Modeling the Brazilian Cerrado land use change highlights the need to account for private property sizes for biodiversity conservation.

Simulating future land use changes can be an important tool to support decision-making, especially in areas that are experiencing rapid anthropogenic pressure, such as the Cerrado-Brazilian savanna. Here we used a spatially-explicit model to identify the main drivers of native vegetation loss in the Cerrado and then extrapolate this loss for 2050 and 2070. We also analyzed the role of property size in complex Brazilian environmental laws in determining different outcomes of these projections. Our results show that distance to rivers, roads, and cities, agricultural potential, permanent and annual crop agriculture, and cattle led to observed/historical loss of vegetation, while protected areas prevented such loss. Assuming full adoption of the current Forest Code, the Cerrado may lose 26.5 million ha (± 11.8 95% C.I.) of native vegetation by 2050 and 30.6 million ha (± 12.8 95% C.I.) by 2070, and this loss shall occur mainly within large properties. In terms of reconciling conservation and agricultural production, we recommend that public policies focus primarily on large farms, such as protecting 30% of the area of properties larger than 2500 ha, which would avoid a loss of more than 4.1 million hectares of native vegetation, corresponding to 13% of the predicted loss by 2070.

Incorporating biodiversity responses to land use change scenarios for preventing emerging zoonotic diseases in areas of unknown host-pathogen interactions.

The need to reconcile food production, the safeguarding of nature, and the protection of public health is imperative in a world of continuing global change, particularly in the context of risks of emerging zoonotic disease (EZD). In this paper, we explored potential land use strategies to reduce EZD risks using a landscape approach. We focused on strategies for cases where the dynamics of pathogen transmission among species were poorly known and the ideas of "land-use induced spillover" and "landscape immunity" could be used very broadly. We first modeled three different land-use change scenarios in a region of transition between the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspots. The land-use strategies used to build our scenarios reflected different proportions of native vegetation cover, as a proxy of habitat availability. We then evaluated the effects of the proportion of native vegetation cover on the occupancy probability of a group of mammal species and analyzed how the different land-use scenarios might affect the distribution of species in the landscape and thus the risk of EZD. We demonstrate that these approaches can help identify potential future EZD risks, and can thus be used as decision-making tools by stakeholders, with direct implications for improving both environmental and socio-economic outcomes.

Characterization of a Novel Starch Isolated from the Rhizome of Colombian Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) Cultivars.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) plants are native to Southeast Asia and are part of the Zingiberaceae family. Global consumption and production of this plant are expanding. In countries such as Colombia, turmeric is a promising cultivar. Curcuminoids derived from its rhizomes are used in food, pharmaceuticals, and natural cosmetics. Curcuminoids constitute approximately 3 wt% of the rhizome. Many residues rich in cellulose and starch can thus be recovered. This study characterizes a novel starch isolated from Colombian turmeric cultivars. The morphological parameters of the starch were determined using microscopic techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Proximate analysis and infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) were used to analyze the chemical composition, while physical analyses included thermal characterization, swelling power testing, solubility, water retention capacity, and colorimetry evaluation. The new starch granules were ellipsoidal in shape and ranged in diameter from 19.91 to 38.09. A trace amount of remaining curcumin was identified through chemical and physical characterization. The swelling power was 3.52 ± 0.30, and its water retention capacity was 3.44 ± 0.30. Based on these findings, turmeric can be useful in both food and non-food applications. Because starch was extracted from other Zingiberaceae plants, this study also includes a brief review of the related literature.

Use of Fourier Series in X-ray Diffraction (XRD) Analysis and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) for Estimation of Crystallinity in Cellulose from Different Sources.

Cellulose crystallinity can be described according to the crystal size and the crystallinity index (CI). In this research, using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods, we studied the crystallinity of three different types of cellulose: banana rachis (BR), commercial cellulose (CS), and bacterial cellulose (BC). For each type of cellulose, we analyzed three different crystallization grades. These variations were obtained using three milling conditions: 6.5 h, 10 min, and unmilled (films). We developed a code in MATLAB software to perform deconvolution of the XRD data to estimate CI and full width at half-maximum (FWHM). For deconvolution, crystalline peaks were represented with Voigt functions, and a Fourier series fitted to the amorphous profile was used as the amorphous contribution, which allowed the contribution of the amorphous profile to be more effectively modeled. Comparisons based on the FTIR spectra and XRD results showed there were no compositional differences between the amorphous samples. However, changes associated with crystallinity were observed when the milling time was 10 min. The obtained CI (%) values show agreement with values reported in the literature and confirm the effectiveness of the method used in this work in predicting the crystallization aspects of cellulose samples.

The Effects of Adding a Gel-Alike Curcuma longa L. Suspension as Color Agent on Some Quality and Sensory Properties of Yogurt.

Color is an important characteristic of food products. This characteristic is related to consumer acceptability. To use the entire rhizome of Curcuma longa (CL) as a food colorant, a novel gel alike stable suspension (CLS) was previously developed using cellulose nanofibers (CNFs). Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the CLS as a color additive on a stirred yogurt. Three concentrations of CLS were studied (0.1, 0.125, and 0.15 wt. %) and compared to yogurt without CLS. The obtained yogurts were characterized through the determination of pH, titratable acidity, syneresis, color and curcumin content after 1, 7, 14, and 21 days of storage. Additionally, rheological and sensory measurements were performed on the samples after one day of storage. Results show that the addition of CLS does not affect the pH and titratable acidity of the samples, but all the yogurts showed an increase in their syneresis during the storage time, showing a breakdown of the gel structure. Furthermore, the CLS suspension has the ability to impart a yellow color to yogurts, a characteristic that was stable during storage. Finally, the addition of 1 wt. % or 1.25 wt. % of CLS allows the development of a yogurt with adequate sensory perception.

An Edible Oil Enriched with Lycopene from Pink Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Using Different Mechanical Treatments.

According to the regulations of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), organic solvents should be limited in pharmaceutical and food products due to their inherent toxicity. For this reason, this short paper proposes different mechanical treatments to extract lycopene without organic solvents to produce an edible sunflower oil (SFO) enriched with lycopene from fresh pink guavas (Psidium guajava L.) (FPGs). The methodology involves the use of SFO and a combination of mechanical treatments: a waring blender (WB), WB+ high-shear mixing (HSM) and WB+ ultrafine friction grinding (UFFG). The solid:solvent (FPG:SFO) ratios used in all the techniques were 1:5, 1:10 and 1:20. The results from optical microscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy showed a correlation between the concentration of lycopene in SFO, vegetable tissue diameters and FPG:SFO ratio. The highest lycopene concentration, 18.215 ± 1.834 mg/g FPG, was achieved in WB + UFFG with an FPG:SFO ratio of 1:20. The yield of this treatment was 66% in comparison to the conventional extraction method. The maximal lycopene concentration achieved in this work was significantly higher than the values reported by other authors, using high-pressure homogenization for tomato peel and several solvents such as water, SFO, ethyl lactate and acetone.

Identifying priority regions and territorial planning strategies for conserving native vegetation in the Cerrado (Brazil) under different scenarios of land use changes.

The Cerrado biome covers approximately 20% of Brazil and it is crucial for the Water, Food, Energy, and Ecosystems (WFEE) nexus. Thus, in recent years, large areas of the undisturbed Cerrado have been converted into farmland. In this biome, according to the Brazilian Forest Code, farmers need to keep 20% of native vegetation (Legal Reserves - LRs). By exploring combined and isolated impacts of different scenarios of LR and Protected area (PA) arrangements, this study evaluated the importance of complementarity between LR compliance and the amount of PAs (including Conservation Units - CUs and Indigenous Lands - ILs) to reduce deforestation and conserve native vegetation in the Cerrado. Seven scenarios were investigated: a scenario that considers the current PA and the LR values foreseen in the Native Vegetation Protection Law - NVPL; three scenarios focused on production; and three focused on conservation. Considering the trend of the current scenario, the estimated loss of native vegetation will be 30% (30.6 million ha) by 2070. According to the model simulations, for two periods (2050 and 2070), the LR Elimination scenario (LRE) would cause a greater loss of native vegetation than the PA Elimination (PAE), and as expected, the exclusion of both (PALRE) would provide a greater loss of native vegetation. Native vegetation is concentrated mainly on agricultural properties. Taking our conservation-oriented scenarios as an example of conservation strategies, if there were no financial, practical, political, social or personal constraints, there is no doubt that the CPALRI scenario (Creation of Protected Areas and Legal Reserve Increase) is the best trajectory for conserving biodiversity. Therefore, private properties, through LRs, are essential for efficient planning of land use/cover as they ensure security in the WFEE nexus. The resulting projected scenarios are important to help decision makers in territorial planning and how to arbitrate territorial demands aiming at the rational use of the natural resources of the Cerrado.

Nucleário, cardboard, or manual crowning: which maintenance technique is most cost-effective in tree seedling survival establishment?

In ecological restoration, one of the main challenges is to develop new methods, techniques, and incentives that both favour and reduce maintenance costs in restoration projects. Besides, post-planting maintenance is often neglected hampering seedling survival over time owing to alien grasses, which compete strongly with native plants for resources. To solve these issues, recently, an innovative technology called Nucleário has been developed in Brazil. Aiming to hinder alien competition filters, the Nucleário also attempts to condition a better microenvironment, reducing drought stress through the water storage tank, decreasing temperatures, which facilitates the survival and growth of seedlings in areas under restoration. Another method used to decrease alien grasses, which is inexpensive, is seedling crowning using cardboard lowing maintenance needs in restored areas. Cardboard has similar functions to Nucleário, such as protecting soil against loss of water and nutrients and reducing competition with invasive exotic grasses. Therefore, comparing them also with traditional manual weeding (i.e., clean-weeded crown by hoe), we aimed to verify which technique is most cost-efficient for seedling crown maintenance of Dipteryx alata Vog., which is an indigenous tree species with high economic value owing to its nuts. We tested three techniques in areas under restoration in the Cerrado, in the Environmental Protection Area "Córrego Guariroba" located in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. We monitored seedlings submitted to the three methods in the wet and the dry periods for biotic (competition with exotic grasses, herbivory, and growth) and abiotic (moisture and soil temperature) indicators. We observed that the Nucleário was the treatment that maintained the highest soil moisture, resulting in a larger canopy area. However, these effects do not reflect increases in the survival rate, diameter, and height of the seedlings. None of the treatments was effective in reducing herbivory. Nucleário was the most effective treatment in reducing the competition of seedlings with invasive grasses. Cardboard presented an implementation value 21.5 times lower than Nucleário and 1.2 times than manual crowning. Given the high purchase price, the Nucleário's cost-benefit ratio was very high compared to the crowning of cardboard and the manual weeding, which discourages us from recommending it for this species with high survival rates. Its project can be revised to decrease herbivory rates, as well as its efficiency tested in the short and long term in different ecosystems and species, particularly species susceptible to water stress.

The importance of Legal Reserves for protecting the Pantanal biome and preventing agricultural losses.

Considering scenarios of future changes in land use have the potential to support policy-makers in drafting environmental laws to reconcile the demands of multiple land uses. The Pantanal, one of the largest wetlands in the world, has been undergoing rapid land use changes, and does not yet have any integrated environmental legislation on Legal Reserve for entire region (LR - minimum percentage of native vegetation required within private properties). The aim of this paper was to generate future vegetation loss scenarios for the Pantanal based on four LR values: (i) BAU: Business as usual, which considers existing laws: Native Vegetation Protection Law and State Decree; (ii) LRE: LR elimination owing to a bill recently proposed; (iii) LR50: which considers the bill proposing 50% of LR for the Pantanal; and (iv) LR80: our proposed levels of 80% of LR for the lowlands and 35% for the plateau (following values in the Amazon). Based on native vegetation loss from each scenario, we estimated the soil loss and sediment yield to rivers. Our results show that LRE would increase native vegetation loss in the Pantanal by as much as 139% when compared to the BAU, whereas increasing LR levels would reduce conversion values by 29% (LR80). Elimination of the LR would increase soil erosion and sediment production by up to 7% and 10%, respectively, compared to BAU. Based on native vegetation loss from each scenario, we estimated the soil loss and sediment yield to rivers with our data showing more than 90% of the sediment transported to the lowland originating from the plateau. The LR80 indicates a reduction in soil nutrient replacement costs of 10% compared to BAU, while in the LR50 these costs decrease by 1.5%, and in the LRE would increase of 8%. Our results show that abolishing current protections would have substantial impacts on avulsion processes, on several economic activities (tourism, fishery, cattle raising, etc.) and negative impacts for biodiversity conservation and would bring losses to agriculture in the Pantanal. Hence, our study brings clearly evidence of LR importance and need to expand it in this sensitive wetland.

The nanotech potential of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) in food technology: A review.

New trends in food are emerging in response to consumer awareness of the relationship between food and health, which has triggered the need to generate new alternatives that meet the expectations of the market. Revolutionary fields such as nanotechnology have been used for the encapsulation of nutritional ingredients and have great potential for the management of food additives derived from fruits and plant species. Turmeric, a spice that has been used as a dyeing agent, is recognized for its properties in Ayurveda medicine. This article aims to provide an overview of the characteristics of turmeric as an ingredient for the food industry, including its properties as a coloring agent, antioxidant, and functional ingredient. This article also highlights the potential of nanotechnology to enhance these properties of turmeric and increase the possibilities for the application of its components, such as cellulose and starch, in the development of nanostructures for food development.

Which spatial arrangement of green manure is able to reduce herbivory and invasion of exotic grasses in native species?

The practice of using green manure for ecological restoration has grown so significantly that there is a shortage of seeds for purchase on the market. Nonetheless, there is very little literature available demonstrating the effects and benefits commonly cited for green manure for addressing important environmental filters, such as herbivory and invasive grasses. Our objective is to determine which spatial sowing arrangement including green manure promotes the lowest rates of herbivory on native species and decreases cover by invasive grasses in ecological restoration. We experimentally tested three sowing configurations of green manure intercropping with native species: T1 the lowest herbivoy rate for both native and green manure, mixture of native and green manure species in the same row, T2, alternating rows of green manure and native species, and T3, rows of native species intercropped with a 2 m wide strip of green manure. We found that (1) green manure species experience greater damage from herbivory than do native species, with average values ranging from 1.8 times higher values in green manure than natives in T1, 2.9 times in T2, and 2.7 times in T3 (when sown in rows and in broader strips, green manure and native species attract more herbivorous insects than if they were sown together [muvuca]); and (2) when green manure and native species are planted mixed in the same row they produce greater soil cover, and thus limit invasion by undesired species. The use of green manure has been identified as an alternative method for overcoming the environmental filters of herbivory and invasive grasses in restoration areas. Considering the demand for information that supports the use of green manure for purposes of ecological restoration, the novel results of the present study fill a void and should prove to be of great interest to researchers and practitioners. In addition, the presented results provide information on efficient and low-cost restoration techniques that are necessary for the activity to gain scale, enabling countries to meet the large restoration targets.

Desarrollo de un refresco a partir de la mezcla de fresa ( Fragaria ananassa ), mora ( Rubus glaucus ), gulupa ( Passiflora edulis Sims ) y uchuva ( Physalis peruviana L. ) fortificado con hierro dirigido a niños en edad preescolar / Development of an iron-fortified drink from strawberry ( Fragaria ananassa ), blackberry ( Rubus glaucus ), purple passion fruit ( Passiflora edulis sims ) and gooseberry ( Physalis peruviana l. ) for preschoolers

RESUMEN Antecedentes la deficiencia de hierro, es reconocida a nivel mundial como uno de los principales problemas de salud pública asociados a la nutrición. En Colombia es necesario mejorar las estrategias nutricionales encaminadas a la población infantil, con el fin de incrementar su calidad de vida. Objetivo: desarrollar un refresco a partir de la mezcla de fresa, mora, gulupa y uchuva fortificado con hierro para niños en edad preescolar. Materiales y métodos para el desarrollo del producto, se seleccionaron cuatro frutas y se caracterizaron fisicoquímicamente. Para establecer la formulación del refresco, se realizó un diseño experimental ortogonal L82 , evaluando la aceptación sensorial como variable respuesta. Finalmente, se caracterizó el producto desarrollado, determinando el contenido de hierro y vitamina C. Resultados los ocho prototipos evaluados durante el desarrollo de la formulación, cumplieron con los requisitos establecidos en la normativa colombiana para los refrescos de fruta. El prototipo final presentó un contenido de 36,7% de fruta y el 40% del valor diario recomendado de hierro, en una porción de 250 ml. Conclusiones las cuatro frutas estudiadas pueden ser utilizadas en el desarrollo de refrescos con un importante aporte de vitamina C y fortificados con hierro, como estrategia nutricional para prevenir la deficiencia de este mineral en niños.

ABSTRACT Background Iron deficiency is recognized worldwide as a major public health concern, related to nutrition. In Colombia, the improvement of the nutritional strategies for children are required to increase their life quality. Objective To develop a mixed fruit beverage from strawberry, blackberry, gooseberry and purple passion fruit, fortified with iron for preschoolers. Materials and methods For the product development, four fruits were selected and characterized. To establish the beverage formulation, an orthogonal experimental design L825 was performed, evaluating the sensory acceptance as the response variable. Finally, the selected product was characterized by determining the content of iron and vitamin C. Results The eight prototypes obtained during the development of the beverage formulation accomplished the requirements of the Colombian law. The final prototype had a fruit content of 36.7 wt% and an iron intake value of 40 wt%, in a portion of 250 ml. Conclusions the four fruits studied can be used for the development of iron-fortified beverages, with an important contribution of vitamin C, as a nutritional strategy to prevent the deficiencies of this mineral in children.