Instituto Nacional do Semiárido

Spineless cactus, known for its high heat tolerance and low water requirements, offers a sustainable alternative for animal feed in regions where conventional crops struggle to thrive. This study aimed to evaluate the carcass characteristics, leg tissue composition, and non-carcass constituents of lambs fed increasing levels (0, 15, 30, and 45% based on dry matter) of spineless cactus as a replacement for Tifton hay. Additionally, we estimated body weight and carcass traits using biometric measurements (BM). Forty male lambs, with an average initial body weight of 23.6 ± 2.58 kg, were subjected to a feedlot regime. Empty body weight was the only variable that showed a significant orthogonal contrast between the control group (0%) and those fed spineless cactus (p < 0.05). A quadratic regression effect (p < 0.05) was observed for the weights of the cold half carcass, neck, shoulder, and leg cuts. No significant effects were found on non-carcass components or biometric measurements. Biometric measurements showed strong positive correlations with slaughter weight and carcass characteristics. Based on these findings, replacing 30% of Tifton hay with spineless cactus is recommended as the optimal level, as it maintains carcass quality, tissue composition, and non-carcass traits. Moreover, biometric measurements prove to be effective tools for predicting slaughter weight and carcass characteristics, offering practical value for farmers seeking efficient and sustainable production strategies. The inclusion levels of 24.25% to 27.50% of spineless cactus in the diet of confined sheep appear to be the most efficient, promoting high-value commercial cuts without compromising carcass quality parameters. These levels balance productive performance and sustainability, especially in semi-arid regions.

Grande parte do semiárido brasileiro era coberta pela floresta tropical seca conhecida como Caatinga. Embora a Caatinga tenha sofrido impactos significativos devido às atividades antrópicas, ainda cobre cerca de metade de sua área original. Para suprir a escassez de estudos ecológicos especializados e de longa duração está sendo montada a Rede de Pesquisas Ecológicas de Longa Duração no Nordeste Semiárido (PERENE). As unidades de pesquisa foram georreferenciadas e estão sendo monitoradas por sensoriamento remoto para diversas variáveis ambientais. As bases de dados e algoritmos presentes na plataforma Google Earth Engine (GEE) foram utilizados para obter uma década (2012-2022) de informações para cada unidade experimental presente na PERENE, contemplando as seguintes variáveis ambientais: precipitação, evapotranspiração, temperatura, cobertura vegetal, produtividade primária bruta e líquida. Os dados de precipitação foram obtidos da base de dados Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station Data (CHIRPS). Os produtos do sensor Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) foram utilizados representar cobertura vegetal, retratados neste trabalho pelo Índice de Vegetação por Diferença Normalizada (NDVI), Temperatura de Superfície e Produtividade Primária Bruta e Líquida. O algoritmo Seasonal Tropical Ecosystem Energy Partitioning foi processado na plataforma GEE para fornecer os dados de evapotranspiração real de cada unidade. As quantidades de chuvas significativamente entre as unidades de pesquisa, tendo uma influência marcante na produtividade. Destaca-se a rápida resposta da vegetação e os padrões sazonais de resposta às chuvas. Os resultados reforçam a importância das chuvas na dinâmica da vegetação da Caatinga e sua influência em estudos de ciclagem biogeoquímica na região.

O crescimento urbano acelerado, aliado às mudanças climáticas, tem sobrecarregado os métodos convencionais de drenagem urbana, resultando em inundações graves e poluição hídrica. Alternativa de infraestrutura verde e azuis, surgem como soluções promissoras para drenagem das águas pluviais de forma eficiente e ambientalmente responsável. A transição para práticas de drenagem urbana sustentável exige um planejamento urbano sensível à água, considerando não apenas a infraestrutura física, mas também as necessidades sociais e ambientais das comunidades. Esta pesquisa bibliométrica utiliza os dados da base SCOPUS para analisar a produção científica, identificando padrões e tendências, utilizando o método quantitativos. Foram pesquisadas as palavras-chave e os artigos foram selecionados para análise estatística, construção de panoramas e estudo das relações entre eles. Os resultados deste trabalho destaca a importância de investimentos e colaboração entre governos, profissionais e comunidades locais para promover políticas e práticas que incentivem a adoção de sistemas de drenagem urbana sustentável. Como resultados obtidos dessa análise, destaca-se que a gestão sustentável das águas pluviais é um tema em ascensão, diante da crescente urbanização e as mudanças climáticas, torna-se um desafio urgente. Destaca-se a importância de repensar as decisões e buscar adotar abordagens mais sustentáveis e integradas para construir cidades resilientes e adaptadas às demandas ambientais contemporâneas

Brazilian Atlantic Forest hotspots play an important role in global carbon stock and sequestration. Despite this biome is currently under progressive degradation with direct impacts on soils, little information is available on the dynamics of SOC within aggregates under different land uses in patches of this Atlantic Forest hotspot in Brazilian semi-arid. Three typical land uses (woodland, agroforestry system (AFS), and pasture) and different soil layers (0.0–0.2 and 0.2–0.4 m) were evaluated in the humid highlands of northeastern Brazil. Soil aggregate stability and the OC stock and iron oxides (Fed) in large macroaggregates (LA: > 2 mm), small macroaggregates (SA: 0.25–2 mm), and microaggregates (MA: 0.25–0.053 mm) were evaluated. Land use affects soil aggregation and distribution of size fractions by altering aggregate-associated OC. OC content was significantly higher in large macroaggregates of woodland and the agroforestry system. Large and macroaggregates-associated OC stocks had a dominant effect on aggregate-associated OC stocks in woodland and the agroforestry system, respectively. The OC stock in the bulk soil of AFS is directly related to the proportions and microaggregate-associated OC stock. Iron oxides also strongly influence the formation of large macroaggregates and microaggregates in the agroforestry system. Thus, AFS stabilizes soil carbon in small macroaggregates and microaggregates (associations with soil minerals), constituting an important aspect of carbon cycling in fragile patches of humid Atlantic Forest in Brazilian semi-arid.

RESUMO Plumbaginaceae Juss. inclui 27 gêneros e ca. 836 espécies com distribuição cosmopolita, porém o centro de diversidade consiste na região mediterrânea e nas partes central e ocidental da Ásia. No Brasil, está representada por dois gêneros, Limonium Mill. e Plumbago L., com uma espécie cada - Limonium brasiliense (Boiss.) Kuntze e Plumbago scandens L. - ocorrendo, principalmente, nos domínios da Amazônia, Caatinga e Mata Atlântica. Este trabalho compreende o tratamento taxonômico de Plumbaginaceae para o Estado da Paraíba, representado pela espécie P. scandens L., incluindo comentários sobre afinidades taxonômicas, ilustrações dos caracteres diagnósticos, dados sobre floração e frutificação, bem como informações sobre sua distribuição geográfica. A partir dos resultados obtidos, foi possível compreender a morfologia e distribuição das espécies da família Plumbaginaceae no território paraibano, contribuindo também para a ampliação do conhecimento sobre a flora da Paraíba.

This study aimed to evaluate the sorption kinetics of P leaching at the 0-10 cm layer of a Regosol with and without organic fertilization in the Brazilian semi-arid region (SAB). Adsorption, desorption, and maximum P adsorption capacity (Qmax) were determined in leaching columns. The contents of crystalline and amorphous Fe and Al and the mineralogical and crystallographic analyses of the Fe oxides were also determined. The adsorption and desorption kinetics of phosphate was fast in the initial stage, slow over time, and constant at the end of the reaction. Both desorption and adsorption mechanisms occur in the sandy soils of the SAB. Oxides influence the vertical P mobilization, which is confirmed by the strong negative correlation between the amorphous Fe oxides (ferrihydrite) and the leached P, and the positive correlation with Qmax. The goethites, in turn, with the largest average crystallite diameter (DMC) and the smallest specific surface area (ASE), are associated with P desorption in non-fertilized areas. This evidence confirms the risk of vertical P movement and its loss into the environment, reinforcing the need for more studies in order to clarify the interactions at the molecular level between phosphates and the surface of Fe oxides.

Abstract This study comprises the taxonomic survey of Commelinaceae in the State of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil, aiming present the richness and distribution of its species. Field expeditions were undertaken between March/2022 and June/2023 to obtain fertile specimens and identify natural populations. Morphological analyses were based mainly on the local herbarium collection (HACAM) and on collections maintained in local herbaria (CSTR, EAN, HCES, and JPB), as well as in herbaria from Pernambuco State (IPA and PEUFR) and digital platforms (Herbário Virtual Reflora and SpeciesLink). Taxonomic identifications were based on specialized literature, including consultations of the nomenclatural types and protologues. A total of 18 species belonging to nine genera were identified (12 species encountered in the Caatinga and 15 in the Atlantic Forest). The genera Commelina L. and Tradescantia L. emend. M.Pell. were the most taxonomically diversified, with four species each. Dichorisandra perforans and D. thyrsiflora represented new occurrences for the study area. The taxonomic treatments include morphological descriptions, identification key, geographic distribution data, preferred environments, flowering and/or fruiting data, images, and taxonomic notes based on the vegetative and reproductive characteristics of each species.

ABSTRACT Species like Crateva tapia, valued for its ecological and nutritional importance, with discontinuous flowering and fruiting, make it challenging to anticipate the harvest time of fruits and determine the physiological maturity of seeds due to the variety of maturation stages on a single plant. Thus, the objective in this study was to determine the physiological maturity of C. tapia seeds. A completely randomized design was used, in a split plot scheme with four replicates. In the plots was evaluated the production cycles 2020-2021 (cycle I) and 2021-2022 (cycle II), and in the split plot was evaluated the maturation stages: 25, 40, 55, 70, 85, 100, 115, 130, 145, 160, and 175 days after anthesis. The evaluated characteristics included the physical (fruit and seeds) and physiological (seeds) traits throughout their development. As the fruits matured, their color changed from deep green to yellow, while the seeds transitioned from pink to dark brown. The seeds reached maximum germination capacity and vigor at 153 and 126 days in cycle I, respectively, and at 149 and 136 days after anthesis in cycle II, respectively. C. tapia seeds reach physiological maturity between 142 and 150 days after anthesis. Morphological aspects of the fruits, such as green coloration with small yellow traces, indicate the physiological maturation of the seeds. The development of C. tapia seeds involves morphological and physiological changes that affect their quality and germination capacity. Climatic conditions (temperature and precipitation) during seed formation influence the germination process and vigor.