Evaluating the efficiency of different sampling methods to survey social wasps (Vespidae: Polistinae) in an anthropized environment

Social wasps play important ecological roles, such as the natural biological control of other arthropods as well as major components of the flower-visiting insect guild. Despite many studies focusing on the survey of these organisms in Brazil, information on the community structure of polistines in anthropized environmets is still rare. The goals of the present study were: i) to survey the social wasp fauna in an anthropized area in the transition of Cerrado and Atlantic Forest; ii) to investigate the efficiency of two sampling methods, namely active search for wasps and the use of attractive traps; iii) to investigate the performance of different attractive baits in the capture success of social wasps in the study area. Sampling of social wasps was conducted by actively searching for individuals and by using attractive traps. A total of 40 species was recorded, with Agelaia multipicta and Agelaia vicina species being the most frequently collected with attractive traps and Mischocyttarus cassununga by actively searching for wasps. In all analyses performed (except when comparing abundance of social wasps considering the molasses bait and the active search), actively searching for wasps was the best method. This is also highlighted by the fact that the time spent actively capturing polistines was considerably lower than the time (and costs) that the traps were left in the field. Active search, as demonstrated by previous studies, remains as the best capturing methodology when surveying Neotropical social wasps, either in natural or anthropized environments

Swarm-based Descriptor Combination and its Application for Image Classification

In this paper, we deal with the descriptor combination problem in image classification tasks. This problem refers to the definition of an appropriate combination of image content descriptors that characterize different visual properties, such as color, shape and texture. In this paper, we propose to model the descriptor combination as a swarm-based optimization problem, which finds out the set of parameters that maximizes the classification accuracy of the Optimum-Path Forest (OPF) classifier. In our model, a descriptor is seen as a pair composed of a feature extraction algorithm and a suitable distance function. Our strategy here is to combine distance scores defined by different descriptors, as well as to employ them to weight OPF edges, which connect samples in the feature space. An extensive evaluation of several swarm-based optimization techniques was performed. Experimental results have demonstrated the robustness of the proposed combination approach

BRS Milena : a mid-cycle high productivity soybean cultivar for the brazilian savannah

A produtividade da soja no Cerrado torna a região competitiva nacional e internacionalmente. Entretanto, para atingir estabilidade produtiva e aprimorar o sistema de produção de grãos, torna-se necessária a obtenção de cultivares com resistência a doenças, como o cancro-da-haste, e com ciclo menor. Como resultado dos esforços da pesquisa, selecionou-se a cultivar BRS Milena. Os resultados, em todos os testes, mostram uma elevada produtividade e estabilidade em relação às cultivares usadas como testemunhas. O número de dias para maturação a classifica como uma cultivar de ciclo médio. Apresenta altura de plantas adequada à mecanização, e à ausência de acamamento nas condições em que tem sido testada. A 'BRS Milena' apresenta resistência às principais doenças da soja, tais como o cancro-da-haste, a mancha-olho-de-rã, o oídio e a pústula bacteriana. _________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe high productivity of soybeans in the Brazilian Savannah (Cerrado) has turned the region into a major grain producer, at local and international competitive levels. To achieve yield stability and improve the production systems, however, the acquisition of disease-resistant and early maturity cultivars is necessary. 'BRS Milena' was selected as a result of research efforts. Results over the tests have shown it is highly productive and stable, in relation to cultivars commonly grown in the region (controls). Number of days to maturity defines it as a mid-cycle cultivar, with suitable plant height for mechanical harvest and nonlodging under the environments of testing. In addition, 'BRS Milena' is resistant to the main soybean diseases, like stem cancker, frogeye leaf spot, powdery mildew and bacterial pustule

Adaptabilidade e estabilidade de genótipos de feijoeiro‑comum em sistema de agricultura familiar

The objective of this work was to evaluate the interaction between genotypes and environments for grain yield of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) lines and cultivars with potential for use in family farming systems. Data from value for cultivation and use tests, carried out in 20 environments in the state of Goiás, Brazil, were analyzed in two cycles (2007/2008 and 2009/2010) in the dry, rainy, and winter crop seasons. Each test consisted of 15 genotypes from the carioca, purple, and rosinha common bean commercial groups. The experimental design was randomized complete block, with three replicates. The methodologies used to test the stability and adaptability of the genotypes were the one of Lin & Binns, of Cruz, the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction model (AMMI) to calculate the weighted average of absolute scores and productivity (WAASP), and the GGE biplot graphical analysis. The productive performance of the common bean lines and cultivars is affected by genotype x environment interaction. The methodologies adopted allow the selection of cultivars for cropping, and of cultivars and lines for use as parents in order to obtain segregating populations for selection in a family farming system.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a interação de genótipos com ambientes para produtividade de grãos de linhagens e cultivares de feijoeiro-comum (Phaseolus vulgaris) com potencial de uso em sistema de agricultura familiar. Foram analisados os dados dos ensaios de valor de cultivo e uso conduzidos em 20 ambientes do Estado de Goiás, em dois ciclos (2007/2008 e 2009/2010), nas safras da seca, das águas e de inverno. Cada ensaio foi constituído por 15 genótipos de feijoeiro-comum dos grupos comerciais carioca, roxo e rosinha. Utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos completos ao acaso com três repetições. As metodologias utilizadas para o estudo de estabilidade e adaptabilidade foram a de Lin & Binns, a de Cruz, o modelo de efeitos aditivos principais com interação multiplicativa (AMMI) para cálculo da média ponderada de escores absolutos e produtividade (MPEAP), e a análise gráfica GGE biplot. O desempenho produtivo das linhagens e das cultivares de feijoeiro-comum é influenciado pela interação de genótipos com ambientes. As metodologias empregadas permitem selecionar cultivares para cultivo, e cultivares e linhagens como genitores com o objetivo de obter populações segregantes para seleção em sistema de agricultura familiar

Building a Portuguese Coalition for Biodiversity Genomics

The diverse physiography of the Portuguese land and marine territory, spanning from continental Europe to the Atlantic archipelagos, has made it an important repository of biodiversity throughout the Pleistocene glacial cycles, leading to a remarkable diversity of species and ecosystems. This rich biodiversity is under threat from anthropogenic drivers, such as climate change, invasive species, land use changes, overexploitation or pathogen (re)emergence. The inventory, characterization and study of biodiversity at inter- and intra-specific levels using genomics is crucial to promote its preservation and recovery by informing biodiversity conservation policies, management measures and research. The participation of researchers from Portuguese institutions in the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) initiative, and its pilot effort to generate reference genomes for European biodiversity, has reinforced the establishment of Biogenome Portugal. This nascent institutional network will connect the national community of researchers in genomics. Here, we describe the Portuguese contribution to ERGA’s pilot effort, which will generate high-quality reference genomes of six species from Portugal that are endemic, iconic and/or endangered, and include plants, insects and vertebrates (fish, birds and mammals) from mainland Portugal or the Azores islands. In addition, we outline the objectives of Biogenome Portugal, which aims to (i) promote scientific collaboration, (ii) contribute to advanced training, (iii) stimulate the participation of institutions and researchers based in Portugal in international biodiversity genomics initiatives, and (iv) contribute to the transfer of knowledge to stakeholders and engaging the public to preserve biodiversity. This initiative will strengthen biodiversity genomics research in Portugal and fuel the genomic inventory of Portuguese eukaryotic species. Such efforts will be critical to the conservation of the country’s rich biodiversity and will contribute to ERGA’s goal of generating reference genomes for European species.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The era of reference genomes in conservation genomics

Progress in genome sequencing now enables the large-scale generation of reference genomes. Various international initiatives aim to generate reference genomes representing global biodiversity. These genomes provide unique insights into genomic diversity and architecture, thereby enabling comprehensive analyses of population and functional genomics, and are expected to revolutionize conservation genomics

The era of reference genomes in conservation genomics

Progress in genome sequencing now enables the large-scale generation of reference genomes. Various international initiatives aim to generate reference genomes representing global biodiversity. These genomes provide unique insights into genomic diversity and architecture, thereby enabling comprehensive analyses of population and functional genomics, and are expected to revolutionize conservation genomics

The era of reference genomes in conservation genomics

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ruínas de mundos perdidos: a estética residual de Brennand

This study tries to understand modern ruins through a Benjaminian reading. Besides analyzing Brennand’s heads as remainders of worlds which were lost in catastrophes, it relates Brennand’s sculptures to ruins in the works of some writers and poets such as Osman Lins, Antonio José Ponte, João Cabral de Melo Neto and Jorge Luis Borges