Z M Al Dhafar, M A Abdel Razik, M A Osman, M E Sweelam
{"title":"Toxicity and biochemical effects of four pesticides on honey bee, Apis mellifera under laboratory conditions.","authors":"Z M Al Dhafar, M A Abdel Razik, M A Osman, M E Sweelam","doi":"10.1590/1519-6984.290561","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1519-6984.290561","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The widespread use of insecticides can cause negative side effects on pollinators, resulting undesirable effects in crop productivity. So, this study was conducted to evaluate the toxicity and biochemical changes in honey bees, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) enzymes, treated with four insecticides i.e. lambda-cyhalothrin, hexythiazox, fenpyroximate and thiamethoxam under laboratory conditions. The obtained results revealed that thiamethoxam was extremely toxic to A. mellifera adults (LC50=0.006 ppm) followed by lambda-cyhalothrin (LC50=0.053 ppm) and fenpyroximate (LC50=2.29 ppm) after 24 h of treatment, however, hexythiazox was relatively less toxic to bees (110.09 ppm). The sub-lethal concentration LC25 and LC50 of tested pesticides, reduced the activity of AChE, GST, MFO and esterase's activities in honey bee adults, where, lambda-cyhalothrin and thiamethoxam induced the highest effects compared with other two pesticides and control. In contrast, the tested insecticides activated PPO enzyme at LC25 concentration, while PPO activity was reduced after treating adult bees with LC50. Lambda-cyhalothrin, thiamethoxam, fenpyroximate and hexythiazox disrupted the physiology of honey bees, thereby reducing the efficiency of this beneficial pollinator. Overall, the obtained results are valuable not only in evaluating the toxicity of common insecticides onto honey bees, but also in highlighting the validity of enzyme activities as appropriate indicators for exposure to agrochemicals.</p>","PeriodicalId":55326,"journal":{"name":"Brazilian Journal of Biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"e290561"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144112394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
F C Garcia, C F R Dos Santos, L Dos Santos, P R B de Miranda, Ê J Bassi, L Anderson
{"title":"Entomological study of Phlebotomine Sand flies in Maceió (Brazil): 2011-2020 analysis.","authors":"F C Garcia, C F R Dos Santos, L Dos Santos, P R B de Miranda, Ê J Bassi, L Anderson","doi":"10.1590/1519-6984.290425","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1519-6984.290425","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated the spatiotemporal distribution of phlebotomine sand flies in Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil, over ten years (2011-2020). Maceió, the capital of the State of Alagoas, has a tropical climate with significant seasonal rainfall disparities. Data from the Center for Zoonoses Control (CZC) were analyzed, revealing fluctuations in sand fly populations across different city areas. This study identified 20 sand fly species, and Lutzomyia longipalpis - a vector of Leishmania infantum, the etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis - found in 15 Maceió areas almost every year during the study period. The species Lu. intermedia, Lu. whitmani and Lu. migonei, which are involved in the epidemiology of cutaneous forms of leishmaniasis, were also found. Additionally, this study reports five species of phlebotomines found for the first time in Alagoas. Despite the high sand fly prevalence in certain areas, no correlation was found between sand fly abundance and climatic factors such as temperature and precipitation. These findings underscore the importance of continuous surveillance for leishmaniasis, given Maceió's high disease burden compared with that of other Alagoas cities. This study suggested that factors other than climatic variables may influence the sand fly distribution, highlighting the need for further research. Overall, this research contributes valuable insights into sand fly ecology and disease transmission dynamics in Maceió, serving as a basis for future studies and public health interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":55326,"journal":{"name":"Brazilian Journal of Biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"e290425"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144112204","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Z M Al Dhafar, M A Abdel Razik, M A Osman, M E Sweelam
{"title":"Effects of organic, non organic fertilizers, and selected novel pesticides on survival of two Entomopathogenic nematodes.","authors":"Z M Al Dhafar, M A Abdel Razik, M A Osman, M E Sweelam","doi":"10.1590/1519-6984.291916","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1519-6984.291916","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this study, the effect of six macro fertilizers i.e. urea, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, NPK, NP & DAP, and three micro elements i.e. Zn, Mn, and Fe at different concentrations as well as eight novel pesticides, thiamethoxam, spinetoram, azoxystrobin, chlorfenpyr, chlorantraniliprole, novaluron, lambda-cyhalothrin and avaunt at field recommended rate on two entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs): Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora were determined under laboratory conditions. The obtained results reported that S. carpocapsae was more tolerant to NPK; NP and DAP macro fertilizers than H. bacteriophora, showed the lowest mortality percentages (12.63, 9.47and12.63%), (15.79, 13.68 and 31.58%) and (20.21, 30.85 and 34.04%) at three tested concentrations (1g/liter water, 5g/liter water and10g/liter water), respectively. All tested micro fertilizers (Zn, Mn, and Fe) were lethal for two EPNs and induced 94.85, 100, 100 mortality % after five days of exposure. The morality percent increased as the concentration of fertilizers increased. With respect to tested pesticides, the mortality percentages of two EPN were ranged between 2.67-23.67% for S. carpocapsae and 3.33-18.33% for H. bacteriophora after five days of exposure. The tested macro fertilizers such as DAP, NP and NPK can be used safely at tested concentrations (5-10 g/ liter water) with Steinernema carpocapsae. All tested macro fertilizers cannot be used with Heterorhabditis bacteriophora. All micro fertilizers could be used with two EPNs. All tested pesticides can be successfully used for integrated plant protection systems. EPNs are tolerant to the tested pesticides and the tank-mix application is possible in most compounds except Lambda cyhalothrin which significantly reduced the virulence of tested nematodes.</p>","PeriodicalId":55326,"journal":{"name":"Brazilian Journal of Biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"e291916"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144111502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C N Queiros, J P A de Deus, A M P Dias, M L T Buschini
{"title":"Host-natural enemy communities in a changing world: The impact of forest loss on cavity-nesting Hymenoptera and their natural enemies.","authors":"C N Queiros, J P A de Deus, A M P Dias, M L T Buschini","doi":"10.1590/1519-6984.292217","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1519-6984.292217","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cavity-nesting bees and wasps provide important ecosystem services for humans. This study aimed to understand how the replacement of forests with non-forest habitats affects the structure and interaction network of cavity-nesting bees, wasps, and their natural enemies. From 1,536 trap-nests distributed across 48 sites, we collected a total of 541 built nests, from which 1,420 hosts and 254 natural enemies emerged. We found no significant differences in species abundance, richness, or diversity between forest and matrix environments. However, abundance evenness was higher in forests. Interestingly, host species composition differed between forests and matrix areas, while natural enemy composition remained similar. Similarly, network metrics did not differ significantly between the two environments. Despite this apparent resistance of cavity-nesting hymenopteran communities to forest loss, many species are highly specialized in utilizing wooded areas and are not adapted to other environments. As a result, we risk losing not only specific and rare species but also their unique ecological functions. We emphasize the need to include these forest-dependent species in more conservation plans, as most remain poorly studied, from basic aspects of their natural history to applied research on their ecological functions and economic relevance. Future studies should also investigate the potential unseen effects of host composition shifts and the increased dominance of certain species in matrix areas on biodiversity patterns. This could provide clearer insights for improving conservation and management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":55326,"journal":{"name":"Brazilian Journal of Biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"e292217"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144112367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M E A Almeida, V C S Amaral, T L Costa, K B Machado, J C B Bezerra, M C Vinaud, L Damacena-Silva
{"title":"Metabolic and behavioral effects of PHMB on Biomphalaria glabrata: a strategy for schistosomiasis control.","authors":"M E A Almeida, V C S Amaral, T L Costa, K B Machado, J C B Bezerra, M C Vinaud, L Damacena-Silva","doi":"10.1590/1519-6984.292826","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1519-6984.292826","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The snail Biomphalaria glabrata is an important transmitter of Schistosoma mansoni, the parasite that causes schistosomiasis. One of the strategies for controlling the disease involves interrupting the transmission cycle of the parasite by managing the host snail population. In a previous study, the sanitizer polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride (PHMB) caused mortality in B. glabrata starting at 1.6 mg L-1. The present study evaluated the activity of PHMB at concentrations of 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 mg L-1 through behavioral changes and biochemical biomarkers. The snails were evaluated every 24 hours for behavioral changes such as lethargy, mucus secretion, shell confinement, exposure of the cephalopodal mass, and lack of movement. After 96 hours, hemolymph was collected via cardiac puncture for analysis of glucose, total protein, urea, uric acid, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) enzymes, and organic acids involved in the glycolytic pathway, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and lipid and protein metabolism. The exposure of the cephalopodal mass with lack of movement showed the highest rates of behavioral changes, ranging from 72% to 95%. Additionally, exposure to PHMB resulted in the use of fatty acids and proteins as energy substrates. Our results suggest a continuation of studies on energy metabolism pathways as a promising target for controlling snail vectors of parasites that cause neglected diseases such as schistosomiasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":55326,"journal":{"name":"Brazilian Journal of Biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"e292826"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144112374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
E O Souza, M R Zeferino, L R Periard, L P Gonçalves-Junior, J G Vargas-Junior, P P Mendonça
{"title":"Performance of lambari-do-rabo-amarelo Astyanax bimaculatus (Linnaeus, 1758) fed diets based on adult black soldier fly meal: analysis of its effectiveness as a substitute for fish meal.","authors":"E O Souza, M R Zeferino, L R Periard, L P Gonçalves-Junior, J G Vargas-Junior, P P Mendonça","doi":"10.1590/1519-6984.292260","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1519-6984.292260","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study evaluated the performance of the lambari-do-rabo-amarelo Astyanax bimaculatus fed diets containing BSF adult fly meal, replacing fishmeal. Two hundred juveniles were distributed in 20 tanks, with five levels of substitution (0%, 12.5%, 25%, 37.5%, and 50%) for 45 days. The diets were isoproteic and isoenergetic, provided to the animals three times a day. The results showed that the increased substitution impaired the fish's performance, with the highest weight gain in the treatment without substitution (0%). Feed conversion, protein efficiency, and energy efficiency decreased due to the high chitin content of the adult fly. It is concluded that BSF fly meal is not advantageous for the lambari-do-rabo-amarelo.</p>","PeriodicalId":55326,"journal":{"name":"Brazilian Journal of Biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"e292260"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144112380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S Nikpey, B Rahimibadr, N Nozari, Shekoofeh Rezaei
{"title":"The effect of water scarcity on Iran's food security.","authors":"S Nikpey, B Rahimibadr, N Nozari, Shekoofeh Rezaei","doi":"10.1590/1519-6984.291705","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1519-6984.291705","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Water scarcity is one of the most urgent food security issues facing countries of arid and semiarid climate like Iran. This study examines the impact of water scarcity on food security in an era of climate change. Using the Iranian Statistics Center (ISC) data on food production, climate change variables, energy consumption, population growth and water use coupled with a simultaneous equations (3SLS) modelling approach, the impacts of water scarcity, are analyzed. The results show that water scarcity in Iran is a regional issue, mainly in eastern and central areas. This is reflected in the limited and uneven distribution of water resources, decline of surface water resources, depletion of groundwater resources, degradation of water quality and increasing water demand. Climate change has further aggravated water scarcity in several river basins in central Iran, resulting in the food security shortage due to fall in food production. The need for more research on improving water-limited crop production is highlighted, and emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary approaches to gain the insight needed to achieve new breakthroughs that would help in tackling this complex problem.</p>","PeriodicalId":55326,"journal":{"name":"Brazilian Journal of Biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"e291705"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144112390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
F Freitas, K Solera, L F Ferreira, L Y Sheng, M I C Moreno, M J Jacinto, L D Battirola, R L T de Andrade
{"title":"Use of Salvinia biloba Raddi biomass in the remediation of solutions contaminated by nanoparticles and silver ions.","authors":"F Freitas, K Solera, L F Ferreira, L Y Sheng, M I C Moreno, M J Jacinto, L D Battirola, R L T de Andrade","doi":"10.1590/1519-6984.283123","DOIUrl":"10.1590/1519-6984.283123","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The contamination of water resources by nanoparticles and metallic ions is a growing problem in the world, considering the increased use of these materials in various human activities. This study evaluated the use of biomass from the aquatic macrophyte Salvinia biloba as a biosorbent for nanoparticles (Ag0NPs) and silver ions (Ag+) in aqueous solution, for environmental remediation purposes. The adsorption system was of the batch reactor type, varying the adsorbate concentration between 0.5 and 8.0 mg L-1 and the contact time between 5 and 1440 minutes. The mechanism of contaminant removal from the solution was analyzed using kinetic and isothermal models. Adsorption equilibrium occurred within 60 minutes. The removal efficiency reached up to 62.0% for the Ag0NPs. The equilibrium data showed greater correlation with the pseudo-first order kinetic model and with the Freundlich model for the Ag0NPs isotherm and Sips for the Ag+ isotherm. Biomass has surface groups of great relevance for the metal adsorption process. The results indicated a heterogeneous adsorption process with a predominance of surface interactions and favorable adsorption for both adsorbates. The study show that S. biloba biomass can be used as a biosorbent for the removal of Ag0NPs e Ag+ in the solution, emphasizing its potential use in the remediation of contaminated water.</p>","PeriodicalId":55326,"journal":{"name":"Brazilian Journal of Biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"e283123"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144112396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S P Gomes, G G Sousa, R S Barbieri, F H R Costa, H C Sousa, M V P Souza, G F Goes, A G Silva, P B C Cambissa, B Baldé, J M P Lima
{"title":"Yield of maize in an intercropping system with peanut under nitrogen fertilization.","authors":"S P Gomes, G G Sousa, R S Barbieri, F H R Costa, H C Sousa, M V P Souza, G F Goes, A G Silva, P B C Cambissa, B Baldé, J M P Lima","doi":"10.1590/1519-6984.291657","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.291657","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nitrogen fertilization can significantly enhance the productivity of maize and peanuts in an intercropping system. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of full, partial, or complementary substitution of nitrogen fertilization through intercropping with peanuts on leaf nutrient levels and maize yield. The experiment was conducted from February to May 2021, at an area belonging to the Universidade da Integração Internacional da Lusofonia Afro-Brasileira (UNILAB) in Redenção, Ceará state (Brazil). The experimental design was a randomized block design with five treatments: MP0 (maize intercropped with peanuts without nitrogen fertilization), MP50 (maize intercropped with peanuts with 50% of the recommended nitrogen dose), MP100 (maize intercropped with peanuts with 100% of the recommended nitrogen dose), MN50 (maize in monoculture with 50% of the recommended nitrogen dose), and MN100 (maize in monoculture with 100% of the recommended nitrogen dose), each with four replications. The results indicate that intercropping maize with peanuts improves the efficiency of nitrogen fertilization and land use. However, complete substitution of nitrogen fertilization in the maize-peanut intercropping system is not recommended due to the observed lower growth and yield indices.</p>","PeriodicalId":55326,"journal":{"name":"Brazilian Journal of Biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"e291657"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144082261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L C Pereira-Junior, G A Souza, L L Pimenta, F F Coelho
{"title":"Using the Google Trends tool to analyze searches for cyanobacteria.","authors":"L C Pereira-Junior, G A Souza, L L Pimenta, F F Coelho","doi":"10.1590/1519-6984.290864","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.290864","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cyanobacteria carry out processes essential to sustaining life on Earth, such as oxygenic photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation. However, the excessive growth of their populations due to eutrophication and global warming can cause serious problems for the environment and humans. Because of the importance of quickly monitoring information about these organisms, digital tools such as Google Trends (GT), which monitors and stores all search history, are very useful. This study was conducted to investigate the temporal and seasonal patterns of searches for cyanobacteria using search data stored by GT. For this purpose, 10 countries with access to the Google platform were selected, searches were filtered by the term \"cyanobacteria\" in english and official languages, and the data collected covers the period from 2004 to September 2021. Most of the selected countries showed temporal search patterns in terms of interest in cyanobacteria regardless of language, with Brazil, Canada, India and Mexico standing out. In terms of seasonality, the flow of research between countries in tropical regions is associated with the drier seasons, such as spring and fall. For countries in temperate regions, this flow occurs during the seasons when the temperature rises. The relationships of interest in online research may change as other topics become relevant, but this can be reversed if these relevant points are identified and excluded.</p>","PeriodicalId":55326,"journal":{"name":"Brazilian Journal of Biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"e290864"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144082259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}