Transport and consumption of organic detritus in a neotropical limestone cave

Caves are permanently aphotic environments, a fact that precludes the occurrence of photosynthetic organisms. In these systems the resource is allochthonous, coming mainly from the surrounding epigean environment, being imported by physical and biological agents. Even knowing about the importance of the organic allochthonous resources in caves, little is known of their importation and processing. The present work had as an objective, the measuring the coarse particulate organic matter processing and import rates in the subterranean environment. The cave studied was Lapa da Fazenda Extrema I, limestone cave, located in Brazilian savanna biome. Through bimonthly collections, it was observed that the organic detritus penetrated into the cave in low amounts in dry season and high amounts in rainy season. The processing of the organic plant matter in the aquatic hypogean environment was moderate (K-day=0.025), in the epigean environment the processing was predominantly slow (K-day =0.0104). The detritus commonly brought to the interior of the cave were large woods (58.18 g/day), followed by leaves and fragmented material (12.76 g/day), fruits and seeds (0.0069 g/day), animal carcasses (0.002 g/day) and roots (0.001 g/day). The highest richness and abundances of invertebrates were found in the same periods in which there were the highest rates of organic matter import to the cave.Keywords: cave, detritus processing, energy flow

FAUNA SUBTERRÂNEA DO ESTADO DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE: CARACTERIZAÇÃO E IMPACTOS

Estudos referentes à fauna das cavernas do nordeste brasileiro ainda são escassos. Boa parte do conhecimento acerca da fauna hipógea brasileira provém de estudos realizados na região sudeste. Deste modo, neste trabalho são apresentados dados sobre a riqueza de espécies, estrutura das comunidades, além da relevância biológica de algumas cavernas presentes no estado do Rio Grande do Norte. Nas 17 cavernas inventariadas foram encontrados invertebrados pertencentes a pelo menos 36 ordens e 91 famílias, além de 3 espécies de peixes e 8 espécies de morcegos. Dentre as espécies encontradas, 23 apresentam caracteres troglomórficos. Além disso, algumas das espécies troglóbias evidenciadas representam relictos de grupos originalmente oceânicos, sendo, desta forma, testemunhos das introgressões e regressões oceânicas ocorridas no passado da área. Tendo em vista o cenário bioespeleológico encontrado nas cavernas é importante que ações de manejo e conservação sejam implementadas na região, para que o frágil patrimônio espeleológico e biológico venham a ser preservados

Influência da precipitação pluvial na abundância de ácaros em cafeeiro

The coffee plant Coffea spp. suffers pest attack, which according to climatic conditions present in the culture system can reduce fruit production. Rainfall is considered an important natural factor in the regulation of arthropods populations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of rainfall during the seasons, on the occurrence of the main species of mites in coffee. The experiment was carried out at the EPAMIG farm in São Sebastião do Paraíso, MG, from January 2011 to June 2012. The useful area of the experiment was 8,820 m² with a total of 3,150 trees, and the useful part of the plot consisting of 2,100 plants, where were monthly collected at random 25 leaves from the middle third in 84 plants, totaling 2.100 leaves. Among the pest mites, the phytophagous mite Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, 1939 (Tenuipalpidae) was found in greater number on both dry and rainy seasons. The mite Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor, 1917) (Tetranychidae) was found at a higher incidence on the months of low rainfall. Rainfall also influences the occurrence of predatory mites belonging to the family Phytoseiidae, however, the species Euseius citrifolius Denmark & Muma, 1970 (Phytoseiidae), is found throughout the year.O cafeeiro Coffea spp. sofre ataque de pragas que, conforme as condições climáticas presentes no sistema de cultivo, podem reduzir a produção de frutos. A precipitação pluvial é um fator importante na regulação das populações de artrópodes. Avaliaram-se os efeitos da precipitação pluvial sobre a ocorrência das principais espécies de ácaros no cafeeiro, durante as épocas do ano. O experimento foi conduzido na Fazenda Experimental da EPAMIG- Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária de Minas Gerais, em São Sebastião do Paraíso, MG, de janeiro de 2011 a junho de 2012. A área útil do experimento foi de 8.820 m2 com um total de 3.150 cafeeiros, sendo a parte útil do talhão constituída de 2.100 plantas, onde mensalmente foram coletadas aleatoriamente 25 folhas do terço médio em 84 plantas, totalizando 2.100 folhas. Entre os ácaros-praga Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, 1939) (Tenuipalpidae) foi encontrado em maior número, tanto na seca como no período chuvoso. Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor, 1917) (Tetranychidae) foi encontrado em maior número nos meses de menor precipitação pluvial. A precipitação pluvial também influencia na ocorrência de ácaros predadores, pertencentes à família Phytoseiidae, entretanto, a espécie Euseius citrifolius Denmark & Muma, 1970 (Phytoseiidae), é encontrada ao longo de todo ano

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Troncos caídos na serrapilheira de mata: “microhabitats” que promovem diversidade

Em todo o mundo muito pouco se sabe sobre um grande número de microhabitats discretos ou efêmeros como troncos, fezes, carcaças, frutos e abrigos sob rochas. Alguns estudos têm elucidados os mesmos como importantes locais para a manutenção da biodiversidade de invertebrados. No intuito de auxiliar no entendimento do funcionamento e estrutura das comunidades nestes ambientes, foram analisados os invertebrados associados a troncos caídos em meio a uma floresta urbana. Parâmetros físico-químicos, comorugosidade da casca, volume de matéria orgânica particulada, umidade e matéria orgânica da madeira, também foram mensuradas em todos os locais de coleta. Foram amostrados 12 fragmentos de 4 troncos caídos, onde se coletou 3.016 indivíduos distribuídos em 128 morfoespécies das ordens Nematoda, Oligochaeta, Tardigrada, Isopoda, Pauropoda, Symphyla, Polyxenida, Diplopoda, Acari, Araneae, Opiliones, Pseudoescorpiones, Protura, Collembola, Blattaria, Ensifera, Dermaptera, Isoptra, Embioptera, Psocoptera, Thysanoptera,Heteroptera, Homoptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera e Hymenoptera. A riqueza de espécies relacionou-se negativa esignificativamente com o diâmetro do cerne (Rs = -0,84;