Alberto Kioharu Nishida

The lunar-tide cycle viewed by crustacean and mollusc gatherers in the State of Paraíba, Northeast Brazil and their influence in collection attitudes

Traditional human communities have a wide knowledge of their environment. Collection of animals in estuarine and coastal areas are directly influenced by tidal cycles. The aim of this study is to evaluate the understanding of the tides associated with the lunar cycle held by people who gather crustaceans and molluscs in the State of Paraiba. The empirical knowledge of 20 crab gatherers and 30 mollusc gatherers was recorded through open interviews and structured questionnaires. The results showed that the gatherers have an accurate comprehension of tidal phenomenon based on their exploitation of natural resources, which perpetuates through generations.

Occurrence, population dynamics and habitat characterization of Mytella guyanensis (Lamarck, 1819) (Mollusca, Bivalvia) in the Paraíba do Norte river estuary

A survey of Mytellaguyanensis occurrence and population dynamics were performed in the Paraiba do Norte river estuary. The characterization and the influence of temperature, salinity and substrate, as well as the associated fauna and flora on the population were also examined. Mytella guyanensis lives buried in the substrate of the mangrove intertidal zone of the Paraiba do Norte river estuary, from the mouth to 24 km upriver. Average annual density of this bivalve species was 5.2 individuals per m2, with a predominantly aggregated distribution. The most frequent size was between 4.5 and 5.5 cm in length. Analysis of the substrate demonstrated the presence of two types of substrates in relation to the percentage of silt and clay and the water content. Besides interfering in the population density, the substrate heterogeneity may be a decisive factor in aggregation. Eight species of crustacean decapods and one bivalve species were identified as associated fauna.

Sistema de Informação Geográfica na Avaliação da Vulnerabilidade Física da Área de Proteção Ambiental de Tambaba-PB

A Area de Protecao Ambiental - APA Estadual de Tambaba esta localizada na Microrregiao do Litoral Sul Paraibano, abrange os municipios do Conde, Pitimbu e Alhandra. A area esta delimitada pelos divisores naturais do riacho aboclo e dos rios Bucatu, Grau e Mucatu que drenam a regiao, ocupando uma area de 114,46 Km². A metodologia consiste na atribuicao de valores ponderados para se avaliar a vulnerabilidade local com respeito aos temas Geologia, Geomorfologia (declividade), Pedologia, Clima e Vegetacao/uso atual do solo de acordo com a teoria da ecodinâmica (Tricart, 1977). Em seguida os valores de vulnerabilidade para cada tema sao integrados utilizando-se de uma formulacao matematica, gerando o mapa de vulnerabilidade do meio fisico com a utilizacao de tecnicas de geoprocessamento. Com a integracao dos mapas de vulnerabilidade para cada tema, verifi ca-se que na area de estudo, predominam fortemente os meios intermediarios com balanco entre as interferencias morfogeneticas e pedogeneticas.