Resumo Efeito de borda são modificações ambientais que, por sua vez, alteram a estrutura e a composição da vegetação marginal em uma floresta. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi verificar o comprimento, em metros, da faixa exposta ao efeito de borda em dois fragmentos de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual. O trabalho foi executado em duas áreas distintas. Em ambas as áreas foram plotadas 30 parcelas de 10 x 10 m, demarcadas a partir da borda florestal, dispostas em três transectos, nos quais foram amostrados e identificados todos os indivíduos com circunferência a 1,30 m de altura e diâmetro ≥ 15 cm. Para a avaliação da abrangência florística do método e suficiência amostral, foi elaborada a curva espécie-área, baseada na distância em relação à borda e calculada a regressão que melhor se ajustou à curva. Em seguida, dois dendrogramas de similaridade foram elaborados, baseados na presença/ausência das espécies em cada parcela e no número de indivíduos por parcela. No total, foram amostrados 955 indivíduos arbóreos. A curva espécie-área de um dos locais de estudo estabilizou a partir dos 40 m, indicando que nesta faixa não houve aparecimento de novas espécies. No entanto, a curva retomou aumento a partir de 50 m. Na outra área, a estabilização na riqueza das parcelas ocorreu a 60 m da borda, com aumento no surgimento de novas espécies a 70 m. Em uma das áreas avaliadas, o efeito de borda atingiu 30 m em direção ao interior da floresta, enquanto na segunda área avaliada, esta distância foi de 70 m.

Abstract Edge effects are environmental settings that, in turn, alter the structure and composition of marginal vegetation in a forest. Thus, the objective of this study was to verify the length, in meters, in the strip exposed to the edge effect in two fragments of the Seasonal Semideciduous Forest. The report was carried out in two different areas. In such areas, 30 plots of 10 x 10 m were plotted, demarcated from the floral border, arranged in three transects, where all individuals with a circumference at 1.30 m in height and diameter ≥ 15 cm were sampled and cut. For an evaluation of the floristic scope of the method and the sampling sufficiency, a curve of specific area was elaborated, based on the distance in relation to the border and the regression that best fits the curve was calculated. Then, two similarity dendrograms were prepared, based on the presence/absence of species in each plot and the number of plots per plot. In total, 955 tree isolates were sampled. An area curve of one of the study sites stabilized after 40 m shows that there were no new species in this range. However, a curve resumed an increase from 50 m. In another area, the richness stabilization of the plots occurred at 60 m from the edge, with an increase in new species at 70 m. In one of the evaluated areas, the edge effect reached 30 m towards the interior of the forest, while in the second evaluated area, the distance was 70 m.

ABSTRACT Sida acuta Burm. f., Malvaceae, is regarded as astringent, tonic and useful in treating urinary diseases and blood disorders, bile, liver and as treatment for nervous diseases. Different methods were developed: sodium pentobarbital-induced sleeping time, anxiolytic activity, test for muscle-effects, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures, effect on normal body temperature. All experiments were performed in an isolated room with 12/12 h light/dark cycles at 22 ± 1 ºC. The effects described in this work for Sida acuta are according to what is known in traditional medicine, where is used as sedative agent. At the higher doses used in this work (500 and 1000 mg/kg), the Sida acuta extract reduced the latency time (T1) and increased the sleeping time (T2) induced by pentobarbital, indicating a sedative and hypnotic effect of the plant's extract. The extract of Sida acuta shows an increase in open arm exploration (anxiolytic activity). Results obtained in the rota-rod test showed that only the elevated dose (750 mg/kg) of Sida acuta extract, acutely administered, promotes significant changes, at 60 and 120 min post-administration, in the time of permanence in the rod. The ethanolic extract from the leaves and stems of Sida acuta, causes effects on the central nervous system in experimental animals.

Phytohormone analysis using liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry is a very important tool for studies involving plant metabolism; however, this analysis can be affected by matrix composition. Although it is necessary to understand this effect to produce reliable results, it has been widely neglected in analyses of plant hormones. Leaf extracts from Bauhinia variegata were obtained by solvent extraction followed by solid-phase cleanup. The extract was analyzed with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) in negative ionization mode, using the multiple reaction monitoring mode with two or three transitions to enhance analytical quality control. Although deuterated standards were used as surrogates, pronounced matrix effects were detected for phaseic acid (PA), abscisic acid (ABA) -glycosyl ester (ABA-GE) and dihydrophaseic acid (DPA), whereas ABA, neoPA and 7'-hydroxy-ABA (7'OHABA) showed negligible matrix effects. The method was validated using spiked samples and was applied to monitor ABA, PA, DPA, neoPA, 7´OHABA and ABA-GE on a daily basis. Analyte recoveries from spiked samples ranged from 67% to 87%. The highest leaf concentration of phytohormones was found at 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm, which represent typical day times related to the decrease of stomatal conductance. Despite the use of deuterated phytohormones as internal standards, we showed that the use of a calibration curve constructed with a matrix extract is mandatory for the reliable quantification of ABA and its metabolites, especially PA, ABA-GE and DPA. Daily variations in endogenous ABA leaf concentration were discussed.

Pesquisas sobre a biodiversidade microbiológica de solos salinos envolvem a busca por genótipos tolerantes a esse tipo de estresse ambiental. Dados genotípicos correlacionados às características morfológicas, fisiológicas e bioquímicas de bactérias fornecem informações importantes para sua identificação e agrupamento. Este trabalho objetivou caracterizar rizóbios provenientes de solos salinos, do Agreste e Sertão de Pernambuco, utilizando jacatupé (Pachyrhizus erosus L. Urban) como planta-isca. Os testes foram efetuados em meio YMA e as características culturais observadas em 24 isolados foram as seguintes: mudança de pH, tempo de crescimento, transparência, forma, borda, produção de exopolissacarídeo das colônias e resistência à salinidade. Os testes moleculares utilizando análise por PCR (reação em cadeia da polimerase) por meio de seqüências repetitivas de DNA amplificadas com o primer BOX envolveram 13 isolados. Os resultados revelaram alta diversidade fenotípica e genotípica entre os isolados nativos. As características culturais e genéticas desses isolados foram comparados com 19 estirpes de referência. Os isolados NFB746 e NFB747 tiveram alta semelhança entre si e também com as estirpes Rhizobium sp. NGR234 (BR2406) e Mesorhizobium ciceri USDA3383 (BR521). O isolado NFB742, possivelmente, era da mesma espécie de M. ciceri (BR521). Com relação ao isolado NFB741, a semelhança com as bactérias Rhizobium tropici IIA CFN299T (BR10016) e Sinorhizobium terangue USDA4894 (BR527) foi de 87%. Os demais isolados, praticamente, formaram grupos independentes quando comparados com as estirpes de referência. Os resultados foram de grande relevância para diagnosticar novas espécies de rizóbios nativos altamente tolerantes a estresses ambientais.

Investigation on microbiological biodiversity in the saline soils involves searching for tolerant genotypes to this type of emvironmental stress. Genotypic data associated to morphologic, physiological and biochemical characteristics of bacteria provide important information regarding its identification and clusters. The objective of this work was to characterize indigenous rhizobial strains of saline soils in the Wasteland and Hinterland of Pernambuco State, using yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus L. Urban) as plant-tramp. Assays had been performed in YMA media and the observed cultivation characteristics of twenty-four isolates had been: change of pH, time of growth, transparency, form, edge, production of exopolysaccharides of the colonies and resistance to salinity. DNA amplification by the PCR technique of the repetitive sequence BOX indicated a high level of genetic and fenotipic diversity between the thirteen indigenous isolates. Comparing cultivation and genetic characteristics of these isolates with nineteen reference strains, indicated that isolates NFB746 and NFB747 had presented high similarity between then and also with the Rhizobium sp. NGR234 (BR2406) and Mesorhizobium ciceri USDA3383 (BR521).The isolated NFB742 possibly belongs to of the same species of the M. ciceri BR521. In relation to the isolated NFB741, the similarity with the Rhizobium tropici IIA CFN299T (BR10016) and Sinorhizobium terangue USDA4894 (BR527) was of 87%. All others isolates had clustered in comparative independent groups when comared to reference lineages. These results are important for diagnosis of new species of native rhizobia in areas where the use of FBN can improve and rehabilitate saline soil using the rizobia-leguminous interaction.