Temporal distribution of fruit-feeding butterflies (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) in the eastern extreme of the Amazon region

Rainfall is one of the most influential factors driving insect seasonality in the Amazon region. However, few studies have analyzed the temporal dynamics of fruit-feeding butterflies in the Brazilian Amazon, specially in its eastern portion. Here, we evaluated the diversity patterns and temporal distribution of fruit-feeding butterflies in a remnant of eastern Amazon forest in the Baixada Maranhense, northeastern Brazil. Specifically, we tested whether fruit-feeding butterflies are temporally structured and whether rainfall influences species richness and abundance. Butterflies were collected with baited traps in both the rainy and dry seasons for two consecutive years. In total, we captured 493 butterflies belonging to 28 species, 15 genera and eight tribes. Three species comprised about half of the overall abundance, and Satyrinae was the most representative subfamily. The fruit-feeding butterfly assemblage showed a strong temporal structure during the second year of sampling, but not during the first year. Species composition and richness did not differ between rainy and dry seasons, and neither abundance nor richness was influenced by rainfall. Our results indicate that seasonality is not a strong environmental filter in this region, and that other biotic and abiotic factors are probably driving the community structure. The predominance of palms in the Baixada Maranhense, which are used as host plants by larvae of several lepidopteran species (specially satyrines) and are available year-round, might have contributed to the observed patterns of temporal diversity. (AU)

Chemical composition of cold pressed Brazilian grape seed oil

Abstract Grape seed oil (GSO) is an important by-product of the wine-making industry which has received attention as an alternative source of vegetable oils; its chemical compounds can be influenced by agricultural practices and industrial processing. Knowledge of the composition of Brazilian GSO is scarce; thus, this study aimed to analyze the chemical characteristics, as well as the antioxidant activity of these oils. GSO samples were obtained from Brazilian markets and showed significantly high amounts of phenolic, γ-tocotrienol and phytosterols as well as, the presence of several volatile compounds. Based on these results, is possible to show that oils exhibited good antioxidant activity. Therefore, it can be inferred that Brazilian GSO had a considerable content of phytochemical compounds with biological activity, which allows its association with other vegetable oils.

Vitamin K: content in food consumed in São Paulo, Brazil

ABSTRACT Recent research on Vitamin K has shown its importance in maintaining vascular and bone health. Brazilian food composition tables do not show phylloquinone content in national foods. These data are needed to obtain more reliable results in nutritional status assessment studies of individuals in relation to this vitamin as studies have shown a geographical influence in food phylloquinone content. This study aims to determine phylloquinone (Vitamin K1) levels in its most important source: dark green leaved vegetables. Several varieties of vegetables were purchased directly from CEAGESP (General Warehouse Company of São Paulo) at different times. Phylloquinone was extracted using organic solvents and quantified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography - HPLC. Results show the concentrations of phylloquinone in commonly consumed foodstuffs. In general, results showed variations with data from literature on the amount of Vitamin K in the plants analysed.

Implicações nutricionais com base em diferentes intensidades de colheita da biomassa de Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus globulus / Nutritional implications based in different intensities of Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus globulus biomass harvesting

A disponibilidade de nutrientes para futuros plantios em um sítio florestal está relacionada principalmente à, intensidade de colheita aplicada. Objetivou-se, com este estudo, avaliar as implicações nutricionais causadas pelas diferentes intensidades de colheita da biomassa de um povoamento de Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus globulus com dez anos de idade, em Eldorado do Sul - RS. A avaliação das implicações nutricionais conforme a intensidade de colheita florestal foi analisada levando em consideração: o estoque de nutrientes entre o sistema solo - planta; os efeitos da colheita dos diferentes componentes da biomassa acima do solo na remoção dos nutrientes; o número de rotações e a taxa de remoção de nutrientes conforme o sistema de colheita utilizado e o coeficiente de utilização biológica dos nutrientes. Com a colheita da madeira com casca, todos os nutrientes teriam uma remoção superior a 45% de sua quantidade acumulada na biomassa total acima do solo. Entretanto, removendo apenas a madeira comercial, que apresenta o maior coeficiente de utilização de nutrientes, a porcentagem de remoção para os nutrientes, com exceção do Cu e Zn, seria inferior a 50%, chegando até 10% no caso do Ca, em relação ao total contido na biomassa. O fósforo e o cálcio poderão ser os principais nutrientes a tornarem-se limitantes na produtividade nas próximas rotações, pois as estimativas de rotações potenciais estão próximas a um, quando realizada a colheita da madeira com casca.

Nutrients available for future plantation is mainly related to the harvest system applied. Based on this, this study aimed to assess the nutritional implications caused by difference biomass harvest intensities in the Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus globulus 10 years-old in Eldorado do Sul - RS. Nutritional implications assessment was analyzed and taken into account: nutrients balance between soil-plant system; harvest effects of the different aboveground components in the nutrients removal; rotation numbers and nutrients removal rate in relation to harvest system used and nutrients biological utilization rate. With the harvest of wood with the bark all the nutrients removal would suffer more than 45% of the total amount accumulated in aboveground biomass. However, removing just the wood, which has the highest nutrients utilization rate, the nutrients removed percentage, except by Cu and Zn, will be less than 50% and up to 10% in the case of Ca in relation to the total biomass contained. Phosphorus and calcium can be the main nutrients which become limited in the next rotation productivity, because the potential rotation estimates are close to one, when wood with bark are harvested.

Levantamento detalhado de solos da microbacia hidrográfica do horto florestal Terra Dura (RS) e considerações sobre escalas de mapeamento / Detailed soil survey of the hydrographic small watershed of Terra Dura (RS) forestry garden and considerations about mapping scales

A utilização adequada de informações contidas em levantamentos de solos fornece subsídios para o planejamento de diversas áreas de atividade, sejam agrícolas ou não-agrícolas. Entretanto, tem-se observado a ampliação dos mapas de solos de microbacias hidrográficas e de municípios, a partir de mapas de pequena escala, sem trabalhos de campo. Essa prática, no entanto, não é aconselhável, podendo levar à interpretações incorretas. Assim, este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de executar o levantamento detalhado de solos de uma microbacia hidrográfica localizada no estado do Rio Grande do Sul e comparar as informações obtidas pelo levantamento detalhado de solos, escala 1:10.000, com aquelas dos mapas ampliados do levantamento de reconhecimento de solos daquele estado, escala 1:750.000, e do levantamento exploratório, escala 1:1.000.000. As unidades de mapeamento de solos foram quantificadas quanto à área de abrangência e porcentagem da área ocupada. O levantamento detalhado permitiu identificar doze unidades de mapeamento de solos na microbacia, ao passo que os mapas ampliados de solos identificaram apenas uma. Em torno de 40 por cento da área da microbacia, atributos relevantes à aptidão silvicultural das terras para o cultivo do eucalipto não puderam ser adequadamente avaliados pelos mapas de escala pequena ampliados.

The adequate utilization of information gathered from soil survey furnishes subsides for planning projects on diverse areas of activity, being agricultural or non-agricultural. However, it is being observed an increase of soil maps of hydrographic small watersheds and counties developed from small-scale maps without fieldwork. This practice is not recommended since it can lead to wrong interpretations. So, this work had the objective to perform the detailed soil survey of a hydrographic small watershed situated in Rio Grande do Sul State and to compare the information obtained from the detailed soil survey (1:10,000 scale) to those from the amplified maps of reconnaissance soil survey of that state, (1:750,000 scale) and of the exploratory soil survey (1:1,000,000 scale). The soil mapping units were quantified in terms of geographical expression area and percentage of total area. The detailed soil survey identified 12 soil mapping units in the small watershed, while the amplified soil maps identified only one. In about 40 percent of the small watershed area, important attributes of forestry suitability for eucalyptus cultivation could not be adequately evaluated from amplified small-scale maps.