Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da eutrofização do solo em fragmentos remanescentes de vegetação nativa sobre a comunidade florística de arbóreas em paisagens agrícolas. Foram amostrados oito sítios de vegetação arbórea na Mata Atlântica, no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, em pares formados de acordo com o uso do solo em seu entorno -intensivo (UI) ou extensivo (UE) -e com diferentes tamanhos: dois fragmentos pequenos, com cerca de 10 ha; dois médios, com 30 ha; dois grandes, com 100 ha; e outros dois sítios localizados dentro de uma área contínua de floresta. Um conjunto de parâmetros bióticos e de solos, além de métricas da paisagem, foi obtido e analisado segundo duas hipóteses: H01, a fertilidade do solo dos remanescentes naturais adjacentes a áreas agrícolas de uso intensivo é alterada; e H02, a eutrofização do solo dos remanescentes naturais adjacentes a áreas agrícolas de uso intensivo altera a composição da sua comunidade de arbóreas. Os teores de cálcio foram cerca de sete vezes maiores nos sítios adjacentes a UI, quando comparados aos fragmentos adjacentes a UE. Os teores de fósforo foram de 1,5 a 2,5 vezes maiores nos fragmentos pequenos e médios adjacentes a áreas de UI. A análise de ordenamento evidenciou que P, K, Ca, luz difusa, abertura de dossel, relação área/perímetro e isolamento dos fragmentos explicam 59% da composição das comunidades arbóreas.Termos para indexação: deriva, ecologia de paisagens, efeito de borda, fertilidade, serviços ecossistêmicos. Soil eutrophication and tree community in patches of an agricultural landscapeAbstract -This objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of soil eutrophication in remaining patches of native vegetation on the floristic community of trees in agricultural landscapes. Eight sites of arboreal vegetation were sampled in the Atlantic Forest, in state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in pairs formed according to land use in their boundary -intensive (UI) or extensive (UE) -, and with different sizes: two small sites, with about 10 ha; two medium-sized ones, with 30 ha; two large ones, with 100 ha; and two sites located within a continuous forest area. A set of biotic and soil parameters, besides landscape metrics, was surveyed and analyzed considering two hypotheses: H01, soil fertility is changed in forest remnants next to areas of intensive agricultural use; and H02, soil eutrophication in forest remnants next to areas of intensive agricultural use changes the composition of its tree community. Calcium contents were about seven times higher in sites next to UI areas, in comparison with those next to UE areas. Phosphorous contents were 1.5 to 2.5 times higher in the small and medium-sized patches next to UI areas. The ordering analysis showed that P, K, Ca, diffuse light, canopy opening, area/perimeter ratio, and patch isolation account for 59% of the tree community composition.

Agricultural matrices can lead to landscape homogenization, culminating in losses of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Agricultural management is determinant for developing conservation strategies. In this review, we discuss the influence of the agricultural matrix on biodiversity at different scales. Intensive agriculture under agrochemicals and synthetic fertilizers aggravates forest fragmentation processes, compromising conservation habitats. On the other hand, managed matrixes with greater agricultural biodiversity and reduced synthetic inputs tend to favor species' persistence. There is discord regarding the best model to conserve biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, but the land sharing system increases the landscape heterogeneity, ensures food production, and constitutes a safer approach from the socioecological perspective. Future studies should consider the matrix identity and management to assess fragmentation effects and its ability to harbor biodiversity.

Agricultural landscapes are seen as areas of extreme importance for studying and developing strategies which integrate biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services with food production. The main strategies for intensifying agriculture are based on conventional agricultural practices of frequently using inputs for fertilization and correcting soil pH. Some studies show that these practices generate impacts on nearby forest fragments through soil contamination and increasing nutrient content. The objective of this study was to identify the impacts on the functional groups of sciophilous (late successional/shade-tolerant species) and heliophilous (pioneer/sun-loving) species of a tree community of 14 forest fragments near pasture areas and agricultural areas under conventional practices, raising the hypothesis that higherfertility forest fragments adjacent to intensive agriculture modify the floristic composition of the tree community. Consequently, this study is based on the following questions: i) Do forest fragments within intensive farming environments present differences in floristic composition of species?; ii) Does the soil fertility influence the tree species composition?; iii) Which variables influence species abundance and richness in the forest fragments with different types of use around their environment? The floristic composition of fragments close to agricultural areas are more similar to each other than the composition of fragments close to pasture areas. Furthermore, the General Linear Model (GLM) results show a clear influence of the intensive farming environment on the richness and abundance of the two functional groups in the forest fragments, directly benefiting the abundance of heliophilous species, which are also benefited by the greater declivity and smaller fragment area, while the abundance of sciophytes is negatively correlated with these last two variables. The increase of calcium content is beneficial for the richness of heliophilous species, while the increase in phosphorus PLOS ONE |

Sustainability is a target that involves many socio-ecological questions, depends on opportunities and combines different initiatives. This can be especially difficult in regions with high biodiversity scores, mega cities, high level of human populations and an intense and long-standing land use. Here, we show how a mega trail, named Atlantic Forest Trail, within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest can join the protection of biodiversity and sustainable tourism through a 4270 km corridor connecting protected areas and crossing a variety of landscapes. Further, we show some initiatives of ongoing biodiversity monitoring, and an analysis of ecological restoration in private lands that can be applied in many regions to improve habitat connectivity for both biodiversity and human use.

Slugs can be important agricultural pests in tropical regions. They are also intermediate hosts of parasitic nematodes, such as Angiostrongylus costaricensis and A. cantonensis, which can cause abdominal and cerebral angiostrongyliasis in humans. Management of slugs in conventional agriculture has relied heavily in the use of pellets containing metaldehyde. In this article, we review cases of slug problems and their management in neotropical agroecosystems.

RESUMOSub-bacias delimitadas para o estado do Rio de Janeiro foram parametrizadas por meio de duas metodologias que indicam vulnerabilidade, a equação universal de perda de solo que estima a perda de solo em toneladas por hectare/ano; e a integração temática de parâmetros morfométricos, topográficos, hidrológicos e de uso/cobertura da terra, que resulta em um índice de vulnerabilidade adimensional. Os parâmetros de cada método e os resultados foram analisados e comparados para verificação do grau de associação entre as metodologias, concluindo-se que os métodos são complementares para indicar vulnerabilidade de sub-bacia.Palavras-chave: perda de solo; vulnerabilidade ambiental; sub-bacia.Vulnerability of the watersheds by universal equation of soil loss and thematic integration of morphometric, topographical, hydrological an land use/land cover parameters in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil ABSTRACTWatersheds delimited in the Rio de Janeiro State were parameterized by means of two methods indicate that a measure of environmental vulnerability, the universal equation of soil loss, which estimates the loss of soil in tones per hectare per year, and thematic integration of morphometric, topographical, hydrological an land use/land cover parameters, that result at vulnerability index. The parameters involved and the results were compared to verify the degree of association between methodologies, concluding that these methods are complementary to indicate the vulnerability of watersheds.Keywords: soil loss; environment vulnerability; watershed.COSTA, T. C. C.; FIDALGO, E. C. C.; NAIME, U. J.; GUIMARÃES, S. P.; ZARONI, M. J.; UZEDA, M. C. Vulnerabilidade de sub-bacias hidrográficas por meio da equação universal de perda de solo e da integração de parâmetros morfométricos, topográficos, hidrológicos e de uso/cobertura da terra no estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Ambi-Agua, Taubaté, v. 4, n. 1, p. 93-116, 2009 INTRODUÇÃOSub-bacias são compartimentos indicados para o gerenciamento ambiental, possibilitando o monitoramento hidrológico, a conservação do solo e a disciplina do uso da terra para produção de água em qualidade e quantidade, proteção da biodiversidade e produção sustentável.A vulnerabilidade do solo à erosão pode ser indicada por parâmetros físicos e químicos, processos biológicos e antropogênicos. Os parâmetros antropogênicos, como a conversão da cobertura vegetal em outros usos, são responsáveis por expressivas alterações do ambiente natural e mudanças na paisagem, provocadas pela erosão do solo, o assoreamento e a contaminação dos recursos -água e solo, a redução na biodiversidade, dentre outros.Para quantificar a perda de solo por erosão laminar, modelos, como a equação empírica USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation) (Wischmeier e Smith, 1978), e o WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project), estimam perda de solo, sendo o WEPP mais completo, estimando também a deposição e taxa de arraste de sedimentos em sulcos (Flanagan e Nearing, 1995), mas exigindo um grande número de parâmetros de entrada (Bacchi et al., 2000)....

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