Larvicidal activity of Brazilian plant essential oils against Coenagrionidae larvae.

Odonate larvae can be serious pests that attack fish larvae, postlarvae, and fingerlings in fish culture tanks, causing significant loss in the supply and production of juveniles. This study reports a screen of the essential oils (EOs) of Nectandra megapotamica (Sprengel) Mez, Nectandra grandiflora Nees, Hesperozygis ringens (Bentham) Epling, Ocimum gratissimum L., Aloysia gratissima (Gillies & Hooker) Troncoso, and Lippia sidoides Chamisso against Coenagrionidae larvae. In addition, the most effective EO and its 50% lethal concentration (LC50) and chemical analysis are described. The larvae of Acanthagrion Selys, Homeoura Kennedy, Ischnura Charpentier, and Oxyagrion Selys were used to assess the EO effects. EO obtained from H. ringens, O. gratissimum, and L. sidoides showed the highest larvicidal effects at 19 h of treatment. The major constituents of the EO of H. ringens include pulegone and limonene, while eugenol and Z-beta-ocimene predominate in the EO of O. gratissimum, and carvacrol and rho-cymene were the major compounds of the EO of L. sidoides. Leaf EOs from H. ringens, O. gratissimum, and L. sidoides showed activity against Coenagrionidae larvae at similar concentrations with LC50s of 62.92, 75.05, and 51.65 microl liter(-1), respectively, and these were considered the most promising treatments.

Responses of freshwater molluscs to environmental factors in Southern Brazil wetlands.

Freshwater molluscs play an important role in aquatic ecosystems, providing food for many fish species and vertebrates. Investigations on factors that determine mollusc species richness and distribution in wetland systems are scarce in the Neotropical region. The main goal of this study was to determine how much variation in mollusc richness and composition is explained by area, hydroperiod, altitude, water conductivity, and dominant aquatic vegetation. This survey was performed in an extensive area of a Neotropical region (approximately 280,000 km(2) in southern Brazil), with a large number of wetland systems (111) and covering a wide gradient of altitude and wetland surface area. The mollusc richness was positively associated with wetland area and negatively associated with altitude. The richness and composition of the freshwater molluscs were similar between permanent and intermittent wetlands and it did not differ significantly between aquatic bed and emergent wetlands. The first three axes of CCA explained 16.2% of the total variation in the composition of the freshwater mollusc observed. The variation in the composition had a correlation with wetland area, altitude and water conductivity. Our results showed that the wetlands are important habitats for molluscs in southern Brazil, and that the richness and the composition of molluscs were associated with area, altitude, water conductivity and dominant vegetation.

Responses of freshwater molluscs to environmental factors in Southern Brazil wetlands / Respostas de moluscos límnicos a fatores ambientais em áreas úmidas do sul do Brasil

Freshwater molluscs play an important role in aquatic ecosystems, providing food for many fish species and vertebrates. Investigations on factors that determine mollusc species richness and distribution in wetland systems are scarce in the Neotropical region. The main goal of this study was to determine how much variation in mollusc richness and composition is explained by area, hydroperiod, altitude, water conductivity, and dominant aquatic vegetation. This survey was performed in an extensive area of a Neotropical region (~280,000 km² in southern Brazil), with a large number of wetland systems (111) and covering a wide gradient of altitude and wetland surface area. The mollusc richness was positively associated with wetland area and negatively associated with altitude. The richness and composition of the freshwater molluscs were similar between permanent and intermittent wetlands and it did not differ significantly between aquatic bed and emergent wetlands. The first three axes of CCA explained 16.2 percent of the total variation in the composition of the freshwater mollusc observed. The variation in the composition had a correlation with wetland area, altitude and water conductivity. Our results showed that the wetlands are important habitats for molluscs in southern Brazil, and that the richness and the composition of molluscs were associated with area, altitude, water conductivity and dominant vegetation.

Moluscos límnicos desempenham um papel importante em ecossistemas aquáticos, fornecendo alimento para diversos peixes e vertebrados. Investigações sobre os fatores que determinam a riqueza e a distribuição das espécies de moluscos em áreas úmidas são escassos na região neotropical. O principal objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a variação na riqueza e na composição de moluscos em função da área, hidroperíodo, altitude, condutividade da água e tipo de vegetação aquática dominante. Este estudo foi desenvolvido em uma extensa área Neotropical (~280.000 km² no sul do Brasil), com um elevado número de áreas úmidas (111) e compreendeu um amplo gradiente de altitude e tamanho de áreas úmidas. A riqueza de moluscos foi positivamente relacionada com o tamanho da área úmida e negativamente relacionada com a altitude. A riqueza e a composição de moluscos foram similares entre áreas úmidas permanentes e intermitentes e não diferiram significativamente entre áreas úmidas herbáceas e emergentes. Os três primeiros eixos da CCA explicaram 16,2 por cento da variação na composição de moluscos. A variação na composição foi correlacionada com a área, altitude e condutividade da água. Nossos resultados mostraram que as áreas úmidas são ecossistemas importantes para os moluscos límnicos no sul do Brasil e que a riqueza e a composição de moluscos estiveram relacionadas à área, altitude, condutividade da água e tipo de vegetação aquática dominante.