Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Peak oxygen uptake in swimmers and pupils

http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2008v10n4p354 The objectives of this study were: a) to analyze the behavior of VO2MAX (absolute and relative) of males of different age groups sex; b) to compare VO2MAX (absolute and relative), of swimmers (SWM) and schoolchildren (SCH) in the same age groups. Seventy-one boys aged 7-17 years were evaluated (35 SWM and 36 SCH) and distributed into the age groups 7-10, 11-14 and 15-17 years. Anthropometric measurements were taken (height, body mass and sum of skin folds) and the metabolic (VO2MAX) tests were carried out using VO2000® gas analysis and an Inbrasport ATL® treadmill, using a modified version of the Bruce protocol. Statistical analysis: ANOVA for repeated measures, followed by Tukey’s post hoc test (p<0.05). Absolute VO2MAX: there were statistically significant differences between all age groups and between SWM (0.99 + 0.20 and 1.27 + 0.21 L.min-1) and SCH (0.98 + 0.36 and 0.80 + 0.12 L.min-1). Relative VO2MAX: there were statistically significant differences between SWM1 and SWM2 (10.88 + 0.09 and 0.75 + 0.47 ml.kg-1.min-1) and between SCH1 and SCH3 (6.96 + 1.23 and 0.98 + 2.29 ml.kg-1.min-1), although SWM and SCH were different. The results indicate that VO2MAX increased as the subjects got older, which is the result of natural development. However, the effect of swimming training predominated. Although the behavior of the variable was similar for the 11-14 and 15-17 age groups, the figures for SWM and SCH are different at these ages, with the swimmers having higher VO2MAX

<b>Level of flexibility through sit and reach test from research performed in São Paulo city </b>

The objective of this study was to examine the level of flexibility in men and women of different ages by the sit-and-reach test and to classify them according to the Canadian Standardized Test of Fitness (CSTF). The results were used to elaborate a new table that reflects the population studied. The sample consisted of 16,405 physically active and inactive subjects who were divided according to age: 15 to 19 (n = 954), 20 to 29 (n = 2916), 30 to 39 (n = 2161), 40 to 49 (n = 2333), 50 to 59 (n = 2739), 60 to 69 (n = 3195), and > 70 years (n = 2107). Percentiles were calculated using the original test scores and the 20th, 40th, 60th and 80th percentiles were used as cut-offs for classification as poor, below the average, average, above the average and excellent, respectively. According to the CSTF classification, the age groups from 15 to 39 years were classified as poor, with mean flexibility ranging from 24.805±9.684 to 26.130± 10.111 cm in women and from 21.480±9.905 to 22.848±9.648 cm in men. In the 40- to 69-year age groups, mean flexibility ranged from 22.768±9.627 to 25.396±9.547 in women and from 16.396±10.136 to 19.935±9.192 cm in men and was classified as below the average. Although most of the subjects performed regular exercise, the mean flexibility level observed did not correspond to the average suggested by the CSTF, demonstrating the importance of elaborating national reference tables and of establishing new normative values such as the table proposed in this study

Level of flexibility through sit and reach test from research performed in São Paulo city

The objective of this study was to examine the level of flexibility in men and women of different ages by the sit-and-reach test and to classify them according to the Canadian Standardized Test of Fitness (CSTF). The results were used to elaborate a new table that reflects the population studied. The sample consisted of 16,405 physically active and inactive subjects who were divided according to age: 15 to 19 (n = 954), 20 to 29 (n = 2916), 30 to 39 (n = 2161), 40 to 49 (n = 2333), 50 to 59 (n = 2739), 60 to 69 (n = 3195), and > 70 years (n = 2107). Percentiles were calculated using the original test scores and the 20th, 40th, 60th and 80th percentiles were used as cut-offs for classification as poor, below the average, average, above the average and excellent, respectively. According to the CSTF classification, the age groups from 15 to 39 years were classified as poor, with mean flexibility ranging from 24.805±9.684 to 26.130± 10.111 cm in women and from 21.480±9.905 to 22.848±9.648 cm in men. In the 40- to 69-year age groups, mean flexibility ranged from 22.768±9.627 to 25.396±9.547 in women and from 16.396±10.136 to 19.935±9.192 cm in men and was classified as below the average. Although most of the subjects performed regular exercise, the mean flexibility level observed did not correspond to the average suggested by the CSTF, demonstrating the importance of elaborating national reference tables and of establishing new normative values such as the table proposed in this study.O objetivo do estudo foi identificar o nível de flexibilidade de homens e mulheres de diferentes faixas etárias através do teste de sentar e alcançar seguindo protocolo do Canadian Standardized Test of Fitness (CSTF); classificá-los de acordo com a tabela sugerida pelo mesmo e, a partir dos resultados obtidos elaborar uma nova tabela normativa que reflita a população estudada. Participaram do estudo 16.405 sujeitos (11.114 mulheres e 5.291 homens) praticantes e não praticantes de exercícios físicos regulares, divididos em grupos etários: 15 a 19 (n=954), 20 a 29 (n=2916), 30 a 39 (n=2161), 40 a 49 (n=2333), 50 a 59 (n=2739), 60 a 69 (n=3195), acima de 70 (n=2107). Os percentis foram calculados com escores do teste original e como pontos de corte considerou-se os percentis 20, 40, 60 e 80 para classificação fraco, abaixo da média, média, acima da média, excelente, respectivamente. De acordo com as classificações do CSTF as faixas etárias entre 15 e 39 anos foram classificadas como fraco, com média de flexibilidade variando entre 24,80±9,68cm e 26,13±10,11cm no feminino e entre 21,48±9,90cm e 22,84±9,64cm no masculino. Nas categorias de 40 a 69 a média variou entre 22,76±9,62cm e 25,39±9,54cm no feminino e entre 16,39±10,13cm e 19,93±9,19cm no masculino, ficando abaixo da média. Apesar de a maioria da amostra ser praticante de exercício físico regular, a média do nível de flexibilidade apresentada não correspondeu à média sugerida pela tabela canadense demonstrando a importância de se construir tabelas de referências nacionais e se estabelecer novos valores normativos como a tabela proposta pelo presente trabalho

Tomato Breeding for Sustainable Crop Systems: High Levels of Zingiberene Providing Resistance to Multiple Arthropods

In sustainable cropping systems, the management of herbivorous arthropods is a challenge for the high performance of the tomato crop. One way to reduce the damage caused by these pests is the use of resistant cultivars within a sustainable integrated management system. The host selection of Tetranychus urticae, Bemisia tabaci, and Tuta absoluta was evaluated, characterizing their preference among the tomato genotypes RVTZ2011-79-503-143, RVTZ2011-79-335-164, RVTZ2011-79-185-250 (high zingiberene content&mdash;HZC), and RVTZ2011-79-117-273 (low zingiberene content&mdash;LZC). Such genotypes were selected in the F2BC2 generation (the F2 generation of the 2th backcross towards Solanum lycopersicum after the inicial interspecific cross S. lycopersicum &times; S. habrochaites var. hirsutum), resulting from crossing Solanum habrochaites var. hirsutum PI-127826 (HZC and resistant to mites) and the commercial cv. Reden&ccedil;&atilde;o (S. lycopersicum) (LZC and susceptible to mites). In choice and no-choice bioassays by T. urticae, and in choice bioassays by B. tabaci and T. absoluta, arthropods preferred to stay and oviposit in an LZC genotype. In contrast, genotypes with HZC showed repellency to pests and induced a non-preference for oviposition. The F2BC2 genotypes selected for HZC are considered sources of resistance genes to these pests for tomato breeding programs, and therefore have excellent potential for sustainable cropping systems. These results represent an advance in obtaining tomato genetic materials which can be used in sustainable production systems with less loss from pests