ABSTRACT Ecological niche is the multidimensional space comprising the resources used by an organism. Intraspecific variation in resource exploitation is common in reptile populations to maximize coexistence of individuals. The use of stable isotope analysis is an effective tool when there are variations in resource exploitation, since it can provide quantitative information about food consumption and habitat use. Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei (Bour, 1973) is a medium-sized turtle with a limited distribution in south central Brazil and Paraguay. In spite of that, little is known about its ecology. In this study we used stable isotope analysis to understand the intraspecific trophic niche variation in M. vanderhaegei at Serra das Araras Ecological Station, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The isotopic ratios of δ15N and δ13C were determined in claw samples collected from 14 males and 14 females. Isotopic niche width values were not statistically different between the sexes, there was a high degree of overlap between sexual niches and there were no relationships between isotopic compositions and body size. These results suggest that individuals of both sexes and throughout their ontogenetic development exploit food resources with the same isotopic baseline.

The isotopic composition ( δ13C and δ 15N) of muscle, carapace and claw was determined from six wild individuals of Phrynops geoffroanus (Schweigger, 1812) in order to verify the variation between those tissues. The mean values of δ13C e δ 15N were, respectively, -19.48 ± 0.81‰ (-20.8 - -18.64‰) and 7.23 ± 0.67‰ (6.49 - 8.3‰) for muscle, -16.52 ± 0.98‰ (-17.88 - -15.43‰) and 7.29 ± 0.54‰ (6.74 - 7.97‰) for carapace and -18.57 ± 0.97‰ (-19.97 - -17.26‰) and 4.36 ± 0.33‰ (3.93 - 4.79‰) for claw. We found a significant difference for the tissues evaluated for both δ13C and δ15N. Muscle and claw were statistically similar and more depleted in 13C than the carapace. Nonetheless, claw was more depleted in 15N than muscle and carapace tissues. These results are likely related to differences in metabolic processes involved on each tissue formation. The description of the isotopic signatures variation in P. geoffroanus tissues provides a baseline for future investigations on the diet reconstruction of this species when more than one tissue is involved.

A matéria orgânica (MO) encontrada no solo pode ser uma ferramenta auxiliar na identificação de uma vegetação remota. Na Floresta Nacional do Araripe e circunvizinhança, na Chapada do Araripe, realizou-se o presente estudo, em que as medidas de d13C e d15N da MO dos solos foram utilizadas para: (i) avaliar os valores atuais desses parâmetros; (ii) analisar a variabilidade natural do d13C no solo de diferentes formações florestais e (iii) indicar o declínio de florestas. Verificou-se que os solos das áreas hoje preservadas e cuja MO na superfície mostra d13C tipo C3, da vegetação atual, e uma mistura C3-C4 em profundidade, correspondem a ecossistemas antropizados no passado por uso agrícola; já os solos que mantiveram o d13C tipo C3 em todo o perfil se referem a ecossistemas antropizados, porém por uso não agrícola. Na caatinga, o perfil do d15N indicou um solo mais mineralizado e com menos MO. As áreas reflorestadas e preservadas apresentaram recuperação da MO.

The organic matter (OM) of soils can be used as an auxiliary tool for the identification of past vegetation. In the Floresta Nacional do Araripe and its surroundings, on top of the Araripe Plateau, a study was made using measurements of d13C and d15N of soil OM in order to (i) assess present day values for these parameters; (ii) to analyse natural variations of d13C in soils from different formations of forest; (iii) and to indicate forest decline. It was found that soils from (at present) protected areas, the OM of which exhibits C3 type d13C of the present vegetation in surface samples but of the C3-C4 type in depth, correspond to ecosystems anthropized in the past through agriculture. Soils maintaining d13C of the C3 type throughout the entire profile refer to ecosystems anthropized through non-agricultural exploitation. "Caatinga" samples exhibit a d15N profile that indicates a soil more mineralized and with less OM, whereas reforested preserved areas show recovery of OM.

O principal objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a contaminação pelos metais pesados Cd e Pb nas bacias dos rios Piracicaba e Mogi-Guaçu (Estado de São Paulo, Brasil), utilizando o bivalve limnico Anodontites trapesialis como indicador biológico. As bacias estudadas apresentam diferentes graus de impacto, sendo a qualidade da água geralmente melhor na bacia do rio Mogi-Guaçu. Os teores de Pb detectados nos bivalves não podem ser considerados críticos, contudo, houve acúmulo em relação ao grupo de controle em ambas as bacias, especialmente na bacia do rio Mogi-Guaçu. As maiores concentrações dos elementos, especialmente Pb, foram observadas nos locais menos poluídos e na bacia menos degradada. Este fato sugere que estas concentrações não estão sendo afetadas apenas pelas atividades antrópicas nas bacias, mas deve-se considerar também fatores que afetem a biodisponibilidade ou fontes específicas e não pontuais.

Studies were carried out to investigate the contamination of Piracicaba and Mogi-Guaçu River basins (São Paulo State, Southeastern, Brazil) for heavy metals (Cd and Pb), using the limnic bivalve Anodontites trapesialis as a biological monitor. The results showed that the concentrations of Pb were higher than the control group in both basins, showing the bioavailability of this non-essential element in the basins. The concentrations were higher in the Mogi-Guaçu than in the Piracicaba basin, and in the slightly contaminated sites in both basins. There was no correlation between the degree of human impact and Cd and Pb concentrations, it was not possible to infer about concentrations of these heavy metals in the bivalves based only in a broad evaluation of human impact.

O mel é um alimento apreciado por seu sabor característico e pelo seu considerável valor nutritivo. Devido a oferta do produto ser menor que a procura, seu preço é relativamente alto, incentivando sua adulteração. Geralmente, a adulteração do mel é feita através da adição de açúcares comerciais, derivados de cana-de-açúcar e milho. Como essas plantas têm uma composição isotópica do carbono distinta das plantas utilizadas pelas abelhas como fonte de néctar (flores silvestres, citros e eucaliptos), é possível utilizar a composição isotópica do carbono de amostras de mel para se avaliar a adulteração desse produto por açúcares comerciais oriundos da cana e do milho. Foram analisadas amostras de plantas pertencentes ao ciclo fotos-sintético C3, subprodutos de plantas C4 (açúcares comerciais) e 61 amostras de mel obtidas no mercado. As plantas C3 analisadas apresentaram valores de <FONT FACE="Symbol">d</font>13C de -28,9±1,1‰ (n=8), enquanto os açúcares apresentaram valores de -11,1±0,7‰ (n=3). Das 61 amostras de mel analisadas, cerca de 8% (5 amostras) tiveram sinais claros de adulteração. A amostra de número 34 teve um valor igual a -12,9‰, indicando que açúcar puro de cana-de-açúcar ou milho estaria sendo comercializado como mel. As amostras 13, 14, 33 e 54 apresentaram valores iguais a -21,0; -19,9; -21,9 e -17,6‰, respectivamente. Esses valores indicam também adição de açúcares de cana-de-açúcar ou milho, no entanto em menor proporção. A metodologia testada neste trabalho foi aprovada como um método simples, confiável e complementar aos métodos químicos e físicos convencionais visando detectar adulteração de mel.

Honey is a known product for its nutritional value. Considering that offer is smaller than the market demand, honey is relatively expensive. This fact contribute to the incentive of its adulteration by commercial sugars derived from sugar cane and corn. As these plants have a distinct stable carbon isotope composition than plants commonly used by bees as sources of nectar, it is possible to use the stable carbon isotope composition of honey to detect addition of commercial sugar cane and corn sugars. In this study we analyzed samples of C3 plants commonly used by bees, subproducts of C4 plants, and 61 samples of honey. The <FONT FACE="Symbol">d</font>13C of C3 plants values had on average of -28.9±1.1‰ (n=8), while the commercial sugars had an average value of -11.1±0.7‰ (n=3). Approximately 8% (5 samples) of the 61 samples analyzed had <FONT FACE="Symbol">d</font>13C values that clearly indicated the addition of commercial sugars (adulteration). The sample number 5 had a <FONT FACE="Symbol">d</font>13C valor equal to -12.9‰, indicating that it was all made of commercial sugars. The samples numbers 13, 14, 33, and 54 had values equal to -21.0, -19.9, -21.9 and -17.6‰, respectively. These values also indicated the addition of commercial sugars. The methodology used in this study proved to be a valuable and simple complement to the conventional chemical and physical methods normally used to detect honey adulteration.