Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul

About: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul is a education organization based out in Campo Grande, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Species richness. The organization has 6903 authors who have published 9030 publications receiving 78977 citations. The organization is also known as: UFMS & Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul.

Determinação de teores ótimos de nutrientes em soja pelos métodos chance matemática, sistema integrado de diagnose e recomendação e diagnose da composição nutricional

Abstract: Several studies pointed out the promising use of nutritional diagnosis methods for the determination of optimum nutrient contents and critical levels in plant tissues. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare the optimum nutrient content for soybean, estimated by the Mathematical Chance (ChM), Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) and Compositional Nutrient Diagnosis (CND) methods. The optimum nutrient contents estimated by DRIS and CND where identical to the mean content in the reference population. Apart from the nutrients Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn, the optimum contents were also equal or in close proximity to the mean nutrient contents of the reference population by the ChM method. The ChM, DRIS and CND methods proved promising for the calibration of optimal nutrient contents for soybean based on data obtained from nutrient monitoring of commercial fields.

The integration of alien plants in mutualistic plant–hummingbird networks across the Americas: the importance of species traits and insularity

Abstract: Aim: To investigate the role of alien plants in mutualistic plant–hummingbird networks, assessing the importance of species traits, floral abundance and insularity on alien plant integration. Location: Mainland and insular Americas. Methods: We used species-level network indices to assess the role of alien plants in 21 quantitative plant–hummingbird networks where alien plants occur. We then evaluated whether plant traits, including previous adaptations to bird pollination, and insularity predict these network roles. Additionally, for a subset of networks for which floral abundance data were available, we tested whether this relates to network roles. Finally, we tested the association between hummingbird traits and the probability of interaction with alien plants across the networks. Results: Within the 21 networks, we identified 32 alien plant species and 352 native plant species. On average, alien plant species attracted more hummingbird species (i.e. aliens had a higher degree) and had a higher proportion of interactions across their hummingbird visitors than native plants (i.e. aliens had a higher species strength). At the same time, an average alien plant was visited more exclusively by certain hummingbird species (i.e. had a higher level of complementary specialization). Large alien plants and those occurring on islands had more evenly distributed interactions, thereby acting as connectors. Other evaluated plant traits and floral abundance were unimportant predictors of network roles. Short-billed hummingbirds had higher probability of including alien plants in their interactions than long-billed species. Main conclusions: Once incorporated into plant-hummingbird networks, alien plants appear strongly integrated and, thus, may have a large influence on network dynamics. Plant traits and floral abundance were generally poor predictors of how well alien species are integrated. Short-billed hummingbirds, often characterized as functionally generalized pollinators, facilitate the integration of alien plants. Our results show that plant–hummingbird networks are open for invasion.

Avulsive Rivers in the Hydrology of the Pantanal Wetland

Abstract: This chapter presents and discusses the avulsive nature of the Pantanal rivers and shows how the ever-changing drainage network influences the surface hydrology and ecology. Besides, the systemic portrait here outlined provides new insights concerning the Pantanal hydrodynamics, in its particularities and as a whole system. A simple model of the avulsion process is illustrated, and several realistic examples of the processes leading to river avulsions are shown and discussed. The north-to-south flood-pulse wave due to the presence of bottlenecks is further described in detail. This systemic approach allows identifying that the fluvial “avulsive and bottleneck” dynamics seasonally affects both local and regional ecohydrological processes. Moreover, it shows that avulsive processes are commonplace in Pantanal, and changes in land use, particularly in river headwaters in the highlands, accelerate the avulsions, making the sustainable use of the Pantanal lowland areas difficult.

Extending the constant power speed range of the brushless DC motor through dual-mode inverter control

Abstract: An inverter topology and control scheme has been developed and tested to demonstrate that it can drive low-inductance, surface mounted permanent magnet motors over the wide constant power speed range (CPSR) required in electric vehicle applications. This new controller, called the dual-mode inverter controller (DMIC) , can drive both the Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine with sinusoidal back emf, and the brushless dc machine (BDCM) with trapezoidal emf as a motor or generator. Here we concentrate on the application of the DMIC to the operation of the BDCM in the motoring mode. Simulation results, supported by closed form analytical expressions, show that the CPSR of the DMIC driven BDCM is infinite when all of the motor and inverter loss mechanisms are neglected. The expressions further show that the ratio of high-to-low motor inductances accommodated by the DMIC is 11 making the DMIC compatible with both low- and high-inductance BDCMs. Classical hysteresis-band motor current control used below base speed is integrated with DMICs phase advance above base speed. The power performance of the DMIC is then simulated across the entire speed range. Laboratory testing of a low-inductance, 7.5-hp BDCM driven by the DMIC demonstrated a CPSR above 6:1. Current peak and rms values remained controlled below rated values at all speeds. A computer simulation accurately reproduced the results of lab testing showing that the limiting CPSR of the test motor is 8:1.

Oil palm plantation is not a suitable environment for most forest specialist species of Odonata in Amazonia

Abstract: Oil palm monoculture is the most rapidly increasing large‐scale crop in Amazonia due to favourable environmental conditions and incentives from executives and governing authorities. In this study we assessed the effects of oil palm plantations on Odonata assemblages in Amazonia streams. We hypothesized that (1) the expansion of oil palm plantations over the natural landscape affects the habitat structure and physicochemical properties of streams at different scales (50 m, 500 m and 1000 m) and (2) oil palm plantations affect the species composition of Odonata assemblages, leading to the replacement of forest specialist species by non‐forest specialists. A total of 22 streams were sampled which were distributed throughout a landscape comprising areas of oil palm plantations Elaeis guineensis Jacq. to streams located inside large forest remnants. The expansion of oil palm monoculture affected the physicochemical properties of the water and habitat of the streams. A larger amount of woody debris was observed within streams surrounded by a greater amount of forest, whereas streams with a greater area of surrounding oil palm had higher pH values and anthropogenic infrastructures (e.g. roads). As expected, the Odonata community was affected by a replacement of forest specialist species with non‐forest specialist species. To mitigate this impact, we suggest increasing the area of native riparian corridors along streams that flow through oil palm plantations.