Natural Capital and Its Services in the Caatinga Phytogeographic Domain

A new millennium has begun, and a new paradigm in exploitation of natural resources to generate products has emerged. In this sense, a model in line with local environmental reality and based on the sustainable development goals (SDG) proposed by the UN is required. The document addresses the suitability of natural capitals in the Caatinga phytogeographic domain (CPD) for generating products, encompassing primary (solar energy and rainfall) and secondary (soil and vegetation) natural resources. These resources have well-defined scarcity (water, soil, and vegetation) and abundance (solar radiation) characteristics. Water is scarce due to uncertain rainfall and frequent droughts. Due to their fragility, soils, when shallow and/or with a low organic matter content, are susceptible to erosion and salinization. In turn, vegetation is scarce due to low potential for biomass production (50% of the area has a biomass production below 2 Mg ha-1. As for solar energy, there is no uncertainty regarding its occurrence in the CPD. Moreover, the region has the highest solar radiation intensities in Brazil, with daily averages ranging from 4.8 to 6.0 Kwh m-2 within a year. Therefore, a new model must be adopted, in which socioeconomic development is based on the potential of local natural resources. In short, abundant resources should be prioritized over scarce ones. Furthermore, exploitation must be democratized and not only in the hands of few privileged individual

Pescadores artesanais da foz do Rio Amazonas, Amazônia, Brasil

O trabalho descreve a socioeconomia e a percepção ambiental dos pescadores amapaense na foz do rio Amazonas. A área em que foi desenvolvido o estudo abrange a Mesorregião Norte, onde situa-se a Microrregião do Amapá, na qual localiza-se o município de Amapá e na Mesorregião Sul, onde situa-se a Microrregião de Macapá que compreendem os municípios de Macapá, Santana, Mazagão, Cutias do Araguari, Itaubal do Piririm e Ferreira Gomes. Os dados foram coletados junto a pescadores artesanais no período de agosto de 2016 a novembro de 2017. A maioria dos pescadores é amapaense (87,9%), 12,1% paraense/maranhense; as pescarias são praticadas por homens (77%) que vivem maritalmente (60%); a idade média é de 46 anos e possuem em média 4,61 filhos/família; o nível de escolaridade é baixo e observou-se que o interesse dos pescadores em aprenderem a assinar o nome ocorre devido a exigência dos órgãos para liberação de benefícios. A maioria dos pescadores utilizam a rede de emalhar como principal e mais importante arte de pesca na área da foz do Rio Amazonas (91,37%), seguida pela distribuição percentual em ordem decrescente de importância, pelo espinhel, linha de mão, tarrafa, zagaia e arpão. Os auxílios diversos complementares à renda familiar são majoritariamente provenientes do seguro defeso (91,9%) e também de bolsas do governo (30,6%). Nas pescarias são utilizados casquinhos (14%), canoas (25%), rabetas (32%) e geleiras (29%). O estudo ratifica a necessidade de medidas para a melhoria da qualidade de vida do pescador e a sustentabilidade da atividade pesqueira na região

Turbina eólica para agricultura familiar do semiárido com inovações tecnológicas para baixas velocidades de vento.

A agricultura familiar é um segmento importante do agronegócio brasileiro e tem grande participação na produção de alimentos essenciais para a segurança alimentar do Brasil, por isso, é preciso o fornecimento de energia para esses agricultores. Uma alternativa é a energia eólica, no entanto um desafio para usar o vento em pequenas propriedades no Estado do Ceará é a condição operacional do vento que é de baixa velocidade (ventos < 6 m s-1). O objetivo deste trabalho foi propor um sistema eólico para pequenas propriedades do Estado do Ceará com inovações tecnológicas. Todos os sistemas foram concebidos e dimensionados em uma turbina inovadora e apropriada para as pequenas propriedades. A estimativa de custo indica um baixo valor de aquisição e através de redes inteligentes e da geração distribuída pode-se gerar renda

Turbina eólica para agricultura familiar do semiárido com inovações tecnológicas para baixas velocidades de vento

A agricultura familiar é um segmento importante do agronegócio brasileiro e tem grande participação na produção de alimentos essenciais para a segurança alimentar do Brasil, por isso, é preciso o fornecimento de energia para esses agricultores. Uma alternativa é a energia eólica, no entanto um desafio para usar o vento em pequenas propriedades no Estado do Ceará é a condição operacional do vento que é de baixa velocidade (ventos < 6 m s-1). O objetivo deste trabalho foi propor um sistema eólico para pequenas propriedades do Estado do Ceará com inovações tecnológicas. Todos os sistemas foram concebidos e dimensionados em uma turbina inovadora e apropriada para as pequenas propriedades. A estimativa de custo indica um baixo valor de aquisição e através de redes inteligentes e da geração distribuída pode-se gerar renda

INDICADORES DE SUSTENTABILIDADE DA BACIA HIDROGRÁFICA DO RIACHO FAÉ, CEARÁ, A PARTIR DE ANÁLISE MULTIVARIADA

This work aimed to identify the sustainability indicators of the producers in the river Faé, Ceará, watershed. The field analysis was carried out in September 2006, with the application of cross-over forms to the 237 small producers. Through the employment of the Factor Analysis/Principal Component Analysis AF/ACP it was identified that the model of better adjustment to express the sustainability of the watershed Faé was that composed of six factors, explaining 80.25% of the total variance, dissolved before in 12 dimensions. The first factor explained 21.73% of the total variance and it is related with the health of the farmers. The second and third factors presented a close relation with the soil vegetation cover and the irrigation management, responding for 15.57% and 14.82% of the total variance, respectively. The forth factor, explaining 10.18% of the total variance, presents itself as an indicator of the water preservation. The both remaining factor explain, together, 17.95% of the total variation and express the family organization and the agricultural production techniques of the region, respectively. The sustainability of the producers was determined mainly by the health, vegetation coverage conservation and irrigation indicators, expressing the need of practical courses and the action of the rural extension, where the producer will learn agricultural production techniques by doing them

Use of capacitive sensors with the instantaneous profile method to determine hydraulic conductivity

ABSTRACT Due to the need to monitor soil water tension continuously, the instantaneous profile method is considered laborious, requiring a lot of time, and especially manpower, to set up and maintain. The aim of this work was to evaluate the possibility of using capacitive sensors in place of tensiometers with the instantaneous profile method in an area of the Lower Acaraú Irrigated Perimeter. The experiment was carried out in a Eutrophic Red-Yellow Argisol. The sensors were installed 15, 30, 45 and 60 cm from the surface, and powered by photovoltaic panels, using a power manager to charge the battery and to supply power at night. Records from the capacitive sensors were collected every five minutes and stored on a data acquisition board. With the simultaneous measurement of soil moisture obtained by the sensors, and the total soil water potential from the soil water retention curve, it was possible to determine the hydraulic conductivity as a function of the volumetric water content for each period using the Richards equation. At the end of the experiment, the advantage of using capacitive sensors with the instantaneous profile method was confirmed as an alternative to using a tensiometer. The main advantages of using capacitive sensors were to make the method less laborious and to allow moisture readings at higher tensions in soils of a sandy texture

Use of capacitive sensors with the instantaneous profile method to determine hydraulic conductivity

<div><p>ABSTRACT Due to the need to monitor soil water tension continuously, the instantaneous profile method is considered laborious, requiring a lot of time, and especially manpower, to set up and maintain. The aim of this work was to evaluate the possibility of using capacitive sensors in place of tensiometers with the instantaneous profile method in an area of the Lower Acaraú Irrigated Perimeter. The experiment was carried out in a Eutrophic Red-Yellow Argisol. The sensors were installed 15, 30, 45 and 60 cm from the surface, and powered by photovoltaic panels, using a power manager to charge the battery and to supply power at night. Records from the capacitive sensors were collected every five minutes and stored on a data acquisition board. With the simultaneous measurement of soil moisture obtained by the sensors, and the total soil water potential from the soil water retention curve, it was possible to determine the hydraulic conductivity as a function of the volumetric water content for each period using the Richards equation. At the end of the experiment, the advantage of using capacitive sensors with the instantaneous profile method was confirmed as an alternative to using a tensiometer. The main advantages of using capacitive sensors were to make the method less laborious and to allow moisture readings at higher tensions in soils of a sandy texture.</p></div

Supplementation of in vitro culture medium with FSH to grow follicles and mature oocytes can be replaced by extracts of Justicia insularis.

The present study evaluated the effect of supplementing in vitro culture medium with J. insularis compared to FSH on isolated secondary follicles and in vitro maturation of oocytes from those follicles. Secondary follicles were isolated from sheep ovaries and individually cultured for 18 days in α-MEM+ (Control), α-MEM+ supplemented with 100 ng/mL recombinant bovine follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) or with 0.3, 1.25, or 2.5 mg/mL of J. insularis extract (JI0.3, JI1.25, and JI2.5, respectively). Culture medium collected every 2 days was used to measure ROS levels. At the end of the culture period, cumulus oocytes complex (COCs) were collected and matured in vitro. Follicular walls were used for mRNA quantitation. JI0.3 led to a higher (P < 0.05) percentages of intact follicles than other groups after 18 days of culture. While follicular diameter remained unchanged from Day 6 onwards with JI0.3 and FSH, percentages of antral cavity formation were higher (P < 0.05) with JI0.3 at Day 6 than in all other treatments. No differences were observed between controls and treatment groups regarding ROS levels and mRNA expression of genes. Viability of resulting oocytes was higher (P < 0.05) in JI0.3 compared to FSH. Interestingly, in control experiment, supplementation of maturation medium with JI0.3 led to higher (P < 0.05) percentages of metaphase II compared to controls. Although more validations will be needed, it seems that this natural extract could be used as a cheap and easily available alternative to commercial FSH