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Apicuns são ambientes transicionais planos e hipersalinos, associados a manguezais. Na Baía de Todos os Santos (BTS), os manguezais e apicuns ocupam, respectivamente, 177,6 km² e 10,2 km². O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a variação espaço-temporal de apicuns na BTS, entre os anos de 1954 e 2015, com base em fotografias aéreas dos anos de 1954, 1989, 2010 e imagens de satélite do ano de 2015. Quatro municípios foram selecionados ao longo do litoral da BTS: Madre de Deus (MD) ao norte, Saubara (SB) a noroeste, Vera Cruz (VC) a centro-oeste e Jaguaripe (JP) a sudoeste. As áreas de apicuns nos diferentes anos foram digitalizadas com base em interpretação visual e corrigidas a partir de verdade de campo. A área total de apicuns calculada para 1954, nos quatro municípios, foi de 805 hectares (ha), enquanto no ano de 2015 foi de 618 ha, indicando uma redução de 23% na área ocupada. Esta redução não é homogênea, pois foram identificadas a diminuição dos apicuns em MD (-72,6%), JP (-21%) e VC (-25,2%) e uma estabilização em SB (+5%). Em VC e MD, o avanço da ocupação urbana sobre os apicuns ocorreu através de aterros. Com exceção das mudanças antrópicas, observou-se a formação de apicuns a partir do fechamento de franjas de manguezal. Na maior parte das áreas ocorreu avanço de manguezais sobre os apicuns, o que pode decorrer de uma maior pluviosidade em relação à evaporação, de marés meteorológicas ou da variação no nível do mar.

In tropical coastal forest ecosystems, human activities spread rapidly. It is, therefore, necessary to define soil quality. For this, the determination of the natural content of trace metals is an essential step. This study aims to understand the distribution of trace metals in the main soils of tropical coastal rainforest ecosystems: Ferralsols, Acrisols, and Podzols, in Bahia state, Brazil. After morphological, chemical, and physical characterization and classification of the soils, the concentration of trace metals was investigated both in soil profiles and in surface composite samples (national guideline recommendation), in five locations for each soil class. The soils were classified as Geric Ferralsol, Haplic Acrisol, Chromic Acrisol, and Ortsteinic Carbic Albic Endogleyic Podzol. Concentrations of metals differed significantly between soil classes. Even under tropical rainforest climate during soil formation, the parent rock material still influences geochemistry. Al, Fe, Mo, Ni, V, and Zn accumulate in Ferralsols, while Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, and Mn accumulate in Acrisols. In the Podzols, metals highly accumulate in B spodic horizon. The data highlights that composite sampling strictly based on soil layers and not horizons (as the national guideline recommends) can cause significant misinterpretations. Instead, the multivariate regression models provided consistent data, accurately predicting the pseudo-total concentrations of trace metals in individual soil samples. The regression method is fast and low cost and provides a reliable geochemical baseline for the definition of reference values.

The Global Horizon Scanning Project (GHSP) is an innovative initiative that aims to identify important global environmental quality research needs. Here we report 20 key research questions from Latin America (LA). Members of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) LA and other scientists from LA were asked to submit research questions that would represent priority needs to address in the region. One hundred questions were received, then partitioned among categories, examined, and some rearranged during a workshop in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Twenty priority research questions were subsequently identified. These research questions included developing, improving, and harmonizing across LA countries methods for 1) identifying contaminants and degradation products in complex matrices (including biota); 2) advancing prediction of contaminant risks and effects in ecosystems, addressing lab-to-field extrapolation challenges, and understanding complexities of multiple stressors (including chemicals and climate change); and 3) improving management and regulatory tools toward achieving sustainable development. Whereas environmental contaminants frequently identified in these key questions were pesticides, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors or modulators, plastics, and nanomaterials, commonly identified environmental challenges were related to agriculture, urban effluents, solid wastes, pulp and paper mills, and natural extraction activities. Several interesting research topics included assessing and preventing pollution impacts on conservation protected areas, integrating environment and health assessments, and developing strategies for identification, substitution, and design of less hazardous chemicals (e.g., green chemistry). Finally, a recurrent research need included developing an understanding of differential sensitivity of regional species and ecosystems to environmental contaminants and other stressors. Addressing these critical questions will support development of long-term strategic research efforts to advance more sustainable environmental quality and protect public health and the environment in LA. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:344-357. © 2018 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Caamembeca (Polygalaceae) is a genus of 13 species endemic to South America. The genus is morphologically distinctive, e.g. supported by the putative morphologic synapomorphy of paired glands in a stipular position and on the rachis. However, its monophyly has not been robustly tested as only four species have been included in previous phylogenetic analyses. We present a phylogenetic analysis of 11 species based on nrITS, matK, the trnL intron, and trnL-trnF intergenic spacer. Relationships among Caamembeca species are discussed, and three new combinations are made, Caamembeca amazonensis, Caamembeca autranii, and Caamembeca formosa, providing an improved understanding of the genus.

Na APA do Pratigi, Sul da Bahia, pontua-se como uso do solo, atividades agrícolas, pequenas hidrelétricas e piscicultura. Este trabalho analisou as concentrações de Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn e Ni nos sedimentos da Bacia do Rio Juliana. Revelou-se que existe uma grande variação entre as concentrações de metais-traços encontradas ao longo da bacia analisada e que esta variação pode ser explicada pelo uso do solo ao entorno dos pontos de amostragem, além da geomorfologia da região. Porém, apenas as concentrações de Cr apontaram uma possível contaminação do sedimento, que pode ser proveniente do uso de defensivos agrícolas, à base de Cr, em grande escala. Assim, os gestores da APA podem propor medidas mitigadoras para áreas com concentrações significativas de Cr, e no ambiente, livres de atividade antrópicas, que apresentou melhor qualidade ambiental, em relação às concentrações de metais-traços, pode ser útil como um ambiente referencial para sedimentos da Mata Atlântica.