Origins of the Rio Capim kaolinites (northern Brazil) revealed by δO and δD analyses

Deuterium (δD) and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) isotope data from the Rio Capim kaolin, northern Brazil, were combined with optical studies in order to better understand the genesis and evolution of the kaolinites. The results show that δ¹⁸O values from a lower soft kaolin unit range from 6.0‰ to 19.2‰ for Ka (size ranging from 1 to 3 μm) and Kb (size ranging from 10 to 30 μm) kaolinites, and from 15.4‰ to 24.9‰ for Kc (size < 200 nm) kaolinites. The δD values range from − 63.1‰ to 79.5‰ for the Ka + Kb kaolinites, and from − 68.8‰ to − 244.35‰ for the Kc kaolinites. An upper semi flint kaolin unit, dominated by Kc kaolinites, displays δ¹⁸O and δD values ranging from 15.1‰ to 21.8‰, and − 71.3‰ to − 87.4‰, respectively. Based on these data, and on the δ¹⁸O and δD values obtained for the surface meteoric water and groundwater, it can be concluded that the kaolinites are not in equilibrium with the modern weathering environment, but they reflect isotopic compositions of the formation time, probably due to the interaction with fossil groundwater. However, mineralogical contaminations derived from replacements of framework grains also had great influence in the isotopic composition of these kaolinites. In addition, the isotope values of the Kc kaolinites from the semi-flint kaolin unit is variable, which is due to the presence of Kc kaolinites of different origins, including kaolinites derived from the underlying soft kaolin unit, kaolinites formed during different phases of paleoweathering, as well as later phases of coarse-grained kaolinites formed along fractures. Due to these complexities, binary diagrams contrasting δ¹⁸O and δD values, worldwide applied for distinguishing supergenic from hypogenic kaolinites, as well as those formed under weathering conditions, can not be applied to interpret the origin of the kaolinites in the Rio Capim Kaolin.     

Applying SRTM digital elevation model to unravel Quaternary drainage in forested areas of Northeastern Amazonia

There has been an increasing number of articles stressing the advantage of applying remote sensing products of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) for rapidly enhancing the volume of geological data in Amazonian areas, where forest cover is dense and high, clouds are abundant and accessibility is limited. The majority of these studies has emphasized geomorphology as a tool for both discussing tectonic reactivations during the Cenozoic and reconstructing Quaternary paleolandscapes. This work applies Digital Elevation Model (DEM) derived from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) for delineating past morphological features under dense rainforest in an Amazonian lowland area. Previous use of this tool in southwestern Marajó Island (northern Brazil) helped to delineate, with exceptional precision, a paleochannel network hidden under the rainforest, which would be barely detected with other available remote sensing products. Fieldwork revealed that these paleochannels are related to palimpsest drainage systems developed mostly during the last 40,000 ¹⁴C yr B.P. Measured altitudes acquired during topographic surveys attested that paleochannel areas are slightly higher than adjacent floodplains. This fact determined the successful application of SRTM–DEM for mapping paleochannels in Marajó Island. Integration of SRTM data with sedimentological information collected during fieldwork suggests paleoflows derived from continental areas located to south of the study area. This paleodrainage was active when the island was still connected to mainland. With island detachment due to reactivation of tectonic faults, the channels became abandoned and were progressively forested. The results obtained in the present study indicate that SRTM–DEM has high potential for unraveling similar morphological features from many other Amazonian areas with low topography and a dense forest cover.     

Palaeoenvironmental control on modern forest composition of southwestern Marajó Island,Eastern Amazonia

This study focuses on a forested area from southwestern Marajó Island, mouth of Amazon River, aiming to analyse the relationship between plant composition and the latest Quaternary evolution of a land‐form with palaeochannel morphologies. A floristic survey aiming to characterize the inner and outer palaeochannel areas indicated similar phytossociological parameters. However, a large volume of species was exclusive to only one of these areas. Although the present‐day forest is fairly uniform, a significant variation in floristic composition was recorded according to differences in lithology, topography and hydrology. These were determined by the evolution of the physical environment associated with successive stages of abandonment of a large fluvial drainage system during the latest Pleistocene to Holocene. The results derived from this study indicate that reconstruction of a physical environment is an important parameter to be taken into account before establishing models aiming to explain the distribution of modern plant species in tropical areas.     

Mapping vegetation in a late Quaternary landform of the Amazonian wetlands using object-based image analysis and decision tree classification

Fan-shaped morphologies related to late Quaternary residual megafan depositional systems are common features over wide areas in northern Amazonia. These features were formed by ancient distributary drainage systems that are in great contrast to tributary drainage networks that typify the modern Amazon basin. The surfaces of the Amazonian megafans constitute vegetacional mosaic wetlands with different campinarana types. A fine-scale-resolution investigation is required to provide detailed classification maps for the various campinarana and surrounding forest types associated with the Amazonian megafans. This approach remains to be presented, despite its relevance for analysing the relationship between stages of plant succession and sedimentary dynamics associated with the evolution of megafans. In this work, we develop a methodology for classifying vegetation over a fan-shaped megafan palaeoform from a northern Amazonian wetland. The approach included object-based image analysis (OBIA) and data-mining (DM) techniques combining Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) images, land-cover fractions derived by the linear spectral mixing model, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, and the digital elevation model (DEM) acquired during the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). The DEM, vegetation fraction, and ASTER band 3 were the most useful parameters for defining the forest classes. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), ASTER band 1, vegetation fraction, and the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS)/Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) transmitting and receiving horizontal polarization (HH) and transmitting horizontal and receiving vertical polarization (HV) were all effective in distinguishing the wetland classes campinarana and Mauritia. Tests of statistical significance indicated the overall accuracies and kappa coefficients (κ) of 88% and 0.86 for the final map, respectively. The allocation disagreement coefficient of 5% and a quantity disagreement value of 7% further attested the statistical significance of the classification results. Hence, in addition to water, exposed soil, and deforestation areas, OBIA and DM were successful for differentiating a large number of open (forest, wood, shrub, and grass campinaranas), forest (terra firme, várzea, igapó, and alluvial), as well as Mauritia wetland classes in the inner and outer areas of the studied megafan.     

Multitemporal Landsat data applied for deciphering a megafan in northern Amazonia

In this article, we present a protocol for the recognition of channels and waterbodies and for estimating their hydroperiod to both characterize a megafan system in northern Amazonia and discuss its dynamics in the late Quaternary. Our approach is based on analysis of a multitemporal Landsat Thematic Mapper/Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (TM/ETM+) data set consisting of 13 scenes acquired from 2000 to 2009. The images were primarily preprocessed using standard techniques for geometric and radiometric corrections. Following numerous tests with the most common water classifiers, we determined that a simple threshold on an infrared band, which provided a binary image containing both water and non-water classes, would adequately meet the goals of this article. The sum of all 13 classifications produced a new image, the hydroperiod product, with pixel values corresponding to the relative frequency of standing water. The results indicate that there is no permanent drainage network in the Viruá megafan, which displays only temporary channels with medium flood frequency and palaeochannels. These are arranged as complex distributary networks, as is typical of megafan depositional systems. The southern part of the megafan contains distributaries that are seasonally flooded, while the central and northern parts display an increased volume of palaeochannels. These data lead us to conclude that the locus of sediment deposition along this megafan system changed from north to south through time.     

Biocomposite scaffolds for 3D cell culture: Propolis enriched polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers favoring cell adhesion

The objective of this work is generation of propolis/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) scaffold by electrospinning for 3D cell culture. Here, PVA used as co-spinning agent since propolis alone cannot be easily processed by electrospinning methodology. Propolis takes charge in maximizing biological aspect of scaffold to facilitate cell attachment and proliferation. Morphological analysis showed size of the electrospun nanofibers varied between 172–523 nm and 345–687 nm in diameter, for non-crosslinked and crosslinked scaffolds, respectively. Incorporation of propolis resulted in desired surface properties of hybrid matrix, where hybrid scaffolds highly favored protein adsorption. To examine cell compatibility, NIH-3T3 and HeLa cells were seeded on propolis/PVA hybrid scaffold. Results confirmed that integration of propolis supported cell adhesion and cell proliferation. Also, results indicated electrospun propolis/PVA hybrid scaffold provide suitable microenvironment for cell culturing. Therefore, developed hybrid scaffold could be considered as potential candidate for 3D cell culture and tissue engineering.