Physical activity-friendly neighbourhood among older adults from a medium size urban setting in Southern Europe

Objective: In this cross-sectional study, we examined the relationship between socio-environmental characteristics of neighborhood of residence and the frequency of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among older adults from Porto (Portugal).<p></p> Method: Data from EpiPorto – a prospective adult cohort study from Porto (Portugal) – were used. Only adults aged ≥ 65 at baseline (1999–2003) were included (n = 580). We used a Geographic Information System to objectively measure the neighborhood characteristics and Generalized Additive Models to estimate their effect on participation in LTPA (none vs. some reported) and frequency of LTPA (min/day).<p></p> Results: 62% of the participants reported no LTPA. Active elderly spent on average 38 (women) and 67 (men) minutes per day exercising. Neighborhood characteristics were unrelated to whether older people exercised or not. However, among active individuals, distance to the nearest destination (β = − 0.154, p = 0.016), in women, and distance to the nearest park, in men (− 0.030, 0.050), were predictors of LTPA frequency.<p></p> Conclusion: There was almost no association between neighborhood characteristics and whether older adults engaged in LTPA or not, but among those that did engage, neighborhood characteristics were associated with increased frequency of LTPA. The promotion of well distributed destinations and parks might improve physical activity levels among the elderly.<p></p&gt

Resource selection in an apex predator and variation in response to local landscape characteristics

Habitat loss and fragmentation represent major threats for the conservation of apex predators, such as the jaguar (Panthera onca). Investigating species’ resource selection behavior in response to landscape alteration is critical for developing relevant conservation management plans. The jaguar is found across a variety of habitats with different gradients of human disturbance, making them a good candidate to study how apex predators respond to increasing intensity of human land use. We developed resource selection models to characterize patterns of jaguar resource selection at two different spatial scales, home range (coarse) and foraging scale (fine). This analysis was based on the largest existing GPS-location dataset for jaguars (n = 40 individuals, n = 87,376 locations), spanning the species’ geographic range in Brazil and Argentina. We found that both males and females jaguars exhibited an overall preference for forests and areas close to watercourses at both the home range and foraging scale. At the foraging scale, areas of high livestock density “attracted” male jaguars. We also performed a follow-up analysis to test for context-dependent resource selection (i.e., functional responses) by relating individual behavior to local habitat characteristics. We found that jaguars in heavily-forested landscapes showed strong avoidance of non-forest. Furthermore, we found that only the individuals in closest proximity to watercourses showed positive selection for water. Our results highlight that jaguars display different patterns of resource selection in different areas, demonstrating a considerable ability to use or tolerate a wide variety of different conditions across the species geographic range. This plasticity may allow jaguars to adjust their behavior according to land use changes but also increases human-jaguar conflict and jaguar mortality, especially in areas with high livestock density.Fil: Morato, Ronaldo G.. Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade; Brasil. Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. Conservation Ecology Center; Estados Unidos. Instituto Pró-carnívoros; BrasilFil: Connette, G.M.. Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. Conservation Ecology Center; Estados UnidosFil: Stabach, J.A.. Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. Conservation Ecology Center; Estados UnidosFil: De Paula, R.C.. Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade; Brasil. Instituto Pró-carnívoros; BrasilFil: Ferraz, K.M.P.M.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil. Instituto Pró-carnívoros; BrasilFil: Kantek, D.L.Z.. Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade; BrasilFil: Miyazaki, Silvia Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade; BrasilFil: Pereira, T.D.C.. Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade; BrasilFil: Silva, L.C.. Universidade Federal de Viçosa; BrasilFil: Paviolo, Agustin Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú; Argentina. Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico; ArgentinaFil: de Angelo, Carlos Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú; Argentina. Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico; ArgentinaFil: Di Bitetti, Mario Santiago. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú; Argentina. Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico; ArgentinaFil: Cruz, María Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú; Argentina. Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico; ArgentinaFil: Lima, F.. Univesidade Estadual de São Paulo; Brasil. Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas; BrasilFil: Cullen Jr., Laury. Univesidade Estadual de São Paulo; BrasilFil: Sana, D.A.. Instituto Pró-carnívoros; Brasil. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Ramalho, E.E.. Instituto Pró-carnívoros; Brasil. Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá; BrasilFil: Carvalho, M.M.. Instituto de Defesa e Preservação dos Felídeos Brasileiros; BrasilFil: da Silva, M.X.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Moraes, M.D.F.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Vogliotti, Ana. Instituto Pró-carnívoros; Brasil. Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana; BrasilFil: May Jr., J.A.. Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina; Brasil. Associação Onçafari; BrasilFil: Haberfeld, M.. Associação Onçafari; BrasilFil: Rampim, L.. Associação Onçafari; BrasilFil: Sartorello, L.. Associação Onçafari; BrasilFil: Araujo, G.R.. Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul; BrasilFil: Wittemyer, G.. State University of Colorado - Fort Collins; Estados UnidosFil: Ribeiro, M.C.. Univesidade Estadual de São Paulo; BrasilFil: Leimgruber, P.. Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. Conservation Ecology Center; Estados Unido

Seletividade de herbicidas registrados para a cultura do milho a adultos de Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) Selectivity of herbicides registered on corn to Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

A seletividade de 24 herbicidas registrados para a cultura do milho foi avaliada a Trichogramma pretiosum em condições de laboratório (temperatura de 25±1 ºC, umidade relativa de 70±10%, fotofase de 14 horas e luminosidade de 500 lux). Adultos de T. pretiosum foram colocados em contato com uma película seca dos herbicidas pulverizados sobre placas de vidro e avaliou-se a capacidade de parasitismo das fêmeas. A redução na capacidade de parasitismo dos tratamentos foi comparada com a da testemunha (água destilada) e utilizada para classificar os herbicidas em 1, inócuo (<30%); 2, levemente nocivo (30-79%); 3, moderadamente nocivo (80-99%); e 4, nocivo (>99%). Os herbicidas Callisto, Equip Plus, Extrazin SC, Primóleo, Provence 750 WG e Siptran 500 SC são inócuos (classe 1); Agrisato 480 SL, Gesaprim GrDA, Glifos, Glyphosate Nortox, Gliz 480 SL, Polaris, Primatop SC, Sanson 40 SC, Trop e Zapp Qi, levemente nocivos (classe 2); Finale, Herbadox, Poast, Roundup Original, Roundup Transorb e Roundup WG, moderadamente nocivos (classe 3); e Gramoxone 200 e Primestra Gold, nocivos (classe 4) aos adultos de T. pretiosum, nas dosagens utilizadas. Os herbicidas nocivos (classes 2, 3 e 4) deverão passar para as etapas seguintes, que envolverão testes sobre as fases imaturas do parasitóide em condições de laboratório e adultos a campo.<br>The selectivity of 24 herbicides registered on corn to Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) was assessed under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1 ºC temperature, 70 ± 10% relative humidity, 14 4 photophase and brightness 500 lux). The adult parasitoids were submitted to a dry film of the herbicides applied on glass plates and the parasitism capacity of the females was evaluated. Reduced parasitism capacity in the treatments was compared with the negative control (distilled water) and used to classify the herbicides into four categories: 1, harmless (< 30%); 2, slightly harmful (30-79%); 3, moderately harmful (80-99%) and 4, harmful (> 99%). The herbicides Callisto, Equip Plus, Extrazin SC, Primóleo, Provence 750 WG and Siptran 500 SC were found to be harmless (class 1); Agrisato 480 SL, Gesaprim GrDA, Glifos, Glyphosate Nortox, Gliz 480 SL, Polaris, Primatop SC, Sanson 40 SC, Trop and Zapp Qi , slightly harmful (class 2); Finale, Herbadox, Poast, Roundup Original, Roundup Transorb and Roundup WG, moderately harmful (class 3); Gramoxone 200 and Primestra Gold were found to be harmful (class 4) to the adults of T. pretiosum at the dosages used. The harmful herbicides (class 2, 3 and 4) must undergo the next test stages, involving tests at the immature phases of the parasitoid under laboratory conditions and adult parasitoids under field conditions