We assessed elemental composition of the liver in mice subjected to one-time or chronic consumption of the juice of vegetables cultivated in a vegetable garden built over deposits of coal waste. Lactuca sativa L. (lettuce), Beta vulgaris L. (beet), Brassica oleracea L. var. italica (broccoli) and Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala (kale) were collected from the coal-mining area and from a certified organic farm (control). Elemental composition was analyzed by particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method. Concentrations of Mg, S, and Ca of mice subjected to one-time consumption of broccoli and concentrations of these same elements plus Si of mice receiving kale were higher in the coal-mining area. Concentrations of P, K, and Cu were increase after chronic consumption of lettuce from the coal-mining area, whereas the levels of Si, P, K, Fe, and Zn were higher in the group consuming kale from the coal-mining area. Our data suggests that people consuming vegetables grown over coal wastes may ingest significant amounts of chemical elements that pose a risk to health, since these plants contain both essential and toxic metals in a wide range of concentrations, which can do more harm than good.

Climate change is suggested to be one of the possible drivers of decline in pollinators. In this paper, we applied an ecological niche model to modeling distributional responses in face of climate changes for the subspecies of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier. This species is divided into two subspecies based on difference in the yellow tergal stripes, which are continuous in M. q. quadrifasciata and interrupted in M. q. anthidioides. The geographic distribution of each subspecies is also distinct. M. q. quadrifasciata is found in colder regions in the Southern states of Brazil, whereas M. q. anthidioides is found in habitats with higher temperatures, suggesting that ecological features, such as adaption to distinct climatic conditions may take place. Thus, the possibility of having diff erent responses in geographic range shifts to future climate scenario would be expected. This study aimed to investigate the eff ects of climate changes on the distribution of the two M. quadrifasciata subspecies in Brazil, using an ecological niche model by the MaxEnt algorithm. Our results indicate that the subspecies showed clear diff erences in geographic shift patterns and increased climate niche overlap in the future scenarios. M. q. anthidioides will have the potential for an increase of suitable climatic conditinos in the Atlantic Forest, and towards the Pampa biome, while M. q. quadrifasciata will suffer a reduction of adequate habitats in almost all of its current geographic distribution. Given the potential adverse eff ects of climate changes for this subspecies, conservation actions are urgently needed to avoid that it goes extinct.

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O livro “Monitoramento ambiental: Metodologias e Estudos de casos” têm como objetivo reunir protocolos de práticas de monitoramento ambiental, estudos de caso, pesquisa científica e de revisão de literatura sobre o Monitoramento Ambiental, divulgando pesquisas e relatos de experiências realizadas no Brasil e no Mundo. Visamos disponibilizar o livro gratuitamente para o público interessado que poderá utilizá-lo como base didático e pedagógica para estudantes, professores dos diversos níveis de ensino e demais interessados pela temática. Os capítulos apresentados neste E-book constituem a materialização das discussões teóricas e das práticas de pesquisas voltadas para o monitoramento ambiental realizadas em diferentes ambientes aquáticos e terrestres. Com esta publicação esperamos que professores/as, pesquisadores/as e estudantes percebam a importância de se refletir sobre as metodologias aplicadas nos estudos de monitoramento ambiental em regiões que devem ser preservadas e sobre as novas tendências e perspectivas para fortalecer a Ciência e a Pesquisa na construção e desconstrução do conhecimento. Acreditamos que as contribuições teóricas dos autores aqui apresentadas podem contribuir para o levantamento de novas discussões, aperfeiçoamento de novos métodos para o monitoramento ambiental, além de possíveis parcerias institucionais.