Challenges in Engaging Birdwatchers in Bird Monitoring in a Forest Patch: Lessons for Future Citizen Science Projects in Agricultural Landscapes

Birdwatchers hold substantial potential as data collectors for research, and in Brazil, the birdwatching community has been growing since the early 2000s. Currently the effects of birds on forest patch restoration in agricultural landscapes is a major focus of avian conservation ecology, but these patches are not frequently visited by birdwatchers in Brazil, hindering the collection of useful bird data. We thus developed a project, 'Did I see a banded bird!?', which was designed to attract birdwatching volunteers to monitor birds within a forest patch. We explored three motivating factors to attract birdwatchers: (1) we offered an unprecedented opportunity for birdwatchers to record individual birds with colored bands, a challenging activity appealing to birdwatchers’ competitive nature; (2) our study area offered a new location with free, easy access and no logistical impediments; and (3) we continuously provided information on the benefits of birdwatching records for science and society to encourage participation. The project was widely announced and we had 302 applicants. However, the barriers faced throughout the project’s execution, including limited researcher-volunteer interaction, low security in the patch, and the presence of few species for birdwatchers to see, reduced the motivation and participation of most applicants. Consequently, from a list of 155 highly qualified applicants who lived near the patch and were skilled in forest birding, only 10 visited the patch. Our findings provide important guidelines for researchers planning similar citizen science projects in agricultural landscapes, mainly in countries where citizen science is still not common

LEVANTAMENTO DO POTENCIAL DE ARBORIZAÇÃO E PROPOSTA PARA TRÊS BAIRROS NO MUNICÍPIO DE PIRACICABA/SP, BRASIL.

A maioria dos municípios do Brasil apresenta grande déficit de indivíduos arbóreos urbanos, o que acarreta problemas ambientais diversos. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar o potencial e propor desenhos alternativos de arborização urbana para três bairros com situação de cobertura arbórea crítica na cidade de Piracicaba/SP. Cada bairro foi avaliado pelo processamento, com uso do software TNT Mips 7.2, de imagens aéreas obtidas por videografia multiespectral e pelo reconhecimento em campo. Com base nas informações geradas e considerando a baixa ocorrência de indivíduos arbóreos, foram selecionadas, de forma sistemática, 10 quadras de cada bairro, para a realização das propostas de intervenção. As alternativas de desenho propostas, para os três bairros, foram arborização de: (i) calçadas, sempre que as condições de fiação, rede de esgoto e entrada de garagem permitissem, (ii) canteiros centrais em ruas com leito carroçável largo, situação comumente encontrada nos bairros, (iii) rotatórias e (iv) praças e áreas verdes. Os bairros estudados apresentaram condições de intervenção paisagística e implementação de arborização (novas árvores), o que proporcionaria uma melhoria das condições ambientais futuras, com a previsão de um efetivo aumento da cobertura arbórea destes bairros e, conseqüentemente, do bem estar de sua comunidade

Diversity and ethics in trauma and acute care surgery teams: results from an international survey

Background Investigating the context of trauma and acute care surgery, the article aims at understanding the factors that can enhance some ethical aspects, namely the importance of patient consent, the perceptiveness of the ethical role of the trauma leader, and the perceived importance of ethics as an educational subject. Methods The article employs an international questionnaire promoted by the World Society of Emergency Surgery. Results Through the analysis of 402 fully filled questionnaires by surgeons from 72 different countries, the three main ethical topics are investigated through the lens of gender, membership of an academic or non-academic institution, an official trauma team, and a diverse group. In general terms, results highlight greater attention paid by surgeons belonging to academic institutions, official trauma teams, and diverse groups. Conclusions Our results underline that some organizational factors (e.g., the fact that the team belongs to a university context or is more diverse) might lead to the development of a higher sensibility on ethical matters. Embracing cultural diversity forces trauma teams to deal with different mindsets. Organizations should, therefore, consider those elements in defining their organizational procedures. Level of evidence Trauma and acute care teams work under tremendous pressure and complex circumstances, with their members needing to make ethical decisions quickly. The international survey allowed to shed light on how team assembly decisions might represent an opportunity to coordinate team member actions and increase performance

ATLANTIC BIRDS: a data set of bird species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

South America holds 30% of the world's avifauna, with the Atlantic Forest representing one of the richest regions of the Neotropics. Here we have compiled a data set on Brazilian Atlantic Forest bird occurrence (150,423) and abundance samples (N = 832 bird species; 33,119 bird individuals) using multiple methods, including qualitative surveys, mist nets, point counts, and line transects). We used four main sources of data: museum collections, on-line databases, literature sources, and unpublished reports. The data set comprises 4,122 localities and data from 1815 to 2017. Most studies were conducted in the Florestas de Interior (1,510 localities) and Serra do Mar (1,280 localities) biogeographic sub-regions. Considering the three main quantitative methods (mist net, point count, and line transect), we compiled abundance data for 745 species in 576 communities. In the data set, the most frequent species were Basileuterus culicivorus, Cyclaris gujanensis, and Conophaga lineata. There were 71 singletons, such as Lipaugus conditus and Calyptura cristata. We suggest that this small number of records reinforces the critical situation of these taxa in the Atlantic Forest. The information provided in this data set can be used for macroecological studies and to foster conservation strategies in this biodiversity hotspot. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Data Paper if data are used in publications and teaching events. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of Americ

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

The human-modified landscapes under assessment: Bird in forest patches, agricultural matrices and the implications for conservation

Devido o dinamismo e complexidade estrutural observada nas paisagens antrópicas, pesquisas contínuas são necessárias para melhorar o conhecimento sobre quais os impactos delas na biodiversidade, bem como para entender quais espécies ocorrentes nestas paisagens refletem as condições ambientais lá existentes. Desse modo, tomando a avifauna como representante da biodiversidade presente nestas paisagens, esta tese objetivou: 1) caracterizar as assembleias de aves ocorrentes nos remanescentes florestais de Mata Atlântica inseridos em paisagem antrópica agrícola, bem como as assembleias que ocorrem no interior das culturas de pasto e cana-de-açúcar, 2) identificar um método analítico adequado para acessar a integridade ecológica existente nos remanescentes florestais por meio das assembleias de aves, 3) avaliar o efeito da estrutura e dinâmica destas paisagens nas assembleias de aves ocorrentes nos remanescentes florestais, 4) identificar quais características da paisagem antrópica agrícola influenciam as aves ocorrentes no interior das culturas de pasto e cana-de-açúcar. Assembleias de aves foram amostradas mensalmente durante um ano (Nov2011-Nov2012) por meio de pontos fixos e transectos em oito remanescentes florestais com diferentes tamanhos (3-115ha) e históricos de degradação, e oito sítios amostrais localizados no interior das culturas agrícolas (quatro em pasto e quatro em cana-de-açúcar). Estes foram selecionados dentro de cinco unidades amostrais de uma paisagem tipicamente (16 km2) agrícola do Estado de São Paulo (Bacia do Rio Corumbataí). O índice de serviços ecossistêmicos de Ferraz et al. (2014) foi adotado como uma medida do grau de distúrbios antrópicos presente nos remanescentes florestais do qual leva em consideração a dinâmica e estrutura deles. Já as características das paisagens nas culturas agrícolas foram coletadas em duas escalas de análise (buffers circulares de 600 e 1000m) levando em consideração métricas que pudessem refletir uma maior heterogeneidade da paisagem. No total, 191 espécies foram observadas nos remanescentes florestais, enquanto que 137 nas culturas agrícolas. As aves com hábitos florestais, não-florestais, hábitos mistos florestais-não-florestais, pequenos insetívoros de sub-bosque, aves que forrageiam no estrato médio dos remanescentes, espécies endêmicas e ameaçadas foram os melhores indicadores ecológicos nos remanescentes. Estes grupos formaram a base de dados do Índice de Integridade Biótica (IIB) um método multimétrico que obteve um melhor desempenho em refletir a integridade existente nos remanescentes quando comparado com os níveis de sensibilidade a distúrbios antrópicos de Parker III et al. (1996), riqueza geral das assembleias e índice de diversidade de Shannon. Foram registradas 132 espécies nas pastagens enquanto que apenas 72 nos canaviais, sendo que tanto a riqueza geral quanto a abundância relativa de alguns grupos de aves foram explicadas pela variação na heterogeneidade da paisagem. Assim, conclui-se que métodos analíticos classicamente utilizados em ecologia podem apresentar falhas na avaliação ecológica de remanescentes de Mata Atlântica inseridos em paisagem antrópica, ocasionando interpretações errôneas. Novos métodos analíticos devem ser explorados, sendo o IIB um possível substituto. A diferença existente entre as assembleias de aves ocorrentes nas pastagens, (maior heterogeneidade) e nos canaviais (baixa heterogeneidade) indicam as consequências negativas que homogeneização da paisagem agrícola pode ocasionar à biodiversidade ocorrente nestas paisagens.Because human-modified landscapes (HML) are dynamic and have structural complexity, continuous research is necessary to improve knowledge about the HML impacts on the biodiversity, as well as to provide knowledge of which current species may reflect the environmental conditions existing there. Thus, considering birds as sample of the HML existing biodiversity, the following thesis aimed to: 1) describe the bird assemblages of Atlantic Forest patches located in HML and bird assemblages of the interior of cattle pastures and sugar cane crops, 2) identify a proper bird analytical approach to assess the existing ecological integrity of forest patches in HML, 3) assess the effects of the landscape features (dynamic and structure) on the bird assemblages of forest patches in HML, 4) identify which landscapes features of both crops may exert influence on the bird assemblage composition of each crop. Bird sampling was performed monthly along one year (Nov 2011 - Nov 2012) in eight forest patches with different historical and size (3 - 115 ha), and eight sites located in the interior of each crop (four in cattle pasture and four in sugar cane), using point counts and transects. Five focal landscapes (16 km2) located in a typical HML of São Paulo state (Corumbataí river basin) were used to select these sampling sites. The rank of ecosystem services provisioning of Ferraz et al. (2014) was used as a measurement of the existing gradient of human disturbance in the forest patches, which was built through information about forest dynamic and structure. The landscape features of each crop were collected through two scale of analysis (circular buffers with 600 and 1000 radius meters) taking into account metrics that may represent the landscape heterogeneity. 191 species were observed in the forest patches while 137 in the crops. The forest birds, non-forest birds, birds with forest-non-forest habits, small understory-midstory insectivorous, species with foraging habits in the midstory strata, threatened and endemic species, were the best ecological indicators of the forest patches. These bird groups were used as database in the development of the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI), a multimetric approach, which showed a better performance to indicate the existent integrity in the forest patches in comparison with \"sensitivity to disturbance\" of Parker III et al. (1996), total species richness and Shannon´s diversity index. 132 species were observed in cattle pastures while 72 in sugar cane. Both richness and relative abundance of some bird groups were explained by the landscape heterogeneity variation. Thus, it is possible to conclude that some classical birds analytical approaches may be flawed in the ecological assessment of Atlantic Forest patches inserted in HML. New analytical approaches should be explored, and the IBI is a possible alternative. The bird\'s assemblage differences between cattle pastures (high heterogeneity) and sugar cane (low heterogeneity) are an example of the negative consequences caused by the crops homogenization on the living biodiversity of agricultural landscapes

Urban birds sampling by point counts: checking the method efficiency

A urbanização é uma das ações antrópicas que mais crescem no mundo atual. Por este motivo pesquisas ecológicas são realizadas nas cidades com o objetivo de reconhecer seus impactos, e as aves são utilizadas como uma das ferramentas para diagnóstico ambiental. Assim, o presente estudo avaliou o método de levantamento de aves por ponto fixo, método amplamente utilizado em estudos com aves em diversos ambientes. Foram analisados três pontos que podem influenciar a amostragem de aves através deste método: 1) o habitat onde o levantamento é realizado, observando a composição dos elementos urbanos existentes na cidade; 2) o intervalo de tempo adotado em cada ponto fixo para a coleta de dados; 3) os fatores potencialmente prejudiciais a observação de aves, tais como o ruído sonoro urbano e a presença de conversas causadas por pessoas curiosas. Com a área de estudo estratificada a partir da quantidade de cobertura arbórea existente nos bairros abrangidos, 90 unidades amostrais foram selecionadas. Nestes, foram quantificados os elementos urbanos presentes, a riqueza, o número de contato de aves, os ruídos sonoros e a presença de conversas. Os resultados demonstraram que a reunião de um número maior de espécies e contatos pode ser favorecida pelas áreas de cobertura arbórea, enquanto áreas construídas e pisos impermeáveis podem prejudicar o número de espécies, sendo o número de contato prejudicado apenas pelas áreas de pisos impermeáveis. O número de espécies observadas não foi significativamente diferente após nove minutos de coleta de dados, entretanto o número de contatos continuou crescendo, demonstrando haver recontagens de indivíduos após este intervalo. A riqueza de espécies foi significativamente diferente entre os dados coletados no período seco e no período chuvoso. Conforme houve a maior presença do ruído sonoro urbano menor foi o número de espécies e contatos obtidos nos pontos. A incidência de conversas ocasionadas por pessoas curiosas foi baixa não prejudicando as coletas de dados. Os resultados encontrados sugerem que: o levantamento de aves no meio urbano através do ponto fixo deve considerar a composição do ambiente, já que a riqueza e o número de contato podem variar de acordo com a presença dos diferentes elementos; sejam adotados intervalos de tempo por ponto não superiores a nove minutos; quando possível diferentes épocas do ano devem ser utilizadas para as coletas de dados, visto que podem ser encontradas diferenças entre as estações; sejam escolhidos locais e momentos para as coletas de dados com baixo ruído sonoro. Por fim, o método de ponto fixo foi considerado eficaz para amostragem de aves urbanas, desde que tais cuidados sejam considerados.The urbanization is one of the anthropic activities with the highest growth rate in the world. Due to this reason, ecological research are conducted in the cities with the goal of recognizing its impacts, using birds as one of the tools to assess the environmental diagnosis. Therefore, the present study assessed the samples by point counts method, which is broadly used for bird census in many environments. Three issues that might affect the sampling of the birds by using this method were analyzed: 1) the habitat where the sampling is performed, observing the urban elements presented in the city; 2) the period of point count duration spent in each sample; 3) the potential factors which disturb the birds detectability, as urban noise and presence of curious citizens who can talk to the researcher in the point count. The research area was stratified from the amount of tree canopies in the selected suburbs, where 90 sample units were selected. In these units, the presence of urban elements, the richness, the number of birds contacts, the noise and the presence of conversations were quantified. The results showed that the number of species and contacts can be benefited from the tree canopy area, while build up areas and impermeable grounds may harm the number of species, although the contact number is harmed only by the impermeable grounds. The number of observed species did not differ significantly after nine minutes of sample period, however the number of contacts kept increasing, demonstrating a repeated counting birds after this interval. The species richness was significantly different between the samples collected in dry and wet seasons. As the urban noise increased, a lower number of species and birds contacts was acknowledged. The incidence of conversation performed by curious people was low, not being able to harm the sample collection. The results suggest that: the bird survey inside the cities by point counts should consider the composition of environment, since the richness and the number of birds contacts can vary according to the presence of different elements; the time of interval should not exceed nine minutes; when possible, different annual seasons should be used for sampling, since differences may be found among them; places and moments for the sampling should be chosen with a low noise. Finally, the point counts method was considered efficient for the sampling of urban birds, provided that such care are considered

Conhecimento e hábitos de hidratação em atletas top 10 Brasil da prova de 800m

 ABSTRACT Knowledge and moisture habits in athletes top 10 brazil's 800m proofDuring intense training and after competitions, athletes lose significant amounts of fluid, which if not properly reset can result in loss of income and possible injury. This descriptive study aimed to verify the knowledge of the best athletes of middle-ground of Brazil on fluid replacement issues before, during and after competitions and training. The sample with the ten best proof of the athletes of the 800-meter dash during the Trophy Athletics Brazil. It used a standardized questionnaire with 18 objective questions related to the knowledge and practice of hydration during training and competition. The main results indicate that 80% of athletes always hidratavam during training and competition, in this case curious fact that 20% reported that they sometimes or almost never hidratavam these conditions and the most alarming of this study factor was when people were asked about the most appropriate way to hydrate, as 50% said they have no idea of how it should be carried out, 30% said they should hydrate with half a liter for every half hour and only 20% said the proper way to hydrate, which would a liter of room for a quarter of an hour. It was noticed that the athletes even being among the best in Brazil do not have the knowledge of the importance of hydration before, during and after training and competition.Durante o treinamento intenso e sequência de competições, os atletas perdem quantidades significativas de líquidos, que se não adequadamente repostos podem ocasionar em queda do rendimento e possíveis lesões. Este estudo descritivo teve como objetivo verificar o conhecimento dos melhores atletas de meio-fundo do Brasil sobre questões de reposição hídrica antes, durante e após as competições e treinamento. A amostra foi composta com os dez melhores atletas da prova dos 800 metros rasos durante o Troféu Brasil de Atletismo. Foi utilizado um questionário padronizado com 18 questões objetivas relacionadas ao conhecimento e pratica de hidratação durante o treinamento e competição. Tal instrumento tem sido bastante utilizado em pesquisas de atletas de diversas modalidades. Os resultados principais identificaram que 80% dos atletas sempre se hidratavam durante treinos e competições, nesse caso curioso fato de que 20% relataram que às vezes ou quase nunca se hidratavam nessas condições e o fator mais alarmante desse estudo foi quando os indivíduos foram questionados sobre a maneira mais adequada de se hidratarem, pois 50% responderam que não tem nem ideia de como deveria ser realizada, 30% responderam que deveriam se hidratar com meio litro para cada meia hora e apenas 20% responderam a maneira correta de se hidratar, que seria um quarto de litro para um quarto de hora. Percebeu-se que os atletas mesmo estando entre os melhores do Brasil não possuem o conhecimento da importância da hidratação antes, durante e depois dos treinamentos e competições

URBAN SOUTHERN HOUSE WREN (TROGLODYTES MUSCULUS) NESTING IN APPARENTLY UNSUITABLE HUMAN-MADE STRUCTURES: IS IT WORTH IT?

Free-living birds in cities interact with humans and human-made objects. Here, we investigated whether nesting in human-made structures that are physically unstable and prone to frequent human intervention benefits urban Southern House Wrens (Troglodytes musculus). First, we describe the behavior of individuals that repeatedly attempted to nest in a motorcycle helmet (an unsuitable structure) based on ad libitum observations and camera trapping. We also reviewed nesting records of this wren throughout Brazilian cities deposited in crowdsourcing citizen science platforms, such as Wiki Aves, eBird, and iNaturalist. During our field study, in November and December 2019, wrens attempted to build a nest in the helmet for 8 days. Each attempt was interrupted by the removal of the helmet. We recorded 103 videos of nesting activity, including 3 days of high nest-building effort (up to 68 twigs deposited inside the helmet within a 6-h period) and high territory-defense efforts. Both of these behaviors were sometimes followed by one of four types of vocalizations (contact call, complete song, incomplete song, or sub-song). We found 372 Southern House Wren nesting records in online citizen science datasets: 100 were in urban areas with 86 nests built on 24 different human-made structures. Most nests (n = 71) were in what we deemed as stable structures (safe from human intervention) and 34 of them (47.8%) likely bred successfully (i.e., fledglings present). Only seven nests were built on unstable and unsafe structures, and four (57.1%) of these had sufficient evidence of successful nesting. Although nesting in unsuitable places in cities is less-frequent, their breeding success is comparable with nesting in suitable places. Therefore, the nesting of Southern House Wren in human-made structures might benefit the species, even if they eventually become ecological traps due the risk of human intervention. Our study adds knowledge about the life history of the species in urban environments