Protected areas and prime hoverfly areas: Safe haven for hoverflies or not?

The efficiency of protected areas (PAs) has often been questioned due to global decline of biodiversity. Invertebrates, especially insects, have been historically underrepresented in conservation studies. Our study focuses on hoverflies, an important group of insect pollinators and proven to be good bioindicators. Research was focused in Serbia, one of Europe's hotspots of hoverfly diversity, with a long tradition of hoverfly research, which provided sufficient information for achieving our aims: identifying areas of high hoverfly diversity, evaluating the efficiency of PAs and prime hoverfly areas (PHAs) in the conservation of hoverflies, determining how well they cover the distribution of hoverfly species, especially those of conservation concern, and testing the importance of the size of the area for conservation of hoverfly diversity. We applied weighting of the species to help stress the importance of species of conservation concern. The results indicated that PHAs cover the areas with high hoverfly diversity better than PA networks, especially when it comes to species of conservation concern. Generalized linear model results showed that the area size was a significant predictor of number of species in both PA and PHA. This indicates that area size is key when designating new areas important for conservation, but there are also other factors that need to be taken into account, such as habitat quality or suitability. Studies like this are useful in aiding designation of new areas important for conservation of certain species and in identifying sampling gaps, which could potentially aim future research in that direction.     

Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in native and reforested areas in Rancho Alegre, Paraná, Brazil

Abstract: Generally, natural environments have been transformed into small forest remnants, with the consequent habitat loss and species extinction. The North Paraná State is not an exception, since only 2 to 4% of the original ecosystem occurs in small fragments of Stational Semidecidual Forest. We studied the species richness and abundance of bats in two forest fragments from the Fazenda Congonhas, in Rancho Alegre city, Parana State, Brazil. Four samplings were undertaken in a legally protected native area (107.8 ha) and in a reforested area (11.8 ha) between April 2007 and March 2008. Samplings began at nightfall and lasted six hours,during two consecutive nights in each location. The individuals were captured using eight mist nets, with the same capture effort in both environments. A total of 397 individuals, 14 species and 10 genera were captured in the native area; while in the reforested area, 105 individuals, six species and four genera. Artibeus lituratus was the most common species in both fragments (n = 328, 65.3%), followed by Artibeus fimbriatus (n = 44, 8.8%) and Artibeus jamaicensis (n = 30, 6.0%). Other species including Platyrrhinus lineatus, Carollia perspicillata, Sturnira lilium, Chrotopterus aurintus, Desmodus rotundus, Michronycteris megalotis, Phyllostomus hastatus, Phyllostomus discolor, Myoti levis, Myotis nigricans and Lasiurus blossevillii, accounted for 19.9% of the captures. The native area presented higher values of species richness (S = 14) and diversity (H' = 1.4802) in comparison to the reforested area (S = 6, H '= 0.57015). The t-test evidenced a significant difference between diversity among the sites (t = 7.1075). Chao 1 index indicated that the sampling effort recorded approximately 78% from the total species richness for the native area and 75% for the reforested area. Therefore, the preservation of the forest fragment is essential since it provides habitat for a diverse community of bats. Forest management and reforestation actions may prevent drastic changes in the microclimate of neighboring areas within the forest fragment, and could allow the occupation of available niches in the area, by opportunistic and generalist species.     

Protected areas in the world’s ecoregions: How well connected are they?

Protected areas (PAs) are the main instrument for biodiversity conservation, which has triggered the development of numerous indicators and assessments on their coverage, performance and efficiency. The connectivity of the PA networks at a global scale has however been much less explored; previous studies have either focused on particular regions of the world or have only considered some types of PAs.Here we present, and globally assess, ProtConn, an indicator of PA connectivity that (i) quantifies the percentage of a study region covered by protected connected lands, (ii) can be partitioned in several components depicting different categories of land (unprotected, protected or transboundary) through which movement between protected locations may occur, (iii) is easy to communicate, to compare with PA coverage and to use in the assessment of global targets for PA systems.We apply ProtConn to evaluate the connectivity of the PA networks in all terrestrial ecoregions of the world as of June 2016, considering a range of median dispersal distances (1–100 km) encompassing the dispersal abilities of the large majority of terrestrial vertebrates.We found that 9.3% of the world is covered by protected connected lands (average for all the world’s ecoregions) for a reference dispersal distance of 10 km, increasing up to 11.7% for the largest dispersal distance considered of 100 km. These percentages are considerably smaller than the global PA coverage of 14.7%, indicating that the spatial arrangement of PAs is only partially successful in ensuring connectivity of protected lands. The connectivity of PAs largely differed across ecoregions. Only about a third of the world’s ecoregions currently meet the Aichi Target of having 17% of the terrestrial realm covered by well-connected systems of PAs. Finally, our findings suggest that PAs with less strict management objectives (allowing the sustainable use of resources) may play a fundamental role in upholding the connectivity of the PA systems.Our analyses and indicator make it possible to identify where on the globe additional efforts are most needed in expanding or reinforcing the connectivity of PA systems, and can be also used to assess whether newly designated sites provide effective connectivity gains in the PA system by acting as corridors or stepping stones between other PAs. The results of the ProtConn indicator are available, together with a suite of other global PA indicators, in the Digital Observatory for Protected Areas of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.     

Density-dependent regulation of population size in colonial breeders: Allee and buffer effects in the migratory Montagu’s harrier

Expanding populations offer an opportunity to uncover the processes driving spatial variation in distribution and abundance. Individual settlement decisions will be influenced by the availability and relative quality of patches, and by how these respond to changes in conspecific density. For example, conspecific presence can alter patch suitability through reductions in resource availability or territorial exclusion, leading to buffer effect patterns of disproportionate population expansion into poorer quality areas. However, conspecific presence can also enhance patch suitability through Allee effect processes, such as transmission of information about resources or improved predator detection and deterrence. Here, we explore the factors underlying the settlement pattern of a growing population of Montagu’s harriers (Circus pygargus) in Spain. The population increased exponentially between 1981 and 2001, but stabilised between 2001 and 2004. This population increase occurred alongside a remarkable spatial expansion, with novel site use occurring prior to maximum densities in occupied sites being reached. However, no temporal trends in fecundity were observed and, within sites, average fecundity did not decline with increasing density. Across the population, variance in productivity did increase with population size, suggesting a complex pattern of density-dependent costs and benefits. We suggest that both Allee and buffer effects are operating in this system, with the benefits of conspecific presence counteracting density-dependent declines in resource availability or quality.     

Cytogenetic characteristics of patients with signs and symptoms of myelodysplastic syndromes in the State of Pará, Brazil

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are clonal hematopoietic diseases characterized by medullary dysplasia, cytopenias, and frequent evolution to acute myeloid leukemia. In 1982, the French-American-British (FAB) group proposed a classification for the MDS, based on morphological characteristics of peripheral blood and of the bone marrow. Later, cytogenetics proved to be a useful tool for the refinement of prognosis, through the use of the International Prognosis Score System (IPSS), as well as through evidence of clonality. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) proposed a new classification for the MDS, based on significant modifications of the FAB proposal, with the inclusion of chromosome analysis. A cytogenetic analysis was made of 17 patients with symptoms of MDS in the State of Para, based on WHO recommendations, and application of the IPSS. Good metaphases were obtained for 13 patients; 12 had a normal karyotype and only one had a clonal abnormality, del(3)(p25). The genes related to neoplastic processes that have been mapped to 3p are: XPC in 3p25.1 and FANCD2 and VHL in 3p25-26. Four patients had classic symptoms of MDS; in the rest the possibility of MDS was excluded or several months of observation before diagnosis were recommended. Among those with MDS, it was not possible to apply IPSS and WHO recommendations, because fundamental data were lacking, specifically the medullary blast and ring sideroblast counts. We advocate the implementation of routine cytogenetic analyses for the study of MDS, especially in patients with moderate hematopoietic dysplasia.     

Two new biting midges from Pará, Brazil (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Two new species of Culicoides Latreille of the subgenus Haematomyidium Goeldi are described and illustrated based on female specimens from Pará, Brazil. The new species are compared with their similar congeners.     

Protected areas for kiwi in mainland forests of New Zealand: how large should they be?

This paper examines, theoretically, how dispersal affects the viability of brown kiwi populations in protected areas of different size. Brown kiwi are threatened by introduced mammalian predators in mainland forests and are likely to persist only in managed forests where predators are controlled. In each protected area, the kiwi population will function as a net source, with an outflow of juveniles into the adjoining forest and minimal backflow into the reserve. Computer simulations show the minimum area of forest required for population viability increases non-linearly as the mean dispersal distance of juveniles increases. Preliminary measurements of the mean dispersal distance of brown kiwi in the wild suggest kiwi populations are unlikely to be viable in protected areas of less than 10 000 ha. Our estimate of the forest area requirement for viable populations of brown kiwi agrees with those derived by earlier workers using biogeographic techniques.     

Habitat use, size structure and sex ratio of the spot-legged turtle, Rhinoclemmys punctularia punctularia (Testudines: Geoemydidae), in Algodoal-Maiandeua Island, Pará, Brazil

Rhinoclemmys punctularia punctularia is a semi-aquatic chelonian found in Northern South America. We analyzed the habitat use, size structure and sex ratio of the species on Algodoal-Maiandeua Island, a protected area on the Northeastern coast of the Brazilian state of Pará. Four distinct habitats (coastal plain lake, flooded forest "igapó", interdunal lakes, and tidal channels) were surveyed during the rainy (March and April) and dry (August and September) seasons of 2009, using hoop traps. For the analysis of population structure, additional data were taken in March and August, 2008. A total of 169 individuals were captured in flooded forest (igapó), lakes of the coastal plain and, occasionally, in temporary pools. Capture rates were highest in the coastal plain lake, possibly due to the greater availability of the fruits that form part of the diet of R. p. punctularia. Of the physical-chemical variables measured, salinity appeared to be the only factor to have a significant negative effect on capture rates. The sex ratio was only slightly biased to females, and did not vary between habitats or seasons. Straight carapace length was significantly larger in females, but did not vary between habitats. Overall, the evidence indicates that both biotic and abiotic factors like food availability, low current and salinity, influence the habitats selection and use by R. p. punctularia on Algodoal-Maiandeua Island.     

The Scribble and Par complexes in polarity and migration: friends or foes?

The Par complex [consisting of Bazooka (also called Par3), Par6 and aPKC] is a well-described regulator of cell polarity whose role in many aspects of cell morphogenesis is under intense investigation. Recently, another set of proteins known as the Scribble complex (consisting of Scribble, Discs large and Lethal giant larvae) has also been shown to be important in polarity regulation in several settings. Here, we describe the current status of Scribble in polarity and review evidence from various model systems that indicates an essential but context-dependent role for the Scribble and Par complexes in directed cell migration. Based on the known interactions of Scribble and Par complexes with each other and with other signalling pathways, we propose models by which Par and Scribble might interact to regulate cell migration.     

Diversity and distribution of oribatid mites (Acari:Oribatida) in a lowland rain forest in Peru and in several environments of the Brazilians states of Amazonas, Rond?nia, Roraima and Pará.

We are summarizing the current state of knowledge of the diversity and distribution of oribatid mites in 26 environments in northern Brazil and of a rain forest in Peru. The published studies were mostly concentrated in Central Amazon. Only one report is a result from an agricultural polyculture. We are providing the first lists of species for savannas and for the Brazilian states of Roraima and Pará. Up to date, 146 species are definitively identified from a total of 444 taxa with 188 known genera, reinforcing the notion of a rich biodiverse area. The high number of 298 non-described species (morphospecies) clearly shows the inadequacy of the current taxonomic knowledge for the region. Most of the registers are from forest environments. In the soil from primary forests, we registered the highest diversity (54-155 species/morphospecies). Eighty-nine species were unique to primary forests, followed by 34 for savannas, 32 in trees, 10 in "igapó", 4 in caatinga, 3 in secondary forests, two in "várzea" and one in polyculture. Twenty genera were the most speciose. The species with the largest home ranges were Rostrozetes foveolatus, Scheloribates sp. A, and Galumna sp. A. Our numbers reflect the lack of taxonomists and show that the taxonomic knowledge must be improved for the region or we will continue to work with taxonomic resolution of Order or Family and a high percentage of morphospecies, which will probably be appropriate to the question being asked in each study, but not for a comparison among environments.     

Cytogenetic biomonitoring of inhabitants of a large uranium mineralization area: the municipalities of Monte Alegre, Prainha, and Alenquer, in the State of Pará, Brazil

Uranium is a natural radioactive metallic element; its effect on the organism is cumulative, and chronic exposure to this element can induce carcinogenesis. Three cities of the Amazon region—Monte Alegre, Prainha, and Alenquer—in North Brazil, are located in one of the largest uranium mineralization areas of the world. Radon is a radioactive gas, part of uranium decay series and readily diffuses through rock. In Monte Alegre, most of the houses are built of rocks removed from the Earth’s crust in the forest, where the uranium reserves lie. The objective of the present work is to determine the presence or absence of genotoxicity and risk of carcinogenesis induced by natural exposure to uranium and radon in the populations of these three cities. The frequency of micronuclei (MN) and chromosomal aberrations (CA) showed no statistically significant differences between the control population and the three study populations (P > 0.05). MN was also analyzed using the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique, with a centromere-specific probe. No clastogenic and/or aneugenic effects were found in the populations. Using FISH analysis, other carcinogenesis biomarkers were analyzed, but neither the presence of the IGH/BCL2 translocation nor an amplification of the MYC gene and 22q21 region was detected. Clastogenicity and DNA damage were also not found in the populations analyzed using the alkaline comet assay. The mitotic index showed no cytotoxicity in the analyzed individuals’ lymphocytes. Once we do not have data concerning radiation doses from other sources, such as cosmic rays, potassium, thorium, or anthropogenic sources, it is hard to determine if uranium emissions in this geographic region where our study population lives are too low to cause significant DNA damage. Regardless, genetic analyses suggest that the radiation in our study area is not high enough to induce DNA alterations or to interfere with mitotic apparatus formation. It is also possible that damages caused by radiation doses undergo cellular repair.     

Conflict of use for multi-purpose tree species in the state of Pará, eastern Amazonia, Brazil

Although diversified forest management is promoted as a strategy aimed at slowing tropical deforestation, little is known about the viability of integrating timber and non-timber forest products in the same forest management plans. In this study we offer an initial characterization of multi-purpose tree species in the State of Pará, the principal Amazonian logging region. We identify the species used for both timber and non-timber extraction, and classify these according to their commercial value. We relate multi-purpose species to their ecological traits, the type of non-timber forest use and the fraction of the tree harvested. Although a high number of species present a potential conflict of use, this conflict is only relevant in four of them: D. odorata, T. serratifolia, T. impetiginosa and H. courbaril. Nevertheless, the nature and relevance of this conflict will ultimately depend on the importance that the non-timber use has for the livelihoods of forest-dependant people, the commercial value and the ecological resilience of these species.     

Cryptosporidiosis in children from 1 to 2 years of age, with acute diarrhea in Belém, Pará, Brazil

Two hundred and one samples obtained from 61 children were examined for Cryptosporidium infection during a period of 12 months. One hundred fifteen specimens were collected during diarrhoea episodes and the remaining 86 obtained out of diarrhoea period, as controls. All samples were examined by a modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining method. Cryptosporidium was detected in 6 (5.2%) of 115 samples from diarrhoeic children. All non-diarrhoeic control patients were negative for Cryptosporidium. The present study suggests that Cryptosporidium is an agent of self-limited diarrhoea among immunocompetent children from Belém, Pará.     

Experimental effects of habitat fragmentation on rove beetles and ants: patch area or edge?

The effects of habitat fragmentation may include the loss of species from isolated fragments or changes in species abundances among habitats that differ in area, structure, or edge characteristics. We measured the species richness and abundance of ground‐dwelling insects in a 1.14‐ha old field that was mowed to produce patches of unmowed vegetation which differed in size, degree of isolation, and the amount of habitat edge. Four treatments – ranging from unfragmented (169‐m²) to highly fragmented (1‐m²) patches – were replicated four times in a Latin square design, and insects were sampled twice during 1995 using 177 pitfall traps. Species richness showed a non‐monotonic response to fragmentation, with the fewest species occurring in the slightly fragmented treatment. Responses of rove beetles and ants, the most species‐rich and abundant taxa, respectively, were similar to the overall insect community but ants had a stronger and more consistent treatment effect in both sample months. Ordinations of ant and rove‐beetle assemblages using nonmetric multidimensional scaling showed that the slightly fragmented treatment differed from other treatments in species occurrence and abundance. The lower species richness in the slightly fragmented treatment was primarily due to a subset of ant and rove beetle species that showed a lower abundance than in other treatments, possibly because this treatment had the greatest amount of habitat edge. We hypothesize that the non‐monotonic species response to fragmentation was due to the differential effects of habitat edge on species movements across the habitat boundary between unmowed patches and mowed areas. A greater effect due to the amount of habitat edge rather than total patch area, at least among the range of patch sizes studied, suggests that the length of habitat edge may be quite important to the distribution and abundance of ground‐dwelling animals in fragmented habitats.     

Wildlife farming: an alternative to unsustainable hunting and deforestation in Neotropical forests?

Wild animals have been a source of food and income through subsistence hunting by forest-dwelling people in Neotropical countries in spite of the fact that hunting appears to be unsustainable as it leads to the depletion of wild fauna. Laws in Brazil and other Latin American countries forbid hunting but allow the commercial use of captive-bred animals. Notwithstanding the fact that this is a controversial topic among conservationists, in this paper we propose that wildlife farming in the Neotropics can be an alternative to the over-hunting and deforestation that are carried out for the production of traditional food and pastures for livestock. This review sets out this proposal, and discusses the implications for tropical forest integrity and rural population dependency on forest resources. We discuss the ecological and economical advantages of wildlife farming and its constraints as a conservation tool, using collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) farming in the Amazon region as a model. Productivity levels may reach 19,000 times higher than those obtained from the management of peccaries from forests in the Amazon region. This can be achieved with an easily obtainable diet composed of forest fruits and locally available agricultural by-products. Therefore, establishing captive management programs for peccaries is an effective way of avoiding wild stock depletion, deforestation, and guaranteeing the livelihood of forest dwellers in the Neotropics. However, it is essential that governmental and/or non-governmental agencies be involved in providing subsides to establish peccary farms, provide technical assistance, and introducing peccary captive breeding centers to supply founder stock.     

Micro-heterogeneity and aggregation in β2-microglobulin solutions: effects of temperature, pH, and conformational variant addition

We show that beta(2)-microglobulin solutions in physiological conditions contain a tiny fraction of aggregates, which can hardly be filtered out and tend to re-form spontaneously. At physiological pH the fractional amount and size distribution of the latter aggregates do not depend on temperature. Conversely, in the pH range typical of the peri-articular tissue acidosis that often occurs in hemodialysis, temperature increase leads to fast and irreversible growth of the aggregates. Quite similar, but strongly enhanced aggregation effects can be induced even in physiological conditions by adding a very small amount of DeltaN6, a naturally occurring truncated isoform of beta(2)-m known to promote fibrillogenesis.     

Life cycle and production of Campsurus notatus (Ephemeroptera,Polymitarcyidae) in an Amazonian lake impacted by bauxite tailings (Pará, Brazil)

A synoptic survey of the distribution and abundance of occurrence of bloom-forming Cyanobacteria in 55 lakes in the Republic of Ireland revealed strong positive correlations with the traditional trophic gradient. Analysis of the data shows that the perceived trophic state may be correctly viewed as a function of phosphorus availability. The distribution of dominant bloom-forming Cyanobacteria is strongly related to the geology of the catchments and the incidence of significant bicarbonate buffering.     

Quantifying the combined effects of pronase and benzalkonium chloride in removing late-stage Listeria monocytogenes–Escherichia coli dual-species biofilms

This work presents the assessment of the effectivity of a pronase (PRN)-benzalkonium chloride (BAC) sequential treatment in removing Listeria monocytogenes–Escherichia coli dual-species biofilms grown on stainless steel (SS) using fluorescence microscopy and plate count assays. The effects of PRN-BAC on the occupied area (OA) by undamaged cells in 168 h dual-species samples were determined using a first-order factorial design. Empirical equations significantly (r² = 0.927) described a negative individual effect of BAC and a negative interactive effect of PRN-BAC achieving OA reductions up to 46%. After treatment, high numbers of remaining attached and released viable and cultivable E. coli cells were detected in PRN-BAC combinations when low BAC concentrations were used. Therefore, at appropriate BAC doses, in addition to biofilm removal, sequential application of PRN and BAC represents an appealing strategy for pathogen control on SS surfaces while hindering the dispersion of live cells into the environment.