Journal Information

Most cited

287
Fundão tailings dam failures: the environment tragedy of the largest technological disaster of Brazilian mining in global context
Flávio Fonseca do Carmo, Luciana Hiromi Yoshino Kamino, Rogério Tobias Junior, Iara Christina de Campos, Felipe Fonseca do Carmo, Guilherme Silvino, Kenedy Junio da Silva Xavier de Castro, Mateus Leite Mauro, ... Carlos Eduardo Ferreira Pinto
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:145-51
287
Highlights

  • The collapse of the Fundão dam was the major environmental disaster of the world mining industry.

  • We identify with high resolution satellite images the ecosystems and cultural heritage damage.

  • Contrary to post-disaster expectations, there was a setback in environmental legal planning.

Open access
98
Ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change: concept, scalability and a role for conservation science
Fabio Rubio Scarano
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:65-73
98
Highlights

  • Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) promotes conservation while alleviating poverty and removing GHG.

  • EbA is a policy mix that integrates development and environmental policies.

  • It triggers adaptive transition, a key step towards sustainability transitions.

  • Conservation science can boost EbA by looking into coupled human-natural systems.

  • Brazil´s policy setting favors what is possibly the planet´s largest EbA program.

Open access
84
Ecosystems as infrastructure
José Maria Cardoso da Silva, Emily Wheeler
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:32-5
84
Highlights

  • The concept of ecosystems as infrastructure is reviewed.

  • The terms green, ecological, natural, and blue have been used in the literature.

  • Green infrastructure is the most commonly used name.

  • A more inclusive concept for green infrastructure is proposed.

  • Design principles for green infrastructure at all spatial scales are suggested.

Open access
74
Dismantling Brazil's science threatens global biodiversity heritage
G. Wilson Fernandes, Mariana M. Vale, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Mercedes M.C. Bustamante, Carlos E.V. Grelle, Helena Godoy Bergallo, William E. Magnusson, Alberto Akama, ... Valério D. Pillar
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:239-43
74
Highlights

  • Robust information on biodiversity patterns and trends is important for public policies for nature conservation and sustainable development.

  • Current Brazilian policy of cuts in science puts research programs and long term monitoring of biodiversity at risk.

  • Reduced spending will have long-term negative impacts on capacity building in science and technology.

  • Cuts will reduce Brazil's capability to predict, mitigate negative impacts of, and adapt to global environmental changes.

  • Cuts will result in less effective and efficient conservation strategies, threatening ecosystem services and human well-being, and in failure to reach the National Targets for Biodiversity 2011–2020.

Open access
71
Introducing digital cameras to monitor plant phenology in the tropics: applications for conservation
Bruna Alberton, Ricardo da S. Torres, Leonardo F. Cancian, Bruno D. Borges, Jurandy Almeida, Greice C. Mariano, Jefersson dos Santos, Leonor Patricia Cerdeira Morellato
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:82-90
71
Highlights

  • Leaf phenology monitoring using digital cameras in tropical vegetation.

  • Digital images can track temporal changes in the vegetation structure.

  • Phenocams are potential tools for conservation biology.

  • Phenocams for tropical phenology monitoring are a promising research field in Brazil.

Open access
63
Positive responses of flower visiting bees to landscape heterogeneity depend on functional connectivity levels
Danilo Boscolo, Paola Mandetta Tokumoto, Patrícia Alves Ferreira, John Wesley Ribeiro, Juliana Silveira dos Santos
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:18-24
63
Highlights

  • Land changes can hinder landscape-level pollination through bee species loss.

  • Bees were more diverse at functionally connected and highly heterogeneous landscapes.

  • We propose non-linear effects of heterogeneity and functional connectivity on bees.

  • Proper landscape-level bee pollination needs interspersed high quality environments.

Open access
53
A review of a multispecies reintroduction to restore a large ecosystem: The Iberá Rewilding Program (Argentina)
Talía Zamboni, Sebastián Di Martino, Ignacio Jiménez-Pérez
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:248-56
53
Highlights

  • Populations of five species and a jaguar breeding program have been established.

  • High quality communication and learning from animals responses are lessons learned.

  • Importance of suitable habitat, long-term commitment and solid and flexible teams.

  • Iberá Rewilding Program represents a model for proactive conservation in the Americas.

Open access
51
Community-based population recovery of overexploited Amazonian wildlife
João Vitor Campos-Silva, Carlos A. Peres, André P. Antunes, João Valsecchi, Juarez Pezzuti
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:266-70
51
Highlights

  • Community-based conservation programs can be an effective tool to promote conservation.

  • Enforced hunting guidelines comprise a critical step in establishing conservation strategies.

  • Spatial zoning of harvest areas can become a window of opportunity to conserve iconic species.

Open access
46
Impacts of mining activities on the potential geographic distribution of eastern Brazil mountaintop endemic species
João Carlos de Castro Pena, Fernando Goulart, G. Wilson Fernandes, Diego Hoffmann, Felipe S.F. Leite, Natália Britto dos Santos, Britaldo Soares-Filho, Thadeu Sobral-Souza, ... Marcos Rodrigues
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:172-8
46
Highlights

  • We assessed the effects of mining on the distribution of mountaintop species.

  • Mining impacts more than 40% of the suitable habitat for 13 bird and anuran species.

  • Mining impacts areas estimated suitable for high richness of anuran and bird species.

Open access
44
Matrix type affects movement behavior of a Neotropical understory forest bird
Mariane Biz, Cintia Cornelius, Jean Paul Walter Metzger
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:10-7
44
Highlights

  • The predation risk was variable among the analyzed matrices (pasture, cornfields and Eucalyptus plantation)

  • Differences between matrices can be perceived by individuals who change their behaviors in order to maximize benefits and minimize risk at each environment.

  • The risk of predation can be reduced when the visual field facilitates the perception of fragments in the environment (pasture) or when the matrix offers resources and shelters (Eucalyptus).

  • Tortuous movements can either mean lack of direction (i.e. visual obstruction, cornfield) or resource utilization or pauses to avoid predators (Eucalyptus).

  • This study shows the importance of planning and managing matrices to reduce risks and favors landscape connectivity, especially around isolated native vegetation areas.

Open access
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation