Habitat fragmentation often induces edge effects that can increase, decrease or have minimal effect upon the population density of a species, depending upon environmental conditions and the requirements of the species. Using a trapping study and generalized linear mixed models, we evaluated edge effects on small tropical mammals living near roads, including two ground-dwelling (Akodon sp. and Cerradomys subflavus) and two arboreal (Marmosops incanus and Rhipidomys sp.) species. We examined the relationship of these edge effects to environmental factors at both plot and patch scales. Generalist ground-dwelling species were attracted to edges, with higher population densities recorded in habitats close to road or matrix edges where vegetation density was lower. In contrast, populations of the generalist arboreal species avoided edge habitats, their populations were found in greater density in habitats far from roads/matrix edges. Thus, our results show that patterns of edge habitat utilization were related to the ecological requirements of each species. These findings are especially important in the tropics, where demand for economic growth in many countries has accelerated the fragmentation process and has recently culminated in increased road construction and expansion. Fragmented habitats promote an increase in edge environments, and consequently will reduce the abundance of arboreal small mammal species, such as those used as models in this study.

RESUMODunas são geoformações arenosas produzidas exclusivamente pela ação eólica que se dispõem a partir da região pós-praia. Sobre as dunas desenvolvem-se comunidades vegetais de restinga tipicamente herbáceo-subarbustivas condicionadas pelos fatores ambientais limitantes que influenciam sua organização sociológica. O presente estudo objetivou identificar, por meio do levantamento fitossociológico, possíveis diferenças estruturais entre comunidades instaladas em dois tipos de dunas (frontais e parabólicas). Foi alocado um total de 250 unidades amostrais para caracterização dos parâmetros de cobertura e frequência, absolutas e relativas, e valor de importância das espécies amostradas, além de índices de diversidade e similaridade. Foram levantadas 39 espécies, distribuídas em 37 gêneros e 23 famílias, sendo a maior diversidade observada nas dunas parabólicas e a maior dominância nas dunas frontais, além de certa coocorrência de espécies. As famílias mais ricas em espécies foram Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae e Cyperaceae. Os resultados obtidos sinalizam que a organização sociológica das comunidades herbáceo-subarbustivas de restinga sobre dunas frontais e parabólicas difere entre si em diversidade, composição e dominância de espécies, as quais devem ser fortemente influenciadas pelas condições ambientais, principalmente pelo vento, que atuam em diferentes níveis sobre essas comunidades. Tais informações podem contribuir com ações de conservação ambiental e da biodiversidade da restinga ante a elevada pressão antrópica na costa catarinense. Palavras-chave: conservação da biodiversidade; dunas frontais; dunas parabólicas; estrutura comunitária. ABSTRACTDunes are sandy geoformations produced exclusively by wind action that are available from backshore region. On the dunes restinga vegetation communities typically herbaceoussubshrub are developed conditioned by limiting environmental factors that influence their sociological organization. The present study aimed to identify, through the phytosociological survey, possible structural differences between communities installed in two dunes types (foredunes and parabolic). A total of 250 sample units were allocated to characterize the coverage and frequency parameters, absolute and relative, and importance value of the species sampled, as well as diversity and similarity indices. A total of 39 species were collected, distributed in 37 genera and 23 families. The greatest diversity was observed in parabolic dunes and the greater dominance in foredunes, besides a certain co-occurrence of species. The families richest in species were Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae and Cyperaceae. The results obtained indicate that sociological organization of herbaceous-subshrub communities of restinga on foredunes and parabolic dunes differ in diversity, composition and dominance of species, which must be strongly influenced by environmental conditions, mainly by wind, that act in different levels on these communities. This information can contribute to environmental and biodiversity conserv...

The current protocol for classifying Para swimmers with hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis involves a physical assessment where the individual's ability to coordinate their limbs is scored by subjective clinical judgment. The lack of objective measurement renders the current test unsuitable for evidencebased classification. This study evaluated a revised version of the Para swimming assessment for motor coordination, incorporating practical, objective measures of movement smoothness, rhythm error and accuracy. Nineteen Para athletes with hypertonia and 19 non-disabled participants performed 30 s trials of bilateral alternating shoulder flexion-extension at 30 bpm and 120 bpm. Accelerometry was used to quantify movement smoothness; rhythm error and accuracy were obtained from video. Para athletes presented significantly less smooth movement and higher rhythm error than the non-disabled participants (p < 0.05). Random forest algorithm successfully classified 89% of participants with hypertonia during out-of-bag predictions. The most important predictors in classifying participants were movement smoothness at both movement speeds, and rhythm error at 120 bpm. Our results suggest objective measures of movement smoothness and rhythm error included in the current motor coordination test protocols can be used to infer impairment in Para swimmers with hypertonia. Further research is merited to establish the relationship of these measures with swimming performance.

Abstract. The identification of priority areas for the conservation of Brazilian biodiversity and the application of prompt practical measures are essential for an effective environmental management. The Serra do Rola Moça State Park, located in the Iron Quadrangle, on the southern end of the Espinhaço Range, in Minas Gerais, Brazil, is a region that is home to the rupestrian ferruginous fields or canga vegetation, a still poorly studied vegetation, rich in endemic, rare, and endangered species. The aim of this work is to contribute to the understanding of the rupestrian ferruginous fields, providing a floristic analysis, a quantification of species richness, and survival (vegetative growth in laboratory conditions, the production of nursery saplings and the management of the areas) of translocated species from the Capão Xavier mine pit to the park. The species presented belong mainly to the Asteraceae, Rubiaceae, Myrtaceae, Velloziaceae, Bromeliaceae, Orchidaceae, and Solanaceae families. Nowadays, the surrounding area of the administrative headquarters of the park shelters around 10 000 individuals and about 15 000 in other areas of the park. In the rescue and transposition of saplings, there was a loss of less than 31.29 % of the individuals directly introduced to the planting area, while only 10 % of the saplings grown in the nursery were lost. The knowledge acquired about the viability of the studied species, their spread, and conservation indicates the possibility of nursery breeding of some of the native species and their use in the recovery of areas in mining regions.