RESUMO
Macrobenthic organisms are useful bioindicators to assess ecological quality status. On the south-central coast of Peru (13°15.15'S, 76°18.5'W), a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) marine terminal has been operating since 2010. We investigated the macrobenthic communities and sediment parameters from 2011 to 2020 to evaluate the ecological quality status in the surrounding area of the marine terminal, using the AZTI Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) and its multivariate version (M-AMBI). We analyzed the diversity and community composition of macrobenthic invertebrates and the physico-chemical parameters of the sediment from 29 sampling sites, ranging from 0 to 15m depth. The sampling design considered: the direct influence zone ("DIZ", surroundings of the marine terminal), and northern (NCZ) and southern (SCZ) control zones. Our results indicated that abundance was high at SCZ and decreased with depth. Species richness and diversity were high at DIZ and NCZ, respectively, and increased up to 10m but dropped at 15m. High sand content was recorded in shallow depths, while in deeper areas and DIZ, mud and organic matter increased and redox potential was negative. AMBI indicated a "slightly disturbed" status in general, while M-AMBI indicated "good" or "moderate" status at depths ≤ 12m, and "poor" status at 15m. Overall, the season/year factor was not important, and variables were mostly significantly different across depths. Redox potential and organic matter were correlated with M-AMBI at 15m. In general, our results indicate an acceptable ecological quality surrounding the marine terminal, likely because the study area is not influenced by an important input of an anthropogenic stressor. This study highlights the importance of monitoring benthic communities in the surroundings of human-made structures and the use of ecological quality indices for understanding potential impacts.
Assuntos
Ecossistema , Gás Natural , Animais , Humanos , Peru , Monitoramento Ambiental/métodos , InvertebradosRESUMO
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been globally recognized as a major public health problem. A growing body of evidence has identified a significant relationship between living in a neighborhood of concentrated disadvantage and experiencing IPV. Considering the increasing rates of poverty and segregation registered in Latin American cities, research on the effects of segregation on IPV seems to be particularly necessary in the region. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the impact of economic residential segregation on physical IPV, exploring the mediating roles of social capital and gender norms unfavorable to women. This study used an original dataset in which women from five districts of Metropolitan Lima were interviewed. The results show that residential segregation indirectly influences on physical IPV through the considered mechanisms. In this regard, it was found that segregation increases the likelihood of prevailing gender norms unfavorable to women, and this in turn increases the likelihood of IPV. At the same time, segregation fosters the development of greater social ties among the neighbors, which in turn diminish the levels of IPV. Regarding the overall effect of segregation through both mechanisms, on average social capital is a factor of more relevance. The findings suggest that strengthening the informal networks among neighbors is a powerful strategy to reduce physical IPV in contexts of poverty and segregation.
RESUMO
A wealth of studies has indicated that greater cognitive ability is related to healthier behaviors and outcomes throughout the lifespan. In the present paper, we focus on objective numeracy (ability with numbers) and present findings from a study conducted in the Peruvian Highlands that examines the relations among formal education, numeracy, other more general cognitive skills, and a sex-related protective behavior (condom use). Our results show a potential unique protective effect of numeracy on this healthprotective behavior even after accounting for measures of fluid intelligence and potential confounding factors. These results add to a growing literature highlighting the robust protective effect on health behaviors of greater cognitive skills that are enhanced through schooling. Challenges for future research will be identifying the causal mechanisms that underlie these effects and translating this knowledge into effective interventions for improving health.