Parabolic dunes in north-eastern Brazil

In this work we present measurements of vegetation cover over parabolic dunes with different degree of activation along the north-eastern Brazilian coast. We are able to extend the local values of the vegetation cover density to the whole dune by correlating measurements with the gray-scale levels of a high resolution satellite image of the dune field. The empirical vegetation distribution is finally used to validate the results of a recent continuous model of dune motion coupling sand erosion and vegetation growth.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, aubmitted to Geomorpholog

Analysis of Brazilian exports to Eastern Asian Countries - time period from 1980 to 2008

The last decade of the 20th century and the first decade of the current century have seen a continuous shift of the economic dynamic from North American and European countries to the pacific countries, specially the ones located on Eastern Asia, highlighting the Chinese growth. However, Brazil has not established any trade policy to take advantage of this situation, despite China has buying more and more of the Brazilian products. This paper aims to analyze the evolution of Brazilian exports to the Eastern Asian countries, focusing on 1980 to 2008 time period and discussing the facts that motivate or halt the trade among Brazil and Eastern Asian countries and how important is this trade for the Brazilian development. Applying both statistics and econometric methodology on secondary data, the following findings arose: (a) China bought only 1.19% of Brazilian exports in 2008 and Japan bought 0.8%, however, Japan and China have become important buyers of some specific Brazilian commodities, affecting some region development; (b) China has became the biggest Eastern Asian buyer of Brazilian products, answering for half of the Brazilian exports to that region in 2008; (c) the Japanese share on Brazil's exports to Eastern Asia countries dropped from 47% in 1990 to 17% in 2008; (d) no trade policy has been established for Brazil to stimulate its trade with Eastern Asian countries; (e) more than half of Brazil's exports to Japan and China are compounded by ore, steel and agro-food products, with the first two standing out in Brazilian exports to Japan and the third one dominating the Brazilian exports to China; (f) econometric equations run to supply and demand curves of Brazilian products exported to Japan and China show regional differences among these two buyers and the results help to discuss policies that can improve trade and development between Brazil and its two major partners on Eastern Asia

First record of the Sculptured Mitten Lobster Parribacus antarcticus (Crustacea, Decapoda, Scyllaridae) from the Cabo Verde Islands (eastern Atlantic)

The lobster genus Parribacuscontains six living and one fossil species (Holthuis 1991; Chan 2010; Nyborg & Garassino 2017). In the Atlantic Ocean, only one living species is known, Parribacus antarcticus(Lund, 1793); it has been recorded in the western Atlantic from Florida to Brazil and recently also from the mid-Atlantic island of Ascension (Brown et al.2016). It is nocturnal and is often found hiding in crevices during daytime (Holthuis 1991). We here note the presence of Parribacus antarcticusat the Cabo Verde Islands, the first record of the species from the eastern Atlantic.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The anamorphic state of Leveillula taurica recorded on Cleome spinosa in north-eastern Brazil

The anamorphic state of Leveillula taurica was found causing a powdery mildew disease on Cleome spinosa in north-eastern Brazil. Its chasmothecial state was not observed on the collected samples. The fungus is illustrated and described. This report represents the first record of this fungus on Cleome spinosa in Brazil

Recuperação de áreas degradadas com plantio de espécies florestais em unidades de agricultura familiar na Amazônia Oriental.

Título em inglês: Reclamation of degraded areas planting forest trees in agriculture family units in the Eastern Amazon of Brazil

Felipponea (Leucodontaceae, Musci) : a new genus for Africa ; to include ‘Leucodon maritimus’ and L. assimilis

Felipponea assimilis (Müll.Hal.) O’Shea is the correct name to be used for all African collections of Felipponea, a species found in Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, southern and eastern Africa and the East African islands. Hypnum maritimum Müll.Hal. and Cladomnion montevidensis Müll.Hal. are new synonyms. Lectotypes are selected for Neckera assimilis Müll.Hal., Cladomnion montevidensis Müll.Hal. and Braunia peristomata Dixon in Sim & Dixon

Fostering knowledge sharing about agroforestry systems through gaming and simulation in Irituia (Northeast Para, Brasil)

In the Eastern Amazon, many small-scale farmers have been spontaneously initiating expe-riences in forest restoration, mainly through agroforestry systems. To guide more inclusiverestoration policies, it is important to assess the socio-economic viability and ecological benefits of the different systems. Following a companion modelling approach, simulation and gaming tools were developed to enable exploring how and why smallholders would engage in farming systems oriented toward agroforestry systems. A stylized model of 4 similar 25-hafamily farms was first designed by researchers. This virtual landscape represents a game board. During gaming sessions, participants are requested to select the activities they would like to perform, to locate them in the game board and to indicate the practices related to these activities. These human-made decisions are inputted into a computer simulation model that allows simulating the growth of the plants and calculating a set of indicators to assess the balance between environmental and socioeconomic benefits. This tool has been co-designed with a small group of farmers from the Municipe of Irituia (North-eastern Para, Brazil) who were selected because of the experience in agroforestry systems. The game was then tested by students from Itabocal, a rural school of Irituia Municipe. We present how it enabled fostering knowledge sharing among students, farmers and researchers

New Ommatius Wiedemann from the Americas with two new species groups, keys, and taxonomic notes (Diptera: Asilidae)

Two species groups are proposed for Ommatius Wiedemann, normus and tibialis species groups, increasing the number to eight groups from the Americas. The normus group includes six species, two of which are new, O. nebulosus n. sp. and O. tepui n. sp., from Venezuela. This species group thus far extends from Venezuela southward into Paraguay and southern Brazil. Ommatius pulcher (Engel) is redescribed and a neotype designated. The tibialis group includes eight previously described species from eastern and southwestern United States. Ommatius gemma Brimley is transferred to the costatus group. Keys to the eight species groups and the species of the normus group with illustrations of diagnostic characters are provided. Notes and new distribution data are given for previously described species. The spelling of Ommatius norma Curran and O. ruficauda Curran are changed to agree in gender with the genus name, which is masculine

The response of neotropical dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) to local and regional abiotic factors in small streams of the Amazon

Since the relative role of local and regional abiotic factors on the Odonata diversity in rainforest streams is still poorly understood, we evaluated the effects of these factors on adult Odonata (Insecta) from preserved and altered streams in the Amazonian region. Adult Odonata were sampled in 98 streams in the Eastern Amazon, Pará, Brazil. Six variables were used to measure local environmental factors: habitat integrity index; mean canopy over the channel; and four physical and chemical descriptors of the water. To measure regional environmental factors, six variables were also used: altitude gradient, three bioclimatic variables and two percentage forest variables. In partial redundancy analysis, both abiotic factors (local and regional) were important to explain the variation in the Odonata community. The Odonata community can be influenced by regional and local factors. The relationship between Odonata and the local (e.g., integrity, canopy cover, and physical and chemical descriptors of the water) and regional (e.g., bioclimatic and forest cover variables) environmental variables recorded in this study has important implications for the use of these organisms to monitor small streams of the Eastern Amazon. The scale at which habitat is measured is an important issue in community structuring studies considering the rapid environmental changes. It is of great importance to consider the different scales in studies assessing community structure, once an adequate habitat must meet the ecological needs of all stages of the life of the Odonata.Funding Agency National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) CNPq Amazonian Biodiversity and Land Use project CNPq 574008/2008-0 Brazilian Agricultural Research Company-EMBRAPA SEG: 02.08.06.005.00 Darwin Initiative, United Kingdom 17-023 Nature Conservancy and Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) NE/F01614X/1 NE/G000816/1 National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) 307597/2016-4 Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology UID/Multi/04326/2019 PROPESP/UFPA through Edital 01/2018 (Programa de Apoio a Publicacao Qualificada-PAPQ)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio