Brazilian Conservation Units Research Articles

An assessment of Brazilian conservation units – a second look

This is a second overview of the Brazilian conservation unit system for mid-2010. It updates author et al, 2009. It examines six dimensions of federal and state protected areas – age, numbers, types of units, absolute and average sizes, distribution by states and biomes, and degree of compliance with CBD-inspired goals. Major findings: (i) the system maintained a rapid growth rate; (ii) national parks and national forests are the most prominent units; (iii) distribution of units by region and biome remains unbalanced; (iv) state units grew remarkably over the last five years; (v) state units are biased towards sustainable use; (vi) sustainable use units grew more than fully protected units; (vii) Amazonia remains the most extensively protected biome; and (viii) quantitative goals of biome protection are closer to being reached. In 2010 Brazil held the fourth position globally in protected areas; it created the largest number of units between 2000 and 2010; it has the largest combined area of protected tropical formations. However, several regions and biomes remain under protected.

Use and knowledge of the razor-billed curassow pauxi tuberosa (spix, 1825) (galliformes, cracidae) by a riverine community of the oriental amazonia, brazil

In the Amazonian basin, the human populations that traditionally inhabit the forest use its natural resources in various ways. One example is the local fauna which, among several other uses, is an important source of protein. The general aim of our study was to investigate the importance of hunting to the lives of the Amazonian riverine communities and to identify the multiple uses and knowledge about the hunted animals. In this article we focused the study on the razor-billed curassow Pauxi tuberosa, a Cracidae of significant value to the studied community. The investigation was conducted in the "Riozinho do Anfrísio Extractive Reserve", a Brazilian Conservation Unit located at the Altamira municipality, in the state of Pará. We used an ethnoecological approach, which included participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Our results show that the razor-billed curassow is used by the "Riozinho do Anfrísio" local population mainly as food, but it also fulfils secondary functions, with the feathers being used as a domestic tool and as magic-religious symbol, some organs as traditional medicine, and some chicks even being raised as pets. Our study also revealed that the traditional ecological knowledge of the riverines about their environment is considerably large, and that the local biodiversity provides various ecosystem services.

Land Regularization in Brazilian Conservation Units: the case of Desengano State Park, RJ, Brazil

In order to protect natural areas, creation of Integral Protection Conservation Units in Brazil requires public domain and state possession of land, leading to land regularization confl icts with previous owners. Th is work proceeded documental and legal analysis of such procedures, as well as produced primary data based on interviews, regarding to depict the land regularization problems and needs of Desengano State Park, to evaluate public managers' position, and to suggest alternatives to confl ict mediation or even solving.

Espaços territoriais especialmente protegidos: conceito e implicações jurídicas

O presente trabalho procura delimitar o conceito de espaços territoriais especialmente protegidos, diferenciando-o de outros conceitos que imperam na área ambiental, como áreas protegidas e unidades de conservação. Para tanto, utiliza-se da terminologia jurídica para discorrer sobre a eficácia da norma constitucional que institui esses espaços e se apóia em conceitos ambientais. Por último, o texto identifica algumas incompatibilidades entre a teoria e a prática na gestão dos espaços territoriais especialmente protegidos e aponta algumas soluções.

Prevalence and intensity of intestinal helminths found in free-ranging golden lion tamarins ( Leontopithecus rosalia, Primates, Callitrichidae) from Brazilian Atlantic forest

Helminth identification and egg counts were performed in 316 fecal samples during 4 years in 199 golden lion tamarins (GLTs), Leontopithecus rosalia, from two Brazilian conservation units. Tamarin sex and age, area of occurrence and helminth co-infection were tested as potential factors that could affect helminth prevalence and egg shedding in host individuals. Three nematodes species were found at low prevalences but not in both conservation units: Ancylostomatidae (12%), Ascarididae (1%) and Tripanoxyuris minutus, an Oxyuridae (4%). Three other species had high prevalences and were found in both conservation units: one acanthocephalan, Oncicola sp. (30%), and two nematodes, Spiruridae (24%), and Trichostrongylidae (31%). These three latter helminths had distinct prevalences between the conservation units, probably due to differences in availability of helminth infective stages in each area. Prevalences were greater in females for all helminth species; this was especially the case for Oncicola sp. Sex and age differences in helminth prevalence may be associated with changes in sexual steroid levels that accompany age and reproductive status. Frequency of simultaneous infections by the two helminths considered most pathogenic ( Oncicola and Trichostrongylidae) were statistically lower than expected; this may be related to: (i) higher tamarin death rate caused by the association; (ii) differences in exposure to helminth infective stages in the various areas of occurrence; (iii) and competition between these helminth species. All helminth species followed a negative binomial distribution, with stronger clumping occurring in Trichostrongylidae and in female GLTs. Distinct transmission strategies of Oncicola sp. and Spiruridae, in contrast with Trichostrongylidae, may partially explain the different clumping levels of these helminths in GLTs. Mean fecal egg counts of all helminths were not different between GLT sexes, ages or areas of occurrence. The three most common helminth species may be a threat to isolated or dense GLT populations.

Sincronia interespecífica de uma assembléia local de anuros no Brasil Central: efeitos da filogenia e padrões reprodutivos

We studied the pattern of temporal occurrence of 15 amphibians species that coexist in a Brazilian conservation unit from June 1995 to May 1998. Using the resultant binary data matrix, an interspecific association matrix (Jaccard coefficient) was calculated. As a unique local assemblage was temporally surveyed, this matrix represents how pairs of species are temporally associated (interspecific synchrony). Two symmetrical explanatory matrices, one based on taxonomic relationships amongst species and the other based on reproductive patterns, were also analyzed. Mantel tests indicated that interspecific synchrony was significantly correlated with taxonomy, and not with reproductive patterns. Thus, species of amphibians taxonomically related fluctuate more synchronously than expected by chance alone. Extrapolating this result for other assemblage groups with declining population, we infer that the number of amphibian species that are considered to be in decline is probably underestimated. In other words, if species that comprise an assemblage are temporally associated (synchronously related), besides the few monitored species that are considered to be in decline, those species taxonomically related within the assemblage groups could be in decline as well