Opportunistic predation of the Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris) on alates subterranean termites (Coptotermes testaceus) in southwestern Brazilian Amazon / Depredación oportunista del halcón caminero (Rupornis magnirostris) sobre termitas subterráneas aladas (Coptotermes testaceus) en el suroeste de la Amazonía brasileña

Abstract We report the opportunistic predation of Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris - Accipitridae) on subterranean termite (Coptotermes testaceus - Rhinotermitidae). This predatory behaviour was observed during an avifauna survey in the municipality of Candeias do Jamari, Rondônia, Brazil, in the southwestern Brazilian Amazon. There was a great abundance of C. testaceus alates because of heavy rainfall. This is the season when C. testaceus colonies produce alates in large numbers to found new colonies. The Roadside Hawk stayed on its perch and captured winged termites with little energy expenditure. The bird in question appeared to take advantage of the termite mating flight to feed opportunistically on the abundant alates. Although feeding on insects by R. magnirostris is well known, this is the first documentation of feeding on termite alates.

Resumen Informamos de la depredación oportunista de Coptotermes testaceus (Rhinotermitidae) por Rupornis magnirostris (Accipitridae). Este comportamiento depredador fue observado durante un estudio de la avifauna en el municipio de Candeias do Jamari, Rondônia, Brasil, en el suroeste de la Amazonia brasileña. Había una gran abundancia de formas aladas de C. testaceus debido a las fuertes lluvias. Es el momento en que las colonias de C. testaceus producen formas aladas en gran número para fundar nuevas colonias. El aguilucho permaneció en su percha y capturó termitas aladas con poco gasto de energía. El ave en cuestión parecía aprovechar el vuelo de apareamiento de las termitas para alimentarse de forma oportunista de las abundantes termitas aladas durante los vuelos de apareamiento. Aunque la alimentación de insectos por parte de R. magnirostris es bien conocida, ésta es la primera documentación de alimentación de termitas aladas.

Vegetation Composition Related to Environmental Factors along the International Highway-West Alexandria, Egypt

The present study aimed to characterize the ecological features of the vegetation along the international coastal road from El-Ajami to Ras El-Hekma, West Alexandria, Egypt. The cluster analysis of 60 stands was performed using the Community Analysis Package program and Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA). Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to identify the ecological relationships between the vegetation and the environment along the roadside. The total number of the recorded plant species surveyed in the present study was 84 species belonging to 74 genera and related to 25 families. Asteraceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, and Chenopodiaceae were the largest families (53.57% of the total species, collectively). Therophytes is the most abundant life forms. Mediterranean chorotype (58.32%) was the most represented. On the basis of the presence values, cluster analysis yielded four vegetation groups. Group A was dominated by Carthamus tenuis, group B by Lactuca serriola, group C by Bromus diandrus and group D by Suaeda pruinosa. The application of CCA showed that the percentages of porosity, organic carbon, CaCO3, Cl-, SO4--, HCO3 and cations are the most effective soil variables. Generally, the coastal sector in Egypt suffers from unplanned development and salinization of the soil, so the development of the highway needs a balance between conservation and development.

Cloacal enterobacteria isolated from captive roadside hawks (Rupornis magnirostris, GMELIN, 1788) and their antimicrobial susceptibility profile / Enterobactérias isoladas da cloaca de Gaviões-carijós (Rupornis magnirostris, GMELIN, 1788) cativos e seu perfil de susceptibilidade a antimicrobianos

Knowledge of the enterobacteria present in the roadside hawk can bring about an understanding of infectious diseases that can affect this bird, as well as other animals and/or humans, while also adding information of great ecological importance. Thus, the aim of the study was to determine the enterobacteria present in the cloaca of captive roadside hawks and antimicrobial susceptibility profile. Initially, cloacal samples from nine specimens were collected with the aid of swabs. Samples were placed in petri dishes with MacConkey agar, Hektoen agar, EMB agar and Salmonella-Shigella (SS) agar and incubated for 24 h at 35C. After incubation, the microorganisms were submitted to biochemical testing to confirm the presence of enterobacteria. Thereafter, the susceptibility profile of bacteria to antimicrobial agents was evaluated by a disk diffusion test according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Escherichia coli (77.8%), Klebsiella oxytoca (11.1%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (11.1%) and Salmonella spp. (55.6%) were isolated from the collected samples. Among the isolates, some bacteria showed resistance to up to three antimicrobial agents. This study has brought greater insight about the enterobacteria present in the roadside hawk (Rupornis magnirostris), exhibiting a significant percentage of enterobacteria important to public health; also, it showed the occurrence of strains with resistance profile to antimicrobial agents...

O conhecimento das enterobactérias presentes em Gavião-carijó pode trazer uma compreensão sobre as doenças infecciosas que podem acometer essa ave, como também outros animais e/ou humanos, além de trazer mais informações sobre essa espécie de grande importância ecológica. Desta forma, o objetivo do estudo foi determinar as enterobactérias presentes na cloaca de Gaviões-carijós cativos e seu perfil de susceptibilidade a antimicrobianos. Inicialmente, foram coletadas amostras cloacais de nove espécimes com o auxílio de swabs. As amostras foram plaqueadas em ágar MacConkey, ágar Hektoen, ágar EMB e ágar SS e incubadas por 24 h a 35C. Após incubação, as colônias foram submetidas às provas bioquímicas para confirmação da presença de enterobactérias. Posteriormente, o perfil de susceptibilidade das bactérias frente a agentes antimicrobianos foi avaliado através do teste da difusão em disco de acordo com o Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Escherichia coli (77,8%), Klebsiella oxytoca (11,1%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (11,1%) e Salmonella spp. (55,6%) foram isoladas das amostras coletadas. Dentre as cepas isoladas, algumas apresentaram resistência a até três antimicrobianos. O presente estudo trouxe um maior conhecimento sobre as enterobactérias presentes no Gavião-carijó (Rupornis magnirostris), mostrando um percentual significativo de enterobactérias de importância na saúde pública, evidenciando também a ocorrência de cepas com perfil de resistência a agentes antimicrobianos...

Rear Seatbelt Usage in Malaysia: Findings from Roadside Observations and Surveys

Despite of its importance for preventing fatal and severe injuries in an event of a crash, limited studies were conducted to find out the status of seatbelt use among rear passengers in Malaysia. This study was conducted to the determine seatbelt use among rear passengers in Malaysia in conjunction with the introduction of the rear seatbelt law that took effect on 1st January 2009. Two methods were used; the roadside observations and surveys. A total of 4180 rear passengers were observed during the road side observation and 793 rear passengers were interviewed in the survey. About 41.8 % (95 % CI: 38.3, 45.4) of rear passengers interviewed reported that they “Always/Often’ wore safety belts, while roadside observation recorded slightly lower rate (36.2 % [95 % CI: 34.8, 37.7]). Based on the roadside observation method, male rear passengers were more likely to use rear seatbelts as compared to female rear passengers (with Odd Ratio: 1.17 (95 % CI: 1.03, 1.33)). Both methods consistently reported that rear passengers of Multipurpose Vehicle (MPV)/Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) (survey method “always wear”: 39.3 %, Odd Ratio: 2.02 [95 % CI: 1.13, 3.61], roadside observation method: 51.9 %, Odd Ratio: 2.23 [95 % CI: 1.89, 2.62]) were two times more likely to wear seatbelts as compared to rear passengers of a car. The two research methods indicate rear passengers in Malaysia were consistently having low seatbelt usage rate. As the rear seatbelt advocacy and enforcement programme are new in Malaysia, efforts to advocate rear seatbelt use should be strengthened. The changes in rear seatbelt usage rate need to be tracked regularly and as an alternative to roadside observation method, interview survey method could be used to measure the seatbelt usage rate and to identify the reason for not using safety belt among rear passengers.

Análise da arborização urbana de três cidades da região norte do Estado de Mato Grosso / Urban forestry analysis in three cities of northern Mato Grosso

O presente estudo teve por objetivo analisar a arborização viária de três cidades da região norte do Estado de Mato Grosso, sendo: Alta Floresta, Carlinda e Nova Monte Verde. Foi levantado um total de 663 indivíduos, distribuídos em 20 famílias botânicas, 30 gêneros e 31 espécies. 51,6% das espécies são exóticas à flora brasileira e 48,4% são nativas. As espécies mais frequentes nas cidades avaliadas foram: Licania tomentosa (45,4%), Ficus benjamina (18,1%) e Roystonea oleraceae (13,6%). Nas três cidades, mais de 80% da população obteve diâmetro â altura do solo inferior a 0,4 m e mais de 60% da população estava abaixo de 6,0 m de altura total, em todas as cidades. Os indivíduos plantados sob a fiação elétrica representaram menos de 50% da população amostrada, nas três cidades amostradas, e altura média das árvores, sob a fiação, variou de 3,2 m (Nova Monte Verde) a 5,9 m (Alta Floresta). Mais de 85% dos indivíduos apresentaram bifurcação abaixo de 1,80 m. A densidade de árvores/km de calçada estimado nas cidades avaliadas variou entre 47,7 árvores/km (Alta Floresta) e 56,0 árvores/km (Carlinda). O índice de diversidade de Shannon estimado foi 1,17 (Carlinda), 1,75 (Nova Monte Verde) e 1,76 (Alta Floresta). A largura das vias e recuos permite o plantio de espécies de médio e grande porte. Contudo, é essencial o planejamento da arborização urbana e definição de critérios e técnicas adequadas para a realização de plantios e manutenções.

The objective of the present study was to analyze roadside forestry in three cities in the northern region in the State of Mato Grosso. The cities evaluated were Alta Floresta, Carlinda and Nova Monte Verde. We made a survey of 663 individuals, distributed in 20 botanical families, 30 genera and 31 species. Over 51.6% of this species are exotic to the Brazilian flora and 48.4% native. The species most frequent in the evaluated cities had been: Licania tomentosa (45.4%), Ficus benjamina (18.1%) and Roystonea oleraceae (13.6%). In the three cities, more than 80% of the population had got diameter at the height of the ground inferior to 0.4 m and more than 60% of the population had lass than of 6.0 m de total height, in all the cities. The individuals under the electric wiring represent fewer than 50% of the population, in the two sampled cities, and average height of the trees, under the wiring was of 3.2 m (Nova Monte Verde) and 5.9 m (Alta Floresta). More than 85% of the individuals had presented bifurcation below of 1.8 m. The density of trees/km of sidewalk estimate in the evaluated cities varied between 47.7 trees/km (Alta Floresta) and 56.0 trees/km (Carlinda). The Shannon diversity index estimate was 1.17 (Carlinda), 1.75 (Nova Monte Verde ) and 1.76 (Alta Floresta). The width of the streets and showed recesses allows the planting of species of medium to larger size. However, it is essential for the planning of urban forestry, definition of criteria and techniques appropriate to the accomplishment of planting and maintenance.

Influence of roadside pollution on the phylloplane microbial community of Alnus nepalensis (Betulaceae)

The North Eastern region of India is undergoing industrial development at a faster rate than expected. Roads form the main system of transportation and communication owing to the hilly topography of the region. Automobiles discharge a number of gaseous and trace metal contaminants. Human activities like stone grinding, road construction and sand milling also increase the atmospheric dust and heavy metal contaminant level. These contaminants get settled on leaf surfaces at roadsides and enter in contact with phylloplane microorganisms. This study compares microorganisms on leaf surfaces of alder (Alnus nepalensis (Betulaceae)) on roadside and non-roadside environments. Two sites dominated by alder were selected. One at a busy road intersection on the National Highway no. 44 in Shillong with high traffic density (8 000-9 000 heavy vehicles/day), taken as the polluted site and the other one in a forest approximately 500 m away from the roadside considered as the unpolluted site. Analysis of phylloplane microorganisms, lead, zinc, copper, cadmium and sulphur was carried out from leaves. The bacterial population was higher at the unpolluted site. Bacterial population showed a significant negative correlation with lead, zinc, copper, cadmium and sulphur. Similarly, fungal population was higher at the unpolluted site. A total of 29 fungal species were isolated from the phylloplane of A. nepalensis (polluted site 16 species; unpolluted site 28 species). Some fungal forms like Mortierella sp., Fusarium oxysporum and Aureobasidium pollulans were dominant in the polluted site. Numbers of phylloplane fungi and bacteria were significantly reduced in the polluted site. The correlation coefficient indicated a detrimental effect of metals like lead, zinc, copper, cadmium and sulphur on the microbial community of leaf surfaces. The specificity of certain fungi to the unpolluted site may be attributed to their sensitivity to pollution. The predominance of Aureobasidium pollulans, Fusarium oxysporum and Mortierella sp. in the polluted site may be due to their resistance to pollutants in roadside conditions. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (3): 1521-1529. Epub 2008 September 30.

La región nororiental de la India está experimentando un rápido desarrollo industrial y debido a la topografía montañosa de la región, los automóviles descargan variedad de contaminantes. Actividades humanas como moler piedra y construir caminos también aumentan el polvo atmosférico y la contaminación con metales pesados. Este estudio compara microorganismos en superficies foliares del árbol Alnus nepalensis (Betulaceae). Se estudió uno sitio en una intersección de Shillong, con alta densidad de tráfico (8 000-9 000 vehículos pesados/día), tomada como el sitio contaminado, y otro en un bosque aproximadamente a 500 m de la carretera (sitio no contaminado). Se contabilizaron bacterias, hongos, plomo, zinc, cobre, cadmio y sulfuro. La población bacteriana era más alta en el sitio no contaminado. La población bacteriana mostró una correlación negativa significativa con el contenido de plomo, cinc, cobre, cadmio y sulfuro foliares en el sitio contaminado, mientras que en el sitio no contaminado la correlación fue insignificante. La población de hongos también fue más alta en el sitio no contaminado. Un total de 29 especies de hongos fueron aislados A. nepalensis: 16 en el sitio contaminado y 28 en el no contaminado. Algunas especies de hongos como Mortierella sp., Fusarium oxysporum y Aureobasidium pollulans fueron dominantes en el sitio contaminado. El número de hongos y bacterias fue significativamente menor en el sitio contaminado. El coeficiente de correlación indicó un efecto perjudicial de metales como el plomo, el zinc, el cobre, el cadmio y el sulfuro en esta comunidad que habitan superficies de hojas. La especificidad de ciertos hongos al sitio no contaminado se puede atribuir a su sensibilidad a la contaminación. El predominio de Aureobasidium pollulans, Fusarium oxysporum y Mortierella sp. en el sitio contaminado puede ser debido a su resistencia a los agentes contaminadores.

Exposure Assessment of Vehicle Exhaust Pollution in Wuhan,Hubei / 环境与健康杂志

Objective To investigate the exposure level to vehicle exhaust pollution for population by different commuting modes in roadside environment in Wuhan. Methods Eight air monitoring sites were selected in the six main roads in urban area of Wuhan, Hubei province. The concentrations of NO2, CO, total hydro carbon (THC), PM10, benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) emitted from the vehicles were monitored and analyzed in winter and summer of 2007, respectively and combined with breathing rate and time spent of the population in traffic environments, exposure doses of different subpopulation were calculated as indicators in order to evaluate their exposure level to traffic exhaust. Results The PM10 was the primary pollutant on the roadside. Compared with the Ambient Air Quality Standard, the rate of exceeding standard limit for PM10 was 8% in summer and 100% in winter. As for on the roadside, the exposure level for adults was higher than that for the children (P