Effects of anthropic activity dynamics on mangrove ecosystems’ degradation in Caracol County – Haiti

Anthropization process and climatic changes, mainly deforestation and sea level rise, are factors significantly contributing to the most evident loss of mangrove ecosystems. The aim of our study is to analyze variables related to the effects of the dynamics of human activities closely associated with these ecosystems’ degradation. The Geographic Information System tool allowed identifying and comparing soil use and occupation variations based on information provided by 140 randomly chosen participants in Caracol County - Haiti. Interviews were carried out in loco between March and November 2020. Based on results statistically analyzed through multivariate regression tests, the most significant exploratory variable for the mangroves’ degradation process (p<0.05) was “mangrove occupation”, regardless of age, sex, schooling, time in the same residence, profession, home distance from the mangrove, landslide events, and risk of floods. We have concluded that distance from home, ecological function, intervention in biodiversity conservation, as well as water-climatic and geo-physical threats are factors closely correlated to mangroves’ environmental conservation and management (p<0.05).

Unravelling the Taphonomic Stories of Bird Bones from the Middle Pleistocene Layer VIII of Grotte Vaufrey, France

In recent years, several studies have significantly changed our knowledge concerning the use of birds by Neanderthals. However, what remains to be clarified is the geographical and chronological variability of this human behaviour. The present case study provides new information on this topic/debate. The Grotte Vaufrey was discovered during the 1930s and was excavated during different periods. Work carried out by J.-P. Rigaud during the 1980s motivated many multidisciplinary studies in the cave, but accurate studies were not focused on avian remains. In this work, we provide new data on the bird remains from layer VIII (MIS 7), which is the richest among all the sequences and which has an important Mousterian component. Corvids are predominant in the assemblage and are associated with medium-sized birds and small Passeriformes, among others. Most of the remains present modern fractures, which hinder taphonomic interpretation. However, some alterations associated with raptor or mammalian carnivore activities, together with the anatomical representation and age profile, suggest a non-human accumulation of the majority of the bird remains, especially in the case of corvids that naturally died in the cave. However, at least some bones show evidence of anthropic activity, suggesting the occasional use of large- and medium-sized birds by human populations.

Hydraulic characterization of porous pipes

Increased anthropic activity in the environment leads to degradation and increased waste generation that includes tires, which can be used for the manufacture of porous pipes by extrusion for irrigation or aeration. There are no defined methodologies for the hydraulic characterization of porous pipes; in addition, their performance is questionable because the permeability of the wall in contact with water seems to decrease with time. Thus, this study aimed to perform the hydraulic characterization of porous pipes. Experiments were performed to assess the variation in permeability over time, the head loss, the friction factor, and the roughness. Statistical tests were performed to investigate possible significant differences between treatments. The results showed that the permeability varies over time and tends to decrease with each application of water. After a certain period, the permeability tends to become constant, and a stable flux can be determined, being the lowest average permeability and flux values found 0.591 × 10−15 m² 0.109 m³·m−2·s−1. There is variability in the permeability between pipe samples from the same batch as well as variability within the same sample, as indicated by the fact that some samples are similar to each other while others differ when performing a pairwise multiple comparison.

Ecological characterization of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in areas of the Mato Grosso Pantanal, Mato Grosso State, Brazil

Bimonthly diurnal and nocturnal captures were conducted in four different sampling sites of the Mato Grosso Pantanal region over 24 consecutive months between March 2009 and January 2011. The goal of performing these collections was to elucidate aspects of the biology and ecology of mosquitoes in this region since little to nothing is known about these aspects for many species. A total of 17,532 specimens were captured, comprising two subfamilies, nine genera, and 44 species. The main species of culicids found in the Mato Grosso Pantanal had strong ecological compatibility with well-preserved environments and with some of the specific habitats found in at least one of the four selected collection sampling sites. Anopheles darlingi, An. albitarsis, and An. triannulatus are well-suited to environments with large water bodies and greater anthropic activity. Culex nigripalpus and Cx. quinquefasciatus prefer environments with bush fragments and pronounced human action and movement. Culex declarator and Psorophora albigenu, the most eclectic, prefer wild areas and with some anthropic activity. Mansonia titillans is associated with environments offering a wide variety of natural breeding areas that enable its development, in particular natural swamp areas covered with macrophytes, which is one of the natural components of the Pantanal biome. The effect of the flooding season on the population density of anophelines is especially advantageous, with an explosion in the number of individuals in periods of widespread flooding. The region’s environmental dynamics are regulated by flooding cycles with alternating periods of flooding and drought, which are the main factors governing the ecology of the local fauna and flora. Flooding periods contribute to raising culicid species’ richness and diversity, while the droughts result in a more even distribution of specimens within species. The flooding season of the Pantanal occurs between November and May and coincides with the greatest abundance of culicid species. During this period, the human population of the region has greater contact with mosquito vectors carrying pathogens, including arboviruses, which previous studies have confirmed via seropositivity in the region’s equines and birds.

Diagnóstico Físico Conservacionista (DFC) como metodologia para a quantificação da degradação ambiental na bacia hidrográfica do Rio Judia - Acre

A degradação ambiental de uma bacia hidrográfica pode ser resultado de uma série de ações geradas pela atividade antrópica, podendo ser analisadas de forma sistêmica através do diagnóstico físico conservacionista, para diagnosticar os impactos ambientais negativos e ajudar no planejamento ambiental das bacias hidrográficas. Neste trabalho foi aplicada a metodologia do Diagnóstico físico conservacionista (DFC) na bacia hidrográfica do Rio Judia, localizada em Rio Branco – Acre. Para isso, os parâmetros foram adaptados para a realidade local, sendo aplicados por meio de técnicas de geoprocessamento, a fim de identificar e quantificar o grau de degradação da bacia hidrográfica entre os anos de 2006 à 2019. Os resultados apontaram que, o médio curso obteve o maior grau de degradação, 23. O baixo curso obteve valor 22 e o auto curso valor 21. Todos os três cursos da bacia hidrográfica tiveram valores elevados de degradação, indicando que recursos naturais como solo, floresta e água encontram-se ameaçados por atividades antrópicas como: pecuária, uso indiscriminado da água e ocupações irregulares. Conclui-se que a metodologia do DFC possibilitou a correta identificação quanto ao grau de degradação da bacia do Rio Judia, apontando os parâmetros que mais contribuíram para o atual cenário ambiental. Physical Conservationist Diagnosis (PCD) as a methodology for quantifying environmental degradation in the Rio Judia river basin - Acre A B S T R A C TThe environmental degradation of a hydrographic basin can be the result of a series of actions generated by anthropic activity, which can be analyzed in a systemic way through the physical conservationist diagnosis, to diagnose the negative environmental impacts and help in the environmental planning of the hydrographic basins. In this work, the methodology of physical conservationist diagnosis (PCD) was applied in the Judia River basin, located in Rio Branco - Acre. For this, the parameters were adapted to the local reality, being applied through geoprocessing techniques, in order to identify and quantify the degree of degradation of the watershed between 2006 and 2019. The results showed that the mean course obtained the highest degree of degradation, 23. The low course obtained value 22 and the auto course value 21. All three courses of the watershed had high degradation values, indicating that natural resources such as soil, forest and water are threatened by anthropic activities such as livestock, indiscriminate use of water and irregular occupations. It was concluded that the PCD methodology allowed the correct identification of the degree of degradation of the Judia River basin, pointing out the parameters that most contributed to the current environmental scenario.Keywords: degree and degradation, environment, hydrographic Basin

Systematic Position of Pistacia atlantica Desf. Subsp. atlantica in North-West Algeria: Anatomy and Biometry of Leaves

The area of Algerian western north already subjected to a strong climatic rigour and an excessive anthropic activity for several decades, has been confronted with the threats of the alarming degradation of its natural resources, following the example Pistacia atlantica which occupies today only one quite thin proportion of the territory. The study method was based on the phytoecological approach on a very large scale by approaching the anatomical and biometric study of the leaves of Pistacia atlantica in order to identify and confirm the name of the subspecies. The analysis of the results obtained revealed that this subspeciesis atlantica, phenotypically very variable.

Anatomy of facial nerve in maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus - Illiger, 1815)

Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is considered one of the largest and most beautiful canids in South America, inhabits the Cerrado biome, and presents nocturnal habits, especially during the twilight period. It is in danger of extinction, mainly due to anthropic activity in its habitat. What certainly raises the importance of studying and better understanding its biology. The mammalian Facial Nerve is the seventh cranial pair and controls the functions of facial expression muscles and others. Once the anatomical descriptions of this canid are scarce, this paper aimed to describe the anatomy of Facial n. in Maned Wolf and correlate it with that of domestic canids, a phylogenetically close species whose anatomy is well known. For this research, four adult specimens were used, whose carcasses were collected along highways in southeastern Goiás State - Brazil (SISBIO 37072-2), or donated by the Wildlife Screening Center (CETAS) in Catalão - Goiás State. The specimens were fixed in a 10% aqueous formalin solution and stored in the same solution. Dissection was performed by macroscopic anatomical methods. The research was carried out with a favorable opinion of the Animal Use Ethics Committee (CEUA) of the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU) (under n° 067/12). Anatomical preparations of post-mortem Maned Wolf did not reveal the presence of Caudal Auricular, Internal Auricular, nor Stylohyoid n.. Small ramifications of Facial n. can be considered as collateral branches. The Facial n. emerged as a single trunk, Facial n. Trunk, which branches into Auriculopalpebral, Dorsal Buccal, and Ventral Buccal n..

Land use dynamics in the Brazilian Cerrado in the period from 2002 to 2013

The objective of this work was to analyze land use dynamics in the Brazilian Cerrado region from 2002 to 2013. This analysis was based on the interpretation of Landsat satellite images carried out by the projects Projeto de Conservação e Utilização Sustentável da Diversidade Biológica Brasileira (Probio) and TerraClass Cerrado 2013, both coordinated by Ministério do Meio Ambiente. In 2002, 38.9% of the Cerrado was covered by some type of anthropic activity. In 2013, this percentage increased to 43.4%. One of the main highlights is the emergence of a new agricultural frontier in the northern region of the study area, known as Matopiba.

Main variables that are influenced by the anthropic activity resulting from the soybean production in the municipalities of Mato Grosso

This study aimed to identify how the main variables that are influenced by the anthropic activity resulting from the soybean production in the Mato Grosso Municipalities cluster among themselves. Factor analysis method was used to identify underlying dimensions that can account for the shared variation of observed variables. The factorial analysis proposes to reduce the number of variables by the extraction of independent factors, so that a better explanation of the relationship between the original variables occurs, avoiding correlational problems and reducing the relevance of endogeneity. Three dimensions were identified, each with a different combination of variables. Based on the results from principal components modelling it is fair to state that the impacts of the anthropic activity resulting from soybean production in the Mato Grosso municipalities can be analyzed according to three main domains: production impacts, socioeconomic impacts and demographic impacts. The main contribution of this paper is that it offers a useful framework of analysis for both public and private decision-makers regarding the influence of soybean production on economic, social, environmental, and cultural factors.