Sustentabilidade International Scientific Journal

Arecaceae in Brazil: A Critical Synthesis of Taxonomic, Ecological, and Ethnobotanical Research and Implications for Conservation

2026-01-31T22:12:59+00:00

The family Arecaceae Bercht. & J. Presl (palms) comprises one of the most diverse and functionally relevant groups of tropical angiosperms, playing a central role in forest structure and in socioecological systems across Brazil. This article presents a documentary and bibliographic review aimed at synthesizing the current state of knowledge on Arecaceae in Brazil and identifying patterns, gaps, and biases in scientific production. Literature searches were conducted in national and international databases, with taxonomic validation based on the official Flora e Funga do Brasil database. The analyzed studies were organized into four thematic axes: (i) taxonomy and biogeography; (ii) population ecology and biotic interactions; (iii) ethnobotany and sustainable use; and (iv) technological innovations and conservation genetics. The review indicates that Brazil harbors a high diversity of palms, distributed across all phytogeographic domains, with marked concentrations of research effort in taxonomic and floristic studies, which account for over 45% of the publications. In contrast, fewer than 20% of studies address population ecology using robust demographic data. Ethnobotanical research represents 25–30% of the literature but rarely incorporates quantitative assessments of sustainability, while technological and genetic approaches comprise less than 15% of studies and still face limitations related to field validation and practical application. Overall, the consolidation of knowledge on Arecaceae in Brazil requires stronger integration between classical botanical approaches and emerging tools to support evidence-based strategies for conservation and sustainable management.

Thermal Discomfort and the Precarization of Teaching Work in Municipal Schools of Eastern Manaus, Brazil

2026-02-01T01:40:39+00:00

Thermal comfort is a fundamental condition for human well-being, work performance, and health, particularly in educational environments located in regions exposed to persistent heat and high humidity. In equatorial cities such as Manaus, inadequate thermal conditions in public schools may contribute to the precarization of teaching work and to adverse health outcomes among education professionals. This study aimed to analyze the influence of thermal discomfort on teaching activities, health, and well-being of teachers in municipal schools located in the East Zone of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. The research combined long-term climatic data on air temperature and relative humidity (1992–2023), field measurements conducted in classrooms and outdoor teaching areas during October and November 2024, and semi-structured interviews with teachers. Thermal conditions were assessed using the Thom and Bosen Discomfort Index (DI), while qualitative data were analyzed through thematic content analysis. The results revealed recurrent and elevated levels of thermal discomfort in Manaus, particularly between July and November, with field measurements indicating DI values ranging from 25.7 °C to 30.6 °C. The highest discomfort levels were recorded during the afternoon period, affecting both indoor and outdoor school environments. Teachers reported negative impacts on health and work performance, including fatigue, headaches, respiratory discomfort, and reduced capacity to carry out teaching activities, especially among Physical Education teachers exposed to direct solar radiation. The study concludes that thermal discomfort constitutes a structural factor in the precarization of teaching work in public schools in Manaus. Addressing this issue requires integrated public policies focused on school infrastructure, preventive maintenance, climate-sensitive architectural design, and recognition of thermal comfort as an essential dimension of educational quality and occupational health.

Estimation of Biomass and Carbon in Urban Forests: Methodological Advances and Implications for Climate Change Mitigation

2026-02-01T01:51:07+00:00

As florestas urbanas desempenham um papel importante na mitigação das mudanças climáticas, atuando como reservatórios de carbono e fornecendo serviços ecossistêmicos essenciais em ambientes com forte impacto humano. Este artigo de revisão sintetiza e analisa criticamente os principais métodos utilizados para estimar a biomassa e o carbono em florestas urbanas, com ênfase em inventários de campo, equações alométricas, sensoriamento remoto e modelagem espacial integrada. A revisão foi realizada com base na literatura científica nacional e internacional, incluindo estudos prolongados em parques urbanos, fragmentos florestais e áreas verdes inseridas em matrizes urbanas. Os resultados indicam que os inventários florestais baseados na profundidade do diâmetro do cerne à altura do peito e da altura total das árvores permanecem uma referência fundamental para a quantificação do carbono, principalmente por fornecerem dados empíricos para ocultação e validação de modelos. No entanto, os estoques de carbono acima do solo relatados apresentaram grande variação, com valores abaixo de 50 Mg C ha⁻¹ em fragmentos urbanos altamente perturbados e acima de 100 Mg C ha⁻¹ em parques urbanos e áreas protegidas com maior complexidade estrutural. O uso de geotecnologias, especialmente LiDAR e radar de abertura sintética (SAR), ampliou a escala e a precisão das estimativas, permitindo a representação espacial dos estoques de carbono em paisagens urbanas heterogêneas. A integração de inventários de campo, sensoriamento remoto e modelagem espacial mostrou-se uma abordagem mais robusta para estimar biomassa e carbono em florestas urbanas, pois incorpora variáveis relacionadas à fragmentação e conectividade da vegetação. Concluímos que os avanços metodológicos nessa área fornecem suporte técnico relevante para inventários de emissões municipais, planejamento urbano e estratégias de mitigação das mudanças climáticas, destacando a necessidade de padronização de protocolos e fortalecimento de bancos de dados de longo prazo.

Taxonomic Diversity and Threat Levels of the Arboreal Flora of the Brazilian Amazon

2026-02-01T02:03:00+00:00

The Brazilian Amazon has one of the highest diversities of tree species in the world; however, knowledge of its flora is limited by significant taxonomic and geographic gaps. This study aimed to analyze the taxonomic diversity and conservation status of the arboreal flora in the Legal Amazon using official databases (Flora e Funga do Brasil). A total of 4249 tree species were recorded, with Fabaceae, Melastomataceae, and Apocynaceae showing the greatest species diversity. The states of Amazonas and Pará contained the largest datasets, indicating a sampling bias toward areas with stronger institutional infrastructure. A crucial finding was the high proportion of species classified as "Not Evaluated" or "Data Deficient," indicating a dangerous level of conservation invisibility. Nevertheless, species in high-risk categories (“Critically Endangered,” “Endangered” and “Vulnerable”) were found in all states, reflecting widespread human pressure across the biome. We conclude that conserving Amazonian flora requires urgent attention to gaps in risk assessment and to the integration of taxonomic data into territorial planning and environmental licensing policies.