A translocação de espécies não nativas tem representado desafios à conservação, sendo frequentemente negligenciada pelas esferas econômicas, políticas e sociais. A sociedade pode comprometer medidas de manejo, especialmente quando as espécies são consideradas emblemáticas e carismáticas. No sul do Brasil, a bacia do rio Iguaçu constitui uma região de elevado endemismo, entretanto, a presença do peixe dourado (Salminus brasiliensis), um predador não nativo, representa riscos ambientais, econômicos, socioculturais e políticos. Apesar disso, diferentes segmentos da sociedade local tendem a interpretar de forma divergente os impactos associados à invasão desse predador. Objetivou-se analisar as percepções sobre a natividade, invasão e impactos de S. brasiliensis, além de investigar a valorização sociocultural da pesca de espécies endêmicas ou não, avaliando o consumo de peixe local. Entre setembro de 2024 e março de 2025, foram aplicados questionários nas cidades de União da Vitória (PR) e Porto União (SC). Coletaram-se 234 respostas de quatro grupos: população, pescadores, lojistas e poder público. A maioria dos entrevistados identificou corretamente S. brasiliensis como não nativa da bacia do rio Iguaçu. No entanto, houve divergência entre os grupos quanto ao reconhecimento dos impactos sobre a ictiofauna nativa. A pesca, o consumo e os eventos culturais ligados às espécies endêmicas foram reconhecidos como patrimônio histórico regional. Ainda assim, houve confusão na identificação da natividade de algumas espécies da bacia. Em relação ao consumo de pescado, o lambari foi preferido enquanto o dourado apresentou rejeição. Os resultados demonstram que as percepções sociais sobre conservação são moldadas por fatores diversos. Destaca-se a importância de se considerar a dimensão social nas estratégias de controle de espécies invasoras e a urgência de políticas integradas.
Pumas (Puma concolor; Carnivora, Felidae) have experienced population declines in the Atlantic Forest due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and human-related pressures. In southern Brazil, information on their spatial ecology remains limited, constraining conservation planning at regional scales. This study aimed to estimate puma home range size and habitat selection using satellite tracking data in Serra do Itajaí National Park (SINP), state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Individuals were equipped with Argos Lotek® collars and location data were used to estimate home range and habitat selection. Home range was estimated using the Autocorrelated Kernel Density Estimator (AKDE). Habitat availability was defined using a Minimum Convex Polygon encompassing all locations, and land use was classified into five categories based on MapBiomas data. Habitat selection was assessed using Ivlev’s Electivity Index. Due to technical failures, only two individuals provided sufficient data for analysis. One sub-adult male (2.5 years-old) was monitored between July and December 2013 (N = 222 locations; acquisition success of 24%), with a home range size of 202 km² (144.39 – 269.32), 40% located outside SINP limits. The other individual was an adult male (9 years-old) monitored between July and September 2014 (N = 128 locations; acquisition success of 36%), with a home range size of 201 km² (73.87 – 391.71) entirely within SINP limits. Forests comprise 95% of the available habitats and were the only one selected by pumas, whereas anthropized ones were avoided by them. Despite the limited sample size, this study provides the first GPS-based evidence of space use by P. concolor in southern Brazil, highlighting the importance of continuous forest cover and landscape connectivity for the species.
This study conducted a one-year survey of fisheries landing monitoring in Barra de Guaratiba, Rio de Janeiro, state of Rio de Janeiro, along the southeastern coast of Brazil, and close to the protection area known as Reserva Biológica de Guaratiba (RGB), an estuarine ecosystem that may serve as a nursery area for elasmobranchs. In a total of 671 elasmobranch specimens captured, more than half were from a single genus, with two known occurring species being under some level of threat. By comparing the results found here to previous studies, we observed a loss of taxa diversity and a shift in the most dominant species in the region. Additionally, eight species were absent, while two new species were registered for the first time. Continuous fisheries landing monitoring should be carried out in this area to better understand the long-term dynamics of elasmobranch populations and to promote efficient management and conservation strategies.
Understanding how environmental conditions shape insect diversity in human-modified landscapes is critical for biodiversity conservation in the Brazilian Cerrado. In this context, parasitoid hymenopterans may be effective biodiversity indicators because of their high trophic position and close ecological associations with host arthropods. In this study, we evaluated the abundance and richness of parasitoid wasp families in two Cerrado forest fragments in central Brazil differing in size and surrounding land use. Using yellow pan traps, we collected 247 specimens belonging to 19 families between August 2020 and February 2021. Aphelinidae, Bethylidae, Ichneumonidae, Mutillidae, Mymaridae, and Platygastridae were the most abundant families. Generalized Linear Mixed Models indicated a negative effect of humidity on both richness and abundance, while area and temperature had no significant influence. No consistent temporal trends or differences between fragments were detected. These results suggest that regional environmental conditions, particularly humidity, play a key role in structuring parasitoid wasp assemblages in fragmented Cerrado landscapes and highlight the need for longer-term and multi-scale studies to better understand parasitoid community dynamics in tropical savannas.
The hierachical classification of a watercourse is fundamental in the field of ecology and other sciences, as it facilitates, for example, communication about the characteristics of the environment to be studied (or previously studied). Generally, for ecological studies of lotic ecosystems, many authors use classification by order, as proposed by Arthur N. Strahler in 1954 (widespread from 1957), or magnitude, a concept idealized by Ronald L. Shreve published in 1967. In this article, we advocate that, from a logical perspective, the use of Shreve’s method makes more sense in studies on the ecology of freshwater biodiversity. In addition, we call attention to the fact that (if possible) authors should also consider the type of environment (i.e., perennial, intermittent, and ephemeral) in their classification
