Anthropogenic litter on the macrotidal sandy beaches of the Amazon region.

Coastal zones, which are strategic points of considerable importance to the tourism industry, are among the environments most affected by anthropogenic debris. Thus, it is crucial to monitor and implement management programs to provide immediate solutions. Here, we aimed to evaluate anthropogenic litter along 21 macrotidal sandy beaches in the Amazon region. Indices and multivariate statistical analyses were used to identify spatial patterns of pollution, as well as sources and lifetime of the items. A total of 20,286 items were collected, with an average density of 0.19 items/m2 and a predominance of plastics. Litter was associated with tourist and recreational activities. The lifetime of most items was <1 year. All beaches had intermediate levels of pollution. The analyses identified varying patterns of anthropogenic litter related to the cleaning frequency and waste item typologies. In conclusion, pollution of macrotidal beaches in the Amazon region is an emerging problem that requires measures to prevent and mitigate the impacts on this ecosystem and to reconsider the form of production and consumption of plastic waste.

Growth and nitrogen uptake by Arthrospira platensiscultured in aquaculture wastewater from Nile tilapia reared in biofloc system

This study aimed to evaluate the growth of Arthrospira (Spirulina)platensiscultivated in Zarrouk culture medium and effluent from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared in biofloc system. Four treatments were used: Control (100% Zarrouk), E50 (50% Zarrouk + 50% Tilapia effluent), E75 (25% Zarrouk + 75% Tilapia effluent), and E100 (100% Tilapia effluent), and the experiment lasted 10 days. Growth parameters such as maximum cell density (MCD), doubling time (DT), and growth rate (K) were daily evaluated, as well aspH and water temperature. In addition, the concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), nitrite-N (NO2-N), and nitrate-N (NO3-N) were analyzed in order to compare nitrogen absorption. Among treatments, E50 and E75 obtained higher maximum cell densities and presented an exponential growth rate similar to the control treatment. Regarding the concentrations of nitrogen compounds, a significant reduction was observed in all treatments, with an NO3-Nuptake of 99%, followed by 80% of TAN and 90% of NO2-N. Thus, giving the results obtained, besides being able to grow in wastewater, A. platensis can also be used in bioremediation processes, confirming the potential of this species.

Recruitment of oyster in artificial collectors on the Amazon macrotidal mangrove coast / Recrutamento de ostra em coletores artificiais na costa de manguezais de macromaré amazônico

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to determine the moment of the year for the oyster recruitment and define the type of collector and environmental conditions that maximize recruitment. Collections were conducted, during 12 months, on Amazon Macrotidal Mangrove at two different sites: raft (point I) and mangrove (point II). In each location three types of collectors were used (1) transparent PET bottles, (2) green PET bottles, and (3) PVC sheets, each with three replicates. Spats were counted and measured at 45-day intervals, while the environmental data were measured every two weeks. Identification of oyster species occurred by genetic testing (multiplex PCR) by randomly selecting individuals by sampling. Results indicated spat capturing was significantly influenced by the collector type, location and period of collection (P<0.05, MANOVA) with significantly higher recruitment in the PVC collector (P<0.05, Tukey test). Oyster recruitment occurred throughout the year, suggesting that these individuals reproduce during all months; however, months with less rain and greater salinity were the best for spat collection, while the rainy period with lower salinity proved to be the best for individuals growth. The location in interaction with the environmental variables, mainly salinity, has a significant effect on the recruitment rate of spat and on their size, so that point II (mangrove) had the best results for recruitment and point I (raft) provided the spats of the largest size. Genetic identification verified two native oysters species (Crassostrea gasar and Crassostrea rhizophorae) in both points (I and II).

RESUMO: O estudo teve como objetivo determinar o período do ano para coletar sementes de ostras, definir o tipo de coletor e as condições ambientais que maximizam o recrutamento das sementes. As coletas foram conduzidas, durante 12 meses, no manguezal amazônico de macromaré em dois locais distintos: balsa (ponto I) e manguezal (ponto II). Em cada ponto de coleta foram utilizados três tipos de coletores (1) garrafas PET transparentes, (2) garrafas PET verdes e (3) forro de PVC, com três réplicas cada. As sementes foram contadas e medidas a cada 45 dias e os dados ambientais mensurados a cada duas semanas. As espécies de ostras foram identificadas por teste genético (PCR multiplex) com indivíduos aleatoriamente selecionados por coleta. Os resultados indicaram que a captura de sementes foi influenciada significativamente pelo tipo de coletor, localização e período de coleta (P<0,05, MANOVA) com recrutamento significativamente maior no coletor de PVC (P<0,05, teste de Tukey). O recrutamento ocorreu durante todo ano, sugerindo reprodução mensal, contudo, os meses de menor pluviosidade e maior salinidade foram melhores para coletar sementes, enquanto o período chuvoso, com menor salinidade, favoreceu um crescimento superior. O local de coleta em interação com variáveis ambientais, principalmente salinidade, apresentou efeito significativo sobre a fixação e tamanho das sementes de maneira que o ponto II obteve melhores resultados de fixação e o ponto I sementes de maior tamanho. A análise genética identificou duas espécies nativas (Crassostrea gasar e Crassostrea rhizophorae) em ambos os pontos (I e II).