesses, e a participação social nas tomadas de decisão é um princípio importante. Entretanto, as ações de indivíduos e grupos não são fundamentadas em uma única realidade objetiva, mas sim em diferentes formas de perceber o mundo. Conflitos são gerados quando a tomada de decisão é feita pela visão unilateral de poucos segmentos da sociedade, em detrimento de diferentes entendimentos com base na vivência dos lugares. Este estudo investigou a variabilidade e os significados de diferentes formas de perceber e representar o ambiente existente entre diferentes grupos sociais, abordando ainda percepções sobre áreas protegidas e o senso de responsabilidade para a conservação. A região de Cananéia foi tomada como estudo de caso devido à sua relevância à conservação. Foi adotada metodologia de entrevistas com diferentes grupos sociais. Suas percepções e representações revelaram que a região, apesar das riquezas ambiental e cultural, é palco de diversos conflitos socioambientais, estando sujeita a diversas ameaças. Estudos de percepção e representações sociais fornecem um entendimento aprofundado sobre os significados atribuídos aos lugares e ao território, informações valiosas que podem auxiliar o GCI à tomar decisões de melhor qualidade.The Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) requires dialogue between different interests and social participation in decision-making is an important principle. However, the actions of individuals and groups are not based on a single objective reality, but in different ways of perceiving the world. Conflicts are generated when decision-making is done by one-sided view of a few segments of society, rather than different understandings based on the experience of places. This study investigated the variability and the meanings of different ways of perceiving and representing the environment that exist between different social groups, also addressing perceptions of protected areas and the sense of responsibility for conservation. The Cananéia region was taken as a case study because of its high relevance to conservation. The methodology of interviewing was adopted and conducted with different social groups. Their perceptions and representations revealed that in this region, despite the cultural and environmental wealth, several environmental conflicts take place, making it subject to threats. Studies of perception and social representations give a deeper understanding of the meanings attributed to places and territory, valuable information that can help the ICM to make decisions with better quality

Climate changes in mangrove forests and salt marshes

Abstract This synthesis is framed within the scope of the Brazilian Benthic Coastal Habitat Monitoring Network (ReBentos WG 4: Mangroves and Salt Marshes), focusing on papers that examine biodiversity-climate interactions as well as human-induced factors including those that decrease systemic resilience. The goal is to assess difficulties related to the detection of climate and early warning signals from monitoring data. We also explored ways to circumvent some of the obstacles identified. Exposure and sensitivity of mangrove and salt marsh species and ecosystems make them extremely vulnerable to environmental impacts and potential indicators of sea level and climate-driven environmental change. However, the interpretation of shifts in mangroves and salt marsh species and systemic attributes must be scrutinized considering local and setting-level energy signature changes; including disturbance regime and local stressors, since these vary widely on a regional scale. The potential for adaptation and survival in response to climate change depends, in addition to the inherent properties of species, on contextual processes at the local, landscape, and regional levels that support resilience. Regardless of stressor type, because of the convergence of social and ecological processes, coastal zones should be targeted for anticipatory action to reduce risks and to integrate these ecosystems into adaptation strategies. Management must be grounded on proactive mitigation and collaborative action based on long-term ecosystem-based studies and well-designed monitoring programs that can 1) provide real-time early warning and 2) close the gap between simple correlations that provide weak inferences and process-based approaches that can yield increasingly reliable attribution and improved levels of anticipation

Rivaroxaban with or without aspirin in stable cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND: We evaluated whether rivaroxaban alone or in combination with aspirin would be more effective than aspirin alone for secondary cardiovascular prevention. METHODS: In this double-blind trial, we randomly assigned 27,395 participants with stable atherosclerotic vascular disease to receive rivaroxaban (2.5 mg twice daily) plus aspirin (100 mg once daily), rivaroxaban (5 mg twice daily), or aspirin (100 mg once daily). The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death, stroke, or myocardial infarction. The study was stopped for superiority of the rivaroxaban-plus-aspirin group after a mean follow-up of 23 months. RESULTS: The primary outcome occurred in fewer patients in the rivaroxaban-plus-aspirin group than in the aspirin-alone group (379 patients [4.1%] vs. 496 patients [5.4%]; hazard ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66 to 0.86; P<0.001; z=−4.126), but major bleeding events occurred in more patients in the rivaroxaban-plus-aspirin group (288 patients [3.1%] vs. 170 patients [1.9%]; hazard ratio, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.40 to 2.05; P<0.001). There was no significant difference in intracranial or fatal bleeding between these two groups. There were 313 deaths (3.4%) in the rivaroxaban-plus-aspirin group as compared with 378 (4.1%) in the aspirin-alone group (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.96; P=0.01; threshold P value for significance, 0.0025). The primary outcome did not occur in significantly fewer patients in the rivaroxaban-alone group than in the aspirin-alone group, but major bleeding events occurred in more patients in the rivaroxaban-alone group. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with stable atherosclerotic vascular disease, those assigned to rivaroxaban (2.5 mg twice daily) plus aspirin had better cardiovascular outcomes and more major bleeding events than those assigned to aspirin alone. Rivaroxaban (5 mg twice daily) alone did not result in better cardiovascular outcomes than aspirin alone and resulted in more major bleeding events