The neglected tropical grasslands: first record of campo com murundus and its plant communities in the state of São Paulo, Brazil / Campos tropicais negligenciados: primeiro registro de campo com murundus e suas comunidades vegetais no estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Abstract Tropical grasslands have been systematically neglected worldwide in maps, conservation policies, and ecological studies. After eradicating invasive pine trees from a Cerrado reserve in southeastern Brazil, an unprecedented grassy ecosystem arose in recent satellite images. In the field, we confirmed the first record of wet grasslands with termite mounds - locally named campo com murundus ˗ beyond 21°S in the São Paulo state. Besides reporting this occurrence, we sampled the two plant communities forming this peculiar vegetation type (the mounds and the waterlogged matrix around them) to investigate if they are floristically and functionally distinct. We also explored how these two communities relate to those of the surrounding open vegetation types (savanna, dry and wet grassland). Woody plants were recorded on the mounds but not in the matrix, although the two communities share some ground layer species. Compared to the adjacent vegetation types, the mounds were floristically distinct and functionally more balanced in growth forms, dispersal syndrome, and tolerance to waterlogging. We hope this borderline record of campo com murundus can stimulate the search for other unnoticed remnants out of their known occurrence region, triggering efforts for their conservation and studies to improve comprehension of these iconic ecosystems.

Resumo Os campos naturais tropicais têm sido sistematicamente negligenciados em todo o planeta, seja nos mapas, nas políticas de conservação ou em estudos ecológicos. Após controle da invasão por Pinus em unidade de conservação do Cerrado no sudeste do Brasil, um ecossistema graminoso sem registro regional surgiu nas imagens de satélite recentes. Observação em campo resultou no primeiro registro de campo com murundus em latitude superior a 21°S, no estado de São Paulo. Além de relatar essa ocorrência, amostramos as duas comunidades vegetais que formam esse tipo de vegetação peculiar (ocorrendo sobre os murundus e na matriz alagadiça ao redor deles) para investigar se são florística e funcionalmente distintas. Também exploramos como essas duas comunidades estão relacionadas com os tipos de vegetação aberta circundantes (savana, campo seco e campo úmido). Plantas lenhosas foram registradas nos murundus, mas não na matriz, embora as duas comunidades compartilhem algumas espécies do estrato rasteiro. Em comparação com os outros tipos de vegetação adjacentes, os murundus se mostraram floristicamente distintos e funcionalmente mais equilibrados em relação às formas de crescimento, síndrome de dispersão e tolerância ao encharcamento. Esperamos que esse registro limítrofe de campo com murundus possa estimular a busca por outros remanescentes despercebidos fora da região de ocorrência já conhecida, desencadeando esforços para sua conservação e estudos que possam melhorar a compreensão desses ecossistemas icônicos.

Effects of a motivational program for caregivers on the oral hygiene quality of 10-to-36-month-old children: a pilot study

Introduction: Dental caries is the most common chronic disease in childhood and a major problem for world public healthcare. For dental caries onset, the presence of dental plaque is primordial, being plaque removal one of caries preventive measures. Children younger than 3 years old depend on adults for dental plaque controlling. Objective: To assess the quality of oral hygiene of children before and after a motivational program conducted with their caregivers. Material and methods: Twelve caregivers and 16 children (from 10 to 36 months old) entered the study. The children's oral hygiene quality was assessed with the Oral Hygiene Index (OHI) of upper and lower incisors at baseline, 1 and 3 months after the instructional lecture on oral health given to the caregivers. Results: It was verified a statistical difference in OHI of upper/lower incisors between baseline and 3 months after the lecture. At 1-month assessment after the lecture, there was an improvement in OHI of the upper incisors. There was no statiscally significant difference between upper and lower incisors. All incisors OHI for the three assessments showed a statiscally significant difference between the groups at baseline and 1 month after the lecture, returning to the initial indexes after 3 months. Conclusion: Punctual health education activities are not effective. They need to be continuous to institute changes in behavior regarding oral health.