Elemental Contamination in Brown Mussels (Perna perna) Marketed in Southeastern Brazil

Most studies of cetacean habitat use do not consider the influence of anthropogenic activities. We investigated the influence of environmental and anthropogenic variables on habitat use by humpback Megaptera novaeangliae and Bryde’s whales Balaenoptera brydei off the coast of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Although there are 2 marine protected areas (MPAs) in this area, few data are available on cetacean habitat use or on the overlap of different cetacean species within these MPAs. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the MPAs and propose a buffer zone to better protect the biodiversity of the study area. We conducted systematic surveys and developed spatial eigenvector generalized linear models to characterize habitat use by the species in the study area. Habitat use by humpback whales was influenced only by depth, whereas for Bryde’s whales there was the additional influence of anthropogenic variables. For Bryde’s whales, which use the area for feeding, sea surface temperature and the distance to anchorages had a major influence on habitat use. We also showed that neither of the MPAs in the study area adequately protects the hotspots of either whale species. Most of the humpback whale grid cells with high sighting predictions were located within 2 km of the MPAs, while areas of high sighting prediction of Bryde’s whales were located up to 5 km from the MPAs, closer to beaches. Our findings provide important insights for the delimitation of protected areas and zoning of the MPAs.

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Abundance Estimates of Guiana Dolphins (Sotalia guianensis; Van Bénéden, 1864) Inhabiting an Estuarine System in Southeastern Brazil

Aquatic Mammals ◽

10.1578/am.45.1.2019.56 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 56-65 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aline B. de Mello ◽

Julia M. B. Molina ◽

Maja Kajin ◽

Marcos C. de O. Santos

Keyword(s):

Southeastern Brazil ◽

Estuarine System ◽

Sotalia Guianensis ◽

Abundance Estimates

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Dalechampia margarethiae (Euphorbiaceae), a New Species from Southeastern Brazil

Systematic Botany ◽

10.1600/036364419x15710776741350 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 44 (4) ◽

pp. 832-837

Author(s):

Rafaela Alves Pereira-Silva ◽

Sarah Maria Athiê-Souza ◽

André Laurênio de Melo ◽

W. Scott Armbruster

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Southeastern Brazil ◽

Espírito Santo ◽

Floral Resin ◽

Espirito Santo ◽

A New Species

Abstract—A new species of Dalechampia from southeastern Brazil, belonging to Dalechampia sect. Dioscoreifoliae, is described and illustrated here. Dalechampia margarethiae is a twining vine occurring exclusively in Espírito Santo state. Its pseudanthia are similar to those of D. peckoltiana and D. pentaphylla, but D. margarethiae differs in a set of important characters, including having cylindrical, down-curved style tips, staminate flowers at anthesis having unreflexed sepals with stamens born on unelongated columns, whitish floral resin, and simple, entire, cordate leaves.

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