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Copyright of Páginas de la Educación is the property of Universidad Catolica del Uruguay Damaso Antonio Larranaga and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Facultad de Odontología Universidad de Antioquia is the property of Universidad de Antioquia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background. The goliath grouper, Epinephelus itajara (Lichtenstein, 1822), is the largest Atlantic grouper. It has been the first marine fish subjected to a fishing moratorium in Brazil (since 2002). The aim of this study was to investigate basic biological aspects, particularly the diet and reproduction of this endangered species. We believe that our results, together with information already available in the literature, may be a foundation for new management and conservation strategies for this grouper in Brazil. Materials and Methods. Specimens were obtained from an artisanal fish landings collaborative monitoring program in the cities of Caravelas and Alcobaça, Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil. Because of the fishing moratorium, we relied on sporadic incidental captures from fishermen or donation from the law enforcement agencies. Diet and reproduction of the goliath grouper was evaluated based on 34 specimens obtained between May 2005 and September 2010. Results. Body size of 32 females ranged from 27.4 to 150.0 cm total length (TL) (mean 87.4 ± SD 34.8), while size of 2 males were 97.0 and 115.0 cm TL. Of these, 16 specimens (47%) were juveniles. Sex ratio was estimated as 1 : 16 (males to females). Two developing females were recorded, one obtained in February 2006 and another in January 2007. The length of first maturation (L50) for females was estimated at 105.64 cm and the length where 100% of individuals are mature (L100) at 126.0 cm TL. A total of 34 stomachs were analyzed, six of them were empty. Teleosts and decapods dominated the diet. The major food items of mangrove-associated fish were decapods Callinectes sp., while the coral reef-associated fish ingested mainly the boxfish Acanthostracion sp. The most important item for juveniles was Callinectes sp., while Acanthostracion sp. was the most important item for adults. Conclusion. We suggest that the goliath grouper moratorium in Brazil should be maintained for a relatively long time frame--more than four decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Monitoring the components of diversity may provide important information about diversity dynamics and processes that modify ecosystems. We investigated the temporal diversity of the zooplankton groups (testate amoebae, rotifers and microcrustaceans) over ten years (2000–2009) at local and regional scales in the alluvial valley of the Upper Paraná River in order to test: temporal changes in alpha, beta and gamma diversities of zooplankton groups, association of diversity dynamics with environmental factors, and synchronisation in temporal diversity between different subsystems. The gamma and alpha diversities of testate amoebae increased over time, while that of rotifers decreased. In contrast, microcrustacean diversity did not show a linear temporal trend. Beta diversity of microcrustaceans and rotifers increased over time. The models of temporal diversity variation explained between 10% and 46% of the total variability. Inorganic solids suspended and chlorophyll a were the environmental predictors selected in the models of best fit. Alpha diversity showed spatial synchronisation, suggesting that the regional dynamics contributed to the temporal variation of diversity. Zooplankton diversities followed a temporal dynamics in response to local and regional factors (water level, inorganic solids suspended and chlorophyll a), but the groups showed different responses. Thus, we corroborated the hypothesis of diversity synchrony of each zooplankton group between the sub-systems, but the responses to the environmental variations were found to be dependent on the group studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)