Abstract Sustainable forest management (SFM) is a rational exploitation practice adopted in the Caatinga. This study aimed to evaluate the stock and the nutritional and organic composition of litter in Caatinga subjected to different forest management practices: shallow cutting (SC), selective thinning by minimum diameter (STMD), and selective thinning by species (STS), and using unmanaged Caatinga (control) as a reference, in dry and rainy seasons. There were a significant increase in total litter in STS and a decrease in stocks of STMD, shallow cutting and unmanaged forest. Forest management reduced leaves in the accumulated litter in both seasons and increased contribution from branches. The STS management promoted maintenance of the stock and nutritional and organic quality of the litter, bringing it closer to the condition of unmanaged natural forest in both climatic seasons. So, should be encouraged for a more sustainable management of the Brazilian phyto-physiognomy Caatinga. SFM (SFM practices SC, SC , (SC) STMD (STMD) STS, (STS) control (control reference branches So phytophysiognomy phyto physiognomy (SC (STMD (STS

For the first time, the boron isotopic ratio is reported for Brazilian red wines. The boron concentration, 11B/10B isotopic ratio and δ11B were determined in 89 red wines produced in Campanha Gaúcha, Serra Gaúcha (SG), and Vale dos Vinhedos (VV) in South Brazil and Vale do São Francisco (VSF) in Northeast Brazil. A broad boron concentration range, < 0.07 to 20.4 mg L-1, was observed, where a few values were above the maximum allowed concentration according to the International Code of Oenological Practices (14.0 mg L-1). The obtained 11B/10B ratios were quite different from those observed in the literature. The ratios were quite similar among the Southern Brazilian wine producing areas, but a large difference was observed when compared with the Northeastern wines, allowing for the differentiation between these two important Brazilian wine regions. The results have also shown that is possible, based on the boron isotopic ratio, to differentiate the Brazilian red wines from Chilean, Italian and Portuguese red wine.

For the first time, the isotope ratio of lead is reported in Brazilian red wines. The lead concentration and the ratios of 204Pb/206Pb, 207Pb/206Pb and 208Pb/206Pb were determined in 94 red wines produced in Campanha Gaúcha, Serra Gaúcha, Vale dos Vinhedos in Southern Brazil and Vale do São Francisco in Northeastern Brazil. The values observed for the isotopic ratios were consistent with those reported in the literature for wines of South America. The lead isotopic ratios showed no statistically significant differences among the vineyards of the Southern region; on the other hand, the vineyard from the Northeastern region showed large variations in its ratios. The 204Pb/206Pb ratio data demonstrated that the wines of the Southern region have radiogenic features, whereas the wines of the Northeastern region ranged from slightly to very radiogenic. These results indicated that the lead concentrations in the wines from these Brazilian regions are influenced both by agricultural practices and by natural occurrences. Isotope ratios allowed for differentiation among the wines produced in these two important wine producing areas in Brazil and are emerging as a promising tool in the study of the geographical origin of Brazilian wines.