SummaryBrazil’s rich biological and cultural diversity makes it an exceptional location for examining the commerce in live wild birds and its implications for conservation. This paper catalogues the live bird species being traded in Brazil, characterises the trade in these animals, and discusses the implications for avian conservation. In spite of being illegal, capturing and selling birds is still a very common practice in Brazil and involves many actors who make up part of a large commercial network that distributes wild animals to every corner of the country. Our survey revealed that at least 295 bird species are illegally sold as pets in Brazil, with estimates derived from this data pointing to a total of more than 400 species - about 23% of the number of extant bird species in the country. Of the bird species recorded, two were classified as “Critically Endangered”, nine as “Endangered”, six as “Vulnerable”, and 19 as “Near Threatened” according to the most recent IUCN Red List. Most of the species recorded in this study as being widely bought and sold (including on the international market) are not listed by CITES even though many of them are in fact threatened. In light of the widespread illegal trade in wild birds in Brazil and the conservation implications for the species involved, there is an urgent need for actions that can control these activities. Steps should be taken to address the illegal traffic directly and these must include monitoring, law enforcement, effective sentencing (including deterrent sentences), targeting end-users, captive breeding, and education at all levels, taking into account the cultural, economic, social, and ecological aspects of the human populations involved.

The present study tested the ecological apparency hypothesis in a Brazilian rural community. It used the use value to test the information gained through three types of calculations (UV change , UV general , UV potential ). A vegetation inventory was performed in two areas near Capivara, Paraí-ba, Brazil, and 112 informants were interviewed. For the hypothesis test, the Spearman correlation coefficient was used to correlate the phytosociological (vegetation) and ethnobotanical data (use value). The study recorded 25 useful species in the first site and 20 in the second site. Positive correlations were found in the first site, between the UV g to basal area and dominance, and between the UV c and basal area, dominance, and importance value. In the second site, between the UV g and both basal area and dominance and between UV c and basal area, density, and dominance. Apparency explained the local importance of useful plants in construction, technology, and fuel, but was not explanative of medicine. Also, important responses were observed for the different use values.

This study tested the ecological apparency hypothesis in the community of Barroquinha, in the municipality of Lagoa, Paraíba State, Brazil. We used the Use Value (UV) by testing the information obtained through three types of calculations: UV general , UV current , and UV potential . The botanical sampling was conducted in two areas of the community (Preserved -A1; Degraded -A2), and interviews were carried out with 66 people, who signed a Free and Transparent Consent form, required by the Research Ethics Committee. The Spearman's correlation test was performed to relate phytosociological data to ethnobotanical data. We used the Pearson Correlation to test the correlation between genders and the Use Values (UVs). Fifteen useful species were recorded in A1 and 16 species in A2. Positive correlations were found in both areas between species and the phytosociological data: in A1 between UV current with basal area and dominance (p < 0.05) and in A2 between UV general and UV current with all parameters (p < 0.05). Only the forage category showed a positive correlation in A1 between UV potential and density and frequency (p < 0.05). In A2, the fuel category was correlated with UV current and basal area and dominance (p < 0.05). There was positive correlation between UV general /UV current , UV general /UV potential , UV current /UV potential (p < 0.0001). Men and women considered the same species as the most important (p < 0.0001). According to the results of this study, we can conclude that ecological apparency best explains the relationship between use and availability of species used for timber.

The ecological apparency hypothesis seeks to understand the dynamics of use that a particular species has through its availability in vegetation areas. According to this hypothesis, apparent plants are the most collected and used by humans. This hypothesis was tested in the rural community of Santa Rita, municipality of Congo, in Cariri microregion (Paraíba state, Northeast Brazil). We calculated the use value (UV) for each species. For the phytosociological inventory, we adopted the point-quadrant method, plotting 500 points distributed in the vegetation areas of the community, registering the perimeter measurements and height of 2000 plants. Interviews were conducted with householders, totaling 98 informants (41 men and 57 women), and 24 species, 21 genera, and 11 families were recorded. The cited species were grouped into 11 utility categories. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to correlate phytosociological and ethnobotanical data. The use values of the species did not correlate with phytosociological parameters. Regarding the use categories, there were positive correlations for fuel (UV with dominance and basal area), construction (UV with all phytosociological parameters), fodder (UV with all parameters), and poison/abortion categories (UV with density and frequency). Ecological apparency significantly explained the local importance of useful plants in fuel, construction, and fodder categories, and less significantly for poison/abortion.

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A utilização de madeira é uma dos principais atividades humanas, historicamente reconhecida historicamente devido a gama de utilizações dada a esses recursos pelas populações humanas, utilizando-os das formas mais diversas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar os usos de recursos vegetais em uma comunidade rural do semiárido paraibano, assim como seu de padrão de renovação. O inventário foi feito a partir de visitas mensais nas residências de uma comunidade rural do município de Cabaceiras, durante 12 meses, nas quais houve o registro de todos os itens presentes nas residências e nos locais em que os informantes desenvolvem suas atividades. Foram visitadas 61 residências que juntas abrigam cerca de 210 pessoas. Foi verificado o uso de 86 espécies, alocadas em nove categorias (combustível, construção rural, construção doméstica, tecnologia, mágico-religioso, medicinal, veterinário, ornamentação e outros usos, que inclui usos como higiene pessoal e sombra), de acordo com o uso dado aos produtos finais. As espécies nativas mais utilizadas foram o pereiro (Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart.) e do marmeleiro (Croton blanchetianus Baill.), inseridas na categoria construção rural, principalmente na construção de cercas e a espécie exótica algaroba (Prosopis juliflora).  A maior quantidade de usos distintos e de espécies foi verificada na categoria tecnologia, na qual foi registrado o uso de 16 espécies, todas registradas na primeira visita, sem mudanças posteriores. A utilização como combustível (na forma de lenha ou carvão) e na construção rural ganha uma representatividade significante devido a presença de renovação dos recursos combustíveis em todas as onze visitas mensais, com ênfase na aroeira (Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão), catingueira (Poincianella pyramidalis Tul) e jurema (Mimosa tenuiflora), entretanto, sendo verificada uma substituição dessas espécies pelo uso de P. juliflora, no uso como carvão. Já na categoria construção rural, também foi verificada a extração mensal do A. pyrifolium Mart. e do C. blanchetianus Baill. Esses dados indicam a necessidade de politicas de conservação que visem à manutenção da flora silvestre, elaboradas a partir do reconhecimento da sua importância no cotidiano das populações tradicionais do semiárido.

Timber resources are constantly used by traditional communities to meet their everyday needs. Assuming the importance and use of these resources for energy purposes, we applied the inventory in situ method, over 12 months, aiming to identify the species most used as firewood and charcoal, their dynamics of renewal, and species availability in the forest fragment studied. The study was conducted in the Rural Community of São Francisco, Municipality of Cabaceiras (Paraíba State, Northeast Brazil). Overall, we recorded 15 species, 14 genera, and 6 botanical families, from which Fabaceae (8 spp) and Anacardiaceae (3 spp) were the most prominent, due to having greater diversity of species. The most used native species in the community was Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão (aroeira) and we also recorded the constant use of Prosopis juliflora (algaroba), which is an exotic species. The results evidenced the effective use of natural resources, and may complement in general ethnobotanical studies.

Background:The semi-arid region of Brazil has different physiognomies characterized by caatinga vegetation, represented by several botanical families, such as the Cactaceae, which stands out economically due to its diverse utilities. This study was conducted in the rural community of Capivara, from 2012 to 2015. This community is located in the municipality of Solânea, in the 'Agreste' Mesoregion and 'Curimataú Oriental' Microregion, in the state of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil.Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was applied to 101 informants, family breadwinners (44 men and 57 women). The questionnaire addressed questions about the knowledge of the use of Cactaceae species in the region.Results: Ten species belonging to five genera were recorded, among which, the 'facheiro' (Pilosocereus pachycladus F. Ritter subsp. pernambucoensis (F. Ritter) Zappi) was the most cited and had the highest number of uses. Species were classified into twelve use categories and eleven usable parts were recorded. Fodder was the most prominent category (386 citations). The knowledge of plant species that grow in association with cacti was also recorded (18 species).Conclusions: Farmers in the community of Capivara have great knowledge of local Cactaceae species. However, they mainly use these species as fodder resources, especially C. jamacaru and P. pachycladus.