-This study offers a few thoughts about a possible prehistoric anthropogenic effect on the expansion of Araucaria angustifolia during the late Holocene based on overlay and analysis of archeological, geographical, palynological and botanical data. Archeological research reveals that grou ps of pottery-producing hunter-gatherers belonging to the Jê linguistic stock. These are archeologically defined as the Taquara/Itararé Tradition, and occupied the highlands in southern Brazil from 2000 years BP until 200 years BP. Major resource uses regarding forest vegetation were hunting, Araucaria nuts seed harvesting (considered an essential component in the diet) and agroforestry management. Their settlements, known as casas subterrâneas (pit houses), were distributed according to relief and geography under the domain of Araucaria forest. A strong expansion of Araucaria angustifolia in the late Holocene is recorded by various palynological studies as occurring after 1,500 years BP in Paraná, 1,000 years BP in Santa Catarina and 1,140 years BP in Rio Grande do Sul over areas near archaeological settlements. These data deserve some attention. Furthermore, botanical sources indicate that Araucaria angustifolia need a dispersing factor, including birds, animals and humans. In spite of climate conditions being considered one of the major causes of increase, the possibility of contribution by pottery-producing hunter-gatherers of the Taquara/Itararé Tradition in seed dispersal by harvesting of seeds, and possible management and planting of this species. These sites are considered important elements as indicators of Araucaria forest areas in landscape reconstruction studies.Key words: Prehistoric occupation, pit houses, Araucaria angustifolia, southern Brazil.RESUMO -Este trabalho apresenta algumas reflexões sobre a possível influência antropogênica pré-histórica na expansão da Araucaria angustifolia durante o Holoceno tardio, a partir da análise e do cruzamento de dados arqueológicos, geográficos, palinológicos e botânicos. Estudos arqueológicos revelaram que grupos de caçadores e coletores com cerâmica, pertencentes ao tronco cultural Jê, definidos arqueologicamente como Tradição Taquara/Itararé ocuparam a região do planalto sul brasileiro desde 2000 anos A.P. até, aproximadamente, 200 anos A.P. A caça de animais, a coleta de pinhão, considerado item básico da dieta vegetal, e o manejo agroflorestal, constituíam os principais recursos utilizados, relacionados à floresta. Seus assentamentos, conhecidos como casas subterrâneas, estão distribuídos altimétrica e geograficamente segundo o domínio da Floresta Ombrófila Mista. A expansão de Araucaria angustifolia no Holoceno tardio é fortemente assinalada em vários trabalhos palinológicos, depois de 1500 anos A.P. no Paraná, 1000 anos A.P. em Santa Catarina e 1140 anos A.P. no Rio Grande do Sul, em áreas próximas aos assentamentos arqueológicos. Esses dados chamam a atenção. Além disso, fontes botânicas indicam que Araucaria angustifolia necessita de um agente dispersor, cit...

No abstract

This research contributes to the study of substances present in homemade remedies used by the riverine communities of the Amazon, which are the result of insect-mineral-vegetable oil-interaction. The results of the analyses show the main components (inorganic and organic components) of the "caba-leão" wasps nests (Sceliphron sp., Sphecidae) used by "caboclos" as a topical medication to treat mumps and earaches. The ethnopharmacological data collection consisted of samples of wasps nests and soil, as a source of inorganic elements, from the Jaú and Unini Rivers, in the River Negro basin, Amazon, Brazil. The samples were qualitatively analyzed by infrared spectroscopy (organic and inorganic composition) as well as by X-ray diffraction (to identify minerals). Quantitative chemical analyses for ten major common elements were determined by X-ray fluorescence. The inorganic components are formed by minerals (quartz, kaolinite, illite and gibbsite), identified by X-ray diffraction and Infrared spectroscopy, which are common in the soil of the region. The analyses by X-ray fluorescence indicate that the most common oxides are SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , and Fe 2 O 3 within minerals. This research contributed to the study of substances found in homemade remedies used by the riverine communities of the Amazon, which are the result of insect-mineral-vegetable oil-interaction.

Resumo: A partir da percepção de que a sociedade do século XXI vem enfrentando muitos problemas socioambientais e que, considerando esse contexto, a educação ambiental (EA) torna-se uma prática essencial, esta pesquisa buscou entender a relação que a população de escolas públicas municipais da cidade de Diadema, região metropolitana de São Paulo, estabelece com o conhecimento no que tange ao meio ambiente e à EA, por meio de ações e projetos desenvolvidos nesses espaços. Esta pesquisa, de abordagem mista, utilizou análise documental e aplicação de questionário, a fim de identificar as características de EA presentes nos projetos e ações das escolas, de forma a inferir sobre seus efeitos no entendimento das questões socioambientais constantes em nossa sociedade. A partir dos resultados, foi possível refletir sobre caminhos que auxiliem futuras práticas nessas instituições.

Itapuã State Park is located in the municipality of Viamão, between the 30º 20 'and 30º 27' S and between 50º 50' and 51º 05' W, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. The Park is one of the state conservation units, maintaining remnants of the Atlantic forest, rocky fi elds vegetation, coastal forest, "vassoural," mixed grassland, moist, bathed and juncal plains. Artifi cial pollen traps were installed inside the park, between forest and human-modifi ed fi eld. The study presents a morphological description of 34 plant families, represented by 47 different pollen grains and monilophyte spores (including exotic taxa), unpublished data for the park's palinofl ora. Quantitative data revealed the presence of 77% of non-arboreal pollen grains, 20% of arboreal pollen grains, 2% of monilophyte spores and 1% of other that can be both arboreal and nonarboreal pollen grains. Non-arboreal pollen grains, especially Poaceae, dominated in all the traps, even those located in forest areas. The dominance of the human-modifi ed fi elds around collectors and winds from the northeast infl uenced the dispersion of these grains. Exotic pollen grains of the Betulaceae family, of Andean origin, also occurred in the pollen rain, resulting from dispersion by atmospheric currents of long distances.