Chironomidae has been used as climate proxy in Europe and North America, particularly in temperate lakes. However, attempts in the Southern Hemisphere remains extremely limited. In Brazil, this study represents the first attempt to establish Chironomidae as a climate proxy, while combining total head capsule counts retrieved from a dated sediment core with environmental variables, including air temperature, precipitation, sea-level rise, extreme rainfall, geochemistry, among others. In this case, we have retrieved a 66cm-sediment core from a mangrove site at Ilha Grande Island (Rio de Janeiro State/Southeast Brazil). Half of the core was used for Chironomidae identification and counts, and the other half for 210Pb dating and elemental analysis. Our results showed significant correlation between (r = 0.83; p = 0.0014) Chironomidae and air temperature and Chironomidae and de Martone Index (climate index). Chironomidae abundance increased gradually from mid-1970s to 2020. Between 2022 and 2024 we observed an exponential surge, accompanying recent. Extreme rainfall events and a warmer condition. Such events may rework sediments in the mangrove environment, enhance nutrient availability, boost primary productivity and support higher zooplankton abundance and make a favorable condition to the increase of Chironomidae. Our finding in Brazil aligns with other tropical studies in Latin America using Chironomidae as a climate proxy, demonstrating the reliability of Ilha Grande Island mangrove records for reconstructing past climate and associated environmental changes.

Since the 1980´s decade Antarctica has been experiencing enhanced westerly winds. The cause of this phenomenon is frequently attributed to the positive phase of the SAM (Southern Annular Mode - that is an index corresponding to the dynamics of a belt of low-pressure systems surrounding Antarctica moving north or south along the time), the ozone depletion in the stratosphere and probably a manifestation of the modern high levels of the atmospheric GHG (greenhouse gases). Recent publications realize that these enhanced winds have important implications to marine and terrestrial life in Antarctica. Among them, we may cite changes in bird migration patterns and foraging and landing at their cliff nests. In this work we present the record of the southernmost watching of the Antarctic petrel (Thalassoica antarctica) at latitude 84oS (Criosfera 1 remote Brazilian laboratory) in December 2022. In this case there was a very clear association of the bird watching with an abrupt change in wind direction during the migration of a cyclone system at the Weddell Sea sector.