Distance sampling surveys reveal 17 million vertebrates directly killed by the 2020's wildfires in the Pantanal, Brazil.

Anthropogenic factors have significantly influenced the frequency, duration, and intensity of meteorological drought in many regions of the globe, and the increased frequency of wildfires is among the most visible consequences of human-induced climate change. Despite the fire role in determining biodiversity outcomes in different ecosystems, wildfires can cause negative impacts on wildlife. We conducted ground surveys along line transects to estimate the first-order impact of the 2020 wildfires on vertebrates in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil. We adopted the distance sampling technique to estimate the densities and the number of dead vertebrates in the 39,030 square kilometers affected by fire. Our estimates indicate that at least 16.952 million vertebrates were killed immediately by the fires in the Pantanal, demonstrating the impact of such an event in wet savanna ecosystems. The Pantanal case also reminds us that the cumulative impact of widespread burning would be catastrophic, as fire recurrence may lead to the impoverishment of ecosystems and the disruption of their functioning. To overcome this unsustainable scenario, it is necessary to establish proper biomass fuel management to avoid cumulative impacts caused by fire over biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Emergent sustainability in open property regimes.

Current theoretical models of the commons assert that common-pool resources can only be managed sustainably with clearly defined boundaries around both communities and the resources that they use. In these theoretical models, open access inevitably leads to a tragedy of the commons. However, in many open-access systems, use of common-pool resources seems to be sustainable over the long term (i.e., current resource use does not threaten use of common-pool resources for future generations). Here, we outline the conditions that support sustainable resource use in open property regimes. We use the conceptual framework of complex adaptive systems to explain how processes within and couplings between human and natural systems can lead to the emergence of efficient, equitable, and sustainable resource use. We illustrate these dynamics in eight case studies of different social-ecological systems, including mobile pastoralism, marine and freshwater fisheries, swidden agriculture, and desert foraging. Our theoretical framework identifies eight conditions that are critical for the emergence of sustainable use of common-pool resources in open property regimes. In addition, we explain how changes in boundary conditions may push open property regimes to either common property regimes or a tragedy of the commons. Our theoretical model of emergent sustainability helps us to understand the diversity and dynamics of property regimes across a wide range of social-ecological systems and explains the enigma of open access without a tragedy. We recommend that policy interventions in such self-organizing systems should focus on managing the conditions that are critical for the emergence and persistence of sustainability.

Retrato de uma região: impacto da indústria sucroalcooleira, indicadores de saúde e a percepção dos gestores / Pictures from a region: impact of the sugarcane industry, health indicators and managers' perception

Resumo Este artigo analisa indicadores de saúde dos municípios da região de São José do Rio Preto e a demanda da população segundo os gestores diante do processo de expansão da cana de açúcar. Dez municípios da região que possuem usinas de cana de açúcar e outros 10 municípios com o mesmo número de habitantes, mas sem usinas, foram selecionados. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas e em bancos de dados do Ministério da Saúde. Observou-se que, independentemente da presença de usinas sucroalcooleiras, houve melhora nos indicadores de saúde. Entretanto, para os gestores entrevistados, independentemente da presença ou ausência de usinas, a presença de migrantes para o corte da cana piorou os indicadores de saúde. Assim, constatou-se que a presença de usinas nos municípios não interferiu nos indicadores de saúde, mas os gestores consideram que a qualidade da saúde do município teve queda.

Abstract This article analyzes health indicators in the municipalities of the São José do Rio Preto region (state of São Paulo, Brazil) and the demand of the population according to the managers regarding the sugar cane expansion process. Ten municipalities in the region that have sugar cane mills and 10 other municipalities with the same number of inhabitants, but without the presence of plants, were selected. Data were collected through interviews and Ministry of Health databases. It was observed that, regardless of the presence of sugar and alcohol plants, there was an improvement in health indicators. However, to the interviewed managers, despite there being plants or not, the presence of migrants to cut sugarcane worsened health indicators. Therefore, it was observed that the presence of plants in the municipalities did not interfere in health indicators, but managers perceived a drop in health quality in the municipality.

The impact of stress on the health of sugar cane cutters.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the impact of stress on sugar cane cutters and the prevalence of physical and psychological symptoms before and after harvest. METHODS: We studied 114 sugarcane cutters and 109 urban workers in the pre-harvest and 102 sugar cane cutters and 81 urban workers in the post-harvest period in the city of Mendonça, SP, Southeastern Brazil, in 2009. Data analysis was based on the frequency and percentage of the assessed symptoms of stress, using the Lipp-ISSL test (Symptoms of Stress for Adults). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The Fisher Test was used to compare the variable of stress between pre- and post-harvest within the sugar cane cutter and urban worker groups. P values below 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: Stress in sugar cane cutters increased after harvesting (34.2% pre-harvest and 46.1% post-harvest); in urban workers, stress decreased from 44.0% pre-harvest to 42.0% post-harvest. There was prevalence of the phase of resistance to stress for both groups with signs more apparent from the near-exhaustion and exhaustion phases for sugar cane cutters. After harvest, there was a tendency for the number of sugar cane cutters with symptoms of near-exhaustion (6.4%) and exhaustion (10.6%) to increase. After harvest there was a trend for the number of sugar cane cutters with physical symptoms (pre-harvest = 20.5%, post-harvest = 25.5%) and psychological symptoms (pre-harvest = 64.1%; post-harvest = 70.2%) to increase. For both groups, predominantly psychological symptoms occurred in both phases (70.2% versus 64.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The work process of cutting cane can cause stress. Individual factors such as cognitive perception of the experience, self-efficacy beliefs and expectations of the employee regarding their performance can influence the understanding of the reactions in their body in face of the work.

Impacto do estresse na saúde de cortadores de cana / The impact of stress on the health of sugar cane cutters

OBJETIVO Analisar os níveis de estresse e a prevalência de sintomas físicos e psíquicos em trabalhadores do corte de cana antes e depois da safra. MÉTODOS Foram estudados 114 cortadores de cana, 109 trabalhadores urbanos na pré-safra, 102 cortadores de cana e 81 trabalhadores urbanos na pós-safra, na cidade de Mendonça, SP, em 2009. A análise dos dados baseou-se na frequência e porcentagem dos avaliados com sintomas de estresse, tendo sido utilizado o Inventário de Sintomas de Estresse para Adultos de Lipp-ISSL. Os dados gerais coletados foram analisados segundo estatística descritiva. Utilizou-se o teste Exato de Fisher para comparar a variável categórica representada pelo estresse pré e pós-safra nos grupos cortadores de cana e trabalhadores urbanos. Foram considerados significativos os valores de p menor que 0,05. RESULTADOS O estresse aumentou nos cortadores de cana após a safra (34,2% na pré-safra e 46,1% na pós-safra); nos trabalhadores urbanos, o estresse diminuiu de 44,0% na pré-safra para 42,0% na pós-safra. Houve predominância da fase de resistência do estresse para ambos os grupos, com sinais mais evidentes da fase de quase-exaustão e de exaustão para os cortadores de cana. Após a safra, houve tendência a aumentar o número de cortadores de cana com sintomas de quase-exaustão (6,4%) e exaustão (10,6%), bem como aumento na proporção de cortadores de cana com sintomas físicos (de 20,5% para 25,5%) e psicológicos (de 64,1% para 70,2%). Para os dois grupos, os sintomas psicológicos foram elevados nas duas fases (70,2% e 64,7%, respectivamente). CONCLUSÕES O processo produtivo de trabalho do cortador de cana pode provocar estresse. Fatores individuais, como a percepção cognitiva da experiência, crenças de autoeficácia e expectativas ...

OBJECTIVE Evaluate the impact of stress on sugar cane cutters and the prevalence of physical and psychological symptoms before and after harvest. METHODS We studied 114 sugarcane cutters and 109 urban workers in the pre-harvest and 102 sugar cane cutters and 81 urban workers in the post-harvest period in the city of Mendonça, SP, Southeastern Brazil, in 2009. Data analysis was based on the frequency and percentage of the assessed symptoms of stress, using the Lipp-ISSL test (Symptoms of Stress for Adults). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The Fisher Test was used to compare the variable of stress between pre- and post-harvest within the sugar cane cutter and urban worker groups. P values below 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS Stress in sugar cane cutters increased after harvesting (34.2% pre-harvest and 46.1% post-harvest); in urban workers, stress decreased from 44.0% pre-harvest to 42.0% post-harvest. There was prevalence of the phase of resistance to stress for both groups with signs more apparent from the near-exhaustion and exhaustion phases for sugar cane cutters. After harvest, there was a tendency for the number of sugar cane cutters with symptoms of near-exhaustion (6.4%) and exhaustion (10.6%) to increase. After harvest there was a trend for the number of sugar cane cutters with physical symptoms (pre-harvest = 20.5%, post-harvest = 25.5%) and psychological symptoms (pre-harvest = 64.1%; post-harvest = 70.2%) to increase. For both groups, predominantly psychological symptoms occurred in both phases (70.2% versus 64.7%). CONCLUSIONS The work process of cutting cane can cause stress. Individual factors such as cognitive perception of the experience, self-efficacy beliefs and expectations of the employee regarding their performance can influence the understanding of the reactions in their body in face of the work. .

A saúde e o jovem migrante / Health and the young migrant

O trabalho no corte de cana-de-açúcar no Brasil é agressivo, com notícias recorrentes de doenças e óbitos pouco esclarecidos. Este estudo procura discutir a saúde desses trabalhadores na região de São José do Rio Preto (SP) e também os fatores que envolvem o deslocamento territorial dessa população. Realizamos entrevistas semiestruturadas para compreender como os trabalhadores lidam com aspectos que são prejudiciais à saúde, decorrentes desse trabalho. Os resultados mostraram que a maioria utilizou a automedicação para amenizar sintomas de gripe, dores no corpo e mal-estar. Assim, o remédio é percebido como um elemento racionalizador do trabalho que pode prevenir uma queda na produtividade. Isso nos leva a uma reflexão sobre as condições de precariedade das relações de trabalho do cortador de cana. Também abrangeram as discussões o fato de que logo haverá o fim do corte da cana-de-açúcar nessa região em virtude da mecanização, e discutimos as possíveis externalidades dessas mudanças. Concluímos que o fluxo migratório não está atrelado apenas às desigualdades de renda per capita entre as regiões brasileiras e à oportunidade de acesso aos bens de consumo, mas, sobretudo, à esperança de renda e à taxa de desemprego. O que nos leva a crer que, mesmo com o fim do corte da cana, a migração para essas regiões ainda irá existir.

The sugarcane manual harvesting process is widely recognized as being aggressive, besides exposing workers to health, physical and mental injures. Several cases of workers death due to bad work conditions in sugarcane crops were already reported. This paper aims to discuss the health of sugar cane workers in the region of São José do Rio Preto (SP) and also factors that trigger migration flows. We conducted semi-structured interviews to understand how sugarcane workers deal with job aspects that lead to health injuries. The results show that the majority uses self-medication to relieve flu symptoms, body aches, and malaise. Self-medication use is, therefore, a rationalizing element of the work to prevent reductions in the manual harvesting process. Leading us to look at the precarious conditions of labor relations of the sugarcane workers. Moreover, in face of the reduction of non-specialized sugarcane jobs' (sugarcane cutters) due to the spread of mechanized harvesting, we discuss some possible externalities of it. We conclude that the migration flow is not only due to inequalities in per capita income between the Brazilian's regions and the opportunity to access consumer goods, but, mostly, to the hope of better wages and the unemployment rate. Thus, we tend to believe that, even though the non-specialized sugarcane jobs' will disappear, there will still be migration flow to this region.