Wildfires are a major threat to ecosystems and environmental security, and their occurrence is strongly influenced by regional climatic patterns. This study aimed to assess wildfire risk in the municipality of Botucatu, S & atilde;o Paulo, Brazil, from 2015 to 2024, using the Monte Alegre Formula (FMA, from the Portuguese F & oacute;rmula de Monte Alegre). Daily precipitation and relative humidity data from the Lageado Farm Meteorological Station (UNESP) recorded at 1:00 p.m. local time were analyzed. The results revealed a marked seasonal pattern of wildfire risk, with elevated FMA values between May and September, especially inJuly and August, corresponding to the regional winter. The year 2021 presented the highest annual average FMA value (37.00), associated with an extreme drought event of 92 consecutive days without rainfall. Years with annual precipitation below the historical mean (1,500 mm) exhibited a higher frequency of days with "very high" or "maximum" wildfire risk. The findings indicate that the intra-annual distribution of rainfall plays a more critical role in wildfire risk dynamics than total annual precipitation. The results underscore the need for continuous monitoring and suggest that threshold adjustments are necessary to enhance the applicability of the index to different regional contexts. This study offers valuable technical support for the management of fire-prone areas and the development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies.
The objective of the study was to increase the efficiency of phenotypic selection of promising genotypes for fruit and pyrene production in pequi trees (Caryocar brasiliense Cambess.), considering data from different harvest seasons. The number of fruits, the number of pyrenes, and the number of pyrenes per fruit were evaluated in 56 genotypes over four harvest seasons (2020-2023) in an experimental plantation established in 1999, in the Federal District (Brazil). Annual fruit production in each quadrant of the canopy, total plant height, trunk base diameter, and canopy area were recorded. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to assess differences in fruit production among years, genotypes, and quadrants (5% significance level). Repeatability coefficients (r) were estimated for the production-related traits, as well as the number of years needed for efficient phenotypic evaluation. There was high variability in fruit production both between genotypes and over years. Four genotypes exhibited notable productive potential. The repeatability analysis suggested that three years would be necessary for initial evaluations with 0.80 of accuracy, while four years would provide greater precision, with 0.85 accuracy. Although total production estimates based solely on fruit counts by quadrant showed low accuracy for individual genotypes, this approach could be utilized for total production estimates when assessing a large stand of plants. Canopy area showed a significant correlation with fruit production.
Silviculture is strategic for the Brazilian economy and demands wood with stable physical and mechanical properties. Thermal modification enhances durability and dimensional stability without chemical additives. We applied an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) to optimize thermal treatment in two hybrid Eucalyptus urograndis clones (H77 and LW), predicting optimal time-temperature combinations and estimating apparent/basic density, mass loss, volumetric swelling, modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE). Twelve trees (six per clone) were sampled; experimental temperatures ranged from 100-220 degrees C. Lagrange polynomial interpolation generated 60 intermediate points to build continuous response surfaces, and ANFIS (six Gaussian membership functions per input; Sugeno linear output; 36 rules) was trained/validated using RMSE. Distinct clone-specific behaviours were observed, supporting tailored strategies: densities achieved low RMSE (apparent: 0.101 g/cm(3); basic: 0.087 g/cm(3)), volumetric swelling similar to 2.12 pp, while mass loss and especially mechanical properties showed higher variability (MOE approximate to 3.796 MPa; MOR with substantial error). The results indicate that intelligent modeling coupled with clone-specific thermal parameters can maximize performance and inform sustainable industrial applications.
The Atlantic Forest has been subjected to intense anthropogenic pressures driven by deforestation. To enhance the natural regeneration of these areas, understanding the soil seed bank (SSB) dynamics is essential. This study aimed to perform a floristic characterization of the species within the SSB of a riparian forest in Southern Brazil. A 100 x 100 m plot was established parallel to the riverbanks, subdivided into 100 sampling units (10 x 10 m each), of which 33 were randomly selected for SSB collection. The samples were transported to a nursery at the Federal University of Santa Maria and placed in a greenhouse for seedling emergence. Emerging seedlings were identified and counted for floristic analysis. The following ecological indices were calculated: Shannon diversity (H'), Pielou evenness (J'), and Simpson dominance (D). A total of 66 species distributed across 29 botanical families were recorded, with Asteraceae exhibiting the highest species richness. The predominant life form was herbaceous (66.89%), followed by lianas, shrubs, trees, and epiphytes. Regarding seed dispersal, while a majority of individuals remained unidentified (59.87%), anemochory was the predominant syndrome among the identified specimens.
The aim of this study was to characterize and analyze the floristic-structural composition of the shrub formation along an altitudinal gradient in the Ibirapuit & atilde; Biological Reserve, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A total of 20 plots (100 m2; 25 & times; 4 m) were randomly allocated along a 40 m altitudinal gradient (80-120 m a.s.l.). The plots were grouped into four altitudinal groups (I-upper slope; II-middle slope; III-lower slope; IV-plain). In each plot, floristic composition, phytosociological descriptors, species richness, and soil cover were assessed. Rarefied richness was also estimated (standardized to 250 individuals). Differences in floristic composition among groups were analyzed using NMDS (stress = 7.80%), followed by PERMANOVA (F = 1.87; p = 0.024). Soil cover data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test (p < 0.05). A total of 1,907 individuals belonging to 49 species were recorded. Differences in floristic composition were observed among groups. Altitude was associated with variations in floristic composition and species richness along the gradient, although this effect was not consistent across all groups. Soil cover did not vary significantly along the gradient. The shrub formation was characterized by the predominance of pioneer shrub species, particularly those of the genus Baccharis, reflecting natural succession in the Pampa biome in the absence of disturbances.
