The role of land-use history in driving successional pathways and its implications for the restoration of tropical forests.

Secondary forests are increasingly important components of human-modified landscapes in the tropics. Successional pathways, however, can vary enormously across and within landscapes, with divergent regrowth rates, vegetation structure and species composition. While climatic and edaphic conditions drive variations across regions, land-use history plays a central role in driving alternative successional pathways within human-modified landscapes. How land use affects succession depends on its intensity, spatial extent, frequency, duration and management practices, and is mediated by a complex combination of mechanisms acting on different ecosystem components and at different spatial and temporal scales. We review the literature aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying the long-lasting effects of land use on tropical forest succession and to discuss its implications for forest restoration. We organize it following a framework based on the hierarchical model of succession and ecological filtering theory. This review shows that our knowledge is mostly derived from studies in Neotropical forests regenerating after abandonment of shifting cultivation or pasture systems. Vegetation is the ecological component assessed most often. Little is known regarding how the recovery of belowground processes and microbiota communities is affected by previous land-use history. In published studies, land-use history has been mostly characterized by type, without discrimination of intensity, extent, duration or frequency. We compile and discuss the metrics used to describe land-use history, aiming to facilitate future studies. The literature shows that (i) species availability to succession is affected by transformations in the landscape that affect dispersal, and by management practices and seed predation, which affect the composition and diversity of propagules on site. Once a species successfully reaches an abandoned field, its establishment and performance are dependent on resistance to management practices, tolerance to (modified) soil conditions, herbivory, competition with weeds and invasive species, and facilitation by remnant trees. (ii) Structural and compositional divergences at early stages of succession remain for decades, suggesting that early communities play an important role in governing further ecosystem functioning and processes during succession. Management interventions at early stages could help enhance recovery rates and manipulate successional pathways. (iii) The combination of local and landscape conditions defines the limitations to succession and therefore the potential for natural regeneration to restore ecosystem properties effectively. The knowledge summarized here could enable the identification of conditions in which natural regeneration could efficiently promote forest restoration, and where specific management practices are required to foster succession. Finally, characterization of the landscape context and previous land-use history is essential to understand the limitations to succession and therefore to define cost-effective restoration strategies. Advancing knowledge on these two aspects is key for finding generalizable relations that will increase the predictability of succession and the efficiency of forest restoration under different landscape contexts.

Diseño de un filtro potabilizador ecológico para comunidades rurales, utilizando la Moringa Oleifera / A watermaker ecological filter design for rural communities, using Moringa Oleifera / Um projeto de filtro ecológico watermaker para comunidades rurais, utilizando Moringa Oleifera

Resumen Introducción: El agua en estado natural contiene diferentes partículas, entre ellas, el suelo y microorganismos impiden que sea apta para el consumo humano, el agua en estas condiciones causa diversas enfermedades hídricas. En países de América Latina y el Caribe, estas enfermedades se encuentran entre las diez causas más frecuentes de defunción. El diseño del filtro ecológico (lento ascendente). Objetivo: potabilizar el agua de comunidades rurales sin emplear sustancias químicas, utilizadas por la ingeniería sanitaria de forma tradicional en la potabilización. Metodología: La aplicación de este proyecto de investigación se ejecutará en la comunidad de Pichiyacu de los Cayapas, ubicada en el Ecuador, provincia de Esmeraldas, cantón Eloy Alfaro. Resultado: Investigaciones científicas han demostrado que la semilla de la Moringa oleifera, es una alternativa amigable con el ambiente y el ser humano, debido a que presenta eficiencias sobre el 90% en la eliminación de la turbidez, y hasta el 100% en la remoción de coliformes fecales. Conclusiones: El presente proyecto considera los parámetros de calidad del agua en la confluencia de los ríos Santiago y Ónzole, en la provincia de Esmeraldas, cantón Eloy Alfaro, parroquia San José, comunidad Pichiyacu de Los Cayapas, la cual cuenta con una población estimada de 300 familias.

Abstract Introduction: Water in its natural state contains different particles, including soil and microorganisms that prevent it from being suitable for human consumption, water in these conditions causes various waterborne diseases. In Latin American and Caribbean countries, these diseases are among the ten most frequent causes of death. The design of the ecological filter (slow up). Objective: To make water available in rural communities without using chemical substances, used by sanitary engineering in a traditional manner for purification. Methodology: The application of this research project will be executed in the community of Pichiyacu de los Cayapas, located in Ecuador, province of Esmeraldas, canton Eloy Alfaro. Result: Scientific research has shown that the seed of the Moringa oleifera, is a friendly alternative to the environment and human being, because it has efficiencies over 90% in the elimination of turbidity, and up to 100% in the removal of coliforms Fecal. Conclusions: This project considers the water quality parameters at the confluence of the Santiago and Ónzole rivers, in the province of Esmeraldas, Eloy Alfaro canton, San José parish, Los Cayapas Pichiyacu community, which has an estimated population of 300 families.

Resumo Introdução: A água em seu estado natural contém diferentes partículas, incluindo o solo e microorganismos que impedem que ela seja adequada para consumo humano; a água nessas condições causa várias doenças transmitidas pela água. Nos países da América Latina e Caribe, essas doenças estão entre as dez causas mais freqüentes de morte. O design do filtro ecológico (ascendente lento). Objetivo: Tornar a água disponível em comunidades rurais sem o uso de substâncias químicas, usadas por engenharia sanitária de maneira tradicional para purificação. Metodologia: A aplicação deste projeto de pesquisa será executada na comunidade de Pichiyacu de los Cayapas, localizada no Equador, província de Esmeraldas, cantão Eloy Alfaro. Resultado: A pesquisa mostrou que a semente de Moringa oleifera é uma alternativa amiga do ambiente e os seres humanos, uma vez que apresenta as eficiências mais de 90% na remoção de turvação, e até 100% na remoção de coliform Fecal Conclusões Este projeto considera os parâmetros de qualidade da água na confluência dos rios Santiago e Onzole na província de Esmeraldas, Canton Eloy Alfaro, paróquia San Jose, comunidade Pichiyacu Los Cayapas, que tem uma população estimada de 300 famílias.

Remoção de diclofenaco, ibuprofeno, naproxeno e paracetamol em filtro ecológico seguido por filtro de carvão granular biologicamente ativado / Removal of diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, and paracetamol in ecological filter followed by granular carbon filter biologically active

O filtro ecológico representa uma promissora tecnologia de tratamento, em razão desta não necessitar da aplicação de produtos químicos, além de sua constatada eficiência. Nele, estabelece-se entre os seres vivos a relação de cadeia alimentar. Inicialmente uma matriz aquosa foi acrescida de quatro fármacos (diclofenaco, naproxeno, ibuprofeno e paracetamol) e posteriormente analisada por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência para avaliar a remoção desses compostos pelo filtro ecológico seguido pelo filtro de carvão granular biologicamente ativado. Parâmetros, entre eles turbidez, coliformes totais e termotolerantes, cor aparente e cor verdadeira, foram mensurados para verificar a eficiência dos filtros. Houve remoção de 97,43% do diclofenaco, 85,03% do ibuprofeno: 94,11% do naproxeno e 84,07% do paracetamol.

The ecological filter represents a promising treatment technology, because this doesn't require the application of chemicals and is efficient. In it, is between living beings the relationship of the food chain. Initially an aqueous matrix was added to four drugs (diclofenac, naproxen, ibuprofen and paracetamol), and subsequently analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography to evaluate the removal of these compounds by ecological filter followed by granular activated carbon filter biologically active. The pharmacological compounds and parameters such as turbity, total and fecal coliforms, apparent color and true color were measured to evaluate the effectiveness of filters. There was removal of the drugs applied and the parameters measured. The percentages of removal were 97,43% of diclofenaco,85,03% of ibuprofen, 94,11% of naproxen and 84,07% of paracetamol.