Disentangling the veil line for Brazilian biodiversity: An overview from two long-term research programs reveals huge gaps in ecological data reporting.

The lack of synthesized information regarding biodiversity is a major problem among researchers, leading to a pervasive cycle where ecologists make field campaigns to collect information that already exists and yet has not been made available for a broader audience. This problem leads to long-lasting effects in public policies such as spending money multiple times to conduct similar studies in the same area. We aim to identify this knowledge gap by synthesizing information available regarding two Brazilian long-term biodiversity programs and the metadata generated by them. Using a unique dataset containing 1904 metadata, we identified patterns of metadata distribution and intensity of research conducted in Brazil, as well as where we should concentrate research efforts in the next decades. We found that the majority of metadata were about vertebrates, followed by plants, invertebrates, and fungi. Caatinga was the biome with least metadata, and that there's still a lack of information regarding all biomes in Brazil, with none of them being sufficiently sampled. We hope that these results will have implications for broader conservation and management guiding, as well as to funding allocation programs.

Understanding distribution and survey gaps of Mammals from the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado Biomes / Compreendendo Lacunas na Distribuição e Amostragem de Mamíferos dos Biomas da Mata Atlântica e Cerrado

Abstract The Atlantic Forest and Cerrado (Brazilian Savannah) contain a large number of endemic species and high species diversity, particularly for medium and large-bodied mammals. However, there is no large-scale assessment of these animals and their spatial distribution. Our study synthesises the literature on medium and large-bodied mammal surveys in the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest to provide insights into their distributions across large spatial scales and identify knowledge gaps to guide future research. We synthesised papers published in three databases, focusing on mammals weighing more than 1kg. Of the 84 papers we found, the majority (57.14%) were on mammals in the Atlantic Forest, while 42.85% were on mammals found in the Cerrado. We gathered records for 116 species, the most common of which were Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus, 1766), Procyon cancrivorus (Cuvier, 1798) and Chrysocyon brachyurus (Illiger, 1815) (Cerrado); Dasypus novemcinctus (Linnaeus, 1758), Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus, 1766) and Nasua nasua (Linnaeus, 1766; Atlantic Forest). Our study allowed us to access, for the first time in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, the information available about medium and large-bodied mammals. We also highlight important sampling gaps, especially concerning the northern parts of both biomes that we need to address, as well as the differences in density of sampling points that are caused by a smaller concentration of sampling efforts in the Atlantic Forest than what we found in Cerrado. As a consequence, larger extensions of Cerrado present knowledge gaps concerning mammal surveys that need to be investigated in future research.

Resumo A Mata Atlântica e o Cerrado brasileiro abrigam uma enorme quantidade de espécies endêmicas e alta diversidade de espécies, especialmente de mamíferos de médio e grande porte. No entanto, não há uma avaliação em larga escala desses animais e de sua distribuição espacial. Nosso estudo sintetiza a literatura sobre levantamentos de mamíferos de médio e grande porte no Cerrado e na Mata Atlântica, com o objetivo de fornecer informações sobre suas distribuições em larga escala e identificar lacunas no conhecimento para guiar futuras pesquisas. Sintetizamos artigos publicados em três bases de dados, com foco em mamíferos com peso superior a 1 kg. Dos 84 artigos encontrados, a maioria (57,14%) tratava de mamíferos na Mata Atlântica, enquanto 42,85% abordavam mamíferos encontrados no Cerrado. Coletamos registros para 116 espécies, sendo as mais comuns Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus, 1766), Procyon cancrivorus (Cuvier, 1798) e Chrysocyon brachyurus (Illiger, 1815) (Cerrado); Dasypus novemcinctus (Linnaeus, 1758), Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus, 1766) e Nasua nasua (Linnaeus, 1766; Mata Atlântica). Nosso estudo também mostra as lacunas no levantamento especialmente em relação às distribuições ao norte dos biomas, que precisam ser resolvidas, assim como a diferença na densidade de pontos que é causada pela menor concentração de amostragens na Mata Atlântica do que o que encontramos no Cerrado. Como consequência, existem largas extensões do Cerrado que apresentam lacunas no levantamento de mamíferos que precisam ser investigados em pesquisas futuras.

Long-term Ecological Research: Chasing fashions or being prepared for fashion changes?

Long-term-ecological-research (LTER) faces many challenges, including the difficulty of obtaining long-term funding, changes in research questions and sampling designs, keeping researchers collecting standardized data for many years, impediments to interactions with local people, and the difficulty of integrating the needs of local decision makers with "big science". These issues result in a lack of universally accepted guidelines as to how research should be done and integrated among LTER sites. Here we discuss how the RAPELD (standardized field infrastructure system), can help deal with these issues as a complementary technique in LTER studies, allowing comparisons across landscapes and ecosystems and reducing sampling costs. RAPELD uses local surveys to understand broad spatial and temporal patterns while enhancing decision-making and training of researchers, local indigenous groups and traditional communities. Sampling of ecological data can be carried out by different researchers through standardized protocols, resulting in spatial data that can be used to answer temporal questions, and allow new questions to be investigated. Results can also be integrated into existing biodiversity networks. Integrated systems are the most efficient way to save resources, maximize results, and accumulate information that can be used in the face of the unknown unknowns upon which our future depends.

Human presence as a determinant of the occurrence of mammals in a high diversity protected area of Cerrado-Caatinga ecotone in Brazil.

The Cerrado domain and its biodiversity has suffered several anthropogenic influences. Our objective was to evaluate the influence of biotic and anthropic variables on the mammal community in a protected area in the Cerrado-Caatinga ecotone. For this we sampled the mammals using camera traps (4,072 days/trap) for 16 months. We used generalized mixed linear models (GLMM) with model selection via Akaike's Information Criteria corrected for small sample size (AICc) to assess the influence of variables on richness, abundance and functional groups of mammals. We made a total of 663 photographic records of 16 species of medium and large mammals. The richness and number of mammals was negatively influenced by the distance to human settlements while carnivores were not affected by any of the variables evaluated, herbivores and generalists were more common in areas closer from human habitation. Despite the presence of large areas of native vegetation, our results show that there is a dominance of common and generalist species. The protected area is vulnerable to different sources of human pressure and the design and implementation of a management plan can be a key tool for protecting biodiversity and regulating the use of natural resources by local communities.

Ibuprofen removal from synthetic effluents using Electrocoagulation-Peroxidation (ECP).

Concerning water resources, several ordinances and legislation determine standards and conditions for the discharge of effluents into water bodies. However, several contaminants are not covered by these guidelines due to little knowledge of their long-term effects and because they are found in low concentrations. These contaminants are called emergent and this category includes drugs, such as anti-inflammatory drugs. The electrocoagulation process associated with advanced oxidation comes up as an alternative to conventional effluent treatment processes, and the objective of this study was to evaluate this process using scrap iron as sacrificial electrodes in the treatment of synthetic effluents containing ibuprofen. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to quantify the drug in synthetic effluents. The Central Rotational Composite Design 24 was used in an experimental design, considering independent variables the concentration of contaminants, applied current, the concentration of the primary oxidizing agent H2O2, and the reaction time. The optimized conditions determined by statistical analysis were drug concentration of 5 mg L-1, H2O2 concentration of 200 mg L-1, current of 5 A, and 150 min. The removals obtained under these conditions were higher than 92% in the aqueous phase, showing that electrocoagulation peroxidation technique has the potential to treat contaminants such as drugs present in effluents and waters.

New sustainable and robust catalytic supports for palladium nanoparticles generated from chitosan/cellulose film and corn stem biochar.

The production of sustainable catalytic supports for palladium nanoparticles is always desired, even more so through the recovery of biomass residues. In this sense, two different solids were investigated - chitosan/cellulose film and corn stem biochar - as catalytic supports of palladium nanoparticles. The solids were carefully characterized and tested in the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction, a typical cross-coupling reaction. The developed catalytic systems proved to be efficient and sustainable, promoted the formation of target products very well, and demanded green reactants under environmentally appropriate conditions. With the results shown in the manuscript, it is expected to contribute to the valorization of biomass and agro-industrial residues in the development of new catalysts for the chemical industry.

Hotspots and hotmoments of wildlife roadkills along a main highway in a high biodiversity area in Brazilian Amazonia / Hotspots e hotmoments de atropelamentos de animais silvestres ao longo de uma rodovia em uma área de alta biodiversidade na Amazônia brasileira

Wildlife roadkills have become a concern in the Amazon biome due to the opening of major roads in recent decades. In this study, we aimed to describe wildlife roadkills in a 100-km stretch of the BR-163 highway, in western Pará state, determining which vertebrate groups are most affected and whether there are spatial (hotspots) and temporal (hotmoments) aggregations of roadkills. From July 2019 to June 2020, we carried out 25 surveys at 15-day intervals, from a vehicle at a maximum speed of 40 km h-1. We recorded 351 individuals at an observed rate of 0.14 ind km-1 day-1. Despite their lower detectability and faster carcass removal rate from the road due to small size, most recorded roadkills were amphibians (0.066 ind km-1 day-1). We mapped several hotspots along the study stretch considering the total number of animals recorded, and separately for amphibians and reptiles. Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that the number of roadkills of all vertebrates, amphibians and reptiles recorded are influenced by temperature and precipitation. Information on places with the highest incidence of roadkills can support actions such as the installation of underpasses and fences, aimed at reducing the impacts on wild vertebrates of this Amazonian highway.(AU)

Atropelamentos de fauna silvestre tornaram-se preocupantes no bioma amazônico devido à abertura de grandes rodovias nas últimas décadas. Neste estudo objetivamos caracterizar a fauna silvestre atropelada em um trecho de 100 km da rodovia BR-163, no oeste do estado do Pará, determinando quais grupos de vertebrados são mais afetados e se há agregações espaciais (hotspots) e temporais (hotmoments) de atropelamentos. De julho 2019 a junho 2020 realizamos 25 amostragens a intervalos de 15 dias, a partir de um veículo a uma velocidade máxima de 40 km h-1. Registramos 351 indivíduos a uma taxa observada de 0.14 ind km-1 dia-1. Apesar de sua menor detectabilidade e taxa de remoção mais acelerada da rodovia devido ao seu pequeno porte, a maioria dos atropelamentos foi de anfíbios (0.066 ind km-1 dia-1). Mapeamos diversos hotspots ao longo do trecho estudado considerando o número total de animais registrados, e, separadamente, para anfíbios e répteis. Análise de regressão linear múltipla indicou que o número total de registros de vertebrados atropelados, e o de anfíbios e répteis é influenciado por temperatura e precipitação. Informação sobre locais com maior incidência de atropelamentos pode subsidiar ações como a instalação de estruturas de passagem de fauna e cercas de proteção, visando a diminuição dos impactos sobre vertebrados silvestres desta rodovia amazônica.(AU)

AMAZONIA CAMTRAP: A data set of mammal, bird, and reptile species recorded with camera traps in the Amazon forest.

The Amazon forest has the highest biodiversity on Earth. However, information on Amazonian vertebrate diversity is still deficient and scattered across the published, peer-reviewed, and gray literature and in unpublished raw data. Camera traps are an effective non-invasive method of surveying vertebrates, applicable to different scales of time and space. In this study, we organized and standardized camera trap records from different Amazon regions to compile the most extensive data set of inventories of mammal, bird, and reptile species ever assembled for the area. The complete data set comprises 154,123 records of 317 species (185 birds, 119 mammals, and 13 reptiles) gathered from surveys from the Amazonian portion of eight countries (Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela). The most frequently recorded species per taxa were: mammals: Cuniculus paca (11,907 records); birds: Pauxi tuberosa (3713 records); and reptiles: Tupinambis teguixin (716 records). The information detailed in this data paper opens up opportunities for new ecological studies at different spatial and temporal scales, allowing for a more accurate evaluation of the effects of habitat loss, fragmentation, climate change, and other human-mediated defaunation processes in one of the most important and threatened tropical environments in the world. The data set is not copyright restricted; please cite this data paper when using its data in publications and we also request that researchers and educators inform us of how they are using these data.

Electrocoagulation applied for textile wastewater oxidation using iron slag as electrodes.

The indigo blue dye is widely used in the textile industry, specifically in jeans dyeing, the effluents of which, rich in organic pollutants with recalcitrant characteristics, end up causing several environmental impacts, requiring efficient treatments. Several pieces of research have been conducted in search of effective treatment methods, among which is electrocoagulation. This treatment consists of an electrochemical process that generates its own coagulant by applying an electric current on metallic electrodes, bypassing the use of other chemical products. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential use of iron slag in the electrocoagulation of a synthetic effluent containing commercial indigo blue dye and the effluent from a textile factory. The quantified parameters were color, turbidity, pH, electrical conductivity, sludge generation, phenol removal, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total organic carbon (TOC). The electrocoagulation treatment presented a good efficiency in removing the analyzed parameters, obtaining average removal in the synthetic effluent of 85% of color and 100% of phenol after 25 min of electrolysis. For the effluent from the textile factory, average reductions of 80% of color reaching 177.54 mg Pt CoL-1, 91% of turbidity reaching 93.83 NTU (nephelometric turbidity unit), 100% of phenol, 55% of COD with a final concentration of 298.8 mg O2 L-1, and 73% of TOC with a final concentration of 56.21 mg L-1, in 60 min of electrolysis. The reduced time for removal of color and phenolic compounds in synthetic effluent demonstrates the complexity of treating the real effluent since to obtain removals of the same order a 60-min period of electrolysis was necessary. The results obtained demonstrate the potential of using iron slag as an electrode in the electrocoagulation process in order to reuse industrial waste and reduce costs in the treatment and disposal of solid waste. Thus, the slag can be seen as an alternative material to be used in electrocoagulation processes for the treatment of effluents from the textile industry under the experimental conditions presented, its only limitation being the fact that it is a waste and therefore does not have a standardization in the amounts of iron present in the alternative electrodes.

Long-term standardized ecological research in an Amazonian savanna: a laboratory under threat.

A few decades ago, researchers from the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA) started a pilot study to integrate the ecological studies of several organisms using monitoring plots, which then became the embryo for the creation of the RAPELD (Rapid Assessments and Long-term Ecological Research) system used by the Program for Biodiversity Research (PPBio) and the Long-term ecological research site POPA (PELD Western Pará). They installed and maintained permanent plots in an Amazonian-savanna patch near to the village of Alter do Chão. Amazonian savannas constitute a threatened ecosystem comprising only 6% of the Amazon biome. Most of the studies focused on three main long-term ecological research questions, but the site was also of importance for other inquiries and for the training of young researchers, contributing 71 articles so far and 32 masters and doctorate theses. Here, we present the experimental design and results of standardized studies in the savannas and forest fragments near Alter do Chão that have been carried out over the years. We discuss the future prospects and local threats to the area (e.g. soy crops and land speculation), and highlight the need to incorporate Alter do Chão villagers in land-use planning in the region.

Temperature and productivity distinctly affect the species richness of ectothermic and endothermic multitrophic guilds along a tropical elevational gradient.

The diversity of endotherms and ectotherms may be differently affected by ambient temperature and net primary productivity (NPP). Additionally, little is known about how these drivers affect the diversity of guilds of different trophic levels. We assessed the relative role of temperature and NPP in multitrophic guilds of ectothermic (arthropods: ants, ground beetles, spiders, and harvestmen) and endothermic (large mammals) animals along a tropical elevational gradient. We sampled arthropods at eight elevation belts and large mammals at 14 elevation belts in Atlantic rainforest (ranging from 600 to 2450 m.a.s.l.) of Itatiaia National Park, Southeast Brazil. Overall arthropod species richness was more associated with temperature than overall large-mammal species richness, while the latter was more associated with NPP. When separated into trophic guilds, we found that the species richness associated with NPP increased across arthropod trophic levels from herbivores to predators. Conversely, although NPP influenced large-mammal herbivore species richness, its effects did not seem to accumulate across large-mammal trophic levels since the species richness of large-mammal omnivores was more associated with temperature and none of the variables we studied influenced large-mammal predators. We suggest that thermal physiological differences between ectotherms and endotherms are responsible for the way in which arthropods and large mammals interact with or are constrained by the environment. Furthermore, the inconsistency regarding the role of temperature and NPP on species richness across multitrophic guilds of ectotherms and endotherms could indicate that thermal physiological differences might also interfere with energy use and flux in the food web.

The Program for Biodiversity Research in Brazil: The role of regional networks for biodiversity knowledge, dissemination, and conservation.

The Program for Biodiversity Research (PPBio) is an innovative program designed to integrate all biodiversity research stakeholders. Operating since 2004, it has installed long-term ecological research sites throughout Brazil and its logic has been applied in some other southern-hemisphere countries. The program supports all aspects of research necessary to understand biodiversity and the processes that affect it. There are presently 161 sampling sites (see some of them at Supplementary Appendix), most of which use a standardized methodology that allows comparisons across biomes and through time. To date, there are about 1200 publications associated with PPBio that cover topics ranging from natural history to genetics and species distributions. Most of the field data and metadata are available through PPBio web sites or DataONE. Metadata is available for researchers that intend to explore the different faces of Brazilian biodiversity spatio-temporal variation, as well as for managers intending to improve conservation strategies. The Program also fostered, directly and indirectly, local technical capacity building, and supported the training of hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students. The main challenge is maintaining the long-term funding necessary to understand biodiversity patterns and processes under pressure from global environmental changes.

Species-rich but defaunated: the case of medium and large-bodied mammals in a sustainable use protected area in the Amazon / Rica em espécies, mas defaunada: o caso de mamíferos de médio e grandeporte de uma área protegida de uso sustentável na Amazônia

Neotropical medium and large-bodied mammals are key elements in forest ecosystems, and protected areas are essential for their conservation. In Brazil, sustainable use protected areas (SU-PAs) allow both the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources, especially in the Amazon region. However, SU-PAs usually suffer both internal and external pressures, and may be subject to variable degrees of defaunation. We sampled mammals using camera traps in two areas with different forest management and human occupation history in the Tapajós National Forest (TNF), in the western Amazon. Overall, we recorded a rich assemblage of medium and large-sized mammals, though both areas differed in species composition. The area with older and more intense human occupation and forest exploitation had more independent records of generalist species, while large species such as Tapirus terrestris and Panthera onca were recorded exclusively in the area with lower human occupation and no forest management. A comparison of our results with similar studies in other Amazonian sites suggests a reduction in the population size of large-bodied mammals, such as Tapirus terrestris and Tayassu pecari, likely in response to increased human activities. Local differences in human occupation within and between protected areas are common in the Amazon, demanding area-specific actions from public authorities to minimize impacts on wildlife caused by human activities. Specifically in TNF, we recommend long-term monitoring of the responses of mammals to human activities, to better subsidize conservation and management actions.

Mamíferos neotropicais de médio e grande porte são elementos chave em ecossistemas florestais, e unidades de conservação são essenciais para sua conservação. No Brasil, as unidades de conservação de uso sustentável (UC-US) permitem tanto a conservação da biodiversidade quanto a exploração sustentável dos recursos naturais, especialmente na Amazônia. Porém, as UC-US geralmente são afetadas por pressões internas e externas, e podem apresentar diferentes graus de defaunação. Amostramos mamíferos de médio e grande porte usando armadilhas fotográficas em duas áreas com distintos históricos de manejo e ocupação humana na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós (FNT), na Amazônia ocidental. Em geral, registramos uma rica assembleia de espécies de mamíferos de médio e grande porte, mas as duas áreas diferiram na composição de espécies. A área com ocupação humana mais intensa e antiga e exploração florestal apresentou mais registros independentes de espécies generalistas, enquanto espécies maiores, como Tapirus terrestris e Panthera onca, foram registradas exclusivamente na área com menor ocupação humana e sem manejo florestal. A comparação de nossos resultados com estudos similares em outros locais na Amazônia sugere uma redução no tamanho populacional de mamíferos de grande porte, como Tapirus terrestris e Tayassu pecari, provavelmente em resposta ao aumento das atividades humanas. Diferenças locais na ocupação humana dentro de e entre unidades de conservação são comuns na Amazônia, demandando ações específicas do poder público para minimizar impactos de atividades humanas sobre a fauna silvestre. Especificamente na FNT, recomendamos o monitoramento de longa duração das respostas de mamíferos às atividades humanas, para melhor embasar ações de conservação e manejo.ipt

Species-rich but defaunated: the case of medium and large-bodied mammals in a sustainable use protected area in the Amazon / Rica em espécies, mas defaunada: o caso de mamíferos de médio e grandeporte de uma área protegida de uso sustentável na Amazônia

Neotropical medium and large-bodied mammals are key elements in forest ecosystems, and protected areas are essential for their conservation. In Brazil, sustainable use protected areas (SU-PAs) allow both the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources, especially in the Amazon region. However, SU-PAs usually suffer both internal and external pressures, and may be subject to variable degrees of defaunation. We sampled mammals using camera traps in two areas with different forest management and human occupation history in the Tapajós National Forest (TNF), in the western Amazon. Overall, we recorded a rich assemblage of medium and large-sized mammals, though both areas differed in species composition. The area with older and more intense human occupation and forest exploitation had more independent records of generalist species, while large species such as Tapirus terrestris and Panthera onca were recorded exclusively in the area with lower human occupation and no forest management. A comparison of our results with similar studies in other Amazonian sites suggests a reduction in the population size of large-bodied mammals, such as Tapirus terrestris and Tayassu pecari, likely in response to increased human activities. Local differences in human occupation within and between protected areas are common in the Amazon, demanding area-specific actions from public authorities to minimize impacts on wildlife caused by human activities. Specifically in TNF, we recommend long-term monitoring of the responses of mammals to human activities, to better subsidize conservation and management actions.(AU)

Mamíferos neotropicais de médio e grande porte são elementos chave em ecossistemas florestais, e unidades de conservação são essenciais para sua conservação. No Brasil, as unidades de conservação de uso sustentável (UC-US) permitem tanto a conservação da biodiversidade quanto a exploração sustentável dos recursos naturais, especialmente na Amazônia. Porém, as UC-US geralmente são afetadas por pressões internas e externas, e podem apresentar diferentes graus de defaunação. Amostramos mamíferos de médio e grande porte usando armadilhas fotográficas em duas áreas com distintos históricos de manejo e ocupação humana na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós (FNT), na Amazônia ocidental. Em geral, registramos uma rica assembleia de espécies de mamíferos de médio e grande porte, mas as duas áreas diferiram na composição de espécies. A área com ocupação humana mais intensa e antiga e exploração florestal apresentou mais registros independentes de espécies generalistas, enquanto espécies maiores, como Tapirus terrestris e Panthera onca, foram registradas exclusivamente na área com menor ocupação humana e sem manejo florestal. A comparação de nossos resultados com estudos similares em outros locais na Amazônia sugere uma redução no tamanho populacional de mamíferos de grande porte, como Tapirus terrestris e Tayassu pecari, provavelmente em resposta ao aumento das atividades humanas. Diferenças locais na ocupação humana dentro de e entre unidades de conservação são comuns na Amazônia, demandando ações específicas do poder público para minimizar impactos de atividades humanas sobre a fauna silvestre. Especificamente na FNT, recomendamos o monitoramento de longa duração das respostas de mamíferos às atividades humanas, para melhor embasar ações de conservação e manejo.(AU)ipt

Temperature and productivity distinctly affect the species richness of ectothermic and endothermic multitrophic guilds along a tropical elevational gradient

The diversity of endotherms and ectotherms may be differently affected by ambient temperature and net primary productivity (NPP). Additionally, little is known about how these drivers affect the diversity of guilds of different trophic levels. We assessed the relative role of temperature and NPP in multitrophic guilds of ectothermic (arthropods: ants, ground beetles, spiders, and harvestmen) and endothermic (large mammals) animals along a tropical elevational gradient. We sampled arthropods at eight elevation belts and large mammals at 14 elevation belts in Atlantic rainforest (ranging from 600 to 2450 m.a.s.l.) of Itatiaia National Park, Southeast Brazil. Overall arthropod species richness was more associated with temperature than overall large-mammal species richness, while the latter was more associated with NPP. When separated into trophic guilds, we found that the species richness associated with NPP increased across arthropod trophic levels from herbivores to predators. Conversely, although NPP influenced large-mammal herbivore species richness, its effects did not seem to accumulate across large-mammal trophic levels since the species richness of large-mammal omnivores was more associated with temperature and none of the variables we studied influenced large-mammal predators. We suggest that thermal physiological differences between ectotherms and endotherms are responsible for the way in which arthropods and large mammals interact with or are constrained by the environment. Furthermore, the inconsistency regarding the role of temperature and NPP on species richness across multitrophic guilds of ectotherms and endotherms could indicate that thermal physiological differences might also interfere with energy use and flux in the food web.

Updated and annotated checklist of recent mammals from Brazil.

An updated and annotated checklist of mammals occurring in Brazil is presented. A total of 751 native species, distributed in 249 genera, 51 families and 11 orders were recorded to the country. The Brazilian mammalian fauna shows an elevated rate of endemism (30%; 223 species). Among the species evaluated by IUCN (668 species; 90%), a total of 80 (10.6% of total mammalian fauna) are Threatened, 28 (3.9%) are considered as Near Threatened, two species (0.3%) are presumable Extinct, 96 (12.8%) are considered with Deficient Data for conservation and 462 (61.6%) are considered as Least Concern. Fifteen new species were described since the last national compilation (published in 2017), which associated to new records to the country and synonimizations resulted in an increment of 30 species. Eight non-native species were introduced to the country, including the recently established Asiatic cervids Rusa unicolor (sambar) and Axis axis (chital). Seven native species (five primates and two hystricomorph rodents) have been translocated from their areas of natural occurrence to other areas inside the country.

NEOTROPICAL ALIEN MAMMALS: a data set of occurrence and abundance of alien mammals in the Neotropics.

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal-central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation-related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data.

Air transportation, population density and temperature predict the spread of COVID-19 in Brazil.

There is evidence that COVID-19, the disease caused by the betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is sensitive to environmental conditions. However, such conditions often correlate with demographic and socioeconomic factors at larger spatial extents, which could confound this inference. We evaluated the effect of meteorological conditions (temperature, solar radiation, air humidity and precipitation) on 292 daily records of cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the 27 Brazilian capital cities during the 1st month of the outbreak, while controlling for an indicator of the number of tests, the number of arriving flights, population density, proportion of elderly people and average income. Apart from increasing with time, the number of confirmed cases was mainly related to the number of arriving flights and population density, increasing with both factors. However, after accounting for these effects, the disease was shown to be temperature sensitive: there were more cases in colder cities and days, and cases accumulated faster at lower temperatures. Our best estimate indicates that a 1 °C increase in temperature has been associated with a decrease in confirmed cases of 8%. The quality of the data and unknowns limit the analysis, but the study reveals an urgent need to understand more about the environmental sensitivity of the disease to predict demands on health services in different regions and seasons.

Methylene blue adsorption by timbaúva (Enterolobium contortisiliquum)-derived materials.

Liquid effluents from various dyeing industries often have a high concentration of dyes that diffuse into river systems and can be toxic and non-degradable in the environment. In this study, the potential of the use of timbaúva seed husks in the preparation of four adsorbents tested in the removal of methylene blue was analyzed: in natura, chemically activated material (qmax = 1.24 ± 0.04 mg g-1), carbonized (qmax = 1.96 ± 0.03 mg g-1), and activated carbon (qmax = 1.983 ± 0.04 mg g-1). The adsorbents were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and CHN elemental analysis to assist in the proposed dye adsorption mechanism in the adsorbents tested. In the adjustment of the kinetic parameters, the pseudo-second order model was predominant by the statistical analysis of the ARE and R2. The carbonized samples were better adjusted to Langmuir isotherms. The removal efficiency of the methylene blue dye in aqueous solutions at the concentrations and conditions studied was 86.78%. The coal from the seed husks of timbaúva has shown excellent performance in adsorption of the methylene blue dye and, therefore, can have technological application.

Anomalous Pigmentation in Invasive and Native Marmosets, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix penicillata (Primates, Callitrichidae), and Their Hybrids in Brazil.

Leucism is the lack or reduction in pigmentation in the most or parts of the body, but not in the eyes and body extremities. It is extremely rare in primates and has never been reported for Callithrix, a genus endemic to Brazil. We searched for individuals of Callithrix jacchus and C. penicillata with pigmentation anomalies in a systematic survey of three protected areas in the Atlantic Forest, within museum collections in Brazil, and opportunistically during field studies. Since 2008, we have recorded 8 individuals with leucism in small urban and periurban forest patches. Four were from native populations of C. penicillata in Cerrado savannahs and of C. jacchus in the Caatinga xeric scrubland, and 4 were from populations of hybrids between C. jacchus and C. penicillata in invaded areas in the coastal Atlantic Forest. We found no pigmentation abnormalities in museum specimens. We hypothesize that the observed leucism may be linked to inbreeding within the native range, but to hybridization within the invaded range, and discuss the likely ecological consequences to leucistic individuals.