414 The potential use of vegetation index to estimate crude protein on natural grasslands of Southern Brazil.

Remote sensing of plant phenology as an indicator of climate change and for mapping land cover has received significant scientific interest in the past two decades. The advancing of spring events, the lengthening of the growing season, the shifting of tree lines, the decreasing sensitivity to warming and the uniformity of spring across elevations are a few of the important indicators of trends in phenology. The Sentinel-2 satellite sensors launched in June 2015 (A) and March 2017 (B), with their high temporal frequency and spatial resolution for improved land mapping missions, have contributed significantly to knowledge on vegetation over the last three years. However, despite the additional red-edge and short wave infra-red (SWIR) bands available on the Sentinel-2 multispectral instruments, with improved vegetation species detection capabilities, there has been very little research on their efficacy to track vegetation cover and its phenology. For example, out of approximately every four papers that analyse normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) or enhanced vegetation index (EVI) derived from Sentinel-2 imagery, only one mentions either SWIR or the red-edge bands. Despite the short duration that the Sentinel-2 platforms have been operational, they have proved their potential in a wide range of phenological studies of crops, forests, natural grasslands, and other vegetated areas, and in particular through fusion of the data with those from other sensors, e.g., Sentinel-1, Landsat and MODIS. This review paper discusses the current state of vegetation phenology studies based on the first five years of Sentinel-2, their advantages, limitations, and the scope for future developments.

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Two new species of Margyricarpus (Rosaceae, Sanguisorbeae) from high-elevation grasslands in southern Brazil, and other notes on the genus Margyricarpus

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.496.3.7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 496 (3) ◽

pp. 281-293

Author(s):

LUÍS A. FUNEZ ◽

GUSTAVO HASSEMER ◽

NIVALDO PERONI ◽

ELISANDRO R. DRECHSLER-SANTOS

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

South America ◽

Species Complex ◽

High Elevation ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Distribution Map ◽

Natural Grasslands ◽

Two New Species

Margyricarpus pinnatus is a poorly understood entity from natural grasslands of South America that it better considered as a species complex. In this work we contribute to the advancement of the taxonomic knowledge of this challenging species complex by describing two new species of Margyricarpus from southern Brazil. We present field photographs, illustrations, a distribution map and ecologic and conservation notes on the new species.

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First standardized inventory of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the natural grasslands of Paraná: New records for Southern Brazil

Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia ◽

10.11606/1807-0205/2018.58.12 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 58 ◽

pp. 12 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Weslly Franco ◽

Rodrigo Machado Feitosa

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

New Records ◽

Forest Fragments ◽

Pitfall Traps ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Conservation Units ◽

Natural Grasslands ◽

Taxonomic Novelties ◽

First Time ◽

Ant Diversity

Despite the large number of studies investigating ant diversity in Brazilian biomes, no ant-related studies have been carried out in Campos Gerais, a grassland physiognomy in Paraná state. The present study is the first inventory of the ant fauna in one of the few conservation units protecting the Campos Gerais landscape, the Guartelá State Park (PEG). Sixty samples were collected from different habitats within PEG using pitfall traps. Qualitative samples of leaf litter were collected from forest fragments and submitted to Winkler extractors. In addition, manual qualitative sampling was carried out in the various physiognomies within the PEG. A total of 163 species was collected and sorted into 43 genera and nine subfamilies. Five genera and 28 species were recorded for the first time in the state of Paraná. Out of these, 17 species were also recorded for the first time in the Southern Region of Brazil and two were recorded for the first time to the country. The significant species richness in the PEG and the high number of new records is a strong sign of this ecosystem’s potential to reveal taxonomic novelties. These results suggest that PEG, and the Campos Gerais as a whole, should be the target of greater conservation efforts to preserve native remnants.

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Spatial and Temporal Monitoring of Pasture Ecological Quality: Sentinel-2-Based Estimation of Crude Protein and Neutral Detergent Fiber Contents

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs11070799 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 799 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rachel Lugassi ◽

Eli Zaady ◽

Naftaly Goldshleger ◽

Maxim Shoshany ◽

Alexandra Chudnovsky

Keyword(s):

Crude Protein ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Vegetation Indices ◽

Field Measurements ◽

Neutral Detergent Fiber ◽

Ecological Quality ◽

Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽

Validation Data ◽

Calibration And Validation ◽

Sentinel 2

Frequent, region-wide monitoring of changes in pasture quality due to human disturbances or climatic conditions is impossible by field measurements or traditional ecological surveying methods. Remote sensing imagery offers distinctive advantages for monitoring spatial and temporal patterns. The chemical parameters that are widely used as indicators of ecological quality are crude protein (CP) content and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content. In this study, we investigated the relationship between CP, NDF, and reflectance in the visible–near-infrared–shortwave infrared (VIS–NIR–SWIR) spectral range, using field, laboratory measurements, and satellite imagery (Sentinel-2). Statistical models were developed using different calibration and validation data sample sets: (1) a mix of laboratory and field measurements (e.g., fresh and dry vegetation) and (2) random selection. In addition, we used three vegetation indices (Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI), Soil-adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) and Wide Dynamic Range Vegetation Index (WDRVI)) as proxies to CP and NDF estimation. The best models found for predicting CP and NDF contents were based on reflectance measurements (R2 = 0.71, RMSEP = 2.1% for CP; and R2 = 0.78, RMSEP = 5.5% for NDF). These models contained fresh and dry vegetation samples in calibration and validation data sets. Random sample selection in a model generated similar accuracy estimations. Our results also indicate that vegetation indices provide poor accuracy. Eight Sentinel-2 images (December 2015–April 2017) were examined in order to better understand the variability of vegetation quality over spatial and temporal scales. The spatial and temporal patterns of CP and NDF contents exhibit strong seasonal dependence, influenced by climatological (precipitation) and topographical (northern vs. southern hillslopes) conditions. The total CP/NDF content increases/decrease (respectively) from December to March, when the concentrations reach their maximum/minimum values, followed by a decline/incline that begins in April, reaching minimum values in July.

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Shifts in composition of avian communities related to temperate-grassland afforestation in southeastern South America

Iheringia Série Zoologia ◽

10.1590/s0073-47212013000100002 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 103 (1) ◽

pp. 12-19 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Rafael A. Dias ◽

Vinicius A. G. Bastazini ◽

Maycon S. S. Gonçalves ◽

Felipe C. Bonow ◽

Sandra C. Müller

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Grassland Birds ◽

Tree Plantations ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Grassland Bird ◽

Natural Grasslands ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Eucalyptus Plantations ◽

Regional Population ◽

The Impact

Afforestation of temperate grasslands with fast-growing trees for industrial pulpwood production is spreading in South America. Despite high afforestation rates resulting from governmental policies that stimulate pulpwood production in grasslands of southern Brazil and Uruguay, the impact of this activity on biodiversity remains to be properly assessed. We used an Impact-Reference study design to evaluate how grassland afforestation affects the composition of grassland bird assemblages. We sampled eucalyptus plantations and neighboring natural grasslands in southern Brazil from 2006-2009, and relied on nested sampling and analysis to separate the effects of afforestation from the natural variability of grasslands. We recorded a significant difference in composition between assemblages from grasslands and tree plantations. Species adapted to open, treeless areas tended to be negatively affected in relation to edge or forest birds in eucalyptus plantations. Afforestation is systematically replacing the bird assemblage of hilltop grasslands by a collection of common edge and forest species that occur in nearby riverine and hillside forests. Although most grassland birds negatively affected by tree plantations are common and widespread, observed and predicted afforestation rates in southeastern South America may result in regional population reductions in the near future.

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Potential Use of Distinct Biomarkers (Trace Metals, Micronuclei and Nuclear Abnormalities) in a Heterogeneous Sample of Birds in Southern Brazil.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-306006/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

JOANA TOMAZELLI ◽

Gabriela Zimmermann Prado Rodrigues ◽

Danielle Franco ◽

Mateus Santos de Souza ◽

Jorge Henrique Burghausen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Trace Metals ◽

Condition Index ◽

Trophic Guilds ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Body Condition Index ◽

Age Classes ◽

Metal Concentrations ◽

Nuclear Abnormalities ◽

Sampling Points ◽

Potential Use

Abstract The analysis of metal concentrations in feathers and the micronuclei (MN) and other nuclear abnormalities (NA) test in birds are tools used for evaluating the impacts that anthropogenic actions have been causing to the environment and organisms. Here we used these biomarkers to investigate the response of birds to disturbances observed in three areas with different environmental characteristics (natural, agricultural and urban) in southern Brazil. We obtained a diverse sample (108 individuals from 25 species and 17 families) without significant differences in metal concentrations, frequency of MN and AN between sampling points. The concentrations of zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) were significantly different between trophic guilds (Zn: p = 0.0006, Cu: p = 0.04) and age classes (Zn: p = 0.01, Cu: p = 0.03). Omnivore birds contributed to the increase in the number of MN (∆AICc: 0.00; w = 0.40) and NA, which was also influenced by age classes and body condition index (BCI) (∆AICc: 0.00; w = 0.34; ∆AICc: 0.89; w = 0.22; ∆AICc: 1.15; w = 0.19; ∆AICc: 1.33; w = 0.18). We showed that in a diverse sample of birds, the variables analyzed affected each biomarker in distinct ways.

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Seasonal Nutritional Profile of Gelidium corneum (Rhodophyta, Gelidiaceae) from the Center of Portugal

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10102394 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 2394

Author(s):

Mário Cavaco ◽

Adriana Duarte ◽

Marta V. Freitas ◽

Clélia Afonso ◽

Susana Bernardino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Antioxidant Capacity ◽

Crude Protein ◽

Nutritional Value ◽

Food Supplement ◽

Total Lipids ◽

Nutritional Profile ◽

Iodine Values ◽

Agar Quality ◽

Potential Use

Gelidium corneum is a well-known agarophyte, harvested worldwide for its high agar quality. However, the species also exhibits an interesting nutritional profile, but with seasonal variations. Therefore, to evaluate the nutritional value of G. corneum, ash, crude protein, total lipids, and carbohydrates were analyzed at different times of the year. The heavy metals mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium, and tin, as well as iodine were also measured. Finally, the seasonal antioxidant capacity of G. corneum extracts was evaluated. Our results indicate that the biomass is rich in protein (up to 16.25 ± 0.33%) and carbohydrates (up to 39.5 ± 3.29%), and low in lipids (up to 2.75 ± 0.28%), and especially in the summer, the AI, TI indexes, n-6/n-3 and h/H ratios (0.93, 0.6, 0.88 and 1.08, respectively) are very interesting. None of the contaminants exceeded the legally established limits, and the iodine values were adequate for a healthy diet. Finally, the antioxidant capacity is fair, with the DPPH £ 10.89 ± 1.46%, and ABTS £ 13.90 ± 1.54% inhibition, FRAP £ 0.91 ± 0.22 AAE.g−1, and TPC £ 6.82 ± 0.26 GAE.g−1. The results show that G. corneum is an attractive resource, with potential use as food or as a food supplement.

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Mapping of Sub-Optimal Land Based on NDVI Sentinel 2a Value: Preliminary Study

Jurnal Presipitasi Media Komunikasi dan Pengembangan Teknik Lingkungan ◽

10.14710/presipitasi.v17i3.194-204 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 194-204

Author(s):

Indarto Indarto ◽

Rufiani Nadzirah ◽

Hadrian Reksa Belagama

Keyword(s):

Vegetation Index ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Vegetation Indices ◽

Vegetation Density ◽

Residential Areas ◽

Primary Input ◽

Normalised Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Sentinel 2A ◽

Marginal Agricultural Land ◽

Potential Use

Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is one of the vegetation indices used to analyse vegetation density. This study presents the potential use of NDVI to map dry-marginal-agricultural land (Dry-MAL). The study conducted in the eastern part of Situbondo, which includes three districts, namely, Arjasa, Asembagus and Jangkar. Sentinel-2A (recorded in 2018) and 450 Control points (GCPs) are used as the primary input. The region is an area with distinctive climate characteristics, where the dry season is longer than the rainy season. Analysis using "SNAP plug-ins" and "QGIS". Research procedures include (1) data inventory, (2) data pre-processing, (3) data processing and (4) accuracy testing. The NDVI classification can distinguish six (6) classes of land-use, i.e., water bodies, residential areas, dry MAL, non-irrigated rural area, irrigated paddy fields, forest-plantations. The NDVI classification produces Overall and Kappa accuracy values = 66,9% and 61,6%. Although the overall and kappa accuracy is below the standard, however, the result will benefit for further research of index vegetation or soil more applied for the identification of Dry-MAL

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Mathematical models describing disappearance of Lucerne hay in the rumen using the nylon bag technique

South African Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.4314/sajas.v50i5.9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 50 (5) ◽

Author(s):

V. Palangi ◽

M. Macit ◽

A.R. Bayat

Keyword(s):

Mathematical Models ◽

Crude Protein ◽

Goodness Of Fit ◽

Gompertz Model ◽

Exponential Model ◽

Parameter Estimates ◽

Rumen Degradation ◽

Degradation Data ◽

Potential Use

It is essential to study the dynamics of rumen degradation of feeds before their potential use in formulating diets for ruminants. Various mathematical models have been developed to describe this degradation. The non-lagged exponential model (Model I), the lagged exponential model (Model II), the Gompertz model (Model III), and the generalized Mitscherlich model (Model IV) were examined using two alternative software (SAS and MATLAB) to determine their efficacy in accounting for variation in ruminal disappearance of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) of lucerne hay from three cuttings. All models described DM degradability well (R2 >0.98). Only Models I and II converged when fitted to CP degradability data (R2 >0.98). It was concluded that any of these models could be used to describe the degradation of DM, whereas only Models I and II could be used to describe the degradation of CP from three cuttings of Lucerne hay. All the models that were fitted to the DM degradation data performed reasonably well, with only minor differences in goodness of fit. However, these models differed in values of the parameter estimates. Additionally, SAS failed to converge in the analyses of CP with Models III and IV, and MATLAB converged to nonsensical values with Model III. Model I might be recommended because it fitted the data well and required estimates of the fewest parameters Keywords: alfalfa hay, in situ digestion, model selection, nonlinear regression

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