Maria das Dores Magalhães Veloso

Os artigos aqui reunidos resultam da seleção dos melhores trabalhos apresentados no III Congresso Internacional de Educação e Inovação da Unimontes, cuja temática central, “Qualidade de vida e bem-estar social: diálogos entre educação, políticas públicas e inovação”, orienta toda a coletânea. A publicação, viabilizada pelo apoio da Fapemig, organiza-se em três eixos: “Educação, inclusão e bem-estar nas comunidades”, com estudos sobre trabalho docente, pedagogia estética, onomástica e cartografia tátil; “Políticas públicas, direitos e a construção do bem-estar social”, com reflexões sobre acesso à justiça, população em situação de rua, psicólogos escolares e a seca na imprensa; e “Inovação, desenvolvimento e bem-estar coletivo”, com análises sobre construção civil, antígenos, bancos na pandemia e o Projeto Jaíba. Reunindo múltiplas áreas do conhecimento, a coletânea reafirma o compromisso da universidade pública com a produção de conhecimento, a denúncia das desigualdades e a promoção do bem-estar compartilhado.

Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTFs) play a crucial role in carbon storage and biodiversity conservation, yet they have been extensively altered by land-use change and increasing aridity associated with climate change. This study evaluated how secondary succession and aridity influence the functional structure of tree communities and carbon dynamics in Brazilian SDTFs. We sampled 78 plots (0.1 ha) representing three successional stages (early, intermediate, and late) across sites in the states of Minas Gerais, Bahia, and Paraíba. Carbon stocks were estimated using allometric equations, whereas temporal carbon dynamics were assessed in 54 remeasured plots. Carbon stocks increased along the successional gradient, accompanied by declines in stem density and community mean wood density. Late-successional forests exhibited the highest carbon stocks, highlighting the importance of conserving mature forests for maintaining aboveground carbon stocks and mitigating climate change. In contrast, aridity had no direct effect on mean structural and functional attributes but significantly reduced carbon gains and net carbon change, particularly in advanced successional stages. Carbon losses were negatively influenced by soil water-holding capacity and by temporal increases in community mean wood density. These findings indicate that secondary succession is the primary driver of carbon accumulation in SDTFs, whereas aridity mainly affects temporal carbon dynamics. Increasing aridity under future climate change scenarios may reduce net carbon accumulation and slow the structural and functional recovery of these forests.

Aim: We investigate the distribution of dispersal modes — endozoochory (via animal ingestion), synzoochory (via animal seed accumulation) and anemochory (via wind)—and seed mass of woody plants across Brazilian ecosystems, testing whether their relative abundance in local plant communities could be predicted by climate, edaphic factors and dispersal agents (e.g., the main vectors moving seeds). We expected climate to be the main predictor of dispersal strategy abundance. Location: Brazilian ecosystems (Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Caatinga). Time Period: 2004–2020. Major Taxa Studied: Woody angiosperms, trees and shrubs. Methods: We assigned seed mass to 1984 species and dispersal mode to 2203 species within 300 old‐growth and non‐flooded plots. We employed Random Forest regressions to assess the influence of water availability, temperature seasonality, soil fertility, wind and frugivorous primates on the community‐weighted means of seed mass and dispersal modes. We mapped predictions and estimated the area of applicability to identify regions where predictions were reliable. Results: Climate was the main factor predicting tree dispersal strategies, followed by dispersal agents or soil properties. Endozoochory was prevalent in wetter regions with high water availability and greater diurnal temperature range. Anemochory was more common in drier regions with low water availability, stronger winds and greater diurnal temperature range, whereas synzoochory was more abundant in areas with low temperature seasonality. Heavier seeds were more prevalent in regions with less seasonal temperatures, smaller diurnal temperature ranges and weaker winds. Main Conclusions: Climate is a key predictor of the distribution and prevalence of plants with contrasting dispersal modes and seed masses. We thus expect functional responses to environmental change associated with shifts in the relative abundance of dispersal strategies, with implications for ecosystem services. Our results also highlight the critical role of plot‐based datasets in improving our understanding of how environmental factors influence seed dispersal strategies across tropical ecosystems.

Veredas are hygrophilous communities that play an important ecological role but have suffered greatly from human action. Litter, a layer of organic matter on the soil surface, is an important bioindicator as it harbours a wide diversity of terrestrial arthropods. This study aimed to analyse soil macrofauna in veredas with different levels of dryness in northern Minas Gerais. Two areas were selected: vereda Almescla (preserved) and vereda Peruaçu (degraded). Sampling was carried out in 24 plots (10 × 20 m) per site, using pitfall traps. A total of 5055 Arthropoda individuals were recorded, comprising four classes, 20 orders, 89 families and 396 morphospecies. The most abundant orders were Hymenoptera, Blattodea, Diptera, Hemiptera and Araneae, with Formicidae, Termitidae, Cicadellidae, Sarcophagidae and Sciaridae as the dominant families. Feeding guilds included omnivores, herbivores, detritivores and predators. Overall species richness and total abundance did not differ significantly between preserved and degraded veredas. Arthropod abundance varied among vereda zones, with higher values observed in the middle zone. Ants were the most representative group, strongly influencing the higher macrofauna occurrence in Peruaçu due to their diversity and adaptability to environmental changes. The results suggest that environmental degradation, rather than reducing macrofauna diversity, favoured certain functional groups, especially herbivores and detritivores, which adapted to altered conditions. This indicates a restructuring of communities instead of a simple decline in biodiversity. There was no difference in arthropod community composition between veredas and zones, indicating the absence of structural changes in the community. The study highlights the importance of conservation and recovery actions to maintain vegetation structure and litter deposition, ensuring the preservation of soil biodiversity in threatened ecosystems such as veredas.

Detecting the growing season variability of terrestrial vegetation is crucial for identifying ecosystem responses to recent climate change at seasonal and interannual timescales. Plant material becomes litter through natural aging or physical damage and subsequently undergoes degradation via various environmental and biological processes. These processes are influenced by abiotic variations, such as photoperiod, variations in temperature and precipitation throughout the year, and variations in the water table level in flooded or flood-prone areas. Here, we determined the composition and dynamics of litter in a vereda (a hygrophilous ecosystem typical of the Brazilian Cerrado, characterised by the presence of the Mauritia flexuosa palm tree emerging in the wetter zones) and evaluated the relationship between this variation and abiotic variables. Thirty biomass interception collectors were installed in delimited plots. The intercepted litter was collected, weighed monthly, and stratified into the following fractions: leaf, stem, reproductive material, and debris. The deposition was compared for all months in two years (2019 and 2020), and circular analyses were performed to identify temporal patterns. To determine the influence of climatic and environmental variables on monthly litter deposition, we used multiple regression analysis. Litter production over the years varied among portions, with the leaf portion being the most representative material, followed by the reproductive material, stem, and detritus. The greatest litter production occurred from August to November, which corresponded to the last months of the driest period of the year and the beginning of the rainy season. However, neither for the total deposition nor for each stratum separately, the phenological pattern showed significant seasonality, but was related to the abiotic analysed here, mainly the water table level.

Nutrient concentration in the litter depends on surrounding plant density and floristic composition. Determining nutrient deposition across seasons and forest successional stages allows correlations that provide information on primary productivity and nutrient cycling during forest regeneration. This study was conducted in southeastern Brazil, using a chronosequence design in a tropical dry forest, where monthly litterfall was collected for one year. We separated the plant litter components and analyzed their leaf portion for chemical macro- and micronutrient composition. Concentrations of Ca, Mg, Zn, and Mn varied between successional stages. A cluster analysis revealed two large groups related to macro- and micronutrient deposition: one formed by intermediate succession plots, the other formed by early and late plots. Our results indicated small nutrient differences between successional stages in the tropical dry forest chronosequence. All the nutrients varied along the seasons and, for most of them, we observed an inverse relationship between nutrient concentration in the litter and total nutrient amount per unit area. The similarity in soil physical and chemical traits likely influences nutrient composition more strongly than floristic composition at local scales. The inverse relation between nutrient concentration and the amount of biomass is possibly related to nutrient absorption and retranslocation mechanisms.

Wood density is a critical control on tree biomass, so poor understanding of its spatial variation can lead to large and systematic errors in forest biomass estimates and carbon maps. The need to understand how and why wood density varies is especially critical in tropical America where forests have exceptional species diversity and spatial turnover in composition. As tree identity and forest composition are challenging to estimate remotely, ground surveys are essential to know the wood density of trees, whether measured directly or inferred from their identity. Here, we assemble an extensive dataset of variation in wood density across the most forested and tree-diverse continent, examine how it relates to spatial and environmental variables, and use these relationships to predict spatial variation in wood density over tropical and sub-tropical South America. Our analysis refines previously identified east-west Amazon gradients in wood density, improves them by revealing fine-scale variation, and extends predictions into Andean, dry, and Atlantic forests. The results halve biomass prediction errors compared to a naïve scenario with no knowledge of spatial variation in wood density. Our findings will help improve remote sensing-based estimates of aboveground biomass carbon stocks across tropical South America.

Cannabidiol (CBD), a key cannabinoid found in Cannabis sativa, has garnered significant attention for its therapeutic potential, including antimicrobial, antipsychotic, and neuroprotective effects. This study conducted an in silico investigation to predict the pharmacokinetic and toxicological profile of CBD, using molecular modelling and computational simulations. The results revealed that CBD has favourable properties for oral bioavailability, including moderate molecular weight and compliance with Lipinski’s Rule of Five, although its high lipophilicity (LogP) could limit absorption. CBD demonstrated a high ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, making it promising for central nervous system therapies. Toxicological assessments showed CBD to be non-carcinogenic and non-toxic to the kidneys or respiratory system. However, potential reproductive toxicity and interactions with hormonal receptors highlight areas requiring further research. Environmentally, CBD is highly biodegradable, posing minimal risk to bees and crustaceans, though its moderate toxicity to fish warrants ongoing ecotoxicological monitoring. Overall, CBD shows promise as a therapeutic agent, but certain risks require further investigation.

Water consumption by evapotranspiration (ET) of eucalyptus plantations is a concern widely addressed worldwide. However, in the semiarid region of Brazil, a region characterized by recurring water deficit, there is a gap in the knowledge on the effects of eucalyptus plantations on ET dynamics. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the ET rates of eucalyptus to native forests, savannas (Cerrado), dry woodlands (caatingas), pastures, and croplands in the Brazilian semiarid region (BSR). The methodological structure followed the use of remote sensing techniques and statistical tests. From the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, monthly and annual ET images for 2022 were obtained from the MOD16A2 product. The results of this study indicated that eucalyptus had significantly higher ET rates (Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the Dunn test; p-value 0.05) water consumption to eucalyptus. Worryingly, eucalyptus, as well as crops, maintained high ET rates during the dry season in the study region. These findings may inform water planning strategies in the Brazilian semiarid region, especially by indicating environmentally sensitive areas for high-impact eucalyptus plantations, where such activity should be restricted. Thus, this study provides substantial information for more sustainable agro-environmental development in semiarid zones.

Evaluating the diversity of multiple taxa is fundamental to understand community assembly and to assess the integrity and functionality of tropical secondary forests. In this study, we analyzed the natural regeneration of tropical dry forests (TDFs) in three regions of Brazil using Hill–Simpson diversity, abundance and β‐diversity of trees and five groups of insects (herbivores, fruit‐feeding butterflies, ants, culicid mosquitoes and dung beetles). Sampling was conducted in 39 0.1 ha plots using a chronosequence approach (13 plots in early, intermediate and old‐growth forests). We evaluated the contribution of three different levels to γ‐diversity: α (within plots), β ¹ (among plots) and β ² (among successional stages), and further determined the relative importance of turnover (species replacement) and nestedness (differences in species number among sites) to β ² . Our results showed that, unexpectedly, the Hill–Simpson diversity was consistently higher in early than old‐growth stages for all regions, but varied more widely in the intermediate stages. For each group separately, the same trend was observed for butterflies, ants, dung beetles and herbivores and did not differ among stages for mosquitoes. Successional differences in abundance were only detected for trees (increasing along the gradient) and for mosquitoes (decreasing). According to our expectations, the additive partitioning analysis showed that β ² ‐diversity contributed more to γ‐diversity than β ¹ ‐diversity, when all taxa were considered together and for most of them separately (except for butterflies and dung beetles). Most of the β ² ‐diversity was due to species turnover, but this contribution varied among groups and regions, with the highest turnover for herbivores and the lowest for dung beetles. Our results suggest that the Hill–Simpson diversity and changes in species composition (as given by β ² ‐diversity) are better indicators of forest natural regeneration than raw species richness, corroborating previous studies with plants and animals.