$64 Million Fine: Brazil Targets Meatpackers Buying Cattle from Deforested Amazon
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$64 Million Fine: Brazil Targets Meatpackers Buying Cattle from Deforested Amazon

Brazil is taking a bold step in the fight against rainforest destruction, issuing $64 million in fines to several meatpacking plants. The companies are accused of buying cattle raised in deforested areas of the Amazon, which not only damages the ecosystem but also contributes to the further destruction of one of the planet’s most important natural resources. The decision highlights the government’s commitment to cracking down on illegal practices and protecting the region’s unique flora and fauna. The fine is part of a broader environmental and reforestation strategy, and could have a significant impact on the country’s meat industry.

JBS hit with big fine as Brazilian authorities crack down on illegal deforestation in Amazon

Brazil’s environmental agency IBAMA has fined cattle ranches and meat processing plants 365 million reais (about $64 million). Among the offenders was the world’s largest company, JBS SA, which was caught raising and buying cattle on land illegally cleared of forest in the Amazon region.

According to IBAMA, the agency identified 69 properties that sold 18,000 cattle raised in deforestation, and 23 meat processing companies that purchased the cattle in the states of Pará and Amazonas. The enforcement operation targeted violations of deforestation restrictions in the Amazon, focusing on monitoring the supply chain related to the production and sale of cattle that were obtained in violation of environmental regulations.

JBS denies the allegations that it buys livestock from areas identified by IBAMA. “All purchases cited by IBAMA were not made in embargoed areas,” the company said. In a statement, JBS stressed that its geospatial monitoring system ensures strict controls, allowing the company to avoid buying animals from farms engaged in illegal logging, which violates the rights of indigenous peoples, or located in protected natural areas.

Agriculture and the Environment: Agribusinesses’ Commitments to Protecting the Amazon Rainforest

Large-scale cattle ranching and land clearing for timber or soybean crops are the main causes of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.

These processes have a devastating effect on the ecosystem, threatening both biodiversity and the region’s climate stability. In 2013, in response to growing environmental concerns, several meatpacking companies, including major players in the industry like JBS, entered into settlements with prosecutors. As part of these agreements, they agreed not to purchase cattle from ranches that had illegally cleared forests or that had been blacklisted for environmental violations.

This collaboration between businesses and governments is an important step in efforts to combat illegal deforestation. But achieving significant results requires not only compliance with agreements, but also transparency in supply chains. JBS and more than a dozen other large agribusinesses have also committed to eliminating deforestation from their supply chains by 2025. This commitment includes not only direct suppliers, but also indirect ones who sell to middlemen, who sell to meat packers.

This decision is part of a broader strategy to protect the environment and promote sustainable agriculture. Agricultural companies understand that in order to preserve the ecosystem and achieve long-term sustainability, they need to implement practices that minimize their ecological footprint. An important step in this direction will be the creation of effective monitoring and management systems that will allow monitoring compliance with environmental standards at all levels of the supply chain. This is the only way to stop further deforestation and preserve the unique natural heritage of the Amazon for future generations.

The Gazelle Antelope is on the Brink of Extinction: Environmentalists Sound the Alarm
Initiatives
GGH

The Gazelle Antelope is on the Brink of Extinction: Environmentalists Sound the Alarm

The Mongolian gazelle, a dzeren antelope native to Central Asia including Mongolia, China and Russia, is on the brink of extinction. This graceful species, known for its incredible endurance and ability to survive in the harsh conditions of the steppes and deserts, is threatened with extinction due to a number of factors. Environmentalists are sounding the alarm, realizing that without urgent measures, the population of dzerens may disappear forever.

Reasons for population decline

One of the main reasons for the sharp decline in the number of dzerens is the loss of their natural habitat. The gradual development of steppe areas for agricultural purposes and construction deprives dzerens of their usual pastures and places for migration. This is especially important, since dzerens annually make mass migrations in search of food and water, and any obstacle in their path can be fatal for them.

Climate change also plays a role in the decline of these animals. Harsh winters with deep snow that prevents access to grass, as well as dry summers, make survival extremely difficult for dzerens. In recent decades, these natural phenomena have become more frequent and intense, which further aggravates the situation.

Poaching also affects the population of dzerens. Despite conservation measures, illegal hunting of these antelopes remains a widespread problem. Poachers hunt dzerens for meat and skins, which leads to a sharp reduction in their numbers in some regions.

Environmental measures and rescue programs

In response to the critical situation of the dzeren antelope, international and national conservation organizations are developing programs to protect it. One of the most important measures is the creation of protected natural zones where dzerens can freely migrate and find safe places to reproduce. Several reserves have already been created in Mongolia and China, but these measures are not enough to fully restore the population.

An important step is the fight against poaching. In a number of regions, tough measures have been introduced against illegal hunting, including increased patrolling of territories and tougher penalties. The introduction of modern technologies, such as drones and surveillance cameras, helps to monitor remote areas where poachers previously operated with impunity.

In addition, environmentalists are actively engaged in educating the local population, explaining the importance of preserving dzerens for the ecosystem. Dzerens are an important link in the food chain, and their disappearance can affect other species of animals, including predators.

The situation with the dzeren antelope is extremely alarming, and only coordinated actions by environmentalists, governments and local populations can save this unique species from extinction. Protection of natural areas, the fight against poaching and climate measures can be the steps that will give the dzeren a chance to survive and preserve their place in the ecosystems of Central Asia.

The Power of Nature: How Dead Leaves in the Sea Help Produce Oxygen
CO2
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The Power of Nature: How Dead Leaves in the Sea Help Produce Oxygen

Dead leaves falling into sea waters trigger an amazing process that turns them into valuable biological fertilizer. This natural composting process not only helps decompose plant material, but also helps produce oxygen, which is essential for the ocean ecosystem. Dead leaves thus become key elements in maintaining marine life, ensuring the health of aquatic ecosystems and promoting a sustainable balance of nature.

Underwater composts of the Mediterranean: carbon fluxes and photosynthetic activity of Posidonia

Scientists from the University of Liege (Belgium) have investigated the fate of material produced in Posidonia seagrass meadow ecosystems. The study, conducted in the Mediterranean Sea as part of the STARESO project, shows that dead leaves, known as Neptune grass, accumulate in shallow waters where they decompose through a process called composting, restoring organic matter. This process plays a previously underestimated role in carbon flows in Mediterranean coastal ecosystems.

Surprisingly, in addition to carbon dioxide emissions, oxygen production was also recorded. This is due to the presence of photosynthetic organisms living in the marine compost, which significantly distinguishes it from compost formed on land. The results of the study were published in the journal Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science.

Posidonia, the flowering plant that has become a symbol of the Mediterranean and is known as Neptune’s grass, forms vast underwater meadows in shallow waters less than 40 metres deep. “This land plant, which recolonised the ocean environment a few million years ago, is a bit of an evolutionary surprise,” explains Alberto Borges, an oceanographer at ULiège. “Like many land plants in our region, Posidonia loses its old leaves in autumn. These dead leaves accumulate as litter, just as they do at the base of trees, forming large clumps around the sea grass meadows.”

These massive accumulations of fallen Posidonia leaves, their decomposition and transformation processes attracted the attention of scientists who went to the oceanographic station STARESO in Calvi (Corsica). Here they conducted a study dedicated to the study of the primary production and decomposition of organic matter in the remains of sea grass in order to better understand the processes of transformation of organic matter in the underwater meadows of the Mediterranean Sea.

“The organic matter in the litter decomposes, releasing nutrients and carbon dioxide, just like compost in a garden,” comments Gilles Lepoint. “These layers accumulate in sunny, open areas.”

“Any gardener knows that plants need light and nutrients to grow. Based on this principle, we conducted our study and made a surprising discovery: oxygen production was detected in the litter, which seemed dead and inert. This turned out to be the result of photosynthetic activity of macroalgae, detached shoots of Posidonia from nearby meadows and microscopic diatoms present in the litter,” the researchers explained.

In conclusion, it can be noted that in the nutrient medium created by the litter, all living plants associated with it actively develop and participate in photosynthesis. Although they produce oxygen, its quantity is insufficient to compensate for the volume absorbed during the decomposition of dead leaves. Therefore, such accumulations remain net consumers of oxygen and continue to act as sources of CO2 emissions, similar to the processes in above-ground composts and litters.

The second conclusion of the study was unexpected for the scientists. “We thought that the litter of Posidonia decomposed quite quickly, but this study showed the opposite, based on the data on the loss of litter mass – the decomposition process is slower,” explains Alberto Borges. “We used short-term (one day) incubations with very precise measurements of oxygen levels to study respiration.” These data provided a more precise estimate, which was lower than the values ​​obtained by long-term observations of mass loss (over several months). This discovery may revise current carbon balance calculations for such ecosystems, which until now have been based on traditional methods.

Exploring the depths: the role of Posidonia in supporting life on rocky sites and their mutual influence

During the study, the scientists also looked at the primary production and breakdown of organic matter by macroalgae growing on rocky areas adjacent to the Posidonia meadows. “We hypothesized that there might be some interaction between these two systems, which at first glance appear to be isolated and independent. And again, the result was unexpected,” says Willy Champenois.

“Despite the ability of these macroalgae to photosynthesize, they turned out to be net consumers of oxygen, rather than producers, as we expected. This suggests that the bacteria and invertebrates living among the algae use more oxygen than the algae themselves are able to create. Therefore, we can conclude that additional organic matter comes from some external source, supporting this process,” the researchers explain.

Using mass balance calculations, the scientists determined that the excess organic matter most likely comes from the Posidonia, a process that occurs through the diffusion of dissolved organic molecules that move from underwater seagrass meadows and their litter to adjacent rocky areas.

In summary, it can be concluded that a two-way exchange occurs between the macroalgae on the rocks and the Posidonia meadows. The macroalgae, detaching from the rocks, can settle in the Posidonia litter, thereby facilitating primary production in these areas. At the same time, the sea grass supplies the rocky areas with organic molecules, which the bacteria living among the macroalgae effectively assimilate. Thus, both ecosystems are interconnected and benefit each other.

This study opens up new horizons in the quantification and analysis of the organic carbon balance in the underwater meadows of Posidonia seagrass located in the Gulf of Calvi. Since the 1980s, this region has been under the close attention of oceanographers and marine biologists from the University of Liège, who carry out their research, including with the help of the marine research station STARESO.