Partitioning taxonomic diversity of aquatic insect assemblages and functional feeding groups in neotropical savanna headwater streams.

Biological diversity can be divided into: alpha (α, local), beta (ß, difference in assemblage composition among locals), and gamma (γ, total diversity). We assessed the partitioning of taxonomic diversity of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) and of functional feeding groups (FFG) in neotropical savanna (southeastern Brazilian cerrado) streams. To do so, we considered three diversity components: stream site (α), among stream sites (ß1), and among hydrologic units (ß2). We also evaluated the association of EPT genera composition with heterogeneity in land use, instream physical habitat structure, and instream water quality variables. The percentage of EPT taxonomic α diversity (20.7%) was smaller than the ß1 and ß2 diversity percentages (53.1% and 26.2%, respectively). The percentage of EPT FFG collector-gatherer α diversity (26.5%) was smaller than that of ß1 diversity (55.8%) and higher than the ß2 (17.7%) diversity. The collector-gatherer FFG was predominant and had the greatest ß diversity percentage among stream sites (ß1, 55.8%). Our findings support the need for implementing regional scale conservation strategies in the cerrado biome, which has been degraded by anthropogenic activities.

Quantificação de metabólitos secundários e avaliação da atividade antimicrobiana e antioxidante de algumas plantas selecionadas do Cerrado de Mato Grosso / Quantification of secondary metabolites and antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of some medicinal plants from the Cerrado of the Mato Grosso

RESUMO Extratos etanólicos de Luehea paniculata, Anadenanthera colubrina, Cariniana rubra, Hancornia speciosa, Qualea grandiflora, Kielmeyera coriaceae e Palicourea rigida, coletadas no Cerrado de Mato Grosso foram submetidos à análise fitoquímica preliminar para identificação das principais classes de metabolitos secundários e à quantificação do teor de compostos fenólicos totais, flavonoides e cumarinas. O estudo também descreve a atividade antimicrobiana, antioxidante e a toxicidade preliminar frente a larvas de Artemia salina. Os extratos de C. rubra e Q. grandiflora foram os mais ativos contra as cepas fúngicas de C. neoformans (CIM 3,91 µg/mL), C. krusei(CIM 15,63 µg/mL), C. parapsilosis (CIM 31,25 µg/mL) e C. albicans (CIM 62,5 µg/mL), ambos com os mesmos resultados para estes microrganismos. Em relação às cepas bacterianas a mais sensível foi S. aureus com CIM de 250 µg/mL para todos os extratos testados. Luhea paniculata e Q. grandiflora foram as espécies vegetais mais ativas contra E. coli (CIM 500 e 250 µg/mL, respectivamente) e E. faecalis (CIM 250 e 500 µg/mL, respectivamente). No teste do DPPH, merece destaque as espécies K. coriaceae (Ca) (IC50 = 0,72 ± 0,51 μg /mL), K. coriaceae (Fo) (IC50 = 1,34 ± 0,53 μg /mL), H. speciosa (Fo)(IC50 = 1,03 ± 0,52 μg /mL), Q. grandiflora (Fo) (IC50 = 1,31 ± 0,19 μg /mL) e P. rigida (Fo) (IC50 = 1,39 ± 0,53 μg /mL). Com exceção de L. paniculata(Fo), que apresentou IC50 de 14,40 ± 0,34 μg /mL e teor de flavonoides de 295,5 mg/g, todas as espécies que tiverem significativa atividade no teste do DPPH, também apresentaram teor de flavonoides semelhante ao padrão, ou seja, H. speciosa (Fo) (280,5 mg/g), Q. grandiflora(Fo) (260,5 mg/g), K. coriaceae (Ca) (250,5 mg/g), K. coriaceae (Fo) (235,5 mg/g). Quanto à determinação de fenóis totais e cumarinas os resultados foram inferiores quando comparados aos padrões.

ABSTRACT Ethanol extracts of Luehea paniculata, Anadenanthera colubrina, Cariniana rubra, Hancornia speciosa, Qualea grandiflora, Kielmeyera coriaceae and Palicourea rigida, collected in the Cerrado of Mato Grosso went through preliminary phytochemical analysis in order to identify major classes of secondary metabolites and also to quantify the total content of phenolics, flavonoids and coumarins. The study also describes the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity and the toxicity of the larva of Artemia salina. The C. rubra extracts and the Q. grandiflora were the most active against fungal strains of C. neoformans (MIC 3.91 µg/ml), C. krusei (MIC 15.63 µg/ml), C. parapsilosis(31.25 MIC µg/ml) and C. albicans (MIC 62.5 µg/ml), both with the same results for these organisms. Regarding the bacterial strains, the most sensitive one was the S. aureus with 250 µg/ml MIC for all the tested extracts. The Luhea paniculata and the Q. grandiflora were the most active against E. coli species (MIC 500 and 250 µg/ml, respectively) and E. faecalis (MIC 250 and 500 µg/ml, respectively). In the test of DPPH, K. coriaceae (Ca) (IC50 = 0.72 ± 0.51 µg/mL), K. coriaceae (Fo) (IC50 = 1.34 ± 0.53 µg/mL), H. speciosa (Fo) (IC50= 1.03 ± 0.52 µg/mL), Q. grandiflora (Fo) (IC50 = 1.31 ± 0.19 µg/ml) and P. rigida (Fo) (1.39 ± 0,53 µg/ml) stood out. With the exception of the L. paniculata (Fo), which showed an IC50 of 14.40 ± 0.34 µg/ml and a flavonoid content of 295.5 mg/g, all species that had significant activity in the DPPH test, also showed flavonoid content similar to the standard one, or H. speciosa (Fo) (280.5 mg/g) Q. grandiflora (Fo) (260.5 mg/g), K. coriaceae (Ca) (250.5 mg/g), K. coriaceae (Fo) (235.5 mg/g).

Rapid ecological assessment of benthic indicators of water quality: a successful capacity-building experience for brazilian postgraduate students in ecology / Avaliação ecológica rápida de indicadores bentônicos de qualidade de água: uma experiência de sucesso na formação de pós-graduandos em ecologia no Brasil

Rapid Ecological Assessment protocols are important tools for the training of postgraduate students, as well as the collection of data on poorly-known and protected areas with the potential for the preservation of water supplies for urban areas. The objective of this study was to perform a survey of water quality and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates in two sub-basins at the Mata do Junco Wildlife Refuge in the Brazilian state of Sergipe. The collection of data in the field, laboratory processing, and the interpretation and discussion of data were conducted in groups by students from two postgraduate programmes in Ecology and Conservation (UFMG and UFS), personnel of the state environment agency (SEMARH), school teachers from the local town of Capela, and members of the reserve's voluntary fire brigade. The results of the assessment were organised, analysed, and presented at the reserve headquarters in the form of posters, for the development of environmental education activities with pupils from local schools, as well as contributing to a SEMARH seminar. Samples were characterised by distinct taxonomic compositions and diversity, as confirmed by MDS and additive partitioning of diversity analyses. The gravel substrate presented the lower mean taxonomic richness in each sampling unit (α1 = 28%), while the average difference among samples (ß1 diversity) was elevated for both substrates (39% for leaf litter, 41% for gravel), reflecting the pronounced variation among samples, even adjacent ones within the same stream. Diversity between streams was lower in the case of leaf litter in comparison with gravel (ß2 = 21 and 31%, respectively). A total of 57 fish specimens were collected with a predominance of individuals of the orders Characiformes (62%) and Perciformes (21%). This rapid ecological assessment confirmed the importance of the conservation unit and emphasised the need for its continuation, given its importance for the maintenance of water quality and its other ecological services, such as the conservation of the region's aquatic biodiversity and providing the local town of Capela (circa 20,000 inhabitants) with its water supply, the Mata do Junco being its only source.

Protocolos de avaliação ecológica rápida são ferramentas importantes para treinamento de pós-graduandos e levantamento de informações em áreas pouco conhecidas. O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar um levantamento de qualidade de água e diversidade de macroinvertebrados bentônicos em duas sub-bacias em uma área protegida. Atividades de campo, processamento em laboratório, interpretação e discussão de dados foram realizados em grupos com a participação de representantes dos Programas de Pós-graduação em Ecologia da UFMG e da UFS, SEMARH, professores do município de Capela e "brigada voluntária de incêndio" do Refúgio de Vida Silvestre (RVS) Mata do Junco em Sergipe. Os resultados foram sintetizados, analisados e disponibilizados na Unidade de Conservação (UC) RVS Mata do Junco na forma de banners de divulgação, atividades de educação ambiental com alunos de escolas locais e em um seminário de recursos hídricos no estado de Sergipe. As amostras de fundo apresentaram composições taxonômicas e diversidade diferentes, como mostraram as análises de ordenação MDS e de partição aditiva da diversidade. O substrato cascalho apresentou menor riqueza taxonômica média em cada unidade amostral (α1 = 28%) e a diferença média entre amostragens (diversidade ß1) foi elevada nos dois casos (39% em folhiço, 41% em cascalho), indicando a alta variação que há entre amostras espacialmente próximas em um mesmo riacho. A diversidade entre riachos foi menor em folhiço do que em cascalho (ß2 = 21 e 31%, respectivamente). Foram capturados 57 peixes, com predomínio de Characiformes (62%) e Perciformes (21%). Esta avaliação ecológica rápida corrobora a importância da criação e manutenção desta unidade de conservação, a fim de manter a boa qualidade de suas águas e serviços ecológicos, destacando-se a conservação da biodiversidade aquática e o abastecimento do município de Capela, com cerca de 20 mil habitantes que têm no RVS Mata do Junco seu único manancial de abastecimento de água.

Development of a benthic multimetric index for biomonitoring of a neotropical watershed.

Biotic indices are important tools for evaluating water quality in Biomonitoring Programmes of river basins. The objective of this study was to develop a Benthic Multimetric Index (BMI) to evaluate the water quality in a neotropical catchment in southeastern Brazil. Thirty metrics were evaluated and six were selected to calculate the BMI: family richness, % Oligochaeta, % Chironomidae + Oligochaeta (% CHOL), % EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera), % Collector-gatherers, and BMWP-CETEC biotic index. Sampling was carried in triplicate at 21 sampling sites (8 in the river channel and 13 in the tributaries) during 4 annual collecting trips from June 2004 to November 2007, making a total of 945 samples. Scores (5, 3 or 1) were attributed to each chosen metric and were added up to establish the water quality criteria (a score of 6-12 - poor; 13-18 - intermediate; 19-24 - good; and 25-30 - very good water quality). Our results indicated that 48% of the sampling sites analysed in the catchment basin presented very good water quality, 14% good quality, 19% regular, and 19% poor water quality. This methodology proved to be an efficient tool for evaluating water quality in the Biomonitoring Programme of the Velhas River basin, and that it may serve to evaluate water quality in other river basins in South America.

Malacological assessment and natural infestation of Biomphalaria straminea (Dunker, 1848) by Schistosoma mansoni (Sambon, 1907) And Chaetogaster limnaei (K. Von Baer, 1827) in an urban eutrophic watershed.

The objective of this study was to perform a malacological assessment at the Ibirité reservoir watershed in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais) and to evaluate the natural infestation rate of Biomphalaria straminea (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) by Schistosoma mansoni (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) and Chaetogaster limnaei (Oligochaeta: Naididae). The samples were collected from July to August 2002. The B. straminea individuals collected were kept in the laboratory; the natural infestation rate by S. mansoni and C. limnaei was assessed weekly. The malacological assessment identified five mollusk species present in the Ibirité reservoir watershed: B. straminea, Physa marmorata, Lymnea sp., Melanoides tuberculatus, and Pomacea austrum. Laboratory observations showed that the B. straminea individuals were infected by C. limnaei rather than S. mansoni. Although there was no infection of B. straminea by S. mansoni, presence of B. straminea in itself merits close attention due to possible risk of human schistosomiasis by the local population.

Malacological assessment and natural infestation of Biomphalaria straminea (Dunker, 1848) by Schistosoma mansoni (Sambon, 1907) and Chaetogaster limnaei (K. von Baer, 1827) in an urban eutrophic watershed

O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar um levantamento malacológico na bacia do reservatório de Ibirité, na região metropolitana de Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais), e avaliar a taxa de infestação natural de Biomphalaria straminea (Gastropoda: Planorbidae)por Schistosoma mansoni (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) e Chaetogaster limnaei (Oligochaeta: Naididae). As amostragens foram realizadas de julho a agosto de 2002. Os espécimes de B. straminea coletados foram levados para o laboratório e as avaliações da taxa de infestação foram realizadas semanalmente. O levantamento malacológico identificou cinco espécies de moluscos presentes na bacia do reservatório: B. straminea, Physa marmorata, Lymnea sp., Melanoides tuberculatus e Pomacea austrum. As observações em laboratório mostraram que os espécimes de B. straminea estavam infectados somente por C. limnaei. Apesar de não ter sido encontrado S. mansoni, a presença desse planorbídeo deve ser vista com atenção, em decorrência da possibilidade de infecção com esquistossomose humana para a população local.