Novel Weed-Extracted Silver Nanoparticles and Their Antibacterial Appraisal against a Rare Bacterium from River and Sewage Treatment Plan.

PubMed

Syafiuddin, Achmad; Hadibarata, Tony; Beng Hong Kueh, Ahmad; Razman Salim, Mohd

2017-12-26

This is the first investigation to demonstrate the use of biochemical contents present within Cyperus rotundus , Eleusin indica , Euphorbia hirta , Melastoma malabathricum , Clidemia hirta and Pachyrhizus erosus extracts for the reduction of silver ion to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) form. In addition, the antibacterial capability of the synthesized AgNPs and plant extracts alone against a rare bacterium, Chromobacterium haemolyticum ( C. haemolyticum ), was examined. Moreover, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICPOES) of the synthesized AgNPs were characterized. The smallest AgNPs can be produced when Cyperus rotundus extracts were utilized. In addition, this study has found that the synthesis efficiencies using all plant extracts are in the range of 72% to 91% with the highest percentage achieved when Eleusin indica extract was employed. All synthesized AgNPs have antibacterial capability against all examined bacteria depending on their size and bacteria types. Interestingly, Melastoma malabathricum and Clidemia hirta extracts have demonstrated an antibacterial ability against C. haemolyticum .

Novel Weed-Extracted Silver Nanoparticles and Their Antibacterial Appraisal against a Rare Bacterium from River and Sewage Treatment Plan

PubMed Central

Hadibarata, Tony; Beng Hong Kueh, Ahmad; Razman Salim, Mohd

2017-01-01

This is the first investigation to demonstrate the use of biochemical contents present within Cyperus rotundus, Eleusin indica, Euphorbia hirta, Melastoma malabathricum, Clidemia hirta and Pachyrhizus erosus extracts for the reduction of silver ion to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) form. In addition, the antibacterial capability of the synthesized AgNPs and plant extracts alone against a rare bacterium, Chromobacterium haemolyticum (C. haemolyticum), was examined. Moreover, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICPOES) of the synthesized AgNPs were characterized. The smallest AgNPs can be produced when Cyperus rotundus extracts were utilized. In addition, this study has found that the synthesis efficiencies using all plant extracts are in the range of 72% to 91% with the highest percentage achieved when Eleusin indica extract was employed. All synthesized AgNPs have antibacterial capability against all examined bacteria depending on their size and bacteria types. Interestingly, Melastoma malabathricum and Clidemia hirta extracts have demonstrated an antibacterial ability against C. haemolyticum. PMID:29278389

An ability of endophytic bacteria from nutgrass (cyperus rotundus) from lafau beach of north nias in producing indole acetic acid and in solubilizing phosphate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zega, Atriani; Suryanto, Dwi; Yurnaliza

2018-03-01

Endophytic bacteria have taken much attention for their potency to promote plant growth. This study was aimed to isolate endophytic bacteria from nutgrass (Cyperus rotundus) and to examine their potency in producing indole acetic acid (IAA) and in solubilizing phosphate. Isolation of endophytic bacteria was done by slicing and sterilizing root, stem, and leaf sample surface with alcohol 70% and sodium hypochlorite 2%, followed by incubation of the sliced samples in nutrient agar medium. Morphological characterization and simple biochemical tests were performed on bacterial isolates. All bacterial isolates were examined for their ability to produce indole acetic acid and to solubilize phosphate. Three isolates (AZ5, AZ12 and AZ6) out of fifteen indicated the ability to produce indole acetic acid and to solubilize phosphate. IAA producing test using spectrophotometry method showed that AZ5, AZ12,and AZ6 produce more IAA with concentration of 49,91, 48,18, and 44,45 ppm, respectively. Phosphate solubilizing test using Pikovskaya agar medium showed that the three isolates were able to solubilize phosphate with index of 6.27, 3,31, and 3.41 respectively.

Neuroprotective and cognitive-enhancing effects of the combined extract of Cyperus rotundus and Zingiber officinale.

PubMed

Sutalangka, Chatchada; Wattanathorn, Jintanaporn

2017-03-03

Currently, food supplements to improve age-related dementia are required. Therefore, we aimed to determine the effect of the combined extract of Cyperus rotundus and Zingiber officinale (CP1) on the improvement of age-related dementia in rats with AF64A-induced memory deficits. Male Wistar rats weighing 180-200 g were orally given CP1 at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg.kg -1 BW for a period of 14 days after bilateral intracerebroventricular administration of AF64A. Spatial memory was assessed in all rats every 7 days throughout the 14 day-experimental period. At the end of the study, neuronal density, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, oxidative stress status and the activation of MAPK cascades in the hippocampus were determined. Enhanced memory, increased neuronal density, decreased AChE activity and decreased oxidative stress status together with activated pERK1/2 were observed in the hippocampus of CP1-treated rats. These results suggested that CP1 might improve memory via enhanced cholinergic function and decreased neurodegeneration and oxidative stress. CP1 is a potential novel food supplement for dementia. However, further investigations on the subchronic toxicity of CP1 and drug interactions are required.

Bioactivity-guided isolation of anti-hepatitis B virus active sesquiterpenoids from the traditional Chinese medicine: Rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus.

PubMed

Xu, Hong-Bo; Ma, Yun-Bao; Huang, Xiao-Yan; Geng, Chang-An; Wang, Hao; Zhao, Yong; Yang, Tong-Hua; Chen, Xing-Long; Yang, Cai-Yan; Zhang, Xue-Mei; Chen, Ji-Jun

2015-08-02

The rhizome of Cyperus rotundus (C. rotundus) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine to cure hepatitis in many formulae, but the active components responsible for hepatitis have not been elucidated. According to our bioassay on HepG2.2.15 cell line in vitro, the ethanol extract of C. rotundus demonstrated potent anti-HBV activity. This current study was designed to isolate and identify the anti-HBV active constituents from the rhizomes of C. rotundus. Bioactivity and LC-MS guided fractionation on the extract of C. rotundus using various chromatographic techniques including open-column, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography led to the isolation and identification of thirty-seven sesquiterpenoids. Structural elucidation of the isolates was carried out by extensive spectroscopic analyses (UV, IR, HRMS, 1D- and 2D -NMR). The anti-HBV activity and cytotoxicity were evaluated on the HBV-transfected HepG2.2.15 cell line in vitro. The cytotoxicity effects of the isolates were assessed by a MTT assay. The secretions of HBsAg and HBeAg in the culture medium were detected by ELISA method, and the load of HBV DNA was quantified by real-time fluorescent PCR technique. Five new patchoulane-type sesquiterpenoids, namely cyperene-3, 8-dione (1), 14-hydroxy cyperotundone (2), 14-acetoxy cyperotundone (3), 3β-hydroxycyperenoic acid (4) and sugetriol-3, 9-diacetate (5), along with 32 known sesquiterpenoids were isolated from the active fractions of C. rotundus. Compounds 2 and 3 were the first cyperotundone-type sesquiterpenoids with a hydroxyl group at C-14 position. Nine eudesmane-type sesquiterpenoids (15-21 and 23-24) significantly inhibited the HBV DNA replication with IC50 values of 42.7±5.9, 22.5±1.9, 13.2±1.2, 10.1±0.7, 14.1±1.1, 15.3±2.7, 13.8±0.9, 19.7±2.1 and 11.9±0.6 μM, respectively, of which, compounds 17, 21, 23 and 24 possessed high SI values of 250.4, 125.5,>259.6 and 127.5, respectively. Two patchoulane-type sesquiterpenoids (4 and 7) effectively suppressed the secretion of HBsAg in a dose-dependent manner with IC50 values of 46.6±14.3 (SI=31.0) and 77.2±13.0 (SI=1.7) μM, respectively. Compounds 2, 8, 12, 15, 17 and 25 possessed moderate activities against HBeAg secretion with IC50 values of 162.5±18.9 (SI=13.3), 399.2±90.0 (SI=10.6), 274.7±70.8 (SI=5.2), 313.9±87.5 (SI=7.2), 334.0±70.4 (SI=9.9) and 285.3±20.9 (SI=15.5) μM, respectively. This is the first study to reveal the anti-HBV constituents of C. rotundus, demonstrating that the eudesmane-type sesquiterpenoids might contribute to the anti-HBV activity of the rhizomes of C. rotundus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Nutrient Characteristics and Nitrogen Forms of Rhizosphere Soils Under Four Typical Plants in the Littoral Zone of TGR].

PubMed

Wang, Xiao-feng; Yuan, Xing-zhong; Liu, Hong; Zhang, Lei; Yu, Jian-jun; Yue, Jun-sheng

2015-10-01

The Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), which is the largest water conservancy project ever built in tne world, produced a drawdown area of about 348.93 km2 because of water level control. The biological geochemical cycle of the soil in the drawdown zone has been changed as the result of long-term winter flooding and summer drought and vegetation covering. The loss of soil nitrogen in the drawdown zone poses a threat to the water environmental in TGR. Pengxi river, is an important anabranch, which has the largest drawdown area has been selected in the present study. The four typical vegetation, contained Cynodon dactylon, Cyperus rotundus, Anthium sibiricum and Zea mays L. as the control, were studied to measure nutrient characteristics and nitrogen forms of rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils in three distribution areas with different soil types (paddy soil, purple soil and fluvo-aquic soils). The variables measured included organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), hydrolysis N, available P and available K, pH, ion-exchangeable N (IEE-N), weak acid extractable N (CF-N) , iron-manganese oxides N (IMOF-N), organic matter sulfide N (OSF-N), added up four N forms for total transferable N (TF-N) and TN minus TF-N for non-transferable N (NTF-N). The results showed: (1) pH of rhizosphere soil was generally lower than that of non-rhizosphere soil under different vegetation in different type soils because the possible organic acid and H+ released form plant roots and cation absorption differences, and the OM, TP, TN and hydrolysis N of rhizosphere soil were generally higher than those of non-rhizosphere soil, and that the enrichment ratio (ER) of all the four nutrient indicators showed Cyperus rotundus > Cynodon dactylon > Zea mays L. > Anthium sibiricum. Available P showed enrichment in the rhizosphere of three natural vegetations but lose under corn, and available K, TK showed different ER in different conditions. (2) IEF-N CF-N, IMOF-N, OSF-N and TF-N of rhizosphere soil were generally higher than those of non-rhizosphere soil, but the TF-N to TN ratio in rhizosphere of Cyperus rotundus and Cynodon dactylon were lower than those of non-rhizosphere soil, and in rhizosphere of Anthium sibiricum and Zea mays L. were higher, the rhizosphere effect of different vegetations on the N cycle was significant difference. (3) the correlation between nutrient characteristics and nitrogen forms was evaluated to explore the influence factor for the N forms changing. There was a significant correlation between soil OM and four N forms, TP was significantly correlated with CF-N, OSF-N, TF-N, and soil available P content was significantly negatively correlated with IMOF-N, OSF-N, TF-N and TN. Our research could provide that the drawdown zone covered with Cyperus rotundus and Cynodon dactylon was better than Anthium sibiricum and Zea mays L. to improve soil N holding and fixation. The vegetation recovery in the drawdown zone should consider the rhizosphere effect of different vegetations on N cycle.

Mass variation effect of teki grass (cyperus rotundus) composite against tensile strength and density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rafiq Yanhar, Muhammad; Haris Nasution, A.

2018-05-01

The primary purpose of this study is to determine the tensile strength using ASTM D638 - 02a type IVB and density of teki grass (Cyperus rotundus) composite. The production process is carried out by mass variation of 2 gr, 3 gr, and 4 gr. Hand lay-up method with three repetitions is applied. Teki grass is chosen because it is easy to find and has some advantages biodegradable, harmless to health, available in large quantities, and cost-efficient. The test result showed the largest tensile strength is 21,61 MPa at 2-gram mass fiber. Fiber addition to 3 gram and 4-gram cause tensile strength decreases to 18,51 MPa and 11,65 MPa. It happens because the fibers are random and spread in all directions, so many fibers are undirectional with the tensile force. Beside that fibers addition made matrix volume reduced and a bond between fiber and matrix decreases, finally make fiber unable to hold the tensile force properly. It is recommended to use another type of ASTM D638 - 02a which has a larger narrow section like type I (13 mm) and type III (19mm) so specimens are not broken when removed from the mold, and there isn’t any decrease in tensile strength.Density test showed that fiber mass does not significantly affect the density.

Chemical investigation of Cyperus distans L. and inhibitory activity of scabequinone in seed germination and seedling growth bioassays.

PubMed

Vilhena, Karyme S S; Guilhon, Giselle Maria Skelding Pinheiro; Zoghbi, Maria das Graças B; Santos, Lourivaldo Silva; Souza Filho, Antonio Pedro Silva

2014-01-01

Chemical investigation of the rhizomes of Cyperus distans (Cyperaceae) led to the identification of α-ciperone, cyperotundone and scabequinone, besides other common constituents. Complete assignment of the (13)C NMR data of scabequinone is being published for the first time. The inhibitory effects of C. distans extracts and scabequinone on the seed germination and seedling growth of Mimosa pudica, Senna obtusifolia and Pueraria phaseoloides were evaluated. Seed germination inhibition bioassay revealed that S. obtusifolia (52-53%) was more sensitive to the hexane and the methanol extracts at 1% than M. pudica (0-10%). Scabequinone at 250 mg L⁻¹ displayed seed germination inhibitions more than 50% and radicle growth reduction of more than 35% of the test species S. obtusifolia and P. phaseoloides, while the hypocotyl growth of M. pudica was significantly affected (>50%) by the quinone at the same concentration. These results demonstrate that scabequinone contributes to the overall inhibitory activities of C. distans.

Identifying Chinese herbal medicine for premenstrual syndrome: implications from a nationwide database

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) occurs in women during their reproductive age with a quite negative impact on their daily lives. Women with PMS experience a wide range of physical or psychological symptoms and seek treatment for them. Chinese herb medicine (CHM) is commonly used for PMS and the goal of this study is to investigate the prescription patterns of CHM for PMS by using a nationwide database. Methods Prescriptions of CHM were obtained from two million beneficiaries randomly sampled from the National Health Insurance Research Database, a nationwide database in Taiwan. The ICD-9 code 625.4 was used to identify patients with PMS. Association rule mining and social network analysis were used to explore both the combinations and the core treatments for PMS. Results During 1998-2011, a total of 14,312 CHM prescriptions for PMS were provided. Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San (JWXYS) was the CHM which had the highest prevalence (37.5% of all prescriptions) and also the core of prescription network for PMS. For combination of two CHM, JWXYS with Cyperus rotundus L. was prescribed most frequently, 7.7% of all prescriptions, followed by JWXYS with Leonurus heterophyllus Sweet, 5.9%, and Cyperus rotundus L. with Leonurus heterophyllus Sweet, 5.6%. Conclusions JWXYS-centered CHM combinations were most commonly prescribed for PMS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first pharmaco-epidemiological study to review CHM treatments for PMS. However, the efficacy and safety of these commonly used CHM were still lacking. The results of this study provide valuable references for further clinical trials and bench studies. PMID:24969368

Identifying Chinese herbal medicine for premenstrual syndrome: implications from a nationwide database.

PubMed

Chen, Hsing-Yu; Huang, Ben-Shian; Lin, Yi-Hsuan; Su, Irene H; Yang, Sien-Hung; Chen, Jiun-Liang; Huang, Jen-Wu; Chen, Yu-Chun

2014-06-27

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) occurs in women during their reproductive age with a quite negative impact on their daily lives. Women with PMS experience a wide range of physical or psychological symptoms and seek treatment for them. Chinese herb medicine (CHM) is commonly used for PMS and the goal of this study is to investigate the prescription patterns of CHM for PMS by using a nationwide database. Prescriptions of CHM were obtained from two million beneficiaries randomly sampled from the National Health Insurance Research Database, a nationwide database in Taiwan. The ICD-9 code 625.4 was used to identify patients with PMS. Association rule mining and social network analysis were used to explore both the combinations and the core treatments for PMS. During 1998-2011, a total of 14,312 CHM prescriptions for PMS were provided. Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San (JWXYS) was the CHM which had the highest prevalence (37.5% of all prescriptions) and also the core of prescription network for PMS. For combination of two CHM, JWXYS with Cyperus rotundus L. was prescribed most frequently, 7.7% of all prescriptions, followed by JWXYS with Leonurus heterophyllus Sweet, 5.9%, and Cyperus rotundus L. with Leonurus heterophyllus Sweet, 5.6%. JWXYS-centered CHM combinations were most commonly prescribed for PMS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first pharmaco-epidemiological study to review CHM treatments for PMS. However, the efficacy and safety of these commonly used CHM were still lacking. The results of this study provide valuable references for further clinical trials and bench studies.

Impact of elemental uptake in the root chemistry of wetland plants.

PubMed

Aryal, Rupak; Nirola, Ramkrishna; Beecham, Simon; Kamruzzaman, Mohammad

2016-09-01

Plants play a key role in the accumulation of metals in contaminated environment. Ephemeral plants, such as cyperus vaginatus, from the family Cyperaceae have been used in constructed wetlands to alter the biogeochemistry of waterlogged soils. High elemental content in wetlands often induces chemical changes in the root, stem and leaf of wetland plants. Elemental uptake and possible chemical changes in the roots of Cyperus vaginatus was investigated and compared with plants grown away from the wetland. Among the 9 heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) and metalloid (As) measured, with the exception of Mn, all metals had higher content in the plant roots grown within the wetland. This was followed by plants grown near to the wetland that receive stormwater occasionally and then plants grown far from the wetland. The 3-D fluorescence spectra record showed notable differences in the chemical composition of roots grown in the three locations. The spectra combined with parallel factor analysis showed three dominant fluorescence components. Comparison of the fluorescence signatures showed a continuum of spectral properties constrained by the degree of metal contamination.

Investigation on Chinese herbal medicine for primary dysmenorrhea: implication from a nationwide prescription database in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chen, Hsing-Yu; Lin, Yi-Hsuan; Su, Irene H; Chen, Yu-Chun; Yang, Sien-Hung; Chen, Jiun-Liang

2014-02-01

Primary dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological condition, for which Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been widely used in addition to western medicine. The aim of this study is to explore CHM commonly used to treat dysmenorrhea in young Chinese women. Observational retrospective study. The National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Women aged from 13 to 25 years with single diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea. CHM prescriptions made for primary dysmenorrhea women during 1998-2008 were extracted to build up CHM prescription database. Association rule mining was used to explore the prevalent CHM combination patterns in treating primary dysmenorrhea. Prevalence and mechanisms of CHM combinations. Totally 57,315 prescriptions were analyzed and, on average, 5.3 CHM was used in one prescription. Dang-Gui-Shao-Yao-San (DGSYS) was the most commonly used herbal formula (27.2%), followed by Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San (JWXYS) (20.7%) and Wen-Jing-Tang (WJT) (20.5%). Corydalis yanhusuo and Cyperus rotundus were the most commonly used single herb, found in 33.1% and 29.2% of all prescriptions. Additionally, C. yanhusuo with C. rotundus is the most commonly used two CHM in combination, accounting for 14.24% of all prescriptions, followed by DGSYS with C. yanhusuo (10.47%). Multi-target effects on primary dysmenorrhea, such as analgesia, mood modifying and hormone adjustment, were found among commonly prescribed CHM in this study. This study discovered the potential importance of C. yanhusuo, C. rotundus and DGSYS in treating primary dysmenorrhea. Further clinical trials or bench studies are warranted based on the results. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A vacuolar H(+)-pyrophosphatase differential activation and energy coupling integrate the responses of weeds and crops to drought stress.

PubMed

Venancio, Josimara Barcelos; Catunda, Michelle Guedes; Ogliari, Juarez; Rima, Janaína Aparecida Hottz; Okorokova-Facanha, Anna Lvovna; Okorokov, Lev Alexandrovitich; Facanha, Arnoldo Rocha

2014-06-01

Cyperus rotundus L. is a C4 weed of large vegetative and reproductive vigor endowed with competitive advantages over most crop species mainly under adverse environmental conditions. Vacuole functions are critical for the mechanisms of drought resistance, and here the modulation of the primary system of vacuolar ion transport is investigated during a transient water stress imposed to this weed and to C4 crop species (Zea mays L.). The vacuolar H(+) pumps, the H(+)-ATPase and H(+)-PPiase, expression, activities and the energy coupling were spectrophotometrically investigated as key elements in the differential drought-resistance mechanisms developed by weeds and crops. In C. rotundus tonoplasts, ATP hydrolysis was more sensitive to drought than its coupled H(+) transport, which was in turn at least 3-folds faster than that mediated by the H(+)-PPiase. Its PPi hydrolysis was only slightly affected by severe water deficit, contrasting with the disruption induced in the PPi-dependent H(+)-gradient. This effect was antagonized by plant rehydration as the H(+)-PPiase activity was highly stimulated, reassuming a coupled PPi-driven H(+) pumping. Maize tonoplasts exhibited 2-4 times lower hydrolytic activities than that of C. rotundus, but were able to overactivate specifically PPi-dependent H(+) pumping in response to stress relief, resulting in an enhanced H(+)-pumps coupling efficiency. These results together with immunoanalysis revealed profiles consistent with pre- and post-translational changes occurring on the tonoplast H(+)-pumps, which differ between weeds and crops upon water deficit. The evidences highlight an unusual modulation of the H(+)-PPiase energy coupling as a key biochemical change related to environmental stresses adaptive capacity of plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vegetation Status of the Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India (April 2009)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Middleton, Beth A.

2009-01-01

The biodiversity of aquatic plant species may be reduced in the future by drought and/or climate change in monsoonal wetlands. After a number of years of low water levels, the aquatic vegetation of the Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, was assessed. Though likely reduced in areal extent, most of the aquatic species were found in locations in the park that contained the seed bank of aquatic species in the 1980s. Some of the species of concern observed included Cyperus rotundus, Nymphoides indica, Paspalum distichum, Potamogeton pectinatus, Scirpus tuberosus, and Vallisneria natans. While it is likely that the abundance of these species has declined over time, this cannot be determined quantitatively without detailed field studies designed to replicate the 1980s analyses.

Transition from wind pollination to insect pollination in sedges: experimental evidence and functional traits.

PubMed

Wragg, Peter D; Johnson, Steven D

2011-09-01

Transitions from wind pollination to insect pollination were pivotal to the radiation of land plants, yet only a handful are known and the trait shifts required are poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that a transition to insect pollination took place in the ancestrally wind-pollinated sedges (Cyperaceae) and that floral traits modified during this transition have functional significance. We paired putatively insect-pollinated Cyperus obtusiflorus and Cyperus sphaerocephalus with related, co-flowering, co-occurring wind-pollinated species, and compared pairs in terms of pollination mode and functional roles of floral traits. Experimentally excluding insects reduced seed set by 56-89% in putatively insect-pollinated species but not in intermingled wind-pollinated species. The pollen of putatively insect-pollinated species was less motile in a wind tunnel than that of wind-pollinated species. Bees, beetles and flies preferred inflorescences, and color-matched white or yellow models, of putatively insect-pollinated species over inflorescences, or color-matched brown models, of wind-pollinated species. Floral scents of putatively insect-pollinated species were chemically consistent with those of other insect-pollinated plants, and attracted pollinators; wind-pollinated species were unscented. These results show that a transition from wind pollination to insect pollination occurred in sedges and shed new light on the function of traits involved in this important transition. © 2011 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2011 New Phytologist Trust.

Nutsedge Counts Predict Meloidogyne incognita Juvenile Counts in an Integrated Management System.

PubMed

Ou, Zhining; Murray, Leigh; Thomas, Stephen H; Schroeder, Jill; Libbin, James

2008-06-01

The southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita), yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) and purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus) are important pests in crops grown in the southern US. Management of the individual pests rather than the pest complex is often unsuccessful due to mutually beneficial pest interactions. In an integrated pest management scheme using alfalfa to suppress nutsedges and M. incognita, we evaluated quadratic polynomial regression models for prediction of the number of M. incognita J2 in soil samples as a function of yellow and purple nutsedge plant counts, squares of nutsedge counts and the cross-product between nutsedge counts . In May 2005, purple nutsedge plant count was a significant predictor of M. incognita count. In July and September 2005, counts of both nutsedges and the cross-product were significant predictors. In 2006, the second year of the alfalfa rotation, counts of all three species were reduced. As a likely consequence, the predictive relationship between nutsedges and M. incognita was not significant for May and July. In September 2006, purple nutsedge was a significant predictor of M. incognita. These results lead us to conclude that nutsedge plant counts in a field infested with the M. incognita-nutsedge pest complex can be used as a visual predictor of M. incognita J2 populations, unless the numbers of nutsedge plants and M. incognita are all very low.

Nutsedge Counts Predict Meloidogyne incognita Juvenile Counts in an Integrated Management System

PubMed Central

Ou, Zhining; Murray, Leigh; Thomas, Stephen H.; Schroeder, Jill; Libbin, James

2008-01-01

The southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita), yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) and purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus) are important pests in crops grown in the southern US. Management of the individual pests rather than the pest complex is often unsuccessful due to mutually beneficial pest interactions. In an integrated pest management scheme using alfalfa to suppress nutsedges and M. incognita, we evaluated quadratic polynomial regression models for prediction of the number of M. incognita J2 in soil samples as a function of yellow and purple nutsedge plant counts, squares of nutsedge counts and the cross-product between nutsedge counts . In May 2005, purple nutsedge plant count was a significant predictor of M. incognita count. In July and September 2005, counts of both nutsedges and the cross-product were significant predictors. In 2006, the second year of the alfalfa rotation, counts of all three species were reduced. As a likely consequence, the predictive relationship between nutsedges and M. incognita was not significant for May and July. In September 2006, purple nutsedge was a significant predictor of M. incognita. These results lead us to conclude that nutsedge plant counts in a field infested with the M. incognita-nutsedge pest complex can be used as a visual predictor of M. incognita J2 populations, unless the numbers of nutsedge plants and M. incognita are all very low. PMID:19259526

Host Status of Seven Weed Species and Their Effects on Ditylenchus destructor Infestation of Peanut.

PubMed

De Waele, D; Jordaan, E M; Basson, S

1990-07-01

The host suitability to Ditylenchus destructor of seven common weed species in peanut (Arachis hypogaea) fields in South Africa was determined. Based on the number of nematodes per root unit, white goosefoot (Chenopodium album), feathertop chloris (Chloris virgata), purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus), jimson weed (Datura stramonium), goose grass (Eleusine indica), khaki weed (Tagetes minuta), and cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) were poor hosts. Ditylenchus destructor survived on all weed species; population densities increased in peanut hulls and caused severe damage to seeds of peanut grown after weeds. Roots of purple nutsedge left in the soil suppressed populations of D. destructor and root and pod development in peanut grown after the weed. However, nematode populations in peanut hulls and seeds were not suppressed. Some weed species, especially purple nutsedge which is common in peanut fields, can be used to indicate the presence of D. destructor in the absence of peanut.

Host Status of Seven Weed Species and Their Effects on Ditylenchus destructor Infestation of Peanut

PubMed Central

De Waele, D.; Jordaan, Elizabeth M.; Basson, Selmaré

1990-01-01

The host suitability to Ditylenchus destructor of seven common weed species in peanut (Arachis hypogaea) fields in South Africa was determined. Based on the number of nematodes per root unit, white goosefoot (Chenopodium album), feathertop chloris (Chloris virgata), purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus), jimson weed (Datura stramonium), goose grass (Eleusine indica), khaki weed (Tagetes minuta), and cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) were poor hosts. Ditylenchus destructor survived on all weed species; population densities increased in peanut hulls and caused severe damage to seeds of peanut grown after weeds. Roots of purple nutsedge left in the soil suppressed populations of D. destructor and root and pod development in peanut grown after the weed. However, nematode populations in peanut hulls and seeds were not suppressed. Some weed species, especially purple nutsedge which is common in peanut fields, can be used to indicate the presence of D. destructor in the absence of peanut. PMID:19287723

Monitoring and assessment of mercury pollution in the vicinity of a chloralkali plant. IV. Bioconcentration of mercury in in situ aquatic and terrestrial plants at Ganjam, India.

PubMed

Lenka, M; Panda, K K; Panda, B B

1992-02-01

In situ aquatic and terrestrial plants including a few vegetable and crop plants growing in and around a chloralkali plant at Ganjam, India were analyzed for concentrations of root and shoot mercury. The aquatic plants found to bioconcentrate mercury to different degrees included Marsilea spp., Spirodela polyrhiza, Jussiea repens, Paspalum scrobiculatam, Pistia stratiotes, Eichhornia crassipes, Hygrophila schulli, Monochoria hastata and Bacopa monniera. Among wild terrestrial plants Chloris barbata, Cynodon dactylon, Cyperus rotundus and Croton bonplandianum were found growing on heavily contaminated soil containing mercury as high as 557 mg/kg. Analysis of mercury in root and shoot of these plants in relation to the mercury levels in soil indicated a significant correlation between soil and plant mercury with the exception of C. bonplandianum. Furthermore, the tolerance to mercury toxicity was highest with C. barbata followed by C. dactylon and C. rotundus, in that order. The rice plants analyzed from the surrounding agricultural fields did not show any significant levels of bioconcentrated mercury. Of the different vegetables grown in a contaminated kitchen garden with mercury level at 8.91 mg/kg, the two leafy vegetables, namely cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and amaranthus (Amaranthus oleraceous), were found to bioconcentrate mercury at statistically significant levels. The overall study indicates that the mercury pollution is very much localized to the specific sites in the vicinity of the chloralkali plant.

Adaptation to flooding during emergence and seedling growth in rice and weeds, and implications for crop establishment.

PubMed

Ismail, Abdelbagi M; Johnson, David E; Ella, Evangelina S; Vergara, Georgina V; Baltazar, Aurora M

2012-01-01

Direct seeding of rice is being adopted in rainfed and irrigated lowland ecosystems because it reduces labour costs in addition to other benefits. However, early flooding due to uneven fields or rainfall slows down seed germination and hinders crop establishment. Conversely, early flooding helps suppress weeds and reduces the costs of manual weeding and/or dependence on herbicides; however, numerous weed species are adapted to lowlands and present challenges for the use of flooding to control weeds. Advancing knowledge on the mechanisms of tolerance of flooding during germination and early growth in rice and weeds could facilitate the development of improved rice varieties and effective weed management practices for direct-seeded rice. Rice genotypes with a greater ability to germinate and establish in flooded soils were identified, providing opportunities to develop varieties suitable for direct seeding in flooded soils. Tolerance of flooding in these genotypes was mostly attributed to traits associated with better ability to mobilize stored carbohydrates and anaerobic metabolism. Limited studies were undertaken in weeds associated with lowland rice systems. Remaining studies compared rice and weeds and related weed species such as Echinochloa crus-galli and E. colona or compared ecotypes of the same species of Cyperus rotundus adapted to either aerobic or flooded soils. Tolerant weeds and rice genotypes mostly developed similar adaptive traits that allow them to establish in flooded fields, including the ability to germinate and elongate faster under hypoxia, mobilize stored starch reserves and generate energy through fermentation pathways. Remarkably, some weeds developed additional traits such as larger storage tubers that enlarge further in deeper flooded soils (C. rotundus). Unravelling the mechanisms involved in adaptation to flooding will help design management options that will allow tolerant rice genotypes to adequately establish in flooded soils while simultaneously suppressing weeds.

Novel Food Supplement "CP1" Improves Motor Deficit, Cognitive Function, and Neurodegeneration in Animal Model of Parkinson's Disease.

PubMed

Wattanathorn, Jintanaporn; Sutalangka, Chatchada

2016-08-01

Based on pivotal roles of oxidative stress, dopaminergic and cholinergic systems on the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD), the searching for functional food for patients attacked with PD from Cyperus rotundus and Zingiber officinale, the substances possessing antioxidant activity, and the suppression effects on monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) have been considered. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of the combined extract of C. rotundus and Z. officinale (CP1) to improve motor and memory deficits, neurodegeneration, oxidative stress, and functions of both cholinergic and dopaminergic systems in the animal model of PD induced by 6-hydroxydopamine hydrochloride (6-OHDA). Male Wistar rats, weighing 180-220 g, were induced unilateral lesion at right substantia nigra by 6-OHDA and were orally given CP1 at doses of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight for 14 days after 6-OHDA injection. The results showed that the 6-OHDA rats treated with CP1 increased spatial memory, but decreased neurodegeneration, malondialdehyde level, and AChE activity in hippocampus. The decreased motor disorder and neurodegeneration in substantia nigra together with the enhanced catalase activity, but decreased MAO-B activity in striatum, were also observed. The memory enhancing effect of CP1 might occur through the improved oxidative stress and the enhanced cholinergic function, whereas the effect to improve motor disorder of CP1 might occur through the enhanced dopaminergic function in striatum by decreasing the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and the suppression of MAO-B. Therefore, CP1 is the potential functional food against PD. However, further researches in clinical trial and drug interactions are essential.

Endozoochory of seeds and invertebrates by migratory waterbirds in Oklahoma, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, Andy J.; Frisch, Dagmar; Michot, Thomas C.; Allain, Larry K.; Barrow, Wylie C.

2013-01-01

Given their abundance and migratory behavior, waterbirds have major potential for dispersing plants and invertebrates within North America, yet their role as vectors remains poorly understood. We investigated the numbers and types of invertebrates and seeds within freshly collected faecal samples (n = 22) of migratory dabbling ducks and shorebirds in November 2008 in two parts of Lake Texoma in southern Oklahoma. Killdeer Charadrius vociferus were transporting a higher number and diversity of both plants and invertebrates than the green-winged teal Anas carolinensis. Ten plant taxa and six invertebrate taxa were identified to at least genus level, although viability was not confirmed for most of these taxa. Bryozoan statoblasts (from four species not previously recorded from Oklahoma) were especially abundant in killdeer faeces, while the ostracod Candona simpsoni was detected as a live adult in torpor in the teal faeces. Cyperaceae and Juncaceae were the most abundant plant families represented and Cyperus strigosus seeds germinated after extraction from killdeer faeces. This snapshot study underlines the importance of waterbirds as vectors of passive dispersal of many organisms and the need for more research in this discipline.

Seasonality of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae in sedges in a semi-arid tropical grassland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muthukumar, T.; Udaiyan, K.

2002-10-01

Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) colonization and spore numbers in the rhizosphere of Cyperus iria L. and C. rotundus L., growing in a semi-arid tropical grassland, was studied during the 1993 and 1994 monsoons. In addition, climatic and chemical properties of the soils were determined in order to investigate their influence on mycorrhizal variables. VAM fungal association in the sedges was confirmed by plant- and root-trap culture techniques. The soil nutrients exhibited seasonal variations, but were highly variable between years. Intercellular hyphae and vesicles with occasional intraradical spores characterized mycorrhizal association in sedges. Dark septate fungi also colonized roots of sedges. Temporal variations in mycorrhizal colonization and spore numbers occurred, indicating seasonality. However, the patterns of mycorrhizal colonization and spore numbers were different during both the years. The VAM fungal structures observed were intercellular hyphae and vesicles. Changes in the proportion of root length with VAM structures, total colonization levels and spore numbers were related to climatic and edaphic factors. However, the intensity of influence of climatic and soil factors on VAM tended to vary with sedge species.

Adaptation to flooding during emergence and seedling growth in rice and weeds, and implications for crop establishment

PubMed Central

Ismail, Abdelbagi M.; Johnson, David E.; Ella, Evangelina S.; Vergara, Georgina V.; Baltazar, Aurora M.

2012-01-01

Background and aims Direct seeding of rice is being adopted in rainfed and irrigated lowland ecosystems because it reduces labour costs in addition to other benefits. However, early flooding due to uneven fields or rainfall slows down seed germination and hinders crop establishment. Conversely, early flooding helps suppress weeds and reduces the costs of manual weeding and/or dependence on herbicides; however, numerous weed species are adapted to lowlands and present challenges for the use of flooding to control weeds. Advancing knowledge on the mechanisms of tolerance of flooding during germination and early growth in rice and weeds could facilitate the development of improved rice varieties and effective weed management practices for direct-seeded rice. Principal results Rice genotypes with a greater ability to germinate and establish in flooded soils were identified, providing opportunities to develop varieties suitable for direct seeding in flooded soils. Tolerance of flooding in these genotypes was mostly attributed to traits associated with better ability to mobilize stored carbohydrates and anaerobic metabolism. Limited studies were undertaken in weeds associated with lowland rice systems. Remaining studies compared rice and weeds and related weed species such as Echinochloa crus-galli and E. colona or compared ecotypes of the same species of Cyperus rotundus adapted to either aerobic or flooded soils. Conclusions Tolerant weeds and rice genotypes mostly developed similar adaptive traits that allow them to establish in flooded fields, including the ability to germinate and elongate faster under hypoxia, mobilize stored starch reserves and generate energy through fermentation pathways. Remarkably, some weeds developed additional traits such as larger storage tubers that enlarge further in deeper flooded soils (C. rotundus). Unravelling the mechanisms involved in adaptation to flooding will help design management options that will allow tolerant rice genotypes to adequately establish in flooded soils while simultaneously suppressing weeds. PMID:22957137

Phytoremediation potential of indigenous plants from Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam.

PubMed

Anh, Bui Thi Kim; Kim, Dang Dinh; Tua, Tran Van; Kien, Nguyen Trung; Anh, Do Tuan

2011-03-01

This study was focused on determining Arsenic (As), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd) and Zinc (Zn) in 33 indigenous plants and 12 soil in-situ plant samples in Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam. The results showed that the soils of surveyed mining areas contained 181.2- 6754.3 mg kg(-1) As, 235.5-4337.2 mg kg(-1) Pb, 0.8- 419 mg kg(-1) Cd and 361.8-17565.1 mg kg(-1) Zn depending on the characteristics of each mining site. These values are much higher than those typical for normal soil. The heavy metal uptake into shoots and roots of 33 indigenous plant species was also determined. Two species of the plants investigated, Pteris vittata L. and Pityrogramma calomelanos L. were As hyperaccumulators, containing more than 0.1% heavy metals in their shoots. Eleusine indica L., Cynodon dactylon L., Cyperus rotundus L. and Equisetum ramosissimum (Vauch) accumulate very high Pb (0.15-0.65%) and Zn (0.22-1.56%) concentration in their roots. Additional experiments to clarify the potential of six these plants as good candidates for phytoremediation of heavy metal pollution soil are being carried out in our laboratory.

Dental calculus reveals unique insights into food items, cooking and plant processing in prehistoric central Sudan.

PubMed

Buckley, Stephen; Usai, Donatella; Jakob, Tina; Radini, Anita; Hardy, Karen

2014-01-01

Accessing information on plant consumption before the adoption of agriculture is challenging. However, there is growing evidence for use of locally available wild plants from an increasing number of pre-agrarian sites, suggesting broad ecological knowledge. The extraction of chemical compounds and microfossils from dental calculus removed from ancient teeth offers an entirely new perspective on dietary reconstruction, as it provides empirical results on material that is already in the mouth. Here we present a suite of results from the multi-period Central Sudanese site of Al Khiday. We demonstrate the ingestion in both pre-agricultural and agricultural periods of Cyperus rotundus tubers. This plant is a good source of carbohydrates and has many useful medicinal and aromatic qualities, though today it is considered to be the world's most costly weed. Its ability to inhibit Streptococcus mutans may have contributed to the unexpectedly low level of caries found in the agricultural population. Other evidence extracted from the dental calculus includes smoke inhalation, dry (roasting) and wet (heating in water) cooking, a second plant possibly from the Triticaceae tribe and plant fibres suggestive of raw material preparation through chewing.

Dental Calculus Reveals Unique Insights into Food Items, Cooking and Plant Processing in Prehistoric Central Sudan

PubMed Central

Buckley, Stephen; Usai, Donatella; Jakob, Tina; Radini, Anita; Hardy, Karen

2014-01-01

Accessing information on plant consumption before the adoption of agriculture is challenging. However, there is growing evidence for use of locally available wild plants from an increasing number of pre-agrarian sites, suggesting broad ecological knowledge. The extraction of chemical compounds and microfossils from dental calculus removed from ancient teeth offers an entirely new perspective on dietary reconstruction, as it provides empirical results on material that is already in the mouth. Here we present a suite of results from the multi-period Central Sudanese site of Al Khiday. We demonstrate the ingestion in both pre-agricultural and agricultural periods of Cyperus rotundus tubers. This plant is a good source of carbohydrates and has many useful medicinal and aromatic qualities, though today it is considered to be the world's most costly weed. Its ability to inhibit Streptococcus mutans may have contributed to the unexpectedly low level of caries found in the agricultural population. Other evidence extracted from the dental calculus includes smoke inhalation, dry (roasting) and wet (heating in water) cooking, a second plant possibly from the Triticaceae tribe and plant fibres suggestive of raw material preparation through chewing. PMID:25028938

GABAergic inputs to the nucleus rotundus (pulvinar inferior) of the pigeon (columba livia).

PubMed

Mpodozis, J; Cox, K; Shimizu, T; Bischof, H J; Woodson, W; Karten, H J

1996-10-14

The avian nucleus rotundus, a nucleus that appears to be homologous to the inferior/ caudal pulvinar of mammals, is the major target of an ascending retino-tecto-thalamic pathway. Further clarification of the inputs to the rotundus and their functional properties will contribute to our understanding of the fundamental role of the ascending tectal inputs to the telencephalon in all vertebrates, including mammals. We found that the rotundus contains a massive plexus of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)-immunoreactive axons using antibodies against GAD. The cells within the rotundus, however, were not immunoreactive for GAD. The retrograde tracer cholera toxin B fragment was injected into the rotundus to establish the location of the afferent neurons and determine the source of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inputs into the rotundus. In addition to the recognized bilateral inputs from layer 13 of the tectum, we found intense retrograde labeling of neurons within the ipsilateral nuclei subpretectalis (SP), subpretectalis-caudalis (SPcd), interstitio-pretecto-subpretectalis (IPS), posteroventralis thalami (PV), and reticularis superior thalami (RS). All the neurons of the SP, SPcd, IPS, and PV were intensely GAD-immunoreactive. The neurons of layer 13 of the tectum were not immunoreactive for GAD. Following the destruction of the ipsilateral SP/IPS complex, we found a major reduction in the intensity of the GAD axonal immunoreactivity within the ipsilateral rotundus, but this destruction did not diminish the intensity of the GAD-immunoreactivity within the contralateral rotundus. Our studies indicated that the source of the massive GAD-immunoreactive plexus within the rotundus was from the ipsilateral SP, SPcd, IPS, and PV nuclei. These nuclei, in turn, received ipsilateral tectal input via collaterals of the neurons of layer 13 in the course of their projections upon the rotundus. We suggest that the direct bilateral tecto-rotundal projections are excitatory, whereas the indirect ipsilateral projections from the SP/IPS and PV are mainly inhibitory, possibly acting via a GABA-A receptor.

Archeological Test Excavations at Eight Sites in the Lake Sharpe Project Area of Hughes, Lyman, and Stanley Counties, South Dakota 1987. Appendixes A-O

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-01

24 Sedgeor Grass Fam ily (Cyperaceae or Poaceae ) ............................................................. 26 Beeweed (Cleome...28 Grass Fam ily ( Poaceae ...Beeweed seed I Cyperaceae or Poaceae Sedge or Grass Family stem i 315 Cyperaceae or Poaceae Sedge or Grass Family stem 1 Z_ _ mays Corn cob 3 316

Structural variations among monocot emergent and amphibious species from lakes of the semi-arid region of Bahia, Brazil.

PubMed

Leite, K R B; França, F; Scatena, V I

2012-02-01

Temporary lakes are common in the semi-arid region of the State of Bahia and form water mirrors in the rainy season. In this period, various vegetal species appear having different life forms adapted to the seasonality conditions of the rainfall regime. This work surveyed the adaptive anatomical structures of some emergent and amphibious monocot species occurring in these lakes. We studied the anatomy of roots, rhizomes, leaves and scapes of Cyperus odoratus, Oxycaryum cubense, Pycreus macrostachyos (Cyperaceae) - amphibious species; and of Echinodorus grandiflorus (Alismataceae), Eichhornia paniculata (Pontederiaceae) and Habenaria repens (Orchidaceae) - emergent species. The anatomical features of the dermal, fundamental and vascular systems confirming the tendency of the adaptive convergence of these plants to temporary lacustrine the environment include: single layered epidermal cells with a thin cuticle layer in the aerial organs; the presence of air canals in all the organs; few or no supporting tissues; and less numerous conducting elements and thinner cell walls in the xylem. The reduction of the supporting tissues, the number of stomata, which can even be absent, and the number of conducting elements and the degree of cell wall lignification in the xylem of the emergent species is more accentuated than that of the amphibious species. The pattern of distribution of aerenchyma in the roots of the studied species was considered important to distinguish between amphibious and emergent life forms.

Utilization of tigernut (Cyperus rotundus, L.) meal in diets for cockerel starters.

PubMed

Bamgbose, A M; Eruvbetine, Daisy; Dada, W

2003-09-01

The effect of feeding graded levels of tigernut meal (TGN) as a replacement for maize in the diets of cockerel starters on carcass characteristics and economics of feed conversion was assessed for 70 days. Tigernut replaced maize at 0%, 33.33%, 66.67% and 100% levels. A total of 120 day-old chicks were randomly allotted to four experimental diets such that each dietary treatment had three replicates of ten birds. Inclusion of TGN at 33.33% in cockerel diets supported better carcass yield in terms of high plucked, eviscerated, drumstick, thigh, neck, wing, heads, shanks, livers, hearts and lung weights without significant differences (P>0.05) in values obtained. However, there were significant difference (P<0.05) in back, breast, abdominal fat, gizzard, spleen, kidney and intestinal weights and lengths. Inclusion of TGN 100% level significantly depressed parameters assessed. The optimum replacement level of maize with TGN was 33.33% as this gave no significant reduction in carcass yield of the birds but a significant reduction in the cost of feed consumed. It required a feed cost of 42.90 ( 0.31 US dollars) to produce one kilogram weight gain on diet 2 (33.33%). Inclusion of TNG in the diets resulted in feed cost savings of 4.88% (D2), 8.17 (D3) and 8.90% (D4) respectively.

Present and Potential Future Distribution of Common Vampire Bats in the Americas and the Associated Risk to Cattle

PubMed Central

Lee, Dana N.; Papeş, Monica; Van Den Bussche, Ronald A.

2012-01-01

Success of the cattle industry in Latin America is impeded by the common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, through decreases in milk production and mass gain and increased risk of secondary infection and rabies. We used ecological niche modeling to predict the current potential distribution of D. rotundus and the future distribution of the species for the years 2030, 2050, and 2080 based on the A2, A1B, and B1 climate scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. We then combined the present day potential distribution with cattle density estimates to identify areas where cattle are at higher risk for the negative impacts due to D. rotundus. We evaluated our risk prediction by plotting 17 documented outbreaks of cattle rabies. Our results indicated highly suitable habitat for D. rotundus occurs throughout most of Mexico and Central America as well as portions of Venezuela, Guyana, the Brazilian highlands, western Ecuador, northern Argentina, and east of the Andes in Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay. With future climate projections suitable habitat for D. rotundus is predicted in these same areas and additional areas in French Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela and Columbia; however D. rotundus are not likely to expand into the U.S. because of inadequate ‘temperature seasonality.’ Areas with large portions of cattle at risk include Mexico, Central America, Paraguay, and Brazil. Twelve of 17 documented cattle rabies outbreaks were represented in regions predicted at risk. Our present day and future predictions can help authorities focus rabies prevention efforts and inform cattle ranchers which areas are at an increased risk of cattle rabies because it has suitable habitat for D. rotundus. PMID:22900023

Present and potential future distribution of common vampire bats in the Americas and the associated risk to cattle.

PubMed

Lee, Dana N; Papeş, Monica; Van den Bussche, Ronald A

2012-01-01

Success of the cattle industry in Latin America is impeded by the common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, through decreases in milk production and mass gain and increased risk of secondary infection and rabies. We used ecological niche modeling to predict the current potential distribution of D. rotundus and the future distribution of the species for the years 2030, 2050, and 2080 based on the A2, A1B, and B1 climate scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. We then combined the present day potential distribution with cattle density estimates to identify areas where cattle are at higher risk for the negative impacts due to D. rotundus. We evaluated our risk prediction by plotting 17 documented outbreaks of cattle rabies. Our results indicated highly suitable habitat for D. rotundus occurs throughout most of Mexico and Central America as well as portions of Venezuela, Guyana, the Brazilian highlands, western Ecuador, northern Argentina, and east of the Andes in Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay. With future climate projections suitable habitat for D. rotundus is predicted in these same areas and additional areas in French Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela and Columbia; however D. rotundus are not likely to expand into the U.S. because of inadequate 'temperature seasonality.' Areas with large portions of cattle at risk include Mexico, Central America, Paraguay, and Brazil. Twelve of 17 documented cattle rabies outbreaks were represented in regions predicted at risk. Our present day and future predictions can help authorities focus rabies prevention efforts and inform cattle ranchers which areas are at an increased risk of cattle rabies because it has suitable habitat for D. rotundus.

Adaptive Advantage of Myrmecochory in the Ant-Dispersed Herb Lamium amplexicaule (Lamiaceae): Predation Avoidance through the Deterrence of Post-Dispersal Seed Predators

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Koki; Ogata, Kanako; Mukai, Hiromi; Yamawo, Akira; Tokuda, Makoto

2015-01-01

Seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) is found worldwide, but the benefits that plants obtain from this mutualism remain uncertain. In the present study, we conducted laboratory experiments to demonstrate seed predator avoidance as a benefit of myrmecochory using the annual ant-dispersed herb Lamium amplexicaule, the disperser ant Tetramorium tsushimae, and the seed predatory burrower bug Adomerus rotundus. We compared the predation intensity of Lamium amplexicaule seeds by Adomerus rotundus under the presence or absence of Tetramorium tsushimae. Both the number of seeds sucked by Adomerus rotundus adults and the feeding duration of sucked seeds by nymphs were significantly reduced in the presence of ants. This effect was most likely due to the behavioral alteration of Adomerus rotundus in response to the ant presence, because ants seldom predated Adomerus rotundus during the experiment. Our results demonstrated that the presence of ants decreases post-dispersal seed predation, even when the ants do not bury the seeds. The present study thus suggests that the non-consumptive effects of ants on seed predators benefit myrmecochorous plants. PMID:26197397

Mineral content as a basis for food selection by western lowland gorillas in a forest clearing.

PubMed

Magliocca, Florence; Gautier-Hion, Annie

2002-06-01

The forests in northwest Republic of Congo contain a number of herbaceous swamp clearings that provide foraging sites for lowland gorillas (G.g. gorilla). A 10-month study at the Maya Nord clearing (Parc National d'Odzala) showed that feeding activities occupied 72% of the time visiting gorillas spent on the clearing. They fed on four plant species: Enydra fluctuans (Asteraceae), Cyperus sp., Pycreus mundtii, and Rhynchospora corymbosa (Cyperaceae) among the 45 species recorded on the clearing. These clearing food species have higher mineral contents (especially Na and Ca) than the dominant Marantaceae species (Haumania liebrechtsiana) that constituted a staple food plant for gorillas in this forest. They also have higher potassium contents and contain less lignin than non-eaten clearing items/species. Finally, the most actively searched for clearing food (Enydra fluctuans) was characterized by the highest amount of Na and Ca. These results suggest that the mineral content (especially in Na, Ca, and/or K) could determine the feeding selectivity of gorillas at the clearing. They also tend to confirm that the amount of fiber plays a deterrent role in food selectivity, as has been found by many authors. The high density of gorillas in that region could result from the combination of the large areas of Marantaceae forests that provide abundant though monotonous food, and the number of clearings that provide sufficient mineral supplies. Clearings should thus be considered as key habitats for the conservation of gorillas. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Differential immune responses to Segniliparus rotundus and Segniliparus rugosus infection and analysis of their comparative virulence profiles.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Seok; Kim, Woo Sik; Lee, Keehoon; Won, Choul-Jae; Kim, Jin Man; Eum, Seok-Yong; Koh, Won-Jung; Shin, Sung Jae

2013-01-01

Two closely related bacterial species, Segniliparus rotundus and Segniliparus rugosus, have emerged as important human pathogens, but little is known about the immune responses they elicit or their comparative pathophysiologies. To determine the virulence and immune responses of the two species, we compared their abilities to grow in phagocytic and non-phagocytic cells. Both species maintained non-replicating states within A549 epithelial cells. S. rugosus persisted longer and multiplied more rapidly inside murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs), induced more pro-inflammatory cytokines, and induced higher levels of macrophage necrosis. Activation of BMDMs by both species was mediated by toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), followed by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways, indicating a critical role for TLR2 in Segniliparus-induced macrophage activation. S. rugosus triggered faster and stronger activation of MAPK signaling and IκB degradation, indicating that S. rugosus induces more pro-inflammatory cytokines than S. rotundus. Multifocal granulomatous inflammations in the liver and lung were observed in mice infected with S. rugosus, but S. rotundus was rapidly cleared from all organs tested within 15 days post-infection. Furthermore, S. rugosus induced faster infiltration of innate immune cells such as neutrophils and macrophages to the lung than S. rotundus. Our results suggest that S. rugosus is more virulent and induces a stronger immune response than S. rotundus.

Impact and correlation of environmental conditions on pollen counts in Karachi, Pakistan.

PubMed

Perveen, Anjum; Khan, Muneeba; Zeb, Shaista; Imam, Asif Ali

2015-02-01

A quantitative and qualitative survey of airborne pollen was performed in the city of Karachi, and the pollen counts were correlated with different climatic conditions. The aim of the study was to determine the possible effect of meteorological factors on airborne pollen distribution in the atmosphere of Karachi city. Pollen sampling was carried out by using Burkard spore Trap for the period of August 2009 to July 2010, and a total of 2,922 pollen grains/m(3) were recorded. In this survey, 22 pollen types were recognized. The highest pollen count was contributed by Poaceae pollen type (1,242 pollen grains/m(3)) followed by Amaranthaceae/Chenopodiaceae (948 pollen grains/m(3)), Cyperus rotundus (195 pollen grains/m(3)) and Prosopis juliflora (169 pollen grains/m(3)). Peak pollen season was in August showing a total of 709 pollen grains/m(3) and lowest pollen count was observed in January-2010. Pearson's chi-square test was performed for the possible correlation of pollen counts and climatic factors. The test revealed significant positive correlation of wind speed with pollen types of Amaranthaceae/Chenopodiaceae; Brassica campestris; Asteraceae; and Thuja orientalis. While the correlation of "average temperature" showed significant positive value with Asteraceae and Tamarix indica pollen types. Negative correlation was observed between humidity/ precipitation and pollen types of Brassica campestris; Daucus carota; Ephedra sp.; and Tamarix indica. In the light of above updated data one could identify various aeroallergens present in the air of Karachi city.

Antiviral screening of forty-two Egyptian medicinal plants.

PubMed

Soltan, Maha Mohamed; Zaki, Adel Kamal

2009-10-29

Egyptian medicinal plants are well known by their diverse uses in traditional folk medicine to cure various ailments including infectious diseases. Forty-two Egyptian medicinal plant species were selected from local market and were subjected to antiviral screening bioassay to investigate and to evaluate their biological activities. Hydro-alcoholic extracts of each species were separately prepared and tested against three viruses: herpes simplex-1 virus (HSV), poliomyelitis-1 virus (POLIO) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). The antiviral activity were determined by means of the end point titration technique (EPTT) that depends on the ability of plant extract dilutions to inhibit the produced cytopathogenic effect (CPE) and expressed as reduction factor (Rf) of the viral titer. Achillea fragrantissima, Jasonia montana and Globularia arabica are found to have antiviral activity against POLIO in a concentration dependent manner at complete non-toxic concentration range 10-100 microg/ml (Rf 10(6)), 10-100 microg/ml (Rf 10(5)) and 50-100 microg/ml (Rf 10(4)), respectively while Tanacetum sinaicum are found to have moderate antiviral activity against POLIO at concentration of 50-100 microg/ml (Rf 10(2)). Ephedra alata and Moringa peregrina are found to have antiviral activity against HSV (Rf 10(4)). Also, the results revealed that Capparis sinaica, Tamarix nilotica and Cyperus rotundus are found to have virucidal effect against HSV. All the forty-two plant species are found to have no reliable antiviral activity against VSV. The specific indications claimed by the traditional healers are confirmed by antiviral test.

Inhibitory Effect of Valencene on the Development of Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions in NC/Nga Mice.

PubMed

Yang, In Jun; Lee, Dong-Ung; Shin, Heung Mook

2016-01-01

Valencene (VAL) isolated from Cyperus rotundus possesses various biological effects such as antiallergic and antimelanogenesis activity. We investigated the effect of VAL on atopic dermatitis (AD) skin lesions and their molecular mechanisms. We topically applied VAL to 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) sensitized NC/Nga mice. Modified scoring atopic dermatitis index, scratching behavior, and histological/immunohistochemical staining were used to monitor disease severity. RT-PCR, western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to determine the level of IgE, proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines production, and skin barrier proteins expression. Topical application of VAL significantly reduced AD-like symptoms and recovered decreased expression of filaggrin in DNCB-sensitized NC/Nga mice. The levels of serum IgE, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-13 in skin/splenic tissue were reduced. In vitro studies using TNF-α and IFN-γ treated HaCaT cells revealed that VAL inhibited the exaggerated expression of Th2 chemokines including TARC/CCL17, MDC/CCL22, and proinflammatory chemokines such as CXCL8, GM-CSF, and I-CAM through blockade of the NF-κB pathway. In addition, expression of the skin barrier protein, involucrin, was also increased by VAL treatment. VAL inhibited the production and expression of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. These results suggest that VAL may serve as a potential therapeutic option for AD.

Viral Diversity, Prey Preference, and Bartonella Prevalence in Desmodus rotundus in Guatemala

PubMed Central

Wray, Amy K.; Olival, Kevin J.; Morán, David; Lopez, Maria Renee; Alvarez, Danilo; Navarrete-Macias, Isamara; Liang, Eliza; Simmons, Nancy B.; Lipkin, W. Ian; Daszak, Peter; Anthony, Simon J.

2016-01-01

Certain bat species serve as natural reservoirs for pathogens in several key viral families including henipa-, lyssa-, corona-, and filoviruses, which may pose serious threats to human health. The Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus), due to its abundance, sanguivorous feeding habit involving humans and domestic animals, and highly social behavioral ecology, may have an unusually high potential for interspecies disease transmission. Previous studies have investigated rabies dynamics in D. rotundus, yet the diversity of other viruses, bacteria, and other microbes that these bats may carry remains largely unknown. We screened 396 blood, urine, saliva, and fecal samples from D. rotundus captured in Guatemala for 13 viral families and genera. Positive results were found for rhabdovirus, adenovirus, and herpesvirus assays. We also screened these samples for Bartonella spp. and found that 38% of individuals tested positive. To characterize potential for interspecies transmission associated with feeding behavior, we also analyzed cytochrome B sequences from fecal samples to identify prey species and found that domestic cattle (Bos taurus) made up the majority of blood meals. Our findings suggest that the risk of pathogen spillover from Desmodus rotundus, including between domestic animal species, is possible and warrants further investigation to characterize this microbial diversity and expand our understanding of foraging ecology in their populations. PMID:27660213

Investigation of the potential of Cyperus alternifolius in the phytoremediation of palm oil mill effluent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sa'at, Siti Kamariah Md; Zaman, Nastaein Qamaruz; Yusoff, Suffian Mohd; Ismail, Hirun Azaman

2017-10-01

Phytoremediation is an emerging technology nowadays due to demand in environmental sustainability which requires cost-effective solutions in terms of capital and operational cost. The treatment gain attention due to their potential in wastewater treatment especially in organics, nutrients, and heavy metal removal of domestics, agricultural, and industrial wastewater treatment. Plant functions in phytoremediation make the plant selection as an essential element. The plant should have the ability to tolerate with the toxic effluent and able to uptake the contaminant. Cyperus alternifolius (umbrella grass) was chosen as aquatic plant due to the ability to tolerance in municipal and industrial effluent sources with strong and dense root systems. Thus, the objectives of this study are to determine the potential and effectiveness of Cyperus alternifolius in the palm oil mill effluent treatment especially in the removal of organics (COD), nutrients (NH3-N and TP) and suspended solid. The batch experiment was run using Cyperus alternifolius to determine their potential of aerobic pond effluent for 21 days of treatment. Cyperus alternifolius treatment shows the great removal of COD and TSS with 96% and 91%, respectively at the end of 21 days of treatment. Nutrients removal achieved the maximum removal of 92% NH3-N and 99% TP shows after 11 days of treatment and percentage slowly decrease until the end of 21 days of treatment. Cyperus alternifolius had shown potential in the palm oil mill effluent treatment and can be combined with ponding treatment to enhance to water quality prior discharge.

An Archaeological Survey, Initial Site Testing, Geomorphology, and Pollen Analysis along lower Portion of Ditch 1 Poinsett County, Arkansas.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-01

family Gramineae Grass family Labiatae Mint family Leguminosae Pea family Liliaceae Lily family Nycraginaceae Four o’clock family Polemoniaceae Phlox...composites including Artemesia, Low-spine, and High-spine; Cruciferae; Cyperaceae; Gramineae; Leguminosae ; Liliaceae; Potamoaetcnn. Sagittaria; Aocyu...High-spine, and Liauliflorae; Cruciferae; Cyperaceae; E•her; Euphorbia; Labiatae; Leguminosae ; Nyctaginaceae; Polemoniaceae; Potamoqeton; Posaceae

Evaluation of Plant Growth Regulators for Use in Grounds Maintenance at Military Installations

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-07-01

Crotalaria sagittalis Sedge - Cyperus compressus Sullcap - Scutellaria spp. Thistle - Cirsium spp. Yellow nutsedge - Cyperus esculentus L. Yellow...the plant hormone, gibberellin, which is necessary for stem elongation Susceptible Species: Ornamentals, turf species, wheat, barley, rice , sor- ghum

Chromosome reduction in Eleocharis maculosa (Cyperaceae).

PubMed

da Silva, C R M; González-Elizondo, M S; Laforga Vanzela, A L

2008-01-01

Chromosome numbers in Cyperaceae lower than the typical basic number x = 5 have been described for only three species: Rhynchospora tenuis (n = 2), Fimbristylis umbellaris (n = 3) and Eleocharis subarticulata (n = 3). Eleocharis maculosa is recorded here as the fourth species of Cyperaceae that has a chromosome number lower than 2n = 10, with 2n = 8, 7 and 6. The karyotype differentiation in E. maculosa was studied using conventional staining (mitosis and meiosis), FISH with 45S and 5S rDNA and telomere probes. The results allow us to determine which chromosomes of the chromosome race with 2n = 10 fused to form the remaining reduced numbers, as well as to understand how the symploidy and translocation mechanisms were important in karyotype differentiation and the formation of chromosome races in Eleocharis. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Visual discrimination in the pigeon (Columba livia): effects of selective lesions of the nucleus rotundus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laverghetta, A. V.; Shimizu, T.

1999-01-01

The nucleus rotundus is a large thalamic nucleus in birds and plays a critical role in many visual discrimination tasks. In order to test the hypothesis that there are functionally distinct subdivisions in the nucleus rotundus, effects of selective lesions of the nucleus were studied in pigeons. The birds were trained to discriminate between different types of stationary objects and between different directions of moving objects. Multiple regression analyses revealed that lesions in the anterior, but not posterior, division caused deficits in discrimination of small stationary stimuli. Lesions in neither the anterior nor posterior divisions predicted effects in discrimination of moving stimuli. These results are consistent with a prediction led from the hypothesis that the nucleus is composed of functional subdivisions.

Toxicity, absorption, translocation, and metabolism of chlorimuron in yellow and purple nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus and C. rotundus)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reddy, K.N.

1987-01-01

Greenhouse, laboratory, and field studies were conducted to investigate the activity of soil and foliar applied chlorimuron on yellow and purple nutsedge. Soil-applied chlorimuron (10 to 60 g/ha) significantly decreased tuber sprouting, shoot emergence, and shoot growth in both yellow and purple nutsedge. Previous exposure to soil-applied chlorimuron was not effective in reducing parent tuber sprouting at any rate in yellow nutsedge, while in purple nutsedge parent tuber sprouting was reduced significantly at 60 g/ha. Shoots of both yellow and purple nutsedge propagules absorbed greater amounts of /sup 14/C than did roots and tubers. However, translocation of /sup 14/C wasmore » greater from the roots and tuber than from the shoot. Toxicity of foliar-applied chlorimuron (5 to 30 g/ha) was evident by stunted growth, leaf discoloration, and death in both species. Application of chlorimuron at 20 g/ha gave 84% control in yellow nutsedge and 100% control in purple nutsedge. Chlorimuron treatments reduced shoot dry weight, inhibited secondary shoot production, and killed parent tubers attached to treated plants, regardless of rats, in both species. Over 13% of the foliar-applied /sup 14/C recovered was absorbed and over 15% of that absorbed was translocated at 1 day after application in both species. This increased two-fold by 8 days after application. /sup 14/C translocation was both acropetal and basipetal. Over 68% of the absorbed /sup 14/C in yellow nutsedge and 63% in purple nutsedge was retained in the treated area at 8 days after application. Overall, the basal bulb, rhizomes, and tuber had the least amounts of /sup 14/C in both species.« less

Ecological importance of sedges: a survey of the Australasian Cyperaceae genus Lepidosperma

PubMed Central

Barrett, Russell L.

2013-01-01

Background Sedges (Cyperaceae) form an important ecological component of many ecosystems around the world. Sword and rapier sedges (genus Lepidosperma) are common and widespread components of the southern Australian and New Zealand floras, also occurring in New Caledonia, West Papua, Borneo, Malaysia and southern China. Sedge ecology is seldom studied and no comprehensive review of sedge ecology exists. Lepidosperma is unusual in the Cyperaceae with the majority of species occurring in dryland habitats. Scope Extensive review of ecological literature and field observations shows Lepidosperma species to be important components of many ecosystems, often dominating understorey and sedge-rich communities. For the first time, a detailed ecological review of a Cyperaceae genus is presented. Conclusions Lepidosperma species are long-lived perennials with significant abundance and persistence in the landscape. Speciation patterns in the genus are of considerable interest due to complex biogeographical patterns and a high degree of habitat specificity. Potential benefits exist for medicinal products identified from several Lepidosperma species. Over 178 organisms, including 26 mammals, 42 birds, six reptiles, five amphibians, eight arachnids, 75 insects, three crustaceans and 13 fungi, are found to be dependent on, or making use of, Lepidosperma species. A significant relationship exists between Lepidosperma species and the moth genus Elachista. Implications for the conservation and ecology of both sedges and associated species are discussed. PMID:23378523

Indirect oral immunization of captive vampires, Desmodus rotundus.

PubMed

Almeida, Marilene F; Martorelli, Luzia F A; Aires, Caroline C; Sallum, P C; Massad, Eduardo

2005-07-01

A vaccinia-rabies glycoprotein recombinant virus (V-RG) vaccine was tested in hematophagous bats (Desmodus rotundus) kept in captivity. The vaccine was applied in a neutral vehicle (Vaseline) spread on the back of one or two vector bats, which were then reintroduced into their groups. Our hypothesis was that, as in the case of vampire bat control by vampiricide paste, the administration of V-RG vaccine through paste to one bat could indirectly protect other bats from the same group. Eight groups were tested. The rabies virus strain used to challenge the bats was isolated from a naturally infected hematophagous bat (Desmodus rotundus). The survival proportion after the virus challenge ranged between 42.8 and 71.4%. The results are encouraging because a significant number of bats that did not receive the vaccine survived the challenge. The vaccine was shown to be safe and immunogenic to hematophagous bats. No adverse effects to vaccinia virus were observed.

Concentration effects of the UV filter oxybenzone in Cyperus alternifolius: assessment of tolerance by stress-related response.

PubMed

Chen, Feiran; Schnick, Sandrine; Schröder, Peter

2018-06-01

Phytoremediation has been proposed to reduce the load of the sunscreen oxybenzone (OBZ) in the aquatic environment. Despite the proven removal efficiency of this compound, little is known about its influence, particularly oxidative stress on plants. In this study, a short-term incubation of macrophytic Cyperus alternifolius was performed to prove the plant's ability to withstand the stress. Detached shoots were immersed in medium spiked with different concentrations of OBZ (50, 100, and 500 μM) for 2, 4, and 7 days, respectively. Increased formation of O 2 - and H 2 O 2 in Cyperus treated with OBZ was characterized by intense colorization following histochemical staining. Alterations of enzyme activities involved in the antioxidative defense system indicate an adaptive response of C. alternifolius to this xenobiotic stress. Quantification of lipid peroxidation reveals that no significant membrane damage occurred during incubation with OBZ. Overall, 50 μM OBZ (tenfold higher than the amount frequently detected in the environment) exhibited low toxic effects. Accordingly, this pilot study provides information on the potential use of Cyperus to remove emerging sunscreen contaminants from water bodies.

Taxonomic revision and stratigraphic provenance of 'Histiophorus rotundu' Woodward 1901 (Teleostei, Perciformes)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Monsch, K.A.; Fierstine, H.L.; Weems, R.E.

2005-01-01

Until recently, Histiophorus rotundus Woodward 1901, was known from a single, poorly preserved rostrum from the Tertiary phosphate beds near Charleston, South Carolina, an area from which many fossils have been described. The specimen is relatively featureless externally; its internal anatomy is unknown and the documentation of its geological provenance was poor. In an earlier revision the species was transferred to the fossil billfish genus Xiphiorhynchus Van Beneden, 1871. Here we confirm this designation, supported by new morphological studies of the holotype, recently found specimens of Xiphiorhynchus rotundus (Woodward, 1901), and the stratigraphic record of Xiphiorhynchus. The systematic paleontology we present is a contribution to the taxonomic revision of billfishes world-wide. Because the holotype is heavily phosphatized and the type locality was vaguely described, we discuss the geology of the phosphate mining districts of the Charleston region. Based on our studies, we can narrow the possible age of the holotype to late Oligocene or early Miocene. We suggest X. rotundus was extinct by the Burdigalian. 

[Purification of eutrophic wastewater by Cyperus alternifolius, Coleus blumei and Jasminum sambac planted in a floating phytoremediation system].

PubMed

Liu, Shizhe; Lin, Dongjiao; Tang, Shujun; Luo, Jian

2004-07-01

In a greenhouse study, Cyperus alternifolius, Coleus blumei and Jasminum sambac were cultured in a floating phytoremediation system with plantation cups inserted into a polyfoam plate that floated in the upper part of a tank filled with 100 L domestic wastewater. The contents of chemical oxygen demand (CODCr), total P (T-P), total N (T-N), soluble P(S-P), ammonia-nitrogen (NH4+ -N) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3- -N) in the domestic wastewater were tested during the growth of these three plants. The results showed that Cyperus alternifolius and Coleus blumei could grow well in the floating phytoremediation system, their dry weight being 285.8% and 371.4% of the initial weight of planting, respectively, but Jasminum sambac could not grow well, being 125.0% of the initial weight of planting. The removal rate of TN by these 3 plants was 68.0%, 62.0% and 45.0%, and that of NO3- -N, CODCr and TP was 98.0%, 80.0% and 92.0%, 78.0%, 66.0% and 55.0%, and 90.6%, 90.5% and 88.0% respectively. Cyperus alternifolius and Coleus blumei had good effects on the removal of pollutants in the floating phytoremediation system.

[Effects of three traditional Chinese medicine with pungent-flavor, warm-nature and meridian tropism in lung on lung-yang deficiency rats induced by compound factors].

PubMed

Chen, Suhong; Lv, Guiyuan; Huang, Mincong; Su, Jie; Fang, Hui; Mou, Xiuhua

2011-06-01

To observe the effects of three traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) such as Amomi Fructus Rotundus, Perillae Folium and Angelicae Dahuricae Radix on lung-yang deficiency rats induced by compound factors. Lung-yang deficiency rats were established with three-factor combination, such as smoking (exogenous evil effect on lung), swimming in common and ice water (cold body and exhaustoin) and drinking ice water (inhale cold). Meanwhile, rats were given water extracts of the three TCM by intragastric administration for 24 days everyday. Indexes such as general behavior, weight, rectal temperature, back temperature and grip strength were observed. Blood was collected to determine NO, IgG in blood serum. Lung and heart were dissected to measure organs index. The water extracts of Amomi Fructrs Rotundus, Perillae Folium and Angelicae Dahuricae Radix could markedly heighten weight, back temperature, grip strength, content of IgG in blood serum, reduce content of NO in blood serum, lung index and heart index. The water extracts of Amomi Fructrs Rotundus and Perillae Folium could heighten rectal temperature. Amomi Fructrs Rotundus, Perillae Folium and Angelicae Dahuricae Radix were TCM with pungent-flavor, warm-nature and meridian tropism in lung, which could improve the symptoms of physique emaciation, aversion to cold of the back, weary and acratia and so on. It provides an important reference for the regularity of the properties theories about pungent-flavor, warm-nature and meridian tropism in lung.

Phytoremediation of arsenic in submerged soil by wetland plants.

PubMed

Jomjun, Nateewattana; Siripen, Trichaiyaporn; Maliwan, Saeouy; Jintapat, Nateewattana; Prasak, Thavornyutikarn; Somporn, Choonluchanon; Petch, Pengchai

2011-01-01

Wetland aquatic plants including Canna glauca L., Colocasia esculenta L. Schott, Cyperus papyrus L. and Typha angustifolia L. were used in the phytoremediation of submerged soil polluted by arsenic (As). Cyperus papyrus L. was noticed as the largest biomass producer which has arsenic accumulation capacity of 130-172 mg As/kg plant. In terms of arsenic removal rate, however, Colocasia esculenta L. was recognized as the largest and fastest arsenic remover in this study. Its arsenic removal rate was 68 mg As/m2/day while those rates of Canna glauca L., Cyperus papyrus L. and Typha angustifolia L. were 61 mg As/m2/day, 56 mg As/m2/day, and 56 mg As/m2/day, respectively. Although the 4 aquatic plants were inferior in arsenic accumulation, their high arsenic removal rates were observed. Phytostabilization should be probable for the application of these plants.

Structural organization of parallel information processing within the tectofugal visual system of the pigeon.

PubMed

Hellmann, B; Güntürkün, O

2001-01-01

Visual information processing within the ascending tectofugal pathway to the forebrain undergoes essential rearrangements between the mesencephalic tectum opticum and the diencephalic nucleus rotundus of birds. The outer tectal layers constitute a two-dimensional map of the visual surrounding, whereas nucleus rotundus is characterized by functional domains in which different visual features such as movement, color, or luminance are processed in parallel. Morphologic correlates of this reorganization were investigated by means of focal injections of the neuronal tracer choleratoxin subunit B into different regions of the nuclei rotundus and triangularis of the pigeon. Dependent on the thalamic injection site, variations in the retrograde labeling pattern of ascending tectal efferents were observed. All rotundal projecting neurons were located within the deep tectal layer 13. Five different cell populations were distinguished that could be differentiated according to their dendritic ramifications within different retinorecipient laminae and their axons projecting to different subcomponents of the nucleus rotundus. Because retinorecipient tectal layers differ in their input from distinct classes of retinal ganglion cells, each tectorotundal cell type probably processes different aspects of the visual surrounding. Therefore, the differential input/output connections of the five tectorotundal cell groups might constitute the structural basis for spatially segregated parallel information processing of different stimulus aspects within the tectofugal visual system. Because two of five rotundal projecting cell groups additionally exhibited quantitative shifts along the dorsoventral extension of the tectum, data also indicate visual field-dependent alterations in information processing for particular visual features. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Medicinal plants used to treat TB in Ghana.

PubMed

Nguta, Joseph Mwanzia; Appiah-Opong, Regina; Nyarko, Alexander K; Yeboah-Manu, Dorothy; Addo, Phyllis G A

2015-06-01

The current study was designed to document medicinal plant species that are traditionally used to treat tuberculosis (TB) by Ghanaian communities. The medicinal plants used against TB or its signs and symptoms were selected using library and online published data searches. A guided questionnaire interview was also conducted with a botanist involved in plant collection at the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM) at Mampong. Data obtained were entered in Excel and summarized into means and frequencies using SPSS 12.0.1 for windows, and expressed as tables and bar graphs. A total of 15 medicinal plant species distributed between 13 genera and 13 families were documented. The following medicinal plant species were found to be used against TB in Greater Accra and Eastern parts of Ghana: Azadirachta indica A. Juss. Stem bark (Meliaceae), Hygrophila auriculata Heine, whole plant (Acanthaceae), Chenopodium ambrosioides L. leaves (Amaranthaceae), Coix lacryma-jobi L. glumes (Poaceae), Solanum torvum Sw. unripe fruits (Solanaceae), Solanum torvum Sw. leaves (Solanaceae), Bidens pilosa L. whole plant (Asteraceae), Phyllanthus fraternus G.L. Webster leaves (Phyllanthaceae), Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana, leaves (Melastomataceae), Cymbopogon giganteus Chiov. Leaves (Poaceae), Cyperus articulatus L. roots (Cyperaceae), Allium sativum L. bulb (Amaryllidaceae), Zingiber officinale Roscoe, rhizomes (Zingiberaceae), Allium cepa L. bulbs (Amaryllidaceae), Allium cepa L. leaves (Amaryllidaceae), Aloe vera var. barbadensis aqueous extract from leaves (Xanthorrhoeaceae), Aloe vera var. barbadensis organic extract from leaves (Xanthorrhoeaceae), Cocos nucifera Linn, water (Arecaceae) and Cocos nucifera Linn. Husk (Arecaceae). The collected plant species could be a source of a new class of drugs against TB. Bioactivity guided fractionation is recommended to identify lead compounds for antimycobacterial activity. The current paper documents for the first time medicinal plant species used by Ghanaian communities to treat TB. These results are a basis for selection of plants for further pharmacological, toxicological and phytochemical studies in developing new plant-based antimycobacterial drugs. Copyright © 2015 Asian African Society for Mycobacteriology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

(+)-Nootkatone inhibits tumor necrosis factor α/interferon γ-induced production of chemokines in HaCaT cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choi, Hyeon-Jae; Lee, Jin-Hwee; Jung, Yi-Sook, E-mail: yisjung@ajou.ac.kr

Highlights: • (+)-Nootkatone inhibits TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced TARC and MDC expression in HaCaT cells. • PKCζ, p38 MAPK, or NF-κB mediate TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced TARC and MDC expression. • (+)-Nootkatone inhibits TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced activation of PKCζ, p38 MAPK, or NF-κB. • (+)-Nootkatone suppresses chemokine expression by inhibiting of PKCζ and p38 pathways. - Abstract: Chemokines are important mediators of cell migration, and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17) and macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22) are well-known typical inflammatory chemokines involved in atopic dermatitis (AD). (+)-Nootkatone is the major component of Cyperus rotundus. (+)-Nootkatone has antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, and antiplatelet activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate themore » effect of (+)-nootkatone on tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)/interferon γ (IFN-γ)-induced expression of Th2 chemokines in HaCaT cells. We found that (+)-nootkatone inhibited the TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced expression of TARC/CCL17 and MDC/CCL22 mRNA in HaCaT cells. It also significantly inhibited TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and protein kinase Cζ (PKCζ). Furthermore, we showed that PKCζ and p38 MAPK contributed to the inhibition of TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced TARC/CCL17 and MDC/CCL22 expression by blocking IκBα degradation in HaCaT cells. Taken together, these results suggest that (+)-nootkatone may suppress TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced TARC/CCL17 and MDC/CCL22 expression in HaCaT cells by inhibiting of PKCζ and p38 MAPK signaling pathways that lead to activation of NF-κB. We propose that (+)-nootkatone may be a useful therapeutic candidate for inflammatory skin diseases such as AD.« less

An ethnobotanical survey of indigenous medicinal plants in Hafizabad district, Punjab-Pakistan.

PubMed

Umair, Muhammad; Altaf, Muhammad; Abbasi, Arshad Mehmood

2017-01-01

Present paper offers considerable information on traditional uses of medicinal plants by the inhabitants of Hafizabad district, Punjab-Pakistan. This is the first quantitative ethnobotanical study from the area comprising popularity level of medicinal plant species intendedby using relative popularity level (RPL) and rank order priority (ROP) indices.Ethnobotanical data were collected by interviewing 166 local informants and 35 traditional health practioners (THPs) from different localities of Hafizabad district. Demographic features of informants; life form, part used, methods of preparation, modes of application and ethnomedicinal uses were documented. Ethnobotanical data were analyzed using quantitative tools, i.e. Relative frequency citation (RFC), use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF) fidelity level (FL), RPL and ROP indices. A total of 85 species belonging to 71 genera and 34 families were documented along with ethnomedicinal uses. Solanum surattense, Withania somnifera, Cyperus rotundus, Solanum nigrum and Melia azedarach were the most utilized medicinal plant species with highest used value. The reported ailments were classified into 11 disease categories based on ICF values and highest number of plant species was reported to treat dermatological and gastrointestinal disorders. Withania somnifera and Ranunculus sceleratus with maximum FL (100%), were used against gastrointestinal and urinary disorders, respectively. The RPL and ROP values were calculated to recognize the folk medicinal plant wealth; six out of 32 plant species (19%) were found popular, based on citation by more than half of the maximum number of informant viz. 26. Consequently, the ROP value for these species was more than 75. The comparative assessment with reported literature revealed 15% resemblance and 6% variation to previous data;however79% uses of the reported species were recorded for the first time. The diversity of medicinal plant species and associated traditional knowledge is significant in primary health care system. Medicinal plant species with high RPL values should be screened for comprehensive phytochemical and pharmacological studies. This could be useful in novel drug discovery and to validate the ethomendicinal knowledge.

An ethnobotanical survey of indigenous medicinal plants in Hafizabad district, Punjab-Pakistan

PubMed Central

Umair, Muhammad; Altaf, Muhammad

2017-01-01

Present paper offers considerable information on traditional uses of medicinal plants by the inhabitants of Hafizabad district, Punjab-Pakistan. This is the first quantitative ethnobotanical study from the area comprising popularity level of medicinal plant species intendedby using relative popularity level (RPL) and rank order priority (ROP) indices.Ethnobotanical data were collected by interviewing 166 local informants and 35 traditional health practioners (THPs) from different localities of Hafizabad district. Demographic features of informants; life form, part used, methods of preparation, modes of application and ethnomedicinal uses were documented. Ethnobotanical data were analyzed using quantitative tools, i.e. Relative frequency citation (RFC), use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF) fidelity level (FL), RPL and ROP indices. A total of 85 species belonging to 71 genera and 34 families were documented along with ethnomedicinal uses. Solanum surattense, Withania somnifera, Cyperus rotundus, Solanum nigrum and Melia azedarach were the most utilized medicinal plant species with highest used value. The reported ailments were classified into 11 disease categories based on ICF values and highest number of plant species was reported to treat dermatological and gastrointestinal disorders. Withania somnifera and Ranunculus sceleratus with maximum FL (100%), were used against gastrointestinal and urinary disorders, respectively. The RPL and ROP values were calculated to recognize the folk medicinal plant wealth; six out of 32 plant species (19%) were found popular, based on citation by more than half of the maximum number of informant viz. 26. Consequently, the ROP value for these species was more than 75. The comparative assessment with reported literature revealed 15% resemblance and 6% variation to previous data;however79% uses of the reported species were recorded for the first time. The diversity of medicinal plant species and associated traditional knowledge is significant in primary health care system. Medicinal plant species with high RPL values should be screened for comprehensive phytochemical and pharmacological studies. This could be useful in novel drug discovery and to validate the ethomendicinal knowledge. PMID:28574986

Diversity and above-ground biomass patterns of vascular flora induced by flooding in the drawdown area of China's Three Gorges Reservoir.

PubMed

Wang, Qiang; Yuan, Xingzhong; Willison, J H Martin; Zhang, Yuewei; Liu, Hong

2014-01-01

Hydrological alternation can dramatically influence riparian environments and shape riparian vegetation zonation. However, it was difficult to predict the status in the drawdown area of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), because the hydrological regime created by the dam involves both short periods of summer flooding and long-term winter impoundment for half a year. In order to examine the effects of hydrological alternation on plant diversity and biomass in the drawdown area of TGR, twelve sites distributed along the length of the drawdown area of TGR were chosen to explore the lateral pattern of plant diversity and above-ground biomass at the ends of growing seasons in 2009 and 2010. We recorded 175 vascular plant species in 2009 and 127 in 2010, indicating that a significant loss of vascular flora in the drawdown area of TGR resulted from the new hydrological regimes. Cynodon dactylon and Cyperus rotundus had high tolerance to short periods of summer flooding and long-term winter flooding. Almost half of the remnant species were annuals. Species richness, Shannon-Wiener Index and above-ground biomass of vegetation exhibited an increasing pattern along the elevation gradient, being greater at higher elevations subjected to lower submergence stress. Plant diversity, above-ground biomass and species distribution were significantly influenced by the duration of submergence relative to elevation in both summer and previous winter. Several million tonnes of vegetation would be accumulated on the drawdown area of TGR in every summer and some adverse environmental problems may be introduced when it was submerged in winter. We conclude that vascular flora biodiversity in the drawdown area of TGR has dramatically declined after the impoundment to full capacity. The new hydrological condition, characterized by long-term winter flooding and short periods of summer flooding, determined vegetation biodiversity and above-ground biomass patterns along the elevation gradient in the drawdown area.

Diversity and Above-Ground Biomass Patterns of Vascular Flora Induced by Flooding in the Drawdown Area of China's Three Gorges Reservoir

PubMed Central

Wang, Qiang; Yuan, Xingzhong; Willison, J.H.Martin; Zhang, Yuewei; Liu, Hong

2014-01-01

Hydrological alternation can dramatically influence riparian environments and shape riparian vegetation zonation. However, it was difficult to predict the status in the drawdown area of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), because the hydrological regime created by the dam involves both short periods of summer flooding and long-term winter impoundment for half a year. In order to examine the effects of hydrological alternation on plant diversity and biomass in the drawdown area of TGR, twelve sites distributed along the length of the drawdown area of TGR were chosen to explore the lateral pattern of plant diversity and above-ground biomass at the ends of growing seasons in 2009 and 2010. We recorded 175 vascular plant species in 2009 and 127 in 2010, indicating that a significant loss of vascular flora in the drawdown area of TGR resulted from the new hydrological regimes. Cynodon dactylon and Cyperus rotundus had high tolerance to short periods of summer flooding and long-term winter flooding. Almost half of the remnant species were annuals. Species richness, Shannon-Wiener Index and above-ground biomass of vegetation exhibited an increasing pattern along the elevation gradient, being greater at higher elevations subjected to lower submergence stress. Plant diversity, above-ground biomass and species distribution were significantly influenced by the duration of submergence relative to elevation in both summer and previous winter. Several million tonnes of vegetation would be accumulated on the drawdown area of TGR in every summer and some adverse environmental problems may be introduced when it was submerged in winter. We conclude that vascular flora biodiversity in the drawdown area of TGR has dramatically declined after the impoundment to full capacity. The new hydrological condition, characterized by long-term winter flooding and short periods of summer flooding, determined vegetation biodiversity and above-ground biomass patterns along the elevation gradient in the drawdown area. PMID:24971514

First finding of Trypanosoma cruzi II in vampire bats from a district free of domestic vector-borne transmission in Northeastern Argentina.

PubMed

Argibay, Hernán D; Orozco, M Marcela; Cardinal, M Victoria; Rinas, Miguel A; Arnaiz, María; Mena Segura, Carlos; Gürtler, Ricardo E

2016-09-01

Establishing the putative links between sylvatic and domestic transmission cycles of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, is of public health relevance. We conducted three surveys to assess T. cruzi infection in wild mammals from a rural and a preserved area in Misiones Province, Northeastern Argentina, which had recently been declared free of vector- and blood-borne transmission of human T. cruzi infection. A total of 200 wild mammals were examined by xenodiagnosis (XD) and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the hyper-variable region of kinetoplast DNA minicircles of T. cruzi (kDNA-PCR). The overall prevalence of T. cruzi infection was 8%. Nine (16%) of 57 Didelphis albiventris opossums and two (7%) of 29 Desmodus rotundus vampire bats were positive by both XD and kDNA-PCR. Additionally, one D. rotundus positive for T. cruzi by kDNA-PCR tested positive by satellite-DNA-PCR (SAT-DNA-PCR). The T. cruzi-infected bats were captured indoors and in the yard of a vacant dwelling. All D. albiventris were infected with TcI and both XD-positive D. rotundus by TcII. Fifty-five opossum cubs within the marsupium were negative by XD. The mean infectiousness to the vector was 62% in D. albiventris and 50% in D. rotundus. Mice experimentally infected with a parasite isolate from a vampire bat displayed lesions typically caused by T. cruzi. Our study documents the presence of the genotype TcII in a sylvatic host for the first time in Argentina, and the occurrence of two transmission cycles of T. cruzi in a district free of domestic vector-borne transmission.

Comparison of nitrogen and phosphorus purification effects of different wetland plants on eutrophic water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Junzhong; Qi, Yong; Li, Hongyuan; Xu, Guangyao

2018-02-01

Using hydroponic, 13 plants were selected from 2 type (aquatic plants, hygrophytes) of new varieties and common varieties of wetland plants in Tianjin to explore the differences of purification effect of nitrogen and phosphorus in water. The result shows that the plants on the removal rate of total nitrogen was significantly higher than control group, but the differences were small. Among them, yellow iris, Siberia iris, Cyperus alternifolius, aquatic Canna and Miscanthus sinensis had the best effect on TN, and the removal rate was above 99%; The removal rates of total phosphorus in plants were significantly higher than those in control group (except for M.sinensis cv. ‘Variegatus’), and the differences among the groups were relatively significant. Among them, Irispseudoacorus, Cyperus alternifolius, iris pseudacorus, Scirpus tabernaemontani, Iris siberian, C.glauca and M.sinensis cv. ‘Gracillimus’ had the best effect on TP, and the removal rate was more than 70%. Therefore, Irispseudoacorus, Cyperus alternifolius, iris pseudacorus, Scirpus tabernaemontani, Iris siberian, C.glauca and M.sinensis cv. ‘Gracillimus’ can be used as an alternative plant for eutrophic, wetlands or landscape water.

Taste preferences of the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus).

PubMed

Thompson, R D; Elias, D J; Shumake, S A; Gaddis, S E

1982-04-01

Taste preference tests, with simultaneous presentation of treated and untreated food, were administered to 24 common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus). The bats received brief exposures to four different stimuli representing sweet, salty, sour, and bitter tastes, each at four different concentrations. Despite a strong location bias, the bats significantly (P < 0.01) avoided the highest concentrations of the salty, sour, and bitter tastes. Consumption of the sweet stimulus at all concentrations was similar to that of the untreated standard. Vampires evidently can discriminate based on taste, although their ability is apparently poorly developed when compared with some euryphagous species such as the rat. Hence, taste is probably not a factor in host selection by the vampire.

Detection of Dengue Virus in Bat Flies (Diptera: Streblidae) of Common Vampire Bats, Desmodus rotundus, in Progreso, Hidalgo, Mexico.

PubMed

Abundes-Gallegos, Judith; Salas-Rojas, Monica; Galvez-Romero, Guillermo; Perea-Martínez, Leonardo; Obregón-Morales, Cirani Y; Morales-Malacara, Juan B; Chomel, Bruno B; Stuckey, Matthew J; Moreno-Sandoval, Hayde; García-Baltazar, Anahi; Nogueda-Torres, Benjamin; Zuñiga, Gerardo; Aguilar-Setién, Alvaro

2018-01-01

Blood-feeding arthropods play a major role in the transmission of several flaviviruses, which represent an important problem for human health. Currently, dengue is one of the most important arboviral emerging diseases worldwide. Furthermore, some previous studies have reported the presence of viral nucleic acids and antibodies against dengue virus (DENV) in wild animals. Our knowledge of the role played by wildlife reservoirs in the sylvatic transmission and maintenance of DENV remains limited. Our objective was to screen blood-feeding ectoparasites (bat flies) and their common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) hosts, for flaviviruses in Hidalgo, Mexico. We detected Flavivirus sequences in 38 pools of ectoparasites (Diptera: Streblidae, Strebla wiedemanni and Trichobius parasiticus) and 8 tissue samples of D. rotundus by RT-PCR and semi-nested PCR using FlaviPF1S, FlaviPR2bis, and FlaviPF3S primers specific for NS5, a gene highly conserved among flaviviruses. Phylogenetic inference analysis performed using the maximum likelihood algorithm implemented in PhyML showed that six sequences clustered with DENV (bootstrap value = 53.5%). Although this study supports other reports of DENV detection in bats and arthropods other than Aedes mosquitoes, the role of these ectoparasitic flies and of hematophagous bats in the epidemiology of DENV still warrants further investigation.

A mesocosm study using four native Hawaiian plants to assess nitrogen accumulation under varying surface water nitrogen concentrations.

PubMed

Unser, C U; Bruland, G L; Hood, A; Duin, K

2010-01-01

Accumulation of nitrogen (N) by native Hawaiian riparian plants from surface water was measured under a controlled experimental mesocosm setting. Four species, Cladium jamaicense, Cyperus javanicus, Cyperus laevigatus, and Cyperus polystachyos were tested for their ability to survive in coconut fiber coir log media with exposure to differing N concentrations. It was hypothesized that the selected species would have significantly different tissue total nitrogen (TN) concentrations, aboveground biomass, and TN accumulation rates because of habitat preference and physiological growth differences. A general linear model (GLM) analysis of variance (ANOVA) determined that species differences accounted for the greatest proportion of variance in tissue TN concentration, aboveground biomass growth, and accumulation rates, when compared with the other main effects (i.e. N concentration, time) and their interactions. A post hoc test of means demonstrated that C. jamaicense had significantly higher tissue TN concentration, aboveground biomass growth, and accumulation rates than the other species under all N concentrations. It was also hypothesized that tissue TN concentrations and biomass growth would increase in plants exposed to elevated N concentrations, however data did not support this hypothesis. Nitrogen accumulation rates by species were controlled by differences in plant biomass growth.

Mechanical and morphological study of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE)/cyperus odoratus (CY) biocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faris, N. A.; Noriman, N. Z.; Haron, Adli; Sam, S. T.; Hamzah, R.; Shayfull, Z.; Ghazali, M. F.

2017-09-01

The potential of Cyperus Odoratus (CY) as a filler was studied. The CY, in a powder form, was mixed with Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), prior to being fed into a twin screw extruder and subsequently into an injection moulding machine to produce LLDPY/CY biocomposites. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was utilized and tensile tests were performed on the test specimens to characterize the structure and properties of the composites. The integration of CY powder and LLDPE resulted in an increment of the modulus of elasticity, but a reduction in tensile strength and elongation at break. The morphology characterization of these composites, determined through the SEM, showed poor interfacial adhesion between the filler and the thermoplastic LLDPE matrix.

Scleria lacustris (Cyperaceae), an aquatic and wetland sedge introduced to Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jacono, C.C.

2001-01-01

A non-native species of Scleria, S. lacustris is reported from six counties and three major hydrologic regions in Florida. Biogeography and habitat in Florida are addressed. A description, key features and illustration are presented.

Cross-resistance to herbicides of five ALS-inhibiting groups and sequencing of the ALS gene in Cyperus difformis L.

PubMed

Merotto, Aldo; Jasieniuk, Marie; Osuna, Maria D; Vidotto, Francesco; Ferrero, Aldo; Fischer, Albert J

2009-02-25

Resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides in Cyperus difformis has evolved rapidly in many rice areas worldwide. This study identified the mechanism of resistance, assessed cross-resistance patterns to all five chemical groups of ALS-inhibiting herbicides in four C. difformis biotypes, and attempted to sequence the ALS gene. Whole-plant and ALS enzyme activity dose-response assays indicated that the WA biotype was resistant to all ALS-inhibiting herbicides evaluated. The IR biotype was resistant to bensulfuron-methyl, orthosulfamuron, imazethapyr, and propoxycarbazone-sodium and less resistant to bispyribac-sodium and halosulfuron-methyl, and susceptible to penoxsulam. ALS enzyme activity assays indicated that resistance is due to an altered target site yet mutations previously found to endow target-site resistance in weeds were not detected in the sequences obtained. The inability to detect resistance mutations in C. difformis may result from the presence of additional ALS genes, which were not amplified by the primers used. This study reports the first ALS gene sequence from Cyperus difformis. Certain ALS-inhibiting herbicides can still be used to control some resistant C. difformis biotypes. However, because cross-resistance to all five classes of ALS-inhibitors was detected in other resistant biotypes, these herbicides should only be used within an integrated weed management program designed to delay the evolution of herbicide resistance.

Functional localization in the nucleus rotundus.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-10-01

Work has suggested that the effects of psychoactive drugs on visual performance may best be understood, and/or predicted, by studying differential effects of the drugs on functionally differentiated sets of neurones in visual projection systems in th...

Effects of ethanol on visual unit activity in the thalamus.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-01-01

The investigator studied the effects of ethanol on the spontaneous activity of single neurons in functionally differentiated subnuclei of a posterior thalamic visual projection area, nucleus rotundus, in the anesthetized pigeon. Low doses of ethanol,...

MYOSITIS OSSIFICANS TRAUMATICA IN A VAMPIRE BAT (DESMODUS ROTUNDUS).

PubMed

Hausmann, Jennifer C; Manasse, Jorden; Churgin, Sarah; Steinberg, Howard; Clyde, Victoria L; Wallace, Roberta

2016-09-01

A 15-yr-old sexually intact female vampire bat ( Desmodus rotundus ) was diagnosed with myositis ossificans traumatica of the abdominal wall. The bat presented with a large ulcerated firm mass along the abdomen. Radiographs and cytology were performed, followed by surgical exploration. The mass was determined to be nonresectable and the bat was euthanized. Histopathology showed severe necrotizing, degenerative, and pyogranulomatous myositis with osseous and cartilaginous metaplasia, fibrosis, and ulceration, which were consistent with myositis ossificans traumatica. Myositis ossificans traumatica is commonly associated with previous trauma to skeletal muscle. Two years prior, this bat had an emergency Caesarian section at this site, which was postulated to elicit a marked tissue response leading to this condition. Myositis ossificans traumatica is infrequently reported in humans, dogs, cats, pigs, and horses. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report of this condition in a bat.

Inhibitory effects of Cyperus digitatus extract on human platelet function in vitro.

PubMed

Fuentes, Eduardo; Forero-Doria, Oscar; Alarcón, Marcelo; Palomo, Iván

2015-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate the mechanisms of antiplatelet action of Cyperus digitatus. The antiplatelet action of C. digitatus was studied on platelet function: secretion, adhesion, aggregation, and sCD40L release. The platelet ATP secretion and aggregation were significantly inhibited by CDA (ethyl acetate extract) at 0.1 mg/ml and after the incubation of whole blood with CDA, the platelet coverage was inhibited by 96 ± 3% (p < 0.001). At the same concentration, CDA significantly decreased sCD40L levels. The mechanism of antiplatelet action of CDA could be by NF-κB inhibition and that is cAMP independent. In conclusion, C. digitatus extract may serve as a new source of antiplatelet agents for food and nutraceutical applications.

Coastal vegetation invasion increases greenhouse gas emission from wetland soils but also increases soil carbon accumulation.

PubMed

Chen, Yaping; Chen, Guangcheng; Ye, Yong

2015-09-01

Soil properties and soil-atmosphere fluxes of CO2, CH4 and N2O from four coastal wetlands were studied throughout the year, namely, native Kandelia obovata mangrove forest vs. exotic Sonneratia apetala mangrove forest, and native Cyperus malaccensis salt marsh vs. exotic Spartina alterniflora salt marsh. Soils of the four wetlands were all net sources of greenhouse gases while Sonneratia forest contributed the most with a total soil-atmosphere CO2-equivalent flux of 137.27 mg CO2 m(-2) h(-1), which is 69.23%, 99.75% and 44.56% higher than that of Kandelia, Cyperus and Spartina, respectively. The high underground biomass and distinctive root structure of Sonneratia might be responsible for its high greenhouse gas emission from the soil. Soils in Spartina marsh emitted the second largest amount of total greenhouse gases but it ranked first in emitting trace greenhouse gases. Annual average CH4 and N2O fluxes from Spartina soil were 13.77 and 1.14 μmol m(-2) h(-1), respectively, which are 2.08 and 1.46 times that of Kandelia, 1.03 and 1.15 times of Sonneratia, and 1.74 and 1.02 times of Cyperus, respectively. Spartina has longer growing season and higher productivity than native marshes which might increase greenhouse gas emission in cold seasons. Exotic wetland soils had higher carbon stock as compared to their respective native counterparts but their carbon stocks were offset by a larger proportion because of their higher greenhouse gas emissions. Annual total soil-atmosphere fluxes of greenhouse gases reduced soil carbon burial benefits by 8.1%, 9.5%, 6.4% and 7.2% for Kandelia, Sonneratia, Cyperus and Spartina, respectively, which narrowed down the gaps in net soil carbon stock between native and exotic wetlands. The results indicated that the invasion of exotic wetland plants might convert local coastal soils into a considerable atmospheric source of greenhouse gases although they at the same time increase soil carbon accumulation. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Diversity of wetland plants used traditionally in China: a literature review.

PubMed

Zhang, Yin; Xu, Hualin; Chen, Hui; Wang, Fei; Huai, Huyin

2014-10-15

In comparison with terrestrial plants, those growing in wetlands have been rarely studied ethnobotanically, including in China, yet people living in or near wetlands can accumulate much knowledge of the uses of local wetland plants. A characteristic of wetlands, cutting across climatic zones, is that many species are widely distributed, providing opportunities for studying general patterns of knowledge of the uses of plants across extensive areas, in the present case China. There is urgency in undertaking such studies, given the rapid rates of loss of traditional knowledge of wetland plants as is now occurring. There have been very few studies specifically on the traditional knowledge of wetland plants in China. However, much information on such knowledge does exist, but dispersed through a wide body of literature that is not specifically ethnobotanical, such as regional Floras. We have undertaken an extensive study of such literature to determine which species of wetland plants have been used traditionally and the main factors influencing patterns shown by such knowledge. Quantitative techniques have been used to evaluate the relative usefulness of different types of wetland plants and regression analyses to determine the extent to which different quantitative indices give similar results. 350 wetland plant species, belonging to 66 families and 187 genera, were found to have been used traditionally in China for a wide range of purposes. The top ten families used, in terms of numbers of species, were Poaceae, Polygonaceae, Cyperaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Ranunculaceae, Hydrocharitaceae, Potamogetonaceae, Fabaceae, and Brassicaceae, in total accounting for 58.6% of all species used. These families often dominate wetland vegetation in China. The three most widely used genera were Polygonum, Potamogeton and Cyperus. The main uses of wetlands plants, in terms of numbers of species, were for medicine, food, and forage. Three different ways of assigning an importance value to species (Relative Frequency of Citation RFC; Cultural Importance CI; Cultural Value Index CV) all gave similar results. A diverse range of wetland plants, in terms of both taxonomic affiliation and type of use, have been used traditionally in China. Medicine, forage and food are the three most important categories of use, the plants providing basic resources used by local people in their everyday lives. Local availability is the main factor influencing which species are used. Quantitative indexes, especially Cultural Value Index, proved very useful for evaluating the usefulness of plants as recorded in the literature.

Effectiveness of a model constructed wetland system containing Cyperus papyrus in degrading diesel oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harbowo, Danni Gathot; Choesin, Devi Nandita

2014-03-01

Synergism between wetland systems and the provision of degrading bacterial inoculum is now being developed for the recovery of areas polluted waters of pollutants. In connection with the frequent cases of diesel oil pollution in the waters of Indonesia, we need a way of water treatment as an efficient. In this study conducted a series of tests to develop an construcred wetland design that can effectively degrade diesel oil. Tested five systems: blanko (A), substrated, without bacterial inoculums, and vegetation (B); with the addition of inoculum (C); subsrated and vegetated (D); substrated and vegetated with the addition of inoculum (E). Vegetation used in this study is Cyperus papyrus because it has the ability to absorb pollutants. Inoculum used was Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter aerogenes which is a bacteria degrading organic compounds commonly found in water. To measure the effectiveness of the system, use several indicators to see the degradation of pollutants, namely changes in viscosity, surface tension of pollutants, and the emergence of compound degradation. Based on the results of the study can be determined that the substrated and vegetated system with Cyperus papyrus inoculum (E) was considered the most capable of degrading diesel oil due to the large changes in all parameters. In the system E, 40.6% increase viscosity, surface tension decreased 32.7%, the appearance of degradation compounds with relatively 3614.7 points, and increased to 227.8% TDS. In addition the environmental conditions in the system E also supports the growth of vegetation and degrading microbes.

Geographic range and morphological and chromosomal variability of Carex molestiformis (Cyperaceae) east of the Mississippi River

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Carex molestiformis (frightful sedge), described in 1997 as an endemic to the Ozark and Ouachita Mountain regions, is newly collected from Georgia, Mississippi, and Ohio. Herbarium records have also confirmed this species from North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia bringing the overall range of...

Plant community responses to prescribed burning in Wisconsin sedge meadows

Treesearch

Michael A. Kost; Diane De Steven

2000-01-01

In northern temperate regions, sedge meadows dominated by the tussock-sedge Carex stricta Lam. (Cyperaceae) were historically a fire-maintained community type. In two Wisconsin natural areas (Lulu Lake and Summerton), the authors assessed the effects of time since prescribed spring burning on plant composition and aboveground biomass in eight sedge...

Perigynium removal and cold, moist stratification improve germination of Carex nebrascensis (Nebraska sedge)

Treesearch

J. Chris Hoag; R. Kasten Dumroese; Michael E. Sellers

2001-01-01

For 2 populations of Nebraska sedge (Carex nebrascensis Dewey [Cyperaceae]), removal of the perigynium, the saclike structure around mature achenes, either with forceps or sandpaper, provided sufficient scarification to significantly increase total germination about 50% compared with that of nonscarified achenes. We also found that a combination of...

Nile Delta vegetation response to Holocene climate variability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernhardt, Christopher E.; Horton, Benjamin P.; Stanley, Jean-Daniel

2012-01-01

A 7000 yr palynologic record from Burullus Lagoon, Nile Delta, Egypt, is assessed to investigate changes in terrestrial vegetation in response to Nile flow. Previous studies in this region have shown that sea-level rise in the early to mid-Holocene, and markedly increased human land use during the past several centuries, altered vegetation in and around the lagoon. The pollen record from this study documents changes in delta vegetation that likely reflect variations in Nile flow. We suggest that Cyperaceae pollen is a sensitive marker of precipitation over the Nile headwaters and the resultant Nile flow. Decreases in Cyperaceae pollen, interpreted as a marker for diminished Nile flow, as well as the increase in relative abundance of microscopic charcoal, occurred at ca. 6000–5500, ca. 5000, ca. 4200, and ca. 3000 cal. yr B.P. (calibrated years before present). These correspond to extreme regional and global aridity events associated with a more southerly mean position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. These changes, also recorded by other proxy studies, indicate that several marked regional drought events affected the Nile Delta region and impacted ancient Egyptian and Middle Eastern civilizations.

Phytoremediation potential and ecological and phenological changes of native pioneer plants from weathered oil spill-impacted sites at tropical wetlands.

PubMed

Palma-Cruz, Felipe de J; Pérez-Vargas, Josefina; Rivera Casado, Noemí Araceli; Gómez Guzmán, Octavio; Calva-Calva, Graciano

2016-08-01

Pioneer native plant species from weathered oil spill-affected sites were selected to study their potential for phytoremediation on the basis of their ecological and phenological changes during the phytoremediation process. Experiments were conducted in field and in greenhouse. In field, native plants from aged oil spill-impacted sites with up 400 g of weathered petroleum hydrocarbons per kilogram soil were selected. In the impacted sites, the principal dominant plant species with potential for hydrocarbons removal were Cyperus laxus, Cyperus esculentus, and Ludwigia peploides. In greenhouse, the phenology of the selected plant species was drastically affected by the hydrocarbons level above 325 g total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) per kilogram soil after 2 years of phytoremediation of soils from the aged oil spill-impacted sites. From the phytoremediation treatments, a mix-culture of C. laxus, C. esculentus, and L. peploides in soil containing 325 g TPH/kg soil, from which 20.3 % were polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and 34.2 % were asphaltenes (ASF), was able to remove up 93 % of the TPH, while in unvegetated soil the TPH removal was 12.6 %. Furthermore, evaluation of the biodiversity and life forms of plant species in the impacted sites showed that phytoremediation with C. esculentus, alone or in a mix-culture with C. laxus and L. peploides, reduces the TPH to such extent that the native plant community was progressively reestablished by replacing the cultivated species resulting in the ecological recovery of the affected soil. These results demonstrate that native Cyperus species from weathered oil spill-affected sites, specifically C. esculentus and C. laxus, alone or in a mix-culture, have particular potential for phytoremediation of soils from tropical wetlands contaminated with weathered oil hydrocarbons.

A comparison of weed communities of coastal rice fields in Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Hakim, M A; Juraimi, Abdul Shukor; Hanafi, M M; Selamat, A

2013-09-01

A survey was conducted at 100 different rice fields in coastal areas of West Malaysia to identify most common and prevalent weeds associated with rice. Fields surveyed were done according to the quantitative survey method by using 0.5m x 0.5m size quadrate with 20 samples from each field. A total of 53 different weed species belong to 18 families were identified of which 32 annual and 21 perennial; 12 grassy, 13 sedges and 28 broadleaved weeds. Based on relative abundance the most prevalent and abundant weed species were selected in the coastal rice field. Among the 10 most abundant weed species, there were four grasses viz. Echinochloa crusgalli, Leptochloo chinensis, Echinochloo colona, Oryza sotivo L. (weedy rice).; four sedges viz. Fimbristylis miliacea, Cyperus iria, Cyperus difformis, Scirpus grossus and two broadleaved weeds viz. Sphenocleo zeylonica, Jussiaea linifolio. Leptochloa chinensis, E. crusgalli, F. miliocea, E. colona were more prevalent and abundant species out of the 10 most dominant weed species in the coastal rice field of Peninsular Malaysia.

Phytoremediation potential of Cd and Zn by wetland plants, Colocasia esculenta L. Schott., Cyperus malaccensis Lam. and Typha angustifolia L. grown in hydroponics.

PubMed

Chayapan, P; Kruatrachue, M; Meetam, M; Pokethitiyook, P

2015-09-01

Cadmium and zinc phytoremediation potential of wetland plants, Colocasia esculenta, Cyperus malaccensis, and Typha angustifolia, was investigated. Plants were grown for 15 days in nutrient solutions containing various concentrations of Cd (0, 5, 10, 20, 50 mg l(-1)) and Zn (0, 10, 20, 50, 100 mg l(-1)). T angustifolia was tolerant to both metals as indicated by high RGR when grown in 50 mg I(-1) Cd and 100 mg I(-1) Zn solutions. All these plants accumulated more metals in their underground parts and > 100 mg kg(-1) in their aboveground with TF values < 1. Only C. esculenta could be considered a Zn hyperaccumulator because it could concentrate > 10,000 mg kg(-1) in its aboveground parts with TF > 1. T angustifolia exhibited highest biomass production and highest Cd and Zn uptake, confirming that this plant is a suitable candidate for treating of Cd contaminated soil/sediments.

Floristics of ephemeral ponds in east-central Texas

Treesearch

Barbara R. MacRoberts; Michael H. MacRoberts; D. Craig Rudolph; David W. Peterson

2014-01-01

Beginning in 2009, we surveyed the vegetation of ephemeral ponds in Sabine and Nacogdoches counties in east-central Texas. These ponds are shallow and flat-bottomed, with a small but distinct flora dominated by grasses (Poaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae). The floras of these ponds are most similar to those of flatwoods ponds located on the lower coastal plain. Once more...

A late Holocene record of arid events from the Cuzco region, Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chepstow-Lusty, Alex; Frogley, Michael R.; Bauer, Brian S.; Bush, Mark. B.; Tupayachi Herrera, Alfredo

2003-09-01

The small recently infilled lake basin of Marcacocha (13°13S, 72°12W, 3355 m) in the Cuzco region of Peru has a morphology and location that renders it extremely sensitive to environmental change. A record of vegetation, human impact and climatic change during the past 4200 yr has been obtained from a highly organic core taken from the centre of the basin. Sustained arid episodes that affected the Peruvian Andes may be detectable using the proxy indicator of sedge (Cyperaceae) pollen abundances. As the lake-level was lowered during sustained drier conditions, the local catchment was colonised by Cyperaceae, whereas during lake floods, they retreated or were submerged and pollen production was correspondingly reduced. Drier episodes during prehistoric times occurred around 900 bc, 500 bc, ad 100 and ad 550, with a longer dry episode occurring from ad 900 to 1800. Evidence from the independently derived Quelccaya ice-core record and the archaeological chronology for the Cuzco region appears to support the climatic inferences derived from the sedge data. Many of these aridity episodes appear to correspond with important cultural changes in the Cuzco region and elsewhere in the Central Andes. Copyright

New Applicators for Weed Control in Forest Nurseries and Plantations

Treesearch

J. M. Chandler; T. H. Filer

1981-01-01

Until recently chemical weed control technology in forestry nurseries was limited primarily to soil fumigation, a very expensive and laborous weed control procedure. Herbicides for preemergence application have been registered and are currently being used to control many annual weeds. Removal of perennial weeds such as nutsedge, (Cyperus spp.)...

Vascular flora of the Fernow Experimental Forest and adjacent portions of the Otter Creek Wilderness Area

Treesearch

Robert B. Coxe; Steven L. Stephenson; Darlene M. Madarish; Gary W. Miller

2006-01-01

The vascular flora of the region we considered include 94 families representing at least 461 species. Fifty-four of these or nearly 12 percent are species known to have been introduced. Asteraceae (46 species) is the single largest family; Cyperaceae (31), Liliaceae (29), Poaceae and Rosaceae (20 each) also are important families in the general study area. The 461...

A new species in the indigenous New Zealand soft scale insect genus Kalasiris Henderson & Hodgson (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) on Gahnia setifolia (Cyperaceae).

PubMed

Hodgson, Chris J; Gunawardana, D N; Richmond, J E

2016-03-14

The genus Kalasiris Henderson & Hodgson (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) is currently only known from New Zealand. The adult female and pupa of a new species, K. martini Hodgson & Richmond are described and illustrated below and the possible taxonomic relationships of the genus to other New Zealand genera are discussed.

Microsatellites loci reveal heterozygosis and population structure in vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) of Mexico.

PubMed

Romero-Nava, Claudia; León-Paniagua, Livia; Ortega, Jorge

2014-06-01

A limited number of studies have focused on the population genetic structure of vampire bats (Desmous rotundus) in America. This medium-sized bat is distributed in tropical areas of the continent with high prevalence in forested livestock areas. The aim of this work was to characterize the vampire population structure and their genetic differentiation. For this, we followed standard methods by which live vampires (caught by mist-netting) and preserved material from scientific collections, were obtained for a total of 15 different locations, ranging from Chihuahua (North) to Quintana Roo (Southeast). Tissue samples were obtained from both live and collected animals, and the genetic differentiation, within and among localities, was assessed by the use of seven microsatellite loci. Our results showed that all loci were polymorphic and no private alleles were detected. High levels of heterozygosis were detected when the proportion of alleles in each locus were compared. Pairwise (ST) and R(ST) detected significant genetic differentiation among individuals from different localities. Our population structure results indicate the presence of eleven clusters, with a high percentage of assigned individuals to some specific collecting site.

[Hematophagous bats as reservoirs of rabies].

PubMed

Scheffer, Karin Corrêa; Iamamoto, Keila; Asano, Karen Miyuki; Mori, Enio; Estevez Garcia, Andrea Isabel; Achkar, Samira M; Fahl, Williande Oliveira

2014-04-01

Rabies continues to be a challenge for public health authorities and a constraint to the livestock industry in Latin America. Wild and domestic canines and vampire bats are the main transmitter species and reservoirs of the disease. Currently, variations observed in the epidemiological profile of rabies, where the species of hematophagous bat Desmodus rotundus constitutes the main transmitting species. Over the years, knowledge has accumulated about the ecology, biology and behavior of this species and the natural history of rabies, which should lead to continuous development of methods of population control of d. Rotundus as well as prevention and diagnostic tools for rabies. Ecological relationships of this species with other hematophagous and non-hematophagous bats is unknown, and there is much room for improvement in reporting systems and surveillance, as well as creating greater awareness among the farming community. Understanding the impact of human-induced environmental changes on the rabies virus in bats should be cause for further investigation. This will require a combination of field studies with mathematical models and new diagnostic tools. This review aims to present the most relevant issues on the role of hematophagous bats as reservoirs and transmitters of the rabies virus.

Dredging Operations Technical Support Program. Comparison of the Heavy-Metal Uptake of Cyperus esculentus and of Agronomic Plants Grown on Contaminated Dutch Sediments.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-01

and have similar properties and texture. Differences exist in the macro- and micronutrient status. The common origin and corresponding properties of...Mineral Nutrition, The Hague, 1973. Tracing and treating mineral disorders in dairy cattle. Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation

Weed Hosts of Meloidogyne arenaria and M. incognita Common in Tobacco Fields in South Carolina

PubMed Central

Tedford, E. C.; Fortnum, B. A.

1988-01-01

Thirty-two weed species common in South Carolina and one cultivar of tobacco were evaluated as hosts of Meloidogyne arenaria race 2 and M. incognita race 3 in the greenhouse. Egg mass production and galling differed (P < 0.05) among weed species. Chenopodium album, Euphorbia maculata, and Vicia villosa were good hosts of M. arenaria. Amaranthus palmeri, Rumex crispus, Amaranthus hybridus, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, lpomoea hederacea var. integriuscula, Setaria lutescens, Sida spinosa, Portulaca oleracea, and Rumex acetosella were moderate hosts. Taraxacum officinale, Ipomoea hederacea, Cyperus esculentus, Cynodon dactyIon, Echinochloa crus-galli, Eleusine indica, Sorghum halepense, Setaria viridis, Digitaria sanguinalis, and Datura stramonium were poor hosts for M. arenaria. Amaranthus palmeri, Amaranthus hybridus, Chenopodium album, Euphorbia maculata, Setaria lutescens, Vicia villosa, Sida spinosa, Rumex crispus, and Portulaca oleracea were moderate hosts and Ipomoea hederacea var. integriuscula, Xanthium strumarium, Cyperus esculentus, Cynodon dactylon, Paspalum notatum, Eleusine indica, Setaria viridis, and Rumex acetosella were poor hosts for M. incognita. None of the above were good hosts for M. incognita. Tobacco 'PD4' supported large numbers of both nematode species. PMID:19290313

Weed Hosts of Meloidogyne arenaria and M. incognita Common in Tobacco Fields in South Carolina.

PubMed

Tedford, E C; Fortnum, B A

1988-10-01

Thirty-two weed species common in South Carolina and one cultivar of tobacco were evaluated as hosts of Meloidogyne arenaria race 2 and M. incognita race 3 in the greenhouse. Egg mass production and galling differed (P < 0.05) among weed species. Chenopodium album, Euphorbia maculata, and Vicia villosa were good hosts of M. arenaria. Amaranthus palmeri, Rumex crispus, Amaranthus hybridus, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, lpomoea hederacea var. integriuscula, Setaria lutescens, Sida spinosa, Portulaca oleracea, and Rumex acetosella were moderate hosts. Taraxacum officinale, Ipomoea hederacea, Cyperus esculentus, Cynodon dactyIon, Echinochloa crus-galli, Eleusine indica, Sorghum halepense, Setaria viridis, Digitaria sanguinalis, and Datura stramonium were poor hosts for M. arenaria. Amaranthus palmeri, Amaranthus hybridus, Chenopodium album, Euphorbia maculata, Setaria lutescens, Vicia villosa, Sida spinosa, Rumex crispus, and Portulaca oleracea were moderate hosts and Ipomoea hederacea var. integriuscula, Xanthium strumarium, Cyperus esculentus, Cynodon dactylon, Paspalum notatum, Eleusine indica, Setaria viridis, and Rumex acetosella were poor hosts for M. incognita. None of the above were good hosts for M. incognita. Tobacco 'PD4' supported large numbers of both nematode species.

Grafting and Paladin Pic-21 for Nematode and Weed Management in Vegetable Production

PubMed Central

Kokalis-Burelle, Nancy; Butler, David M.; Hong, Jason C.; Bausher, Michael G.; McCollum, Greg; Rosskopf, Erin N.

2016-01-01

Two years of field trials conducted in a Meloidogyne incognita-infested field evaluated grafting and Paladin Pic-21 (dimethyl disulfide:chloropicrin [DMDS:Pic] 79:21) for root-knot nematode and weed control in tomato and melon. Tomato rootstocks evaluated were; ‘TX301’, ‘Multifort’, and ‘Aloha’. ‘Florida 47’ was the scion and the nongrafted control. A double crop of melon was planted into existing beds following tomato harvest. Melon rootstocks, C. metulifer and ‘Tetsukabuto’, were evaluated with nongrafted ‘Athena’ in year 1. In year 2, watermelon followed tomato with scion variety ‘Tri-X Palomar’ as the control and also grafted onto ‘Emphasis’ and ‘Strongtosa’ rootstocks. Four soil treatments were applied in fall both years under Canslit metalized film; Paladin Pic-21, methyl bromide:chloropicrin (MeBr:C33, 67:33), Midas (iodomethane:chloropicrin 50:50), and a herbicide-treated control. M. incognita J2 in soil were highest in herbicide control plots and nongrafted tomato. All soil treatments produced similar tomato growth, which was greater than the herbicide control. All treatments reduced M. incognita J2 in roots compared to the herbicide control. ‘Multifort’ rootstock produced the largest and healthiest roots; however, the number of M. incognita isolated from roots did not differ among the tomato rootstocks tested. Galling on tomato was highest in herbicide control plots and nongrafted plants. In melon, M. incognita J2 in soil did not differ among melon rootstocks, but numbers isolated from melon rootstocks increased in ‘Tetsukabuto’ compared with C. metuliferus. ‘Tetsukabuto’ were larger root systems than nongrafted ‘Athena’. All fumigants provided protection for all melon rootstocks against galling by M. incognita compared to the herbicide control. Galling on C. metuliferus rootstock was less in all fumigant treatments compared with nongrafted ‘Athena’ and ‘Tetsukabuto’. In watermelon, M. incognita in soil and roots did not differ among soil treatments or watermelon rootstocks, and yield was lower in both grafted rootstocks compared with the nongrafted control. All soil treatments increased average fruit weight of watermelon compared with the herbicide control, and provided effective weed control, keeping the most predominant weed, purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.), density at or below 1/m row. Grafting commercial scions onto M. incognita-resistant rootstocks has potential for nematode management combined with soil treatments or as a stand-alone component in crop production systems. PMID:28154429

Cut from the same cloth: The convergent evolution of dwarf morphotypes of the Carex flava group (Cyperaceae) in Circum-Mediterranean mountains

PubMed Central

Benítez-Benítez, Carmen; Fernández-Mazuecos, Mario; Martín-Bravo, Santiago

2017-01-01

Plants growing in high-mountain environments may share common morphological features through convergent evolution resulting from an adaptative response to similar ecological conditions. The Carex flava species complex (sect. Ceratocystis, Cyperaceae) includes four dwarf morphotypes from Circum-Mediterranean mountains whose taxonomic status has remained obscure due to their apparent morphological resemblance. In this study we investigate whether these dwarf mountain morphotypes result from convergent evolution or common ancestry, and whether there are ecological differences promoting differentiation between the dwarf morphotypes and their taxonomically related large, well-developed counterparts. We used phylogenetic analyses of nrDNA (ITS) and ptDNA (rps16 and 5’trnK) sequences, ancestral state reconstruction, multivariate analyses of macro- and micromorphological data, and species distribution modeling. Dwarf morphotype populations were found to belong to three different genetic lineages, and several morphotype shifts from well-developed to dwarf were suggested by ancestral state reconstructions. Distribution modeling supported differences in climatic niche at regional scale between the large forms, mainly from lowland, and the dwarf mountain morphotypes. Our results suggest that dwarf mountain morphotypes within this sedge group are small forms of different lineages that have recurrently adapted to mountain habitats through convergent evolution. PMID:29281689

Phyllostomid bat microbiome composition is associated to host phylogeny and feeding strategies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carrillo-Araujo, Mario; Taş, Neslihan; Alcántara-Hernández, Rocio J.

The members of the Phyllostomidae, the New-World leaf-nosed family of bats, show a remarkable evolutionary diversification of dietary strategies including insectivory, as the ancestral trait, followed by appearance of carnivory and plant-based diets such as nectarivory and frugivory. Here we explore the microbiome composition of different feeding specialists: insectivore Macrotus waterhousii, sanguivore Desmodus rotundus, nectarivores Leptonycteris yerbabuenae and Glossophaga soricina, and frugivores Carollia perspicillata and Artibeus jamaicensis. The V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene from three intestinal regions of three individuals per species was amplified and community composition and structure was analyzed with α and β diversity metrics. Batsmore » with plant-based diets had low diversity microbiomes, whereas the sanguivore D. rotundus and insectivore M. waterhousii had the most diverse microbiomes. There were no significant differences in microbiome composition between different intestine regions within each individual. Plant-based feeders showed less specificity in their microbiome compositions, whereas animal-based specialists, although more diverse overall, showed a more clustered arrangement of their intestinal bacterial components. The main characteristics defining microbiome composition in phyllostomids were species and feeding strategy. This study shows how differences in feeding strategies contributed to the development of different intestinal microbiomes in Phyllostomidae.« less

Projections of the optic tectum and the mesencephalic nucleus of the trigeminal nerve in the tegu lizard (Tupinambis nigropunctatus).

PubMed

Ebbesson, S O

1981-01-01

Fibers undergoing Wallerian degeneration following tectal lesions were demonstrated with the Nauta and Fink-Heimer methods and traced to their termination. Four of the five distinct fiber paths originating in the optic tectum appear related to vision, while one is related to the mesencephalic nucleus of the trigeminus. The latter component of the tectal efferents distributes fibers to 1) the main sensory nucleus of the trigeminus, 2) the motor nucleus of the trigeminus, 3) the nucleus of tractus solitarius, and 4) the intermediate gray of the cervical spinal cord. The principal ascending bundle projects to the nucleus rotundus, three components of the ventral geniculate nucleus and the nucleus ventromedialis anterior ipsilaterally, before it crosses in the supraoptic commissure and terminates in the contralateral nucleus rotundus, ventral geniculate nucleus and a hitherto unnamed region dorsal to the nucleus of the posterior accessory optic tract. Fibers leaving the tectum dorso-medially terminate in the posterodorsal nucleus ipsilaterally and the stratum griseum periventriculare of the contralateral tectum. The descending fiber paths terminate in medial reticular cell groups and the rostral spinal cord contralaterally and in the torus and the lateral reticular regions ipsilaterally. The ipsilateral fascicle also issues fibers to the magnocellular nucleus isthmi.

Phyllostomid bat microbiome composition is associated to host phylogeny and feeding strategies

DOE PAGES

Carrillo-Araujo, Mario; Taş, Neslihan; Alcántara-Hernández, Rocio J.; ...

2015-05-19

The members of the Phyllostomidae, the New-World leaf-nosed family of bats, show a remarkable evolutionary diversification of dietary strategies including insectivory, as the ancestral trait, followed by appearance of carnivory and plant-based diets such as nectarivory and frugivory. Here we explore the microbiome composition of different feeding specialists: insectivore Macrotus waterhousii, sanguivore Desmodus rotundus, nectarivores Leptonycteris yerbabuenae and Glossophaga soricina, and frugivores Carollia perspicillata and Artibeus jamaicensis. The V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene from three intestinal regions of three individuals per species was amplified and community composition and structure was analyzed with α and β diversity metrics. Batsmore » with plant-based diets had low diversity microbiomes, whereas the sanguivore D. rotundus and insectivore M. waterhousii had the most diverse microbiomes. There were no significant differences in microbiome composition between different intestine regions within each individual. Plant-based feeders showed less specificity in their microbiome compositions, whereas animal-based specialists, although more diverse overall, showed a more clustered arrangement of their intestinal bacterial components. The main characteristics defining microbiome composition in phyllostomids were species and feeding strategy. This study shows how differences in feeding strategies contributed to the development of different intestinal microbiomes in Phyllostomidae.« less

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in common vampire bats Desmodus rotundus and livestock in Peru.

PubMed

Benavides, J A; Shiva, C; Virhuez, M; Tello, C; Appelgren, A; Vendrell, J; Solassol, J; Godreuil, S; Streicker, D G

2018-06-01

Antibiotic resistance mediated by bacterial production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) is a global threat to public health. ESBL resistance is most commonly hospital-acquired; however, infections acquired outside of hospital settings have raised concerns over the role of livestock and wildlife in the zoonotic spread of ESBL-producing bacteria. Only limited data are available on the circulation of ESBL-producing bacteria in animals. Here, we report ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in wild common vampire bats Desmodus rotundus and livestock near Lima, Peru. Molecular analyses revealed that most of this resistance resulted from the expression of bla CTX-M-15 genes carried by plasmids, which are disseminating worldwide in hospital settings and have also been observed in healthy children of Peru. Multilocus sequence typing showed a diverse pool of E. coli strains carrying this resistance that were not always host species-specific, suggesting sharing of strains between species or infection from a common source. This study shows widespread ESBL resistance in wild and domestic animals, supporting animal communities as a potential source of resistance. Future work is needed to elucidate the role of bats in the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant strains of public health importance and to understand the origin of the observed resistance. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Phyllostomid bat microbiome composition is associated to host phylogeny and feeding strategies

PubMed Central

Carrillo-Araujo, Mario; Taş, Neslihan; Alcántara-Hernández, Rocio J.; Gaona, Osiris; Schondube, Jorge E.; Medellín, Rodrigo A.; Jansson, Janet K.; Falcón, Luisa I.

2015-01-01

The members of the Phyllostomidae, the New-World leaf-nosed family of bats, show a remarkable evolutionary diversification of dietary strategies including insectivory, as the ancestral trait, followed by appearance of carnivory and plant-based diets such as nectarivory and frugivory. Here we explore the microbiome composition of different feeding specialists: insectivore Macrotus waterhousii, sanguivore Desmodus rotundus, nectarivores Leptonycteris yerbabuenae and Glossophaga soricina, and frugivores Carollia perspicillata and Artibeus jamaicensis. The V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene from three intestinal regions of three individuals per species was amplified and community composition and structure was analyzed with α and β diversity metrics. Bats with plant-based diets had low diversity microbiomes, whereas the sanguivore D. rotundus and insectivore M. waterhousii had the most diverse microbiomes. There were no significant differences in microbiome composition between different intestine regions within each individual. Plant-based feeders showed less specificity in their microbiome compositions, whereas animal-based specialists, although more diverse overall, showed a more clustered arrangement of their intestinal bacterial components. The main characteristics defining microbiome composition in phyllostomids were species and feeding strategy. This study shows how differences in feeding strategies contributed to the development of different intestinal microbiomes in Phyllostomidae. PMID:26042099

Investigation into ammonia stress on Cyperus alternifolius and its impact on nutrient removal in microcosm experiments.

PubMed

Tao, Wendong; Han, Jianqiu; Li, Hanyan

2015-11-01

Ammonia stress on plants has been investigated at discrete ammonia concentrations in constructed wetlands. This study introduced a Gaussian model to simulate the kinetics of ammonia stress and investigated reversible and irreversible ammonia stress on Cyperus alternifolius in wetland-like microcosms. Ammonia stress on plant weight increase and oxygen release potential started at weekly ammonia concentrations of 27 and 28 mg N/L, reached 50% inhibition at 178 and 158 mg N/L, and resulted in lethal effects at 311 and 303 mg N/L, respectively. The stress of one-time ammonia concentrations up to 400 mg N/L could be reversible. Ammonia concentrations constantly above 219 mg N/L exerted irreversible stress. In the microcosms with ammonia concentrations above the 50% inhibition levels, plants played a minor role in nitrogen removal. Nitrogen removal performance was not affected considerably by ammonia stress. Orthophosphate removal was suppressed by ammonia stress due to less plant uptake. Design and operation of constructed wetlands should consider wastewater ammonia concentration so that the integrity of constructed wetland ecosystems can be maintained. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The interactive effects of herbivory and fire on an oligohaline marsh, Little Lake, Louisiana, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, K.L.; Grace, J.B.; Guntenspergen, G.R.; Foote, A.L.

1994-01-01

Herbivory and fire have been shown to affect the structure and composition of marsh communities. Because fire may alter plant species composition and cover, and these alterations may have an effect on this study, the effects of fire and vertebrate herbivory in a Louisiana oligohaline marsh were studied using small, controlled burns and animal enclosures. Mean total biomass was nearly 2 times greater in the plots protected from herbivory than in the plots subject to natural herbivory. Additionally, mean total biomass was over 1.5 times greater in the plots that remained unburned than in those that were burned. Two dominant perennial species, Spartina patens and Scirpus olneyi, were negatively affected by herbivory, but two annual sedges, Cyperus flavescens and Cyperus odorata, were positively affected. Burning reduced the aboveground biomass of Spartina patens and Bacopa monnieri. No species increased in biomass as a result of fire. No significant differences were found in species richness between herbivory treatments or between fire treatments. Although both herbivory and fire were found to cause significant changes in the vegetation, the interaction between herbivory and fire was not found to produce any significant effects in any test conducted.

Installation Restoration Program Preliminary Assessment Bethel Radio Relay Station, Alaska

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-04-01

third glacial stage of the Pleistocene * Epoch in North America . KNOB - A rounded eminence, as a knoll, hillock, or small hill or mountain. 3 KNOLL...Pleistocene Epoch in North America , after the Illinoian and before the Wisconsinan. SEDGE - Any of the family (Cyperaceae) of grasslike plants often found on...Pleistocene epoch in North America . I 3 GL-IO U I UREFERENCES 1. Department of the Interior List of Geological Survey Geologic and Water SupplY Reports

Seasonal reproduction of vampire bats and its relation to seasonality of bovine rabies.

PubMed

Lord, R D

1992-04-01

Studies of pregnancy and lactation in vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) in northern Argentina over a 4 yr period showed an inverse relationship between prevalence of pregnancy and lactation, the consequence of birth and onset of lactation, which was correlated with the wet season. The seasonal influx of young susceptibles into the vampire population in the wet season coincided with the well known increase in vampire transmitted rabies in that season.

Environmental controls of temporal and spatial variability in CO2 and CH4 fluxes in a neotropical peatland.

PubMed

Wright, Emma L; Black, Colin R; Turner, Benjamin L; Sjögersten, Sofie

2013-12-01

Tropical peatlands play an important role in the global storage and cycling of carbon (C) but information on carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes from these systems is sparse, particularly in the Neotropics. We quantified short and long-term temporal and small scale spatial variation in CO2 and CH4 fluxes from three contrasting vegetation communities in a domed ombrotrophic peatland in Panama. There was significant variation in CO2 fluxes among vegetation communities in the order Campnosperma panamensis > Raphia taedigera > Cyperus. There was no consistent variation among sites and no discernible seasonal pattern of CH4 flux despite the considerable range of values recorded (e.g. -1.0 to 12.6 mg m(-2) h(-1) in 2007). CO2 fluxes varied seasonally in 2007, being greatest in drier periods (300-400 mg m(-2) h(-1)) and lowest during the wet period (60-132 mg m(-2) h(-1)) while very high emissions were found during the 2009 wet period, suggesting that peak CO2 fluxes may occur following both low and high rainfall. In contrast, only weak relationships between CH4 flux and rainfall (positive at the C. panamensis site) and solar radiation (negative at the C. panamensis and Cyperus sites) was found. CO2 fluxes showed a diurnal pattern across sites and at the Cyperus sp. site CO2 and CH4 fluxes were positively correlated. The amount of dissolved carbon and nutrients were strong predictors of small scale within-site variability in gas release but the effect was site-specific. We conclude that (i) temporal variability in CO2 was greater than variation among vegetation communities; (ii) rainfall may be a good predictor of CO2 emissions from tropical peatlands but temporal variation in CH4 does not follow seasonal rainfall patterns; and (iii) diurnal variation in CO2 fluxes across different vegetation communities can be described by a Fourier model. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Field Survey of Heavy Metal Uptake by Naturally Occurring Saltwater and Freshwater Marsh Plants.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

addressing the 67 bioconcentration of heavy metal contaminants via marsh plants. In a previous greenhouse hydroponic s-tudy, Lee, Sturgis, and Landin...1976) found that Cyperus esculentus, Spirtina patens, S. alterniflora, and Distichlis spicata accumulated heavy metals from the hydroponic solu...referenced as the hydroponic study, the disposal site study, and the greenhouse study, respectively. Ac- cordingly, a field survey and sampling study

[Control effects of rice-duck farming and other weed management strategies on weed communities in paddy fields].

PubMed

Wei, Shouhui; Qiang, Sheng; Ma, Bo; Wei, Jiguang; Chen, Jianwei; Wu, Jianqiang; Xie, Tongzhou; Shen, Xiaokun

2005-06-01

By the methods of community ecology, field studies were conducted to evaluate the control effects of three weed management strategies, i. e., rice-duck farming (RD), manual weeding (MW) and chemical weeding (CW), on the weed communities in paddy fields. The results showed that under rice-duck farming, the weed density in paddy fields decreased significantly, and the control effects on dominant weed species such as Monochoria vaginalis, Cyperus difformis, Sagittaria pygmaea were all above 95%, with an overall effect higher than CW and MW. Under RD, the species richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity indices decreased slightly, while Pielou community evenness indices increased markedly, indicating that the species composition of weed community was greatly improved, and the infestation of former dominant weed species was reduced. The structure of weed communities in paddy fields varied with different weed management strategies, e. g., under RD, Lindernia procumbens, Cyperus difformis and Fimbristylis miliacea constituted the major weed community, and the Whittaker index was significant higher than that of CW, MW and CK, which indicated that rice-duck farming had a greater effect on the structure of the weed communities. The same conclusion could be drawn from Sorensen's similarity indices and cluster analysis with Sorensen's index as the distance measurement.

[Methane fluxes of Cyperus malaccensis tidal wetland in Minjiang River estuary].

PubMed

Zeng, Cong-Sheng; Wang, Wei-Qi; Zhang, Lin-Hai; Lin, Lu-Ying; Ai, Jin-Quan; Zhang, Wen-Long

2010-02-01

By using enclosed static chamber-gas chromatograph techniques, this paper measured the methane fluxes of Cyperus malaccensis tidal wetland in Minjiang River estuary. The diurnal variation of the methane fluxes in summer and winter were in the range of 1.29-2.93 mg x m(-2) x h(-1) and 0.06-0.22 mg x m(-2) x h(-1), respectively. The methane fluxes before flooding, in the process of flooding and ebbing, and after ebbing were 0.11-1.52 mg x m(-2) x h(-1), 0.10-1.05 mg x m(-2) x h(-1), and 0.05-1.70 mg x m(-2) x h(-1), and the monthly averaged fluxes were 0.73, 0.47, and 0.72 mg x m(-2) x h(-1), respectively. The methane fluxes peaked in September and reached the lowest in March, and were significantly lower in the process of flooding and ebbing than before flooding and after ebbing (P < 0.05). The seasonal variation of the methane fluxes was in the order of summer > autumn > spring > winter. Tide was the key factor affecting the diurnal variation of the methane fluxes, while plant growth stage and temperature were the key factors determining the monthly or seasonal variation of the methane fluxes.

Physicochemical and tablet properties of Cyperus alulatus rhizomes starch granules.

PubMed

Paramakrishnan, N; Jha, S; Kumar, K Jayaram

2015-05-01

The starch extracted from rhizomes of Cyperus alulatus (CA) was characterized for its physicochemical, morphological and tableting properties. Rhizomes of CA yield a significant quantity of starch granules (CASG) i.e., 11.93%. CASG was characterized in terms of moisture, ash and amylose contents, solubility and swelling power, paste clarity and water retention capacity. The swelling power was found to be significantly improved with the increase in temperature. Scanning electron micrographs revealed that the granule's surface was smooth, the granules were spherical, mostly round, disc like, and the size range was 6.65-12.13 μm. Finger print region in FTIR spectra confirmed its carbohydrate nature. The evaluated micromeritic properties of extracted granule's bulk density, tapped density, Carr's index, Hausner ratio, true density and porosity render unique practicability of CASG being used as an adjuvant in pharmaceutical solid dosage forms. Tablets prepared by using CASG showed higher mechanical strength and more disintegration time, which depicted the characteristic binding nature of the starch granules. As CASG is imparting better binding properties in less concentration and also it can be used in combination with the established starches to get the synergistic effect; this starch can be used commercially in the tablet preparation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Field evidence for earlier leaf-out dates in alpine grassland on the eastern Tibetan Plateau from 1990 to 2006.

PubMed

Zhou, H K; Yao, B Q; Xu, W X; Ye, X; Fu, J J; Jin, Y X; Zhao, X Q

2014-08-01

Worldwide, many plant species are experiencing an earlier onset of spring phenophases due to climate warming. Rapid recent temperature increases on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) have triggered changes in the spring phenology of the local vegetation. However, remote sensing studies of the land surface phenology have reached conflicting interpretations about green-up patterns observed on the TP since the mid-1990s. We investigated this issue using field phenological observations from 1990 to 2006, for 11 dominant plants on the TP at the levels of species, families (Gramineae-grasses and Cyperaceae-sedges) and vegetation communities (alpine meadow and alpine steppe). We found a significant trend of earlier leaf-out dates for one species (Koeleria cristata). The leaf-out dates of both Gramineae and Cyperaceae had advanced (the latter significantly, starting an average of 9 days later per year than the former), but the correlation between them was significant. The leaf-out dates of both vegetation communities also advanced, but the pattern was only significant in the alpine meadow. This study provides the first field evidence of advancement in spring leaf phenology on the TP and suggests that the phenology of the alpine steppe can differ from that of the alpine meadow. These findings will be useful for understanding ecosystem responses to climate change and for grassland management on the TP. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Are holocentrics doomed to change? Limited chromosome number variation in Rhynchospora Vahl (Cyperaceae).

PubMed

Ribeiro, Tiago; Buddenhagen, Christopher E; Thomas, W Wayt; Souza, Gustavo; Pedrosa-Harand, Andrea

2018-01-01

Karyotype evolution in species with non-localised centromeres (holocentric chromosomes) is usually very dynamic and associated with recurrent fission and fusion (also termed agmatoploidy/symploidy) events. In Rhynchospora (Cyperaceae), one of the most species-rich sedge genera, all analysed species have holocentric chromosomes and their numbers range from 2n = 4 to 2n = 84. Agmatoploidy/symploidy and polyploidy were suggested as the main processes in the reshuffling of Rhynchospora karyotypes, although testing different scenarios of chromosome number evolution in a phylogenetic framework has not been attempted until now. Here, we used maximum likelihood and model-based analyses, in combination with genome size estimation and ribosomal DNA distribution, to understand chromosome evolution in Rhynchospora. Overall, chromosome number variation showed a significant phylogenetic signal and the majority of the lineages maintained a karyotype of 2n = 10 (~48% of the species), the most likely candidate for the ancestral number of the genus. Higher and lower chromosome numbers were restricted to specific clades, whilst polyploidy and/or fusion/fission events were present in specific branches. Variation in genome size and ribosomal DNA site number showed no correlation with ploidy level or chromosome number. Although different mechanisms of karyotype evolution (polyploidy, fusion and fission) seem to be acting in distinct lineages, the degree of chromosome variation and the main mechanisms involved are comparable to those found in some monocentric genera and lower than expected for a holocentric genus.

Reduced insulin secretion and glucose intolerance are involved in the fasting susceptibility of common vampire bats.

PubMed

Freitas, Mariella B; Queiroz, Joicy F; Dias Gomes, Carolinne I; Collares-Buzato, Carla B; Barbosa, Helena C; Boschero, Antonio C; Gonçalves, Carlos A; Pinheiro, Eliana C

2013-03-01

Susceptibility during fasting has been reported for the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus), to the point of untimely deaths after only 2-3 nights of fasting. To investigate the underlying physiology of this critical metabolic condition, we analyzed serum insulin levels, pancreatic islets morphometry and immunocytochemistry (ICC), static insulin secretion in pancreas fragments, and insulin signaling mechanism in male vampire bats. A glucose tolerance test (ipGTT) was also performed. Serum insulin was found to be lower in fed vampires compared to other mammals, and was significantly reduced after 24h fasting. Morphometrical analyses revealed small irregular pancreatic islets with reduced percentage of β-cell mass compared to other bats. Static insulin secretion analysis showed that glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was impaired, as insulin levels did not reach significance under high glucose concentrations, whereas the response to the amino acid leucin was preserved. Results from ipGTT showed a failure on glucose clearance, indicating glucose intolerance due to diminished pancreatic insulin secretion and/or decreased β-cell response to glucose. In conclusion, data presented here indicate lower insulinemia and impaired insulin secretion in D. rotundus, which is consistent with the limited ability to store body energy reserves, previously reported in these animals. Whether these metabolic and hormonal features are associated with their blood diet remains to be determined. The peculiar food sharing through blood regurgitation, reported to this species, might be an adaptive mechanism overcoming this metabolic susceptibility. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Novel hemotropic mycoplasmas are widespread and genetically diverse in vampire bats.

PubMed

Volokhov, D V; Becker, D J; Bergner, L M; Camus, M S; Orton, R J; Chizhikov, V E; Altizer, S M; Streicker, D G

2017-11-01

Bats (Order: Chiroptera) have been widely studied as reservoir hosts for viruses of concern for human and animal health. However, whether bats are equally competent hosts of non-viral pathogens such as bacteria remains an important open question. Here, we surveyed blood and saliva samples of vampire bats from Peru and Belize for hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. (hemoplasmas), bacteria that can cause inapparent infection or anemia in hosts. 16S rRNA gene amplification of blood showed 67% (150/223) of common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) were infected by hemoplasmas. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene amplicons revealed three novel genotypes that were phylogenetically related but not identical to hemoplasmas described from other (non-vampire) bat species, rodents, humans, and non-human primates. Hemoplasma prevalence in vampire bats was highest in non-reproductive and young individuals, did not differ by country, and was relatively stable over time (i.e., endemic). Metagenomics from pooled D. rotundus saliva from Peru detected non-hemotropic Mycoplasma species and hemoplasma genotypes phylogenetically similar to those identified in blood, providing indirect evidence for potential direct transmission of hemoplasmas through biting or social contacts. This study demonstrates vampire bats host several novel hemoplasmas and sheds light on risk factors for infection and basic transmission routes. Given the high frequency of direct contacts that arise when vampire bats feed on humans, domestic animals, and wildlife, the potential of these bacteria to be transmitted between species should be investigated in future work.

Precocious development of lectin (Ulex europaeus agglutinin I) receptors in dome epithelium of gut-associated lymphoid tissues.

PubMed

Roy, M J

1987-06-01

Dome epithelium (DE), the tissue covering lymphoid domes of gut-associated lymphoid tissues, was examined in both adult and neonatal rabbit appendix or sacculus rotundus to determine if dome epithelial cells matured earlier than epithelial cells covering adjacent villi. The localization of well-differentiated epithelial cells in rabbit gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) was accomplished histochemically by use of molecular probes: fluorescein isothiocyanate or horseradish peroxidase conjugates of Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA), a lectin specific for terminal L-fucose molecules on certain glycoconjugates. The villus epithelial cells of newborn and 2-, 5-, or 10-day-old rabbits did not bind UEA, but between the twelfth and fifteenth days of postnatal life, UEA receptors were expressed by well-differentiated villus epithelial cells. In contrast to villus epithelium, DE in appendix and sacculus rotundus of neonatal rabbits expressed UEA receptors two days after birth, a feature that distinguished the DE of neonatal GALT for the next two weeks. In adult rabbits, UEA receptors were associated with dome epithelial cells extending from the mouths of glandular crypts to the upper domes; in contrast to the domes, UEA receptors were only present on well-differentiated epithelial cells at the villus tips. Results suggested that in neonatal rabbits most dome epithelial cells developed UEA receptors shortly after birth, reflecting precocious development of DE as compared to villus epithelium. In adult rabbit dome epithelium UEA receptors appeared on dome epithelial cells as they left the glandular crypts, representing accelerated epithelial maturation.

Younger vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) are more likely than adults to explore novel objects.

PubMed

Carter, Gerald G; Forss, Sofia; Page, Rachel A; Ratcliffe, John M

2018-01-01

The effects of age on neophobia and exploration are best described in birds and primates, and broader comparisons require reports from other taxa. Here we present data showing age-dependent exploration in a long-lived social species, the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus). A previous study found that vampire bats regurgitated food to partners trapped in a cage. Interestingly, while only a few adult bats visited the trapped bat, in every trial all or most of the eight young males in the colony would visit the trapped bat without feeding it. To test whether this behavioral difference resulted from age class differences in exploration, we compared responses of the bats to a trapped conspecific versus an inanimate novel object. Some adults and young showed interest in trapped conspecifics, but only the young males explored the novel objects. Additional novel object tests in a second captive colony showed that higher rates of novel object exploration were shown by young of both sexes. Our results corroborate past findings from other mammals and birds that age predicts exploration. If age-dependent exploration is indeed adaptive, then the role of age as a predictor of exploration tendency should depend on species-specific life history traits. Finally, because younger vampire bats also appear to have higher exposure to pathogens such as rabies virus, there may be implications for pathogen transmission if younger and more exploratory vampire bats are more likely to feed on novel hosts.

The spermatogenic process of the common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus under a histomorphometric view

PubMed Central

Puga, Luciano Carlos Heringer Porcaro; de Paula, Tarcízio Antônio Rêgo; Freitas, Mariella Bontempo Duca; da Matta, Sérgio Luis Pinto

2017-01-01

Among all bat species, Desmodus rotundus stands out as one of the most intriguing due to its exclusively haematophagous feeding habits. However, little is known about their spermatogenic cycle. This study aimed at describing the spermatogenic process of common vampire bats through testicular histomorphometric characterization of adult specimens, spermatogenic production indexes, description of stages of the seminiferous epithelium cycle and estimative of the spermatogenic process duration. Morphometrical and immunohistochemical analyzes for bromodeoxiuridine were conducted under light microscopy and ultrastructural analyzes were performed under transmission electron microscopy. Vampire bats showed higher investment in gonadal tissue (gonadosomatic index of 0.54%) and in seminiferous tubules (tubulesomatic index of 0.49%) when compared to larger mammals. They also showed a high tubular length per gram of testis (34.70 m). Approximately half of the intertubular compartment was found to be comprised by Leydig cells (51.20%), and an average of 23.77x106 of these cells was found per gram of testis. The germline cells showed 16.93% of mitotic index and 2.51% of meiotic index. The overall yield of spermatogenesis was 60% and the testicular spermatic reserve was 71.44x107 spermatozoa per gram of testis. With a total spermatogenesis duration estimated at 37.02 days, vampire bats showed a daily sperm production of 86.80x106 gametes per gram of testis. These findings demonstrate a high sperm production, which is commonly observed in species with promiscuous mating system. PMID:28301534

Preliminary Guide to the Onsite Identification and Delineation of the Wetlands of the North Atlantic United States.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

Nymphaea odorata (Water lily) Potcamogeton app. (Pondweed) Vallisneri americana (Water-celery) b. Subclass: Floating Vascular. Lemna minor (Duckweed...f Cyperus spp. (Sedges) b PAcea mariana (Black Spru~.e) g Nymphaea odorata (Waterlily) c Lanax laricina (Tamarack) h Myrica gale (Sweet Gale) d...Michx. Water hemp Arnaranthus cannabinus (L.) J. D. Sauer Water lily Nymphaea odorata Alt. Water milfoil Myriophyll?2 spp. White spruceI Picea gl.auca

Amino acid, mineral and fatty acid content of pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita spp) and Cyperus esculentus nuts in the Republic of Niger.

PubMed

Glew, R H; Glew, R S; Chuang, L-T; Huang, Y-S; Millson, M; Constans, D; Vanderjagt, D J

2006-06-01

Dried seeds and nuts are widely consumed by indigenous populations of the western Sahel, especially those who inhabit rural areas. In light of the need for quantitative information regarding the content of particular nutrients in these plant foods, we collected dried pumpkin (Cucurbita spp) seeds and nuts of Cyperus esculentus in the Republic of Niger and analyzed them for their content of essential amino acids, minerals and trace elements, and fatty acids. On a dry weight basis, pumpkin seed contained 58.8% protein and 29.8% fat. However, the lysine score of the protein was only 65% relative to the FAO/WHO protein standard. The pumpkin seed contained useful amounts of linoleic (92 microg/g dry weight) and the following elements (on a microg per g dry weight basis): potassium (5,790), magnesium (5,690), manganese (49.3), zinc (113), selenium (1.29), copper (15.4), chromium (2.84), and molybdenum (0.81), but low amounts of calcium and iron. Except for potassium (5,573 microg/g dry weight) and chromium (2.88 microg/g dry weight), the C. esculentis nuts contained much less of these same nutrients compared to pumpkin seeds. In conclusion, pumpkin seeds represent a useful source of many nutrients essential to humans. The data in this report should of practical value to public health officials in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa.

Phylogenetic congruence of parasitic smut fungi (Anthracoidea, Anthracoideaceae) and their host plants (Carex, Cyperaceae): Cospeciation or host-shift speciation?

PubMed

Escudero, Marcial

2015-07-01

• Fahrenholz's rule states that common ancestors of extant parasites were parasites of the common ancestors of extant hosts. Consequently, parasite phylogeny should mirror host phylogeny. The smut fungi genus Anthracoidea (Anthracoideaceae) is mainly hosted by species of the genus Carex (Cyperaceae). Whether smut fungi phylogeny mirrors sedge phylogeny is still under debate.• The nuclear large subunit DNA region (LSU; 57 accessions) from 31 Anthracoidea species and the ITS, ETS, and trnL-F spacer-trnL intron complex from 41 Carex species were used to infer the phylogenetic history of parasites and their hosts using a maximum likelihood approach. Event-based and distance-based cophylogenetic methods were used to test the hypothesis of whether the phylogeny of smut fungi from the genus Anthracoidea matches the phylogeny of the sedge Carex species they host.• Cophylogenetic reconstructions taking into account phylogenetic uncertainties based on event-based analyses demonstrated that the Anthracoidea phylogeny has significant topological congruence with the phylogeny of their Carex hosts. A distance-based test was also significant; therefore, the phylogenies of Anthracoide and Carex are partially congruent.• The phylogenetic congruence of Anthracoidea and Carex is partially based on smut fungi species being preferentially hosted by closely related sedges (host conservatism). In addition, many different events rather than only codivergence events are inferred. All of this evidence suggests that host-shift speciation rather than cospeciation seems to explain the cophylogenetic patterns of Anthracoidea and Carex. © 2015 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Dynamics of chromosome number and genome size variation in a cytogenetically variable sedge (Carex scoparia var. scoparia, Cyperaceae).

PubMed

Chung, Kyong-Sook; Weber, Jaime A; Hipp, Andrew L

2011-01-01

High intraspecific cytogenetic variation in the sedge genus Carex (Cyperaceae) is hypothesized to be due to the "diffuse" or non-localized centromeres, which facilitate chromosome fission and fusion. If chromosome number changes are dominated by fission and fusion, then chromosome evolution will result primarily in changes in the potential for recombination among populations. Chromosome duplications, on the other hand, entail consequent opportunities for divergent evolution of paralogs. In this study, we evaluate whether genome size and chromosome number covary within species. We used flow cytometry to estimate genome sizes in Carex scoparia var. scoparia, sampling 99 plants (23 populations) in the Chicago region, and we used meiotic chromosome observations to document chromosome numbers and chromosome pairing relations. Chromosome numbers range from 2n = 62 to 2n = 68, and nuclear DNA 1C content from 0.342 to 0.361 pg DNA. Regressions of DNA content on chromosome number are nonsignificant for data analyzed by individual or population, and a regression model that excludes slope is favored over a model in which chromosome number predicts genome size. Chromosome rearrangements within cytogenetically variable Carex species are more likely a consequence of fission and fusion than of duplication and deletion. Moreover, neither genome size nor chromosome number is spatially autocorrelated, which suggests the potential for rapid chromosome evolution by fission and fusion at a relatively fine geographic scale (<350 km). These findings have important implications for ecological restoration and speciation within the largest angiosperm genus of the temperate zone.

A new species of Biacantha (Nematoda: Molineidae), a parasite of the common vampire bat from the Yungas, Argentina.

PubMed

Oviedo, Mirna C; Ramallo, Geraldine; Claps, Lucía E; Miotti, M Daniela

2012-12-01

A new species of Biacantha Wolfgang, 1954 (Nematoda: Molineidae), is described from the common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus Geoffroy and St. Hilaire, 1810, from northwest Argentina. Biacantha normaliae n. sp. Oviedo, Ramallo, and Claps, is characterized by the disposition and number of ridges of the synlophe, the excretory pore located on a knob, 2 lateral processes on the tail of females, the male caudal bursa morphology, and lack of gubernaculum. This is the first species of nematode described in a vampire bat from Argentina.

Human Rabies: A Reemerging Disease in Costa Rica?

PubMed Central

Pérez-Herra, Victor; Quirós, Ligia; Morice, Ana; Jiménez, Edwin; Sáenz, Elizabeth; Salazar, Fernando; Fernández, Rodrigo; Orciari, Lillian; Yager, Pamela; Whitfield, Sylvia; Rupprecht, Charles E.

2003-01-01

Two human rabies cases caused by a bat-associated virus variant were identified in September 2001 in Costa Rica, after a 31-year absence of the disease in persons. Both patients lived in a rural area where cattle had a high risk for bat bites, but neither person had a definitive history of being bitten by a rabid animal. Characterization of the rabies viruses from the patients showed that the reservoir was the hematophagous Vampire Bat, Desmodus rotundus, and that a sick cat was the vector. PMID:12781014

Use of Monoclonal Antibodies to Study the Structural Basis of the Function of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors on Electric Organ and Muscle and to Determine the Structure of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors on Neurons

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-16

nucleus robustus archistriatalis 1 1 1 nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis 1 3 3 nucleus reticularis lateralis 1 3 3 nucleus ... reticularis pontis caudalis 1 1 3 nucleus reticularis parvocellularis 1 1 2 nucleus rotundus 1 1 1 nucleus tractus solitarii 1 3 3 nucleus semilunaris...Structure a-bungarotoxin mAb 35 inAb 270 nucleus accumbens 1 1 1 nucleus basalis 1 1 1 nucleus cerebelli intermedium 2 3 3

Archaeological Investigations at the North Cove, Site Harlan County Lake, Harlan County, Nebraska: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Phase 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

Carya 0.3 0.0 0.2 59 Table 6 - Continued Sample 1 2 3 NAP Taxa Artemisia 2.4 3.3 3.1 Ambrosia 2.1 2.7 2.1 Iva type 0.3 0.8 0.7 Eupatorium type 1.7...Populus and the relatively high overall percentage of NAP, especially Artemisia , Ambrosia, Poaceae and Cyperaceae, in the North Cove spring deposits are...or white footed mouse) 1 .03 Zapus princeps (western jumping mouse) -1.03 total: 30 100.00 *Minimlum number of individuals 68 TABLE 10 Identified

Figure-ground discrimination in the avian brain: the nucleus rotundus and its inhibitory complex.

PubMed

Acerbo, Martin J; Lazareva, Olga F; McInnerney, John; Leiker, Emily; Wasserman, Edward A; Poremba, Amy

2012-10-01

In primates, neurons sensitive to figure-ground status are located in striate cortex (area V1) and extrastriate cortex (area V2). Although much is known about the anatomical structure and connectivity of the avian visual pathway, the functional organization of the avian brain remains largely unexplored. To pinpoint the areas associated with figure-ground segregation in the avian brain, we used a radioactively labeled glucose analog to compare differences in glucose uptake after figure-ground, color, and shape discriminations. We also included a control group that received food on a variable-interval schedule, but was not required to learn a visual discrimination. Although the discrimination task depended on group assignment, the stimulus displays were identical for all three experimental groups, ensuring that all animals were exposed to the same visual input. Our analysis concentrated on the primary thalamic nucleus associated with visual processing, the nucleus rotundus (Rt), and two nuclei providing regulatory feedback, the pretectum (PT) and the nucleus subpretectalis/interstitio-pretecto-subpretectalis complex (SP/IPS). We found that figure-ground discrimination was associated with strong and nonlateralized activity of Rt and SP/IPS, whereas color discrimination produced strong and lateralized activation in Rt alone. Shape discrimination was associated with lower activity of Rt than in the control group. Taken together, our results suggest that figure-ground discrimination is associated with Rt and that SP/IPS may be a main source of inhibitory control. Thus, figure-ground segregation in the avian brain may occur earlier than in the primate brain. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Figure-ground discrimination in the avian brain: The nucleus rotundus and its inhibitory complex

PubMed Central

Acerbo, Martin J.; Lazareva, Olga F.; McInnerney, John; Leiker, Emily; Wasserman, Edward A.; Poremba, Amy

2012-01-01

In primates, neurons sensitive to figure-ground status are located in striate cortex (area V1) and extrastriate cortex (area V2). Although much is known about the anatomical structure and connectivity of the avian visual pathway, the functional organization of the avian brain remains largely unexplored. To pinpoint the areas associated with figure-ground segregation in the avian brain, we used a radioactively labeled glucose analog to compare differences in glucose uptake after figure-ground, color, and shape discriminations. We also included a control group that received food on a variable-interval schedule, but was not required to learn a visual discrimination. Although the discrimination task depended on group assignment, the stimulus displays were identical for all three experimental groups, ensuring that all animals were exposed to the same visual input. Our analysis concentrated on the primary thalamic nucleus associated with visual processing, the nucleus rotundus (Rt), and two nuclei providing regulatory feedback, the pretectum (PT) and the nucleus subpretectalis/interstitio-pretecto-subpretectalis complex (SP/IPS). We found that figure-ground discrimination was associated with strong and nonlateralized activity of Rt and SP/IPS, whereas color discrimination produced strong and lateralized activation in Rt alone. Shape discrimination was associated with lower activity of Rt than in the control group. Taken together, our results suggest that figure-ground discrimination is associated with Rt and that SP/IPS may be a main source of inhibitory control. Thus, figure-ground segregation in the avian brain may occur earlier than in the primate brain. PMID:22917681

How Social Structure Drives the Population Dynamics of the Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus, Phyllostomidae).

PubMed

Huguin, Maïlis; Arechiga-Ceballos, Nidia; Delaval, Marguerite; Guidez, Amandine; de Castro, Isaï Jorge; Lacoste, Vincent; Salmier, Arielle; Setién, Alvaro Aguilar; Silva, Claudia Regina; Lavergne, Anne; de Thoisy, Benoit

2018-05-11

Social systems are major drivers of population structure and gene flow, with important effects on dynamics and dispersal of associated populations of parasites. Among bats, the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) has likely one of the most complex social structures. Using autosomal and mitochondrial markers on vampires from Mexico, French Guiana, and North Brazil, from both roosting and foraging areas, we observed an isolation by distance at the wider scale and lower but significant differentiation between closer populations (<50 km). All populations had a low level of relatedness and showed deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and a low but significant inbreeding coefficient. The associated heterozygote deficiency was likely related to a Wahlund effect and to cryptic structures, reflecting social groups living in syntopy, both in roosting and foraging areas, with only limited admixture. Discrepancy between mitochondrial and nuclear markers suggests female philopatry and higher dispersal rates in males, associated with peripheral positions in the groups. Vampires are also the main neotropical reservoir for rabies virus, one of the main lethal pathogens for humans. Female social behaviors and trophallaxis may favor a rapid spread of virus to related and unrelated offspring and females. The high dispersal capacity of males may explain the wider circulation of viruses and the inefficacy of bat population controls. In such opportunistic species, gene connectivity should be considered for management decision making. Strategies such as culling could induce immigration of bats from neighboring colonies to fill vacant roosts and feeding areas, associated with the dispersal of viral strains.

Cryptic Species Due to Hybridization: A Combined Approach to Describe a New Species (Carex: Cyperaceae)

PubMed Central

Escudero, Marcial

2016-01-01

Disappearance of diagnostic morphological characters due to hybridization is considered to be one of the causes of the complex taxonomy of the species-rich (ca. 2000 described species) genus Carex (Cyperaceae). Carex furva s.l. belongs to section Glareosae. It is an endemic species from the high mountains of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). Previous studies suggested the existence of two different, cryptic taxa within C. furva s.l. Intermediate morphologies found in the southern Iberian Peninsula precluded the description of a new taxa. We aimed to determine whether C. furva s.l. should be split into two different species based on the combination of morphological and molecular data. We sampled ten populations across its full range and performed a morphological study based on measurements on herbarium specimens and silica-dried inflorescences. Both morphological and phylogenetic data support the existence of two different species within C. furva s.l. Nevertheless, intermediate morphologies and sterile specimens were found in one of the southern populations (Sierra Nevada) of C. furva s.l., suggesting the presence of hybrid populations in areas where both supposed species coexist. Hybridization between these two putative species has blurred morphological and genetic limits among them in this hybrid zone. We have proved the utility of combining molecular and morphological data to discover a new cryptic species in a scenario of hybridization. We now recognize a new species, C. lucennoiberica, endemic to the Iberian Peninsula (Sierra Nevada, Central system and Cantabrian Mountains). On the other hand, C. furva s.s. is distributed only in Sierra Nevada, where it may be threatened by hybridization with C. lucennoiberica. The restricted distribution of both species and their specific habitat requirements are the main limiting factors for their conservation. PMID:27973589

Cryptic Species Due to Hybridization: A Combined Approach to Describe a New Species (Carex: Cyperaceae).

PubMed

Maguilla, Enrique; Escudero, Marcial

2016-01-01

Disappearance of diagnostic morphological characters due to hybridization is considered to be one of the causes of the complex taxonomy of the species-rich (ca. 2000 described species) genus Carex (Cyperaceae). Carex furva s.l. belongs to section Glareosae. It is an endemic species from the high mountains of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). Previous studies suggested the existence of two different, cryptic taxa within C. furva s.l. Intermediate morphologies found in the southern Iberian Peninsula precluded the description of a new taxa. We aimed to determine whether C. furva s.l. should be split into two different species based on the combination of morphological and molecular data. We sampled ten populations across its full range and performed a morphological study based on measurements on herbarium specimens and silica-dried inflorescences. Both morphological and phylogenetic data support the existence of two different species within C. furva s.l. Nevertheless, intermediate morphologies and sterile specimens were found in one of the southern populations (Sierra Nevada) of C. furva s.l., suggesting the presence of hybrid populations in areas where both supposed species coexist. Hybridization between these two putative species has blurred morphological and genetic limits among them in this hybrid zone. We have proved the utility of combining molecular and morphological data to discover a new cryptic species in a scenario of hybridization. We now recognize a new species, C. lucennoiberica, endemic to the Iberian Peninsula (Sierra Nevada, Central system and Cantabrian Mountains). On the other hand, C. furva s.s. is distributed only in Sierra Nevada, where it may be threatened by hybridization with C. lucennoiberica. The restricted distribution of both species and their specific habitat requirements are the main limiting factors for their conservation.

Pollen-climate relationships in time (9 ka, 6 ka, 0 ka) and space (upland vs. lowland) in eastern continental Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Fang; Cao, Xianyong; Dallmeyer, Anne; Zhao, Yan; Ni, Jian; Herzschuh, Ulrike

2017-01-01

Temporal and spatial stability of the vegetation-climate relationship is a basic ecological assumption for pollen-based quantitative inferences of past climate change and for predicting future vegetation. We explore this assumption for the Holocene in eastern continental Asia (China, Mongolia). Boosted regression trees (BRT) between fossil pollen taxa percentages (Abies, Artemisia, Betula, Chenopodiaceae, Cyperaceae, Ephedra, Picea, Pinus, Poaceae and Quercus) and climate model outputs of mean annual precipitation (Pann) and mean temperature of the warmest month (Mtwa) for 9 and 6 ka (ka = thousand years before present) were set up and results compared to those obtained from relating modern pollen to modern climate. Overall, our results reveal only slight temporal differences in the pollen-climate relationships. Our analyses suggest that the importance of Pann compared with Mtwa for taxa distribution is higher today than it was at 6 ka and 9 ka. In particular, the relevance of Pann for Picea and Pinus increases and has become the main determinant. This change in the climate-tree pollen relationship parallels a widespread tree pollen decrease in north-central China and the eastern Tibetan Plateau. We assume that this is at least partly related to vegetation-climate disequilibrium originating from human impact. Increased atmospheric CO2 concentration may have permitted the expansion of moisture-loving herb taxa (Cyperaceae and Poaceae) during the late Holocene into arid/semi-arid areas. We furthermore find that the pollen-climate relationship between north-central China and the eastern Tibetan Plateau is generally similar, but that regional differences are larger than temporal differences. In summary, vegetation-climate relationships in China are generally stable in space and time, and pollen-based climate reconstructions can be applied to the Holocene. Regional differences imply the calibration-set should be restricted spatially.

Paleofloristic and paleofaunistic analysis of Dudváh River oxbow and implication for Late Holocene paleoenvironmental development of the Žitný ostrov Island (SW Slovakia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pišút, Peter; Břízová, Eva; Čejka, Tomáš; Pipík, Radovan

2010-12-01

Žitný ostrov, the largest island of the Danube River (SW Slovakia) gained its present shape in the Neoholocene period. As a result of increased flood and geomorphological Danube river activity dated to 1378-1528 AD, the Lower Dudváh River was abandoned and its alluvium became a part of the Žitný ostrov. Study of a Dudváh terrestrialized paleomeander by means of pollen and macrofossil analysis provides new information about the paleoenvironments of the Danubian Plain. The meander under study was cut-off during the Sub-Boreal period when the land was mostly covered by oak-dominated mixed forest with a notable high frequency of Fagus and Abies. In low-lying depressions, Alnus glutinosa formed typical alder carrs. The largest decline of the mixed forest occurred during the Sub-Atlantic period. Until the mid-19th century the region was strongly influenced by shallow groundwater and periodical floods, as reflected by pollen of aquatics and marsh species. Amongst non-arboreal taxa, pollen of Cyperaceae, Brassicaceae/Cuscuta, Poaceae and Apiaceae prevailed. Local successional changes started with i) stage of abandoned oxbow still with influx of moving water, poor in both macrophytes and molluscs, ii) shallow eutrophic oxbow lake with slowly flowing or stagnant water overgrown with aquatics (Ranunculus subgen. Batrachium, Potamogeton sp., Ceratophyllum demersum etc.) and abundant molluscs, iii) an open marsh dominated by Cyperaceae (mainly Carex riparia) with Atriplex prostrata, supporting diverse molluscan and Ostracod fauna. Present-day habitat is a result of landscape changes, which have been associated with draining, intensified agriculture, ruderalisation and spread of invasive species.

First isolation and genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii from bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera).

PubMed

Cabral, A D; Gama, A R; Sodré, M M; Savani, E S M M; Galvão-Dias, M A; Jordão, L R; Maeda, M M; Yai, L E O; Gennari, S M; Pena, H F J

2013-03-31

There are currently no reports on the isolation and molecular examination of Toxoplasma gondii from bats. Here, we report the isolation and genotypic characterisation of two T. gondii isolates from bats. A total of 369 bats from different municipalities in São Paulo state, southeastern Brazil, were captured and euthanised, and collected tissues (heart and pectoral muscle) were processed for each bat or in pools of two or three bats and bioassayed in mice (a total of 283 bioassays). Eleven PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism) markers were used to genotype positive samples: SAG1, SAG2 (5'-3'SAG2 and alt. SAG2), SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, L358, c22-8, c29-2, PK1, CS3 and Apico. The parasite was isolated from two bats from São Paulo city: an insectivorous bat, the velvety free-tailed bat Molossus molossus, and a hematophagous bat, the common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus. Isolates were designated TgBatBr1 and TgBatBr2, respectively. The genotype of the isolate from M. molossus (TgBatBr1) has been previously described in an isolate from a capybara from São Paulo state, and the genotype from the D. rotundus isolate (TgBatBr2) has already been identified in isolates from cats, chickens, capybaras, sheep, a rodent and a common rabbit from different Brazilian states, suggesting that this may be a common T. gondii lineage circulating in some Brazilian regions. Isolation of T. gondii from a hematophagous species is striking. This study reveals that bats can share the same isolates that are found in domesticated and wild terrestrial animals. This is the first report of the isolation and genotyping of T. gondii in chiropterans. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vegetation and climate history in the Laptev Sea region (arctic Siberia) during Late Quaternary inferred from pollen records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreev, A.; Schirrmeister, L.; Tarasov, P.

2009-04-01

A number of permafrost sections dated by 14C, TL, IRSL, and 230U/Th were analysed for pollen. Pollen spectra suggest that wet grass-sedge tundra habitats dominated during an interstadial c. 200-170 ka ago. The climate was rather wet and cold. The pollen spectra reflect sparser grass-sedge vegetation cover during the Late Saalian stadial, c. 170-130 ka BP. Environmental conditions were much more severe compared with the previous interstadial. Open Poaceae and Artemisia communities dominated at the beginning of the Last Interglacial. Some shrubs (Alnus fruticosa, Salix, Betula nana) grew in more protected and wetter places. Climate was rather warm (similar to modern conditions)during this time. Shrub tundra with Alnus fruticosa and Betula nana s.l. dominated in the area during the Eemian climatic optimum, when summer temperatures were 4-5°C higher than today. Early Weichselian pollen records reflect harsh environmental conditions; sparser vegetation (mostly grass and sedge communities) during this time. Middle Weichselian (Karginsky) Interstadial records with dominance of Cyperaceae and Poaceae with some Artemisia and Salix reflects tundra- and steppe-like associations with willow shrubs dominated the area. The climate was relatively moist and warm. A rather high content of algae colonies in the sediments indicates shallow water habitats (e.g. centres of ice wedge polygons). Dominance of Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Artemisia, and Caryophyllaceae pollen with some other herbs is typical for the 40-32 ka BP (climatic optimum) old sediments when open herb dominated the area. High pollen concentrations reflect that dense grass-sedge dominated vegetation; presence of Salix is also characteristic. The records point to climate amelioration during the Middle Weichselian compared to the Early Weichselian. Climate conditions became colder and drier c. 30-26 ka BP. Pollen spectra reflect that sedge-grass-Artemisia with some Caryophyllaceae and Asteraceae dominated the vegetation. Mostly grass conenoses with some Caryophyllaceae, Asteraceae, Cichoriaceae, Selaginella rupestris predominated during the late Weichselian (Sartan), ca 26-16 ka BP. Climate was very cold and dry. Later, 16-12 ka BP, grass and sedge associations with Caryophyllaceae, Asteraceae, and Cichoriaceae dominated the vegetation. Climate was significantly warmer and moister than during the previous interval. Accumulation of Ice Complex sediments stopped ca 12 ka BP, at the beginning of Allerød. Higher pollen concentration, the presence of willow and birch pollen points to a relatively warm climate between 12 and 11 ka BP reflecting significant climate amelioration. Pollen of shrubs disappeared from the Younger Dryas spectra pointing to the harsher climate. Early Holocene spectra are dominated by alder, birch, Poaceae, and Cyperaceae. Climate reconstruction inferred a temperature substantially warmer than present (up to 12°C). Shrubs gradually disappeared from the area after 7.6 14C ka BP and vegetation cover became similar to modern tundra.

Fate of the sunscreen compound oxybenzone in Cyperus alternifolius based hydroponic culture: Uptake, biotransformation and phytotoxicity.

PubMed

Chen, Feiran; Huber, Christian; Schröder, Peter

2017-09-01

Oxybenzone (OBZ), a common ingredient in sunscreens and personal care products, has been frequently detected in effluents from municipal wastewater treatment plants and also in surface waters. OBZ is an emerging contaminant due to its adverse impacts on marine/aquatic ecosystems. To investigate the removal and degradation capacity of phytotreatment for OBZ, the common wetland plant species Cyperus alternifolius L. was exposed to this compound at 5, 25 and 50 μM for 120 h, respectively. Continuous uptake by roots and accumulation in plant tissues was observed over the exposure time, and depletion of spiked OBZ from the aqueous medium exceeded 73.9 ± 9.1% after 120 h. Similar to its fate in mammalian cells, OBZ is activated in a phase I reaction resulting in the hydroxylated metabolite 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (DHB). Independently, two phase II metabolites were identified as oxybenzone-glucoside (OBZ-Glu) and oxybenzone-(6-O-malonyl)-glucoside (OBZ-Mal-Glu) by LC-MS/MS. Formation of these metabolites increased over the experimental period. To our knowledge this is the first time that DHB, OBZ-Glu and OBZ-Mal-Glu are shown to be formed in higher plant tissues. Furthermore, plant defense systems-antioxidative enzymes (SOD, CAT, APOX and POX) were found to be elevated to counteract stress caused by exposure to OBZ. This study presents the huge potential of aquatic plants to cope with benzophenone type UV filters in contaminated water bodies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tolerance of chufa (Cyperus esculentus) as a vegetation unit's representative of bioregenerative life support systems to elevated temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shklavtsova, Ekaterina; Ushakova, Sofya; Shikhov, Valentin; Kudenko, Yurii

Plants inclusion in the photosynthesizing unit of bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) expects knowledge of both production characteristics of plants cultivated under optimal condi-tions and their tolerance to stress-factors' effect caused by contingency origination in a system. The work was aimed at investigation of chufa (Cyperus esculentus) tolerance to the effect of super optimal air temperature of 44 subject to PAR intensity and exposure duration. Chufa was grown in light culture conditions by hydroponics method on expanded clay aggregate. The Knop solution was used as nutrition medium. Up to 30 days the plants were cultivated at the intensity of 690 micromole*m-2*s*-1 and air temperature of 25. Heat shock was employed at the age of 30 days under the air temperature of 44 during 7, 20 and 44 hours at two different PAR intensities of 690 and 1150 micromole*m-2*s*-1. Chufa heat tolerance was estimated by intensity of external 2 gas exchange and by state of leaves' photosynthetic apparatus (PSA). Effect of disturbing temperature during 44 hours at PAR intensity of 690 micromole*m-2*s*-1 resulted in frozen-in damage of PSA-leaves' die-off. Chufa plants exposed to heat stress at PAR intensity of 690 micromole*m-2*s*-1 during both 7 and 20-hours demonstrated respiration dominance over photosynthesis; and 2 emission was observed by light. Functional activity of photosynthetic apparatus estimated with respect to parameters of pulse-amplitude-modulated chlorophyll fluorescence of photosystem 2 (PS 2) decreased on 40

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sikorski, Johannes; Lapidus, Alla L.; Copeland, A

Segniliparus rotundus Butler 2005 is the type species of the genus Segniliparus, which is cur-rently the only genus in the corynebacterial family Segniliparaceae. This family is of large in-terest because of a novel late-emerging genus-specific mycolate pattern. The type strain has been isolated from human sputum and is probably an opportunistic pathogen. Here we de-scribe the features of this organism, together with the complete genome sequence and anno-tation. This is the first completed genome sequence of the family Segniliparaceae. The 3,157,527 bp long genome with its 3,081 protein-coding and 52 RNA genes is part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteriamore » and Archaea project.« less

Eight new Arthrinium species from China

PubMed Central

Wang, Mei; Tan, Xiao-Ming; Liu, Fang; Cai, Lei

2018-01-01

Abstract The genus Arthrinium includes important plant pathogens, endophytes and saprobes with a wide host range and geographic distribution. In this paper, 74 Arthrinium strains isolated from various substrates such as bamboo leaves, tea plants, soil and air from karst caves in China were examined using a multi-locus phylogeny based on a combined dataset of ITS rDNA, TEF1 and TUB2, in conjunction with morphological characters, host association and ecological distribution. Eight new species were described based on their distinct phylogenetic relationships and morphological characters. Our results indicated a high species diversity of Arthrinium with wide host ranges, amongst which, Poaceae and Cyperaceae were the major host plant families of Arthrinium species. PMID:29755262

Eight new Arthrinium species from China.

PubMed

Wang, Mei; Tan, Xiao-Ming; Liu, Fang; Cai, Lei

2018-01-01

The genus Arthrinium includes important plant pathogens, endophytes and saprobes with a wide host range and geographic distribution. In this paper, 74 Arthrinium strains isolated from various substrates such as bamboo leaves, tea plants, soil and air from karst caves in China were examined using a multi-locus phylogeny based on a combined dataset of ITS rDNA, TEF1 and TUB2, in conjunction with morphological characters, host association and ecological distribution. Eight new species were described based on their distinct phylogenetic relationships and morphological characters. Our results indicated a high species diversity of Arthrinium with wide host ranges, amongst which, Poaceae and Cyperaceae were the major host plant families of Arthrinium species.

Growth characteristics and nutrient removal capability of eco-ditch plants in mesocosm sediment receiving primary domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Kumwimba, Mathieu Nsenga; Zhu, Bo; Muyembe, Diana Kavidia; Dzakpasu, Mawuli

2017-10-01

Eco-ditches are being explored to maximize their capability of capturing pollutants and mitigate any harmful side effects in rivers. In this study, mesocosm plastic drum sediment and field experiments were set up to screen 18 plant species found in ditches and identify those with potential for high biomass production and nutrients removal. Terrestrial plants grown in the mesocosm system were shown to be able to acclimate to aquatic conditions and to survive in primary domestic sewage. About 73-95% increase in plant biomass was recorded. Removal efficiencies for total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and ammonium-nitrogen from the sewage of 72-99%, 64-99%, and 75-100%, respectively, were recorded. Furthermore, complete removal of the applied nitrate-nitrogen load was achieved in mesocosm systems. Findings also show that all species, but especially Acorus calamus, Canna indica, Canna lily, Cyperus alternifolius, Colocasia gigantea, Eichhornia crassipes, Iris sibirica, and Typha latifolia had the highest efficiencies for nitrogen and phosphorous removal. The N and P mass balance analysis demonstrated that plant uptake and sediment N and P accumulation accounted for 41-86% and 18-49% of the total influent TN and TP loads, respectively. In addition, the amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous uptake by these plant species were influenced significantly by biomass. The field-culture experiment further identified Canna indica followed by Cyperus alternifolius as the most promising for high biomass production and nutrients uptake. Therefore, these plants may be recommended for extensive use in treating highly eutrophicated rivers. Outcomes of this work can be useful for model design specifications in eco-ditch mitigation of sewage pollution.

Is elevated CO2 in space really harmful to growth and development? A case study of Chufa (Cyperus esculentus L.) in Lunar Palace-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Guanghui; Dong, Chen; Fu, Yuming; Wang, Minjuan; Shao, Lingzhi; Yu, Juan; Liu, Hong

2018-05-01

CO2 concentration [CO2] level in artificial ecosystems such as greenhouse agriculture and space farming can easily exceed 1000 μmol mol-1 (or ppm). In order to understand how the growth and development in crop plants may respond to elevated CO2, it is necessary to determine if crop leaves in the closed artificial ecosystem have a fully developed photosynthetic apparatus, and whether or not photosynthesis in these leaves is more responsive to elevated CO2 concentration. To address this issue, we evaluated the response of photosynthetic characteristics, leaf water status and antioxidant capacity of Chufa (Cyperus esculentus L.), which is a sedge-like plant with 1-2 cm small sweet tubers in length, under elevated CO2 concentrations in an artificial closed ecosystem. The results showed that Chufa plants cultivated in the elevated CO2 environment from the seedling stage to the maturity stage were characterized by more appropriate chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate. The photosynthetic rate of Chufa plants in the 1000 and 3000 ppm treatments was no significant difference with that in 500 ppm CO2 condition both at seedling stage and rapid growth stage. All the treatments had a high relative water content (RWC) about 60% at the maturity stage. However, there was no significant difference in membrane stability index (MSI) at the rapid growth stage. The antioxidase enzymes activities experienced a rise and a drop and reached the peak at the rapid growth stage. Elevated CO2, especially more than 1000 ppm conditions, may accelerant Chufa plants aging process.

Processing Effects on the Antioxidant Activities of Beverage Blends Developed from Cyperus esculentus, Hibiscus sabdariffa, and Moringa oleifera Extracts.

PubMed

Badejo, Adebanjo A; Damilare, Akintoroye; Ojuade, Temitope D

2014-09-01

The discovery of bioactive compounds in foods has changed the dietary lifestyle of many people. Cyperus esculentus (tigernut) is highly underutilized in Africa, yet tigernut extract is highly profitable in Europe. This study aims to add value to tigernut extract by revealing its health benefits and food value. In this study, tigernut tubers were germinated or roasted and the extracts were combined with Moringa oleifera extract (MOE) or Hibiscus sabdariffa extract (HSE) and spiced with ginger to produce functional drinks. The drinks were evaluated for physicochemical characteristics, sensory parameters, and antioxidant potentials. The total phenolic content of each beverage was measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and the antioxidant activity of each beverage was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid assays. The beverages from the germinated tigernut extracts had the highest titratable acidity and the lowest pH, while beverages containing the roasted tigernut extract had the highest ∘Brix. Germination and roasting significantly enhanced the total phenolic content of the drinks. The beverage containing HSE and germinated tigernut extract had a total phenolic content of 45.67 mg/100 mL gallic acid equivalents, which was significantly higher than the total phenolic content of all other samples. The DPPH inhibition activity of the beverages prepared with germinated tigernut extracts was significantly higher than the DPPH inhibition activity of the beverages prepared with fresh tigernut extract. The taste and overall acceptability of drinks containing the roasted tigernut extract were preferred, while the color and appearance of drinks with the germinated samples were preferred. Roasting or germinating tigernuts before extraction and addition of MOE or HSE extracts is another way to add value and enhance the utilization of tigernuts.

Clonal growth strategy, diversity and structure: A spatiotemporal response to sedimentation in tropical Cyperus papyrus swamps.

PubMed

Geremew, Addisie; Stiers, Iris; Sierens, Tim; Kefalew, Alemayehu; Triest, Ludwig

2018-01-01

Land degradation and soil erosion in the upper catchments of tropical lakes fringed by papyrus vegetation can result in a sediment load gradient from land to lakeward. Understanding the dynamics of clonal modules (ramets and genets) and growth strategies of plants on such a gradient in both space and time is critical for exploring a species adaptation and processes regulating population structure and differentiation. We assessed the spatial and temporal dynamics in clonal growth, diversity, and structure of an emergent macrophyte, Cyperus papyrus (papyrus), in response to two contrasting sedimentation regimes by combining morphological traits and genotype data using 20 microsatellite markers. A total of 636 ramets from six permanent plots (18 x 30 m) in three Ethiopian papyrus swamps, each with discrete sedimentation regimes (high vs. low) were sampled for two years. We found that ramets under the high sedimentation regime (HSR) were significantly clumped and denser than the sparse and spreading ramets under the low sedimentation regime (LSR). The HSR resulted in significantly different ramets with short culm height and girth diameter as compared to the LSR. These results indicated that C. papyrus ameliorates the effect of sedimentation by shifting clonal growth strategy from guerrilla (in LSR) to phalanx (in HSR). Clonal richness, size, dominance, and clonal subrange differed significantly between sediment regimes and studied time periods. Each swamp under HSR revealed a significantly high clonal richness (R = 0.80) as compared to the LSR (R = 0.48). Such discrepancy in clonal richness reflected the occurrence of initial and repeated seedling recruitment strategies as a response to different sedimentation regimes. Overall, our spatial and short-term temporal observations highlighted that HSR enhances clonal richness and decreases clonal subrange owing to repeated seedling recruitment and genets turnover.

Clonal growth strategy, diversity and structure: A spatiotemporal response to sedimentation in tropical Cyperus papyrus swamps

PubMed Central

Stiers, Iris; Sierens, Tim; Kefalew, Alemayehu; Triest, Ludwig

2018-01-01

Land degradation and soil erosion in the upper catchments of tropical lakes fringed by papyrus vegetation can result in a sediment load gradient from land to lakeward. Understanding the dynamics of clonal modules (ramets and genets) and growth strategies of plants on such a gradient in both space and time is critical for exploring a species adaptation and processes regulating population structure and differentiation. We assessed the spatial and temporal dynamics in clonal growth, diversity, and structure of an emergent macrophyte, Cyperus papyrus (papyrus), in response to two contrasting sedimentation regimes by combining morphological traits and genotype data using 20 microsatellite markers. A total of 636 ramets from six permanent plots (18 x 30 m) in three Ethiopian papyrus swamps, each with discrete sedimentation regimes (high vs. low) were sampled for two years. We found that ramets under the high sedimentation regime (HSR) were significantly clumped and denser than the sparse and spreading ramets under the low sedimentation regime (LSR). The HSR resulted in significantly different ramets with short culm height and girth diameter as compared to the LSR. These results indicated that C. papyrus ameliorates the effect of sedimentation by shifting clonal growth strategy from guerrilla (in LSR) to phalanx (in HSR). Clonal richness, size, dominance, and clonal subrange differed significantly between sediment regimes and studied time periods. Each swamp under HSR revealed a significantly high clonal richness (R = 0.80) as compared to the LSR (R = 0.48). Such discrepancy in clonal richness reflected the occurrence of initial and repeated seedling recruitment strategies as a response to different sedimentation regimes. Overall, our spatial and short-term temporal observations highlighted that HSR enhances clonal richness and decreases clonal subrange owing to repeated seedling recruitment and genets turnover. PMID:29338034

Biodiversity variability and metal accumulation strategies in plants spontaneously inhibiting fly ash lagoon, India.

PubMed

Mukhopadhyay, Suchita; Rana, Vivek; Kumar, Adarsh; Maiti, Subodh Kumar

2017-10-01

Out of 29 plant species taken into consideration for biodiversity investigations, the present study screened out Cyperus rotundus L., Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton, Croton bonplandianus Baill., Eclipta prostrata (L.) L., and Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less. as the most suitable metal-tolerant plant species (high relative density and frequency) which can grow on metal-laden fly ash (FA) lagoon. Total (aqua-regia), residual (HNO 3 ) and plant available (CaCl 2 ) metal concentrations were assessed for the clean-up of metal-contaminated FA disposal site using naturally colonized plants. The total metal concentration (in mg kg -1 ) in FA followed an order of Mn (229.8) > Ni (228.4) > Zn (89.4) > Cr (61.2) > Pb (56.6) > Cu (51.5) > Co (41.9) > Cd (9.7). The HNO 3 - and CaCl 2 -extracted metals were 0.57-15.68% and 0.03-7.82% of the total metal concentration, respectively. The concentration of Ni and Cr in FA in the present study was highest among the previously studied Indian and average world power plants and Cd, Ni, and Cr were above soil toxicity limit. The variation in total, residual, and plant-available metal (single extraction) concentration indicated the presence of different proportions of metals in FA lagoon which affects the metal uptake potential of the vegetation growing on it. It has been reported that plant-available metal extractant (CaCl 2 ) is the most suitable extractant for assessment of metal transfer from soil to plant. However in the present study, Spearman's correlation showed best significant correlation between total metal concentration in FA and shoot metal concentration (r = 0.840; p < 0.01) which suggest aqua-regia as the best extractant for understanding the bioavailability and transfer of metal, and in calculation of BCF for moderately contaminated site. It can be stated that plant-available extractant is not always suitable for understanding the availability of metal, but total metal concentration can provide a better insight especially for moderate or low metal-contaminated sites. Principle component analysis revealed that all the plants showed positive correlation with Co and Cd which suggest its subsequent uptake in root and shoot. The biological indices (BCF, BAF, and TF) revealed that E. prostrata (10 mg Cd kg -1 ) and C. procera (3.5 mg Cd kg -1 ) can be utilized efficiently for the phytoextraction of Cd and phytostabilization of other potentially toxic metals (Pb, Cr, and Co) from FA lagoon. All the plants were tolerant to Pb pollution (TF > 1, BAF > 1, and BCF > 1); hence, there was a negligible translocation of Pb to the aerial tissues of these plants which shows their suitability in phytostabilization. In addition, V. cinerea accumulated elevated concentration of potentially toxic Cr (50 mg Cr kg -1 ) and Ni (67 mg Ni kg -1 ) which could also help in the phytoremediation of FA lagoon.

Specialized 'dauciform' roots of Cyperaceae are structurally distinct, but functionally analogous with 'cluster' roots.

PubMed

Shane, Michael W; Cawthray, Gregory R; Cramer, Michael D; Kuo, John; Lambers, Hans

2006-10-01

When grown in nutrient solutions of extremely low [P] (

Relation between modern pollen rain, vegetation and climate in northern China: Implications for quantitative vegetation reconstruction in a steppe environment.

PubMed

Ge, Yawen; Li, Yuecong; Bunting, M Jane; Li, Bing; Li, Zetao; Wang, Junting

2017-05-15

Vegetation reconstructions from palaeoecological records depend on adequate understanding of relationships between modern pollen, vegetation and climate. A key parameter for quantitative vegetation reconstructions is the Relative Pollen Productivity (RPP). Differences in both environmental and methodological factors are known to alter the RPP estimated significantly, making it difficult to determine whether the underlying pollen productivity does actually vary, and if so, why. In this paper, we present the results of a replication study for the Bashang steppe region, a typical steppe area in northern China, carried out in 2013 and 2014. In each year, 30 surface samples were collected for pollen analysis, with accompanying vegetation survey using the "Crackles Bequest Project" methodology. Sampling designs differed slightly between the two years: in 2013, sites were located completely randomly, whilst in 2014 sampling locations were constrained to be within a few km of roads. There is a strong inter-annual variability in both the pollen and the vegetation spectra therefore in RPPs, and annual precipitation may be a key influence on these variations. The pollen assemblages in both years are dominated by herbaceous taxa such as Artemisia, Amaranthaceae, Poaceae, Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Fabaceae and Allium. Artemisia and Amaranthaceae pollen are significantly over-represented for their vegetation abundance. Poaceae, Cyperaceae and Fabaceae seem to have under-represented pollen for vegetation with correspondingly lower RPPs. Asteraceae seems to be well-represented, with moderate RPPs and less annual variation. Estimated Relevant Source Area of Pollen (RSAP) ranges from 2000 to 3000m. Different sampling designs have an effect both on RSAP and RPPs and random sample selection may be the best strategy for obtaining robust estimates. Our results have implications for further pollen-vegetation relationship and quantitative vegetation reconstruction research in typical steppe areas and in other open habitats with strong inter-annual variation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Source areas and long-range transport of pollen from continental land to Tenerife (Canary Islands).

PubMed

Izquierdo, Rebeca; Belmonte, Jordina; Avila, Anna; Alarcón, Marta; Cuevas, Emilio; Alonso-Pérez, Silvia

2011-01-01

The Canary Islands, due to their geographical position, constitute an adequate site for the study of long-range pollen transport from the surrounding land masses. In this study, we analyzed airborne pollen counts at two sites: Santa Cruz de Tenerife (SCO), at sea level corresponding to the marine boundary layer (MBL), and Izaña at 2,367 m.a.s.l. corresponding to the free troposphere (FT), for the years 2006 and 2007. We used three approaches to describe pollen transport: (1) a classification of provenances with an ANOVA test to describe pollen count differences between sectors; (2) a study of special events of high pollen concentrations, taking into consideration the corresponding meteorological synoptic pattern responsible for transport and back trajectories; and (3) a source-receptor model applied to a selection of the pollen taxa to show pollen source areas. Our results indicate several extra-regional pollen transport episodes to Tenerife. The main provenances were: (1) the Mediterranean region, especially the southern Iberian Peninsula and Morocco, through the trade winds in the MBL. These episodes were characterized by the presence of pollen from trees (Casuarina, Olea, Quercus perennial and deciduous types) mixed with pollen from herbs (Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae and Poaceae wild type). (2) The Saharan sector, through transport at the MBL level carrying pollen principally from herbs (Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae, Cyperaceae and Poaceae wild type) and, in one case, Casuarina pollen, uplifted to the free troposphere. And (3) the Sahel, characterized by low pollen concentrations of Arecaceae, Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae, Cyperaceae and Poaceae wild type in sporadic episodes. This research shows that sporadic events of long-range pollen transport need to be taken into consideration in Tenerife as possible responsible agents in respiratory allergy episodes. In particular, it is estimated that 89-97% of annual counts of the highly allergenous Olea originates from extra-regional sources in southern Iberia and northern Africa.

Decline in atmospheric sulphur deposition and changes in climate are the major drivers of long-term change in grassland plant communities in Scotland.

PubMed

Mitchell, Ruth J; Hewison, Richard L; Fielding, Debbie A; Fisher, Julia M; Gilbert, Diana J; Hurskainen, Sonja; Pakeman, Robin J; Potts, Jacqueline M; Riach, David

2018-04-01

The predicted long lag time between a decrease in atmospheric deposition and a measured response in vegetation has generally excluded the investigation of vegetation recovery from the impacts of atmospheric deposition. However, policy-makers require such evidence to assess whether policy decisions to reduce emissions will have a positive impact on habitats. Here we have shown that 40 years after the peak of SO x emissions, decreases in SO x are related to significant changes in species richness and cover in Scottish Calcareous, Mestrophic, Nardus and Wet grasslands. Using a survey of vegetation plots across Scotland, first carried out between 1958 and 1987 and resurveyed between 2012 and 2014, we test whether temporal changes in species richness and cover of bryophytes, Cyperaceae, forbs, Poaceae, and Juncaceae can be explained by changes in sulphur and nitrogen deposition, climate and/or grazing intensity, and whether these patterns differ between six grassland habitats: Acid, Calcareous, Lolium, Nardus, Mesotrophic and Wet grasslands. The results indicate that Calcareous, Mesotrophic, Nardus and Wet grasslands in Scotland are starting to recover from the UK peak of SO x deposition in the 1970's. A decline in the cover of grasses, an increase in cover of bryophytes and forbs and the development of a more diverse sward (a reversal of the impacts of increased SO x ) was related to decreased SO x deposition. However there was no evidence of a recovery from SO x deposition in the Acid or Lolium grasslands. Despite a decline in NO x deposition between the two surveys we found no evidence of a reversal of the impacts of increased N deposition. The climate also changed significantly between the two surveys, becoming warmer and wetter. This change in climate was related to significant changes in both the cover and species richness of bryophytes, Cyperaceae, forbs, Poaceae and Juncaceae but the changes differed between habitats. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Source areas and long-range transport of pollen from continental land to Tenerife (Canary Islands)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izquierdo, Rebeca; Belmonte, Jordina; Avila, Anna; Alarcón, Marta; Cuevas, Emilio; Alonso-Pérez, Silvia

2011-01-01

The Canary Islands, due to their geographical position, constitute an adequate site for the study of long-range pollen transport from the surrounding land masses. In this study, we analyzed airborne pollen counts at two sites: Santa Cruz de Tenerife (SCO), at sea level corresponding to the marine boundary layer (MBL), and Izaña at 2,367 m.a.s.l. corresponding to the free troposphere (FT), for the years 2006 and 2007. We used three approaches to describe pollen transport: (1) a classification of provenances with an ANOVA test to describe pollen count differences between sectors; (2) a study of special events of high pollen concentrations, taking into consideration the corresponding meteorological synoptic pattern responsible for transport and back trajectories; and (3) a source-receptor model applied to a selection of the pollen taxa to show pollen source areas. Our results indicate several extra-regional pollen transport episodes to Tenerife. The main provenances were: (1) the Mediterranean region, especially the southern Iberian Peninsula and Morocco, through the trade winds in the MBL. These episodes were characterized by the presence of pollen from trees ( Casuarina, Olea, Quercus perennial and deciduous types) mixed with pollen from herbs ( Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae and Poaceae wild type). (2) The Saharan sector, through transport at the MBL level carrying pollen principally from herbs (Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae, Cyperaceae and Poaceae wild type) and, in one case, Casuarina pollen, uplifted to the free troposphere. And (3) the Sahel, characterized by low pollen concentrations of Arecaceae, Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae, Cyperaceae and Poaceae wild type in sporadic episodes. This research shows that sporadic events of long-range pollen transport need to be taken into consideration in Tenerife as possible responsible agents in respiratory allergy episodes. In particular, it is estimated that 89-97% of annual counts of the highly allergenous Olea originates from extra-regional sources in southern Iberia and northern Africa.

Nematocarcinus Milne Edwards, 1881 (Crustacea, Decapoda) from Southwestern Atlantic, including the Southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge area.

PubMed

Cardoso, Irene A; Burukovsky, Rudolf N

2014-11-26

The deep sea shrimp genus Nematocarcinus Milne Edwards, 1881 includes 47 species, ten of them have been recorded from the Atlantic Ocean. Herein, material sampled during three scientific projects (REVIZEE Central Fishery project; Campos Basin Deep Sea Environmental Project; Evaluation of Environmental Heterogeneity in the Campos Basin) made in the Southwestern Atlantic, off Brazil, is examined. In addition, material sampled from the South Mid Atlantic Ridge (MAR-ECO Project) was also examined. Four species are recorded for the first time to the southwestern Atlantic Ocean including Mid Atlantic Ridge area: Nematocarcinus faxoni Burukovsky, 2001; N. gracilipes Filhol, 1884; N. rotundus Crosnier & Forest, 1973 and N. tenuipes Spence-Bate, 1888.

Geographical Analysis for Detecting High-Risk Areas for Bovine/Human Rabies Transmitted by the Common Hematophagous Bat in the Amazon Region, Brazil

PubMed Central

Begot, Alberto L.; Ramos, Ofir de S.

2016-01-01

Background The common hematophagous bat, Desmodus rotundus, is one of the main wild reservoirs of rabies virus in several regions in Latin America. New production practices and changed land use have provided environmental features that have been very favorable for D. rotundus bat populations, making this species the main transmitter of rabies in the cycle that involves humans and herbivores. In the Amazon region, these features include a mosaic of environmental, social, and economic components, which together creates areas with different levels of risk for human and bovine infections, as presented in this work in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. Methodology We geo-referenced a total of 175 cases of rabies, of which 88% occurred in bovines and 12% in humans, respectively, and related these cases to a number of different geographical and biological variables. The spatial distribution was analyzed using the Kernel function, while the association with independent variables was assessed using a multi-criterion Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. Findings The spatiotemporal analysis of the occurrence of rabies in bovines and humans found reduction in the number of cases in the eastern state of Pará, where no more cases were recorded in humans, whereas high infection rates were recorded in bovines in the northeastern part of the state, and low rates in the southeast. The areas of highest risk for bovine rabies are found in the proximity of rivers and highways. In the case of human rabies, the highest concentration of high-risk areas was found where the highway network coincides with high densities of rural and indigenous populations. Conclusion The high-risk areas for human and bovine rabies are patchily distributed, and related to extensive deforested areas, large herds of cattle, and the presence of highways. These findings provide an important database for the generation of epidemiological models that could support the development of effective prevention measures and controls. PMID:27388498

Antigenic and genotypic characterization of rabies virus isolated from bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from municipalities in São Paulo State, Southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Menozzi, Benedito Donizete; de Novaes Oliveira, Rafael; Paiz, Laís Moraes; Richini-Pereira, Virgínia Bodelão; Langoni, Helio

2017-05-01

Bats have aroused growing attention in the public health sphere because they are considered the main reservoir of rabies virus (RABV) in the Americas, in places where canine rabies is under control. Antigenic and genetic studies of RABV isolates have been used to describe the epidemiological profile of rabies and to identify possible hosts/reservoirs for different epidemiological cycles. This study describes the antigenic and genotypic characterization of 19 RABV isolates from central nervous system samples of non-hematophagous bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera). These bats were diagnosed as RABV positive by direct fluorescent antibody and mouse inoculation tests. Antigenic characterization using a panel of eight monoclonal antibodies revealed that 7 of 19 RABV isolates from these bats belonged to variant 3, for which the hematophagous bat species Desmodus rotundus is the main reservoir, and 1 of 19 RABV isolates from an insectivorous bat belonged to variant 4, which is characteristic of these bats. The remaining 11 RABV samples were divided into six non-compatible profiles. The isolates were subjected to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for the N gene and partially sequenced. Genetic characterization of these isolates was performed by grouping the sequences obtained with known RABV lineages. The sequences were grouped in clusters by the phylogenetic inference neighbor-joining method, together with another 89 homologous sequences obtained from GenBank. This analysis grouped the isolates into four known lineages: Nyctinomops Brazil, Myotis Brazil, Eptesicus Brazil and D. rotundus Brazil, as well as another cluster that may define a RABV lineage not yet characterized, here named Myotis Brazil II, for which bats of the genus Myotis apparently act as reservoirs. This assumption of a new lineage is also based on the observation of amino acid substitutions, with an average intraspecific identity of 99.8%, varying from 99.6 to 100.0% for nucleotides and 100.0% for amino acids.

Asiatic clam (Corbicula manilensis) and other foods used by waterfowl in the James River, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Perry, M.C.; Uhler, F.M.

1981-01-01

Corbicula manilensis was found in the gizzards of 24 ducks of 5 species taken from the James River, Virginia, between 1973 and 1976. Percent average volume in these species ranged from trace to 6%. This is the first known occurrence of this exotic clam in the food of duck in Chesapeake Bay. A total of 135 other food items was identified from the 116 gizzards of 9 species that were examined. Food that predominated included Cyperus spp., Leersia oryzoides, Polygonum spp., and Zea mays. The great diversity of food consumed in this fresh tidal section of the James River indicates the high value of these wetlands to waterfowl.

Lower Pliocene Fast and Repetitive Vegetation Changes In Southwestern Romania As A Response To Milankovitch Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popescu, S.-M.; Suc, J.-P.; Loutre, M. F.

High-resolution pollen analyses on the lignite-clay Lupoaia section (from 4.9 to 4.3 Ma) in southwestern Romania provide an accurate record of the Lower Pliocene veg- etation changes in the Danube paleodelta environment close to the Carpathians. Many major fluctuations concern thermophilous trees vs. altitudinal trees (chiefly in agree- ment with lignite-clay alternations) and have been referred to changes in temperature. Thanks to a reliable magnetostratigraphic calibration of the section, such changes are to be linked to eccentricity cycles, that provides a more precise chronologic control to the section (Popescu, in press). In addition, regular secondary fluctuations occur which oppose swamp trees (such as most of the Taxodiaceae) to marsh herbs (such as Cyperaceae). They evoke the present-day landscape of the Mississippi delta where swamp forests (constituted by Taxodium distichum mainly) are in competition with herbaceous marshes (made of Cyperaceae such as Mariscus jamaicensis in addition to some Cyrillaceae and Myrica). The latest require significantly more water than the swamps (Roberts, 1986). These plant environments cause two kinds of lignite deposition that have been also identified in the Lupoaia section (Ticleanu and Dia- conita, 1997). According to the chronologic frame previously defined, it is possible to evidence a precession forcing for these alternations. Minima in precession probably caused increasing rainfall over the region and expansion of marshes. So, it is sug- gested that during Lower Pliocene the West Asian monsoon influenced climate of the northeastern Mediterranean region. References. Popescu, S.-M., in press. Repetitive changes in Lower Pliocene vegetation revealed by high-resolution pollen analysis: revised cyclostratigraphy of Southwest- ern Romania. Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. Roberts, H.H., 1986. Selected depositional en- vironments of the Mississippi River deltaic plain. Geol. Sc. America Centennial Field Guide-Southeastern Section, 98, 435-440. Ticleanu, N. and Diaconita, D., 1997. The main coal facies and lithotypes of the Pliocene coal basin, Oltenia, Romania. In SEuro- & cedil;pean Coal Geology and TechnologyT, Gayer, R. and Peek, J. eds., Geological Society Special Publ., 125, 131-139.

The Fatty Acid Profile Analysis of Cyperus laxus Used for Phytoremediation of Soils from Aged Oil Spill-Impacted Sites Revealed That This Is a C18:3 Plant Species.

PubMed

Rivera Casado, Noemí Araceli; Montes Horcasitas, María del Carmen; Rodríguez Vázquez, Refugio; Esparza García, Fernando José; Pérez Vargas, Josefina; Ariza Castolo, Armando; Ferrera-Cerrato, Ronald; Gómez Guzmán, Octavio; Calva Calva, Graciano

2015-01-01

The effect of recalcitrant hydrocarbons on the fatty acid profile from leaf, basal corm, and roots of Cyperus laxus plants cultivated in greenhouse phytoremediation systems of soils from aged oil spill-impacted sites containing from 16 to 340 g/Kg total hydrocarbons (THC) was assessed to investigate if this is a C18:3 species and if the hydrocarbon removal during the phytoremediation process has a relationship with the fatty acid profile of this plant. The fatty acid profile was specific to each vegetative organ and was strongly affected by the hydrocarbons level in the impacted sites. Leaf extracts of plants from uncontaminated soil produced palmitic acid (C16), octadecanoic acid (C18:0), unsaturated oleic acids (C18:1-C18:3), and unsaturated eichosanoic (C20:2-C20:3) acids with a noticeable absence of the unsaturated hexadecatrienoic acid (C16:3); this finding demonstrates, for the first time, that C. laxus is a C18:3 plant. In plants from the phytoremediation systems, the total fatty acid contents in the leaf and the corm were negatively affected by the hydrocarbons presence; however, the effect was positive in root. Interestingly, under contaminated conditions, unusual fatty acids such as odd numbered carbons (C15, C17, C21, and C23) and uncommon unsaturated chains (C20:3n6 and C20:4) were produced together with a remarkable quantity of C22:2 and C24:0 chains in the corm and the leaf. These results demonstrate that weathered hydrocarbons may drastically affect the lipidic composition of C. laxus at the fatty acid level, suggesting that this species adjusts the cover lipid composition in its vegetative organs, mainly in roots, in response to the weathered hydrocarbon presence and uptake during the phytoremediation process.

The extent of arsenic and of metal uptake by aboveground tissues of Pteris vittata and Cyperus involucratus growing in copper- and cobalt-rich tailings of the Zambian copperbelt.

PubMed

Kříbek, Bohdan; Mihaljevič, Martin; Sracek, Ondra; Knésl, Ilja; Ettler, Vojtěch; Nyambe, Imasiku

2011-08-01

The extent of arsenic (As) and metal accumulation in fronds of the As hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata (Chinese brake fern) and in leaves of Cyperus involucratus, which grow on the surface of an old flotation tailings pond in the Zambian Copperbelt province, was studied. The tailings consist of two types of material with distinct chemical composition: (1) reddish-brown tailings rich in As, iron (Fe), and other metals, and (2) grey-green tailings with a lower content of As, Fe, and other metals, apart from manganese (Mn). P. vittata accumulates from 2350 to 5018 μg g(-1) As (total dry weight [dw]) in its fronds regardless of different total and plant-available As concentrations in both types of tailings. Concentrations of As in C. involucratus leaves are much lower (0.24-30.3 μg g(-1) dw). Contents of copper (Cu) and cobalt (Co) in fronds of P. vittata (151-237 and 18-38 μg g(-1) dw, respectively) and in leaves of C. involucratus (96-151 and 9-14 μg g(-1) dw, respectively) are high, whereas concentrations of other metals (Fe, Mn, and zinc [Zn]) are low and comparable with contents of the given metals in common plants. Despite great differences in metal concentrations in the two types of deposited materials, concentrations of most metals in plant tissues are very similar. This indicates an exclusion or avoidance mechanism operating when concentrations of the metals in substrate are particularly high. The results of the investigation show that Chinese brake fern is not only a hyperaccumulator of As but has adapted itself to high concentrations of Cu and Co in flotation tailings of the Zambian Copperbelt.

A high-throughput, modified ALS activity assay for Cyperus difformis and Schoenoplectus mucronatus seedlings.

PubMed

Pedroso, Rafael M; Al-Khatib, Kassim; Hanson, Bradley D; Fischer, Albert J

2017-01-01

Cyperus difformis L. (CYPDI) and Schoenoplectus mucronatus (L.) Palla (SCHMU) are major weeds of California (CA) rice, where resistance to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibitors was identified in several CYPDI and SCHMU populations that have also evolved resistance to photosystem II (PSII)-inhibiting herbicides. The mechanism of ALS resistance in these populations remains to be clarified but this information is crucial in a weed management program, especially in a scenario where resistance to multiple herbicides has been identified. ALS activity assays are commonly used to diagnose resistance to ALS-inhibitors, but protocols currently available are burdensome for the study of CYPDI and SCHMU, as they require large amounts of plant material from young seedlings and have low yields. Our objective was to investigate the ALS resistance mechanism in suspected ALS-resistant (R) CYPDI and SCHMU biotypes using a modified ALS activity assay that requires less plant material. ALS enzymes from suspected R biotypes were at least 10,000-fold less sensitive to bensulfuron-methyl than susceptible (S) cohorts, indicating ALS resistance that is likely due to an altered target-site. Protein concentration (mgg -1 tissue) did not differ between R and S biotypes within each species, suggesting that R biotypes do not over produce ALS enzymes. CYPDI biotypes had up to 4-fold more protein per mg of tissue than SCHMU biotypes, but up to 7-fold more acetoin per mg -1 protein was quantified in SCHMU, suggesting greater ALS catalytic ability in SCHMU biotypes, regardless of their herbicide resistance status. Our optimized protocol to measure ALS activity allowed for up to a 3-fold increase in the number of assays performed per g of leaf tissue. The modified assay may be useful for measuring ALS activity in other weed species that also produce small amount of foliage in early growth stages when protein in tissue is most abundant. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of crude oil contamination on the chlorophyll content and morpho-anatomy of Cyperus brevifolius (Rottb.) Hassk.

PubMed

Baruah, Plabita; Saikia, Rashmi Rekha; Baruah, Partha Pratim; Deka, Suresh

2014-11-01

Chlorophyll plays a pivotal role in the plant physiology and its productivity. Cultivation of plants in crude oil contaminated soil has a great impact on the synthesis of chlorophyll pigment. Morpho-anatomy of the experimental plant also shows structural deformation in higher concentrations. Keeping this in mind, a laboratory investigation has been carried out to study the effect of crude oil on chlorophyll content and morpho-anatomy of Cyperus brevifolius plant. Fifteen-day-old seedling of the plant was planted in different concentrations of the crude oil mixed soil (i.e., 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, 40,000, and 50,000 ppm). A control setup was also maintained without adding crude oil. Results were recorded after 6 months of plantation. Investigation revealed that there is a great impact of crude oil contamination on chlorophyll content of the leaves of the experimental plant. It also showed that chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll content of leaves grown in different concentrations of crude oil were found to be lower than those of the control plant. Further, results also demonstrated that chlorophyll content was lowest in the treatment that received maximum dose of crude oil. It also showed that chlorophyll content was decreased with increased concentration of crude oil. Results also demonstrated that there was a reduction in plant shoot and root biomass with the increase of crude oil concentration. Results also revealed that the shoot biomass is higher than root biomass. Morphology and anatomy of the experimental plant also show structural deformation in higher concentrations. Accumulation of crude oil on the cuticle of the transverse section of the leaves and shoot forms a thick dark layer. Estimation of the level of pollution in an environment due to oil spill is possible by the in-depth study of the harmful effects of oil on the morphology and anatomy and chlorophyll content of the plants grown in that particular environment.

Processing Effects on the Antioxidant Activities of Beverage Blends Developed from Cyperus esculentus, Hibiscus sabdariffa, and Moringa oleifera Extracts

PubMed Central

Badejo, Adebanjo A.; Damilare, Akintoroye; Ojuade, Temitope D.

2014-01-01

The discovery of bioactive compounds in foods has changed the dietary lifestyle of many people. Cyperus esculentus (tigernut) is highly underutilized in Africa, yet tigernut extract is highly profitable in Europe. This study aims to add value to tigernut extract by revealing its health benefits and food value. In this study, tigernut tubers were germinated or roasted and the extracts were combined with Moringa oleifera extract (MOE) or Hibiscus sabdariffa extract (HSE) and spiced with ginger to produce functional drinks. The drinks were evaluated for physicochemical characteristics, sensory parameters, and antioxidant potentials. The total phenolic content of each beverage was measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and the antioxidant activity of each beverage was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid assays. The beverages from the germinated tigernut extracts had the highest titratable acidity and the lowest pH, while beverages containing the roasted tigernut extract had the highest ∘Brix. Germination and roasting significantly enhanced the total phenolic content of the drinks. The beverage containing HSE and germinated tigernut extract had a total phenolic content of 45.67 mg/100 mL gallic acid equivalents, which was significantly higher than the total phenolic content of all other samples. The DPPH inhibition activity of the beverages prepared with germinated tigernut extracts was significantly higher than the DPPH inhibition activity of the beverages prepared with fresh tigernut extract. The taste and overall acceptability of drinks containing the roasted tigernut extract were preferred, while the color and appearance of drinks with the germinated samples were preferred. Roasting or germinating tigernuts before extraction and addition of MOE or HSE extracts is another way to add value and enhance the utilization of tigernuts. PMID:25320721

The Fatty Acid Profile Analysis of Cyperus laxus Used for Phytoremediation of Soils from Aged Oil Spill-Impacted Sites Revealed That This Is a C18:3 Plant Species

PubMed Central

Montes Horcasitas, María del Carmen; Rodríguez Vázquez, Refugio; Esparza García, Fernando José; Pérez Vargas, Josefina; Ariza Castolo, Armando; Ferrera-Cerrato, Ronald; Gómez Guzmán, Octavio

2015-01-01

The effect of recalcitrant hydrocarbons on the fatty acid profile from leaf, basal corm, and roots of Cyperus laxus plants cultivated in greenhouse phytoremediation systems of soils from aged oil spill-impacted sites containing from 16 to 340 g/Kg total hydrocarbons (THC) was assessed to investigate if this is a C18:3 species and if the hydrocarbon removal during the phytoremediation process has a relationship with the fatty acid profile of this plant. The fatty acid profile was specific to each vegetative organ and was strongly affected by the hydrocarbons level in the impacted sites. Leaf extracts of plants from uncontaminated soil produced palmitic acid (C16), octadecanoic acid (C18:0), unsaturated oleic acids (C18:1-C18:3), and unsaturated eichosanoic (C20:2-C20:3) acids with a noticeable absence of the unsaturated hexadecatrienoic acid (C16:3); this finding demonstrates, for the first time, that C. laxus is a C18:3 plant. In plants from the phytoremediation systems, the total fatty acid contents in the leaf and the corm were negatively affected by the hydrocarbons presence; however, the effect was positive in root. Interestingly, under contaminated conditions, unusual fatty acids such as odd numbered carbons (C15, C17, C21, and C23) and uncommon unsaturated chains (C20:3n6 and C20:4) were produced together with a remarkable quantity of C22:2 and C24:0 chains in the corm and the leaf. These results demonstrate that weathered hydrocarbons may drastically affect the lipidic composition of C. laxus at the fatty acid level, suggesting that this species adjusts the cover lipid composition in its vegetative organs, mainly in roots, in response to the weathered hydrocarbon presence and uptake during the phytoremediation process. PMID:26473488

Consumption of blood, renal function and utilization of free water by the vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus.

PubMed

Busch, C

1988-01-01

1. Captive vampires consume blood to an average of 59.5% of their body weight in a period no longer than 30 min. 2. Fluid consumption by the vampire is mainly dependent on the presence of plasma in fluid. 3. Ingestion of blood is accompanied and followed by diuresis, urine flow attained a peak 20-25 min after feeding. 4. Urine osmolality increased with time after feeding. Vampires concentrate urea in urine to 2630 mmol/l but cannot concentrate electrolytes beyond 453 mmol/l. 5. Inorganic salts other than sodium chloride never contribute more than 9% to the total osmotic activity. 6. Na to Cl ratio and concentration of non-nitrogenous organic acids increase with urine osmolality. 7. Vampires drink free water if available.

Prevalence and Diversity of Bartonella spp. in Bats in Peru

PubMed Central

Bai, Ying; Recuenco, Sergio; Gilbert, Amy Turmelle; Osikowicz, Lynn M.; Gómez, Jorge; Rupprecht, Charles; Kosoy, Michael Y.

2012-01-01

Bartonella infections were investigated in bats in the Amazon part of Peru. A total of 112 bats belonging to 19 species were surveyed. Bartonella bacteria were cultured from 24.1% of the bats (27/112). Infection rates ranged from 0% to 100% per bat species. Phylogenetic analyses of gltA of the Bartonella isolates revealed 21 genetic variants clustering into 13 divergent phylogroups. Some Bartonella strains were shared by bats of multiple species, and bats of some species were infected with multiple Bartonella strains, showing no evident specific Bartonella sp.–bat relationships. Rarely found in other bat species, the Bartonella strains of phylogroups I and III discovered from the common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) were more specific to the host bat species, suggesting some level of host specificity. PMID:22826480

A visual identification key utilizing both gestalt and analytic approaches to identification of Carices present in North America (Plantae, Cyperaceae)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Abstract Images are a critical part of the identification process because they enable direct, immediate and relatively unmediated comparisons between a specimen being identified and one or more reference specimens. The Carices Interactive Visual Identification Key (CIVIK) is a novel tool for identification of North American Carex species, the largest vascular plant genus in North America, and two less numerous closely-related genera, Cymophyllus and Kobresia. CIVIK incorporates 1288 high-resolution tiled image sets that allow users to zoom in to view minute structures that are crucial at times for identification in these genera. Morphological data are derived from the earlier Carex Interactive Identification Key (CIIK) which in turn used data from the Flora of North America treatments. In this new iteration, images can be viewed in a grid or histogram format, allowing multiple representations of data. In both formats the images are fully zoomable. PMID:24723777

Vegetation and Mammuthus primigenius extinction history on St Paul Island, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Newsom, L.; Belmecheri, S.; Culleton, B.; Williams, J. W.

2014-12-01

St. Paul Island, AK, part of the Pribilofs, is an island remnant of the Bering Land Bridge, a possible coastal Picea refugium at the last glacial maximum, and a Holocene refugium for Mammuthus primigenius. A prior pollen record from Lake Hill indicates that St. Paul was predominantly herb tundra during the last glacial maximum followed by a shrub tundra in the early Holocene (Colinvaux, 1980). Subsequently, three radiocarbon dates on bones from Qagnax Cave indicate a last appearance of Mammuthus primigenius of 6.5 ka on St. Paul (Veltre et al. 2008). In March 2013, our team retrieved a 13.5 m composite core from Lake Hill to refine the extinction timing chronology, assess environmental change during the extinction interval, and test hypotheses about vegetation-megafauna feedback. This paper reports the results from modern botanical survey and analyses of fossil pollen, Sporormiella and other coprophilous spores, anchored by a new radiocarbon chronology consisting of seven AMS dates. Presently, bryophytes, Equisetum, Poaceae, Juncaceae, Salix and Viola commonly occur at the lake margin, accompanied increasingly by sedge meadow taxa with greater distance from the water's edge, especially Cyperaceae, Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Lupinus, Rubus and Valeriana. Sporormiella is consistently present in low abundances (2%, ~700 grains/cm3) in the late glacial and early Holocene until a drop to zero at 6,050 yr BP, remaining absent during the middle and late Holocene when it reappears at 1904 AD. The timing of Sporormiella decline and reappearance match well to the youngest mammoth bone date and the historic reintroduction of reindeer (1911 AD) on St. Paul Island. After 11 ka, major pollen types include Apiaceae, Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Artemisia and Salix, with lower abundances of Betula, Alnus and Ericaceae, consistent with herb tundra with some shrubs. Degraded Picea pollen grains are found at 12,240 yr BP in very low concentrations (223 grains/cm3), indicating long-distance deposition from a distal source with no local refugium. Declines in Apiaceae and Poaceae, and increases in Artemisia and Salix between 8014 and 7605 yr BP suggest a gradual increase prevalence of shrub tundra. The establishment of shrub tundra precedes the Sporormiella decline, suggesting this vegetation change was not caused by the megafaunal extinction.

Enzootic and epizootic rabies associated with vampire bats, peru.

PubMed

Condori-Condori, Rene Edgar; Streicker, Daniel G; Cabezas-Sanchez, Cesar; Velasco-Villa, Andres

2013-01-01

During the past decade, incidence of human infection with rabies virus (RABV) spread by the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) increased considerably in South America, especially in remote areas of the Amazon rainforest, where these bats commonly feed on humans. To better understand the epizootiology of rabies associated with vampire bats, we used complete sequences of the nucleoprotein gene to infer phylogenetic relationships among 157 RABV isolates collected from humans, domestic animals, and wildlife, including bats, in Peru during 2002-2007. This analysis revealed distinct geographic structuring that indicates that RABVs spread gradually and involve different vampire bat subpopulations with different transmission cycles. Three putative new RABV lineages were found in 3 non-vampire bat species that may represent new virus reservoirs. Detection of novel RABV variants and accurate identification of reservoir hosts are critically important for the prevention and control of potential virus transmission, especially to humans.

Outbreak of aggressions and transmission of rabies in human beings by vampire bats in northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Marcio A S; Sá-Neto, Raymundo J; Brazil, Tania K

2002-01-01

Outbreaks of attacks upon human beings by vampire bats seems to be a common phenomenon in several regions of Latin America, but the occurrence of rabies infection among humans bled by vampires, is relatively low. In the present study, two outbreaks of human rabies transmitted by common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) are described from Bahia State, Northeastern Brazil, in 1991 and 1992. The first was recorded in Aporá where 308 people were bled by vampires bats and three of these die from this zoonosis. The 2nd outbreak occurred in Conde where only five people were bled by vampires, and two deaths by rabies were registered. Our data suggest that rabies transmitted by bats basically depends on the presence of virus in the vampire bat population and not on the number of humans bled by them.

The Trade in Medicinal Animals in Northeastern Brazil

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Felipe Silva; Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino; Coutinho, Henrique Douglas Melo; Almeida, Waltécio de Oliveira; Alves, Rômulo Romeu da Nóbrega

2012-01-01

Over the centuries, a significant part of the Brazilian fauna is widely sold, more specifically in retail stores or street markets. The objective was to characterize the sale of medicinal animals in five large northeast cities. Information about the sale of zootherapeutic items was obtained in the cities of Aracaju-SE, Fortaleza-CE, Maceio-AL, Recife-PE, and Salvador-BA. A total of 68 animal species were sold for medicinal purposes in the cities studied; these are the first results on the use and sale of zootherapeutics in the markets of Aracaju, Fortaleza, and Salvador and first recorded on the medicinal use of the Achatina fulica, Trachycardium muricatum, Philodryas olfersii, Desmodus rotundus, and Leptodactylus vastus. Knowledge of the fauna utilized popular medicine is indispensable for conservation, demonstrating that research on this subject is necessary to determine appropriate practices for the management of the fauna. PMID:22216053

[Analysis of chemical constituents of volatile components from Jia Ga Song Tang by GC-MS].

PubMed

Tan, Qing-long; Xiong, Tian-qin; Liao, Jia-yi; Yang, Tao; Zhao, Yu-min; Lin, Xi; Zhang, Cui-xian

2014-10-01

To analyze the chemical components of volatile components from Jia Ga Song Tang. The volatile oils were extracted by water steam distillation. The chemical components of essential oil were analyzed by GC-MS and quantitatively determined by a normalization method. 103 components were separated and 87 components were identified in the volatile oil of Zingiberis Rhizoma. 58 components were separated and 38 components were identified in the volatile oil of Myristicae Semen. 49 components were separated and 38 components were identified in the volatile oil of Amomi Rotundus Fructus. 89 components were separated and 63 components were identified in the volatile oil of Jia Ga Song Tang. Eucalyptol, β-phellandrene and other terpenes were the main compounds in the volatile oil of Jia Ga Song Tang. Changes in the kinds and content of volatile components can provide evidences for scientific and rational compatibility for Jia Ga Song Tang.

The trade in medicinal animals in northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Ferreira, Felipe Silva; Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino; Coutinho, Henrique Douglas Melo; Almeida, Waltécio de Oliveira; Alves, Rômulo Romeu da Nóbrega

2012-01-01

Over the centuries, a significant part of the Brazilian fauna is widely sold, more specifically in retail stores or street markets. The objective was to characterize the sale of medicinal animals in five large northeast cities. Information about the sale of zootherapeutic items was obtained in the cities of Aracaju-SE, Fortaleza-CE, Maceio-AL, Recife-PE, and Salvador-BA. A total of 68 animal species were sold for medicinal purposes in the cities studied; these are the first results on the use and sale of zootherapeutics in the markets of Aracaju, Fortaleza, and Salvador and first recorded on the medicinal use of the Achatina fulica, Trachycardium muricatum, Philodryas olfersii, Desmodus rotundus, and Leptodactylus vastus. Knowledge of the fauna utilized popular medicine is indispensable for conservation, demonstrating that research on this subject is necessary to determine appropriate practices for the management of the fauna.

Enzootic and Epizootic Rabies Associated with Vampire Bats, Peru

PubMed Central

Streicker, Daniel G.; Cabezas-Sanchez, Cesar; Velasco-Villa, Andres

2013-01-01

During the past decade, incidence of human infection with rabies virus (RABV) spread by the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) increased considerably in South America, especially in remote areas of the Amazon rainforest, where these bats commonly feed on humans. To better understand the epizootiology of rabies associated with vampire bats, we used complete sequences of the nucleoprotein gene to infer phylogenetic relationships among 157 RABV isolates collected from humans, domestic animals, and wildlife, including bats, in Peru during 2002–2007. This analysis revealed distinct geographic structuring that indicates that RABVs spread gradually and involve different vampire bat subpopulations with different transmission cycles. Three putative new RABV lineages were found in 3 non–vampire bat species that may represent new virus reservoirs. Detection of novel RABV variants and accurate identification of reservoir hosts are critically important for the prevention and control of potential virus transmission, especially to humans.

[Enterobacteria of bats (Chiroptera) (author's transl)].

PubMed

Pinus, M; Müller, H E

1980-08-01

The aerobic gram-negative faecal flora of 38 bats consisting of 10 species and genera respectively, of Microchiroptera, and of 4 species and genera respectively, of Megachiroptera was studied (Table 1 and 3). There were no specific differences between Insectivora and Frugivora: E. coli 15-24%, Citrobacter 8-10%, Enterobacter-Klebsiella-group 40-43% and Proteus-group 28-30% (Table 2). The overwhelming majority of the isolated bacteria were lactose-positive (Table 3), corresponding to the membership of the bats to the mammals. The vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus), however, nourishing exclusively with mammalian blood, possess a fundamental other faecal flora. Here we always found Aeromonas hydrophila sometimes as a pure culture and sometimes in combination with E. coli, Enterobacter, Providencia, and Arizona. The normal habitat of Aeromonas hydrophila in vampire bats suggests that these bacteria are necessary for digest the drunken blood in a similar manner as in leechs. The observations were discussed regarding their ecological, epidemiological, and phylogenetic significances.

Classification of Weed Species Using Artificial Neural Networks Based on Color Leaf Texture Feature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhichen; An, Qiu; Ji, Changying

The potential impact of herbicide utilization compel people to use new method of weed control. Selective herbicide application is optimal method to reduce herbicide usage while maintain weed control. The key of selective herbicide is how to discriminate weed exactly. The HIS color co-occurrence method (CCM) texture analysis techniques was used to extract four texture parameters: Angular second moment (ASM), Entropy(E), Inertia quadrature (IQ), and Inverse difference moment or local homogeneity (IDM).The weed species selected for studying were Arthraxon hispidus, Digitaria sanguinalis, Petunia, Cyperus, Alternanthera Philoxeroides and Corchoropsis psilocarpa. The software of neuroshell2 was used for designing the structure of the neural network, training and test the data. It was found that the 8-40-1 artificial neural network provided the best classification performance and was capable of classification accuracies of 78%.

Testing the hindlimb-strength hypothesis: non-aerial locomotion by Chiroptera is not constrained by the dimensions of the femur or tibia.

PubMed

Riskin, Daniel K; Bertram, John E A; Hermanson, John W

2005-04-01

In the evolution of flight bats appear to have suffered a trade-off; they have become poor crawlers relative to terrestrial mammals. Capable walking does occur in a few disparate taxa, including the vampire bats, but the vast majority of bats are able only to shuffle awkwardly along the ground, and the morphological bases of differences in crawling ability are not currently understood. One widely cited hypothesis suggests that the femora of most bats are too weak to withstand the compressive forces that occur during terrestrial locomotion, and that the vampire bats can walk because they possess more robust hindlimb skeletons. We tested a prediction of the hindlimb-strength hypothesis: that during locomotion, the forces produced by the hindlimbs of vampire bats should be larger than those produced by the legs of poorly crawling bats. Using force plates we compared the hindlimb forces produced by two species of vampire bats that walk well, Desmodus rotundus (N=8) and Diaemus youngi (N=2), to the hindlimb forces produced during over-ground shuffling by a similarly sized bat that is a poor walker (Pteronotus parnellii; N=6). Peak hindlimb forces produced by P. parnellii were larger (ANOVA; P<0.05; N=65) and more variable (93.5+/-36.6% body weight, mean +/- s.d.) than those of D. rotundus (69.3+/-8.1%) or D. youngi (75.0+/-6.2%). Interestingly, the vertical components of peak force were equivalent among species (P>0.6), indicating similar roles for support of body weight by the hindlimbs in the three species. We also used a simple engineering model of bending stress to evaluate the support capabilities of the hindlimb skeleton from the dimensions of 113 museum specimens in 50 species. We found that the hindlimb bones of vampires are not built to withstand larger forces than those of species that crawl poorly. Our results show that the legs of poorly crawling bats should be able to withstand the forces produced during coordinated crawling of the type used by the agile vampires, and this indicates that some mechanism other than hindlimb bone thickness, such as myology of the pectoral girdle, limits the ability of most bats to crawl.

Holocene paleoecology of an estuary on Santa Rosa Island, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cole, K.L.; Liu, Gaisheng

1994-01-01

The middle to late Holocene history and early Anglo-European settlement impacts on Santa Rosa Island, California, were studied through the analysis of sediments in a small estuarine marsh. A 5.4-m-long sediment core produced a stratigraphic and pollen record spanning the last 5200 yr. Three major zones are distinguishable in the core. The lowermost zone (5200 to 3250 yr B.P.) represents a time of arid climate with predominantly marine sediment input and high Chenopodiaceae and Ambrosia pollen values. The intermediate zone (3250 yr B.P. to 1800 A.D.) is characterized by greater fresh water input and high values for Asteraceae and Cyperaceae pollen and charcoal particles. The uppermost zone (1800 A.D. to present) documents the unprecedented erosion, sedimentation, and vegetation change that resulted from the introduction of large exotic herbivores and exotic plants to the island during Anglo-European settlement. The identification of pollen grains of Torrey Pine (Pinus torreyana) documents the persistence of this endemic species on the island throughout the middle to late Holocene.

Paleobotanical analysis of materials from fossil gopher burrows and upper pleistocene host deposits, the Kolyma River lower reaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopatina, D. A.; Zanina, O. G.

2006-10-01

The comparative analysis of palynomorphs and plant megafossils (fruits, seeds, twigs, leaves) in the Upper Pleistocene host sediments and materials filling in fossil burrows of gophers, their coprolites included, at the Duvannyi Yar, Stanchikovskii Yar and Zelenyi Mys sites of the Kolyma Lowland is carried out. Genera Salix, Lychnis, Silene, Draba, Potentilla, Larix, and families Poaceae, Polygonaceae, Cyperaceae, Compositae, and Leguminosae are determined among palynological remains and megafossils. Factors responsible for qualitative and quantitative differences in taxonomic compositions of palynological and megafossil assemblages are biological peculiarities of plants, different character of fossilization of palynomorphs and large plant remains, geographic conditions, different genesis of assemblages (allochthonous for microfossils and autochthonous for megafossils), and inadequately known morphology of certain spore and pollen taxa. The comprehensive paleobotanical analysis leads to the conclusion that the study region was occupied in the Late Pleistocene by plant communities of humid to somewhat dryer tundra with separate areas of pioneering and steppe vegetation.

Utilization of emergent aquatic plants for biomass-energy-systems development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kresovich, S.; Wagner, C.K.; Scantland, D.A.

A review was conducted of the available literature pertaining to the following aspects of emergent aquatic biomass: identification of prospective emergent plant species for management; evaluation of prospects for genetic manipulation; evaluation of biological and environmental tolerances; examination of current production technologies; determination of availability of seeds and/or other propagules, and projections for probable end-uses and products. Species identified as potential candidates for production in biomass systems include Arundo donax, Cyperus papyrus, Phragmites communis, Saccharum spontaneum, Spartina alterniflora, and Typha latifolia. If these species are to be viable candidates in biomass systems, a number of research areas must be furthermore » investigated. Points such as development of baseline yield data for managed systems, harvesting conceptualization, genetic (crop) improvement, and identification of secondary plant products require refinement. However, the potential pay-off for developing emergent aquatic systems will be significant if development is successful.« less

Thermal and non-thermal preservation techniques of tiger nuts' beverage "horchata de chufa". Implications for food safety, nutritional and quality properties.

PubMed

Roselló-Soto, Elena; Poojary, Mahesha M; Barba, Francisco J; Koubaa, Mohamed; Lorenzo, Jose M; Mañes, Jordi; Moltó, Juan Carlos

2018-03-01

"Horchata de chufa" is a traditional Spanish beverage produced from tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus L.). Due to its richness in nutritional compounds, it is highly perishable and its conservation by pasteurization and/or adding preservatives is required. Although efficient, conventional thermal treatment for pasteurization induces changes in the nutritional and sensory properties. Replacing conventional pasteurization by non-thermal technologies such as pulsed electric fields, ultraviolet, and high pressure, combined with moderate temperatures (<40°C) allows a reduction of energy consumption, along with the preservation of the most thermo-sensitive molecules. Accordingly, this review deals with the description of the most relevant non-thermal technologies applied to preserve "horchata" beverage in order to extend the shelf life and inactivate pathogenic microorganisms as well as to preserve the nutritional and quality properties of this food beverage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Widespread occurrence of phthalic acid esters in raw oilseeds in China used for edible vegetable oil production.

PubMed

Hu, Ai-Peng; Liu, Yu-Lan; Shi, Long-Kai

2016-09-01

Seven different phthalic acid esters (PAEs) were quantified in 124 samples of 16 types of oilseeds from China using a simplified GC-MS method. Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and di-n-butyl phthalate were found in all tested oilseed samples. Each made a high contribution to the summed total PAEs. Total PAE concentrations in 124 oilseeds ranged from 0.14 to 3.05 mg kg(-1), and the mean was 0.99 mg kg(-1). Mandulapalka (Cyperus esculentus) samples were the most severely contaminated among all the tested specimens; maize germ samples were least contaminated. Di-n-octyl phthalate and butylbenzyl phthalate were not detected in 12 and five types of oilseeds, respectively. Only eight samples contained all seven analytes. No difference was observed between woody oil-bearing plant and herbaceous oil-bearing plant in terms of PAEs content.

Preparation of low digestible and viscoelastic tigernut (Cyperus esculentus) starch by Bacillus acidopullulyticus pullulanase.

PubMed

Li, Xiaolei; Fu, Jingchao; Wang, Yujuan; Ma, Fumin; Li, Dan

2017-09-01

Tigernut starch is an underutilized food resource. In this study, pullulanase (PUL) hydrolysis was used to change its physiochemical properties for different food applications. The content of low digestible fractions, resistant starch and slow digestible starch, in PUL modified tigernut starch significantly increased from 2.03% to 25.08% (P<0.05) using 100U/g starch of PUL in the debranching reaction. The paste or dispersion of PUL modified tigernut starch had a significantly decreased viscoelasticity (P<0.05), but the paste still exhibited a typical property of pseudoplasticity. Molecular weight, amylopectin A B2 and B3 chain of PUL modified starch were lower, while amylose content, amylopectin B1 chain were higher than those of natural tigernut starch. The low digestible and viscous tigernut starch is highly valued as a component in some functional foods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Early Pliocene vegetation distribution in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popescu, S.; Warny, S.; Suc, J.

2010-12-01

The Early Pliocene corresponds to a global warm climate documented by marine & terrestrial records. Reconstruction of climatic parameters, based on terrestrial proxies, indicate at European mid-latitudes a MAT higher of about 1-5°C than today and MAP higher of about 400-1000 mm. This global warm situation was interrupted between 4.7 - 4.5 Ma by a cooling event related to small fluctuations of the Antarctic ice-sheet that modify the floristic assemblages. according to pollen recors, the Northern Mediterranean area is characterized by dominance of arboreal pollen, suggesting a dense forest cover, on contrary to the Southern Mediterranean where herbs were prevalent, signifying a widespread development of open vegetation during the early Pliocene. Such a contrast in landscape between the North and the South of the Mediterranean is to be related to the latitudinal gradient in humidity. In the North Mediterranean area, the vegetation organization was also closely linked to the relief. Coastal plains were inhabited by Taxodiaceae swamps replaced in some places by marshes. With respect to the geographic position, several plant ecosystems can distinguished: (1) salt marshes, along the Atlantic coastline (zone A); (2) marshes mostly made of Cyperaceae evidenced on the Mediterranean coastline. Such juxtaposed assemblages resemble the modern vegetation of the Mississippi Delta and Florida. Peculiar vegetation assemblages characterize the Mediterranean coastal plains. In the southeastern Mediterranean region (Zone B), the open vegetation was composed by herbs including subdesertic elements. Mediterranean xerophytes are only numerically represented in the area of Tarragona and Sicily, their assemblage resemble the modern thermo-mediterranean formation. Close to the mountains (Zone C) vegetation is organized according to an altitudinal gradient. The low altitude vegetation was composed by Taxodiaceae (Sequoia) while Cathaya and Cedrus dominated the mid-altitude belt. Abies and Picea developed in higher altitude. The Eastern Europe vegetation (zone D) was characterized by coexistent warm-temperate forests and open ecosystems. Some megathermic and mega-mesothermic elements were persisting. Mediterranean xerophytes were indentified in few amounts in the Eastern Europe, showing a slight increase according to the latitudinal gradient. Site 380A (Black Sea) provides relatively high percentages of Artemisia growing in Anatolia, which increased again during the cooler periods. Anatolia probably represents the origin of the repeated steppe expansions which occurred in Europe at each glacial phase. Finally, the Nile region (zone E) documents the presence of savannah (composed mainly by Poaceae and Cyperaceae) including some subdesertic taxa. Nile riparian forests preserved several tropical-subtropical elements.

Rabies in southeast Brazil: a change in the epidemiological pattern.

PubMed

Queiroz, Luzia Helena; Favoretto, Silvana Regina; Cunha, Elenice Maria S; Campos, Angélica Cristine A; Lopes, Marissol Cardoso; de Carvalho, Cristiano; Iamamoto, Keila; Araújo, Danielle Bastos; Venditti, Leandro Lima R; Ribeiro, Erica S; Pedro, Wagner André; Durigon, Edison Luiz

2012-01-01

This epidemiological study was conducted using antigenic and genetic characterisation of rabies virus isolates obtained from different animal species in the southeast of Brazil from 1993 to 2007. An alteration in the epidemiological profile was observed. One hundred two samples were tested using a panel of eight monoclonal antibodies, and 94 were genetically characterised by sequencing the nucleoprotein gene. From 1993 to 1997, antigenic variant 2 (AgV-2), related to a rabies virus maintained in dog populations, was responsible for rabies cases in dogs, cats, cattle and horses. Antigenic variant 3 (AgV-3), associated with Desmodus rotundus, was detected in a few cattle samples from rural areas. From 1998 to 2007, rabies virus was detected in bats and urban pets, and four distinct variants were identified. A nucleotide similarity analysis resulted in two primary groups comprising the dog and bat antigenic variants and showing the distinct endemic cycles maintained in the different animal species in this region.

The survival environment of Mammuthus-Coelodonta Fauna in Qinggang, Heilongjiang Province, NE China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, K.

2017-12-01

The disappearance of world's megafaunal mammal taxa during the late Upper Pleistocene is the subject of considerable scientific interest. Until now, there are still controversy about the environmental background and influence mechanism of the extinction. Northeast of China possesses abundant Mammuthus-Coelodonta Fauna fossil in the Upper Pleistocene sediment, which is an ideal region for the exploration of survival background and disappearance process of megafauna. Qinggang County, Heilongjiang Province is famous for unearthing of Mammuthus primigenius. In this study, we use the pollen records from Yingxiancun section, Qingggang County to reconstruct the survival environment of Mammuthus-Coelodonta Fauna in the area. Our study shows that mammal fossils are found in the lacustrine sediment which belongs to the Gunxiangtun formation in NE China. The vegetation types in the environment are mainly Artemisia, Compositae, Gramineae, Cyperaceae accompanied by few Picea. The pollen assemblages indicate the area was covered by meadow with few conifer forests. As a whole, the vegetation types in Qinggang belong to the Mammoth steppe during Upper Pleistocene in the Eurasian.

α-Glucosidase inhibitory activity of selected Philippine plants.

PubMed

Lawag, Ivan L; Aguinaldo, Alicia M; Naheed, Suad; Mosihuzzaman, Mohammad

2012-10-31

Antidesma bunius Spreng. (Phyllantaceae), Averrhoa bilimbi L. (Oxalidaceae), Biophytum sensitivum (L.) DC. (Oxalidaceae), Ceriops tagal (Perr.) C.B. Rob. (Rhizophoraceae), Kyllinga monocephala Rottb. (Cyperaceae), and Rhizophora mucronata Lam. (Rhizophoraceae) are used as remedies to control diabetes. In the present study, these plants were screened for their potential α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The 80% aqueous ethanolic extracts were screened for their α-glucosidase enzyme inhibitory activity using yeast alpha glucosidase enzyme. Except for A. bilimbi with IC(50) at 519.86±3.07, all manifested a significant enzyme inhibitory activity. R. mucronata manifested the highest activity with IC(50) at 0.08±1.82 μg mL(-1), followed by C. tagal with IC(50) at 0.85±1.46 μg mL(-1) and B. sensitivum with IC(50) at 2.24±1.58 μg mL(-1). This is the first report on the α-glucosidase inhibitory effect of the six Philippine plants; thus, partly defining the mechanism on why these medicinal plants possess antidiabetic properties. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Palaeoenvironments during MIS 3 and MIS 2 inferred from lacustrine intercalations in the loess-palaeosol sequence at Bobingen (southern Germany)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayr, Christoph; Matzke-Karasz, Renate; Stojakowits, Philipp; Lowick, Sally E.; Zolitschka, Bernd; Heigl, Tanja; Mollath, Richard; Theuerkauf, Marian; Weckend, Marc-Oliver; Bäumler, Rupert; Gregor, Hans-Joachim

2017-12-01

Recently exposed loess-palaeosol sequences in the northern Alpine foreland close to Bobingen (southern Germany) were investigated with a multi-proxy approach combining isotopic, geochemical, lithological, and micropalaeontological methods. Luminescence ages date the sections into the Middle and Upper Würmian periods corresponding to Marine Isotope Stages 3 and 2. A gleyic soil horizon at the base was dated to 45 ka and provided a palynoflora dominated by Poaceae, Cyperaceae, and Pinus, as well as frequent aquatic taxa. Lacustrine conditions prevailed after the gley formation until 30 ka, providing a comparatively diverse lacustrine fauna dominated by aquatic gastropods and the ostracod species Candona candida. At the transition to the Upper Würm, climatic conditions became harsh, indicated by accelerated deposition of more coarse-grained loess, organic geochemical indicators, and scarceness of biotic remains. Two tundra-gley horizons in the Upper Würm point to short phases of climatic amelioration with higher humidity also evidenced by reoccurrence of ostracod and aquatic gastropod remains. We propose that these climatic ameliorations were coincident with the Greenland interstadials 4 and 2.

Surface pollen and its relationship to vegetation in the Zoige Basin, eastern Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Furong; Zhao, Yan; Sun, Jinghui; Zhao, Wenwei; Guo, Xiaoli; Zhang, Ke

2011-09-01

We use a data set of 23 surface pollen samples from moss polsters in the Zoige Basin to explore the relationship between modern pollen assemblages and contemporary vegetation patterns. The surface pollen samples spanned four types of plant communities: Carex muliensis marsh, Stipa and Kobresia meadow, Carex-dominated forb meadow and Sibiraea angustata scrub. Principal-components analysis (PCA) was used to determine the relationships between modern pollen and vegetation and environmental variables. The results show that the pollen assemblages of surface moss samples generally reflect the features of the modern vegetation, basically similar in the vegetation types and the dominant genera; however, they don't show a very clear distinction between different communities. Our results also demonstrate that pollen representation of different families or genus varied. Some tree taxa, such as Pinus and Betula, and herb types, such as Artemisia are over-represented, while Asteraceae, Ranunculaceae and Cyperaceae are moderately represented, and Poaceae and Rosaceae are usually under-represented in our study region. PCA results indicate that the distribution of vegetation in the Zoige Basin is mainly controlled by precipitation and altitude.

Phytoremediation in the tropics--influence of heavy crude oil on root morphological characteristics of graminoids.

PubMed

Merkl, Nicole; Schultze-Kraft, Rainer; Infante, Carmen

2005-11-01

When studying species for phytoremediation of petroleum-contaminated soils, one of the main traits is the root zone where enhanced petroleum degradation takes place. Root morphological characteristics of three tropical graminoids were studied. Specific root length (SRL), surface area, volume and average root diameter (ARD) of plants grown in crude oil-contaminated and uncontaminated soil were compared. Brachiaria brizantha and Cyperus aggregatus showed coarser roots in polluted soil compared to the control as expressed in an increased ARD. B. brizantha had a significantly larger specific root surface area in contaminated soil. Additionally, a shift of SRL and surface area per diameter class towards higher diameters was found. Oil contamination also caused a significantly smaller SRL and surface area in the finest diameter class of C. aggregatus. The root structure of Eleusine indica was not significantly affected by crude oil. Higher specific root surface area was related to higher degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons found in previous studies.

Classification of explosives transformation products in plant tissue

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larson, S.L.; Jones, R.P.; Escalon, L.

Explosives contamination in surface or groundwater used for the irrigation of food crops and phytoremediation of explosives-contaminated soil or water using plant-assisted biodegradation have brought about concerns as to the fate of explosives in plants. Liquid scintillation counting, high-performance liquid chromatography, and gel permeation chromatography were utilized to characterize explosives (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine and trinitrotoluene) and their metabolites in plant tissues obtained from three separate studies. Analyzing tissues of yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus), corn (Zea mays), lettuce (Lacuta sativa), tomato (Lyopersicum esculentum), radish (Raphanus sativus), and parrot feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) from three studies where exposure to explosives at nontoxic levels occurred showedmore » that extensive transformation of the explosive contaminant occurred, variations were noted in uptake and transformation between terrestrial and aquatic plants, the products had significantly higher polarity and water solubility than the parent compounds, and the molecular sizes of the transformation products were significantly greater than those of the parent compounds.« less

Variations in pollen counts largely explained by climate and weather

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Stephan; Damialis, Athanasios; Estrella, Nicole; Jochner, Susanne; Menzel, Annette

2017-04-01

The interaction between climate and vegetation is well studied within phenology. Climatic / weather conditions affect e.g. flowering date, length of vegetation period, start and end of the season and the plant growth. Besides phenological stages also pollen counts can be used to investigate the interaction between climate and vegetation. Pollen emission and distribution is directly influenced by temperature, wind speed, wind direction and humidity/precipitation. The objective of this project is to study daily/sub daily variations in pollen counts of woody and herbaceous plant species along an altitudinal gradient with different climatic conditions during the vegetation period. Measurements of pollen were carried out with three volumetric pollen traps installed at the altitudes 450 m a.s.l (Freising), 700 m a.s.l (Garmisch-Partenkirchen), and 2700 m a.s.l (Schneefernerhaus near Zugspitze) representing gradient from north of Munich towards the highest mountain of Germany. Airborne pollen concentrations were recorded during the years 2014-2015. The altitudinal range of these three stations accompanied by different microclimates ("space for time approach") can be used as proxy for climate change and to assess its impact on pollen counts and thus allergenic risk for human health. For example the pollen season is shortened and pollen amount is reduced at higher sites. For detailed investigations pollen of the species Plantago, Quercus, Poaceae, Cupressaceae, Cyperacea, Betula and Platanus were chosen, because those are found in appropriate quantities. In general, pollen captured in the pollen traps to a certain extent has its origin from the immediate surrounding. Thus, it mirrors local species distribution. But furthermore the distance of pollen transport is also based on (micro-) climatic conditions, land cover and topography. The pollen trap shortly below the summit of Zugspitze (Schneefernerhaus) has an alpine environment without vegetation nearby. Therefore, this trap can be used to detect short-, middle- and long-range pollen transport. The pollen trap in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is located in the valley below Zugspitze making these two stations suitable for a direct comparison. First results show that the total amount of pollen at Schneefernerhaus for Plantago, Quercus, Poaceae, Cupressaceae, Cyperaceae and Betula is only about 20% in comparison to Garmisch. Furthermore there are daily differences in the pollen counts in yearly sum between morning (24:00 -12:00) and afternoon (12:00- 24:00). This phenomenon might be caused by diurnal climatic variations in the boundary layer as well as local mountain wind systems (changing wind direction from morning to afternoon time). Additionally pollen counts were linked to weather data recorded by the German Meteorological Service and local climate stations. Results indicate that the duration of precipitation events is a major factor of influence concerning the counted pollen. With increasing duration of a rain event pollen counts are decreasing.

Bats, Primates, and the Evolutionary Origins and Diversification of Mammalian Gammaherpesviruses

PubMed Central

Rojas-Anaya, Edith; Kolokotronis, Sergios-Orestis; Taboada, Blanca; Loza-Rubio, Elizabeth; Méndez-Ojeda, Maria L.; Osterrieder, Nikolaus

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Gammaherpesviruses (γHVs) are generally considered host specific and to have codiverged with their hosts over millions of years. This tenet is challenged here by broad-scale phylogenetic analysis of two viral genes using the largest sample of mammalian γHVs to date, integrating for the first time bat γHV sequences available from public repositories and newly generated viral sequences from two vampire bat species (Desmodus rotundus and Diphylla ecaudata). Bat and primate viruses frequently represented deep branches within the supported phylogenies and clustered among viruses from distantly related mammalian taxa. Following evolutionary scenario testing, we determined the number of host-switching and cospeciation events. Cross-species transmissions have occurred much more frequently than previously estimated, and most of the transmissions were attributable to bats and primates. We conclude that the evolution of the Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily has been driven by both cross-species transmissions and subsequent cospeciation within specific viral lineages and that the bat and primate orders may have potentially acted as superspreaders to other mammalian taxa throughout evolutionary history. PMID:27834200

Two visual pathways to the telencephalon in the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum). I. Retinal projections.

PubMed

Luiten, P G

1981-03-10

The central projections of the retina in the nurse shark were studied by anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase and tritiated proline. With regard to efferent retinal fibers, both techniques gave completely identical results. Projections were found to pretectal area, dorsal thalamus, basal optic nucleus, and optic tectum, all at the contralateral side. The retinal target cells in the dorsal thalamus are restricted to the ventrolateral optic nucleus and the posterior optic nucleus. No evidence was found for an earlier-reported projection to the lateral geniculate nucleus. The present findings show that the ventrolateral optic nucleus exhibits homological features of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in other vertebrate groups, whereas the lateral geniculate nucleus of the nurse shark is much more comparable to the nucleus rotundus of teleosts and birds and would be more appropriately so named. The application of the HRP technique also allowed us to study afferents to the retina by retrograde transport of tracer. Retrogradely labeled cells were observed in the contralateral optic tectum and are apparently similar to those reported for teleosts and birds.

Non-kin cooperation in bats

PubMed Central

Carter, Gerald G.; Bohn, Kirsten M.; Adams, Danielle M.

2016-01-01

Many bats are extremely social. In some cases, individuals remain together for years or even decades and engage in mutually beneficial behaviours among non-related individuals. Here, we summarize ways in which unrelated bats cooperate while roosting, foraging, feeding or caring for offspring. For each situation, we ask if cooperation involves an investment, and if so, what mechanisms might ensure a return. While some cooperative outcomes are likely a by-product of selfish behaviour as they are in many other vertebrates, we explain how cooperative investments can occur in several situations and are particularly evident in food sharing among common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) and alloparental care by greater spear-nosed bats (Phyllostomus hastatus). Fieldwork and experiments on vampire bats indicate that sharing blood with non-kin expands the number of possible donors beyond kin and promotes reciprocal help by strengthening long-term social bonds. Similarly, more than 25 years of recapture data and field observations of greater spear-nosed bats reveal multiple cooperative investments occurring within stable groups of non-kin. These studies illustrate how bats can serve as models for understanding how cooperation is regulated in social vertebrates. PMID:26729934

Rabies Virus in Bats, State of Pará, Brazil, 2005-2011.

PubMed

Pereira, Armando de Souza; Casseb, Livia Medeiros Neves; Barbosa, Taciana Fernandes Souza; Begot, Alberto Lopes; Brito, Roberto Messias Oliveira; Vasconcelos, Pedro Fernando da Costa; Travassos da Rosa, Elizabeth Salbé

2017-08-01

Rabies is an acute, progressive zoonotic viral infection that in general produces a fatal outcome. This disease is responsible for deaths in humans and animals worldwide and, because it can affect all mammals, is considered one of the most important viral infections for public health. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of rabies in bats of different species found in municipalities of the state of Pará from 2005 to 2011. The rabies virus was detected in 12 (0.39%) bats in a total of 3100 analyzed, including hematophagous, frugivorous, and insectivorous bats. Of these, eleven were characterized as AgV3, which is characteristic of the hematophagous bat Desmodus rotundus (E. Geoffroy 1810); one insectivorous animal showed a different profile compatible with the Eptesicus pattern and may therefore be a new antigenic variant. This study identified the need for greater intensification of epidemiological surveillance in municipalities lacking rabies surveillance (silent areas); studies of rabies virus in bats with different alimentary habits, studies investigating the prevalence of AgV3, and prophylactic measures in areas where humans may be infected are also needed.

An annotated and revised checklist of pleurostome ciliates (Protista: Ciliophora: Litostomatea) from Slovakia, Central Europe.

PubMed

Vďačný, Peter; Rajter, L'ubomír

2014-02-04

Pleurostomatids are predatory ciliates, living especially in the periphyton and benthos of various freshwater and marine habitats. In the present work, we provide an annotated and revised checklist of this ciliate group from the territory of Slovakia. Altogether 29 pleurostome species belonging to five genera have been reported there: Acineria incurvata, Ac. punctata, Ac. uncinata, Amphileptus claparedii, Am. falcatus, Am. fusiformis, Am. parafusidens, Am. pleurosigma, Am. procerus, Am. punctatus, A. rotundus, Litonotus alpestris, Li. anguilla, Li. carinatus, Li. crystallinus, Li. cygnus, Li. fasciola, Li. fusidens, Li. hirundo, Li. lamella, Li. minisculus, Li. muscorum, Li. obtusus, Li. triqueter, Li. varsaviensis, Loxophyllum helus, Lo. meleagris, Lo. rostratum, and Siroloxophyllum utriculariae. We have catalogued these records providing the following data for each species: (1) author(s) and date of publication; (2) name(s) of the species as appeared in the publication(s) followed by chronologically listed references including relevant page(s) in literature; (3) nomenclatural and taxonomic notes if needed; (4) main morphological characters; (5) morphological data on Slovak populations if available; and (6) all faunistic records.

Retinotopic and temporal organization of the optic nerve and tracts in the adult goldfish.

PubMed

Bunt, S M

1982-04-10

In order to investigate the role of the different factors controlling the pathways and termination sites of growing axons, selected optic fibers were traced from the eye to the tectum in adult goldfish either by filling them with HRP, or by severing a group of fibers and tracing their degeneration in 2 micrometers plastic sections stained with toluidine blue. Some fish received more than one lesion and others received both lesions and HRP applications. Two major rearrangements of the optic fibers were identified, one at the exit from the eye, the other within the optic tracts. Near the eye the optic fibers appear to be guided by the conformation of the underlying tissue planes that they encounter. The most recently added fibers, from the peripheral retina, grow over the vitread surface of the older fibers toward the blood vessel in the center of the optic nerve head. Behind the eye the fibers follow this blood vessel until it leaves the side of the optic nerve, and the fibers from peripheral retina are left as a single group on the ventral edge of the optic nerve cross section. As a consequence of this pattern of fiber growth the fibers form an orderly temporal sequence in the optic nerve, with the oldest fibers from the central retina on one side of the nerve and the youngest from peripheral retina on the other. In addition, the fibers are ordered topographically at right angles to this central-to-peripheral axis, with fibers from ventral retina on each edge of the nerve, dorsal fibers in the center, and nasal and temporal fibers in between. This arrangement of the optic fibers continues with only a little loss of precision up to the optic tracts. A more radical fiber rearrangement, seemingly incompatible with the fibers simply following tissue planes occurs within the optic tracts. Each newly arriving set of fibers grows over the surface of the optic tracts so that the older fibers come to lie deepest in the tracts. This segregation of fibers of different ages ensures that the rearrangement is limited to each layer of fibers. The abrupt reorganization of the fibers occurs as the tracts split around the nucleus rotundus to form the brachia of the optic tracts. The fibers are then arranged with temporal fibers nearest the nucleus rotundus and nasal fibers on the opposite edges of the brachia. From this point the fibers grow out over the tectal surface to their termination sites with only minimal rearrangements. Therefore the optic fiber rearrangements show evidence of several different sorts of constraints acting on the fibers at separate points in the optic pathway, each contributing to the final orderly arrangement of the fibers on the optic tectum.

Tropical vegetation evidence for rapid sea level changes associated with Heinrich Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, Catalina; Dupont, Lydie M.

2010-03-01

A Cariaco Basin pollen record shows the development of tropical salt marshes during marine isotope stage 3. Rapid and abrupt expansions of salt marsh vegetation in tropical South America are associated with north Atlantic Heinrich Events stadials (HE-stadials). Intervals of salt marsh expansion have an internal structure, which consists of a recurrent alternation of species that starts with pollen increments of Chenopodiaceae, that are followed by increments of grasses, and subsequently by increments of Cyperaceae. This pattern suggests a successional process that is determined by the close relationship between sea-level and plant community dynamics. The salt tolerant Chenopodiaceae, indicate hypersaline intertidal environments, which were most likely promoted by extremely dry atmospheric conditions. Rapid sea-level rise characterizes the onset of HE-stadials, causing the continued recruitment of pioneer species, which are the only ones tolerating rapid rates of disturbance. Once sea-level rise decelerates, marsh plants are able to trap and stabilize sediments, favouring the establishment of more competitive species. These results add to the scarce knowledge on the dynamics of tropical salt marsh ecosystems, and provide independent paleoclimatic evidence on sea-level changes following Antarctic climate variability.

Late Pleistocene Interstadial Environment on Faddeyevskiy Island, East-Siberian Sea, Russia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andreev, Andrei A.; Peteet, Dorothy M.; Romanenko, Fedor A.; Filimonova, Ludmila V.; Sulerzhitsky, Leopold D.; Tarasov, Pavel E.

1999-01-01

Pollen, plant macrofossil, LOI and radiocarbon analyses of a 1.4-m section from Faddeyevskiy Island, Novosibirskie Ostrova archipelago (75 deg 20 min N, 143 deg 50 min E, 30m elevation) provide new information on the Late Pleistocene interstadial environmental history of this high Arctic region. Bulk radiocarbon dates of 25,700 +/- 1000, 32,780 +/- 500, 35,200 +/- 650 and two AMS dates of 29,950 +/- 660 and 42,990 +/- 1280 indicate that the deposits accumulated during the Kargian (Boutellier) interval. Numerous mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) remains collected in the vicinity of the site were radiocarbon dated to 36,700-18,500 yr. BP. Rare bison (Bison priscus) bones were dated to 32,200 +/- 600 and 33,100 +/- 320. Poaceae, Cyperaceae, and Artemisia pollen dominate the pollen spectra with some Ranunculaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Rosaceae, and Compositae. These pollen spectra reflect a tundra-steppe vegetation which probably was dominant on the exposed shelf of the Arctic Ocean. The presence of Carex macrofossils infer a summer climate two degrees warmer than today. The productivity of this local vegetation during the Kargian interstadial was apparently high enough to feed the grass-eater herds.

Mastodon herbivory in mid-latitude late-Pleistocene boreal forests of eastern North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teale, Chelsea L.; Miller, Norton G.

2012-07-01

Skeletal remains of the extinct American mastodon have often been found with deposits of short, decorticated twigs intermixed with plant fragments presumed to be gastrointestinal or fecal material. If such deposits are digesta, paleobotanical evidence may be used to analyze mastodon foraging strategy, with implications for assessing habitat selection, ecological roles, and response to environmental change. To identify components of mastodon diet in mid-latitude late-Pleistocene boreall forests of eastern North America, plant macrofossils and pollen from a molar socket (Hyde Park site, New York) were compared with dispersed deposits associated with skeletal remains (Hiscock and Chemung sites, New York). Similar macrofossil condition and twig morphology among samples, but difference from a modern boreal fen analog, confirmed the deposits were digesta. Comparison of twigs with material from other paleontological sites and modern elephants suggested dimensions generally indicative of digesta. Picea formed the bulk of each sample but Pinus may have been locally important. Wintertime browsing of Salix and Populus, and springtime consumption of Alnus, were indicated. Evidence for Cyperaceae, Gramineae, and Compositae was ambiguous. If conifers, broadleaf trees, shrubs, and herbs were necessary to fulfill dietary requirements, mastodons would have been nutritionally stressed by rapid late-Pleistocene decrease in vegetational diversity.

Late-Glacial Environmental Changes South of the Wisconsinan Terminal Moraine in the Eastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, Emily W. B.; Stanford, Scott D.

2000-01-01

Palynological analyses of two sediment cores, one 2.4 m long from northern Delaware, dated about 16,300 to 14,700 14C yr B.P., and one 1.8 m long from New Jersey just south of the Wisconsinan terminal moraine and dated about 13,600 to 12,500 14C yr B.P., give the first detailed evidence of vegetation in this area during these periods. The overall assemblages are similar to each other, with Picea and Pinus dominating the arboreal pollen and Poaceae and Cyperaceae the herbaceous flora. Nonarboreal pollen contributes about 30-50% of the total, indicating a very open vegetation or a mix of forest patches and open areas. Especially in Delaware, there is a diversity of other herbaceous pollen, including members of the Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Ranunculaceae. The assemblages do not resemble current North American tundra or boreal forest assemblages; rather, they resemble assemblages characteristic of tundra on recently exposed land surfaces north of the Wisconsinan terminal moraine. The persistence of the assemblages for 1500-2000 years in late-glacial time suggests stable and cold climate during this time of glacier retreat.

Late-glacial environmental changes south of the Wisconsinan terminal moraine in the Eastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Russell, E.W.B.; Stanford, S.D.

2000-01-01

Palynological analyses of two sediment cores, one 2.4 m long from northern Delaware, dated about 16,300 to 14,700 14C yr B.P., and one 1.8 m long from New Jersey just south of the Wisconsinan terminal moraine and dated about 13,600 to 12,500 14C yr B.P., give the first detailed evidence of vegetation in this area during these periods. The overall assemblages are similar to each other, with Picea and Pinus dominating the arboreal pollen and Poaceae and Cyperaceae the herbaceous flora. Nonarboreal pollen contributes about 30-50% of the total, indicating a very open vegetation or a mix of forest patches and open areas. Especially in Delaware, there is a diversity of other herbaceous pollen, including members of the Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Ranunculaceae. The assemblages do not resemble current North American tundra or boreal forest assemblages; rather, they resemble assemblages characteristic of tundra on recently exposed land surfaces north of the Wisconsinan terminal moraine. The persistence of the assemblages for 1500-2000 years in late-glacial time suggests stable and cold climate during this time of glacier retreat.

Fate of oxygen losses from Typha domingensis (Typhaceae) and Cladium jamaicense (Cyperaceae) and consequences for root metabolism

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chabbi, A.; McKee, K.L.; Mendelssohn, I.A.

2000-01-01

The objective of this work was to determine whether radial oxygen loss (ROL) from roots of Typha domingensis and Cladium jamaicense creates an internal oxygen deficiency or, conversely, indicates adequate internal aeration and leakage of excess oxygen to the rhizosphere. Methylene blue in agar was used to quantify oxygen leakage. Typha's roots had a higher porosity than Cladium's and responded to flooding treatment by increasing cortical air space, particularly near the root tips. A greater oxygen release, which occurred along the subapical root axis, and an increase in rhizosphere redox potential (Eh) over time were associated with the well-developed aerenchyma system in Typha. Typha roots, regardless of oxygen release pattern, showed low or undetectable alcohol dehydrogenage (ADH) activity or ethanol concentrations, indicating that ROL did not cause internal deficiencies. Cladium roots also releases oxygen, but this loss primarily occurred at the root tips and was accompanied by increased root ADH activity and ethanol concentrations. These results support the hypothesis that oxygen release by Cladium is accompanied by internal deficiencies of oxygen sufficient to stimulate alcoholic fermentation and helps explain Cladium's lesser flood tolerance in comparison with Typha.

Volatile constituents of roasted tigernut oil (Cyperus esculentus L.).

PubMed

Lasekan, Ola

2013-03-30

Volatile compounds play a key role in determining the sensory appreciation of vegetable oils. In this study a systematic evaluation of odorants responsible for the characteristic flavour of roasted tigernut oil was carried out. A total of 75 odour-active volatiles were identified. From these, 13 aroma compounds showing high flavour dilution factors in the range of 16 to 128 were quantified by their odour activity values (OAVs). On the basis of high OAVs in oil, the following aroma compounds [vanillin (chocolate, sweet vanilla), 5-ethylfurfural (caramel, spicy), 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one (caramel), phenyl acetaldehyde (honey-like), ethanone, 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) (faint vanilla)] were elucidated as important contributors to the overall chocolate, sweet vanilla, butterscotch aroma of the oil. Odorants with high concentrations in the roasted tigernut oil such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, ethyl hexadecanoate, n-propyl-9,12-octadecadienoate gave relatively low OAVs, so their contributions to the overall orthonasal aroma impression of roasted tigernut oil can be assumed to be low. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

The Ecology of Al-Samaliah Island, U.A.E.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zahran, M. A.; Al-Ansari, F. M.

1999-08-01

Al-Samaliah Island is one of the inshore islands of U.A.E. located at about 12 km north-east of Abu Dhabi in the Arabian Gulf. It has a flat undulating surface with neither sand dunes nor rocky hills. Its sandy soil is generally salt-affected with variable percentages of salts. The vegetation of Al-Samaliah Island is essentially halophytic and may be categorized as: seagrasses, mangal and littoral saltmarsh types. The main species include: Cymodocea ciliata, Halophila spp. and Halodula univervis (seagrasses), some algae, Avicennia marina (mangrove), Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, Seidlitzia rosmarinus, and Suaeda vermiculata (salt marsh). Other halophytes commonly present are: Anabasis setifera, Halocnemum strobilaeum, Halopeplis perfoliata, Salsola imbricata and Zygophyllum gatarense in addition to two annuals: Schangenia aegyptiaca and Zygophyllum simplex. Phoenix dactylifera is cultivated in local areas covered with sandy sheets. Between the date palm trees there is a thin growth of Cyperus conglomeratus. Some plant species have been analysed chemically to determine their main constituents. The relationships between the environmental factors and the plant life of the islands are discussed.

A synoptic account of flora of solapur district, maharashtra (India).

PubMed

Garad, Krushnadeoray U; Gore, Ramchandra D; Gaikwad, Sayajirao P

2015-01-01

The present paper provides the first systematic and comprehensive account of the flora of Solapur district of Maharashtra (India). The flora of this region demonstrates a wide range of species diversity and growth forms. The vegetation of the district mainly represents tropical dry deciduous forests, thorny open scrub and vast grasslands. During the present work, a total of 1441 taxa belonging to 699 genera and 125 families of flowering plants were recorded. A new species Crinumsolapurense Gaikwad et al. is described. Fabaceae is the dominant family with 210 taxa, followed by Poaceae (157 taxa), Asteraceae (85 taxa), Malvaceae (68 taxa) and Euphorbiaceae (48 taxa). Acacia is the largest genus with 25 taxa, followed by Euphorbia (23), Cyperus (22), Crotalaria (19) and Ipomoea (19). The herbaceous flora of the district is notable as it amounts to 56.21% of the whole of flora. The ratio of indigenous woody to herbaceous components is 1:1.28. The proportion of indigenous taxa (978) to the cultivated ones (460) is 1.35: 0.5 in the district.

A Synoptic Account of Flora of Solapur District, Maharashtra (India)

PubMed Central

Garad, Krushnadeoray U.; Gaikwad, Sayajirao P.

2015-01-01

Abstract The present paper provides the first systematic and comprehensive account of the flora of Solapur district of Maharashtra (India). The flora of this region demonstrates a wide range of species diversity and growth forms. The vegetation of the district mainly represents tropical dry deciduous forests, thorny open scrub and vast grasslands. During the present work, a total of 1441 taxa belonging to 699 genera and 125 families of flowering plants were recorded. A new species Crinum solapurense Gaikwad et al. is described. Fabaceae is the dominant family with 210 taxa, followed by Poaceae (157 taxa), Asteraceae (85 taxa), Malvaceae (68 taxa) and Euphorbiaceae (48 taxa). Acacia is the largest genus with 25 taxa, followed by Euphorbia (23), Cyperus (22), Crotalaria (19) and Ipomoea (19). The herbaceous flora of the district is notable as it amounts to 56.21% of the whole of flora. The ratio of indigenous woody to herbaceous components is 1:1.28. The proportion of indigenous taxa (978) to the cultivated ones (460) is 1.35: 0.5 in the district. PMID:25632259

Social Grooming in Bats: Are Vampire Bats Exceptional?

PubMed

Carter, Gerald; Leffer, Lauren

2015-01-01

Evidence for long-term cooperative relationships comes from several social birds and mammals. Vampire bats demonstrate cooperative social bonds, and like primates, they maintain these bonds through social grooming. It is unclear, however, to what extent vampires are special among bats in this regard. We compared social grooming rates of common vampire bats Desmodus rotundus and four other group-living bats, Artibeus jamaicensis, Carollia perspicillata, Eidolon helvum and Rousettus aegyptiacus, under the same captive conditions of fixed association and no ectoparasites. We conducted 13 focal sampling sessions for each combination of sex and species, for a total of 1560 presence/absence observations per species. We observed evidence for social grooming in all species, but social grooming rates were on average 14 times higher in vampire bats than in other species. Self-grooming rates did not differ. Vampire bats spent 3.7% of their awake time social grooming (95% CI = 1.5-6.3%), whereas bats of the other species spent 0.1-0.5% of their awake time social grooming. Together with past data, this result supports the hypothesis that the elevated social grooming rate in the vampire bat is an adaptive trait, linked to their social bonding and unique regurgitated food sharing behavior.

Chromosomal homologies among vampire bats revealed by chromosome painting (phyllostomidae, chiroptera).

PubMed

Sotero-Caio, C G; Pieczarka, J C; Nagamachi, C Y; Gomes, A J B; Lira, T C; O'Brien, P C M; Ferguson-Smith, M A; Souza, M J; Santos, N

2011-01-01

Substantial effort has been made to elucidate karyotypic evolution of phyllostomid bats, mostly through comparisons of G-banding patterns. However, due to the limited number of G-bands in respective karyotypes and to the similarity of non-homologous bands, an accurate evolutionary history of chromosome segments remains questionable. This is the case for vampire bats (Desmodontinae). Despite several proposed homologies, banding data have not yet provided a detailed understanding of the chromosomal changes within vampire genera. We examined karyotype differentiation of the 3 species within this subfamily using whole chromosomal probes from Phyllostomus hastatus (Phyllostominae) and Carollia brevicauda (Carolliinae). Painting probes of P. hastatus respectively detected 22, 21 and 23 conserved segments in Diphylla ecaudata, Diaemus youngi, and Desmodus rotundus karyotypes, whereas 27, 27 and 28 were respectively detectedwith C. brevicauda paints. Based on the evolutionary relationships proposed by morphological and molecular data, we present probable chromosomal synapomorphies for vampire bats and propose chromosomes that were present in the common ancestor of the 5 genera analyzed. Karyotype comparisons allowed us to relate a number of conserved chromosomal segments among the 5 species, providing a broader database for understanding karyotype evolution in the family. 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

New Lower Mississippian Trilobites from the Chouteau Group of Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brezinski, D.K.

2000-01-01

Reexamination of existing trilobite collections from the Kinderhookian (Lower Mississippian) Chouteau Group of central and northeastern Missouri indicates that two different suites of trilobites are present in these two areas of the state. Moreover, the study of these collections has led to the erection of a new genus and four new species. The new genus, Ameropiltonia, is based on a new species, A. lauradanae. This genus and species is commonly confused with Breviphillipsia sampsoni (Vogdes). Elliptophillipsia rotundus, n. sp., differs from the type species of this genus by possessing a rounded frontal lobe to the glabella. The other new species, Perexigupyge chouteauensis and Richterella hessleri, are present in the Compton Limestone of Marion and Ralls counties of northeastern Missouri. Variations in trilobite species found in the Compton Limestone of central Missouri and the northeastern part of the state are interpreted to be environmentally related. It appears that the lime mudstone and wackestone lithologies characteristic of the Compton Limestone of central Missouri were deposited in a low-energy, subtidal shelf setting. The lime packstone-grainstone strata of northeastern Missouri are interpreted to have formed as a tidal sand belt on the eastern margin of the Burlington shelf.

Survey of bat populations from Mexico and Paraguay for rabies.

PubMed

Sheeler-Gordon, L L; Smith, J S

2001-07-01

A mammalian survey was conducted in Mexico (October 1994-January 1996) and in Paraguay (August 1996-March 1997); a complete specimen was collected for each bat in the survey, including primary voucher specimen, ectoparasites, karyotype, and various frozen tissues. The surveys combined provided 937 brain samples (65 bat species) for rabies diagnosis. One male Lasiurus ega, collected in Paraguay, tested positive for the rabies virus (overall prevalence rate of 0.1%). Nucleotide sequence from a 300 bp region of the rabies nucleoprotein gene was compared with sequence obtained from representative rabies virus samples in the repository at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta, Georgia, USA). Rabies virus extracted from the brain material of L. ega differed by only one nucleotide from a 300 bp consensus sequence (>99% homology) derived from samples for the variant of rabies virus transmitted by Lasiurus cinereus. Lasiurus ego differed by approximately 15% for the variant transmitted by Desmodus rotundus. Phylogenetic analysis found no evidence to suggest L. ego is a reservoir for rabies antigenic variant 6. The most likely explanation for rabies in L. ega was infection following contact with a rabid L. cinereus.

Bat Rabies in Guatemala

PubMed Central

Ellison, James A.; Gilbert, Amy T.; Recuenco, Sergio; Moran, David; Alvarez, Danilo A.; Kuzmina, Natalia; Garcia, Daniel L.; Peruski, Leonard F.; Mendonça, Mary T.; Lindblade, Kim A.; Rupprecht, Charles E.

2014-01-01

Rabies in bats is considered enzootic throughout the New World, but few comparative data are available for most countries in the region. As part of a larger pathogen detection program, enhanced bat rabies surveillance was conducted in Guatemala, between 2009 and 2011. A total of 672 bats of 31 species were sampled and tested for rabies. The prevalence of rabies virus (RABV) detection among all collected bats was low (0.3%). Viral antigens were detected and infectious virus was isolated from the brains of two common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus). RABV was also isolated from oral swabs, lungs and kidneys of both bats, whereas viral RNA was detected in all of the tissues examined by hemi-nested RT-PCR except for the liver of one bat. Sequencing of the nucleoprotein gene showed that both viruses were 100% identical, whereas sequencing of the glycoprotein gene revealed one non-synonymous substitution (302T,S). The two vampire bat RABV isolates in this study were phylogenetically related to viruses associated with vampire bats in the eastern states of Mexico and El Salvador. Additionally, 7% of sera collected from 398 bats demonstrated RABV neutralizing antibody. The proportion of seropositive bats varied significantly across trophic guilds, suggestive of complex intraspecific compartmentalization of RABV perpetuation. PMID:25080103

Food sharing in vampire bats: reciprocal help predicts donations more than relatedness or harassment

PubMed Central

Carter, Gerald G.; Wilkinson, Gerald S.

2013-01-01

Common vampire bats often regurgitate food to roost-mates that fail to feed. The original explanation for this costly helping behaviour invoked both direct and indirect fitness benefits. Several authors have since suggested that food sharing is maintained solely by indirect fitness because non-kin food sharing could have resulted from kin recognition errors, indiscriminate altruism within groups, or harassment. To test these alternatives, we examined predictors of food-sharing decisions under controlled conditions of mixed relatedness and equal familiarity. Over a 2 year period, we individually fasted 20 vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) and induced food sharing on 48 days. Surprisingly, donors initiated food sharing more often than recipients, which is inconsistent with harassment. Food received was the best predictor of food given across dyads, and 8.5 times more important than relatedness. Sixty-four per cent of sharing dyads were unrelated, approaching the 67 per cent expected if nepotism was absent. Consistent with social bonding, the food-sharing network was consistent and correlated with mutual allogrooming. Together with past work, these findings support the hypothesis that food sharing in vampire bats provides mutual direct fitness benefits, and is not explained solely by kin selection or harassment. PMID:23282995

Short interfering RNAs targeting a vampire-bat related rabies virus phosphoprotein mRNA.

PubMed

Ono, Ekaterina Alexandrovna Durymanova; Taniwaki, Sueli Akemi; Brandão, Paulo

The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro and in vivo effects of short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) against rabies virus phosphoprotein (P) mRNA in a post-infection treatment for rabies as an extension of a previous report (Braz J Microbiol. 2013 Nov 15;44(3):879-82). To this end, rabies virus strain RABV-4005 (related to the Desmodus rotundus vampire bat) were used to inoculate BHK-21 cells and mice, and the transfection with each of the siRNAs was made with Lipofectamine-2000™. In vitro results showed that siRNA 360 was able to inhibit the replication of strain RABV-4005 with a 1log decrease in virus titter and 5.16-fold reduction in P mRNA, 24h post-inoculation when compared to non-treated cells. In vivo, siRNA 360 was able to induce partial protection, but with no significant difference when compared to non-treated mice. These results indicate that, despite the need for improvement for in vivo applications, P mRNA might be a target for an RNAi-based treatment for rabies. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Sound localization in common vampire bats: Acuity and use of the binaural time cue by a small mammal

PubMed Central

Heffner, Rickye S.; Koay, Gimseong; Heffner, Henry E.

2015-01-01

Passive sound-localization acuity and the ability to use binaural time and intensity cues were determined for the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus). The bats were tested using a conditioned suppression/avoidance procedure in which they drank defibrinated blood from a spout in the presence of sounds from their right, but stopped drinking (i.e., broke contact with the spout) whenever a sound came from their left, thereby avoiding a mild shock. The mean minimum audible angle for three bats for a 100-ms noise burst was 13.1°—within the range of thresholds for other bats and near the mean for mammals. Common vampire bats readily localized pure tones of 20 kHz and higher, indicating they could use interaural intensity-differences. They could also localize pure tones of 5 kHz and lower, thereby demonstrating the use of interaural time-differences, despite their very small maximum interaural distance of 60 μs. A comparison of the use of locus cues among mammals suggests several implications for the evolution of sound localization and its underlying anatomical and physiological mechanisms. PMID:25618037

Food sharing in vampire bats: reciprocal help predicts donations more than relatedness or harassment.

PubMed

Carter, Gerald G; Wilkinson, Gerald S

2013-02-22

Common vampire bats often regurgitate food to roost-mates that fail to feed. The original explanation for this costly helping behaviour invoked both direct and indirect fitness benefits. Several authors have since suggested that food sharing is maintained solely by indirect fitness because non-kin food sharing could have resulted from kin recognition errors, indiscriminate altruism within groups, or harassment. To test these alternatives, we examined predictors of food-sharing decisions under controlled conditions of mixed relatedness and equal familiarity. Over a 2 year period, we individually fasted 20 vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) and induced food sharing on 48 days. Surprisingly, donors initiated food sharing more often than recipients, which is inconsistent with harassment. Food received was the best predictor of food given across dyads, and 8.5 times more important than relatedness. Sixty-four per cent of sharing dyads were unrelated, approaching the 67 per cent expected if nepotism was absent. Consistent with social bonding, the food-sharing network was consistent and correlated with mutual allogrooming. Together with past work, these findings support the hypothesis that food sharing in vampire bats provides mutual direct fitness benefits, and is not explained solely by kin selection or harassment.

Rickettsia lusitaniae associated with Ornithodoros yumatensis (Acari: Argasidae) from two caves in Yucatan, Mexico.

PubMed

Sánchez-Montes, Sokani; Guzmán-Cornejo, Carmen; Martínez-Nájera, Yecenia; Becker, Ingeborg; Venzal, José M; Labruna, Marcelo B

2016-10-01

The genus Rickettsia includes obligate intracellular bacteria transmitted by several hematophagous arthropods such as ticks, fleas and sucking lice. In particular hard ticks (Ixodidae) have been cited as the main vectors of pathogenic rickettsiae in Mexico. However, there have been only two records of a single Rickettsia species associated with Mexican soft ticks (Argasidae). In this study, we searched for rickettsial DNA in argasid ticks (13 adults and eight nymphs of Ornithodoros yumatensis) from two bat caves in the state of Yucatan, Mexico. Additionally one larva collected in a cave from Chiapas, Mexico, and associated with Desmodus rotundus was used to corroborate the tick taxonomic determination. Of these, nine ticks (43%) yielded expected PCR products for the rickettsial gltA gene. These PCR-positive ticks were tested with additional PCR protocols targeting the rickettsial genes gltA, ompA and ompB. DNA partial sequences from these genes showed 99-100% identities with Rickettsia lusitaniae, an agent isolated from O. erraticus in Portugal, and closely related to R. felis and R. hoogstraalii. Based on the results from this study, the inventory of rickettsiae distributed in Mexico increases from six to seven species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Spreading and germination of yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.) in Hungary.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Z P; Buzsáki, K; Béres, I

2006-01-01

Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) is a cosmopolitan, tropical, subtropical plant. On the basis of Ujvarosi life-form it is a G2 perennial plant, overwintering with tubers in the soil. It occurs in all continents: along Eastern and Western coastlines of Africa and even in South-Africa, North and South America, Japan, India, Near-Eastern countries, Western, Southern and Eastern Europe. It has been spread since the 70's in Europe, but its remarkable occurrence was between 1980 and 1995 years. Nowadays it occurs in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Portugal, Austria, Croatia, Switzerland, Italy and Hungary among the European countries. The first occurrence of C. esculentus was observed in Hungary in 1993, at the surroundings of Keszthely and H&viz towns in a maize-ecosystem (Dancza 1994). It can be presumed, that its import happened with Gladiolus tubers and seed-grain of maize. At present C. esculentus occurs in four regions and surroundings of 20 habitations of Hungary. Somogy county is the most infected area, where it occurs on 10,000 hectares. C. esculentus took the 16th place in the important order of weeds of the world in the 70's. On the basis of EPPO IAS Panel at present this weed specics is considered as one of the most harmful invasive species of the world, due to its severe economic injury. Most harmful effect of C. esculentus is expressed in spring-sown hoed cultures, mainly in maize. Beside this it also occurs in sunflower, potato and sugarbeet cultures. C. esculentus has a good competitive ability by reducing crop quality and quantity. Vegetative reproduction is dominant in spreading but its propagation by seeds is also presumed in Hungary. Cool, rainy weather favours for the vegetative reproduction, while warm, dry one for the flowering. It has a 1-1.5 mm long fruit with one seed. One clustering can contain 600 seeds. According to Lapham (1985) there are areas in Zimbabwe where one can find 100 million C. esculentus seeds in a hectare. At a 1-2% germination rate it means 1-2 millions seedlings for a hectare, therefore its generative reproduction may be also considerable. The aim of our study was to examine germination characteristics and the possibility of generative spreading of C. esculentus. Germination tests were carried out in petri dishes under laboratory conditions with different thousand grain weight seeds. Average thousand grain weight and germination percentage was 0.154 and 60%, respectively. Experiments were repeated with lower thousand grain weight seeds (0.069) on sandy soil, where lower germination rate (2%) was obtained. On the basis of these results generative propagation and spreading of C. esculentus can be easily presumed.

Impact of logging on a mangrove swamp in south Mexico: cost/benefit analysis.

PubMed

Tovilla-Hernández, C; Espino de la Lanza, G; Orihuela-Belmonte, D E

2001-06-01

Environmental changes caused by logging in a mangrove swamp were studied in Barra de Tecoanapa, Guerrero, Mexico. Original forest included Rhizophora mangle, Laguncularia racemosa, Avicennia germinans and halophytic vegetation, and produced wood (164.03 m3/ha) and organic matter (3.9 g/m2/day). A total of 3.5 tons of wood per year were harvested from this area. Later, an average of 2,555 kg of maize per planting cycle were obtained (market value of 88 USD). Succession when the area was abandoned included strictly facultative and glycophyte halophytes (16 families, Cyperaceae and Poaceae were the best represented). After logging, temperatures increased 13 degrees C in the soil and 11 degrees C in the air, whereas salinity reached 52 psu in the dry season. These modified soil color and sand content increased from 42.6 to 63.4%. Logging was deleterious to species, habitat, biogeochemical and biological cycles, organic matter production, seeds, young plants, genetic exchange conservation of soil and its fertility, coastal protection, and aesthetic value; 3,000 m2 had eroded as the river advanced towards the deforested area (the cost/benefit analysis showed a ratio of 246:1). There was long-term economic loss for the community and only 30% of the site has recovered after five years.

Holocentromeres in Rhynchospora are associated with genome-wide centromere-specific repeat arrays interspersed among euchromatin.

PubMed

Marques, André; Ribeiro, Tiago; Neumann, Pavel; Macas, Jiří; Novák, Petr; Schubert, Veit; Pellino, Marco; Fuchs, Jörg; Ma, Wei; Kuhlmann, Markus; Brandt, Ronny; Vanzela, André L L; Beseda, Tomáš; Šimková, Hana; Pedrosa-Harand, Andrea; Houben, Andreas

2015-11-03

Holocentric chromosomes lack a primary constriction, in contrast to monocentrics. They form kinetochores distributed along almost the entire poleward surface of the chromatids, to which spindle fibers attach. No centromere-specific DNA sequence has been found for any holocentric organism studied so far. It was proposed that centromeric repeats, typical for many monocentric species, could not occur in holocentrics, most likely because of differences in the centromere organization. Here we show that the holokinetic centromeres of the Cyperaceae Rhynchospora pubera are highly enriched by a centromeric histone H3 variant-interacting centromere-specific satellite family designated "Tyba" and by centromeric retrotransposons (i.e., CRRh) occurring as genome-wide interspersed arrays. Centromeric arrays vary in length from 3 to 16 kb and are intermingled with gene-coding sequences and transposable elements. We show that holocentromeres of metaphase chromosomes are composed of multiple centromeric units rather than possessing a diffuse organization, thus favoring the polycentric model. A cell-cycle-dependent shuffling of multiple centromeric units results in the formation of functional (poly)centromeres during mitosis. The genome-wide distribution of centromeric repeat arrays interspersing the euchromatin provides a previously unidentified type of centromeric chromatin organization among eukaryotes. Thus, different types of holocentromeres exist in different species, namely with and without centromeric repetitive sequences.

Implications of scale-independent habitat specialization on persistence of a rare small mammal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cleaver, Michael; Klinger, Robert C.; Anderson, Steven T.; Maier, Paul A.; Clark, Jonathan

2015-01-01

We assessed the habitat use patterns of the Amargosa vole Microtus californicus scirpensis , an endangered rodent endemic to wetland vegetation along a 3.5 km stretch of the Amargosa River in the Mojave Desert, USA. Our goals were to: (1) quantify the vole’s abundance, occupancy rates and habitat selection patterns along gradients of vegetation cover and spatial scale; (2) identify the processes that likely had the greatest influence on its habitat selection patterns. We trapped voles monthly in six 1 ha grids from January to May 2012 and measured habitat structure at subgrid (View the MathML source225m2) and trap (View the MathML source1m2) scales in winter and spring seasons. Regardless of scale, analyses of density, occupancy and vegetation structure consistently indicated that voles occurred in patches of bulrush (Schoenoplectus americanus ; Cyperaceae) where cover >50%. The majority of evidence indicates the vole's habitat selectivity is likely driven by bulrush providing protection from intense predation. However, a combination of selective habitat use and limited movement resulted in a high proportion of apparently suitable bulrush patches being unoccupied. This suggests the Amargosa vole's habitat selection behavior confers individual benefits but may not allow the overall population to persist in a changing environment.

Dr. Roberto Miguel Klein Herbarium (FURB), Blumenau, Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

de Gasper, André Luís; Vibrans, Alexander Christian; Funez, Luís Adriano; Rigon-Jr, Morilo José; Bittencourt, Felipe; Vieira, Carina

2014-01-01

Abstract The premise of this study is to present the collection of the FURB herbarium, its collection area and type specimens, as well as its projects and contributions to the flora of the Subtropical Atlantic Forest. The FURB herbarium currently has nearly 41,000 records of vascular plants and has the largest collection of lycophytes and ferns in Southern Brazil, with more than 8,000 records. More than 4,500 scanned images of 4,436 species are available online, and it is expected that the whole collection will be scanned in less than one year. There are 198 families of angiosperms, 33 of ferns, three of lycophytes and six of gymnosperms. All collections of the Floristic and Forest Inventory of Santa Catarina project are recorded in FURB, which represents almost 35,000 herbarium specimens. The families with the largest number of species are: Cyperaceae (109 species), Rubiaceae (129), Solanaceae (131), Poaceae (155), Melastomataceae (157), Myrtaceae (257), Orchidaceae (288), Fabaceae (323), and Asteraceae (426), between angiosperms. Among the ferns and lycophytes are: Hymenophyllaceae (30), Thelypteridaceae (31), Aspleniaceae (32), Dryopteridaceae (43), Pteridaceae (54) and Polypodiaceae (60). There are five type specimens among them: one holotype, one isotype and three paratypes. To date, the FURB herbarium has donated 19,521 herbarium duplicates for identification or expansion of other herbaria. PMID:25383009

Postglacial vegetation history of Mitkof Island, Alexander Archipelago, southeastern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ager, T.A.; Carrara, P.E.; Smith, Jane L.; Anne, V.; Johnson, J.

2010-01-01

An AMS radiocarbon-dated pollen record from a peat deposit on Mitkof Island, southeastern Alaska provides a vegetation history spanning ∼12,900 cal yr BP to the present. Late Wisconsin glaciers covered the entire island; deglaciation occurred > 15,400 cal yr BP. The earliest known vegetation to develop on the island (∼12,900 cal yr BP) was pine woodland (Pinus contorta) with alder (Alnus), sedges (Cyperaceae) and ferns (Polypodiaceae type). By ∼12,240 cal yr BP, Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) began to colonize the island while pine woodland declined. By ∼11,200 cal yr BP, mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) began to spread across the island. Sitka spruce-mountain hemlock forests dominated the lowland landscapes of the island until ∼10,180 cal yr BP, when western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) began to colonize, and soon became the dominant tree species. Rising percentages of pine, sedge, and sphagnum after ∼7100 cal yr BP may reflect an expansion of peat bog habitats as regional climate began to shift to cooler, wetter conditions. A decline in alders at that time suggests that coastal forests had spread into the island's uplands, replacing large areas of alder thickets. Cedars (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, Thuja plicata) appeared on Mitkof Island during the late Holocene.

Phylogenetic evidence for an animal pathogen origin of ergot and the grass endophytes.

PubMed

Spatafora, J W; Sung, G-H; Sung, J-M; Hywel-Jones, N L; White, J F

2007-04-01

Grass-associated fungi (grass symbionts) in the family Clavicipitaceae (Ascomycota, Hypocreales) are species whose host range is restricted to the plant family Poaceae and rarely Cyperaceae. The best-characterized species include Claviceps purpurea (ergot of rye) and Neotyphodium coenophialum (endophyte of tall fescue). They have been the focus of considerable research due to their importance in agricultural and grassland ecosystems and the diversity of their bioactive secondary metabolites. Here we show through multigene phylogenetic analyses and ancestral character state reconstruction that the grass symbionts in Clavicipitaceae are a derived group that originated from an animal pathogen through a dynamic process of interkingdom host jumping. The closest relatives of the grass symbionts include the genera Hypocrella, a pathogen of scale insects and white flies, and Metarhizium, a generalist arthropod pathogen. These data do not support the monophyly of Clavicipitaceae, but place it as part of a larger clade that includes Hypocreaceae, a family that contains mainly parasites of other fungi. A minimum of 5-8 independent and unidirectional interkingdom host jumps has occurred among clavicipitaceous fungi, including 3-5 to fungi, 1-2 to animals, and 1 to plants. These findings provide a new evolutionary context for studying the biology of the grass symbionts, their role in plant ecology, and the evolution of host affiliation in fungal symbioses.

[Spatial and temporal dynamics of the weed community in the Zoysia matrella lawn].

PubMed

Liu, Jia-Qi; Li, You-Han; Zeng, Ying; Xie, Xin-Ming

2014-02-01

The heterogeneity of species composition is one of the main attributes in weed community dynamics. Based on species frequency and power law, this paper studied the variations of weed community species composition and spatial heterogeneity in a Zoysia matrella lawn in Guangzhou at different time. The results showed that there were 43 weed species belonging to 19 families in the Z. matrella lawn from 2007 to 2009, in which Gramineae, Compositae, Cyperaceae and Rubiaceae had a comparative advantage. Perennial weeds accounted for the largest proportion of weeds and increased gradually in the three years. Weed communities distributed in higher heterogeneity than in a random model. Dominant weeds varied with season and displayed regularity in the order of 'dicotyledon-monocotyledon-dicotyledon weeds' and 'perennial-annual-perennial weeds'. The spatial heterogeneity of weed community in Z. matrella lawn was higher in summer than in winter. The diversity and evenness of weed community were higher in summer and autumn than in winter and spring. The number of weed species with high heterogeneity in summer was higher than in the other seasons. The spatial heterogeneity and diversity of weed community had no significant change in the three years, while the evenness of weed community had the tendency to decline gradually.

Vascular flora of saline lakes in the southern high plains of Texas and eastern New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosen, David J.; Conway, Warren C.; Haukos, David A.; Caskey, Amber D.

2013-01-01

Saline lakes and freshwater playas form the principal surface hydrological feature of the High Plains of the Southern Great Plains. Saline lakes number less than 50 and historically functioned as discharge wetlands with relatively consistent water availability due to the presence of one or more springs. Currently, less than ten saline lakes contain functional springs. A survey of vascular plants at six saline lakes in the Southern High Plains of northwest Texas and one in eastern New Mexico during May and September 2009 resulted in a checklist of 49 species representing 16 families and 40 genera. The four families with the most species were Asteraceae (12), Amaranthaceae (8), Cyperaceae (5), and Poaceae (12). Non-native species (Bromus catharticus, Poa compressa, Polypogon monspeliensis, Sonchus oleraceus, Kochia scoparia, and Tamarix ramosissima) accounted for 10% of the total species recorded. Whereas nearly 350 species of vascular plants have been identified in playas in the Southern High Plains, saline lakes contain a fraction of this species richness. The Southern High Plains saline lake flora is regionally unique, containing taxa not found in playas, with species composition that is more similar to temperate desert wetlands of the Intermountain Region and Gulf Coastal Plain of North America.

Holocene vegetation and climate change recorded in alpine bog sediments from the Borreguiles de la Virgen, Sierra Nevada, southern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiménez-Moreno, Gonzalo; Anderson, R. Scott

2012-01-01

High-resolution pollen and magnetic susceptibility (MS) analyses have been carried out on a sediment core taken from a high-elevation alpine bog area located in Sierra Nevada, southern Spain. The earliest part of the record, from 8200 to about 7000 cal yr BP, is characterized by the highest abundance of arboreal pollen and Pediastrum, indicating the warmest and wettest conditions in the area at that time. The pollen record shows a progressive aridification since 7000 cal yr BP that occurred in two steps, first shown by a decrease in Pinus, replaced by Poaceae from 7000 to 4600 cal yr BP and then by Cyperaceae, Artemisia and Amaranthaceae from 4600 to 1200 cal yr BP. Pediastrum also decreased progressively and totally disappeared at ca. 3000 yr ago. The progressive aridification is punctuated by periodically enhanced drought at ca. 6500, 5200 and 4000 cal yr BP that coincide in timing and duration with well-known dry events in the Mediterranean and other areas. Since 1200 cal yr BP, several changes are observed in the vegetation that probably indicate the high-impact of humans in the Sierra Nevada, with pasturing leading to nutrient enrichment and eutrophication of the bog, Pinus reforestation and Olea cultivation at lower elevations.

Postglacial vegetation history of Mitkof Island, Alexander Archipelago, southeastern Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ager, Thomas A.; Carrara, Paul E.; Smith, Jane L.; Anne, Victoria; Johnson, Joni

2010-03-01

An AMS radiocarbon-dated pollen record from a peat deposit on Mitkof Island, southeastern Alaska provides a vegetation history spanning ˜12,900 cal yr BP to the present. Late Wisconsin glaciers covered the entire island; deglaciation occurred > 15,400 cal yr BP. The earliest known vegetation to develop on the island (˜12,900 cal yr BP) was pine woodland ( Pinus contorta) with alder ( Alnus), sedges (Cyperaceae) and ferns (Polypodiaceae type). By ˜12,240 cal yr BP, Sitka spruce ( Picea sitchensis) began to colonize the island while pine woodland declined. By ˜11,200 cal yr BP, mountain hemlock ( Tsuga mertensiana) began to spread across the island. Sitka spruce-mountain hemlock forests dominated the lowland landscapes of the island until ˜10,180 cal yr BP, when western hemlock ( Tsuga heterophylla) began to colonize, and soon became the dominant tree species. Rising percentages of pine, sedge, and sphagnum after ˜7100 cal yr BP may reflect an expansion of peat bog habitats as regional climate began to shift to cooler, wetter conditions. A decline in alders at that time suggests that coastal forests had spread into the island's uplands, replacing large areas of alder thickets. Cedars ( Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, Thuja plicata) appeared on Mitkof Island during the late Holocene.

Use of Fe-Impregnated Biochar To Efficiently Sorb Chlorpyrifos, Reduce Uptake by Allium fistulosum L., and Enhance Microbial Community Diversity.

PubMed

Tang, Xiao-Yan; Huang, Wen-Da; Guo, Jing-Jing; Yang, Yang; Tao, Ran; Feng, Xu

2017-07-05

Fe-impregnated biochar was assessed as a method to remove the pesticide pollutant chlorpyrifos, utilizing biochar/FeO x composite synthesized via chemical coprecipitation of Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ onto Cyperus alternifolius biochar. Fe-impregnated biochar exhibited a higher sorption capacity than pristine biochar, resulting in more efficient removal of chlorpyrifos from water. Soil was dosed with pristine or Fe-impregnated biochar at 0.1 or 1.0% w/w, to evaluate chlorpyrifos uptake in Allium fistulosum L. (Welsh onion). The results showed that the average concentration of chlorpyrifos and its degradation product, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP), decreased in A. fistulosum L. with increased levels of pristine biochar and Fe-biochar. Fe-biochar was found to be more effective in reducing the uptake of chlorpyrifos by improving the sorption ability and increasing plant root iron plaque. Bioavailability of chlorpyrifos is reduced with both biochar and Fe-biochar soil dosing; however, the greatest persistence of chlorpyrifos residues was observed with 1.0% pristine biochar. Microbial community analysis showed Fe-biochar to have a positive impact on the efficiency of chlorpyrifos degradation in soils, possibly by altering microbial communities.

Vertical flow constructed wetlands: kinetics of nutrient and organic matter removal.

PubMed

Pérez, M M; Hernández, J M; Bossens, J; Jiménez, T; Rosa, E; Tack, F

2014-01-01

The kinetics of organic matter and nutrient removal in a pilot vertical subsurface wetland with red ferralitic soil as substrate were evaluated. The wetland (20 m(2)) was planted with Cyperus alternifolius. The domestic wastewater that was treated in the wetland had undergone a primary treatment consisting of a septic moat and a buffer tank. From the sixth week of operation, the performance of the wetland stabilized, and a significant reduction in pollutant concentration of the effluent wastewater was obtained. Also a significant increase of dissolved oxygen (5 mg/l) was obtained. The organic matter removal efficiency was greater than 85% and the nutrient removal efficiency was greater than 75% in the vertical subsurface wetland. Nitrogen and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) removal could be described by a first-order model. The kinetic constants were 3.64 and 3.27 d(-1) for BOD and for total nitrogen, respectively. Data on the removal of phosphorus were adapted to a second-order model. The kinetic constant was 0.96 (mg/l)(-1) d(-1). The results demonstrated the potential of vertical flow constructed wetlands to clean treated domestic wastewater before discharge into the environment.

Bilateral lesions of nucleus subpretectalis/interstitio-pretecto-subpretectalis (SP/IPS) selectively impair figure-ground discrimination in pigeons.

PubMed

Scully, Erin N; Acerbo, Martin J; Lazareva, Olga F

2014-01-01

Earlier, we reported that nucleus rotundus (Rt) together with its inhibitory complex, nucleus subpretectalis/interstitio-pretecto-subpretectalis (SP/IPS), had significantly higher activity in pigeons performing figure-ground discrimination than in the control group that did not perform any visual discriminations. In contrast, color discrimination produced significantly higher activity than control in the Rt but not in the SP/IPS. Finally, shape discrimination produced significantly lower activity than control in both the Rt and the SP/IPS. In this study, we trained pigeons to simultaneously perform three visual discriminations (figure-ground, color, and shape) using the same stimulus displays. When birds learned to perform all three tasks concurrently at high levels of accuracy, we conducted bilateral chemical lesions of the SP/IPS. After a period of recovery, the birds were retrained on the same tasks to evaluate the effect of lesions on maintenance of these discriminations. We found that the lesions of the SP/IPS had no effect on color or shape discrimination and that they significantly impaired figure-ground discrimination. Together with our earlier data, these results suggest that the nucleus Rt and the SP/IPS are the key structures involved in figure-ground discrimination. These results also imply that thalamic processing is critical for figure-ground segregation in avian brain.

Social Grooming in Bats: Are Vampire Bats Exceptional?

PubMed Central

Carter, Gerald; Leffer, Lauren

2015-01-01

Evidence for long-term cooperative relationships comes from several social birds and mammals. Vampire bats demonstrate cooperative social bonds, and like primates, they maintain these bonds through social grooming. It is unclear, however, to what extent vampires are special among bats in this regard. We compared social grooming rates of common vampire bats Desmodus rotundus and four other group-living bats, Artibeus jamaicensis, Carollia perspicillata, Eidolon helvum and Rousettus aegyptiacus, under the same captive conditions of fixed association and no ectoparasites. We conducted 13 focal sampling sessions for each combination of sex and species, for a total of 1560 presence/absence observations per species. We observed evidence for social grooming in all species, but social grooming rates were on average 14 times higher in vampire bats than in other species. Self-grooming rates did not differ. Vampire bats spent 3.7% of their awake time social grooming (95% CI = 1.5–6.3%), whereas bats of the other species spent 0.1–0.5% of their awake time social grooming. Together with past data, this result supports the hypothesis that the elevated social grooming rate in the vampire bat is an adaptive trait, linked to their social bonding and unique regurgitated food sharing behavior. PMID:26445502

Efferent projections of the dorsal ventricular ridge and the striatum in the Tegu lizard. Tupinambis nigropunctatus.

PubMed

Voneida, T J; Sligar, C M

1979-07-01

A H3 proline-leucine mixture was injected into the dorsal ventricular ridge (DVR) and striatum of the Tegu lizard in order to determine their efferent projections. The brains were processed according to standard radioautographic technique, and counterstained with cresyl violet. DVR projections were generally restricted to the telencephalon, while striatal projections were limited to diencephalic and mesencephalic structures. Thus the anterior DVR projects ipsilaterally to nuclei sphericus and lateralis amygdalae, striatum (ipsilateral and contralateral) ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, nucleus accumbens, anterior olfactory nucleus, nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract and lateral pallium. Posterior DVR projections enter ipsilateral anterior olfactory nucleus, lateral and interstitial amygdalar nuclei, olfactory tubercle and bulb, nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract and a zone surrounding the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. Labeled axons from striatal injections pass caudally in the lateral forebrain bundle to enter (via dorsal peduncle) nuclei dorsomedialis, medialis posterior, entopeduncularis anterior, and a zone surrounding nucleus rotundus. Others join the ventral peduncle of LFB and enter ventromedial nucleus (thalami), while the remaining fibers continue caudally in the ventral peduncle to the mesencephalic prerubral field, central gray, substantia nigra, nucleus intercollicularis, reticular formation and pretectal nucleus posterodorsalis. These results are discussed in relation to the changing notions regarding terminology, classification and functions of dorsl ventricular ridge and striatum.

Ascending connections to the forebrain in the Tegu lizard.

PubMed

Lohman, A H; van Woerden-Verkley, I

1978-12-01

The ascending connections to the striatum and the cortex of the Tegu lizard, Tupinambis nigropunctatus, were studied by means of anterograde fiber degeneration and retrograde axonal transport. The striatum receives projections by way of the dorsal peduncle of the lateral forebrain bundle from four dorsal thalamic nuclei: nucleus rotundus, nucleus reuniens, the posterior part of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and nucleus dorsomedialis. The former three nuclei project to circumscribed areas of the dorsal striatum, whereas nucleus dorsomedialis has a distribution to the whole dorsal striatum. Other sources of origin to the striatum are the mesencephalic reticular formation, substantia nigra and nucleus cerebelli lateralis. With the exception of the latter afferentation all these projections are ipsilateral. The ascending connections to the pallium originate for the major part from nucleus dorsolateralis anterior of the dorsal thalamus. The fibers course in both the medial forebrain bundle and the dorsal peduncle of the lateral forebrain bundle and terminate ipsilaterally in the middle of the molecular layer of the small-celled part of the mediodorsal cortex and bilaterally above the intermediate region of the dorsal cortex. The latter area is reached also by fibers from the septal area. The large-celled part of the mediodorsal cortex receives projections from nucleus raphes superior and the corpus mammillare.

Distribution of glycogen phosphorylase and cytochrome oxidase in the central nervous system of the turtle Trachemys dorbigni.

PubMed

Partata, W A; Krepsky, A M; Xavier, L L; Marques, M; Achaval, M

1999-10-01

Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) and cytochrome oxidase (CO) activities were mapped histochemically in the brain of the turtle Trachemys dorbigni. In the telencephalon, both activities occurred in the olfactory bulb, in all cortical areas, in the dorsal ventricular ridge, striatum, primordium hippocampi and olfactory tubercle. In the diencephalon, they were identified in some areas of the hypothalamus, and in rotundus and geniculate nuclei. Both reactions were detected in the oculomotor, trochlear, mesencephalic trigeminal nuclei, the nucleus of the posterior commissure, torus semicircularis, substantia nigra and ruber and isthmic nuclei of the mesencephalon. In all layers of the optic tectum GP activity was found, but CO only labelled the stratum griseum centrale. In the medulla oblonga both enzymes appear in the reticular, raphe and vestibular nuclei, locus coeruleus and nuclei of cranial nerves. In the cerebellum, the granular and molecular layers, and the deep cerebellar nuclei were positive for both enzymes. The Purkinje cells were only reactive for CO. In the spinal cord, motor and commissural neurones exhibited a positive reaction for the two enzymes. However, CO also occurred in the marginal nucleus and in the lateral funiculus. These results may be useful as a basis for subsequent studies on turtle brain metabolism.

Keeping the blood flowing—plasminogen activator genes and feeding behavior in vampire bats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tellgren-Roth, Åsa; Dittmar, Katharina; Massey, Steven E.; Kemi, Cecilia; Tellgren-Roth, Christian; Savolainen, Peter; Lyons, Leslie A.; Liberles, David A.

2009-01-01

The blood feeding vampire bats emerged from New World leaf-nosed bats that fed on fruit and insects. Plasminogen activator, a serine protease that regulates blood coagulation, is known to be expressed in the saliva of Desmodus rotundus (common vampire bat) and is thought to be a key enzyme for the emergence of blood feeding in vampire bats. To better understand the evolution of this biological function, we studied the plasminogen activator (PA) genes from all vampire bat species in light of their feeding transition to bird and subsequently mammalian blood. We include the rare species Diphylla ecaudata and Diaemus youngi, where plasminogen activator had not previously been studied and demonstrate that PA gene duplication observed in Desmodus is not essential to the vampire phenotype, but relates to the emergence of predominant mammalian blood feeding in this species. Plasminogen activator has evolved through gene duplication, domain loss, and sequence evolution leading to change in fibrin-specificity and susceptibility to plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Before undertaking this study, only the four plasminogen activator isoforms from Desmodus were known. The evolution of vampire bat plasminogen activators can now be linked phylogenetically to the transition in feeding behavior among vampire bat species from bird to mammalian blood.

Reproductive seasonality, sex ratio and philopatry in Argentina's common vampire bats.

PubMed

Delpietro, H A; Russo, R G; Carter, G G; Lord, R D; Delpietro, G L

2017-04-01

Common vampire bats ( Desmodus rotundus ) are a key rabies vector in South America. Improved management of this species requires long-term, region-specific information. To investigate patterns of demography and dispersal, we analysed 13 642 captures of common vampire bats in Northern Argentina from the period 1969-2004. In contrast with findings from more tropical regions, we found reproductive seasonality with peak pregnancy in September and peak lactation in February. Curiously, sex ratios were consistently male-biased both in maternity roosts and at foraging sites. Males comprised 57% of 9509 adults caught at night, 57% of 1078 juveniles caught at night, 57% of 603 juveniles caught in roosts during the day, and 55% of 103 newborns and mature fetuses. Most observed roosts were in man-made structures. Movements of 1.5-54 km were most frequent in adult males, followed by young males, adult females and young females. At night, males visited maternity roosts, and non-pregnant, non-lactating females visited bachelor roosts. Males fed earlier in the night. Finally, we report new longevity records for free-ranging vampire bats: 16 and 17 years of age for a female and male, respectively. Our results are consistent with model predictions that sex-biased movements might play a key role in rabies transmission between vampire bat populations.

The Roles of Sphagnum and Cyperaceae in the Methane Cycle of an Ombrotrophic Bog Revealed by the Carbon Isotope Ratios of Leaf Waxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isles, P. D.; Nichols, J. E.; Peteet, D. M.; Kenna, T. C.

2011-12-01

Methane is a strong greenhouse gas, and the role of the terrestrial carbon cycle in the concentrations of atmospheric methane is poorly understood. What is clear, is that northern peatlands are a significant source of methane to the atmosphere. A recent discovery, and a topic of much scrutiny, has been the relationship between Sphagnum in peatlands and symbiotic methanotrophic bacteria. These bacteria oxidize methane produced at depth in peatlands before it is released to the atmosphere, contributing 13C-depleted CO2 to Sphagnum photosynthate. We seek to better understand the fate of methane produced in peatlands at depth, and the relationship between methane release from peatland surfaces and parameters such as temperature, moisture, and vegetation type. We compare carbon isotope ratios of leaf wax n-alkanes from sphagnum and vascular plants and major element chemistry at three different microhabitats, hummock, hollow, and sedge tussock, in Mer Bleue an ombrotrophic peatland near Ottowa, Ontario, Canada. We use these compound-specific carbon isotope measurements to constrain the amount of methane-derived CO2 incorporated by Sphagnum. We also compare our multiannually resolved down-core measurements to data from long-term monitoring of climate parameters and methane flux from the same microhabitats to ground-truth our sedimentary signature of methane with instrumental measurements.

Pliocene terrace gravels of the ancestral Yukon River near Circle, Alaska: Palynology, paleobotany, paleoenvironmental reconstruction and regional correlation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ager, T.A.; Matthews, J.V.; Yeend, W.

1994-01-01

Gravels deposited by the ancestral Yukon River are preserved in terrace remnants on the margins of the Yukon River valley near the village of Circle in east-central Alaska. Plant fossils recovered from sandy silt lenses within these gravels include cones and needles of Picea and Larix and a variety of seeds. Seed types include several taxa which no longer grow in Alaska, such as Epipremnum, Prunus and Weigela. Pollen types recovered from these deposits represent tree and shrub taxa that grow in interior Alaska today, such as Picea, Larix, Betula and Alnus, as well as several taxa that no longer grow in interior Alaska today, such as Pinus, Tsuga, Abies and Corylus. Pollen of herb taxa identified include Gramineae, Cyperaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Compositae, Polemonium and Epilobium. The fossil flora from the gravels near Circle are similar and probably age-equivalent to the flora recovered from the Nenana Gravel in the Alaska Range 250 km to the south. Palynological and tectonic evidence summarized in this paper now suggests that the Nenana Gravel was deposited during the early and middle Pliocene. The presence of plant fossils of Tsuga, Abies, Pinus, Weigela and Prunus suggests that the mean annual temperature (MAT) of eastern interior Alaska during the early and middle Pliocene was perhaps 7-9??C warmer and less continental than today's MAT of -6.4??C. ?? 1994.

An analysis of modern pollen rain from the Maya lowlands of northern Belize

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bhattacharya, T.; Beach, T.; Wahl, D.

2011-01-01

In the lowland Maya area, pollen records provide important insights into the impact of past human populations and climate change on tropical ecosystems. Despite a long history of regional paleoecological research, few studies have characterized the palynological signatures of lowland ecosystems, a fact which lowers confidence in ecological inferences made from palynological data. We sought to verify whether we could use pollen spectra to reliably distinguish modern ecosystem types in the Maya lowlands of Central America. We collected 23 soil and sediment samples from eight ecosystem types, including upland, riparian, secondary, and swamp (bajo) forests; pine savanna; and three distinct wetland communities. We analyzed pollen spectra with non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), and found significant compositional differences in ecosystem types' pollen spectra. Forested sites had spectra dominated by Moraceae/Urticaceae pollen, while non-forested sites had significant portions of Poaceae, Asteraceae, and Amaranthaceae pollen. Upland, bajo, and riparian forest differed in representation of Cyperaceae, Bactris-type, and Combretaceae/Melastomataceae pollen. High percentages of pine (Pinus), oak (Quercus), and the presence of Byrsonima characterized pine savanna. Despite its limited sample size, this study provides one of the first statistical analyses of modern pollen rain in the Maya lowlands. Our results show that pollen assemblages can accurately reflect differences between ecosystem types, which may help refine interpretations of pollen records from the Maya area. ?? 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Ergot species of the Claviceps purpurea group from South Africa.

PubMed

van der Linde, Elna J; Pešicová, Kamila; Pažoutová, Sylvie; Stodůlková, Eva; Flieger, Miroslav; Kolařík, Miroslav

2016-08-01

Results of a survey and study of the Claviceps purpurea group of species in South Africa are being presented and five new species are described. Morphological descriptions are based on the anamorphs and four nuclear genetic loci. Claviceps fimbristylidis sp. nov. on Fimbristylis complanata was discovered wide-spread across five provinces of the country associated with water and represents the fourth Claviceps species recorded from the Cyperaceae. Claviceps monticola sp. nov. is described from Brachypodium flexum growing in mountain forests in Mpumalanga Province, as well as the northern Drakensberg southwards into the Eastern Cape Province. Claviceps pazoutovae sp. nov. is recorded from Stipa dregeana var. dregeana and Ehrharta erecta var. erecta, also associated with these mountain ranges. Claviceps macroura sp. nov. is recorded from Cenchrus macrourus from the Eastern Cape and Claviceps capensis sp. nov. from Ehrharta villosa var. villosa is recorded from the Western Cape Province. Claviceps cyperi, only recorded from South Africa is included in the study. Ergot alkaloid profiles of all species are provided and showed similarity to C. purpurea. Only C. cyperi and in lesser degree C. capensis, C. macroura, and C. pazoutovae produced ergot alkaloids in clinically significant amounts. Several reported species infect invasive grass species, native to South Africa, and thus represent potentially invasive species. Copyright © 2016 British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Late Holocene environmental reconstructions and their implications on flood events, typhoon, and agricultural activities in NE Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, L.-C.; Behling, H.; Lee, T.-Q.; Li, H.-C.; Huh, C.-A.; Shiau, L.-J.; Chang, Y.-P.

2014-10-01

We reconstructed paleoenvironmental changes from a sediment archive of a lake in the floodplain of the Ilan Plain of NE Taiwan on multi-decadal resolution for the last ca. 1900 years. On the basis of pollen and diatom records, we evaluated past floods, typhoons, and agricultural activities in this area which are sensitive to the hydrological conditions in the western Pacific. Considering the high sedimentation rates with low microfossil preservations in our sedimentary record, multiple flood events were. identified during the period AD 100-1400. During the Little Ice Age phase 1 (LIA 1 - AD 1400-1620), the abundant occurrences of wetland plant (Cyperaceae) and diatom frustules imply less flood events under stable climate conditions in this period. Between AD 500 and 700 and the Little Ice Age phase 2 (LIA 2 - AD 1630-1850), the frequent typhoons were inferred by coarse sediments and planktonic diatoms, which represented more dynamical climate conditions than in the LIA 1. By comparing our results with the reconstructed changes in tropical hydrological conditions, we suggested that the local hydrology in NE Taiwan is strongly influenced by typhoon-triggered heavy rainfalls, which could be influenced by the variation of global temperature, the expansion of the Pacific warm pool, and the intensification of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thompson, R.L.; Wade, G.L.; Straw, R.A.

A descriptive study of the naturally invading and planted flora was conducted during 1984-1985 on a 14- and 21-year-old contour surface mine the 14.2 ha Log Mountain Demonstration Area (LMDA), in Bell County, Kentucky. Six habitats are designated from areas created from coal mining; the 1963 bench, 1970 bench, bench highwalls, mine outslopes, mine seeps, and coal haul-telephone microwave tower road. Twenty-four of 25 woody and herbaceous species (11 indigenous, 13 non-indigenous) have persisted from plantings by personnel of the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, USDA Forest Service. We recommend 11 native and exotic woody and herbaceous species for planting onmore » coal surface-mined areas. An annotated list of vascular plants comprises 360 taxa (286 indigenous, 74 non-indigenous) in 224 genera from 82 families. Taxa consist of 1 Lycopodiophyta, 1 Equisetophyta, 8 Polypodiophyta, 7 Pinophyta, and 343 Magnoliophyta. The most species-rich families are the Asteraceae (64), Poaceae (39), Fabaceae (20), Cyperaceae (16), Rosaceae (13), and Lamiaceae (11). A total of 155 Bell County distribution records were documented. Three threatened Kentucky species (Gentiana decora, Liparis loeselii, Silene ovata) were present in refugial habitats created by surface mining. The high species richness has resulted from native and naturalized invading species from the environs, native and exotic planted species, and species from the remnant seed bank. Forest vegetation is a complex mosaic of natural and semi-natural plant communities on the unplanted and planted areas of LMDA.« less

Centromeric and non-centromeric satellite DNA organisation differs in holocentric Rhynchospora species.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Tiago; Marques, André; Novák, Petr; Schubert, Veit; Vanzela, André L L; Macas, Jiri; Houben, Andreas; Pedrosa-Harand, Andrea

2017-03-01

Satellite DNA repeats (or satDNA) are fast-evolving sequences usually associated with condensed heterochromatin. To test whether the chromosomal organisation of centromeric and non-centromeric satDNA differs in species with holocentric chromosomes, we identified and characterised the major satDNA families in the holocentric Cyperaceae species Rhynchospora ciliata (2n = 10), R. globosa (2n = 50) and R. tenuis (2n = 2x = 4 and 2n = 4x = 8). While conserved centromeric repeats (present in R. ciliata and R. tenuis) revealed linear signals at both chromatids, non-centromeric, species-specific satDNAs formed distinct clusters along the chromosomes. Colocalisation of both repeat types resulted in a ladder-like hybridisation pattern at mitotic chromosomes. In interphase, the centromeric satDNA was dispersed while non-centromeric satDNA clustered and partly colocalised to chromocentres. Despite the banding-like hybridisation patterns of the clustered satDNA, the identification of chromosome pairs was impaired due to the irregular hybridisation patterns of the homologues in R. tenuis and R. ciliata. These differences are probably caused by restricted or impaired meiotic recombination as reported for R. tenuis, or alternatively by complex chromosome rearrangements or unequal condensation of homologous metaphase chromosomes. Thus, holocentricity influences the chromosomal organisation leading to differences in the distribution patterns and condensation dynamics of centromeric and non-centromeric satDNA.

Red mud (RM)-Induced enhancement of iron plaque formation reduces arsenic and metal accumulation in two wetland plant species.

PubMed

Yang, J X; Guo, Q J; Yang, J; Zhou, X Y; Ren, H Y; Zhang, H Z; Xu, R X; Wang, X D; Peters, M; Zhu, G X; Wei, R F; Tian, L Y; Han, X K

2016-01-01

Human activities have resulted in arsenic (As) and heavy metals accumulation in paddy soils in China. Phytoremediation has been suggested as an effective and low-cost method to clean up contaminated soils. A combined soil-sand pot experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of red mud (RM) supply on iron plaque formation and As and heavy metal accumulation in two wetland plant species (Cyperus alternifolius Rottb., Echinodorus amazonicus Rataj), using As and heavy metals polluted paddy soil combined with three rates of RM application (0, 2%, 5%). The results showed that RM supply significantly decreased As and heavy metals accumulation in shoots of the two plants due to the decrease of As and heavy metal availability and the enhancement of the formation of iron plaque on the root surface and in the rhizosphere. Both wetland plants supplied with RM tended to have more Fe plaque, higher As and heavy metals on roots and in their rhizospheres, and were more tolerant of As and heavy metal toxicity. The results suggest that RM-induced enhancement of the formation of iron plaque on the root surface and in the rhizosphere of wetland plants may be significant for remediation of soils contaminated with As and heavy metals.

Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L. ) control with herbicides: the role of tuberization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pereira, W.

1985-01-01

Trials were carried out under greenhouse, growth chamber, laboratory, outdoor pot, and field conditions to characterize stages of yellow nutsedge tuberization and to investigate the influence of herbicides. The effects of herbicides on tuberization and phytotoxicity at several growth stages, as well as on sprouting, growth characteristics, and survival of new tubers were determined. Tuberization was a continuous process, but was modulated by plant age and environmental conditions. The growth stage that included the time of first tuber initiation was the best for applying glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine) and oxyfluorfen (2-chloro-1-(3-ethoxy-4-nitrophenoxy)-4-(trifluromethyl)benzene). Plant-age and length of period after spraying influenced glyphosate and oxyfluorfenmore » absorption and translocation. Addition of unlabelled oxyfluorfen as a tank mixture can glyphosate increased absorption of /sup 14/C-glyphosate to 27% after 1 day and 46% after 8 days and increased translocation into other plant parts. Timing of postemergence herbicide applications relative to tuberization is crucial for overall control of yellow nutsedge. When soil applied herbicides were compared in the field, consecutive applications of dichlobenil (2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile) and metolachlor (2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide) for two years provided the best control of nutsedge.« less

Persisting in papyrus: size, oxidative stress, and fitness in freshwater organisms adapted to sustained hypoxia.

PubMed

Joyner-Matos, Joanna; Chapman, Lauren J

2013-08-01

Aquatic hypoxia is generally viewed as stressful for aerobic organisms. However, hypoxia may also benefit organisms by decreasing cellular stress, particularly that related to free radicals. Thus, an ideal habitat may have the minimum O2 necessary to both sustain aerobic metabolism and reduce the need to scavenge free radicals and repair free radical damage. The ability of aquatic organisms to sustain aerobic metabolism relates in part to the ability to maximize gas diffusion, which can be facilitated by small body size when O2 uptake occurs across the body surface, by a large gill surface area, or by the ability to use atmospheric air. We use water-breathing organisms in chronically hypoxic papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) swamps of East Africa to test the hypothesis that cellular-level benefits of hypoxia may translate into increased fitness, especially for small organisms. A review of recent studies of fingernail clams (Sphaerium sp.) shows that clams living in sustained hypoxia have minimized oxidative stress and that these cellular-level benefits may lead to increased fitness. We suggest that organisms in the extreme conditions in the papyrus swamps provide a unique opportunity to challenge the conventional classification of hypoxic habitats as 'stressful' and normoxic habitats as 'optimal.' Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potential of Essential Oils as Penetration Enhancers for Transdermal Administration of Ibuprofen to Treat Dysmenorrhoea.

PubMed

Chen, Jun; Jiang, Qiu-Dong; Wu, Ye-Ming; Liu, Pei; Yao, Jun-Hong; Lu, Qing; Zhang, Hui; Duan, Jin-Ao

2015-10-07

The present study was conducted to evaluate and compare five essential oils (EOs) as penetration enhancers (PEs) to improve the transdermal drug delivery (TDD) of ibuprofen to treat dysmenorrhoea. The EOs were prepared using the steam distillation method and their chemical compositions were identified by GC-MS. The corresponding cytotoxicities were evaluated in epidermal keartinocyte HaCaT cell lines by an MTT assay. Furthermore, the percutaneous permeation studies were carried out to compare the permeation enhancement effect of EOs. Then the therapeutic efficacy of ibuprofen with EOs was evaluated using dysmenorrheal model mice. The data supports a decreasing trend of skin cell viability in which Clove oil >Angelica oil > Chuanxiong oil > Cyperus oil > Cinnamon oil > Azone. Chuanxiong oil and Angelica oil had been proved to possess a significant permeation enhancement for TDD of ibuprofen. More importantly, the pain inhibitory intensity of ibuprofen hydrogel was demonstrated to be greater with Chuanxiong oil when compared to ibuprofen without EOs (p < 0.05). The contents of calcium ion and nitric oxide (NO) were also significantly changed after the addition of Chuanxiong oil (p < 0.05). In summary, we suggest that Chuanxiong oil should be viewed as the best PE for TDD of ibuprofen to treat dysmenorrhea.

Nitrogen management in reservoir catchments through constructed wetland systems.

PubMed

Tunçiper, B; Ayaz, S C; Akça, L; Samsunlu, A

2005-01-01

In this study, nitrogen removal was investigated in pilot-scale subsurface flow (SSF) and in free water surface flow (FWS) constructed wetlands installed in the campus of TUBITAK-Marmara Research Center, Gebze, near Istanbul, Turkey. The main purposes of this study are to apply constructed wetlands for the protection of water reservoirs and to reuse wastewater. Experiments were carried out at continuous flow reactors. The effects of the type of plants on the removal were investigated by using emergent (Canna, Cyperus, Typhia spp., Phragmites spp., Juncus, Poaceae, Paspalum and Iris.), submerged (Elodea, Egeria) and floating (Pistia, Salvina and Lemna) marsh plants at different conditions. During the study period HLRs were 30, 50, 70, 80 and 120 L m(2)d(-1) respectively. The average annual NH4-N, NO(3)-N, organic N and TN treatment efficiencies in SSF and FWS wetlands are 81% and 68%, 37% and 49%, 75% and 68%, 47% and 53%, respectively. Nitrification, denitrification and ammonification rate constant (k20) values in SSF and FNS systems have been found as 0.898 d(-1) and 0.541 d(-1), 0.488 d(-1) and 0.502 d(-1), 0.986 d(-1) and 0.908 respectively. Two types of the models (first-order plug flow and multiple regression) were tried to estimate the system performances.

Effects of coastal marsh conversion to shrimp aquaculture ponds on CH4 and N2O emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, P.; Bastviken, D.; Lai, D. Y. F.; Jin, B. S.; Mou, X. J.; Tong, C.; Yao, Y. C.

2017-12-01

In this study, we compared the CH4 and N2O fluxes from a tidal brackish Cyperus malaccensis marsh ecosystem and nearby shrimp ponds, converted from C. malaccensis marsh in the last 3-4 years, in the Min River estuary of southeast China over the aquaculture period of the year. Significant differences in CH4 and N2O fluxes were observed in space (between brackish marsh and shrimp ponds) and in time (between sampling occasions that were distributed over the aquaculture period). CH4 fluxes from the shrimp ponds were on an average 10-fold higher than from the brackish marsh. N2O emissions, on the other hand, were lower from the shrimp pond (25% of the emissions from the brackish marsh). Accessory data indicates that these patterns were primarily linked to water level variability and temperature (all fluxes), sediment porewater sulfate concentrations (CH4 flux) and total nitrogen concentrations (N2O flux). Our research demonstrates that the coastal marsh ecosystem converted to aquaculture ponds considerably alter emissions of CH4 and N2O and provides input to the global discussion on how to account for emissions from various types of flooded land in greenhouse gas inventories.

The Effect of Essential Oils and Bioactive Fractions on Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans Biofilms: A Confocal Analysis

PubMed Central

Freires, Irlan Almeida; Bueno-Silva, Bruno; Galvão, Lívia Câmara de Carvalho; Duarte, Marta Cristina Teixeira; Sartoratto, Adilson; Figueira, Glyn Mara; de Alencar, Severino Matias; Rosalen, Pedro Luiz

2015-01-01

The essential oils (EO) and bioactive fractions (BF) from Aloysia gratissima, Baccharis dracunculifolia, Coriandrum sativum, Cyperus articulatus, and Lippia sidoides were proven to have strong antimicrobial activity on planktonic microorganisms; however, little is known about their effects on the morphology or viability of oral biofilms. Previously, we determined the EO/fractions with the best antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans and Candida spp. In this report, we used a confocal analysis to investigate the effect of these EO and BF on the morphology of S. mutans biofilms (thickness, biovolume, and architecture) and on the metabolic viability of C. albicans biofilms. The analysis of intact treated S. mutans biofilms showed no statistical difference for thickness in all groups compared to the control. However, a significant reduction in the biovolume of extracellular polysaccharides and bacteria was observed for A. gratissima and L. sidoides groups, indicating that these BF disrupt biofilm integrity and may have created porosity in the biofilm. This phenomenon could potentially result in a weakened structure and affect biofilm dynamics. Finally, C. sativum EO drastically affected C. albicans viability when compared to the control. These results highlight the promising antimicrobial activity of these plant species and support future translational research on the treatment of dental caries and oral candidiasis. PMID:25821503

Molecular Detection of Bartonella Species in Blood-Feeding Bat Flies from Mexico.

PubMed

Moskaluk, Alexandra E; Stuckey, Matthew J; Jaffe, David A; Kasten, Rickie W; Aguilar-Setién, Alvaro; Olave-Leyva, José Ignacio; Galvez-Romero, Guillermo; Obregón-Morales, Cirani; Salas-Rojas, Mónica; García-Flores, María Martha; Aréchiga-Ceballos, Nidia; García-Baltazar, Anahí; Chomel, Bruno B

2018-05-01

Bartonellae are emerging blood-borne bacteria that have been recovered from a wide range of mammalian species and arthropod vectors around the world. Bats are now recognized as a potential wildlife reservoir for a diverse number of Bartonella species, including the zoonotic Candidatus B. mayotimonensis. These bat-borne Bartonella species have also been detected in the obligate ectoparasites of bats, such as blood-feeding flies, which could transmit these bacteria within bat populations. To better understand this potential for transmission, we investigated the relatedness between Bartonella detected or isolated from bat hosts sampled in Mexico and their ectoparasites. Bartonella spp. were identified in bat flies collected on two bat species, with the highest prevalence in Trichobius parasiticus and Strebla wiedemanni collected from common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus). When comparing Bartonella sequences from a fragment of the citrate synthase gene (gltA), vector-associated strains were diverse and generally close to, but distinct from, those recovered from their bacteremic bat hosts in Mexico. Complete Bartonella sequence concordance was observed in only one bat-vector pair. The diversity of Bartonella strains in bat flies reflects the frequent host switch by bat flies, as they usually do not live permanently on their bat host. It may also suggest a possible endosymbiotic relationship with these vectors for some of the Bartonella species carried by bat flies, whereas others could have a mammalian host.

VIROLOGICAL AND SEROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF RABIES IN BATS FROM AN URBAN AREA IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON.

PubMed

Oliveira, Rubens Souza de; Costa, Lanna Jamile Corrêa da; Andrade, Fernanda Atanaena Gonçalves de; Uieda, Wilson; Martorelli, Luzia Fátima Alves; Kataoka, Ana Paula de Arruda Geraldes; Rosa, Elizabeth Salbé Travassos da; Vasconcelos, Pedro Fernando da Costa; Pereira, Armando de Souza; Carmo, Antônio Ismael Barros do; Fernandes, Marcus Emanuel Barroncas

2015-12-01

The outbreaks of rabies in humans transmitted by Desmodus rotundus in 2004 and 2005, in the northeast of the Brazilian State of Para, eastern Amazon basin, made this a priority area for studies on this zoonosis. Given this, the present study provides data on this phenomenon in an urban context, in order to assess the possible circulation of the classic rabies virus (RABV) among bat species in Capanema, a town in the Amazon basin. Bats were collected, in 2011, with mist nets during the wet and dry seasons. Samples of brain tissue and blood were collected for virological and serological survey, respectively. None of the 153 brain tissue samples analyzed tested positive for RABV infection, but 50.34% (95% CI: 45.67-55.01%) of the serum samples analyzed were seropositive. Artibeus planirostris was the most common species, with a high percentage of seropositive individuals (52.46%, 95% CI: 52.31 52.60%). Statistically, equal proportions of seropositive results were obtained in the rainy and dry seasons (c2 = 0.057, d.f. = 1, p = 0.88). Significantly higher proportions of males (55.96%, 95% CI: 48.96-62.96%) and adults (52.37%, 95% CI: 47.35-57.39%) were seropositive. While none of the brain tissue samples tested positive for infection, the high proportion of seropositive specimens indicates that RABV may be widespread in this urban area.

Ectoparasitic hematophagous dipters: potential reservoirs of dengue virus?

PubMed

Setién, Álvaro Aguilar; Baltazar, Anahí García; Leyva, Ignacio Olave; Rojas, Mónica Salas; Koldenkova, Vadim Pérez; García, Mariem Pérez-Peña; Ceballos, Nidia Aréchiga; Romero, Guillermo Gálvez; Villegas, Edgar Olivier López; Malacara, Juan Bibiano Morales; Marín, Cenia Almazán

2017-01-01

Recently, the presence of antibodies and dengue virus (DV) RNA in neotropical wild mammals, including Desmodus rotundus, was reported. In a previous study, DV was also found in a high percentage (39.6%) of ectoparasitic hematophagous dipters specifics of these hematophagous bats. In order to verify the susceptibility of these ectoparasites to DV, in this work experimental infections with VD2 of organs explants of Strebla wiedemanni and of Melophagus ovinus were performed using C6/36 cells as control. Viral titers (UFP/mL) were determined at 0, 48 and 96 hrs pi. Infected organs were observed by electron microscopy and under the confocal microscopy indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) using specific conjugates against DV. The infected organs of both species of ectoparasites replicated DV at titers similar to those obtained with the C6/36 cell line (≥10 6 UFP/mL). Electron microscopy and IIF showed DV replication in the digestive tract, tracheoles, reproductive organs of males but not in females, and milk glands (MG) of both species. In the fatty bodies of the MG of M. ovinus, zones with a high affinity for the DV were observed. In this work the susceptibility of S. wiedemanni and M. ovinus to DV was demonstrated and consequently the probable role of this ectoparasites as wild reservoirs of DV. Copyright: © 2017 SecretarÍa de Salud.

Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2010

PubMed Central

Blanton, Jesse D.; Palmer, Dustyn; Dyer, Jessie; Rupprecht, Charles E.

2016-01-01

Summary During 2010, 48 states and Puerto Rico reported 6,154 rabid animals and 2 human rabies cases to the CDC, representing an 8% decrease from the 6,690 rabid animals and 4 human cases reported in 2009. Hawaii and Mississippi did not report any laboratory-confirmed rabid animals during 2010. Approximately 92% of reported rabid animals were wildlife. Relative contributions by the major animal groups were as follows: 2,246 raccoons (36.5%), 1,448 skunks (23.5%), 1,430 bats (23.2%), 429 foxes (6.9%), 303 cats (4.9%), 71 cattle (1.1%), and 69 dogs (1.1%). Compared with 2009, number of reported rabid animals decreased across all animal types with the exception of a 1% increase in the number of reported rabid cats. Two cases of rabies involving humans were reported from Louisiana and Wisconsin in 2010. Louisiana reported an imported human rabies case involving a 19-year-old male migrant farm worker who had a history of a vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) bite received while in Mexico. This represents the first human rabies case reported in the United States confirmed to have been caused by a vampire bat rabies virus variant. Wisconsin reported a human rabies case involving a 70-year-old male that was confirmed to have been caused by a rabies virus variant associated with tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus). PMID:21916759

Neuropeptide Y mRNA and peptide in the night-migratory redheaded bunting brain.

PubMed

Devraj, Singh; Kumari, Yatinesh; Rastogi, Ashutosh; Rani, Sangeeta; Kumar, Vinod

2013-11-01

This study investigated the distribution of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the brain of the night-migratory redheaded bunting (Emberiza bruniceps). We first cloned the 275-bp NPY gene in buntings, with ≥95% homology with known sequences from other birds. The deduced peptide sequence contained all conserved 36 amino acids chain of the mature NPY peptide, but lacked 6 amino acids that form the NPY signal peptide. Using digosigenin-labeled riboprobe prepared from the cloned sequence, the brain cells that synthesize NPY were identified by in-situ hybridization. The NPY peptide containing cell bodies and terminals (fibers) were localized by immunocytochemistry. NPY mRNA and peptide were widespread throughout the bunting brain. This included predominant pallial and sub-pallial areas (cortex piriformis, cortex prepiriformis, hyperpallium apicale, hippocampus, globus pallidus) and thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei (organum vasculosum laminae terminalis, nucleus (n.) dorsolateralis anterior thalami, n. rotundus, n. infundibularis) including the median eminence and hind brain (n. pretectalis, n. opticus basalis, n. reticularis pontis caudalis pars gigantocellularis). The important structures with only NPY-immunoreactive fibers included the olfactory bulb, medial and lateral septal areas, medial preoptic nucleus, medial suprachiasmatic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, optic tectum, and ventro-lateral geniculate nucleus. These results demonstrate that NPY is possibly involved in the regulation of several physiological functions (e.g. daily timing feeding, and reproduction) in the migratory bunting.

Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2010.

PubMed

Blanton, Jesse D; Palmer, Dustyn; Dyer, Jessie; Rupprecht, Charles E

2011-09-15

During 2010, 48 states and Puerto Rico reported 6,154 rabid animals and 2 human rabies cases to the CDC, representing an 8% decrease from the 6,690 rabid animals and 4 human cases reported in 2009. Hawaii and Mississippi did not report any laboratory-confirmed rabid animals during 2010. Approximately 92% of reported rabid animals were wildlife. Relative contributions by the major animal groups were as follows: 2,246 raccoons (36.5%), 1,448 skunks (23.5%), 1,430 bats (23.2%), 429 foxes (6.9%), 303 cats (4.9%), 71 cattle (1.1 %), and 69 dogs (1.1 %). Compared with 2009, number of reported rabid animals decreased across all animal types with the exception of a 1 % increase in the number of reported rabid cats. Two cases of rabies involving humans were reported from Louisiana and Wisconsin in 2010. Louisiana reported an imported human rabies case involving a 19-year-old male migrant farm worker who had a history of a vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) bite received while in Mexico. This represents the first human rabies case reported in the United States confirmed to have been caused by a vampire bat rabies virus variant. Wisconsin reported a human rabies case involving a 70-year-old male that was confirmed to have been caused by a rabies virus variant associated with tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus).

Reproductive seasonality, sex ratio and philopatry in Argentina's common vampire bats

PubMed Central

Delpietro, H. A.; Russo, R. G.; Lord, R. D.; Delpietro, G. L.

2017-01-01

Common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) are a key rabies vector in South America. Improved management of this species requires long-term, region-specific information. To investigate patterns of demography and dispersal, we analysed 13 642 captures of common vampire bats in Northern Argentina from the period 1969–2004. In contrast with findings from more tropical regions, we found reproductive seasonality with peak pregnancy in September and peak lactation in February. Curiously, sex ratios were consistently male-biased both in maternity roosts and at foraging sites. Males comprised 57% of 9509 adults caught at night, 57% of 1078 juveniles caught at night, 57% of 603 juveniles caught in roosts during the day, and 55% of 103 newborns and mature fetuses. Most observed roosts were in man-made structures. Movements of 1.5–54 km were most frequent in adult males, followed by young males, adult females and young females. At night, males visited maternity roosts, and non-pregnant, non-lactating females visited bachelor roosts. Males fed earlier in the night. Finally, we report new longevity records for free-ranging vampire bats: 16 and 17 years of age for a female and male, respectively. Our results are consistent with model predictions that sex-biased movements might play a key role in rabies transmission between vampire bat populations. PMID:28484615

Vegetation Response to the 1995 Drawdown of the Navigation Pool at Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, Crossett, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Howard, Rebecca J.; Wells, Christopher J.

2007-01-01

Felsenthal Navigation Pool (?the pool?) at Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge near Crossett, Ark., was continuously flooded to a baseline elevation of 19.8 m (65.0 ft) mean sea level (m.s.l.) from late fall 1985, when the final in a series of locks and dams was constructed, until the summer of 1995. Water level within the pool was reduced by 0.3 m (1.0 ft) beginning July 5, 1995, exposing about 1,591 ha (3,931 acres) of sediment; the reduced water level was maintained until October 25 of that year. A total of 15 transects was established along the pool margin before the drawdown, extending perpendicular from the pool edge to 19.5 m (64.0 ft) in elevation. Plant species composition and cover were recorded at six to seven quadrats on each transect; 14 of the transects were also monitored three times during the drawdown and in June 1996. Soil near five of the original transects was disturbed two weeks into the drawdown by scraping the soil surface with a bulldozer. Soil cores were collected to characterize soil organic matter, texture class, carbon and nitrogen content, and plant nutrient concentrations; soil samples were also collected to identify species present in the seed bank prior to and during the drawdown. Plant species, several of which were high quality food sources for waterfowl, colonized the drawdown zone within four weeks. Vegetation response, measured by species richness, total cover, and cover of Cyperus species, was often greater at low compared to high elevations in the drawdown zone; this effect was probably intensified by low rainfall during the summer of 1995. Vegetation response on the disturbed transects was reduced compared to that on the undisturbed transects. This effect was attributed to two factors: (1) removal of the existing seed bank by the disturbance technique applied and (2) reduced incorporation of seeds recruited during the drawdown because of unusually low summer rainfall. Seed bank studies demonstrated that several species persisted despite nearly 10 years of continual flooding, and that seed bank species richness increased during the drawdown. Analyses indicated that predominantly clay soils containing relatively low organic matter were present along the pool margin. Levels of the plant nutrients measured were consistent with normal values reported for soils. Although conclusions from this study are limited by its one-year time frame, it is unlikely that permanent change to plant community function in the drawdown zone resulted from the lowered water levels during the summer of 1995. While species composition in the summer following the drawdown differed from that prior to the drawdown, the plant community remained dominated by annual floating-leaved or submersed species. It is probable that any future decrease in summer water levels in the pool will result in increased growth of desirable waterfowl food plants, such as Cyperus erythrorhizos (red-root flat sedge) and Leptochloa fascicularis var. fascicularis (bearded sprangletop), in the drawdown zone.

Tolerance of chufa (Cyperus esculentus L.) plants, representing the higher plant compartment in bioregenerative life support systems, to super-optimal air temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shklavtsova, E. S.; Ushakova, S. A.; Shikhov, V. N.; Anishchenko, O. V.

2013-01-01

Plants intended to be included in the photosynthesizing compartment of the bioregenerative life support system (BLSS) need to be studied in terms of both their production parameters under optimal conditions and their tolerance to stress factors that might be caused by emergency situations. The purpose of this study was to investigate tolerance of chufa (Cyperus esculentus L.) plants to the super-optimal air temperature of 45 ± 1 °C as dependent upon PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) intensity and the duration of the exposure to the stress factor. Chufa plants were grown hydroponically, on expanded clay, under artificial light. The nutrient solution was Knop's mineral medium. Until the plants were 30 days old, they had been grown at 690 μmol m-2 s-1 PAR and air temperature 25 °C. Thirty-day-old plants were exposed to the temperature 45 °C for 6 h, 20 h, and 44 h at PAR intensities 690 μmol m-2 s-1 and 1150 μmol m-2 s-1. The exposure to the damaging air temperature for 44 h at 690 μmol m-2 s-1 PAR caused irreversible damage to PSA, resulting in leaf mortality. In chufa plants exposed to heat shock treatment at 690 μmol m-2 s-1 PAR for 6 h and 20 h, respiration exceeded photosynthesis, and CO2 release in the light was recorded. Functional activity of photosynthetic apparatus, estimated from parameters of pulse-modulated chlorophyll fluorescence in Photosystem 2 (PS 2), decreased 40% to 50%. After the exposure to the stress factor was finished, functional activity of PSA recovered its initial values, and apparent photosynthesis (Papparent) rate after a 20-h exposure to the stress factor was 2.6 times lower than before the elevation of the temperature. During the first hours of plant exposure to the temperature 45 °C at 1150 μmol m-2 s-1 PAR, respiration rate was higher than photosynthesis rate, but after 3-4 h of the exposure, photosynthetic processes exceeded oxidative ones and CO2 absorption in the light was recorded. At the end of the 6-h exposure, Papparent rate was close to that recorded prior to the exposure, and no significant changes were observed in the functional activity of PSA. At the end of the 20-h exposure, Papparent rate was close to its initial value, but certain parameters of the functional activity of PSA decreased 25% vs. their initial values. During the repair period, the parameters of external gas exchange recovered their initial values, and parameters of pulse-modulated chlorophyll fluorescence were 20-30% higher than their initial values. Thus, exposure of chufa plants to the damaging temperature of the air for 20 h did not cause any irreversible damage to the photosynthetic apparatus of plants at either 690 μmol m-2 s-1 or 1150 μmol m-2 s-1 PAR, and higher PAR intensity during the heat shock treatment enhanced heat tolerance of the plants.

Coleopterans Associated with Plants that form Phytotelmata in Subtropical and Temperate Argentina, South America

PubMed Central

Campos, Raúl E.; Fernández, Liliana A.

2011-01-01

A list of the most common plants that form phytotelmata and their associated coleopterans (aquatic, semi-aquatic and terrestrial) from the northeastern subtropical and temperate area of Argentina, South America with biological and behavioral observations is presented in this study. Species of Poaceae (n = 3), Bromeliaceae (5), Apiaceae (6), Araceae (2), Urticaceae (1), Marantaceae (1), Arecaceae (1), Dipsacaceae (1) and Cyperaceae (1) were identified as phytotelmata. Aquatic species of Scirtidae (2), Dytiscidae (2), and Hydrophilidae (4), semi-aquatic Chelonariidae (2), and terrestrial species of Carabidae (3), Staphylinidae (5), Histeridae (1), Elateridae (1), Cantharidae (1), Cleridae (1), Tenebrionidae (1), Meloidae (1), Anthicidae (1), Chrysomelidae (3), Curculionidae (7) and Apionidae (1) were identified from six species of Eryngium L. (Apiales: Apiaceae), two species of Guadua Kunth (Poales: Poaceae), Aechmea distichantha Lemaire (Poales: Bromeliaceae), and from fallen leaves of Euterpe edulis Martius (Arecales: Arecaceae) from the temperate and subtropical area. The highest species richness was recorded in Eryngium phytotelmata. Fifteen species of beetles inhabit Eryngium cabrerae Pontiroli, 11 in E. horridum Malme, 7 in E. stenophyllum Urban, 4 in E. aff. serra Chamisso and Schlechtendal., 3 in E. elegans Chamisso and Schlechtendal, 2 in E. eburneum Decne and E. pandanifolium Chamisso and Schlechtendal. From bamboo, 6 species of coleopterans were collected from Guadua trinii (Nees) Nees ex Ruprecht and 4 from G. chacoensis (Rojas) Londoño and Peterson. Three species of aquatic coleopterans were recorded from A. distichantha and only one from E. edulis. PMID:22236084

Coleopterans associated with plants that form phytotelmata in subtropical and temperate Argentina, South America.

PubMed

Campos, Raúl E; Fernández, Liliana A

2011-01-01

A list of the most common plants that form phytotelmata and their associated coleopterans (aquatic, semi-aquatic and terrestrial) from the northeastern subtropical and temperate area of Argentina, South America with biological and behavioral observations is presented in this study. Species of Poaceae (n = 3), Bromeliaceae (5), Apiaceae (6), Araceae (2), Urticaceae (1), Marantaceae (1), Arecaceae (1), Dipsacaceae (1) and Cyperaceae (1) were identified as phytotelmata. Aquatic species of Scirtidae (2), Dytiscidae (2), and Hydrophilidae (4), semi-aquatic Chelonariidae (2), and terrestrial species of Carabidae (3), Staphylinidae (5), Histeridae (1), Elateridae (1), Cantharidae (1), Cleridae (1), Tenebrionidae (1), Meloidae (1), Anthicidae (1), Chrysomelidae (3), Curculionidae (7) and Apionidae (1) were identified from six species of Eryngium L. (Apiales: Apiaceae), two species of Guadua Kunth (Poales: Poaceae), Aechmea distichantha Lemaire (Poales: Bromeliaceae), and from fallen leaves of Euterpe edulis Martius (Arecales: Arecaceae) from the temperate and subtropical area. The highest species richness was recorded in Eryngium phytotelmata. Fifteen species of beetles inhabit Eryngium cabrerae Pontiroli, 11 in E. horridum Malme, 7 in E. stenophyllum Urban, 4 in E. aff. serra Chamisso and Schlechtendal., 3 in E. elegans Chamisso and Schlechtendal, 2 in E. eburneum Decne and E. pandanifolium Chamisso and Schlechtendal. From bamboo, 6 species of coleopterans were collected from Guadua trinii (Nees) Nees ex Ruprecht and 4 from G. chacoensis (Rojas) Londoño and Peterson. Three species of aquatic coleopterans were recorded from A. distichantha and only one from E. edulis.

Microbial Community and Greenhouse Gas Fluxes from Abandoned Rice Paddies with Different Vegetation.

PubMed

Kim, Sunghyun; Lee, Seunghoon; McCormick, Melissa; Kim, Jae Geun; Kang, Hojeong

2016-10-01

The area of rice paddy fields has declined continuously in East Asian countries due to abandonment of agriculture and concurrent socioeconomic changes. When they are abandoned, rice paddy fields generally transform into wetlands by natural succession. While previous studies have mainly focused on vegetation shifts in abandoned rice paddies, little information is available about how these changes may affect their contribution to wetland functions. As newly abandoned fields proceed through succession, their hydrology and plant communities often change. Moreover, the relationships between these changes, soil microbial characteristics, and emissions of greenhouse gasses are poorly understood. In this study, we examined changes over the course of secondary succession of abandoned rice paddies to wetlands and investigated their ecological functions through changes in greenhouse gas fluxes and microbial characteristics. We collected gas and soil samples in summer and winter from areas dominated by Cyperaceae, Phragmites, and Sphagnum in each site. We found that CO2 emissions in summer were significantly higher than those in winter, but CH4 and N2O emission fluxes were consistently at very low levels and were similar among seasons and locations, due to their low nutrient conditions. These results suggest that microbial activity and abundance increased in summer. Greenhouse gas flux, soil properties, and microbial abundance were not affected by plant species, although the microbial community composition was changed by plant species. This information adds to our basic understanding of the contribution of wetlands that are transformed from abandoned rice paddy systems.

Pliocene-Pleistocene ecological niche evolution shapes the phylogeography of a Mediterranean plant group.

PubMed

Benítez-Benítez, C; Escudero, M; Rodríguez-Sánchez, F; Martín-Bravo, S; Jiménez-Mejías, P

2018-04-01

Estimating species ability to adapt to environmental changes is crucial to understand their past and future response to climate change. The Mediterranean Basin has experienced remarkable climatic changes since the Miocene, which have greatly influenced the evolution of the Mediterranean flora. Here, we examine the evolutionary history and biogeographic patterns of two sedge sister species (Carex, Cyperaceae) restricted to the western Mediterranean Basin, but with Pliocene fossil record in central Europe. In particular, we estimated the evolution of climatic niches through time and its influence in lineage differentiation. We carried out a dated phylogenetic-phylogeographic study based on seven DNA regions (nDNA and ptDNA) and fingerprinting data (AFLPs), and modelled ecological niches and species distributions for the Pliocene, Pleistocene and present. Phylogenetic and divergence time analyses revealed that both species form a monophyletic lineage originated in the late Pliocene-early Pleistocene. We detected clear genetic differentiation between both species with distinct genetic clusters in disjunct areas, indicating the predominant role of geographic barriers limiting gene flow. We found a remarkable shift in the climatic requirements between Pliocene and extant populations, although the niche seems to have been relatively conserved since the Pleistocene split of both species. This study highlights how an integrative approach combining different data sources and analyses, including fossils, allows solid and robust inferences about the evolutionary history of a plant group since the Pliocene. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Medicinal plants in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections.

PubMed

Safavi, Maliheh; Shams-Ardakani, Mohammadreza; Foroumadi, Alireza

2015-07-01

Helicobacter pylori is a small, spiral, Gram-negative bacillus that plays a role in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases ranging from asymptomatic gastritis to gastric cancer. Schedule compliance, antibiotic drug resistance, and side-effects of triple or quadruple therapy have led to research for novel candidates from plants. The purpose of this paper is to review the most potent medicinal plants of recently published literature with anti-H. pylori activity. For centuries, herbals have been used by traditional healers around the world to treat various gastrointestinal tract disorders such as dyspepsia, gastritis, and peptic ulcer disease. The mechanism of action by which these botanicals exert their therapeutic properties has not been completely and clearly elucidated. Anti-H. pylori properties may be one of the possible mechanisms by which gastroprotective herbs treat gastrointestinal tract disorders. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Google scholar, EBSCO, and local databases were explored for medicinal plants with anti-H. pylori properties between 1984 and 2013 using key words "medicinal plants" and "Helicobacter pylori" or "anti-Helicobacter pylori". A total of 43 medicinal plant species belonging to 27 families including Amaryllidaceae, Anacardiaceae, Apiaceae, Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae, Asteraceae, Bignoniaceae, Clusiaceae, Chancapiedra, Combretaceae, Cyperaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Geraniaceae, Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Lythraceae, Menispermaceae, Myristicaceae, Myrtaceae, Oleaceae, Papaveraceae, Plumbaginaceae, Poaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, and Theaceae were studied as herbs with potent anti-H. pylori effects. Traditional folk medicinal use of some of these plants to treat gastric infections is substantiated by the antibacterial activity of their extracts against H. pylori.

Toward an accurate taxonomic interpretation of Carex fossil fruits (Cyperaceae): a case study in section Phacocystis in the Western Palearctic.

PubMed

Jiménez-Mejías, Pedro; Martinetto, Edoardo

2013-08-01

Despite growing interest in the systematics and evolution of the hyperdiverse genus Carex, few studies have focused on its evolution using an absolute time framework. This is partly due to the limited knowledge of the fossil record. However, Carex fruits are not rare in certain sediments. We analyzed carpological features of modern materials from Carex sect. Phacocystis to characterize the fossil record taxonomically. We studied 374 achenes from modern materials (18 extant species), as well as representatives from related groups, to establish the main traits within and among species. We also studied 99 achenes from sediments of living populations to assess their modification process after decay. Additionally, we characterized 145 fossil achenes from 10 different locations (from 4-0.02 mya), whose taxonomic assignment we discuss. Five main characters were identified for establishing morphological groups of species (epidermis morphology, achene-utricle attachment, achene base, style robustness, and pericarp section). Eleven additional characters allowed the discrimination at species level of most of the taxa. Fossil samples were assigned to two extant species and one unknown, possibly extinct species. The analysis of fruit characters allows the distinction of groups, even up to species level. Carpology is revealed as an accurate tool in Carex paleotaxonomy, which could allow the characterization of Carex fossil fruits and assign them to subgeneric or sectional categories, or to certain species. Our conclusions could be crucial for including a temporal framework in the study of the evolution of Carex.

Recent and Holocene Climate Change Controls on Vegetation and Carbon Accumulation in Alaskan Coastal Muskegs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peteet, Dorothy M.; Nichols, Jonathan E.; Moy, Christopher M.; McGeachy, Alicia; Perez, Max

2015-01-01

Pollen, spore, macrofossil and carbon data from a peatland near Cordova, Alaska, reveal insights into the climate-vegetation-carbon interactions from the initiation of the Holocene, c. the last 11.5 ka, to the present (1 ka = 1000 calibrated years before present where 0 = 1950 CE). The Holocene period is characterized by early deposition of gyttja in a pond environment with aquatics such as Nuphar polysepalum and Potamogeton, and a significant regional presence of Alnus crispa subsp. sinuata. Carbon accumulation (50 g/m2/a) was high for a short interval in the early Holocene when Sphagnum peat accumulated, but was followed by a major decline to 13 g/m2/a from 7 to 3.7 ka when Cyperaceae and ericads such as Rhododendron (formerly Ledum) groenlandicum expanded. This shift to sedge growth is representative of many peatlands throughout the south-central region of Alaska, and indicates a drier, more evaporative environment with a large decline in carbon storage. The subsequent return to Sphagnum peat after 4 ka in the Neoglacial represents a widespread shift to moister, cooler conditions, which favored a resurgence of ericads, such as Andromeda polifolia, and increased carbon accumulation rate. The sustained Alnus expansion visible in the top 10 cm of the peat profile is correlative with glacial retreat and warming of the region in the last century, and suggests this colonization will continue as temperature increases and ice melts.

Interactive effects of redox intensity and phosphate availability on growth and nutrient relations of Cladium jamaicense (Cyperaceae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lissner, J.; Mendelssohn, I.A.; Lorenzen, B.; Brix, H.; McKee, K.L.; Miao, S.L.

2003-01-01

Expansion of Typha domingensis into areas previously dominated by Cladium jamaicense in the Florida Everglades has been linked to anthropogenic phosphorus (P) enrichment and increased hydroperiod. The principal stress factor for plants in flooded soils is biochemical reduction, the intensity of which is measured as redox potential (Eh). The objective of this study was to assess the growth response of C. jamaicense to Eh (-150, +150, and +600 mV) and P availability (10, 80, and 500 ??g P/L). Plants were grown hydroponically in a factorial experiment using titanium (Ti3+) citrate as an Eh buffer. Treatment effects on growth, biomass partitioning, and tissue nutrients were recorded. Growth approximately doubled in response to a 50-fold increase in P availability. Low redox significantly reduced growth and tissue P concentration. While plant P concentrations increased 20-fold between the 10 and 500 ??g P/L treatments, P concentrations were 50-100% higher at +600 mV than at -150 mV within each phosphate level. At high Eh, C. jamaicense appears well adapted to low nutrient environments because of its low P requirement and high retention of acquired E However, at low Eh the ability to acquire or conserve acquired P decreases and as a consequence, higher phosphate levels are required to sustain growth. Findings of this study indicate that young C. jamaicense exhibits low tolerance to strongly reducing conditions when phosphate is scarce.

Inhibitory effect of essential oils against Trichosporon ovoides causing Piedra Hair Infection.

PubMed

Saxena, Seema; Uniyal, Veena; Bhatt, R P

2012-10-01

Piedra, is an asymptomatic fungal infection of the hair shaft, resulting in the formation of nodules of different hardness on the infected hair. The infection also known as Trichomycosis nodularis is a superficial fungal infection arising from the pathogen being restricted to the stratum corneum with little or no tissue reaction. The nodules are a concretion of hyphae and fruiting bodies of the fungus. Two varieties of Piedra may be seen, Black Piedra and White Piedra. The fungus Trichosporon ovoides is involved in the occurrence of both types of Piedras. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of selected essential oils for the control of growth of the fungus and to determine whether the antifungal effect was due to the major compounds of the oils. Two screening methods viz. Agar well diffusion assay and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration were adopted for the study. MIC and MFC were determined by tube dilution method. Essential oils from Eucalyptus, Ocimum basilicum, Mentha piperita, Cymbopogon flexuosus, Cymbopogon winterians, Trachyspermum ammi, Zingiber officinalis, Citrus limon, Cinnamomon zeylanicum, Salvia sclarea, Citrus aurantifolia, Melaleuca alternifolia, Citrus aurantium, Citrus bergamia, Pogostemon pathchouli, Cedrus atlantica, Jasminum officinale, Juniperus communis, Abelmoschus moschatus, Cyperus scariosus, Palargonium graveolens, Boswellia carterii, Rosa damascene, Veteveria zizanoides and Commiphora myrrha were evaluated. The essential oils of Cymbopogon winterians, Mentha piperita, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Melaleuca alternifolia and Eucalyptus globulus were proved to be most effective against the fungus Trichosporon ovoides.

Production characteristics of the "higher plants-soil-like substrate" system as an element of the bioregenerative life support system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velichko, V. V.; Tikhomirov, A. A.; Ushakova, S. A.; Tikhomirova, N. A.; Shihov, V. N.; Tirranen, L. S.; Gribovskaya, I. A.

2013-01-01

The study addresses the possibility of long-duration operation of a higher plant conveyor, using a soil-like substrate (SLS) as the root zone. Chufa (Cyperus esculentus L.), radish (Raphanus sativus L.), and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) were used as study material. A chufa community consisting of 4 age groups and radish and lettuce communities consisting of 2 age groups were irrigated with a nutrient solution, which contained mineral elements extracted from the SLS. After each harvest, inedible biomass of the harvested plants and inedible biomasses of wheat and saltwort were added to the SLS. The amounts of the inedible biomasses of wheat and saltwort to be added to the SLS were determined based on the nitrogen content of the edible mass of harvested plants. CO2 concentration in the growth chamber was maintained within the range of 1100-1700 ppm. The results of the study show that higher plants can be grown quite successfully using the proposed process of plant waste utilization in the SLS. The addition of chufa inedible biomass to the SLS resulted in species-specific inhibition of growth of both cultivated crops and microorganisms in the "higher plants - SLS" system. There were certain differences between the amounts of some mineral elements removed from the SLS with the harvested edible biomass and those added to it with the inedible biomasses of wheat and saltwort.

Fall and winter foods of northern pintails in the Sacramento Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Michael R.

1987-01-01

Food habits of northern pintails (Anas acuta) were investigated on 3 national wildlife refuges in the western portion of the Sacramento Valley, California, from August to March 1979-82. Pintails consumed 97% (aggregate % dry wt) plant food during diurnal foraging on national wildlife refuge rice, summer-irrigated, and summer-dry habitats from August through January. Invertebrate use increased to 28.9-65.6% of the diet in these habitats during February and March. Rice, swamp timothy (Heleochloa schoenoides), flatsedges (Cyperus spp.), common barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crusgalli), southern naiad (Najas guadalupensis), and smartweed (Polygonum spp.) seeds, miscellaneous vegetation, snails (Gastropoda), and midge (Diptera) and water beetle (Coleoptera) larvae were most important. These foods usually were taken proportional to or greater than availability. Rice was the most important food of pintails feeding nocturnally off the refuges in harvested rice fields from October through January (99.7%) and February and March (63%; barnyardgrass formed 31% of the diet). In August and October, some pintails consumed invertebrates or bulrush (Scirpus spp. ) seedlings in marshes soon after feeding in refuge rice (Aug) or harvested commercial rice fields (Oct), thereby increasing dietary protein. In late winter, females and males obtained similar (P > 0.05) percentages of invertebrates from refuge habitats. Important dietary seeds and invertebrates contained high protein or metabolizable energy content. Management should maintain adequate seed production in fall and mid-winter and invertebrate biomass in late winter.

In vitro antifungal activity of three geophytic plant extracts against three post-harvest pathogenic fungi.

PubMed

Maswada, Hanafey F; Abdallah, Sabry A

2013-12-01

Plant extracts appear to be one of the most effective alternative methods of plant diseases control which are less harmful to human beings and environment. In vitro antifungal activity of methanolic extracts of three promising wild geophytic plants against three post-harvest pathogenic fungi using radial growth technique was conducted. These extracts included the shoot system (S) and underground parts (R) of Asparagus stipularis, Cyperus capitatus and Stipagrostis lanata. The tested fungi were Alternaria solani, Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer. The results exhibited that, all plant extracts had antifungal activity against the tested fungi. The antifungal activity greatly varied depending on plant parts and/or plant species. R. stolonifer was the most susceptible fungus to the tested plant extracts followed by A. niger and then A. solani. On the other hand, the most effective plant extracts against tested fungi were S. lanata (S) and A. stipularis (R). The most effective plant extracts against R. stolonifer were S. lanata (R) and C. capitatus (S). While, the extracts of A. stipularis (R) and S. lanata (S) were the most effective against A. niger. The extracts of C. capitatus (S) and S. lanata (S) exhibited the highest antifungal activity against A. solani. The results demonstrated that, the methanolic extracts of A. stipularis, C. capitatus and S. lanata had potential antifungal activity against A. solani, A. niger and R. stolonifer.

Comparative study of rhizobacterial community structure of plant species in oil-contaminated soil.

PubMed

Lee, Eun-Hee; Cho, Kyong-Suk; Kim, Jaisoo

2010-09-01

In this study, the identity and distribution of plants and the structure of their associated rhizobacterial communities were examined in an oil-contaminated site. The number of plant species that formed a community or were scattered was 24. The species living in soil highly contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) (9,000-4,5000 mg/g-soil) were Cynodon dactylon, Persicaria lapathifolia, and Calystegia soldanella (a halophytic species). Among the 24 plant species, the following have been known to be effective for oil removal: C. dactylon, Digitaria sanguinalis, and Cyperus orthostachyus. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profile analysis showed that the following pairs of plant species had highly similar (above 70%) rhizobacterial community structures: Artemisia princeps and Hemistepta lyrata; C. dactylon and P. lapathifolia; Carex kobomugi and Cardamine flexuosa; and Equisetum arvense and D. sanguinalis. The major groups of rhizobacteria were Betaproteobacteria, Gamma-proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, and unknown. Based on DGGE analysis, P. lapathifolia, found for the first time in this study growing in the presence of high TPH, may be a good species for phytoremediation of oil-contaminated soils and in particular, C. soldanella may be useful for soils with high TPH and salt concentrations. Overall, this study suggests that the plant roots, regardless of plant species, may have a similar influence on the bacterial community structure in oil-contaminated soil.

[Use of Ancient texts in modern therapeutic research].

PubMed

Fabre, André

2003-01-01

Two main purposes were assigned to this study of medicinal prescription of spices at the time of the Roman Empire: analyze Roman pharmacopoeia of spices in reference to modern criteria and assess a new discipline, close to "ethno-botany" and "ethno-pharmacology", aiming to a new approach of drug research: "archeopharmacology". A brief overview is given of the Roman world of spices : all aromatic substances from Orient, India and Far-East held a major place which can only be compared to the role of petroleum in our modern times. The study is conducted on a thesaurus of 2600 quotations from twelve authors: Apicius, Caelius Aurelianus, Cassius Felix, Celsus, Dioscorides, Galen, Marcellus,(Anonymous) Mulonmedicina, Pelagorius, Pliny the Elder, Serenus Sammonicus and Scribonius Largus and a set of 33 medicinal spices among which: cyperus, ferulas (Asa foetida), frankincense, pepper, myrrh and saffron. Medicinal use of spices (mainly for pneumology, dermatology and gastroenterology) do not differ notably from the rest of Roman pharmacopoeia: the main criteria for prescription of spices is not their place of origin but a "therapeutic profile" which is clearly assigned to each substance by tradition. During the last decades, new methods of therapeutic research: ethno-botany and ethno-pharmacology have been used extensively to explore traditional medicines. A new discipline is ready to emerge: "archeo-pharmacology", aiming towards a drug research based on Ancient texts.

Ecological risk and pollution history of heavy metals in Nansha mangrove, South China.

PubMed

Wu, Qihang; Tam, Nora F Y; Leung, Jonathan Y S; Zhou, Xizhen; Fu, Jie; Yao, Bo; Huang, Xuexia; Xia, Lihua

2014-06-01

Owing to the Industrial Revolution in the late 1970s, heavy metal pollution has been regarded as a serious threat to mangrove ecosystems in the region of the Pearl River Estuary, potentially affecting human health. The present study attempted to characterize the ecological risk of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in Nansha mangrove, South China, by estimating their concentrations in the surface sediment. In addition, the pollution history of heavy metals was examined by determining the concentrations of heavy metals along the depth gradient. The phytoremediation potential of heavy metals by the dominant plants in Nansha mangrove, namely Sonneratia apetala and Cyperus malaccensis, was also studied. Results found that the surface sediment was severely contaminated with heavy metals, probably due to the discharge of industrial sewage into the Pearl River Estuary. Spatial variation of heavy metals was generally unobvious. The ecological risk of heavy metals was very high, largely due to Cd contamination. All heavy metals, except Mn, decreased with depth, indicating that heavy metal pollution has been deteriorating since 1979. Worse still, the dominant plants in Nansha mangrove had limited capability to remove the heavy metals from sediment. Therefore, we propose that immediate actions, such as regulation of discharge standards of industrial sewage, should be taken by the authorities concerned to mitigate the ecological risk posed by heavy metals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Re-emergence of rabies virus maintained by canid populations in Paraguay.

PubMed

Amarilla, A C F; Pompei, J C A; Araujo, D B; Vázquez, F A; Galeano, R R; Delgado, L M; Bogado, G; Colman, M; Sanabria, L; Iamamoto, K; Garcia, R; Assis, D; Recalde, R; Martorelli, L F; Quiñones, E; Cabello, A; Martini, M; Cosivi, O; Durigon, E L; Favoretto, S R

2018-02-01

Paraguay has registered no human cases of rabies since 2004, and the last case in dogs, reported in 2009, was due to a variant maintained in the common vampire bat "Desmodus rotundus". In 2014, a dog was diagnosed as positive for rabies with aggression towards a boy and all required measures of control were successfully adopted. Epidemiological investigation revealed that the dog was not vaccinated and had been attacked by a crab-eating fox, "zorro" (Cerdocyon thous). The sample was diagnosed by the Official Veterinary Service of the Country and sent to the Center on Rabies Research from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, for antigenic and genetic characterization. A second sample from a dog positive for rabies in the same region in 2015 and 11 samples from a rabies outbreak from Asuncion in 1996 were also characterized. The antigenic profile of the samples, AgV2, was compatible with one of the variants maintained by dogs in Latin America. In genetic characterization, the samples segregated in the canine (domestic and wild species)-related group in an independent subgroup that also included samples from Argentina. These results and the epidemiology of the case indicate that even with the control of rabies in domestic animals, the virus can still circulate in wildlife and may be transmitted to domestic animals and humans, demonstrating the importance of continuous and improved surveillance and control of rabies, including in wild species, to prevent outbreaks in controlled areas. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Oxidative DNA damage preventive activity and antioxidant potential of plants used in Unani system of medicine

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background There is increasing recognition that many of today's diseases are due to the "oxidative stress" that results from an imbalance between the formation and neutralization of reactive molecules such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), which can be removed with antioxidants. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of plants routinely used in the Unani system of medicine. Several plants were screened for radical scavenging activity, and the ten that showed promising results were selected for further evaluation. Methods Methanol (50%) extracts were prepared from ten Unani plants, namely Cleome icosandra, Rosa damascena, Cyperus scariosus, Gardenia gummifera, Abies pindrow, Valeriana wallichii, Holarrhena antidysenterica, Anacyclus pyrethrum, Asphodelus tenuifolius and Cyperus scariosus, and were used to determine their total phenolic, flavonoid and ascorbic acid contents, in vitro scavenging of DPPH·, ABTS·+, NO, ·OH, O2.- and ONOO-, and capacity to prevent oxidative DNA damage. Cytotoxic activity was also determined against the U937 cell line. Results IC50 values for scavenging DPPH·, ABTS·+, NO, ·OH, O2.- and ONOO- were in the ranges 0.007 ± 0.0001 - 2.006 ± 0.002 mg/ml, 2.54 ± 0.04 - 156.94 ± 5.28 μg/ml, 152.23 ± 3.51 - 286.59 ± 3.89 μg/ml, 18.23 ± 0.03 - 50.13 ± 0.04 μg/ml, 28.85 ± 0.23 - 537.87 ± 93 μg/ml and 0.532 ± 0.015 - 3.39 ± 0.032 mg/ml, respectively. The total phenolic, flavonoid and ascorbic acid contents were in the ranges 62.89 ± 0.43 - 166.13 ± 0.56 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g extract, 38.89 ± 0.52 - 172.23 ± 0.08 mg quercetin equivalent (QEE)/g extract and 0.14 ± 0.09 - 0.98 ± 0.21 mg AA/g extract. The activities of the different plant extracts against oxidative DNA damage were in the range 0.13-1.60 μg/ml. Of the ten selected plant extracts studied here, seven - C. icosandra, R. damascena, C. scariosus, G. gummifera, A. pindrow, V. wallichii and H. antidysenterica - showed moderate antioxidant activity. Finally, potentially significant oxidative DNA damage preventive activity and antioxidant activity were noted in three plant extracts: C. icosandra, R. damascena and C. scariosus. These three plant extracts showed no cytotoxic activity against U937 cells. Conclusions The 50% methanolic extracts obtained from different plant parts contained significant amounts of polyphenols with superior antioxidant activity as evidenced by the scavenging of DPPH·, ABTS·+, NO, ·OH, O2.- and ONOO-. C. icosandra, R. damascena and C. scariosus showed significant potential for preventing oxidative DNA damage and radical scavenging activity, and the G. gummifera, A. pindrow, V. wallichii, H. antidysenterica, A. pyrethrum, A. tenuifolius and O. mascula extracts showed moderate activity. The extracts of C. icosandra, R. damascena and C. scariosus showed no cytotoxicity against U937 cells. In conclusion, these routinely used Unani plants, especially C. icosandra, R. damascena and C. scariosus, which are reported to have significant activity against several human ailments, could be exploited as potential sources of natural antioxidants for plant-based pharmaceutical industries. PMID:21159207

Radiation and repeated transoceanic dispersal of Schoeneae (Cyperaceae) through the southern hemisphere.

PubMed

Viljoen, Jan-Adriaan; Muasya, A Muthama; Barrett, Russell L; Bruhl, Jeremy J; Gibbs, Adele K; Slingsby, Jasper A; Wilson, Karen L; Verboom, G Anthony

2013-12-01

The broad austral distribution of Schoeneae is almost certainly a product of long-distance dispersal. Owing to the inadequacies of existing phylogenetic data and a lack of rigorous biogeographic analysis, relationships within the tribe remain poorly resolved and its pattern of radiation and dispersal uncertain. We employed an expanded sampling of taxa and markers and a rigorous analytic approach to address these limitations. We evaluated the roles of geography and ecology in stimulating the initial radiation of the group and its subsequent dispersal across the southern hemisphere. A dated tree was reconstructed using reversible-jump Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) with a polytomy prior and molecular dating, applied to data from two nuclear and three cpDNA regions. Ancestral areas and habitats were inferred using dispersal-extinction-cladogenesis models. Schoeneae originated in Australia in the Paleocene. The existence of a "hard" polytomy at the base of the clade reflects the rapid divergence of six principal lineages ca. 50 Ma, within Australia. From this ancestral area, Schoeneae have traversed the austral oceans with remarkable frequency, a total of 29 distinct dispersal events being reported here. Dispersal rates between landmasses are not explicable in terms of the geographical distances separating them. Transoceanic dispersal generally involved habitat stasis. Although the role of dispersal in explaining global distribution patterns is now widely accepted, the apparent ease with which such dispersal may occur has perhaps been under-appreciated. In Schoeneae, transoceanic dispersal has been remarkably frequent, with ecological opportunity, rather than geography, being most important in dictating dispersal patterns.

Molecular phylogenetics and evolution of host plant use in the Neotropical rolled leaf 'hispine' beetle genus Cephaloleia (Chevrolat) (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae).

PubMed

McKenna, Duane D; Farrell, Brian D

2005-10-01

Here, we report the results of a species level phylogenetic study of Cephaloleia beetles designed to clarify relationships and patterns of host plant taxon and tissue use among species. Our study is based on up to 2088bp of mtDNA sequence data. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods of phylogenetic inference consistently recover a monophyletic Cephaloleia outside of a basal clade of primarily palm feeding species (the 'Arecaceae-feeding clade'), and C. irregularis. In all three analyses, the 'Arecaceae-feeding clade' includes Cephaloleia spp. with unusual morphological features, and a few species currently placed in other cassidine genera and tribes. All three analyses also recover a clade that includes all Zingiberales feeding Cephaloleia and most Cephaloleia species (the 'Zingiberales-feeding clade'). Two notable clades are found within the 'Zingiberales-feeding clade.' One is comprised of beetles that normally feed only on the young rolled leaves of plants in the families Heliconiaceae and Marantaceae (the 'Heliconiaceae & Marantaceae-feeding clade'). The other is comprised of relative host tissue generalist, primarily Zingiberales feeding species (the 'generalist-feeding clade'). A few species in the 'generalist-feeding clade' utilize Cyperaceae or Poaceae as hosts. Overall, relatively basal Cephaloleia (e.g., the 'Arecaceae clade') feed on relatively basal monocots (e.g., Cyclanthaceae and Arecaceae), and relatively derived Cephaloleia (e.g., the 'Zingiberales-feeding clade') feed on relatively derived monocots (mostly in the order Zingiberales). Zingiberales feeding and specialization on young rolled Zingiberales leaves have each apparently evolved just once in Cephaloleia.

Photosynthetic characteristics of an amphibious plant, Eleocharis vivipara: Expression of C4 and C3 modes in contrasting environments

PubMed Central

Ueno, Osamu; Samejima, Muneaki; Muto, Shoshi; Miyachi, Shigetoh

1988-01-01

Eleocharis vivipara Link, a freshwater amphibious leafless plant belonging to the Cyperaceae can grow in both terrestrial and submersed aquatic conditions. Two forms of E. vivipara obtained from these contrasting environments were examined for the characteristics associated with C4 and C3 photosynthesis. In the terrestrial form (δ 13C values = -13.5 to -15.4‰, where ‰ is parts per thousand), the culms, which are photosynthetic organs, possess a Kranz-type anatomy typical of C4 plants, and well-developed bundle-sheath cells contain numerous large chloroplasts. In the submersed form (δ 13C value = -25.9‰), the culms possess anatomical features characteristic of submersed aquatic plants, and the reduced bundle-sheath cells contain only a few small chloroplasts. 14C pulse-12C chase experiments showed that the terrestrial form and the submersed form fix carbon by way of the C4 pathway, with aspartate (40%) and malate (35%) as the main primary products, and by way of the C3 pathway, with 3-phosphoglyceric acid (53%) and sugar phosphates (14%) as the main primary products, respectively. The terrestrial form showed photosynthetic enzyme activities typical of the NAD-malic enzyme-C4 subtype, whereas the submersed form showed decreased activities of key C4 enzymes and an increased ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.39) activity. These data suggest that this species can differentiate into the C4 mode under terrestrial conditions and into the C3 mode under submersed conditions. Images PMID:16593980

Functional consequences of climate change-induced plant species loss in a tallgrass prairie.

PubMed

Craine, Joseph M; Nippert, Jesse B; Towne, E Gene; Tucker, Sally; Kembel, Steven W; Skibbe, Adam; McLauchlan, Kendra K

2011-04-01

Future climate change is likely to reduce the floristic diversity of grasslands. Yet the potential consequences of climate-induced plant species losses for the functioning of these ecosystems are poorly understood. We investigated how climate change might alter the functional composition of grasslands for Konza Prairie, a diverse tallgrass prairie in central North America. With species-specific climate envelopes, we show that a reduction in mean annual precipitation would preferentially remove species that are more abundant in the more productive lowland positions at Konza. As such, decreases in precipitation could reduce productivity not only by reducing water availability but by also removing species that inhabit the most productive areas and respond the most to climate variability. In support of this prediction, data on species abundance at Konza over 16 years show that species that are more abundant in lowlands than uplands are preferentially reduced in years with low precipitation. Climate change is likely to also preferentially remove species from particular functional groups and clades. For example, warming is forecast to preferentially remove perennials over annuals as well as Cyperaceae species. Despite these predictions, climate change is unlikely to unilaterally alter the functional composition of the tallgrass prairie flora, as many functional traits such as physiological drought tolerance and maximum photosynthetic rates showed little relationship with climate envelope parameters. In all, although climatic drying would indirectly alter grassland productivity through species loss patterns, the insurance afforded by biodiversity to ecosystem function is likely to be sustained in the face of climate change.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 625-715.

PubMed

Crous, P W; Wingfield, M J; Burgess, T I; Carnegie, A J; Hardy, G E St J; Smith, D; Summerell, B A; Cano-Lira, J F; Guarro, J; Houbraken, J; Lombard, L; Martín, M P; Sandoval-Denis, M; Alexandrova, A V; Barnes, C W; Baseia, I G; Bezerra, J D P; Guarnaccia, V; May, T W; Hernández-Restrepo, M; Stchigel, A M; Miller, A N; Ordoñez, M E; Abreu, V P; Accioly, T; Agnello, C; Agustin Colmán, A; Albuquerque, C C; Alfredo, D S; Alvarado, P; Araújo-Magalhães, G R; Arauzo, S; Atkinson, T; Barili, A; Barreto, R W; Bezerra, J L; Cabral, T S; Camello Rodríguez, F; Cruz, R H S F; Daniëls, P P; da Silva, B D B; de Almeida, D A C; de Carvalho Júnior, A A; Decock, C A; Delgat, L; Denman, S; Dimitrov, R A; Edwards, J; Fedosova, A G; Ferreira, R J; Firmino, A L; Flores, J A; García, D; Gené, J; Giraldo, A; Góis, J S; Gomes, A A M; Gonçalves, C M; Gouliamova, D E; Groenewald, M; Guéorguiev, B V; Guevara-Suarez, M; Gusmão, L F P; Hosaka, K; Hubka, V; Huhndorf, S M; Jadan, M; Jurjević, Ž; Kraak, B; Kučera, V; Kumar, T K A; Kušan, I; Lacerda, S R; Lamlertthon, S; Lisboa, W S; Loizides, M; Luangsa-Ard, J J; Lysková, P; Mac Cormack, W P; Macedo, D M; Machado, A R; Malysheva, E F; Marinho, P; Matočec, N; Meijer, M; Mešić, A; Mongkolsamrit, S; Moreira, K A; Morozova, O V; Nair, K U; Nakamura, N; Noisripoom, W; Olariaga, I; Oliveira, R J V; Paiva, L M; Pawar, P; Pereira, O L; Peterson, S W; Prieto, M; Rodríguez-Andrade, E; Rojo De Blas, C; Roy, M; Santos, E S; Sharma, R; Silva, G A; Souza-Motta, C M; Takeuchi-Kaneko, Y; Tanaka, C; Thakur, A; Smith, M Th; Tkalčec, Z; Valenzuela-Lopez, N; van der Kleij, P; Verbeken, A; Viana, M G; Wang, X W; Groenewald, J Z

2017-12-01

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Antarctica : Cadophora antarctica from soil. Australia : Alfaria dandenongensis on Cyperaceae , Amphosoma persooniae on Persoonia sp., Anungitea nullicana on Eucalyptus sp . , Bagadiella eucalypti on Eucalyptus globulus , Castanediella eucalyptigena on Eucalyptus sp., Cercospora dianellicola on Dianella sp., Cladoriella kinglakensis on Eucalyptus regnans , Cladoriella xanthorrhoeae (incl. Cladoriellaceae fam. nov. and Cladoriellales ord. nov.) on Xanthorrhoea sp., Cochlearomyces eucalypti (incl. Cochlearomyces gen. nov. and Cochlearomycetaceae fam. nov.) on Eucalyptus obliqua , Codinaea lambertiae on Lambertia formosa , Diaporthe obtusifoliae on Acacia obtusifolia , Didymella acaciae on Acacia melanoxylon , Dothidea eucalypti on Eucalyptus dalrympleana , Fitzroyomyces cyperi (incl. Fitzroyomyces gen. nov.) on Cyperaceae , Murramarangomyces corymbiae (incl. Murramarangomyces gen. nov., Murramarangomycetaceae fam. nov. and Murramarangomycetales ord. nov.) on Corymbia maculata , Neoanungitea eucalypti (incl. Neoanungitea gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus obliqua , Neoconiothyrium persooniae (incl. Neoconiothyrium gen. nov.) on Persoonia laurina subsp. laurina , Neocrinula lambertiae (incl. Neocrinulaceae fam. nov.) on Lambertia sp., Ochroconis podocarpi on Podocarpus grayae , Paraphysalospora eucalypti (incl. Paraphysalospora gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus sieberi , Pararamichloridium livistonae (incl. Pararamichloridium gen. nov., Pararamichloridiaceae fam. nov. and Pararamichloridiales ord. nov.) on Livistona sp., Pestalotiopsis dianellae on Dianella sp., Phaeosphaeria gahniae on Gahnia aspera , Phlogicylindrium tereticornis on Eucalyptus tereticornis , Pleopassalora acaciae on Acacia obliquinervia , Pseudodactylaria xanthorrhoeae (incl. Pseudodactylaria gen. nov., Pseudodactylariaceae fam. nov. and Pseudodactylariales ord. nov.) on Xanthorrhoea sp., Pseudosporidesmium lambertiae (incl. Pseudosporidesmiaceae fam. nov.) on Lambertia formosa , Saccharata acaciae on Acacia sp., Saccharata epacridis on Epacris sp., Saccharata hakeigena on Hakea sericea , Seiridium persooniae on Persoonia sp., Semifissispora tooloomensis on Eucalyptus dunnii , Stagonospora lomandrae on Lomandra longifolia , Stagonospora victoriana on Poaceae , Subramaniomyces podocarpi on Podocarpus elatus , Sympoventuria melaleucae on Melaleuca sp . , Sympoventuria regnans on Eucalyptus regnans , Trichomerium eucalypti on Eucalyptus tereticornis , Vermiculariopsiella eucalypticola on Eucalyptus dalrympleana , Verrucoconiothyrium acaciae on Acacia falciformis , Xenopassalora petrophiles (incl. Xenopassalora gen. nov.) on Petrophile sp . , Zasmidium dasypogonis on Dasypogon sp., Zasmidium gahniicola on Gahnia sieberiana. Brazil : Achaetomium lippiae on Lippia gracilis , Cyathus isometricus on decaying wood, Geastrum caririense on soil, Lycoperdon demoulinii (incl. Lycoperdon subg. Arenicola ) on soil, Megatomentella cristata (incl. Megatomentella gen. nov.) on unidentified plant, Mutinus verrucosus on soil, Paraopeba schefflerae (incl. Paraopeba gen. nov.) on Schefflera morototoni , Phyllosticta catimbauensis on Mandevilla catimbauensis , Pseudocercospora angularis on Prunus persica , Pseudophialophora sorghi on Sorghum bicolor , Spumula piptadeniae on Piptadenia paniculata. Bulgaria : Yarrowia parophonii from gut of Parophonus hirsutulus . Croatia : Pyrenopeziza velebitica on Lonicera borbasiana. Cyprus : Peziza halophila on coastal dunes. Czech Republic : Aspergillus contaminans from human fingernail. Ecuador : Cuphophyllus yacurensis on forest soil, Ganoderma podocarpense on fallen tree trunk. England : Pilidium anglicum (incl. Chaetomellales ord. nov.) on Eucalyptus sp. France : Planamyces parisiensis (incl. Planamyces gen. nov.) on wood inside a house. French Guiana : Lactifluus ceraceus on soil. Germany : Talaromyces musae on Musa sp. India : Hyalocladosporiella cannae on Canna indica , Nothophoma raii from soil. Italy : Setophaeosphaeria citri on Citrus reticulata , Yuccamyces citri on Citrus limon. Japan : Glutinomyces brunneus (incl. Glutinomyces gen. nov.) from roots of Quercus sp. Netherlands (all from soil): Collariella hilkhuijsenii , Fusarium petersiae , Gamsia kooimaniorum , Paracremonium binnewijzendii , Phaeoisaria annesophieae , Plectosphaerella niemeijerarum , Striaticonidium deklijnearum , Talaromyces annesophieae , Umbelopsis wiegerinckiae , Vandijckella johannae (incl. Vandijckella gen. nov. and Vandijckellaceae fam. nov.), Verhulstia trisororum (incl. Verhulstia gen. nov.). New Zealand : Lasiosphaeria similisorbina on decorticated wood. Papua New Guinea : Pseudosubramaniomyces gen. nov. (based on Pseudosubramaniomyces fusisaprophyticus comb. nov.). Slovakia : Hemileucoglossum pusillum on soil. South Africa : Tygervalleyomyces podocarpi (incl. Tygervalleyomyces gen. nov.) on Podocarpus falcatus. Spain : Coniella heterospora from herbivorous dung, Hymenochaete macrochloae on Macrochloa tenacissima , Ramaria cistophila on shrubland of Cistus ladanifer. Thailand : Polycephalomyces phaothaiensis on Coleoptera larvae, buried in soil. Uruguay : Penicillium uruguayense from soil. Vietnam : Entoloma nigrovelutinum on forest soil, Volvariella morozovae on wood of unknown tree. Morphological and culture characteristics along with DNA barcodes are provided.

Screening of some essential oils against Trichosporon species.

PubMed

Uniyal, Veena; Saxena, Seema; Bhatt, R P

2013-01-01

White Piedra is a superficial mycoses characterized by nodules on the hair shaft, caused by the basidiomycetous yeast Trichosporon species. In this study 25 essential oils were extracted and screened against two Trichosporon species i.e. Trichosporon asahii and Trichosporon cutaneum. Both these fungi procured from MTCC Chandigarh were maintained on yeast malt agar plates and tubes at 25 degrees C. Two screening methods viz., agar well diffusion assay and minimum inhibitory concentration were adopted for the study. The results showed that the maximum anti-yeast activity against T. asahii and T. cutaneum was demonstrated by oil of Mentha piperita showing full inhibition of both the fungi, Melaleuca alternifolia with an inhibition zone of 45 and 40 mm, Cymbopogon winterians with inhibition zone of 45 and 45 mm and Cymbopogon flexuosus with 35 and 30 mm inhibition zones. The oil of Trachyspermum ammi exhibited 10 and 20 mm, Abelmoschus moschatus exhibited 30 and 20 mm, Salvia sclarea showed 20 and 18 mm and Jasminum officinale exhibited 25 and 15 mm inhibition zones showing moderate activity. The oil of Cyperus scariosus, Pogostemon patchouli and Rosa damascene showed no inhibition zone against both the fungi while Vetiveria zizanoides exhibited no inhibition in case of T. asahii and inhibition zone of 10 mm in case of T. cutaneum demonstrating comparatively low activity against both the fungi. These results support that the essential oils can be used to cure superficial mycoses and these oils may have significant role as pharmaceuticals and preservatives.

Susceptibility of riparian wetland plants to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) accumulation.

PubMed

Mudumbi, J B N; Ntwampe, S K O; Muganza, M; Okonkwo, J O

2014-01-01

As plants have been shown to accumulate organic compounds from contaminated sediments, there is a potential for long-lasting ecological impact as a result of contaminant accumulation in riparian areas of wetlands, particularly the accumulation of non-biodegradable contaminants such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). In this study, commonly found riparian wetland plants including reeds, i.e., Xanthium strumarium, Phragmites australis, Schoenoplectus corymbosus, Ruppia maritime; Populus canescens, Polygonum salicifolium, Cyperus congestus; Persicaria amphibian, Ficus carica, Artemisia schmidtiana, Eichhornia crassipes, were studied to determine their susceptibility to PFOA accumulation from PFOA contaminated riparian sediment with a known PFOA concentration, using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The bioconcentration factor (BCF) indicated that the plants affinity to PFOA accumulation was; E. crassipes, > P. sali-cifolium, > C. congestus, > P. x canescens, > P. amphibian, > F. carica, > A. schmidtiana, > X. strumarium,> P. australis, > R. maritime, > S. corymbosus. The concentration of PFOA in the plants and/or reeds was in the range 11.7 to 38 ng/g, with a BCF range of 0.05 to 0.37. The highest BCF was observed in sediment for which its core water had a high salinity, total organic carbon and a pH which was near neutral. As the studied plants had a higher affinity for PFOA, the resultant effect is that riparian plants such as E. crassipes, X. strumarium, and P. salicifolium, typified by a fibrous rooting system, which grow closer to the water edge, exacerbate the accumulation of PFOA in riparian wetlands.

Effect of application timing and method on efficacy and phytotoxicity of 1,3-D, chloropicrin and metam-sodium combinations in squash plasticulture.

PubMed

Desaeger, Johan A; Seebold, Kenneth W; Csinos, Alex S

2008-03-01

Metam-sodium, 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) and chloropicrin are widely used soil fumigants. Combined application of metam-sodium and 1,3-D + chloropicrin is intended to improve efficacy and broaden spectrum of control, but little is known about the effect on crop safety. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of application timing of fumigant combinations on soilborne pest and disease control (nematodes, soil fungi and weeds) and growth of squash. Two separate tests with chisel-injected and drip-applied fumigant combinations and plant-back times ranging from 1 to 4 weeks were conducted in Tifton, GA, USA, in spring and fall 2002. Fumigant combinations using 1,3-D, chloropicrin and metam-sodium were as effective as methyl bromide in controlling Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood, Pythium irregulare Buis., Rhizoctonia solani Kühn and Cyperus esculentus L. Chisel-applied combinations were more effective in terms of root-knot nematode control than drip-applied combinations. Root-knot nematode reduced squash yields by up to 60%. Phytotoxicity problems and lower yields were observed during spring, especially following 1,3-D + chloropicrin and when plant-back periods were shorter. The main problem with fumigant alternatives to methyl bromide may not be reduced efficacy but, in particular for 1,3-D products, loss of flexibility in terms of longer plant-back periods. (c) 2008 Society of Chemical Industry.

Inhibitory effect of essential oils against Trichosporon ovoides causing Piedra Hair Infection

PubMed Central

Saxena, Seema; Uniyal, Veena; Bhatt, R.P.

2012-01-01

Piedra, is an asymptomatic fungal infection of the hair shaft, resulting in the formation of nodules of different hardness on the infected hair. The infection also known as Trichomycosis nodularis is a superficial fungal infection arising from the pathogen being restricted to the stratum corneum with little or no tissue reaction. The nodules are a concretion of hyphae and fruiting bodies of the fungus. Two varieties of Piedra may be seen, Black Piedra and White Piedra. The fungus Trichosporon ovoides is involved in the occurrence of both types of Piedras. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of selected essential oils for the control of growth of the fungus and to determine whether the antifungal effect was due to the major compounds of the oils. Two screening methods viz. Agar well diffusion assay and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration were adopted for the study. MIC and MFC were determined by tube dilution method. Essential oils from Eucalyptus, Ocimum basilicum, Mentha piperita, Cymbopogon flexuosus, Cymbopogon winterians, Trachyspermum ammi, Zingiber officinalis, Citrus limon, Cinnamomon zeylanicum, Salvia sclarea, Citrus aurantifolia, Melaleuca alternifolia, Citrus aurantium, Citrus bergamia, Pogostemon pathchouli, Cedrus atlantica, Jasminum officinale, Juniperus communis, Abelmoschus moschatus, Cyperus scariosus, Palargonium graveolens, Boswellia carterii, Rosa damascene, Veteveria zizanoides and Commiphora myrrha were evaluated. The essential oils of Cymbopogon winterians, Mentha piperita, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Melaleuca alternifolia and Eucalyptus globulus were proved to be most effective against the fungus Trichosporon ovoides. PMID:24031963

Asymmetric top-down modulation of ascending visual pathways in pigeons.

PubMed

Freund, Nadja; Valencia-Alfonso, Carlos E; Kirsch, Janina; Brodmann, Katja; Manns, Martina; Güntürkün, Onur

2016-03-01

Cerebral asymmetries are a ubiquitous phenomenon evident in many species, incl. humans, and they display some similarities in their organization across vertebrates. In many species the left hemisphere is associated with the ability to categorize objects based on abstract or experience-based behaviors. Using the asymmetrically organized visual system of pigeons as an animal model, we show that descending forebrain pathways asymmetrically modulate visually evoked responses of single thalamic units. Activity patterns of neurons within the nucleus rotundus, the largest thalamic visual relay structure in birds, were differently modulated by left and right hemispheric descending systems. Thus, visual information ascending towards the left hemisphere was modulated by forebrain top-down systems at thalamic level, while right thalamic units were strikingly less modulated. This asymmetry of top-down control could promote experience-based processes within the left hemisphere, while biasing the right side towards stimulus-bound response patterns. In a subsequent behavioral task we tested the possible functional impact of this asymmetry. Under monocular conditions, pigeons learned to discriminate color pairs, so that each hemisphere was trained on one specific discrimination. Afterwards the animals were presented with stimuli that put the hemispheres in conflict. Response patterns on the conflicting stimuli revealed a clear dominance of the left hemisphere. Transient inactivation of left hemispheric top-down control reduced this dominance while inactivation of right hemispheric top-down control had no effect on response patterns. Functional asymmetries of descending systems that modify visual ascending pathways seem to play an important role in the superiority of the left hemisphere in experience-based visual tasks. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Whole genome sequence phylogenetic analysis of four Mexican rabies viruses isolated from cattle.

PubMed

Bárcenas-Reyes, I; Loza-Rubio, E; Cantó-Alarcón, G J; Luna-Cozar, J; Enríquez-Vázquez, A; Barrón-Rodríguez, R J; Milián-Suazo, F

2017-08-01

Phylogenetic analysis of the rabies virus in molecular epidemiology has been traditionally performed on partial sequences of the genome, such as the N, G, and P genes; however, that approach raises concerns about the discriminatory power compared to whole genome sequencing. In this study we characterized four strains of the rabies virus isolated from cattle in Querétaro, Mexico by comparing the whole genome sequence to that of strains from the American, European and Asian continents. Four cattle brain samples positive to rabies and characterized as AgV11, genotype 1, were used in the study. A cDNA sequence was generated by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) using oligo dT. cDNA samples were sequenced in an Illumina NextSeq 500 platform. The phylogenetic analysis was performed with MEGA 6.0. Minimum evolution phylogenetic trees were constructed with the Neighbor-Joining method and bootstrapped with 1000 replicates. Three large and seven small clusters were formed with the 26 sequences used. The largest cluster grouped strains from different species in South America: Brazil, and the French Guyana. The second cluster grouped five strains from Mexico. A Mexican strain reported in a different study was highly related to our four strains, suggesting common source of infection. The phylogenetic analysis shows that the type of host is different for the different regions in the American Continent; rabies is more related to bats. It was concluded that the rabies virus in central Mexico is genetically stable and that it is transmitted by the vampire bat Desmodus rotundus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Embryonic development of connections in turtle pallium.

PubMed

Cordery, P; Molnár, Z

1999-10-11

We are interested in similarities and conserved mechanisms in early development of the reptilian and mammalian thalamocortical connections. We set out to analyse connectivity in embryonic turtle brains (Pseudemys scripta elegans, between stages 17 and 25), by using carbocyanine dye tracing. From the earliest stages studied, labelling from dorsal and ventral thalamus revealed backlabelled cells among developing thalamic fibres within the lateral forebrain bundle and striatum, which had similar morphology to backlabelled internal capsule cells in embryonic rat (Molnár and Cordery, 1999). However, thalamic crystal placements did not label cells in the dorsal ventricular ridge (DVR) at any stage examined. Crystal placements into both dorsal and lateral cortex labelled cells in the DVR and, reciprocally, DVR crystal placements labelled cells in the dorsal and lateral cortices. Retrograde labelling revealed that thalamic fibres arrive in the DVR and dorsal cortex by stage 19. The DVR received projections from the nucleus rotundus and the dorsal cortex exclusively from the perirotundal complex (including lateral geniculate nucleus). Thalamic fibres show this remarkable degree of specificity from the earliest stage we could examine with selective retrograde labelling (stage 19). Our study demonstrates that axons of similar cells are among the first to reach dorsal and ventral thalamus in mammals and reptiles. Our connectional analysis in turtle suggests that some cells of the mammalian primitive internal capsule are homologous to a cell group within the reptilian lateral forebrain bundle and striatum and that diverse vertebrate brains might use a highly conserved pattern of early thalamocortical development. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Molecular diversity of rabies viruses associated with bats in Mexico and other countries of the Americas.

PubMed

Velasco-Villa, Andrés; Orciari, Lillian A; Juárez-Islas, Víctor; Gómez-Sierra, Mauricio; Padilla-Medina, Irma; Flisser, Ana; Souza, Valeria; Castillo, Amanda; Franka, Richard; Escalante-Mañe, Maribel; Sauri-González, Isaias; Rupprecht, Charles E

2006-05-01

Bat rabies and its transmission to humans and other species in Mexico were investigated. Eighty-nine samples obtained from rabid livestock, cats, dogs, and humans in Mexico were studied by antigenic typing and partial sequence analysis. Samples were further compared with enzootic rabies associated with different species of bats in the Americas. Patterns of nucleotide variation allowed the definition of at least 20 monophyletic clusters associated with 9 or more different bat species. Several lineages associated with distinctive antigenic patterns were found in rabies viruses related to rabies in vampire bats in Mexico. Vampire bat rabies virus lineages associated with antigenic variant 3 are widely spread from Mexico to South America, suggesting these lineages as the most likely ancestors of vampire bat rabies and the ones that have been moved by vampire bat populations throughout the Americas. Rabies viruses related to Lasiurus cinereus, Histiotus montanus, and some other not yet identified species of the genus Lasiurus were found circulating in Mexico. Long-range dissemination patterns of rabies are not necessarily associated with migratory bat species, as in the case of rabies in Desmodus rotundus and Histiotus montanus. Human rabies was associated with vampire bat transmission in most cases, and in one case, rabies transmission from free-tailed bats was inferred. The occurrence of rabies spillover from bats to domestic animals was also demonstrated. Genetic typing of rabies viruses allowed us to distinguish trends of disease dissemination and to address, in a preliminary fashion, aspects of the complex evolution of rabies viruses in different host-reservoir species.

Molecular Diversity of Rabies Viruses Associated with Bats in Mexico and Other Countries of the Americas

PubMed Central

Velasco-Villa, Andrés; Orciari, Lillian A.; Juárez-Islas, Víctor; Gómez-Sierra, Mauricio; Padilla-Medina, Irma; Flisser, Ana; Souza, Valeria; Castillo, Amanda; Franka, Richard; Escalante-Mañe, Maribel; Sauri-González, Isaias; Rupprecht, Charles E.

2006-01-01

Bat rabies and its transmission to humans and other species in Mexico were investigated. Eighty-nine samples obtained from rabid livestock, cats, dogs, and humans in Mexico were studied by antigenic typing and partial sequence analysis. Samples were further compared with enzootic rabies associated with different species of bats in the Americas. Patterns of nucleotide variation allowed the definition of at least 20 monophyletic clusters associated with 9 or more different bat species. Several lineages associated with distinctive antigenic patterns were found in rabies viruses related to rabies in vampire bats in Mexico. Vampire bat rabies virus lineages associated with antigenic variant 3 are widely spread from Mexico to South America, suggesting these lineages as the most likely ancestors of vampire bat rabies and the ones that have been moved by vampire bat populations throughout the Americas. Rabies viruses related to Lasiurus cinereus, Histiotus montanus, and some other not yet identified species of the genus Lasiurus were found circulating in Mexico. Long-range dissemination patterns of rabies are not necessarily associated with migratory bat species, as in the case of rabies in Desmodus rotundus and Histiotus montanus. Human rabies was associated with vampire bat transmission in most cases, and in one case, rabies transmission from free-tailed bats was inferred. The occurrence of rabies spillover from bats to domestic animals was also demonstrated. Genetic typing of rabies viruses allowed us to distinguish trends of disease dissemination and to address, in a preliminary fashion, aspects of the complex evolution of rabies viruses in different host-reservoir species. PMID:16672396

Keeping the golden mean: plant stiffness and anatomy as proximal factors driving endophytic oviposition site selection in a dragonfly.

PubMed

Matushkina, Natalia; Lambret, Philippe; Gorb, Stanislav

2016-12-01

Oviposition site selection is a crucial component of habitat selection in dragonflies. The presence of appropriate oviposition plants at breeding waters is considered to be one of the key habitat determinants for species laying eggs endophytically. Thus, Lestes macrostigma, a species which is regarded as threatened in Europe because of its highly disjunct distribution, typically prefers to lay eggs in the sea club rush Bolboschoenus maritimus. However, little is known about how the anatomical and mechanical properties of plant tissues determine the choice of L. macrostigma females. We examined green shoots of six plant species used by L. macrostigma for oviposition, either in the field (actual oviposition plants) or under experimental conditions (potential oviposition plants), to analyse anatomical and mechanical properties of shoots in a framework of known preferences regarding plant substrates for oviposition. As expected, the anatomy of shoots differed between representatives of two plant families, Cyperaceae and Juncaceae, most essentially in the distribution of supporting bundles and the presence of large aeriferous cavities that may affect egg placing within a shoot. The force necessary to puncture the tested plant samples ranged from 360 to 3298 mN, and their local stiffness ranged from 777 to 3363N/m. We show that the shoots of B. maritimus, the plant most preferred by L. macrostigma, have intermediate characteristics regarding both the stiffness and specific anatomical characteristics. The bending stiffness of the ovipositor in L. macrostigma was estimated as 1414N/m, one of the highest values recorded for zygopteran dragonflies so far. The ecological and behavioural implications of plant choice mechanisms in L. macrostigma are discussed in the context of the disjunct distribution of this species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 371-399.

PubMed

Crous, P W; Wingfield, M J; Le Roux, J J; Richardson, D M; Strasberg, D; Shivas, R G; Alvarado, P; Edwards, J; Moreno, G; Sharma, R; Sonawane, M S; Tan, Y P; Altés, A; Barasubiye, T; Barnes, C W; Blanchette, R A; Boertmann, D; Bogo, A; Carlavilla, J R; Cheewangkoon, R; Daniel, R; de Beer, Z W; de Jesús Yáñez-Morales, M; Duong, T A; Fernández-Vicente, J; Geering, A D W; Guest, D I; Held, B W; Heykoop, M; Hubka, V; Ismail, A M; Kajale, S C; Khemmuk, W; Kolařík, M; Kurli, R; Lebeuf, R; Lévesque, C A; Lombard, L; Magista, D; Manjón, J L; Marincowitz, S; Mohedano, J M; Nováková, A; Oberlies, N H; Otto, E C; Paguigan, N D; Pascoe, I G; Pérez-Butrón, J L; Perrone, G; Rahi, P; Raja, H A; Rintoul, T; Sanhueza, R M V; Scarlett, K; Shouche, Y S; Shuttleworth, L A; Taylor, P W J; Thorn, R G; Vawdrey, L L; Solano-Vidal, R; Voitk, A; Wong, P T W; Wood, A R; Zamora, J C; Groenewald, J Z

2015-12-01

Novel species of fungi described in the present study include the following from Australia: Neoseptorioides eucalypti gen. & sp. nov. from Eucalyptus radiata leaves, Phytophthora gondwanensis from soil, Diaporthe tulliensis from rotted stem ends of Theobroma cacao fruit, Diaporthe vawdreyi from fruit rot of Psidium guajava, Magnaporthiopsis agrostidis from rotted roots of Agrostis stolonifera and Semifissispora natalis from Eucalyptus leaf litter. Furthermore, Neopestalotiopsis egyptiaca is described from Mangifera indica leaves (Egypt), Roussoella mexicana from Coffea arabica leaves (Mexico), Calonectria monticola from soil (Thailand), Hygrocybe jackmanii from littoral sand dunes (Canada), Lindgomyces madisonensis from submerged decorticated wood (USA), Neofabraea brasiliensis from Malus domestica (Brazil), Geastrum diosiae from litter (Argentina), Ganoderma wiiroense on angiosperms (Ghana), Arthrinium gutiae from the gut of a grasshopper (India), Pyrenochaeta telephoni from the screen of a mobile phone (India) and Xenoleptographium phialoconidium gen. & sp. nov. on exposed xylem tissues of Gmelina arborea (Indonesia). Several novelties are introduced from Spain, namely Psathyrella complutensis on loamy soil, Chlorophyllum lusitanicum on nitrified grasslands (incl. Chlorophyllum arizonicum comb. nov.), Aspergillus citocrescens from cave sediment and Lotinia verna gen. & sp. nov. from muddy soil. Novel foliicolous taxa from South Africa include Phyllosticta carissicola from Carissa macrocarpa, Pseudopyricularia hagahagae from Cyperaceae and Zeloasperisporium searsiae from Searsia chirindensis. Furthermore, Neophaeococcomyces is introduced as a novel genus, with two new combinations, N. aloes and N. catenatus. Several foliicolous novelties are recorded from La Réunion, France, namely Ochroconis pandanicola from Pandanus utilis, Neosulcatispora agaves gen. & sp. nov. from Agave vera-cruz, Pilidium eucalyptorum from Eucalyptus robusta, Strelitziana syzygii from Syzygium jambos (incl. Strelitzianaceae fam. nov.) and Pseudobeltrania ocoteae from Ocotea obtusata (Beltraniaceae emend.). Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa.

Vegetation and climate history during the last millennium derived from Anggertu Lake, Tengger Desert

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, F.; An, C.; Zhao, Y.; Wang, W.; Cao, Z.

2017-12-01

Studying the climate changes during the last millennium can help us to understand current relationship between human-social activities and natural environment changes, and improve projections of future climate. Pollen assemblages, loss-on-ignition (LOIorg at 550 °C) and grain size data collected from sediment core (AGE15A) from the center of Anggertu lake (eastern Tengger Desert, Inner Mongolia) are presented to reconstruct regional vegetation and climate history during the last millennium. Results show that: 1) desert or desert steppe dominated by Artemisia and Amaranthaceae expanded around this region during the period of 988 1437 A.D., indicating a generally dry climate condition with two short humid periods (1003 1082 A.D. and 1388 1437 A.D). These two wet periods are characterized by relatively high vegetation cover and bio-productivity, reflected by high pollen concentrations and LOIorg. Increase in the steppe or meadow vegetation communities (Poaceae, Cyperaceae) and vegetation cover during the period of 1437 2015 A.D. suggest a wetting trend, as also indicated by gradually finer grain size. The relatively high LOI indicate a high bio-productivity during this interval. And then unstable lacustrine environment was found with frequent fluctuations in pollen concentration and grain size since 1842 A.D.. 2) This study recorded a relatively dry Medieval Warm Period (MWP; 1082 1388 A.D.) and a wet Little Ice Age (LIA; 1437 1842 A.D.), which is generally consistent with climate characteristics in arid central Asia (ACA). 3) Increased Amaranthaceae and high abundance of Poaceae were related to overgrazing and agricultural activities at that time to some extent. Thus vegetation evolution of the lake region was influenced by human activities and climate changes.

Guide to the littoral zone vascular flora of Carolina bay lakes (U.S.A.)

PubMed Central

Howell, Nathan; Braham, Richard R

2016-01-01

Abstract Background Carolina bays are elliptic, directionally aligned basins of disputed origin that occur on the Atlantic Coastal Plain from the Delmarva Peninsula to southern Georgia. In southeastern North Carolina, several large, natural, lacustrine systems (i.e., Carolina bay lakes) exist within the geomorphological features known as Carolina bays. Within the current distribution of Carolina bays, Bladen and Columbus counties (North Carolina) contain the only known examples of Carolina bay lakes. The Carolina bay lakes can be split into two major divisions, the “Bladen Lakes Group” which is characterized as being relatively unproductive (dystrophic – oligotrophic), and Lake Waccamaw, which stands alone in Columbus County and is known for its high productivity and species richness. Although there have been several studies conducted on these unique lentic systems, none have documented the flora comprehensively. New information Over the 2013−2014 growing seasons, the littoral zone flora of Carolina bay lakes was surveyed and vouchered. Literature reviews and herbarium crawls complemented this fieldwork to produce an inventory of the vascular plant species. This survey detected 205 taxa (species/subspecies and varieties) in 136 genera and 80 vascular plant families. Thirty-one species (15.2%) are of conservation concern. Lake Waccamaw exhibited the highest species richness with 145 catalogued taxa and 26 species of conservation concern. Across all sites, the Cyperaceae (25 spp.), Poaceae (21 spp.), Asteraceae (13 spp.), Ericaceae (8 spp.), Juncaceae (8 spp.), and Lentibulariaceae (6 spp.) were the six most species-rich vascular plant families encountered. A guide to the littoral zone flora of Carolina bay lakes is presented herein, including dichotomous keys, species accounts (including abundance, habitat, phenology, and exsiccatae), as well as images of living species and vouchered specimens. PMID:27350764

Floral ontogeny and gene protein localization rules out euanthial interpretation of reproductive units in Lepironia (Cyperaceae, Mapanioideae, Chrysitricheae)

PubMed Central

Prychid, C. J.; Bruhl, J. J.

2013-01-01

Background and Aims In the sedge subfamily Mapanioideae there are considerable discrepancies between the standard trimerous monocot floral architecture expected and the complex floral and inflorescence morphologies seen. Decades of debate about whether the basic reproductive units are single flowers or pseudanthia have not resolved the question. This paper evaluates current knowledge about Mapaniid reproductive structures and presents an ontogenetic study of the Mapaniid genus Lepironia with the first floral protein expression maps for the family, localizing the products of the APETALA1/FRUITFULL-like (AP1/FUL) MADS-box genes with the aim of shedding light on this conundrum. Methods A range of reproductive developmental stages, from spikelet primordia through to infructescence material, were processed for anatomical and immunohistochemical analyses. Key Results The basic reproductive unit is subtended by a bract and possesses two prophyll-like structures, the first organs to be initiated on the primordium, which grow rapidly, enclosing two whorls of initiating leaf-like structures with intervening stamens and a central gynoecium, formed from an annular primordium. The subtending bract and prophyll-like structures possess very different morphologies from that of the internal leaf-like structures and do not show AP1/FUL-like protein localization, which is otherwise strongly localized in the internal leaf-like structures, stamens and gynoecia. Conclusions Results support the synanthial hypothesis as the evolutionary origin of the reproductive unit. Thus, the basic reproductive unit in Lepironia is an extremely condensed pseudanthium, of staminate flowers surrounding a central terminal pistillate female flower. Early in development the reproductive unit becomes enclosed by a split-prophyll, with the whole structure subtended by a bract. PMID:23723258

Precipitation driven decadal scale decline and recovery of wetlands of Lake Pannon during the Tortonian

PubMed Central

Kern, Andrea K.; Harzhauser, Mathias; Soliman, Ali; Piller, Werner E.; Gross, Martin

2012-01-01

High resolution pollen and dinoflagellate analyses were performed on a continuous 98-cm-long core from Tortonian deposits of Lake Pannon in the Styrian Basin in Austria. The sample distance of 1-cm corresponds to a resolution of roughly one decade, allowing insights into environmental and climatic changes over a millennium of Late Miocene time. Shifts in lake level, surface water productivity on a decadal- to centennial-scale can be explained by variations of rainfall during the Tortonian climatic optimum. Related to negative fine scale shifts of mean annual precipitation, shoreline vegetation belts reacted in an immediate replacement of Poaceae by Cyperaceae as dominant grasses in the marshes fringing the lake. In contrast to such near-synchronous ecosystem-responses to precipitation, a delayed lake level rise of 4–6 decades is evident in the hydrological budget of Lake Pannon. This transgression, caused by a precipitation increase up to > 1200 mm/yr, resulted in a complete dieback of marshes. Simultaneously, “open-water” dinoflagellates, such as Impagidinium, took over in the brackish lagoon and fresh water dinoflagellates disappeared. As soon as the rainfall switched back to moderate levels of ~ 1100–1200 mm/yr, the rise of the lake level slowed down, the marsh plants could keep up again and the former vegetation belts became re-established. Thus, mean annual precipitation, more than temperature, was the main driving force for high-frequency fluctuations in the Tortonian wetlands and surface water conditions of Lake Pannon. Such high resolution studies focusing on Tortonian decadal to centennial climate change will be crucial to test climate models which try to compare the Tortonian models with predictions for future climate change. PMID:23576820

Floral Ontogeny in Ficinia and Isolepis (Cyperaceae), with Focus on the Nature and Origin of the Gynophore

PubMed Central

VRIJDAGHS, A.; GOETGHEBEUR, P.; MUASYA, A. M.; CARIS, P.; SMETS, E.

2005-01-01

• Background and Aims The generic delimitations of Ficinia and Isolepis, sister genera in the Cypereae, are blurred. Typical Ficinia flowers have a lobed gynophore, which envelops the base of the nutlet, whereas in Isolepis the character is considered to be absent. Some former species of Isolepis, lacking the gynophore, were recently included in Ficinia. The floral ontogeny of representative taxa in Ficinia and Isolepis were investigated with the aim of evaluating the origin and nature of the gynophore in the Cypereae. • Methods The spikelet and floral ontogeny in inflorescences collected in the field was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy (LM). • Key Results SEM images of Isolepis setacea and I. antarctica, Ficinia brevifolia, F. minutiflora, F. zeyheri and F. gracilis, and LM sections of F. radiata, show that the gynoecium in Ficinia is elevated above the flower receptacle by the development of a hypogynous stalk. From its apex, a (often three-)lobed cup is formed, which envelopes the basal part of the later nutlet. In developing flowers of I. antarctica, a rudimentary hypogynous stalk appears. In I. setacea, rudiments of a hypogynous stalk can be observed at maturity. In F. radiata and F. zeyheri, intralocular hairs are present in the micropylar zone. At the surface of developing gynoecia in flowers of F. gracilis, star-shaped cuticular structures appear which disappear again at maturity. • Conclusions The overall floral ontogeny of all species studied occurs following a typical scirpoid pattern, though no perianth primordia are formed. The gynophore in Ficinia originates as a hypogynous stalk, from which the typical gynophore lobes develop. The gynophore is not homologous with the perianth. PMID:16216820

Late Holocene environmental reconstructions and the implications on flood events, typhoon patterns, and agriculture activities in NE Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, L.-C.; Behling, H.; Lee, T.-Q.; Li, H.-C.; Huh, C.-A.; Shiau, L.-J.; Chang, Y.-P.

2014-05-01

In this study, we reconstructed the paleoenvironmental changes from a sediment archive of the floodplain lake in Ilan Plain of NE Taiwan on multi-decadal resolution for the last ca. 1900 years. On the basis of pollen and diatom records, we evaluated the record of past vegetation, floods, typhoons and agriculture activities of this area, which is sensitive to the hydrological conditions of the West Pacific. High sedimentation rates with low microfossil preservations reflected multiple flood events and humid climatic conditions during 100-1400 AD. A shortly interrupted dry phase can be found during 940-1010 AD. The driest phase corresponds to the Little Ice Age phase 1 (LIA1, 1400-1620 AD) with less disturbance by flood events, which enhanced the occurrence of wetlands (Cyperaceae) and diatom depositions. Humid phases with frequent typhoons are inferred by high percentages of Lagerstroemia and high ratios of planktonic/benthic diatoms, respectively, during 500-700 AD and Little Ice Age phase 2 (LIA2, 1630-1850 AD). The occurrences of cultivated Poaceae (Oryza) during 1250-1300 AD and the last ~400 years, reflect agriculture activities, which seems to implicate strongly with the environmental stability. Finally, we found flood events which dominated during the El Niño-like stage, but dry events as well as frequent typhoon events happened during the La Niña-like stage. After comparing our results with the reconstructed proxy for tropical hydrological conditions, we suggested that the local hydrology in coastal East Asia were strongly affected by the typhoon-triggered heavy rainfalls which were influenced by the variation of global temperature, expansion of the Pacific warm pool and intensification of ENSO events.

Characterisation of bio-aerosols during dust storm period in N-NW India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Sudesh; Chauhan, M. S.; Sharma, Anupam

Bio-investigations for pollen and spores were performed on dry free-fall dust and PM 10 aerosol samples, collected from three different locations separated by a distance of 600 km, situated in dust storm hit region of N-NW India. Presence of pollen of trees namely Prosopis ( Prosopis juliflora and Prosopis cinearia), Acacia, Syzygium, Pinus, Cedrus, Holoptelea and shrubs namely Ziziphus, Ricinus, Ephedra and members of Fabaceae, Oleaceae families was recorded but with varying proportions in the samples of different locations. Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Brassicaceae and Cyperaceae (sedges) were some of the herb pollen identified in the samples. Among the fungal spores Nigrospora was seen in almost all samples. Nigrospora is a well known allergen and causes health problems. The concentration of trees and shrubs increases in the windward direction just as the climate changes from hot arid to semiarid. The higher frequency of grasses (Poaceae) or herbs could either be a result of the presence of these herbs in the sampling area and hence the higher production of pollen/spores or due to the resuspension from the exposed surface by the high-intensity winds. But we cannot ascertain the exact process at this stage. The overall similarity in the pollen and spore assemblage in our dust samples indicates a common connection or source(s) to the dust in this region. Presence of the pollen of the species of Himalayan origin in our entire samples strongly point towards a Himalayan connection, could be direct or indirect, to the bioaerosols and hence dust in N-NW India. In order to understand the transport path and processes involved therein, present study needs further extension with more number of samples and with reference to meteorological parameters.

The use of plant-specific pyrolysis products as biomarkers in peat deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schellekens, Judith; Bradley, Jonathan A.; Kuyper, Thomas W.; Fraga, Isabel; Pontevedra-Pombal, Xabier; Vidal-Torrado, Pablo; Abbott, Geoffrey D.; Buurman, Peter

2015-09-01

Peatlands are archives of environmental change that can be driven by climate and human activity. Proxies for peatland vegetation composition provide records of (local) environmental conditions that can be linked to both autogenic and allogenic factors. Analytical pyrolysis offers a molecular fingerprint of peat, and thereby a suite of environmental proxies. Here we investigate analytical pyrolysis as a method for biomarker analysis. Pyrolysates of 48 peatland plant species were compared, comprising seventeen lichens, three Sphagnum species, four non-Sphagnum mosses, eleven graminoids (Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, Poaceae), five Ericaceae and six species from other families. This resulted in twenty-one potential biomarkers, including new markers for lichens (3-methoxy-5-methylphenol) and graminoids (ferulic acid methyl ester). The potential of the identified biomarkers to reconstruct vegetation composition is discussed according to their depth records in cores from six peatlands from boreal, temperate and tropical biomes. The occurrence of markers for Sphagnum, graminoids and lichens in all six studied peat deposits indicates that they persist in peat of thousands of years old, in different vegetation types and under different conditions. In order to facilitate the quantification of biomarkers from pyrolysates, typically expressed as proportion (%) of the total quantified pyrolysis products, an internal standard (5-α-androstane) was introduced. Depth records of the Sphagnum marker 4-isopropenylphenol from the upper 3 m of a Sphagnum-dominated peat, from samples analysed with and without internal standard showed a strong positive correlation (r2 = 0.72, P < 0.0005, n = 12). This indicates that application of an internal standard is a reliable method to assess biomarker depth records, which enormously facilitates the use of analytical pyrolysis in biomarker research by avoiding quantification of a high number of products.

A regional approach to plant DNA barcoding provides high species resolution of sedges (Carex and Kobresia, Cyperaceae) in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

PubMed

Clerc-Blain, Jessica L E; Starr, Julian R; Bull, Roger D; Saarela, Jeffery M

2010-01-01

Previous research on barcoding sedges (Carex) suggested that basic searches within a global barcoding database would probably not resolve more than 60% of the world's some 2000 species. In this study, we take an alternative approach and explore the performance of plant DNA barcoding in the Carex lineage from an explicitly regional perspective. We characterize the utility of a subset of the proposed protein-coding and noncoding plastid barcoding regions (matK, rpoB, rpoC1, rbcL, atpF-atpH, psbK-psbI) for distinguishing species of Carex and Kobresia in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, a clearly defined eco-geographical region representing 1% of the Earth's landmass. Our results show that matK resolves the greatest number of species of any single-locus (95%), and when combined in a two-locus barcode, it provides 100% species resolution in all but one combination (matK + atpFH) during unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean averages (UPGMA) analyses. Noncoding regions were equally or more variable than matK, but as single markers they resolve substantially fewer taxa than matK alone. When difficulties with sequencing and alignment due to microstructural variation in noncoding regions are also considered, our results support other studies in suggesting that protein-coding regions are more practical as barcoding markers. Plastid DNA barcodes are an effective identification tool for species of Carex and Kobresia in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, a region where the number of co-existing closely related species is limited. We suggest that if a regional approach to plant DNA barcoding was applied on a global scale, it could provide a solution to the generally poor species resolution seen in previous barcoding studies. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Evolution of the Li-Yu Lake at Eastern Taiwan: Evidences from Magnetic Proxies and Pollen Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, T.; Wang, L.; Chen, S.

2008-12-01

The Li-Yu Lake located at Hua-Lien County of eastern Taiwan seems to be originally a river and was trapped by a landslide to form a lake after. To investigate the truth, a lacustrine sediment core of about 8 meters was raised from the lake and magnetic proxies and pollen analysis were employed to analyze it. Based on the C- 14 dating, this core provides the information for the last 7000 years Magnetic proxies point out that the records could be clearly distinguished into two parts from the depth of about 2.6 meters : the deeper part dominates very coarse grained with higher oxidized magnetic minerals and vice versa at the shallower part. This boundary corresponds an ages of about 2300 yrB.P. Pollen analysis reveals that no pollen could be found at the depths below 2.8 meters; only aquatic plant pollens, such as Poaceae, Cyperaceae and Mynophyllum, were found at the depth between 2.8-2.5 meters; tree and shrub pollens began to appear at about 2.5 m in depth. These results proposed that sediments below 2.8 m (before 2400 yrBP) might be a river deposit; the river was blocked at its northern end to form a lake between 2300-2400 yrBP in consideration of the topography, and regular lake deposits occurred after 2300 yrBP. Furthermore, magnetic proxies were found to have a clear change during the age interval of about 900-600 yrBP. Pollen patterns also support this point. It is proposed that the river piracy might have happened at the southern area of the lake at this time. The literatures recording the human activity in this area seem to support this point of view.

Checklist of aquatic and marshy Monocotyledons from the Araguaia River basin, Brazilian Cerrado.

PubMed

Oliveira, Adriana; Bove, Claudia

2016-01-01

The Araguaia River basin runs through the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, and Pará, covering 373,000 Km(2), mostly within the Brazilian Cerrado. The region has a wide variety of wetlands. The climate is characterized by high temperatures and strongly seasonal precipitation. There are two well defined seasons: the dry season (winter-spring) and the rainy season (summer- fall). The Araguaia River basin is dominated by plinthosoils that are found in low flat areas, poorly drained and prone to flooding, yielding wetland habitats of high plant diversity. Since the 1970s, human activities have led to reduction in both the diversity and area of wetlands. The construction of the Belém-Brasília highway and hydroelectric dams, as well as the expansion of agricultural and mining activities, have had major impacts on the region. The flora diversity data of the Araguaia River basin was developed through field work, herbarium research, and use of a database (Species Link). The resulting checklist of 162 aquatic and marshy monocotyledons from the Araguaia River basin represents 20 families and 50 genera. Cyperaceae (51 spp.), Poaceae (39 spp.), and Eriocaulaceae (16 spp.) are the most representative families. Life form analysis indicates that helophytes predominate (98 spp.; 60.5%). One hundred one species are native to tropical and/or subtropical America and twenty one are endemic to Brazil. Ninety-three species are new occurrences for the Araguaia River basin. Among them, three species are reported in the Brazilian Cerrado for the first time. This work contributes to the understanding of aquatic plant diversity in the Cerrado and other savanna-like vegetation physiognomies; environments and habitats poorly understood taxonomically and undercollected generally.

Checklist of aquatic and marshy Monocotyledons from the Araguaia River basin, Brazilian Cerrado

PubMed Central

Bove, Claudia

2016-01-01

Abstract Background The Araguaia River basin runs through the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, and Pará, covering 373,000 Km2, mostly within the Brazilian Cerrado. The region has a wide variety of wetlands. The climate is characterized by high temperatures and strongly seasonal precipitation. There are two well defined seasons: the dry season (winter-spring) and the rainy season (summer- fall). The Araguaia River basin is dominated by plinthosoils that are found in low flat areas, poorly drained and prone to flooding, yielding wetland habitats of high plant diversity. Since the 1970s, human activities have led to reduction in both the diversity and area of wetlands. The construction of the Belém-Brasília highway and hydroelectric dams, as well as the expansion of agricultural and mining activities, have had major impacts on the region. New information The flora diversity data of the Araguaia River basin was developed through field work, herbarium research, and use of a database (Species Link). The resulting checklist of 162 aquatic and marshy monocotyledons from the Araguaia River basin represents 20 families and 50 genera. Cyperaceae (51 spp.), Poaceae (39 spp.), and Eriocaulaceae (16 spp.) are the most representative families. Life form analysis indicates that helophytes predominate (98 spp.; 60.5%). One hundred one species are native to tropical and/or subtropical America and twenty one are endemic to Brazil. Ninety-three species are new occurrences for the Araguaia River basin. Among them, three species are reported in the Brazilian Cerrado for the first time. This work contributes to the understanding of aquatic plant diversity in the Cerrado and other savanna-like vegetation physiognomies; environments and habitats poorly understood taxonomically and undercollected generally. PMID:27099550

A sedge plant as the source of Kangaroo Island propolis rich in prenylated p-coumarate ester and stilbenes.

PubMed

Duke, Colin C; Tran, Van H; Duke, Rujee K; Abu-Mellal, Abdallah; Plunkett, George T; King, Douglas I; Hamid, Kaiser; Wilson, Karen L; Barrett, Russell L; Bruhl, Jeremy J

2017-02-01

Propolis samples from Kangaroo Island, South Australia, were investigated for chemical constituents using high-field nuclear magnetic resonance spectral profiling. A type of propolis was found containing a high proportion of prenylated hydroxystilbenes. Subsequently, the botanical origin of this type of propolis was identified using a beehive propolis depletion method and analysis of flora. Ligurian honey bees, Apis mellifera ligustica Spinola, were found to produce propolis from resin exuded by the Australian native sedge plant Lepidosperma sp. Montebello (Cyperaceae). The plants, commonly known as sword sedge, were found to have resin that matched with the propolis samples identified as the most abundant propolis type on the island containing C- and O-prenylated tetrahydroxystilbenes (pTHOS) in addition to a small amount of prenylated p-coumarate. The isolation of five pTHOS not previously characterized are reported: (E)-4-(3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-3,4',5-trihydroxy-3'-methoxystilbene, (E)-2,4-bis(3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-3,3',4',5-tetrahydroxystilbene, (E)-2-(3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyloxy)-3',4',5-trihydroxystilbene, (E)-2,6-bis(3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-3,3',5,5'-tetrahydroxystilbene and (E)-2,6-bis(3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-3,4',5-trihydroxy-3'-methoxystilbene. A National Cancer Institute 60 human cell line anticancer screen of three of these compounds showed growth inhibitory activity. The large Australasian genus Lepidosperma is identified as a valuable resource for the isolation of substances with medicinal potential. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Selection of plants for phytoremediation of barium-polluted flooded soils.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Paulo Roberto Cleyton de Castro; Viana, Douglas Gomes; Pires, Fábio Ribeiro; Egreja Filho, Fernando Barboza; Bonomo, Robson; Cargnelutti Filho, Alberto; Martins, Luiz Fernando; Cruz, Leila Beatriz Silva; Nascimento, Mauro César Pinto

2018-05-10

The use of barite (BaSO4) in drilling fluids for oil and gas activities makes barium a potential contaminant in case of spills onto flooded soils, where low redox conditions may increase barium sulfate solubility. In order to select plants able to remove barium in such scenarios, the following species were evaluated on barium phytoextraction capacity: Brachiaria arrecta, Cyperus papyrus, Eleocharis acutangula, E. interstincta, Nephrolepsis cf. rivularis, Oryza sativa IRGA 424, O. sativa BRS Tropical, Paspalum conspersum, and Typha domingensis. Plants were grown in pots and exposed to six barium concentrations: 0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 30.0, and 65.0 mg kg -1 . To simulate flooding conditions, each pot was kept with a thin water film over the soil surface (∼1.0 cm). Plants were evaluated for biomass yield and barium removal. The highest amount of barium was observed in T. domingensis biomass, followed by C. papyrus. However, the latter exported most of the barium to the aerial part of the plant, especially at higher BaCl 2 doses, while the former accumulated barium preferentially in the roots. Thus, barium removal with C. papyrus could be achieved by simply harvesting aerial biomass. The high amounts of barium in T. domingensis and C. papyrus resulted from the combination of high barium concentration in plant tissues with high biomass production. These results make T. domingensis and C. papyrus potential candidates for phytoremediation schemes to remove barium from flooded soils. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Plant communities in the terrestrial-aquatic transition zone in the paramo of Chingaza, Colombia].

PubMed

Schmidt-Mumm, Udo; Vargas Ríos, Orlando

2012-03-01

Plant communities in the terrestrial-aquatic transition zone in the paramo of Chingaza, Colombia. High Andean paramo ecosystems are an important water resource for many towns, and major cities in this region. The aquatic and wetland vegetation of different paramo lakes, pond, swamps and bogs was studied according to the classical phytosociological approach, which is based on homogenous stands, but excludes any border phenomena or transitional zone. The present research aimed at determining the aquatic and wetland vegetation along different moisture gradients. A total of 89 species in 30 transects were reported, of which Crassula venezuelensis, Carex honplandii, Callitriche nubigena, Eleocharis macrostachya, Ranunculus flagelliformis, R. nubigenus, Eleocharis stenocarpa, Galium ascendens y Alopecurus aequalis were present in more than one third of the transects. Numerical classification and indicator species analysis resulted in the definition of the next 18 communities: 1) Calamagrostis effusa, 2) Sphagnum cuspidatum, 3) Cyperus rufus, 4) Eleocharis stenocarpa, 5) Carex acutata, 6) Poa annua,7) Valeriana sp., 8) Ranunculus flagelliformis, 9) Carex bonplandii, 10) Festuca andicola. 11) Muhlenbergia fustigiata, 12) Elatine paramoana, 13) Isoëtes palmeri, 14) Crassula venezuelensis, 15) Lilaeopsis macloviana, 16) Callitriche nubigena, 17) Potamogeton paramoanus and 18) Potamogeton illinoensis. The ordination of communities reveals the presence of three different aquatic-terrestrial gradients which are related to the life form structure of species that characterized the various communities. We concluded that patchiness and heterogeneity of the vegetation is mainly the result of alterations caused by human activities (burning, cattle raise and material extraction for road and dam construction).

Design, synthesis, and characterization of 2,2-bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-2-(phosphonatomethylamino)acetate as a herbicidal and biological active agent.

PubMed

Kumar, Vijay; Singh, Simranjeet; Singh, Rohit; Upadhyay, Niraj; Singh, Joginder

2017-10-01

The present study was designed to synthesize the bioactive molecule 2,2-bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-2-(phosphonatomethylamino)acetate ( 1 ), having excellent applications in the field of plant protection as a herbicide. Structure of newly synthesized molecule 1 was confirmed by using the elemental analysis, mass spectrometric, NMR, UV-visible, and FTIR spectroscopic techniques. To obtain better structural insights of molecule 1 , 3D molecular modeling was performed using the GAMESS programme. Microbial activities of 1 were checked against the pathogenic strains Aspergillus fumigatus (NCIM 902) and Salmonella typhimurium (NCIM 2501). Molecule 1 has shown excellent activities against fungal strain A. fumigates (35 μg/l) and bacterial strain S. typhimurium (25 μg/l). To check the medicinal significance of molecule 1 , interactions with bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein were checked. The calculated value of binding constant of molecule 1 -BSA complex was 1.4 × 10 6  M -1 , which were similar to most effective drugs like salicylic acid. More significantly, as compared to herbicide glyphosate, molecule 1 has exhibited excellent herbicidal activities, in pre- and post-experiments on three weeds; barnyard grass ( Echinochloa Crus ), red spranglitop ( Leptochloa filiformis ), and yellow nuts ( Cyperus Esculenfus ). Further, effects of molecule 1 on plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial (PGPR) strains were checked. More interestingly, as compared to glyphosate, molecule 1 has shown least adverse effects on soil PGPR strains including the Rhizobium leguminosarum (NCIM 2749), Pseudomonas fluorescens (NCIM 5096), and Pseudomonas putida (NCIM 2847).

Estimation of soil-to-plant transfer factors of radiocesium in 99 wild plant species grown in arable lands 1 year after the Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Yamashita, Jun; Enomoto, Takashi; Yamada, Masao; Ono, Toshiro; Hanafusa, Tadashi; Nagamatsu, Tomohiro; Sonoda, Shoji; Yamamoto, Yoko

2014-01-01

One year after the deposition of radionuclides from the Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant (A formal name is Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station) in March 2011, radiocesium (¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs) concentrations ([Cs]) were comprehensively investigated in the wild plants of 99 species most of which were annual or summer green perennial herbs and started to grow from April 2012 at the heavily contaminated fields of paddy (three study sites) and upland (one study site) in Fukushima Prefecture. The survey was conducted three times (April, July and October) in the year. In each site, soils (soil cores of 5-cm depth) and plants (aerial shoots) were collected for determination of [Cs] on a dry weight basis, and then the transfer factor (TF) of radiocesium from soil to plant ([Cs]plant/[Cs]soil) was estimated in each species. The [Cs] values of both soils and plants largely varied. However, some species exhibited relatively high TF values (more than 0.4) (e.g., Athyrium yokoscense, Dryopteris tokyoensis, and Cyperus brevifolius), while others exhibited almost negligible values (less than 0.01) (e.g., Salix miyabeana, Humulus scandens, and Elymus tsukushiensis). In addition, judging from the 11 species grown in both paddy and upland fields, TF values were generally higher in the paddy fields. The estimation of phytoextraction efficiency of soil radiocesium by weed communities in the paddy fields suggests that the weed community is not a practical candidate for phytoremediation technique.

Syntheses and herbicidal activity of new triazolopyrimidine-2-sulfonamides as acetohydroxyacid synthase inhibitor.

PubMed

Chen, Chao-Nan; Chen, Qiong; Liu, Yu-Chao; Zhu, Xiao-Lei; Niu, Cong-Wei; Xi, Zhen; Yang, Guang-Fu

2010-07-15

The triazolopyrimidine-2-sulfonanilide, discovered from preparing bioisosteres of the sulfonylurea herbicides, is an important class of acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS, EC 4.1.3.18) inhibitors. At least over ten triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilides have been commercialized as herbicides for the control of broadleaf weeds and grass with cereal crop selectivity. Herein, a series of triazolopyrimidine-2-sulfonanilides were designed and synthesized with the aim of discovery of new herbicides with higher activity. The assay results of the inhibition activity of the synthesized compounds against Arabidopsis thatiana AHAS indicated that some compounds showed a little higher activity against flumetsulam (FS), the first commercial triazolopyrimidine-2-sulfonanilide-type herbicide. The ki values of two promising compounds 3d and 8h are respectively, 1.61 and 1.29 microM, while that of FS is 1.85 microM. Computational simulation results indicated the ester group of compound 3d formed hydrogen bonds with the surrounding residues Arg'198 and Ser653, which accounts for its 11.5-folds higher AHAS inhibition activity than Y6610. Further green house assay showed that compound 3d has comparable herbicidal activity as FS. Even at the concentration of 37.5g.ai/ha, 3d showed excellent herbicidal activity against Galium aparine, Cerastium arvense, Chenopodium album, Amaranthus retroflexus, and Rmumex acetasa, moderate herbicidal activity against Polygonum humifusum, Cyperus iria, and Eclipta prostrate. The combination of in vitro and in vivo assay indicated that 3d could be regarded as a new potential acetohydroxyacid synthase-inhibiting herbicide candidate for further study. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Allelopathic assessment of selected common weeds in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurul Ain, M. B.; Nornasuha, Y.; Ismail, B. S.

2016-11-01

A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the allelopathic potential of eight common weed species in Malaysia, namely, Ageratum conyzoides, Tridax procumbens, Cyperus iria, Fimbristylis miliacea, Eleusine indica, Imperata cylindrica, Lygodium flexuosum and Nephrolepis biserrata of different morphological characteristics (broadleaves, sedges, grasses and ferns). The allelopathic study of these weeds was carried out by testing the leaf litter leachate through the Sandwich method and the volatile compounds of these weeds through the Dish pack method with three replicates for each donor species. The results obtained from both methods were statistically analyzed and the means had converted to percentage growth inhibition to determine the inhibition pattern on the radicle and hypocotyl growth of lettuce seedlings. Among the eight weed species tested, Ageratum conyzoides showed the strongest growth inhibition on lettuce radicle elongation (86%) in the sandwich bioassay compared to the control, followed by Tridax procumbens (71%), which both species being broadleaves weeds. In the dish pack bioassay Lygodium flexuosum (fern) demonstrated maximum inhibition on the growth the radicle and hypocotyl for each different distance from the source well. On the other hand, two weed species exhibited enhanced on the growth radicle and hypocotyl when compared to that of the control in dish pack bioassay. Nephrolepis biserrata and Fimbristylis miliacea were the species that showed the highest growth stimulatory effect. The results presented can be utilized as benchmark information for further research on the elucidation of leachates and volatile chemicals involved in allelopathy in nature. The information can also be helpful in the development of new bioactive chemicals from natural products in weed control strategies.

Production characteristics of the complex "SLS-vegetables" as the element of bioregenerative life support system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velichko, Vladimir; Tikhomirov, Alexander A.; Ushakova, Sofya; Tirranen, Lyalya; Gros, Jean-Bernard; Lasseur, Christophe

Previously we had shown possibility of long-term cultivation of wheat and radish uneven-aged conveyer on the soil-like substrate (SLS) with periodic introduction in the SLS of edible (in the form of a mineral solution after physicochemical burning) and inedible biomass of the plants grown on it. The given work was aimed at the study of production characteristics of the plants cultivated on the SLS with a periodic introduction of plant biomass, which consisted of harvested inedible biomass and wheat straw. The wheat straw was introduced in the SLS to compensate carrying out of mineral elements from the SLS with the edible biomass of the harvested plants. Also possibility of joint cultivation of the chosen vegetable plants under the given way of plant inedible biomass introduction in the SLS was estimated. Chufa (Cyperus esculentus L.), radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) were taken as the objects of research. Plants were grown in the regime of the three-species uneven-aged conveyer. Before each next planting of plants we introduced in the SLS all inedible biomass of earlier harvested plants and wheat straw. The amount of introduced wheat straw depended on nitrogen content in edible biomass of the harvested plants. Plants irrigation was performed by means of common nutrient solution containing mineral elements extracted from the SLS. 2 concentration in a vegetation chamber was maintained in limits from 0.1The work was carried out under support of SB RAS grant 132 and INTAS grant 05-1000008-8010

[Influences of tide on silicon and nitrogen contents in soil and porewater in the Minjiang Ri-ver estuary, Southeast China].

PubMed

Hou, Guan Yun; Zhai, Shui Jing; Le, Xiao Qing; Tong, Chuan

2017-01-01

Taking Shanyuntan wetland in the Minjiang River estuary as test object, the dissolved silicates (DSi) and inorganic nitrogen contents in porewater and the biogenic silica (BSi) and total nitrogen contents in surface soil of the Phragmites australis wetland, Cyperus malaccensis wetland and Spartina alterniflora wetland were measured in October 2014 (spring tide month) and April 2015 (neap tide month), respectively, to illuminate the influence of tide on silicon and nitrogen contents in soil and porewater of estuarine wetland. Results showed that the DSi content in porewater and the BSi content in surface soil in spring tide month were slightly higher than those in neap tide month, with the highest being observed on neap tide day and the lowest occurring on spring tide day. In contrast, the BSi content in surface soil on spring tide day showed an opposite trend with that on neap tide day. The contents of NH 4 + -N and NO 3 - -N in porewater of different wetland soils in spring tide month were higher than those in neap tide month, while the content of NH 4 + -N on spring tide day was significantly higher than that on neap tide day (P<0.05). The study found that hydrological conditions such as flooding duration and drying-wetting alternation caused by tide had great influences on silicon and nitrogen contents in porewater and surface soil, and vegetation types also showed great influences on their distributions in intertidal wetland of the Minjiang River estuary.

Interference of allelopathic rice with paddy weeds at the root level.

PubMed

Yang, X-F; Kong, C-H

2017-07-01

Despite increasing knowledge of the involvement of allelopathy in negative interactions among plants, relatively little is known about its action at the root level. This study aims to enhance understanding of interactions of roots between a crop and associated weeds via allelopathy. Based on a series of experiments with window rhizoboxes and root segregation methods, we examined root placement patterns and root interactions between allelopathic rice and major paddy weeds Cyperus difformis, Echinochloa crus-galli, Eclipta prostrata, Leptochloa chinensis and Oryza sativa (weedy rice). Allelopathic rice inhibited growth of paddy weed roots more than shoots regardless of species. Furthermore, allelopathic rice significantly reduced total root length, total root area, maximum root width and maximum root depth of paddy weeds, while the weeds adjusted horizontal and vertical placement of their roots in response to the presence of allelopathic rice. With the exception of O. sativa (weedy rice), root growth of weeds avoided expanding towards allelopathic rice. Compared with root contact, root segregation significantly increased inhibition of E. crus-galli, E. prostrata and L. chinensis through an increase in rice allelochemicals. In particular, their root exudates induced production of rice allelochemicals. However, similar results were not observed in C. difformis and O. sativa (weedy rice) with either root segregation or root exudate application. The results demonstrate that allelopathic rice interferes with paddy weeds by altering root placement patterns and root interactions. This is the first case of a root behavioural strategy in crop-weed allelopathic interaction. © 2017 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Adult Vampire Bats Produce Contact Calls When Isolated: Acoustic Variation by Species, Population, Colony, and Individual

PubMed Central

Carter, Gerald G.; Logsdon, Ryane; Arnold, Bryan D.; Menchaca, Angelica; Medellin, Rodrigo A.

2012-01-01

Background Bat pups produce individually distinct isolation calls to facilitate maternal recognition. Increasing evidence suggests that, in group-living bat species, adults often use similar calls to maintain contact. We investigated if isolated adults from all three species of the highly cooperative vampire bats (Phyllostomidae: Desmodontinae) would produce vocally distinct contact calls when physically isolated. Methods/Principal Findings We assessed variation in contact calls recorded from isolated captive and wild-caught adult common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus), white-winged vampire bats (Diaemus youngi) and hairy-legged vampire bats (Diphylla ecaudata). We compared species-typical contact call structure, and used information theory and permuted discriminate function analyses to examine call structure variation, and to determine if the individuality of contact calls is encoded by different call features across species and populations. We found that isolated adult vampire bats produce contact calls that vary by species, population, colony, and individual. However, much variation occurred within a single context and individual. We estimated signature information for captive Diaemus (same colony), captive Desmodus (same colony), and wild Desmodus (different colonies) at 3.21, 3.26, and 3.88 bits, respectively. Contact calls from a captive colony of Desmodus were less individually distinct than calls from wild-caught Desmodus from different colonies. Both the degree of individuality and parameters encoding individuality differed between the bats from a single captive colony and the wild-caught individuals from different groups. This result is consistent with, but not sufficient evidence of, vocal convergence in groups. Conclusion Our results show that adult vampire bats of all three species produce highly variable contact calls when isolated. Contact calls contain sufficient information for vocal discrimination, but also possess more intra-individual variation than is required for the sole purpose of identifying individuals. PMID:22719947

The expression patterns of aquaporin 9, vacuolar H+-ATPase, and cytokeratin 5 in the epididymis of the common vampire bat.

PubMed

Castro, Mariana M; Kim, Bongki; Hill, Eric; Fialho, Maria C Q; Puga, Luciano C H P; Freitas, Mariella B; Breton, Sylvie; Machado-Neves, Mariana

2017-01-01

Desmodus rotundus is a vampire bat species that inhabits Latin America. Some basic aspects of this species' biology are still unknown, as the histophysiological characteristics of the male reproductive tract. Our study has focused on its epididymis, which is an important organ for performing a variety of functions, especially the sperm maturation and storage. The aim of this study was to identify principal, narrow, clear, and basal cells using cell-specific markers such as aquaporin 9 (AQP9), vacuolar H + -ATPase (V-ATPase), and cytokeratin 5 (KRT5). Principal cells were labeled by AQP9 from initial segment to cauda region in their stereocilia. They were shown with a columnar shape, whereas V-ATPase-rich cells were identified with a goblet-shaped body along the entire epididymis, including the initial segment, which were named as clear cells. Pencil-shaped V-ATPase-rich cells (narrow cells) were not detected in the initial segment of the bat epididymis, unlike in the rodent. Basal cells were labeled by KRT5 and were located at the basal portion of the epithelium forming a dense network. However, no basal cells with a luminal-reaching body extension were observed in the bat epididymis. In summary, epithelial cells were identified by their specific markers in the vampire bat epididymis. Principal and basal cells were labeled by AQP9 and KRT5, respectively. Narrow cells were not observed in the vampire bat epididymis, whereas clear cells were identified by V-ATPase labeling along the entire duct in a goblet-shaped body. In addition, no luminal-reaching basal cells were observed in the vampire bat epididymis.

Detection of pathogenic Leptospira species associated with phyllostomid bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from Veracruz, Mexico.

PubMed

Ballados-González, G G; Sánchez-Montes, S; Romero-Salas, D; Colunga Salas, P; Gutiérrez-Molina, R; León-Paniagua, L; Becker, I; Méndez-Ojeda, M L; Barrientos-Salcedo, C; Serna-Lagunes, R; Cruz-Romero, A

2018-06-01

The genus Leptospira encompass 22 species of spirochaetes, with ten pathogenic species that have been recorded in more than 160 mammals worldwide. In the last two decades, the numbers of records of these agents associated with bats have increased exponentially, particularly in America. Although order Chiroptera represents the second most diverse order of mammals in Mexico, and leptospirosis represents a human and veterinary problem in the country, few studies have been conducted to identify potential wildlife reservoirs. The aim of this study was to detect the presence and diversity of Leptospira sp. in communities of bats in an endemic state of leptospirosis in Mexico. During January to September 2016, 81 bats of ten species from three localities of Veracruz, Mexico, were collected with mist nets. Kidney samples were obtained from all specimens. For the detection of Leptospira sp., we amplified several genes using specific primers. Amplicons of the expected size were submitted to sequencing, and sequences recovered were compared with those of reference deposited in GenBank using the BLAST tool. To identify their phylogenetic position, we realized a reconstruction using maximum-likelihood (ML) method. Twenty-five samples from three bat species (Artibeus lituratus, Choeroniscus godmani and Desmodus rotundus) showed the presence of Leptospira DNA. Sequences recovered were close to Leptospira noguchii, Leptospira weilii and Leptospira interrogans. Our results include the first record of Leptospira in bats from Mexico and exhibit a high diversity of these pathogens circulating in the state. Due to the finding of a large number of positive wild animals, it is necessary to implement a surveillance system in populations of the positive bats as well as in related species, in order to understand their role as carriers of this bacterial genus. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Bat assemblages in conservation areas of a metropolitan region in Southeastern Brazil, including an important karst habitat.

PubMed

Talamoni, S A; Coelho, D A; Dias-Silva, L H; Amaral, A S

2013-05-01

Species richness and abundance of bats were studied in four nature reserves, including a karst area which has many potential rocky shelters for bats, such as caves and rock crevices. The reserves were located in the greater Belo Horizonte metropolitan area, one of the most populated regions of Brazil, within the Atlantic Forest, and Cerrado (Brazilian savanna) ecological domains. Bats were sampled using mist-nets and, in the karst area, also by active searches in shelters. A total of 1,599 bats were captured representing 30 species belonging to four families. There was little similarity among the four chiropteran faunas. The greatest species richness was found in the karst area with 22 species recorded whereas richness estimates in the other areas indicated the need for further studies. Two hundred and sixty-five individuals of 14 species were captured from 56 shelters. Most of the shelters were frequently used for diurnal roosts, and all the bats found belonged to the Phyllostomidae, with the exception of Myotis nigricans (Vespertilionidae), Nyctinomops laticaudatus (Molossidae) and Peropteryx macrotis (Emballonuridae). The sanguinivorous Desmodus rotundus was the most common species in the shelters. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of maintaining multiple protected areas to ensure a representative fauna of bats in a region characterized by a vegetation transition zone and with intense economic activity and high environmental impact. This study also demonstrates the importance of rock shelters for maintaining local bat richness and the importance of active searches for bats in their diurnal roosts for a more thorough sampling of the bat fauna at a given locality.

Anatomical Specializations for Nocturnality in a Critically Endangered Parrot, the Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus)

PubMed Central

Corfield, Jeremy R.; Gsell, Anna C.; Brunton, Dianne; Heesy, Christopher P.; Hall, Margaret I.; Acosta, Monica L.; Iwaniuk, Andrew N.

2011-01-01

The shift from a diurnal to nocturnal lifestyle in vertebrates is generally associated with either enhanced visual sensitivity or a decreased reliance on vision. Within birds, most studies have focused on differences in the visual system across all birds with respect to nocturnality-diurnality. The critically endangered Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), a parrot endemic to New Zealand, is an example of a species that has evolved a nocturnal lifestyle in an otherwise diurnal lineage, but nothing is known about its' visual system. Here, we provide a detailed morphological analysis of the orbits, brain, eye, and retina of the Kakapo and comparisons with other birds. Morphometric analyses revealed that the Kakapo's orbits are significantly more convergent than other parrots, suggesting an increased binocular overlap in the visual field. The Kakapo exhibits an eye shape that is consistent with other nocturnal birds, including owls and nightjars, but is also within the range of the diurnal parrots. With respect to the brain, the Kakapo has a significantly smaller optic nerve and tectofugal visual pathway. Specifically, the optic tectum, nucleus rotundus and entopallium were significantly reduced in relative size compared to other parrots. There was no apparent reduction to the thalamofugal visual pathway. Finally, the retinal morphology of the Kakapo is similar to that of both diurnal and nocturnal birds, suggesting a retina that is specialised for a crepuscular niche. Overall, this suggests that the Kakapo has enhanced light sensitivity, poor visual acuity and a larger binocular field than other parrots. We conclude that the Kakapo possesses a visual system unlike that of either strictly nocturnal or diurnal birds and therefore does not adhere to the traditional view of the evolution of nocturnality in birds. PMID:21860663

Biochemical properties of the matrix metalloproteinase NtMMP1 from Nicotiana tabacum cv. BY-2 suspension cells.

PubMed

Mandal, Manoj K; Fischer, Rainer; Schillberg, Stefan; Schiermeyer, Andreas

2010-09-01

A zinc-dependent matrix metalloproteinase (NtMMP1) found in the plasma membrane of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Bright Yellow 2 (BY-2) suspension cells is thought to be responsible for the degradation of recombinant proteins secreted into the culture supernatant. We have characterized the proteolytic activity of NtMMP1 by expressing a recombinant derivative lacking the C-terminal transmembrane domain in yeast. After purifying the protein by affinity chromatography, its autocatalytic activity was analyzed using monoclonal antibodies raised against its N-terminal and C-terminal portions. Both the unprocessed and processed forms of NtMMP1 displayed caseinolytic activity and N-terminal sequencing identified an autocatalytic cleavage site within the sequence motif HFSFFP, which is similar to the corresponding sequences of the human matrix metalloproteinases stromelysin-1 (MMP-3) and stromelysin-2 (MMP-10). Unlike all other matrix metalloproteinases investigated so far, NtMMP1 contains a disulfide bond within its propeptide thus rendering the proenzyme catalytically active. Kinetic analysis of NtMMP1 with a synthetic substrate revealed a K(m) of 10.55 +/- 0.9 microM, a k(cat) of 0.6 +/- 0.01 s(-1) and maximum activity at pH 7.5. We found that NtMMP1 degrades Desmodus rotundus salivary plasminogen activator alpha 1 (DSPAalpha1), a biopharmaceutical protein, that has proven difficult to produce in tobacco BY-2 cells. This provides a likely explanation for the frequent instability of secreted recombinant biopharmaceuticals produced in plant suspension cell cultures. Our data suggest new avenues that can be explored to improve the production of pharmaceutical proteins in plants and plant cells.

Iron storage disease (hemochromatosis) and hepcidin response to iron load in two species of pteropodid fruit bats relative to the common vampire bat.

PubMed

Stasiak, Iga M; Smith, Dale A; Ganz, Tomas; Crawshaw, Graham J; Hammermueller, Jutta D; Bienzle, Dorothee; Lillie, Brandon N

2018-07-01

Hepcidin is the key regulator of iron homeostasis in the body. Iron storage disease (hemochromatosis) is a frequent cause of liver disease and mortality in captive Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), but reasons underlying this condition are unknown. Hereditary hemochromatosis in humans is due to deficiency of hepcidin or resistance to the action of hepcidin. Here, we investigated the role of hepcidin in iron metabolism in one species of pteropodid bat that is prone to iron storage disease [Egyptian fruit bat (with and without hemochromatosis)], one species of pteropodid bat where iron storage disease is rare [straw-colored fruit bat (Eidolon helvum)], and one species of bat with a natural diet very high in iron, in which iron storage disease is not reported [common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)]. Iron challenge via intramuscular injection of iron dextran resulted in significantly increased liver iron content and histologic iron scores in all three species, and increased plasma iron in Egyptian fruit bats and straw-colored fruit bats. Hepcidin mRNA expression increased in response to iron administration in healthy Egyptian fruit bats and common vampire bats, but not in straw-colored fruit bats or Egyptian fruit bats with hemochromatosis. Hepcidin gene expression significantly correlated with liver iron content in Egyptian fruit bats and common vampire bats, and with transferrin saturation and plasma ferritin concentration in Egyptian fruit bats. Induction of hepcidin gene expression in response to iron challenge is absent in straw-colored fruit bats and in Egyptian fruit bats with hemochromatosis and, relative to common vampire bats and healthy humans, is low in Egyptain fruit bats without hemochromatosis. Limited hepcidin response to iron challenge may contribute to the increased susceptibility of Egyptian fruit bats to iron storage disease.

Pharmacological manipulation of GABA activity in nucleus subpretectalis/interstitio-pretecto-subpretectalis (SP/IPS) impairs figure-ground discrimination in pigeons: Running head: SP/IPS in figure-ground segregation.

PubMed

Acerbo, Martin J; Lazareva, Olga F

2018-05-15

Figure-ground segregation is a fundamental visual ability that allows an organism to separate an object from its background. Our earlier research has shown that nucleus rotundus (Rt), a thalamic nucleus processing visual information in pigeons, together with its inhibitory complex, nucleus subpretectalis/interstitio-pretecto-subpretectalis (SP/IPS), are critically involved in figure-ground discrimination (Acerbo et al., 2012; Scully et al., 2014). Here, we further investigated the role of SP/IPS by conducting bilateral microinjections of GABAergic receptor antagonist and agonists (bicuculline and muscimol, respectively) and non-NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist (CNQX) after the pigeons mastered figure-ground discrimination task. We used two doses of each drug (bicuculline: 0.1 mM and 0.05 mM; muscimol: 4.4 mM and 8.8 mM; CNQX: 2.15 mM and 4.6 mM) in a within-subject design, and alternated drug injections with baseline (ACSF). The order of injections was randomized across birds to reduce potential carryover effects. We found that a low dose of bicuculline produced a decrement on figure trials but not on background trials, whereas a high dose impaired performance on background trials but not on figure trials. Muscimol produced an equivalent, dose-dependent impairment on both types of trials. Finally, CNQX had no consistent effect at either dose. Together, these results further confirm our earlier hypothesis that inhibitory projections from SP to Rt modulate figure-ground discrimination, and suggest that the Rt and the SP/IPS provide a plausible substrate that could perform figure-ground segregation in avian brain. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolutionary history and phylogeography of rabies viruses associated with outbreaks in Trinidad.

PubMed

Seetahal, Janine F R; Velasco-Villa, Andres; Allicock, Orchid M; Adesiyun, Abiodun A; Bissessar, Joseph; Amour, Kirk; Phillip-Hosein, Annmarie; Marston, Denise A; McElhinney, Lorraine M; Shi, Mang; Wharwood, Cheryl-Ann; Fooks, Anthony R; Carrington, Christine V F

2013-01-01

Bat rabies is an emerging disease of public health significance in the Americas. The Caribbean island of Trinidad experiences periodic outbreaks within the livestock population. We performed molecular characterisation of Trinidad rabies virus (RABV) and used a Bayesian phylogeographic approach to investigate the extent to which outbreaks are a result of in situ evolution versus importation of virus from the nearby South American mainland. Trinidadian RABV sequences were confirmed as bat variant and clustered with Desmodus rotundus (vampire bat) related sequences. They fell into two largely temporally defined lineages designated Trinidad I and II. The Trinidad I lineage which included sequences from 1997-2000 (all but two of which were from the northeast of the island) was most closely related to RABV from Ecuador (2005, 2007), French Guiana (1990) and Venezuela (1993, 1994). Trinidad II comprised sequences from the southwest of the island, which clustered into two groups: Trinidad IIa, which included one sequence each from 2000 and 2007, and Trinidad IIb including all 2010 sequences. The Trinidad II sequences were most closely related to sequences from Brazil (1999, 2004) and Uruguay (2007, 2008). Phylogeographic analyses support three separate RABV introductions from the mainland from which each of the three Trinidadian lineages arose. The estimated dates for the introductions and subsequent lineage expansions suggest periods of in situ evolution within Trinidad following each introduction. These data also indicate co-circulation of Trinidad lineage I and IIa during 2000. In light of these findings and the likely vampire bat origin of Trinidadian RABV, further studies should be conducted to investigate the relationship between RABV spatiotemporal dynamics and vampire bat population ecology, in particular any movement between the mainland and Trinidad.

Evolutionary History and Phylogeography of Rabies Viruses Associated with Outbreaks in Trinidad

PubMed Central

Seetahal, Janine F. R.; Velasco-Villa, Andres; Allicock, Orchid M.; Adesiyun, Abiodun A.; Bissessar, Joseph; Amour, Kirk; Phillip-Hosein, Annmarie; Marston, Denise A.; McElhinney, Lorraine M.; Shi, Mang; Wharwood, Cheryl-Ann; Fooks, Anthony R.; Carrington, Christine V. F.

2013-01-01

Bat rabies is an emerging disease of public health significance in the Americas. The Caribbean island of Trinidad experiences periodic outbreaks within the livestock population. We performed molecular characterisation of Trinidad rabies virus (RABV) and used a Bayesian phylogeographic approach to investigate the extent to which outbreaks are a result of in situ evolution versus importation of virus from the nearby South American mainland. Trinidadian RABV sequences were confirmed as bat variant and clustered with Desmodus rotundus (vampire bat) related sequences. They fell into two largely temporally defined lineages designated Trinidad I and II. The Trinidad I lineage which included sequences from 1997–2000 (all but two of which were from the northeast of the island) was most closely related to RABV from Ecuador (2005, 2007), French Guiana (1990) and Venezuela (1993, 1994). Trinidad II comprised sequences from the southwest of the island, which clustered into two groups: Trinidad IIa, which included one sequence each from 2000 and 2007, and Trinidad IIb including all 2010 sequences. The Trinidad II sequences were most closely related to sequences from Brazil (1999, 2004) and Uruguay (2007, 2008). Phylogeographic analyses support three separate RABV introductions from the mainland from which each of the three Trinidadian lineages arose. The estimated dates for the introductions and subsequent lineage expansions suggest periods of in situ evolution within Trinidad following each introduction. These data also indicate co-circulation of Trinidad lineage I and IIa during 2000. In light of these findings and the likely vampire bat origin of Trinidadian RABV, further studies should be conducted to investigate the relationship between RABV spatiotemporal dynamics and vampire bat population ecology, in particular any movement between the mainland and Trinidad. PMID:23991230

Predictors and immunological correlates of sublethal mercury exposure in vampire bats

PubMed Central

Chumchal, Matthew M.; Platt, Steven G.; Czirják, Gábor Á.; Rainwater, Thomas R.; Altizer, Sonia; Streicker, Daniel G.

2017-01-01

Mercury (Hg) is a pervasive heavy metal that often enters the environment from anthropogenic sources such as gold mining and agriculture. Chronic exposure to Hg can impair immune function, reducing the ability of animals to resist or recover from infections. How Hg influences immunity and susceptibility remains unknown for bats, which appear immunologically distinct from other mammals and are reservoir hosts of many pathogens of importance to human and animal health. We here quantify total Hg (THg) in hair collected from common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus), which feed on blood and are the main reservoir hosts of rabies virus in Latin America. We examine how diet, sampling site and year, and bat demography influence THg and test the consequences of this variation for eight immune measures. In two populations from Belize, THg concentrations in bats were best explained by an interaction between long-term diet inferred from stable isotopes and year. Bats that foraged more consistently on domestic animals exhibited higher THg. However, relationships between diet and THg were evident only in 2015 but not in 2014, which could reflect recent environmental perturbations associated with agriculture. THg concentrations were low relative to values previously observed in other bat species but still correlated with bat immunity. Bats with higher THg had more neutrophils, weaker bacterial killing ability and impaired innate immunity. These patterns suggest that temporal variation in Hg exposure may impair bat innate immunity and increase susceptibility to pathogens such as bacteria. Unexpected associations between low-level Hg exposure and immune function underscore the need to better understand the environmental sources of Hg exposure in bats and the consequences for bat immunity and susceptibility. PMID:28484633

Quantifying the burden of vampire bat rabies in Peruvian livestock

PubMed Central

Rojas Paniagua, Elizabeth; Hampson, Katie; Valderrama, William; Streicker, Daniel G.

2017-01-01

Background Knowledge of infectious disease burden is necessary to appropriately allocate resources for prevention and control. In Latin America, rabies is among the most important zoonoses for human health and agriculture, but the burden of disease attributed to its main reservoir, the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus), remains uncertain. Methodology/Principal findings We used questionnaires to quantify under-reporting of livestock deaths across 40 agricultural communities with differing access to health resources and epidemiological histories of vampire bat rabies (VBR) in the regions of Apurimac, Ayacucho and Cusco in southern Peru. Farmers who believed VBR was absent from their communities were one third as likely to report livestock deaths from disease as those who believed VBR was present, and under-reporting increased with distance from reporting offices. Using generalized mixed-effect models that captured spatial autocorrelation in reporting, we project 4.6 (95% CI: 4.4–8.2) rabies cases per reported case and identify geographic areas with potentially greater VBR burden than indicated by official reports. Spatially-corrected models estimate 505–724 cattle deaths from VBR in our study area during 2014 (421–444 deaths/100,000 cattle), costing US$121,797–171,992. Cost benefit analysis favoured vaccinating all cattle over the current practice of partial vaccination or halting vaccination all together. Conclusions Our study represents the first estimate of the burden of VBR in Latin America to incorporate data on reporting rates. We confirm the long-suspected cost of VBR to small-scale farmers and show that vaccinating livestock is a cost-effective solution to mitigate the burden of VBR. More generally, results highlight that ignoring geographic variation in access to health resources can bias estimates of disease burden and risk. PMID:29267276

Interspecific differences in growth response and tolerance to the antibiotic sulfadiazine in ten clonal wetland plants in South China.

PubMed

Chen, Jinfeng; Xu, Huilian; Sun, Yingbo; Huang, Lili; Zhang, Peixia; Zou, Chunping; Yu, Bo; Zhu, Genfa; Zhao, Chaoyi

2016-02-01

Pollution caused by residual antibiotics is a worldwide environmental issue. Antibiotic residues often occur in aquatic ecosystems, posing threats to the health of aquatic organisms. The effects of antibiotic residues on the growth of crop plants and on human health are reasonably well known. However, less is known about antibiotic effects on wetland plants. Therefore, we studied the response and tolerance of ten clonal wetland plants grown in soil spiked with sulfadiazine at 10 mg kg(-1) (an environmentally relevant concentration) and 100 mg kg(-1). At 10 mg kg(-1), ramet number was the least affected trait, while root number was the most affected among plant species. Plant shoot and total biomass were reduced in all species except in Cyperus malaccensis var. brevifolius and Panicum repens. Chlorophyll content was reduced in Alocasia macrorrhiza, Saururus chinensis, and Commelina diffusa. In general, Panicum paludosum and C. malaccensis var. brevifolius showed the least reduction of growth parameters, whereas growth of both A. macrorrhiza and S. chinensis was severely reduced. At 100 mg kg(-1), negative responses occurred in all species. Comprehensive tolerance analysis revealed that P. paludosum and C. malaccensis var. brevifolius were the species most resistant to sulfadiazine. These species are potential candidates for sulfadiazine polluted wetland restoration. A. macrorrhiza and S. chinensis were the most susceptible species and they should be protected from sulfadiazine pollution. Relative plant shoot biomass and height were the most useful indicators for evaluating plant tolerance to sulfadiazine. Plant tolerance to sulfadiazine was associated with the differences of plants in height and shoot biomass. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting post-control reinvasion by seed of an invasive species, Phragmites australis, in the central Platte River, Nebraska.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galatowitsch, Susan M.; Larson, Diane L.; Larson, Jennifer L.

2016-01-01

Invasive plants, such as Phragmites australis, can profoundly affect channel environments of large rivers by stabilizing sediments and altering water flows. Invasive plant removal is considered necessary where restoration of dynamic channels is needed to provide critical habitat for species of conservation concern. However, these programs are widely reported to be inefficient. Post-control reinvasion is frequent, suggesting increased attention is needed to prevent seed regeneration. To develop more effective responses to this invader in the Central Platte River (Nebraska, USA), we investigated several aspects of Phragmites seed ecology potentially linked to post-control reinvasion, in comparison to other common species: extent of viable seed production, importance of water transport, and regeneration responses to hydrology. We observed that although Phragmites seed does not mature until very late in the ice-free season, populations produce significant amounts of viable seed (>50 % of filled seed). Most seed transported via water in the Platte River are invasive perennial species, although Phragmites abundances are much lower than species such as Lythrum salicaria, Cyperus esculentus and Phalaris arundinacea. Seed regeneration of Phragmites varies greatly depending on hydrology, especially timing of water level changes. Flood events coinciding with the beginning of seedling emergence reduced establishment by as much as 59 % compared to flood events that occurred a few weeks later. Results of these investigations suggest that prevention of seed set (i.e., by removal of flowering culms) should be a priority in vegetation stands not being treated annually. After seeds are in the seedbank, preventing reinvasion using prescribed flooding has a low chance of success given that Phragmites can regenerate in a wide variety of hydrologic microsites.

Susceptibility of Several Common Subtropical Weeds to Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica.

PubMed

Kokalis-Burelle, Nancy; Rosskopf, Erin N

2012-06-01

Experiments were conducted in the greenhouse to assess root galling and egg production of three root-knot nematode species, Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica, on several weeds common to Florida agricultural land. Weeds evaluated were Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot pigweed), Cyperus esculentus (yellow nutsedge), Eleusine indica (goosegrass), Portulaca oleracea (common purslane), and Solanum americanum (American black nightshade). Additionally, although it is recommended as a cover crop in southern regions of the U.S., Aeschynomene americana (American jointvetch) was evaluated as a weed following the detection of root galling in a heavy volunteer infestation of an experimental field in southeastern Florida. Weeds were propagated from seed and inoculated with 1000 nematode eggs when plants reached the two true-leaf stage. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Rutgers') was included as a positive control. Aeschynomene americana and P. oleracea roots supported the highest number of juveniles (J2) and had the highest number of eggs/g of root for all three species of Meloidogyne tested. However, though P. oleracea supported very high root levels of the three nematode species tested, its fleshy roots did not exhibit severe gall symptoms. Low levels of apparent galling, combined with high egg production, increase the potential for P. oleracea to support populations of these three species of root-knot nematodes to a degree that may not be appropriately recognized. This research quantifies the impact of P. oleracea as a host for M. arenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica compared to several other important weeds commonly found in Florida agricultural production, and the potential for A. americana to serve as an important weed host of the three species of root-knot nematode tested in southern regions of Florida.

Susceptibility of Several Common Subtropical Weeds to Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica

PubMed Central

Kokalis-Burelle, Nancy; Rosskopf, Erin N.

2012-01-01

Experiments were conducted in the greenhouse to assess root galling and egg production of three root-knot nematode species, Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica, on several weeds common to Florida agricultural land. Weeds evaluated were Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot pigweed), Cyperus esculentus (yellow nutsedge), Eleusine indica (goosegrass), Portulaca oleracea (common purslane), and Solanum americanum (American black nightshade). Additionally, although it is recommended as a cover crop in southern regions of the U.S., Aeschynomene americana (American jointvetch) was evaluated as a weed following the detection of root galling in a heavy volunteer infestation of an experimental field in southeastern Florida. Weeds were propagated from seed and inoculated with 1000 nematode eggs when plants reached the two true-leaf stage. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Rutgers’) was included as a positive control. Aeschynomene americana and P. oleracea roots supported the highest number of juveniles (J2) and had the highest number of eggs/g of root for all three species of Meloidogyne tested. However, though P. oleracea supported very high root levels of the three nematode species tested, its fleshy roots did not exhibit severe gall symptoms. Low levels of apparent galling, combined with high egg production, increase the potential for P. oleracea to support populations of these three species of root-knot nematodes to a degree that may not be appropriately recognized. This research quantifies the impact of P. oleracea as a host for M. arenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica compared to several other important weeds commonly found in Florida agricultural production, and the potential for A. americana to serve as an important weed host of the three species of root-knot nematode tested in southern regions of Florida. PMID:23482324

Long-term assessment at field scale of Floating Treatment Wetlands for improvement of water quality and provision of ecosystem services in a eutrophic urban pond.

PubMed

Olguín, Eugenia J; Sánchez-Galván, Gloria; Melo, Francisco J; Hernández, Víctor J; González-Portela, Ricardo E

2017-04-15

Pollution of urban water bodies requires stringent control measures and the development of low-cost and highly efficient alternative technologies. In contrast to Constructed Wetlands, Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) have the advantage of not requiring large surface of land since they operate in situ. However, there is limited information about their long-term evaluation while operating at field scale. The aim of this work was to assess the performance of FTWs using a combination of Pontederia sagittata and Cyperus papyrus for the improvement of the water quality and provision of ecosystem services of a eutrophic urban pond. The FTWs were built with low-cost material easy to acquire and to ensemble. Two FTWs (17.5m 2 and 33m 2 ) located in Pond 1 within a complex of 4 urban artificial ponds were evaluated for two years. They promoted an increase in the dissolved oxygen (D.O.) within a range of 15 to 67%, a removal of fecal coliforms in the range of 9 to 86% and a nitrate removal in the range of 9 to 76%. The plant productivity reached a maximum of 363g dm m -2 d -1 in the FTW1 and 536g dm m -2 d -1 in the FTW2 during the period March-June 2016. The TKN and the TP content in the plant were in the range of 18.3 to 28.1 and of 0.05 to 0.196gkg -1 dry matter, respectively. In conclusion, the tested FTWs have proved to be a very beneficial low-cost technology for the improvement of water quality and provision of ecosystem services. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Varying Land-Use Has an Influence on Wattled and Grey Crowned Cranes' Abundance and Distribution in Driefontein Grasslands Important Bird Area, Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Fakarayi, Togarasei; Mashapa, Clayton; Gandiwa, Edson; Kativu, Shakkie

2016-01-01

Three species of cranes are distributed widely throughout southern Africa, but little is known about how they respond to the changes in land-use that have occurred in this region. This study assessed habitat preference of the two crane species across land-use categories of the self contained small scale commercial farms of 30 to 40 ha per household (A1), large scale commercial agriculture farms of > 50 ha per household (A2) and Old Resettlement, farms of < 5 ha per household with communal grazing land in Driefontein Grasslands Important Bird Area (IBA), Zimbabwe. The study further explored how selected explanatory (environmental) habitat variables influence crane species abundance. Crane bird counts and data on influencing environmental variables were collected between June and August 2012. Our results show that varying land-use categories had an influence on the abundance and distribution of the Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) and the Grey Crowned Crane (Belearica regulorum) across Driefontein Grasslands IBA. The Wattled Crane was widely distributed in the relatively undisturbed A2 farms while the Grey Crowned Crane was associated with the more disturbed land of A1 farms, Old Resettlement and its communal grazing land. Cyperus esculentus and percent (%) bare ground were strong environmental variables best explaining the observed patterns in Wattled Crane abundance across land-use categories. The pattern in Grey Crowned Crane abundance was best explained by soil penetrability, moisture and grass height variables. A holistic sustainable land-use management that takes into account conservation of essential habitats in Driefontein Grasslands IBA is desirable for crane populations and other wetland dependent species that include water birds.

Varying Land-Use Has an Influence on Wattled and Grey Crowned Cranes’ Abundance and Distribution in Driefontein Grasslands Important Bird Area, Zimbabwe

PubMed Central

Fakarayi, Togarasei; Mashapa, Clayton; Gandiwa, Edson; Kativu, Shakkie

2016-01-01

Three species of cranes are distributed widely throughout southern Africa, but little is known about how they respond to the changes in land-use that have occurred in this region. This study assessed habitat preference of the two crane species across land-use categories of the self contained small scale commercial farms of 30 to 40 ha per household (A1), large scale commercial agriculture farms of > 50 ha per household (A2) and Old Resettlement, farms of < 5 ha per household with communal grazing land in Driefontein Grasslands Important Bird Area (IBA), Zimbabwe. The study further explored how selected explanatory (environmental) habitat variables influence crane species abundance. Crane bird counts and data on influencing environmental variables were collected between June and August 2012. Our results show that varying land-use categories had an influence on the abundance and distribution of the Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) and the Grey Crowned Crane (Belearica regulorum) across Driefontein Grasslands IBA. The Wattled Crane was widely distributed in the relatively undisturbed A2 farms while the Grey Crowned Crane was associated with the more disturbed land of A1 farms, Old Resettlement and its communal grazing land. Cyperus esculentus and percent (%) bare ground were strong environmental variables best explaining the observed patterns in Wattled Crane abundance across land-use categories. The pattern in Grey Crowned Crane abundance was best explained by soil penetrability, moisture and grass height variables. A holistic sustainable land-use management that takes into account conservation of essential habitats in Driefontein Grasslands IBA is desirable for crane populations and other wetland dependent species that include water birds. PMID:27875552

Potential Application of Shallow Bed Wetland Roof systems for green urban cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bui, X. T.

2016-12-01

This study aims to investigate the growth, nutrient uptake, domestic wastewater treatment, green (leaf) area and heat reduction of four shallow subsurface flow wetland roof (WR) systems with four different new local plants. Selected species included Cyperus Javanicus Hot (WR1), Eleusine Indica (L.) Gaertn (WR2), Struchium Sparganophorum (L.) Kuntze (WR3) and Kyllinga Brevifolia Rottb (WR4). These systems were operated during 61 days at hydraulic loading rates of 353 - 403 m3/ha.day. The biomass growth of 4.9-73.7g fresh weight/day, and 0.8-11.4 g dry weight/day were observed. The nutrient accumulation according to dry biomass achieved 0.25-2.14% of total nitrogen (TN) and 0.13-1.07% of total phosphorus (TP). The average COD, TN and TP removal was 61-79%; 54-81% and 62-83%, which corresponding to 27-33 kg COD/ha.day, 10-14 kg TN/ha.day and 0.4-0.5 kg TP/ha.day, respectively. The WR4 system achieved the highest COD and TN removal among the WRs. The TP removal efficiency showed an insignificant difference for the systems. Consequently, the treated water quality complied with the Vietnam standard limits (QCVN 14:2008, level B). The green area of the four plants varied between 63-92 m2 green leaf/m2 WR. The WR4 was the highest green area. Moreover, the results also showed the temperature under the flat roof was 1-3°C lower than that of the ambient air. In summary, wetland roof is a promising technology, which not only owns the effective domestic wastewater treatment capacity, but also contributes to green urban with several above benefits.

Composition of the seed bank in drawdown areas of navigation pool 8 of the upper Mississippi river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kenow, K.P.; Lyon, J.E.

2009-01-01

In an effort to enhance aquatic plant production and habitat diversity on the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), resource managers considered water level reduction as a management tool to increase the area of emergent and submersed aquatic vegetation by natural seed germination. To quantify the availability of seed, we assessed the potential seed bank of selected areas of Navigation Pool 8 of the UMR from substrate samples collected in spring 2000. We tested these samples for viable seed content under four hydrologic conditions: dry, moist, shallow flooded and submerged. Forty-seven species were identified in the seed bank, including 27 obligate wetland, 10 facultative wetland and 7 upland species. Dominant taxa within the seed bank included Sagittaria spp., Lindernia dubia, Zosterella dubia, Cyperus spp., Eragrostis spp. and Leersia oryzoides. Of the four hydrologic treatments, moist substrates had the greatest species diversity and were the most productive, yielding an average density of 1420 seedlings m-2. Emergent and submersed aquatic species were widely distributed, each type occurring in more than 90% of the samples. Timing of seedling germination varied among species and has implications for scheduling drawdowns to promote establishment of desired species. Seed bank results were correlated with the vegetation response on substrates exposed during a reduction of water levels of Pool 8 during summer 2001. Experimentally determining the composition and viability of seed banks from drawdown areas provides information useful in predicting the types of vegetation that may develop on exposed substrates. Further, these findings provide resource managers a better understanding of the potential for achieving desired vegetation response through water level reductions.

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of plants from northeast of Mexico.

PubMed

Salazar-Aranda, Ricardo; Pérez-López, Luis Alejandro; López-Arroyo, Joel; Alanís-Garza, Blanca Alicia; Waksman de Torres, Noemí

2011-01-01

Traditional medicine has a key role in health care worldwide. Obtaining scientific information about the efficacy and safety of the plants from our region is one of the goals of our research group. In this report, 17 plants were selected and collected in different localities from northeast Mexico. The dried plants were separated into leaves, flowers, fruit, stems, roots and bark. Each part was extracted with methanol, and 39 crude extracts were prepared. The extracts were tested for their antimicrobial activity using three Gram-negative bacterial strains (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii), three Gram-positive bacterial strains (Enterococcus faecalis and two Staphylococcus aureus strains), and seven clinically isolated yeasts (Candida albicans, C. krusei, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis and C. glabrata); their antioxidant activity was tested using a DPPH free radical assay. No activity against Gram-negative bacteria was observed with any extract up to the maximum concentration tested, 1000 μg ml(-1). We report here for the first time activity of Ceanothus coeruleus against S. aureus (flowers, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) 125 μg ml(-1)), C. glabrata (MICs 31.25 μg ml(-1)) and C. parapsilosis (MICs between 31.25 and 125 μg ml(-1)); Chrysanctinia mexicana against C. glabrata (MICs 31.25 μg ml(-1)); Colubrina greggii against E. faecalis (MICs 250 μg ml(-1)) and Cordia boissieri against C. glabrata (MIC 125 μg ml(-1)). Furthermore, this is the first report about antioxidant activity of extracts from Ceanothus coeruleus, Chrysanctinia mexicana, Colubrina greggii and Cyperus alternifolius. Some correlation could exist between antioxidant activity and antiyeast activity against yeasts in the species Ceanothus coeruleus, Schinus molle, Colubrina greggii and Cordia boissieri.

Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Plants from Northeast of Mexico

PubMed Central

Salazar-Aranda, Ricardo; Pérez-López, Luis Alejandro; López-Arroyo, Joel; Alanís-Garza, Blanca Alicia; Waksman de Torres, Noemí

2011-01-01

Traditional medicine has a key role in health care worldwide. Obtaining scientific information about the efficacy and safety of the plants from our region is one of the goals of our research group. In this report, 17 plants were selected and collected in different localities from northeast Mexico. The dried plants were separated into leaves, flowers, fruit, stems, roots and bark. Each part was extracted with methanol, and 39 crude extracts were prepared. The extracts were tested for their antimicrobial activity using three Gram-negative bacterial strains (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii), three Gram-positive bacterial strains (Enterococcus faecalis and two Staphylococcus aureus strains), and seven clinically isolated yeasts (Candida albicans, C. krusei, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis and C. glabrata); their antioxidant activity was tested using a DPPH free radical assay. No activity against Gram-negative bacteria was observed with any extract up to the maximum concentration tested, 1000 μg ml−1. We report here for the first time activity of Ceanothus coeruleus against S. aureus (flowers, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) 125 μg ml−1), C. glabrata (MICs 31.25 μg ml−1) and C. parapsilosis (MICs between 31.25 and 125 μg ml−1); Chrysanctinia mexicana against C. glabrata (MICs 31.25 μg ml−1); Colubrina greggii against E. faecalis (MICs 250 μg ml−1) and Cordia boissieri against C. glabrata (MIC 125 μg ml−1). Furthermore, this is the first report about antioxidant activity of extracts from Ceanothus coeruleus, Chrysanctinia mexicana, Colubrina greggii and Cyperus alternifolius. Some correlation could exist between antioxidant activity and antiyeast activity against yeasts in the species Ceanothus coeruleus, Schinus molle, Colubrina greggii and Cordia boissieri. PMID:19770266

The interaction of heavy metals and nutrients present in soil and native plants with arbuscular mycorrhizae on the riverside in the Matanza-Riachuelo River Basin (Argentina).

PubMed

Mendoza, Rodolfo E; García, Ileana V; de Cabo, Laura; Weigandt, Cristian F; Fabrizio de Iorio, Alicia

2015-02-01

This study assessed the contamination by heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn), and nutrients (N, P) in soils and native plants, and the effect of the concentration of those elements with the density of arbuscular-mycorrhizal (AM) spores in soil and colonization in roots from the riverside of the Matanza-Riachuelo River Basin (MRRB). The concentration of metals and nutrients in soils and plants (Eleocharis montana, Cyperus eragrostis, Hydrocotyle bonariensis) increased from the upper sites (8 km from headwaters) to the lower sites (6 km from the mouth of the Riachuelo River) of the basin. AM-colonization on the roots of H. bonariensis and spore density in soil decreased as the concentrations of metals in soil and plant tissues increased from the upper to lower sites of the basin within a consistent gradient of contamination associated with land use, soil disturbance, population, and chemicals discharged into the streams and rivers along the MRRB. The general trends for all metals in plant tissue were to have highest concentrations in roots, then in rhizomes and lowest in aerial biomass. The translocation (TF) and bioconcentration (BCF) factors decreased in plants which grow from the upper sites to the lower sites of the basin. The plants tolerated a wide range in type and quantity of contamination along the basin by concentrating more metals and nutrients in roots than in aboveground tissue. The AM spore density in soil and colonization in roots of H. bonariensis decreased with the increase of the degree of contamination (Dc) in soil. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative anthelmintic activity investigation of selected ethno-medicinal weeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pueblos, Kirstin Rhys S.; Bajalla, Mark; Pacheco, Dixie; Ganot, Sheila; Paig, Daisy; Tapales, Radyn; Lagare, Jeanne; Quimque, Mark Tristan J.

2017-01-01

Helminth infections are one of the seriously neglected potent diseases in many parts of the world. The problems of parasitic helminthes becoming resistant to currently available anthelmintic drugs pose a challenge for the search - relying on natural products - for new and better anthelmintics. In this paper, four abundant Philippine weeds: Chrysopogon aciculatus Trin. Cyperus brevifolius Rottb., Ruellia tuberosa Linn. and Saccharum spontaneum Linn. were investigated for their anthelmintic activities to establish basis of their folkloric claim. The hexane-soluble and chloroform-soluble extracts were obtained through sequential solvent partitioning of the crude ethanolic extract of the air-dried aerial part of each plant sample. Meanwhile, the decoction was obtained from fresh aerial part of the plant samples. All extracts were then subjected to in vitro anthelmintic screening at different concentration as per method of Ghosh, et al. against African nightcrawler earthworms (Eudrillus euginiae) in which the activity of the extracts was determined by correlation with time. The anthelmintic bioassay results revealed a dose-dependent toxicity relationship. It indicated relatively low anthelmintic activities of the decoction of the four plant samples as compared to their corresponding crude ethanol extracts. Among the crude ethanol extracts, C. brevifolius (CBE) gave fastest time to bring about paralysis and death to the test organisms at all concentrations tested. For the hexane extracts, R. tuberosa (RTH) gave better activity among other plant samples. Lastly, among the chloroform-soluble extracts, both that of C. brevifolius (CBC) and R. tuberosa (RTC) comparably showed strongest anthelmintic activities at all tested concentrations, thus, exhibited best anthelmintic activity that is remarkably comparable to the positive control, Mebendazole at the highest concentration tested. In fact, CBC and RTC showed highest anthelmintic potential compared to all extracts tested in this study.

Monitoring Effects of Climatic stresses on a Papyrus Wetland System in Eastern Uganda Using Times Series of Remotely Sensed Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kayendeke, Ellen; French, Helen K.; Kansiime, Frank; Bamutaze, Yazidhi

2017-04-01

Papyrus wetlands predominant in southern, central and eastern Africa; are important in supporting community livelihoods since they provide land for agriculture, materials for building and craft making, as well as services of water purification and water storage. Papyrus wetlands are dominated by a sedge Cyperus papyrus, which is rooted at wetland edges but floats in open water with the help of a root mat composed of intermingled roots and rhizomes. The hypothesis is that the papyrus mat structure reduces flow velocity and increases storage volume during storm events, which not only helps to mitigate flood events but aids in storage of excess water that can be utilised during the dry seasons. However, due to sparse gauging there is inadequate meteorological and hydrological data for continuous monitoring of the hydrological functioning of papyrus systems. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of utilising freely available remote sensing data (MODIS, Landsat, and Sentinel-1) for cost effective monitoring of papyrus wetland systems, and their response to climatic stresses. This was done through segmentation of MODIS NDVI and Landsat derived NDWI datasets; as well as classification of Sentinel-1 images taken in wet and dry seasons of 2015 and 2016. The classified maps were used as proxies for changes in hydrological conditions with time. The preliminary results show that it is possible to monitor changes in biomass, wetland inundation extent, flooded areas, as well as changes in moisture content in surrounding agricultural areas in the different seasons. Therefore, we propose that remote sensing data, when complemented with available meteorological data, is a useful resource for monitoring changes in the papyrus wetland systems as a result of climatic and human induced stresses.

Action of essential oils from Brazilian native and exotic medicinal species on oral biofilms.

PubMed

Bersan, Salete M F; Galvão, Livia C C; Goes, Vivian F F; Sartoratto, Adilson; Figueira, Glyn M; Rehder, Vera L G; Alencar, Severino M; Duarte, Renata M T; Rosalen, Pedro L; Duarte, Marta C T

2014-11-18

Essential oils (EO) obtained from twenty medicinal and aromatic plants were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against the oral pathogens Candida albicans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Streptococcus sanguis and Streptococcus mitis. The antimicrobial activity of the EO was evaluates by microdilution method determining Minimal Inhibitory Concentration. Chemical analysis of the oils compounds was performed by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (CG-MS). The most active EO were also investigated as to their actions on the biolfilm formation. The most of the essential oils (EO) presented moderate to strong antimicrobial activity against the oral pathogens (MIC--Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations values between 0.007 and 1.00 mg/mL). The essential oil from Coriandrum sativum inhibited all oral species with MIC values from 0.007 to 0.250 mg/mL, and MBC/MFC (Minimal Bactericidal/Fungicidal Concentrations) from 0.015 to 0.500 mg/mL. On the other hand the essential oil of C. articulatus inhibited 63.96% of S. sanguis biofilm formation. Through Scanning Eletronic Microscopy (SEM) images no changes were observed in cell morphology, despite a decrease in biofilm formation and changes on biofilm structure. Chemical analysis by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) of the C. sativum essential oil revealed major compounds derivatives from alcohols and aldehydes, while Cyperus articulatus and Aloysia gratissima (EOs) presented mono and sesquiterpenes. In conclusion, the crude oil from C. articulatus exhibited the best results of antimicrobial activity e ability to control biofilm formation. The chemical analysis showed the presence of terpenes and monoterpenes such as a-pinene, a-bulnesene and copaene. The reduction of biofilms formation was confirmed from SEM images. The results of this research shows a great potential from the plants studied as new antimicrobial sources.

Phytoaccumulation of trace elements by wetland plants: 3. Uptake and accumulation of ten trace elements by twelve plant species

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qian, J.H.; Zayed, A.; Zhu, Y.L.

1999-10-01

Interest is increasing in using wetland plants in constructed wetlands to remove toxic elements from polluted wastewater. To identify those wetland plants that hyperaccumulate trace elements, 12 plant species were tested for their efficiency to bioconcentrate 10 potentially toxic trace elements including As, b, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, and Se. Individual plants were grown under carefully controlled conditions and supplied with 1 mg L{sup {minus}1} of each trace element individually for 10 d. Except B, all elements accumulated to much higher concentrations in roots than in shoots. Highest shoot tissue concentrations (mg kg{sup {minus}1} DW) of themore » various trace elements were attained by the following species: umbrella plant (Cyperus alternifolius L.) for Mn (198) and Cr (44); water zinnia (Wedelia trilobata Hitchc.) for Cd (148) and Ni (80); smartweed (Polygonum hydropiperoides Michx.) for Cu (95) and Pb (64); water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.) for Hg (92), As (34), and Se (39); and mare's tail (hippuris vulgaris L.) for B (1132). Whereas, the following species attained the highest root tissue concentrations (mg kg{sup {minus}1} DW); stripped rush (Baumia rubiginosa) for Mn (1683); parrot's feather (Myriophyllum brasiliense Camb.) for Cd (1426) and Ni (1077); water lettuce for Cu (1038), Hg (1217), and As (177); smartweed for Cr (2980) and Pb (1882); mare's tail for B (1277); and monkey flower (Mimulus guttatus Fisch.) for Se (384). From a phytoremediation perspective, smartweed was probably the best plant species for trace element removal from wastewater due to its faster growth and higher plant density.« less

Arsenic accumulation in native plants of West Bengal, India: prospects for phytoremediation but concerns with the use of medicinal plants.

PubMed

Tripathi, Preeti; Dwivedi, Sanjay; Mishra, Aradhana; Kumar, Amit; Dave, Richa; Srivastava, Sudhakar; Shukla, Mridul Kumar; Srivastava, Pankaj Kumar; Chakrabarty, Debasis; Trivedi, Prabodh Kumar; Tripathi, Rudra Deo

2012-05-01

Arsenic (As) is a widespread environmental and food chain contaminant and class I, non-threshold carcinogen. Plants accumulate As due to ionic mimicry that is of importance as a measure of phytoremediation but of concern due to the use of plants in alternative medicine. The present study investigated As accumulation in native plants including some medicinal plants, from three districts [Chinsurah (Hoogly), Porbosthali (Bardhman), and Birnagar (Nadia)] of West Bengal, India, having a history of As pollution. A site-specific response was observed for Specific Arsenic Uptake (SAU; mg kg(-1) dw) in total number of 13 (8 aquatic and 5 terrestrial) collected plants. SAU was higher in aquatic plants (5-60 mg kg(-1) dw) than in terrestrial species (4-19 mg kg(-1) dw). The level of As was lower in medicinal plants (MPs) than in non-medicinal plants, however it was still beyond the WHO permissible limit (1 mg kg(-1) dw). The concentration of other elements (Cu, Zn, Se, and Pb) was found to be within prescribed limits in medicinal plants (MP). Among the aquatic plants, Marsilea showed the highest SAU (avg. 45 mg kg(-1) dw), however, transfer factor (TF) of As was the maximum in Centella asiatica (MP, avg. 1). Among the terrestrial plants, the maximum SAU and TF were demonstrated by Alternanthera ficoidea (avg. 15) and Phyllanthus amarus (MP, avg. 1.27), respectively. In conclusion, the direct use of MP or their by products for humans should not be practiced without proper regulation. In other way, one fern species (Marsilea) and some aquatic plants (Eichhornia crassipes and Cyperus difformis) might be suitable candidates for As phytoremediation of paddy fields.

High Colonization Possibility of Some Species of Weeds in Suaeda salsa Community: From an Ecological Stoichiometry Perspective

PubMed Central

Ge, Changzi; Wang, Renqing; Chai, Yanchao; Wang, Haiqing; Kan, Manman; Liu, Jian

2017-01-01

Suaeda salsa community is a vegetation type in saline-alkali areas. Weed invasion and colonization in S. salsa communities lead to fragmentationsof S. salsa communities. The colonization of invaded weeds in S. salsa communities is related to community succession of saline-alkali zones. The fragmented S. salsa community may be restored if the mechanism of invaded weed colonization in S. salsa communities is clearly elucidated. Thus, we studied the ecological stoichiometric characteristics of soils and plants in a salt marsh to explain the high colonization possibility of invaded weeds in S. salsa communities. In October 2014, soils and plants were collected from Dongfeng Salt Marsh, Jiaozhou Bay, Shandong Province, China. The ratio of Ex-N/Ex-P in soil was less than 13, which suggests a relative nitrogen limitation for the primary production in the zone. The minimum phosphorus content in plants was higher than 1 mg g-1, whereas the maximum nitrogen content in plants was less than 13 mg g-1. These results imply that phosphorus was abundant, whereas nitrogen was deficient in the area. The plants in the salt marsh may be limited by nitrogen. Given the relatively lower nitrogen contents in Cyperus glomeratus, Echinochloa crusgalli, and Aster subulatus than that in S. salsa, these three species exhibited higher competitiveness than S. salsa did when nitrogen was limited in primary production. These weed species may colonize highly in S. salsa communities. Moreover, nitrogen fertilization might be effective to maintain S. salsa community in Dongfeng Salt Marsh, whereas its effects on controlling weeds colonization in S. salsa communities need more studies to verify. PMID:28135313

High Colonization Possibility of Some Species of Weeds in Suaeda salsa Community: From an Ecological Stoichiometry Perspective.

PubMed

Ge, Changzi; Wang, Renqing; Chai, Yanchao; Wang, Haiqing; Kan, Manman; Liu, Jian

2017-01-01

Suaeda salsa community is a vegetation type in saline-alkali areas. Weed invasion and colonization in S. salsa communities lead to fragmentationsof S. salsa communities. The colonization of invaded weeds in S. salsa communities is related to community succession of saline-alkali zones. The fragmented S. salsa community may be restored if the mechanism of invaded weed colonization in S. salsa communities is clearly elucidated. Thus, we studied the ecological stoichiometric characteristics of soils and plants in a salt marsh to explain the high colonization possibility of invaded weeds in S. salsa communities. In October 2014, soils and plants were collected from Dongfeng Salt Marsh, Jiaozhou Bay, Shandong Province, China. The ratio of Ex-N/Ex-P in soil was less than 13, which suggests a relative nitrogen limitation for the primary production in the zone. The minimum phosphorus content in plants was higher than 1 mg g-1, whereas the maximum nitrogen content in plants was less than 13 mg g-1. These results imply that phosphorus was abundant, whereas nitrogen was deficient in the area. The plants in the salt marsh may be limited by nitrogen. Given the relatively lower nitrogen contents in Cyperus glomeratus, Echinochloa crusgalli, and Aster subulatus than that in S. salsa, these three species exhibited higher competitiveness than S. salsa did when nitrogen was limited in primary production. These weed species may colonize highly in S. salsa communities. Moreover, nitrogen fertilization might be effective to maintain S. salsa community in Dongfeng Salt Marsh, whereas its effects on controlling weeds colonization in S. salsa communities need more studies to verify.

Comparison of litter decomposition in a natural versus coal-slurry pond reclaimed as a wetland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, J.; Middleton, B.A.

2004-01-01

Decomposition is a key function in reclaimed wetlands, and changes in its rate have ramifications for organic-matter accumulation, nutrient cycling, and production. The purpose of this study was to compare leaf litter decomposition rates in coal-slurry ponds vs. natural wetlands on natural floodplain wetlands in Illinois, USA. The rate of decomposition was slower in the natural wetland vs. the coal pond (k=0.0043??0.0008 vs. 0.0066??0.0011, respectively); the soil of the natural wetland was more acidic than the coal pond in this study (pH=5.3 vs. 7.9, respectively). Similarly, higher organic matter levels were related to lower pH levels, and organic matter levels were seven-times higher in the natural wetland than in the coal pond. The coal slurry pond was five years old at the time of the study, while the natural oxbow wetland was older (more than 550 years). The coal-slurry pond was originally a floodplain wetland (slough); the downstream end was blocked with a stoplog structure and the oxbow filled with slurry. The pattern of decomposition for all species in the coal pond was the same as in the natural pond; Potomogeton nodosus decomposed more quickly than Phragmites australis, and both of these species decomposed more quickly than either Typha latifolia or Cyperus erythrorhizos (k=0.0121??0.0008, 0.0051??0.0006, 0.0024??0.0001, 0-0024??0.0004, respectively). Depending on how open or closed the system is to outside inputs, decomposition rate regulates other functions such as production, nutrient cycling, organic-layer accumulation in the soil, and the timing and nature of delivery of detritus to the food chain. ?? 2004 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

In vivo antitumor effect, induction of apoptosis and safety of Remirea maritima Aubl. (Cyperaceae) extracts.

PubMed

Dória, Grace Anne A; Menezes, Paula P; Lima, Bruno S; Vasconcelos, Bruno S; Silva, Francilene A; Henriques, Raíssa M; Melo, Marcélia G D; Alves, Ângela V F; Moraes, Manoel O; Pessoa, Cláudia Ó; Carvalho, Adriana A; Prata, Ana Paula N; Junior, Ricardo Luiz C A; Lima-Verde, Isabel B; Quintans-Júnior, Lucindo J; Bezerra, Daniel P; Nogueira, Paulo C L; Araujo, Adriano A S

2016-08-15

Remirea maritima has been widely used in the treatment of diarrhea, kidney disease, and high fever and for therapeutic purposes, such as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory. However, few scientific research studies on its medicinal properties have been reported. The present study aimed to investigate the anticancer potential of aqueous extract (AE), 40% hydroalcoholic extracts (40HA) and 70% (70HA) from R. maritima in experimental models and to identify its phytochemical compounds. The chemical composition of AE, 40HA and 70HA was assessed by HPLC-DAD and ESI-IT-MS/MS. In vitro activity was determined on cultured tumor cell, NCI-H385N (Broncho-alveolar carcinoma), OVCAR-8 (Ovarian carcinoma) and PC-3M (prostate carcinoma) by the MTT assay, and the in vivo antitumor activity was assessed in Sarcoma 180-bearing mice. Toxicological parameters were also evaluated as well as the humoral immune response. Among the aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of R. maritima, only 40HA showed in vitro biological effect potential, presenting IC50 values of 27.08, 46.62 and >50µg/ml for OVCAR-8, NCI-H385M and PC-3M cells lines, respectively. Regarding chemical composition, a mixture of isovitexin-2''-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, vitexin-2''-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, luteolin-7-O-glucuronide and 1-O-(E)-caffeoyl-β-D-glucose were identified as the major phytochemical compounds of the extracts. In the in vivo study, the tumor inhibition rates were 57.16-62.57% at doses of 25mg/kg and 50mg/kg, respectively, and the tumor morphology presented increasing numbers of apoptotic cells. Additionally, 40HA also demonstrated significantly increased of OVA-specific total Ig. 40HA exhibited in vitro and in vivo anticancer properties without substantial toxicity that could be associated with its immunostimulating properties. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

A Stratigraphic Pollen Record from a Late Pleistocene Cypress Forest, Northern Gulf of Mexico Continental Shelf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reese, A.; Harley, G. L.; DeLong, K. L.; Bentley, S. J.; Xu, K.; Gonzalez Rodriguez, S. M.; Truong, J. T.; Obelcz, J.; Caporaso, A.

2017-12-01

Stratigraphic pollen analysis was performed on a layer of preserved peat found near the bottom of a 4.75m vibracore taken in 18m of water off the coast of Orange Beach, Alabama. The core was taken from a site where the remains of a previously buried bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) forest was discovered after wave action, likely from Hurricane Ivan in 2004, scoured and removed the overlying Holocene/late Pleistocene sand sheet. Many of the cypress stumps found at the site are still in growth position, and rooted in the preserved terrestrial soils below. Radiocarbon dating of the peat recovered in core DF1 suggests that the sediment is likely Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3), or earlier. We hypothesize that the site was quickly buried and preserved by floodplain aggradation associated with sea-level rise that occurred near the end of MIS 3. This rare find provides an opportunity to study in situ fossil pollen from a glacial refugium in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Pollen results from the lowermost sections within the peat layer show an assemblage consistent with a bald cypress/tupelo gum (Nyssa aquatica) backwater. This is eventually replaced by a more open, possibly brackish, environment, dominated by grasses (Poaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae). During this change however, there is a brief but very interesting period where the pollen assemblage is likely analogous to the modern day Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Levee/Bar Forests of North and South Carolina. In this modern assemblage, as well as the core samples, birch (Betula), oak (Quercus) and bald cypress are the dominant taxa, along with a strong presence of alder (Alnus), grasses and sedges. We hypothesize that these bar forests formed on areas of higher ground, which resulted from floodplain aggradation that accompanied sea level rise at the end of MIS 3.

The Cerrado (Brazil) plant cytogenetics database.

PubMed

Roa, Fernando; Telles, Mariana Pires de Campos

2017-01-01

Cerrado is a biodiversity hotspot that has lost ca. 50% of its original vegetation cover and hosts ca. 11,000 species belonging to 1,423 genera of phanerogams. For a fraction of those species some cytogenetic characteristics like chromosome numbers and C-value were available in databases, while other valuable information such as karyotype formula and banding patterns are missing. In order to integrate and share all cytogenetic information published for Cerrado species, including frequency of cytogenetic attributes and scientometrics aspects, Cerrado plant species were searched in bibliographic sources, including the 50 richest genera (with more than 45 taxa) and 273 genera with only one species in Cerrado. Determination of frequencies and the database website (http://cyto.shinyapps.io/cerrado) were developed in R. Studies were pooled by employed technique and decade, showing a rise in non-conventional cytogenetics since 2000. However, C-value estimation, heterochromatin staining and molecular cytogenetics are still not common for any family. For the richest and best sampled families, the following modal 2n counts were observed: Oxalidaceae 2n = 12, Lythraceae 2n = 30, Sapindaceae 2n = 24, Solanaceae 2n = 24, Cyperaceae 2n = 10, Poaceae 2n = 20, Asteraceae 2n = 18 and Fabaceae 2n = 26. Chromosome number information is available for only 16.1% of species, while there are genome size data for only 1.25%, being lower than the global percentages. In general, genome sizes were small, ranging from 2C = ca. 1.5 to ca. 3.5 pg. Intra-specific 2n number variation and higher 2n counts were mainly related to polyploidy, which relates to the prevalence of even haploid numbers above the mode of 2n in most major plant clades. Several orphan genera with almost no cytogenetic studies for Cerrado were identified. This effort represents a complete diagnosis for cytogenetic attributes of plants of Cerrado.

Final Pleistocene and Holocene pollen stratigraphic sequence from the Cloquet River area, St. Louis Co. , NE Minnesota

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hill, C.L.; Rapp, G.R. Jr.; Huber, J.K.

A five-meter pollen sequence from a bog has been studied as part of a project concerned with the late-Quaternary paleoenvironmental setting and prehistory of northeastern Minnesota. The stratigraphic sequence is situated on an outwash plain derived from the Automba phase of glaciation (ca. 15,000 B.P.) and is located near a series of surface archaeological localities containing possible late Paleoindian lithic assemblages. Loss-on-ignition and particle size analyses reveal that the top section of the core, to a depth of about 350 cm, is composed predominantly of organics, the remaining 150 cm is dominated by mud. Radicarbon ages of 9270 +/- 190more » B.P. (UCR-1825) for the 350-355 cm interval, and 9420 +/- 180 (UCR-1826) for the 350-364 cm interval, were obtained. Data derived from pollen counts made at 20 cm intervals throughout the sequence indicate the core can be divided into several pollen-stratigraphic zones. The lowest zone, from the base of the core to about 440 cm, contains Cyperaceae (initially at about 60% total pollen) and is also characterized by Picea and Salix. (ca5%). Above this, there is a zone which ends at about 360 cm and contains a Betula peak (>65%). These two zones are considered to reflect the presence of tundra-like and dwarf-birch tundra vegetational regimes in the area during the late Pleistocene. Several pollen stratigraphic zones above 360 cm provide an indication of the Holocene vegetational setting, and show the increasing dominance of Pinus. The paleoenvironmental record obtained from this core, along with studies of the geologic setting, late Quaternary glacial sequence, and physiographic situation of archaeological localities, may help to elucidate the conditions prevalent during this time and provide a basis for a clearer understanding of the prehistoric ecology of northeastern Minnesota.« less

Vegetation and climate history in arid western China during MIS2: New insights from pollen and grain-size data of the Balikun Lake, eastern Tien Shan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yongtao; An, Cheng-Bang; Mao, Limi; Zhao, Jiaju; Tang, Lingyu; Zhou, Aifeng; Li, Hu; Dong, Weimiao; Duan, Futao; Chen, Fahu

2015-10-01

Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 is mostly a cold period encompassing the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), but the regional expression of MIS2 in arid areas of China is not well known. In this paper, we use high-resolution lacustrine pollen and grain-size records from Balikun Lake to infer vegetation, lake evolution, and climate in arid western China during MIS2. Our results suggest that: 1) the regional vegetation around Balikun was mainly dominated by desert and/or desert-steppe, and Balikun Lake was relatively shallow and experienced high aeolian input during MIS2; 2) distinctive runoff from mountain glacial meltwater in the eastern parts of the Balikun basin caused a high relative abundance of Artemisia pollen during the LGM (26.5-19.2 cal kyr BP), while simultaneously the desert areas expanded as indicated by the high abundance of desert shrubs (e.g., Elaeagnaceae, Rhamnaceae, Hippophae). This cold and dry LGM climate triggered a substantial lowering of lake level; 3) an extremely cold and dry climate prevailing from 17.0 to 15.2 cal kyr BP, correlated with Heinrich event 1 (H1), would explain the low vegetation cover found then; and 4) the warm and humid Bølling/Allerød interstadial (BA: ca. 15-ca. 13 cal kyr BP) is clearly recorded in the Balikun region by the development of wetland herb communities (e.g., Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Typha), and the lake level rose due to increased runoff. Our results challenge the traditional view of cold and wet climatic conditions and high lake levels in arid western China during the LGM, and we propose that changes in local temperature modulated by July insolation was an indispensable factor in triggering vegetation evolution in the Balikun region during MIS2.

[Inverted meiosis and its place in the evolution of sexual reproduction pathways].

PubMed

Bogdanov, Yu F

2016-05-01

Inverted meiosis is observed in plants (Cyperaceae and Juncaceae) and insects (Coccoidea, Aphididae) with holocentric chromosomes, the centromeres of which occupy from 70 to 90% of the metaphase chromosome length. In the first meiotic division (meiosis I), chiasmata are formed and rodlike bivalents orient equationally, and in anaphase I, sister chromatids segregate to the poles; the diploid chromosome number is maintained. Non-sister chromatids of homologous chromosomes remain in contact during interkinesis and prophase II and segregate in anaphase II, forming haploid chromosome sets. The segregation of sister chromatids in meiosis I was demonstrated by example of three plant species that were heterozygous for chromosomal rearrangements. In these species, sister chromatids, marked with rearrangement, segregated in anaphase I. Using fluorescent antibodies, it was demonstrated that meiotic recombination enzymes Spo11 and Rad5l, typical of canonical meiosis, functioned at the meiotic prophase I of pollen mother cells of Luzula elegance and Rhynchospora pubera. Moreover, antibodies to synaptonemal complexes proteins ASY1 and ZYP1 were visualized as filamentous structures, pointing to probable formation of synaptonemal complexes. In L. elegance, chiasmata are formed by means of chromatin threads containing satellite DNA. According to the hypothesis of the author of this review, equational division of sister chromatids at meiosis I in the organisms with inverted meiosis can be explained by the absence of specific meiotic proteins (shugoshins). These proteins are able to protect cohesins of holocentric centromeres from hydrolysis by separases at meiosis I, as occurs in the organisms with monocentric chromosomes and canonical meiosis. The basic type of inverted meiosis was described in Coccoidea and Aphididae males. In their females, the variants of parthenogenesis were also observed. Until now, the methods of molecular cytogenetics were not applied for the analysis of inverted meiosis in Coccoidea and Aphididae. Evolutionary, inverted meiosis is thought to have appeared secondarily as an adaptation of the molecular mechanisms of canonical meiosis to chromosome holocentrism.

Identification of the vascular plants of Churchill, Manitoba, using a DNA barcode library

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Because arctic plant communities are highly vulnerable to climate change, shifts in their composition require rapid, accurate identifications, often for specimens that lack diagnostic floral characters. The present study examines the role that DNA barcoding can play in aiding floristic evaluations in the arctic by testing the effectiveness of the core plant barcode regions (rbcL, matK) and a supplemental ribosomal DNA (ITS2) marker for a well-studied flora near Churchill, Manitoba. Results This investigation examined 900 specimens representing 312 of the 354 species of vascular plants known from Churchill. Sequencing success was high for rbcL: 95% for fresh specimens and 85% for herbarium samples (mean age 20 years). ITS2 worked equally well for the fresh and herbarium material (89% and 88%). However, sequencing success was lower for matK, despite two rounds of PCR amplification, which reflected less effective primer binding and sensitivity to the DNA degradation (76% of fresh, 45% of herbaria samples). A species was considered as taxonomically resolved if its members showed at least one diagnostic difference from any other taxon in the study and formed a monophyletic clade. The highest species resolution (69%) was obtained by combining information from all three genes. The joint sequence information for rbcL and matK distinguished 54% of 286 species, while rbcL and ITS2 distinguished 63% of 285 species. Discrimination of species within Salix, which constituted 8% of the flora, was particularly problematic. Despite incomplete resolution, the barcode results revealed 22 misidentified herbarium specimens, and enabled the identification of field specimens which were otherwise too immature to identify. Although seven cases of ITS2 paralogy were noted in the families Cyperaceae, Juncaceae and Juncaginaceae, this intergenic spacer played an important role in resolving congeneric plant species at Churchill. Conclusions Our results provided fast and cost-effective solution to create a comprehensive, effective DNA barcode reference library for a local flora. PMID:23190419

Identification of the vascular plants of Churchill, Manitoba, using a DNA barcode library.

PubMed

Kuzmina, Maria L; Johnson, Karen L; Barron, Hannah R; Hebert, Paul Dn

2012-11-28

Because arctic plant communities are highly vulnerable to climate change, shifts in their composition require rapid, accurate identifications, often for specimens that lack diagnostic floral characters. The present study examines the role that DNA barcoding can play in aiding floristic evaluations in the arctic by testing the effectiveness of the core plant barcode regions (rbcL, matK) and a supplemental ribosomal DNA (ITS2) marker for a well-studied flora near Churchill, Manitoba. This investigation examined 900 specimens representing 312 of the 354 species of vascular plants known from Churchill. Sequencing success was high for rbcL: 95% for fresh specimens and 85% for herbarium samples (mean age 20 years). ITS2 worked equally well for the fresh and herbarium material (89% and 88%). However, sequencing success was lower for matK, despite two rounds of PCR amplification, which reflected less effective primer binding and sensitivity to the DNA degradation (76% of fresh, 45% of herbaria samples). A species was considered as taxonomically resolved if its members showed at least one diagnostic difference from any other taxon in the study and formed a monophyletic clade. The highest species resolution (69%) was obtained by combining information from all three genes. The joint sequence information for rbcL and matK distinguished 54% of 286 species, while rbcL and ITS2 distinguished 63% of 285 species. Discrimination of species within Salix, which constituted 8% of the flora, was particularly problematic. Despite incomplete resolution, the barcode results revealed 22 misidentified herbarium specimens, and enabled the identification of field specimens which were otherwise too immature to identify. Although seven cases of ITS2 paralogy were noted in the families Cyperaceae, Juncaceae and Juncaginaceae, this intergenic spacer played an important role in resolving congeneric plant species at Churchill. Our results provided fast and cost-effective solution to create a comprehensive, effective DNA barcode reference library for a local flora.

Burkholderia novacaledonica sp. nov. and B. ultramafica sp. nov. isolated from roots of Costularia spp. pioneer plants of ultramafic soils in New Caledonia.

PubMed

Guentas, Linda; Gensous, Simon; Cavaloc, Yvon; Ducousso, Marc; Amir, Hamid; De Georges de Ledenon, Benjamin; Moulin, Lionel; Jourand, Philippe

2016-05-01

The taxonomic status of eleven rhizospheric bacterial strains belonging to the genus Burkholderia and isolated from roots of Costularia (Cyperaceae), tropical herbaceous pioneer plants growing on ultramafic soils in New Caledonia, was investigated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The genetic analyses (16S rRNA genes, gyrB, recA, nreB and cnr) confirmed that all strains are Burkholderia and cluster into two separated groups. The DNA hybridization results showed low relatedness values to the closest relatives Burkholderia species. The phenotypic analyses confirmed that the two groups of strains could be differentiated from each other and from other known Burkholderia species. This polyphasic study revealed that these two groups of strains represent each a novel species of Burkholderia, for which the names Burkholderia novacaledonica sp. nov. (type strain STM10272(T)=LMG28615(T)=CIP110887(T)) and B. ultramafica sp. nov. (type strain STM10279(T)=LMG28614(T)=CIP110886(T)) are proposed, respectively. These strains of Burkholderia presented specific ecological traits such as the tolerance to the extreme edaphic constraints of ultramafic soils: they grew at pH between 4 and 8 and tolerate the strong unbalanced Ca/Mg ratio (1/19) and the high concentrations of heavy metals i.e. Co, Cr, Mn and Ni. Noteworthy B. ultramafica tolerated nickel until 10mM and B. novacaledonica up to 5mM. The presence of the nickel (nreB) and cobalt/nickel (cnr) resistance determinants encoding for protein involved in metal tolerance was found in all strains of both groups. Moreover, most of the strains were able to produce plant growth promoting molecules (ACC, IAA, NH3 and siderophores). Such ecological traits suggest that these new species of Burkholderia might be environmentally adaptable plant-associated bacteria and beneficial to plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The Cerrado (Brazil) plant cytogenetics database

PubMed Central

Roa, Fernando; Telles, Mariana Pires de Campos

2017-01-01

Abstract Cerrado is a biodiversity hotspot that has lost ca. 50% of its original vegetation cover and hosts ca. 11,000 species belonging to 1,423 genera of phanerogams. For a fraction of those species some cytogenetic characteristics like chromosome numbers and C-value were available in databases, while other valuable information such as karyotype formula and banding patterns are missing. In order to integrate and share all cytogenetic information published for Cerrado species, including frequency of cytogenetic attributes and scientometrics aspects, Cerrado plant species were searched in bibliographic sources, including the 50 richest genera (with more than 45 taxa) and 273 genera with only one species in Cerrado. Determination of frequencies and the database website (http://cyto.shinyapps.io/cerrado) were developed in R. Studies were pooled by employed technique and decade, showing a rise in non-conventional cytogenetics since 2000. However, C-value estimation, heterochromatin staining and molecular cytogenetics are still not common for any family. For the richest and best sampled families, the following modal 2n counts were observed: Oxalidaceae 2n = 12, Lythraceae 2n = 30, Sapindaceae 2n = 24, Solanaceae 2n = 24, Cyperaceae 2n = 10, Poaceae 2n = 20, Asteraceae 2n = 18 and Fabaceae 2n = 26. Chromosome number information is available for only 16.1% of species, while there are genome size data for only 1.25%, being lower than the global percentages. In general, genome sizes were small, ranging from 2C = ca. 1.5 to ca. 3.5 pg. Intra-specific 2n number variation and higher 2n counts were mainly related to polyploidy, which relates to the prevalence of even haploid numbers above the mode of 2n in most major plant clades. Several orphan genera with almost no cytogenetic studies for Cerrado were identified. This effort represents a complete diagnosis for cytogenetic attributes of plants of Cerrado. PMID:28919965

Differential distribution of amino acids in plants.

PubMed

Kumar, Vinod; Sharma, Anket; Kaur, Ravdeep; Thukral, Ashwani Kumar; Bhardwaj, Renu; Ahmad, Parvaiz

2017-05-01

Plants are a rich source of amino acids and their individual abundance in plants is of great significance especially in terms of food. Therefore, it is of utmost necessity to create a database of the relative amino acid contents in plants as reported in literature. Since in most of the cases complete analysis of profiles of amino acids in plants was not reported, the units used and the methods applied and the plant parts used were different, amino acid contents were converted into relative units with respect to lysine for statistical analysis. The most abundant amino acids in plants are glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Pearson's correlation analysis among different amino acids showed that there were no negative correlations between the amino acids. Cluster analysis (CA) applied to relative amino acid contents of different families. Alismataceae, Cyperaceae, Capparaceae and Cactaceae families had close proximity with each other on the basis of their relative amino acid contents. First three components of principal component analysis (PCA) explained 79.5% of the total variance. Factor analysis (FA) explained four main underlying factors for amino acid analysis. Factor-1 accounted for 29.4% of the total variance and had maximum loadings on glycine, isoleucine, leucine, threonine and valine. Factor-2 explained 25.8% of the total variance and had maximum loadings on alanine, aspartic acid, serine and tyrosine. 14.2% of the total variance was explained by factor-3 and had maximum loadings on arginine and histidine. Factor-4 accounted 8.3% of the total variance and had maximum loading on the proline amino acid. The relative content of different amino acids presented in this paper is alanine (1.4), arginine (1.8), asparagine (0.7), aspartic acid (2.4), cysteine (0.5), glutamic acid (2.8), glutamine (0.6), glycine (1.0), histidine (0.5), isoleucine (0.9), leucine (1.7), lysine (1.0), methionine (0.4), phenylalanine (0.9), proline (1.1), serine (1.0), threonine (1.0), tryptophan (0.3), tyrosine (0.7) and valine (1.2).

Carbohydrates and phenols as quantitative molecular vegetation proxies in peats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaiser, K.; Benner, R. H.

2012-12-01

Vegetation in peatlands is intricately linked to local environmental conditions and climate. Here we use chemical analyses of carbohydrates and phenols to reconstruct paleovegetation in peat cores collected from 56.8°N (SIB04), 58.4°N (SIB06), 63.8°N (G137) and 66.5°N (E113) in the Western Siberian Lowland. Lignin phenols (vanillyl and syringyl phenols) were sensitive biomarkers for vascular plant contributions and provided additional information on the relative contributions of angiosperm and gymnosperm plants. Specific neutral sugar compositions allowed identification of sphagnum mosses, sedges (Cyperaceae) and lichens. Hydroxyphenols released by CuO oxidation were useful tracers of sphagnum moss contributions. The three independent molecular proxies were calibrated with a diverse group of peat-forming plants to yield quantitative estimates (%C) of vascular plant, sphagnum moss and lichen contributions in peat core samples. Correlation analysis indicated the three molecular proxies produced fairly similar results for paleovegetation compositions, generally within the error interval of each approach (≤26%). The lignin-based method generally lead to higher estimates of vascular plant vegetation. Several significant deviations were also observed due to different reactivities of carbohydrate and phenolic polymers during peat decomposition. Rapid vegetation changes on timescales of 50-200 years were observed in the southern cores SIB04 and SIB06 over the last 2000 years. Vanillyl and syringyl phenol ratios indicated these vegetation changes were largely due to varying inputs of angiosperm and gymnosperm plants. The northern permafrost cores G137 and E113 showed a more stable development. Lichens briefly replaced sphagnum mosses and vascular plants in both of these cores. Shifts in vegetation did not correlate well with Northern hemisphere climate variability over the last 2000 years. This suggested that direct climate forcing of peatland dynamics was overridden by local or regional ecosystem variables. Overall, these molecular proxies offer robust complementary approaches to reconstruct paleovegetation in peat in addition to traditional methods such as macrofossil and pollen analyses.

Rabies Epidemiology and Control in Ecuador.

PubMed

Ortiz-Prado, Esteban; Ponce-Zea, Jorge; Ramirez, Dario; Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M; Armijos, Luciana; Yockteng, Jaime; Cardenas, Washington Bolivar

2015-07-12

Describe the epidemiology and the control effort for rabies in Ecuador. This observational study included data from the Ecuadorian National Institute of Census and Statistics (INEC), and mortality and morbidity data reported by the Ministry of Public Health and the National Institute for Social Security. We conducted a phylogeny analyses to compare the N gene from the Challenge Virus Standard (CVS) vaccine strain used in Ecuador with published Cosmopolitan, Asian and Sylvatic strains. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to determine the significance of the data. In 1996 Ecuador suffered the highest rate of rabies per capita in the Americas, with an incidence rate of 0.56 cases per 100 000 people per year. Human and canine rabies showed a sharp decline until 2012. Between 1994 and 2014, we found a correlation of 0.925 (p<0.01) between annual cases of dog and human rabies. In 2011, there was an epidemic of sylvatic rabies transmitted to people by vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) in the Amazon region, specifically in Morona Santiago, leading to 11 fatalities. Phylogenetic analyses of the CVS vaccine N gene showed an association with urban canine rabies strains (the Cosmopolitan lineage and Asian strains), whereas sylvatic rabies, like those reported in the Amazon region, were found to be grouped in a different clade represented mainly by bat-derived strains. This study presents the first compilation of epidemiological data on rabies in Ecuador. The incidence of human and canine rabies, also known as urban rabies, has clearly decreased due to massive canine vaccination campaigns. Phylogenetic analysis of the prevailing vaccine used in the country showed a clear separation from bat-derived rabies, the source of recent rabies outbreaks. Efforts are ongoing to develop rabies vaccines that are highly specific to the rabies virus genotype circulating in the region, including sylvatic rabies. These efforts include the implementation of reverse genetics to generate recombinant virus coding for the prevailing glycoprotein gene.

Rabies Epidemiology and Control in Ecuador

PubMed Central

Ortiz-Prado, Esteban; Ponce-Zea, Jorge; Ramirez, Dario; Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M.; Armijos, Luciana; Yockteng, Jaime; Cárdenas, Washington B.

2016-01-01

Objective: Describe the epidemiology and the control effort for rabies in Ecuador. Methods: This observational study included data from the Ecuadorian National Institute of Census and Statistics (INEC), and mortality and morbidity data reported by the Ministry of Public Health and the National Institute for Social Security. We conducted a phylogeny analyses to compare the N gene from the Challenge Virus Standard (CVS) vaccine strain used in Ecuador with published Cosmopolitan, Asian and Sylvatic strains. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to determine the significance of the data. Results: In 1996 Ecuador suffered the highest rate of rabies per capita in the Americas, with an incidence rate of 0.56 cases per 100 000 people per year. Human and canine rabies showed a sharp decline until 2012. Between 1994 and 2014, we found a correlation of 0.925 (p<0.01) between annual cases of dog and human rabies. In 2011, there was an epidemic of sylvatic rabies transmitted to people by vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) in the Amazon region, specifically in Morona Santiago, leading to 11 fatalities. Phylogenetic analyses of the CVS vaccine N gene showed an association with urban canine rabies strains (the Cosmopolitan lineage and Asian strains), whereas sylvatic rabies, like those reported in the Amazon region, were found to be grouped in a different clade represented mainly by bat-derived strains. Conclusions: This study presents the first compilation of epidemiological data on rabies in Ecuador. The incidence of human and canine rabies, also known as urban rabies, has clearly decreased due to massive canine vaccination campaigns. Phylogenetic analysis of the prevailing vaccine used in the country showed a clear separation from bat-derived rabies, the source of recent rabies outbreaks. Efforts are ongoing to develop rabies vaccines that are highly specific to the rabies virus genotype circulating in the region, including sylvatic rabies. These efforts include the implementation of reverse genetics to generate recombinant virus coding for the prevailing glycoprotein gene. PMID:26493436

Ecological correlates of cortisol levels in two bat species with contrasting feeding habits.

PubMed

Lewanzik, Daniel; Kelm, Detlev H; Greiner, Sabine; Dehnhard, Martin; Voigt, Christian C

2012-05-15

The immediate release of adrenal glucocorticoids can be crucial for an animal's survival when facing a stressor, but constantly elevated or exceptionally high glucocorticoid levels are usually detrimental for health. Although baseline and maximal secretion of glucocorticoids are regulated within narrow ranges within species, plasma glucocorticoid levels vary largely across vertebrates. We asked what ecological factors affect baseline plasma cortisol levels (CortI) and maximum levels (CortMax) following a physiological challenge through administration of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Specifically, we studied whether seasonal fluctuations in food abundance correlate with the capacity of cortisol increases in two phyllostomid bat species with contrasting feeding habits: the sanguinivorous vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) and the frugivorous short-tailed fruit bat (Carollia perspicillata). Both species coexist in habitats with various levels of seasonality (dry and rainforest). On a seasonal basis, resource abundance is more stable for vampire than for fruit bats, but previous studies suggested that daily foraging success may vary more for vampire than for fruit bats. CortI and CortMax varied seasonally in C. perspicillata from dry and rainforests, with the exception of CortMax in rainforest bats. Although we expected food availability to be stable year-round for vampire bats, we found CortI and CortMax of vampires to be higher during the rainy season than during the dry season. Also, we found CortMax to be higher in vampires from the rainforest than in those from the dry forest. CortMax of vampires were among the highest measured for a free-ranging mammal; a pattern that could be related to the species' vulnerability to starvation. We conclude that food availability modulates cortisol levels in free-ranging species that face seasonally fluctuating resources; in species, however, that benefit from food which is constantly abundant, other factors than food may become more important in modulating cortisol levels. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Leishmania (L.) mexicana Infected Bats in Mexico: Novel Potential Reservoirs

PubMed Central

Berzunza-Cruz, Miriam; Rodríguez-Moreno, Ángel; Gutiérrez-Granados, Gabriel; González-Salazar, Constantino; Stephens, Christopher R.; Hidalgo-Mihart, Mircea; Marina, Carlos F.; Rebollar-Téllez, Eduardo A.; Bailón-Martínez, Dulce; Balcells, Cristina Domingo; Ibarra-Cerdeña, Carlos N.; Sánchez-Cordero, Víctor; Becker, Ingeborg

2015-01-01

Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana causes cutaneous leishmaniasis, an endemic zoonosis affecting a growing number of patients in the southeastern states of Mexico. Some foci are found in shade-grown cocoa and coffee plantations, or near perennial forests that provide rich breeding grounds for the sand fly vectors, but also harbor a variety of bat species that live off the abundant fruits provided by these shade-giving trees. The close proximity between sand flies and bats makes their interaction feasible, yet bats infected with Leishmania (L.) mexicana have not been reported. Here we analyzed 420 bats from six states of Mexico that had reported patients with leishmaniasis. Tissues of bats, including skin, heart, liver and/or spleen were screened by PCR for Leishmania (L.) mexicana DNA. We found that 41 bats (9.77%), belonging to 13 species, showed positive PCR results in various tissues. The infected tissues showed no evidence of macroscopic lesions. Of the infected bats, 12 species were frugivorous, insectivorous or nectarivorous, and only one species was sanguivorous (Desmodus rotundus), and most of them belonged to the family Phyllostomidae. The eco-region where most of the infected bats were caught is the Gulf Coastal Plain of Chiapas and Tabasco. Through experimental infections of two Tadarida brasiliensis bats in captivity, we show that this species can harbor viable, infective Leishmania (L.) mexicana parasites that are capable of infecting BALB/c mice. We conclude that various species of bats belonging to the family Phyllostomidae are possible reservoir hosts for Leishmania (L.) mexicana, if it can be shown that such bats are infective for the sand fly vector. Further studies are needed to determine how these bats become infected, how long the parasite remains viable inside these potential hosts and whether they are infective to sand flies to fully evaluate their impact on disease epidemiology. PMID:25629729

Cryptic species? Patterns of maternal and paternal gene flow in eight neotropical bats.

PubMed

Clare, Elizabeth L

2011-01-01

Levels of sequence divergence at mitochondrial loci are frequently used in phylogeographic analysis and species delimitation though single marker systems cannot assess bi-parental gene flow. In this investigation I compare the phylogeographic patterns revealed through the maternally inherited mitochondrial COI region and the paternally inherited 7(th) intron region of the Dby gene on the Y-chromosome in eight common Neotropical bat species. These species are diverse and include members of two families from the feeding guilds of sanguivores, nectarivores, frugivores, carnivores and insectivores. In each case, the currently recognized taxon is comprised of distinct, substantially divergent intraspecific mitochondrial lineages suggesting cryptic species complexes. In Chrotopterus auritus, and Saccopteryx bilineata I observed congruent patterns of divergence in both genetic regions suggesting a cessation of gene flow between intraspecific groups. This evidence supports the existence of cryptic species complexes which meet the criteria of the genetic species concept. In Glossophaga soricina two intraspecific groups with largely sympatric South American ranges show evidence for incomplete lineage sorting or frequent hybridization while a third group with a Central American distribution appears to diverge congruently at both loci suggesting speciation. Within Desmodus rotundus and Trachops cirrhosus the paternally inherited region was monomorphic and thus does not support or refute the potential for cryptic speciation. In Uroderma bilobatum, Micronycteris megalotis and Platyrrhinus helleri the gene regions show conflicting patterns of divergence and I cannot exclude ongoing gene flow between intraspecific groups. This analysis provides a comprehensive comparison across taxa and employs both maternally and paternally inherited gene regions to validate patterns of gene flow. I present evidence for previously unrecognized species meeting the criteria of the genetic species concept but demonstrate that estimates of mitochondrial diversity alone do not accurately represent gene flow in these species and that contact/hybrid zones must be explored to evaluate reproductive isolation.

Leishmania (L.) mexicana infected bats in Mexico: novel potential reservoirs.

PubMed

Berzunza-Cruz, Miriam; Rodríguez-Moreno, Ángel; Gutiérrez-Granados, Gabriel; González-Salazar, Constantino; Stephens, Christopher R; Hidalgo-Mihart, Mircea; Marina, Carlos F; Rebollar-Téllez, Eduardo A; Bailón-Martínez, Dulce; Balcells, Cristina Domingo; Ibarra-Cerdeña, Carlos N; Sánchez-Cordero, Víctor; Becker, Ingeborg

2015-01-01

Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana causes cutaneous leishmaniasis, an endemic zoonosis affecting a growing number of patients in the southeastern states of Mexico. Some foci are found in shade-grown cocoa and coffee plantations, or near perennial forests that provide rich breeding grounds for the sand fly vectors, but also harbor a variety of bat species that live off the abundant fruits provided by these shade-giving trees. The close proximity between sand flies and bats makes their interaction feasible, yet bats infected with Leishmania (L.) mexicana have not been reported. Here we analyzed 420 bats from six states of Mexico that had reported patients with leishmaniasis. Tissues of bats, including skin, heart, liver and/or spleen were screened by PCR for Leishmania (L.) mexicana DNA. We found that 41 bats (9.77%), belonging to 13 species, showed positive PCR results in various tissues. The infected tissues showed no evidence of macroscopic lesions. Of the infected bats, 12 species were frugivorous, insectivorous or nectarivorous, and only one species was sanguivorous (Desmodus rotundus), and most of them belonged to the family Phyllostomidae. The eco-region where most of the infected bats were caught is the Gulf Coastal Plain of Chiapas and Tabasco. Through experimental infections of two Tadarida brasiliensis bats in captivity, we show that this species can harbor viable, infective Leishmania (L.) mexicana parasites that are capable of infecting BALB/c mice. We conclude that various species of bats belonging to the family Phyllostomidae are possible reservoir hosts for Leishmania (L.) mexicana, if it can be shown that such bats are infective for the sand fly vector. Further studies are needed to determine how these bats become infected, how long the parasite remains viable inside these potential hosts and whether they are infective to sand flies to fully evaluate their impact on disease epidemiology.

CELLS INVOLVED IN THE IMMUNE RESPONSE

PubMed Central

Singhal, Sharwan K.; Richter, Maxwell

1968-01-01

Cell suspensions of immune rabbit lymph nodes and spleen were capable of undergoing blastogenesis and mitosis and of incorporating tritiated thymidine when maintained in culture with the specific antigen in vitro. They did not respond to other, non-cross-reacting antigens. The blastogenic response obtained with immune lymph node cells could be correlated with the antibody synthesizing capacity of fragment cultures prepared from the same lymph nodes. Cell suspensions of immune bone marrow responded to non-cross-reacting antigens only whereas cell suspensions of immune thymus, sacculus rotundus, and appendix did not respond when exposed to any of the antigens tested. On the other hand, neither fragments nor cell suspensions prepared from lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus of normal, unimmunized rabbits responded with antibody formation and blastogenesis when exposed to any of the antigens. However, normal bone marrow cells responded with marked blastogenesis and tritiated thymidine uptake. The specificity of this in vitro bone marrow response was demonstrated by the fact that the injection of a protein antigen in vivo resulted in the loss of reactivity by the marrow cell to that particular antigen but not to the other, non-cross-reacting antigens. Furthermore, bone marrow cells of tolerant rabbits failed to respond to the specific antigen in vitro. It was also demonstrated that normal bone marrow cells incubated with antigen are capable of forming antibody which could be detected by the fluorescent antibody technique. This response of the bone marrow cells has been localized to the lymphocyte-rich fraction of the bone marrow. It is concluded that the bone marrow lymphocyte, by virtue of its capacity to react with blastogenesis and mitosis and with antibody formation upon initial exposure to the antigen, a capacity not possessed by lymphocytes of the other lymphoid organs, has a preeminent role in the sequence of cellular events culminating in antibody formation. PMID:4176224

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and matrix metalloproteinases in the pathogenesis of stroke: therapeutic strategies.

PubMed

Adibhatla, Rao Muralikrishna; Hatcher, James F

2008-06-01

Today there exists only one FDA-approved treatment for ischemic stroke; i.e., the serine protease tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA). In the aftermath of the failed stroke clinical trials with the nitrone spin trap/radical scavenger, NXY-059, a number of articles raised the question: are we doing the right thing? Is the animal research truly translational in identifying new agents for stroke treatment? This review summarizes the current state of affairs with plasminogen activators in thrombolytic therapy. In addition to therapeutic value, potential side effects of tPA also exist that aggravate stroke injury and offset the benefits provided by reperfusion of the occluded artery. Thus, combinational options (ultrasound alone or with microspheres/nanobubbles, mechanical dissociation of clot, activated protein C (APC), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), neuroserpin and CDP-choline) that could offset tPA toxic side effects and improve efficacy are also discussed here. Desmoteplase, a plasminogen activator derived from the saliva of Desmodus rotundus vampire bat, antagonizes vascular tPA-induced neurotoxicity by competitively binding to low-density lipoprotein related-receptors (LPR) at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) interface, minimizing the tPA uptake into brain parenchyma. tPA can also activate matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a family of endopeptidases comprised of 24 mammalian enzymes that primarily catalyze the turnover and degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM). MMPs have been implicated in BBB breakdown and neuronal injury in the early times after stroke, but also contribute to vascular remodeling, angiogenesis, neurogenesis and axonal regeneration during the later repair phase after stroke. tPA, directly or by activation of MMP-9, could have beneficial effects on recovery after stroke by promoting neurovascular repair through vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). However, any treatment regimen directed at MMPs must consider their pleiotropic nature and the likelihood of either beneficial or detrimental effects that might depend on the timing of the treatment in relation to the stage of brain injury.

Covariance and decoupling of floral and vegetative traits in nine Neotropical plants: a re-evaluation of Berg's correlation-pleiades concept.

PubMed

Armbruster, W S; Di Stilio, V S; Tuxill, J D; Flores, T C; Velásquez Runk, J L

1999-01-01

Nearly forty years ago R. L. Berg proposed that plants with specialized pollination ecology evolve genetic and developmental systems that decouple floral morphology from phenotypic variation in vegetative traits. These species evolve separate floral and vegetative trait clusters, or as she termed them, "correlation pleiades." The predictions of this hypothesis have been generally supported, but only a small sample of temperate-zone herb and grass species has been tested. To further evaluate this hypothesis, especially its applicability to plants of other growth forms, we examined the patterns of phenotypic variation and covariation of floral and vegetative traits in nine species of Neotropical plants. We recognized seven specific predictions of Berg's hypothesis. Our results supported some predictions but not others. Species with specialized pollination systems usually had floral traits decoupled (weak correlation; Canna and Eichornia) or buffered (relationship with shallow proportional slope; Calathea and Canna) from variation in vegetative traits. However, the same trend was also observed in three species with unspecialized pollination systems (Echinodorus, Muntingia, and Wedelia). One species with unspecialized pollination (Croton) and one wind-pollinated species (Cyperus) showed no decoupling or buffering, as predicted. While species with specialized pollination usually showed lower coefficients of variation for floral traits than vegetative traits (as predicted), the same was also true of species with unspecialized or wind pollination (unlike our prediction). Species with specialized pollination showed less variation in floral traits than did species with unspecialized or wind pollination, as predicted. However, the same was true of the corresponding vegetative traits, which was unexpected. Also in contrast to our prediction, plants with specialized pollination systems did not exhibit tighter phenotypic integration of floral characters than did species with generalized pollination systems. We conclude that the patterns of morphological integration among floral traits and between floral and vegetative traits tend to be species specific, not easily predicted from pollination ecology, and generally more complicated than R. L. Berg envisaged.

Methane production correlates positively with methanogens, sulfate-reducing bacteria and pore water acetate at an estuarine brackish-marsh landscape scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, C.; She, C. X.; Jin, Y. F.; Yang, P.; Huang, J. F.

2013-11-01

Methane production is influenced by the abundance of methanogens and the availability of terminal substrates. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) also play an important role in the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter. However, the relationships between methane production and methanogen populations, pore water terminal substrates in estuarine brackish marshes are poorly characterized, and even to our knowledge, no published research has explored the relationship between methane production rate and abundance of SRB and pore water dimethyl sulfide (DMS) concentration. We investigated methane production rate, abundances of methanogens and SRB, concentrations of pore water terminal substrates and electron acceptors at a brackish marsh landscape dominated by Phragmites australis, Cyperus malaccensis and Spatina alterniflora marshes zones in the Min River estuary. The average rates of methane production at a soil depth of 30 cm in the three marsh zones were 0.142, 0.058 and 0.067 μg g-1 d-1, respectively. The abundance of both methanogens and SRB in the soil of the P. australis marsh with highest soil organic carbon content was higher than in the C. malaccensis and S. alterniflora marshes. The abundance of methanogens and SRB in the three soil layers was statistically indistinguishable. Mean pore water DMS concentrations at a soil depth of 30 cm under the S. alterniflora marsh were higher than those in the C. malaccensis and P. australis marshes. Methane production rate increased with the abundance of both methanogens and SRB across three marsh zones together at the landscape scale, and also increased with the concentration of pore water acetate, but did not correlate with concentrations of pore water DMS and dissolved CO2. Our results suggest that, provided that substrates are available in ample supply, methanogens can continue to produce methane regardless of whether SRB are prevalent in estuarine brackish marshes.

Characterizing a Middle Bronze Palatial Wine Cellar from Tel Kabri, Israel

PubMed Central

Koh, Andrew J.; Yasur-Landau, Assaf; Cline, Eric H.

2014-01-01

Scholars have for generations recognized the importance of wine production, distribution, and consumption in relation to second millennium BC palatial complexes in the Mediterranean and Near East. However, direct archaeological evidence has rarely been offered, despite the prominence of ancient viticulture in administrative clay tablets, visual media, and various forms of documentation. Tartaric and syringic acids, along with evidence for resination, have been identified in ancient ceramics, but until now the archaeological contexts behind these sporadic discoveries had been uneven and vague, precluding definitive conclusions about the nature of ancient viticulture. The situation has now changed. During the 2013 excavation season of the Kabri Archaeological Project, a rare opportunity materialized when forty large storage vessels were found in situ in an enclosed room located to the west of the central courtyard within the Middle Bronze Age Canaanite palace. A comprehensive program of organic residue analysis has now revealed that all of the relatively uniform jars contain evidence for wine. Furthermore, the enclosed context inherent to a singular intact wine cellar presented an unprecedented opportunity for a scientifically intensive study, allowing for the detection of subtle differences in the ingredients or additives within similar wine jars of apparently the same vintage. Additives seem to have included honey, storax resin, terebinth resin, cedar oil, cyperus, juniper, and perhaps even mint, myrtle, or cinnamon, all or most of which are attested in the 18th century BC Mari texts from Mesopotamia and the 15th century BC Ebers Papyrus from Egypt. These additives suggest a sophisticated understanding of the botanical landscape and the pharmacopeic skills necessary to produce a complex beverage that balanced preservation, palatability, and psychoactivity. This new study has resulted in insights unachievable in the past, which contribute to a greater understanding not only of ancient viticulture but also of Canaanite palatial economy. PMID:25162228

Characterizing a Middle Bronze palatial wine cellar from Tel Kabri, Israel.

PubMed

Koh, Andrew J; Yasur-Landau, Assaf; Cline, Eric H

2014-01-01

Scholars have for generations recognized the importance of wine production, distribution, and consumption in relation to second millennium BC palatial complexes in the Mediterranean and Near East. However, direct archaeological evidence has rarely been offered, despite the prominence of ancient viticulture in administrative clay tablets, visual media, and various forms of documentation. Tartaric and syringic acids, along with evidence for resination, have been identified in ancient ceramics, but until now the archaeological contexts behind these sporadic discoveries had been uneven and vague, precluding definitive conclusions about the nature of ancient viticulture. The situation has now changed. During the 2013 excavation season of the Kabri Archaeological Project, a rare opportunity materialized when forty large storage vessels were found in situ in an enclosed room located to the west of the central courtyard within the Middle Bronze Age Canaanite palace. A comprehensive program of organic residue analysis has now revealed that all of the relatively uniform jars contain evidence for wine. Furthermore, the enclosed context inherent to a singular intact wine cellar presented an unprecedented opportunity for a scientifically intensive study, allowing for the detection of subtle differences in the ingredients or additives within similar wine jars of apparently the same vintage. Additives seem to have included honey, storax resin, terebinth resin, cedar oil, cyperus, juniper, and perhaps even mint, myrtle, or cinnamon, all or most of which are attested in the 18th century BC Mari texts from Mesopotamia and the 15th century BC Ebers Papyrus from Egypt. These additives suggest a sophisticated understanding of the botanical landscape and the pharmacopeic skills necessary to produce a complex beverage that balanced preservation, palatability, and psychoactivity. This new study has resulted in insights unachievable in the past, which contribute to a greater understanding not only of ancient viticulture but also of Canaanite palatial economy.

Favorable fragmentation: river reservoirs can impede downstream expansion of riparian weeds.

PubMed

Rood, Stewart B; Braatne, Jeffrey H; Goater, Lori A

2010-09-01

River valleys represent biologically rich corridors characterized by natural disturbances that create moist and barren sites suitable for colonization by native riparian plants, and also by weeds. Dams and reservoirs interrupt the longitudinal corridors and we hypothesized that this could restrict downstream weed expansion. To consider this "reservoir impediment" hypothesis we assessed the occurrences and abundances of weeds along a 315-km river valley corridor that commenced with an unimpounded reach of the Snake River and extended through Brownlee, Oxbow, and Hells Canyon reservoirs and dams, and downstream along the Snake River. Sampling along 206 belt transects with 3610 quadrats revealed 16 noxious and four invasive weed species. Ten weeds were upland plants, with Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) restricted to the upstream reaches, where field morning glory (Convolvulus arvensis) was also more common. In contrast, St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) was more abundant below the dams, and medusahead wildrye (Taeniatherum caput-medusae) occurred primarily along the reservoirs. All seven riparian species were abundant in the upstream zones but sparse or absent below the dams. This pattern was observed for the facultative riparian species, poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) and perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium), the obligate riparian, yellow nut sedge (Cyperus esculentus), the invasive perennial, reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), and three invasive riparian trees, Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), false indigo (Amorpha fruticosa), and tamarisk (Tamarix spp.). The hydrophyte purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) was also restricted to the upstream zone. These longitudinal patterns indicate that the reservoirs have impeded the downstream expansion of riparian weeds, and this may especially result from the repetitive draw-down and refilling of Brownlee Reservoir that imposes a lethal combination of drought and flood stress. The dams and reservoirs may also interrupt hydrochory, the downstream flow of seeds and clonal fragments. We thus conclude that with some operational patterns, dams and reservoirs can impede the downstream expansion of riparian weeds.

BIO-MONITORING FOR URANIUM USING STREAM-SIDE TERRESTRIAL PLANTS AND MACROPHYTES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Caldwell, E.; Duff, M.; Hicks, T.

2012-01-12

This study evaluated the abilities of various plant species to act as bio-monitors for environmental uranium (U) contamination. Vegetation and soil samples were collected from a U processing facility. The water-way fed from facility storm and processing effluents was the focal sample site as it represented a primary U transport mechanism. Soils and sediments from areas exposed to contamination possessed U concentrations that averaged 630 mg U kg{sup -1}. Aquatic mosses proved to be exceptional accumulators of U with dry weight (dw) concentrations measuring as high as 12500 mg U kg{sup -1} (approximately 1% of the dw mass was attributablemore » to U). The macrophytes (Phragmites communis, Scripus fontinalis and Sagittaria latifolia) were also effective accumulators of U. In general, plant roots possessed higher concentrations of U than associated upper portions of plants. For terrestrial plants, the roots of Impatiens capensis had the highest observed levels of U accumulation (1030 mg kg{sup -1}), followed by the roots of Cyperus esculentus and Solidago speciosa. The concentration ratio (CR) characterized dry weight (dw) vegetative U levels relative to that in associated dw soil. The plant species that accumulated U at levels in excess of that found in the soil were: P. communis root (CR, 17.4), I. capensis root (CR, 3.1) and S. fontinalis whole plant (CR, 1.4). Seven of the highest ten CR values were found in the roots. Correlations with concentrations of other metals with U were performed, which revealed that U concentrations in the plant were strongly correlated with nickel (Ni) concentrations (correlation: 0.992; r-squared: 0.984). Uranium in plant tissue was also strongly correlated with strontium (Sr) (correlation: 0.948; r-squared: 0.899). Strontium is chemically and physically similar to calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), which were also positively-correlated with U. The correlation with U and these plant nutrient minerals, including iron (Fe), suggests that active uptake mechanisms may influence plant U accumulation.« less

Planted floating bed performance in treatment of eutrophic river water.

PubMed

Bu, Faping; Xu, Xiaoyi

2013-11-01

The objective of the study was to treat eutrophic river water using floating beds and to identify ideal plant species for design of floating beds. Four parallel pilot-scale units were established and vegetated with Canna indica (U1), Accords calamus (U2), Cyperus alternifolius (U3), and Vetiveria zizanioides (U4), respectively, to treat eutrophic river water. The floating bed was made of polyethylene foam, and plants were vegetated on it. Results suggest that the floating bed is a viable alternative for treating eutrophic river water, especially for inhibiting algae growth. When the influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) varied from 6.53 to 18.45 mg/L, total nitrogen (TN) from 6.82 to 12.25 mg/L, total phosphorus (TP) from 0.65 to 1.64 mg/L, and Chla from 6.22 to 66.46 g/m(3), the removal of COD, TN, TP, and Chla was 15.3%-38.4%, 25.4%-48.4%, 16.1%-42.1%, and 29.9 %-88.1%, respectively. Ranked by removal performance, U1 was best, followed by U2, U3, and U4. In the floating bed, more than 60% TN and TP were removed by sedimentation; plant uptake was quantitatively of low importance with an average removal of 20.2% of TN and 29.4% of TP removed. The loss of TN (TP) was of the least importance. Compared with the other three, U1 exhibited better dissolved oxygen (DO) gradient distributions, higher DO levels, higher hydraulic efficiency, and a higher percentage of nutrient removal attributable to plant uptake; in addition, plant development and the volume of nutrient storage in the C. indica tissues outperformed the other three species. C. indica thus could be selected when designing floating beds for the Three Gorges Reservoir region of P. R. China.

Relationships between waste physicochemical properties, microbial activity and vegetation at coal ash and sludge disposal sites.

PubMed

Woch, Marcin W; Radwańska, Magdalena; Stanek, Małgorzata; Łopata, Barbara; Stefanowicz, Anna M

2018-06-11

The aim of the study was to assess the relationships between vegetation, physicochemical and microbial properties of substrate at coal ash and sludge disposal sites. The study was performed on 32 plots classified into 7 categories: dried ash sedimentation ponds, dominated by a grass Calamagrostis epigejos (AH-Ce), with the admixture of Pinus sylvestris (AH-CePs) or Robinia pseudoacacia (AH-CeRp), dry ash landfill dominated by Betula pendula and Pinus sylvestris (AD-BpPs) or Salix viminalis (AD-Sv) and coal sludge pond with drier parts dominated by Tussilago farfara (CS-Tf) and the wetter ones by Cyperus flavescens (CS-Cf). Ash sites were covered with soil layer imported as a part of technical reclamation. Ash had relatively high concentrations of some alkali and alkaline earth metals, Mn and pH, while coal sludge had high water and C, S, P and K contents. Concentrations of heavy metals were lower than allowable limits in all substrate types. Microbial biomass and, particularly, enzymatic activity in ash and sludge were generally low. The only exception were CS-Tf plots characterized by the highest microbial biomass, presumably due to large deposits of organic matter that became available for aerobic microbial biomass when water level fell. The properties of ash and sludge adversely affected microbial biomass and enzymatic activity as indicated by significant negative correlations between the content of alkali/alkaline earth metals, heavy metals, and macronutrients with enzymatic activity and/or microbial biomass, as well as positive correlations of these parameters with metabolic quotient (qCO 2 ). Plant species richness and cover were relatively high, which may be partly associated with alleviating influence of soil covering the ash. The effect of the admixture of R. pseudoacacia or P. sylvestris to stands dominated by C. epigejos was smaller than expected. The former species increased NNH 4 , NNO 3 and arylsulfatase activity, while the latter reduced activity of the enzyme. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of mineral nutrition conditions on heat tolerance of chufa (Сyperus esculentus L.) plant communities to super optimal air temperatures in the BTLSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shklavtsova, E. S.; Ushakova, S. A.; Shikhov, V. N.; Anishchenko, O. V.

2014-09-01

The use of mineralized human wastes as a basis for nutrient solutions will increase the degree of material closure of bio-technical human life support systems. As stress tolerance of plants is determined, among other factors, by the conditions under which they have been grown before exposure to a stressor, the purpose of the study is to investigate the level of tolerance of chufa (Cyperus esculentus L.) plant communities grown in solutions based on mineralized human wastes to a damaging air temperature, 45 °C. Experiments were performed with 30-day-old chufa plant communities grown hydroponically, on expanded clay aggregate, under artificial light, at 690 μmol m-2 s-1 PAR and at a temperature of 25 °C. Plants were grown in Knop’s solution and solutions based on human wastes mineralized according to Yu.A. Kudenko’s method, which contained nitrogen either as ammonium and urea or as nitrates. The heat shock treatment lasted 20 h at 690 and 1150 μmol m-2 s-1 PAR. Chufa heat tolerance was evaluated based on parameters of CO2 gas exchange, the state of its photosynthetic apparatus (PSA), and intensity of peroxidation of leaf lipids. Chufa plants grown in the solutions based on mineralized human wastes that contained ammonium and urea had lower heat tolerance than plants grown in standard mineral solutions. Heat tolerance of the plants grown in the solutions based on mineralized human wastes that mainly contained nitrate nitrogen was insignificantly different from the heat tolerance of the plants grown in standard mineral solutions. A PAR intensity increase from 690 μmol m-2 s-1 to 1150 μmol m-2 s-1 enhanced heat tolerance of chufa plant communities, irrespective of the conditions of mineral nutrition under which they had been grown.

Impact of papyrus wetland encroachment on spatial and temporal variabilities of stream flow and sediment export from wet tropical catchments.

PubMed

Ryken, N; Vanmaercke, M; Wanyama, J; Isabirye, M; Vanonckelen, S; Deckers, J; Poesen, J

2015-04-01

During the past decades, land use change in the Lake Victoria basin has significantly increased the sediment fluxes to the lake. These sediments as well as their associated nutrients and pollutants affect the food and water security of millions of people in one of Africa's most densely populated regions. Adequate catchment management strategies, based on a thorough understanding of the factors controlling runoff and sediment discharge are therefore crucial. Nonetheless, studies on the magnitude and dynamics of runoff and sediment discharge are very scarce for the Lake Victoria basin and the African Rift region. We therefore conducted runoff discharge and sediment export measurements in the Upper Rwizi, a catchment in Southwest Uganda, which is representative for the Lake Victoria basin. Land use in this catchment is characterized by grazing area on the high plateaus, banana cropping on the slopes and Cyperus papyrus L. wetlands in the valley bottoms. Due to an increasing population pressure, these papyrus wetlands are currently encroached and transformed into pasture and cropland. Seven subcatchments (358 km2-2120 km2), with different degrees of wetland encroachment, were monitored during the hydrological year June 2009-May 2010. Our results indicate that, due to their strong buffering capacity, papyrus wetlands have a first-order control on runoff and sediment discharge. Subcatchments with intact wetlands have a slower rainfall-runoff response, smaller peak runoff discharges, lower rainfall-runoff ratios and significantly smaller suspended sediment concentrations. This is also reflected in the measured annual area-specific suspended sediment yields (SYs): subcatchments with encroached papyrus swamps have SY values that are about three times larger compared to catchments with intact papyrus vegetation (respectively 106-137 ton km(-2) y(-1) versus 34-37 ton km(-2) y(-1)). We therefore argue that protecting and (where possible) rehabilitating these papyrus wetlands should be a corner stone of catchment management strategies in the Lake Victoria basin. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Removal of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes from domestic sewage by constructed wetlands: Optimization of wetland substrates and hydraulic loading.

PubMed

Chen, Jun; Wei, Xiao-Dong; Liu, You-Sheng; Ying, Guang-Guo; Liu, Shuang-Shuang; He, Liang-Ying; Su, Hao-Chang; Hu, Li-Xin; Chen, Fan-Rong; Yang, Yong-Qiang

2016-09-15

This study aimed to assess removal potential of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in raw domestic wastewater by various mesocosm-scale horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetlands (CWs) planted Cyperus alternifolius L. with different design parameters. Twelve CWs with three hydraulic loading rates (HLR 10, 20 and 30cm/day) and four substrates (oyster shell, zeolite, medical stone and ceramic) were set up in order to select the best optimized wetland. The result showed that 7 target antibiotics compounds including erythromycin-H2O, lincomycin, monensin, ofloxacin, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine and novobiocin were detected, and all selected 18 genes (three sulfonamide resistance genes (sul1, sul2 and sul3), four tetracycline resistance genes (tetG, tetM, tetO and tetX), two macrolide resistance genes (ermB and ermC), three quinolone resistance genes (qnrB, qnrD and qnrS) and four chloramphenicol resistance genes (cmlA, fexA, fexB and floR)) and two integrase genes (int1 and int2) were positively detected in the domestic wastewaters. The aqueous removal rates of the total antibiotics ranged from17.9 to 98.5%, while those for the total ARGs varied between 50.0 and 85.8% by the mesocosm-scale CWs. After considering their aqueous removal rates in combination with their mass removals, the CW with zeolite as the substrate and HLR of 20cm/day was selected as the best choice. Combined chemical and biological analyses indicate that both microbial degradation and physical sorption processes were responsible for the fate of antibiotics and ARGs in the wetlands. The findings from this study suggest constructed wetlands could be a promising technology for the removal of emerging contaminants such as antibiotics and ARGs in domestic wastewater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plant-derived juvenile hormone III analogues and other sesquiterpenes from the stem bark of Cananga latifolia.

PubMed

Yang, Heejung; Kim, Hye Seong; Jeong, Eun Ju; Khiev, Piseth; Chin, Young-Won; Sung, Sang Hyun

2013-10-01

Juvenile hormone III (JH III) is a larval metamorphosis-regulating hormone present in most insect species. JH III was first isolated from the plant, Cyperus iria L., but the presence of JH III has not been reported in other plant species. In the present study, proof of the existence of JH III and its analogues from Cananga latifolia was established. From an aqueous MeOH extract of C. latifolia stem bark, six compounds were isolated along with nine known compounds. These were identified by using spectroscopic analyses as: (2E,6E,10R)-11-butoxy-10-hydroxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6-dienoic acid methyl ester, (2E,6E)-3,7,11-trimethyl-10-oxododeca-2,6-dienoic acid methyl ester, (2E)-3-methyl-5-[(1S,2R,6R)-1,2,6-trimethyl-3-oxocyclohexyl]-pent-2-enoic acid methyl ester, 1β-hydroxy-3-oxo-4β, 5α,7α-H-eudesmane 11-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside, 4-epi-aubergenone 11-O-2',3'-di-O-acetyl-α-l-rhamnopyranoside and 4-epi-aubergenone 11-O-2',4'-di-O-acetyl-α-l-rhamnopyranoside. Three of the previously known compounds, (2E,6E,10R)-10-hydroxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,11-trienoaic acid methyl ester, (2E,6E,10R)-10,11-dihydroxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6-dienoic acid and (2E,6S)-3-methyl-6-hydroxy-6-[(2R,5R)-5-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2-methyltetrahydrofuran-2-yl]-hex-2-enoaic acid methyl ester have now been found in a plant species. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadruple time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (UPLC-QTOF/MS) analysis of the chemical constituents of C. latifolia showed that several were predominant in the sub-fractions of a C. latifolia stem bark extract. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the non-rice host plant species of Sesamia inferens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) as natural refuges: resistance management of Bt rice.

PubMed

Liu, Zhuorong; Gao, Yulin; Luo, Ju; Lai, Fengxiang; Li, Yunhe; Fu, Qiang; Peng, Yufa

2011-06-01

Although rice (Oryza sativa L.) lines that express Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins have shown great potential for managing the major Lepidoptera pests of rice in southern China, including Sesamia inferens, their long-term use is dependent on managing resistance development to Bt toxins in pest populations. The maintenance of "natural" refuges, non-Bt expressing plants that are hosts for a target pest, has been proposed as a means to minimize the evolution of resistance to Bt toxins in transgenic plants. In the current study, field surveys and greenhouse experiments were conducted to identify host plants of S. inferens that could serve as "natural" refuges in rice growing areas of southern China. A field survey showed that 34 plant species in four families can be alternative host plants of S. inferens. Based on injury level under field conditions, rice (Oryza sativa L.); water oat (Zizania latifolia Griseb.); corn (Zea mays L.); tidalmarsh flatsedge (Cyperus serotinus Rottb.); and narrow-leaved cat-tail (Typha angustifolia Linn.) were identified as the primary host plant species of S. inferens. Greenhouse experiments further demonstrated that water oat, corn, and narrow-leaved cat-tail could support the survival and development of S. inferens. Interestingly, greenhouse experiments showed that S. inferens preferred to lay eggs on tidalmarsh flatsedge compared with the other three nonrice host species, although no pupae were found in the plants examined in field surveys. Few larvae were found to survive on tidalmarsh flatsedge in greenhouse bioassays, suggesting that tidalmarsh flatsedge could serve as a "dead-end" trap crop for S. inferens, but is not a candidate to serve as natural refuge to maintain susceptible S. inferens. Overall, these results suggest that water-oat, corn, and narrow-leaved cat-tail might serve as "natural refuge" for S. inferens in rice planting area of southern China when Bt rice varieties are planted.

Millennial-scale vegetation dynamics in an estuary at the onset of the Miocene Climate Optimum

PubMed Central

Kern, Andrea; Harzhauser, Mathias; Mandic, Oleg; Roetzel, Reinhard; Ćorić, Stjepan; Bruch, Angela A.; Zuschin, Martin

2010-01-01

Pollen analyses have been proven to possess the possibility to decipher rapid vegetational and climate shifts in Neogene sedimentary records. Herein, a c. 21-kyr-long transgression–regression cycle from the Lower Austrian locality Stetten is analysed in detail to evaluate climatic benchmarks for the early phase of the Middle Miocene Climate Optimum and to estimate the pace of environmental change. Based on the Coexistence Approach, a very clear signal of seasonality can be reconstructed. A warm and wet summer season with c. 204–236 mm precipitation during the wettest month was opposed by a rather dry winter season with precipitation of c. 9–24 mm during the driest month. The mean annual temperature ranged between 15.7 and 20.8 °C, with about 9.6–13.3 °C during the cold season and 24.7–27.9 °C during the warmest month. In contrast, today’s climate of this area, with an annual temperature of 9.8 °C and 660 mm rainfall, is characterized by the winter season (mean temperature: −1.4 °C, mean precipitation: 39 mm) and a summer mean temperature of 19.9 °C (mean precipitation: 84 mm). Different modes of environmental shifts shaped the composition of the vegetation. Within few millennia, marshes and salt marshes with abundant Cyperaceae rapidly graded into Taxodiaceae swamps. This quick but gradual process was interrupted by swift marine ingressions which took place on a decadal to centennial scale. The transgression is accompanied by blooms of dinoflagellates and of the green alga Prasinophyta and an increase in Abies and Picea. Afterwards, the retreat of the sea and the progradation of estuarine and wetland settings were a gradual progress again. Despite a clear sedimentological cyclicity, which is related to the 21-kyr precessional forcing, the climate data show little variation. This missing pattern might be due to the buffering of the precessional-related climate signal by the subtropical vegetation. Another explanation could be the method-inherent broad range of climate-parameter estimates that could cover small scale climatic changes. PMID:22021937

A 26,600 yr record of climate and vegetation from Rice Lake in the Eel River drainage of the northern California Coast Range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heusser, L. E.

2014-12-01

Rice Lake, (40'41" N; 123'30" W, 1109 m elev.) lies in the transition zone of the precipitation dipole in the western United States, which is reflected by the present vegetation - a mosaic of mesic northern mixed hardwood-evergreen forests (Quercus spp., Pinus spp., Calocedrus/Juniperus) and more arid southern oak foothill woodlands (Quercus spp.) that borders the westernmost edge of coastal redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) forest. The site, which lies on the active Lake Mountain fault zone, is now a large (~15 ha) sagpond that dries in summer. Between ~26,600 yr - ~15,000 yr, a permanent lake with aquatic vegetation (Isoetes) occupied the core site. Montane conifer forests, with pine (Pinus, spp.), mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana), spruce (Picea spp), and western hemlock (T. heterophylla) covered the region. Climatic parameters of modern montane coniferous forest and the continued presence of aquatic vegetation (Isoetes) suggest higher precipitation and lower temperatures during the last glacial. Charcoal (fire event frequency) was minimal. Rapid oscillations of oak, the riparian alder (Alnus), pine, Cupressaceae (Juniperus, Calocedrus), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menzeii), and fir (Abies) characterize the deglacial, and reflect rapid changes in precipitation and temperatures, e.g, Bølling-Allerød warming and Younger Dryas cooling. Between ~15,000 yr and ~13,000 yr, aquatic vegetation of the lake abruptly decreased. Expansion of oak, tanoak (Lithocarpus), shrubs (cf. Ceanothus) and decline of pine and montane conifers, along with the development of marshes with Typha and Cyperaceae on the former lakebed, imply early Holocene warming and decreasing precipitation. This is supported by an increase in charcoal, which is attributed to forest fires. Between ~5,000 yr - ~6,000 yr, a short interval of increased precipitation (inferred from a peak in alder and decrease in Cupressaceae) initiates the development of modern mixed hardwood-evergreen forest. Correlative data from terrestrial and marine climate proxies from a core located 33 km off the mouth of the Eel River, (TN062 0550, 40.9°N, 124.6°W, 569 m water depth) suggest that ENSO-like conditions typified the Holocene.

Late Holocene vegetation and ocean variability in the Gulf of Oman

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Charlotte S.; Leroy, Suzanne A. G.; Collins, Philip E. F.; Lahijani, Hamid A. K.

2016-07-01

Fossil pollen and dinocyst records in marine sequences are frequently combined to reveal the response of vegetation and ocean conditions to changes in both regional and global climate. In this study we analysed pollen and dinocysts within a clearly-laminated sediment core off the Iranian coast in the Gulf of Oman, an extremely data-poor area, to reconstruct climatic change during the Late Holocene (last 1900 years). The vegetation record from southern Iran indicates a replacement of savannah by desert formations at c. 910 CE, shortly after the Islamic invasion and the subsequent collapse of the Sassanid Empire. From c. 910 to 1145 CE, during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA), the vegetation was heavily dominated by desert formations, such as Amaranthaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Asteraceae, Centaurea and Calligonum. In parallel, in the Gulf of Oman, the presence of Impagidinium paradoxum indicates a lack of freshwater discharge into the ocean around this time. The desert taxa of the MCA were subsequently replaced by savannah formations at c. 1145 CE, comprised mainly of Poaceae and Cyperaceae, corresponding to the Little Ice Age (LIA), indicating generally wetter climatic conditions. A sudden increase in Spiniferites ramosus (1-63%), at c. 1440 CE suggests an increase in the strength of the SW summer monsoon, with increased freshwater discharge into the ocean at this time. Our data indicate that over the past two millennia the NW Arabian Sea region has alternated between contrasting climatic conditions, with firstly a humid phase equivalent to the cultural period of the Sassanid Empire, a significantly drier climate during the MCA and a relatively wetter climate during the LIA. The mechanisms resulting in dry conditions during the MCA in the Middle East associated with the northward shift of the ITCZ and the intensification of the Indian summer monsoon may be similar to those causing the dry conditions which dominated the Early Holocene in the Near East. Our palaeoenvironmental proxy data support current observations that a globally anthropogenically-induced warmer climate is likely to lead to increased drought severity in the Middle East, putting additional stress on governments already struggling with poverty and social tensions.

Vegetation and Climate Change during the Last Deglaciation in the Great Khingan Mountain, Northeastern China

PubMed Central

Wu, Jing; Liu, Qiang; Wang, Luo; Chu, Guo-qiang; Liu, Jia-qi

2016-01-01

The Great Khingan Mountain range, Northeast China, is located on the northern limit of modern East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) and thus highly sensitive to the extension of the EASM from glacial to interglacial modes. Here, we present a high-resolution pollen record covering the last glacial maximum and the early Holocene from a closed crater Lake Moon to reconstruct vegetation history during the glacial-interglacial transition and thus register the evolution of the EASM during the last deglaciation. The vegetation history has gone through distinct changes from subalpine meadow in the last glacial maximum to dry steppe dominated by Artemisia from 20.3 to 17.4 ka BP, subalpine meadow dominated by Cyperaceae and Artemisia between 17.4 and 14.4 ka BP, and forest steppe dominated by Betula and Artemisia after 14.4 ka BP. The pollen-based temperature index demonstrates a gradual warming trend started at around 20.3 ka BP with interruptions of several brief events. Two cold conditions occurred around at 17.2–16.6 ka BP and 12.8–11.8 ka BP, temporally correlating to the Henrich 1 and the Younger Dryas events respectively, 1and abrupt warming events occurred around at 14.4 ka BP and 11.8 ka BP, probably relevant to the beginning of the Bølling-Allerød stages and the Holocene. The pollen-based moisture proxy shows distinct drought condition during the last glacial maximum (20.3–18.0 ka BP) and the Younger Dryas. The climate history based on pollen record of Lake Moon suggests that the regional temperature variability was coherent with the classical climate in the North Atlantic, implying the dominance of the high latitude processes on the EASM evolution from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to early Holocene. The local humidity variability was influenced by the EASM limitedly before the Bølling-Allerød warming, which is mainly controlled by the summer rainfall due to the EASM front covering the Northeast China after that. PMID:26730966

[Quantitative apportionment of slope aspect and altitude to soil moisture and temperature and plant distribution on alpine meadow].

PubMed

Niu, Yu Jie; Zhou, Jian Wei; Yang, Si Wei; Wang, Gui Zhen; Liu, Li; Hua, Li Min

2017-05-18

For understanding the effect of aspect and altitude of hill on soil moisture and temperature as well as the vegetation community, we selected an alpine meadow located on a hill in north-eastern Tibet Plateau as our study area. Data on soil moisture and temperature, as well as plant distribution pattern in this mountain ecosystem were collected. We used regression analysis, CCA ordination and variance decomposition, to determine the impacts of the key factors (aspect, altitude, soil temperature and moisture) on plant diversity distribution in 189 sample sites of the hill. The results showed that the plant diversity of shady aspect and bottomland was highest and lowest, respectively. The plant diversity of the shady aspect and on the ridge of the hill increased initially and then decreased with the increasing altitude, but the plant diversity of the sunny aspect increased with the increasing altitude. At 0-30 cm soil layer, the soil temperature of the sunny aspect was higher than that of other aspects, but the soil temperature at 0-20 cm soil layer did not change with the increa-sing altitude. The soil moisture of shady aspect was higher than that of other aspects, and increased with the increasing altitude. The aspect and altitude explained 100% of soil temperature changes and 51.8% of soil moisture variation. Aspect alone explained 72.2% of soil temperature variation and altitude alone explained 51.8% of soil moisture variation, which had the highest contribution rate individually. Most plants were distributed on the shady aspect and on the ridge, and at medium altitude. Sedges mainly grew on the shady aspect, while Gramineae grew on the sunny aspect, the ridge was an ecotone. Cyperaceae, Gramineae and Leguminosae were mainly distributed in low altitude zone. Hill aspect and altitude totally explained 28.6% of plant abundance variation, hill aspect alone explained 19.9% of plant abundance variation. The management of grassland production and ecological restoration in alpine meadow ecosystem should consider the effect of landform on soil and vegetation, and the hill aspect should be priority factor instead of altitude when planning management interventions.

Late Miocene (Pannonian) Vegetation from the Northern Part of Central Paratethys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kováčová, M.; Doláková, N.

2009-04-01

During Late Miocene, the Western Carpathian paleogeography started to change. The Lake Pannon retreated southwards, and the northern coast of the back arc basin was slightly elevated due to progradation of deltaic and alluvial facies, especially in the lowlands. The studied „Pannonian lake" sediments come from the Czech and Slovak parts of Central Paratethys. Changes of the sedimentary environment from deep to shallow lake and deltaic environment, followed by development of alluvial plains were noticed. Salinity crisis due to Paratethys isolation led to development of total freshwater environment to the end of this period. Samples from 3 surficial localities and 15 boreholes were palynologically studied. Occasional occurences of Dinoflagellates indicate a slightly higher salinity, whereas green algae Pediastrum, aquatic ferns Azolla, and aquatic and coastal plants (Nelumbo, Nymphaea, Myriophyllum, Sparganium, Potamogeton, Cyperaceae etc.) represent a freshwater environment. Due to paleogeographic changes and climatic oscillations the number of thermophilous taxa decreased and some of them disappeared completely from this area (f. e. Sapotaceae, Palmae). Mostly broad-leaved deciduous elements of mixed mesophytic forests (Quercus, Celtis, Carya, Tilia, Carpinus, Betula, Juglans) with some thermophilous elements admixture of Engelhardia, Castanea, Trigonobalanopsis, Symplocos, Cornaceaepollis satzveyensis generally dominate. Variously high relief of the uplifted mountainy chains created ideal conditions for higher presence of extrazonal vegetation (Cedrus, Tsuga, Picea, Cathaya) in the investigated area. Zonal type of vegetation including marshes, riparian forests with Alnus, Salix, Pterocarya, Liquidambar, Betula, Fraxinus, shrubs and lianas on dryer substrates associated riparian forest (Buxus, Ericaceae, Vitaceae, Lonicera, Rosaceae type Rubus), and coastal swamps with Taxodiaceae, Nyssa, Myrica, Sciadopitys were growing in the floodplain lowlands of Vienna Basin. Accumulations of the Chenopodiaceae in the interfluve areas probably indicate local saline swampy environments during sea level fall. The increasing amounts of herbs indicate the existence of wet prairie areas (Thalictrum, Rumex, Valeriana, Dipsacaceae, Lamiaceae, Galium) or steppes (Artemisia - up to 17%, Asteraceae, Campanula, Fabaceae, Daucaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Plantago). This is the contribution to the projects ESF -EC-009-07, APVT 51-011305, APVV-0280-07 (Slovakia) and MSM0021622427 (Czech republic).

Vegetation and Climate Change during the Last Deglaciation in the Great Khingan Mountain, Northeastern China.

PubMed

Wu, Jing; Liu, Qiang; Wang, Luo; Chu, Guo-qiang; Liu, Jia-qi

2016-01-01

The Great Khingan Mountain range, Northeast China, is located on the northern limit of modern East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) and thus highly sensitive to the extension of the EASM from glacial to interglacial modes. Here, we present a high-resolution pollen record covering the last glacial maximum and the early Holocene from a closed crater Lake Moon to reconstruct vegetation history during the glacial-interglacial transition and thus register the evolution of the EASM during the last deglaciation. The vegetation history has gone through distinct changes from subalpine meadow in the last glacial maximum to dry steppe dominated by Artemisia from 20.3 to 17.4 ka BP, subalpine meadow dominated by Cyperaceae and Artemisia between 17.4 and 14.4 ka BP, and forest steppe dominated by Betula and Artemisia after 14.4 ka BP. The pollen-based temperature index demonstrates a gradual warming trend started at around 20.3 ka BP with interruptions of several brief events. Two cold conditions occurred around at 17.2-16.6 ka BP and 12.8-11.8 ka BP, temporally correlating to the Henrich 1 and the Younger Dryas events respectively, 1and abrupt warming events occurred around at 14.4 ka BP and 11.8 ka BP, probably relevant to the beginning of the Bølling-Allerød stages and the Holocene. The pollen-based moisture proxy shows distinct drought condition during the last glacial maximum (20.3-18.0 ka BP) and the Younger Dryas. The climate history based on pollen record of Lake Moon suggests that the regional temperature variability was coherent with the classical climate in the North Atlantic, implying the dominance of the high latitude processes on the EASM evolution from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to early Holocene. The local humidity variability was influenced by the EASM limitedly before the Bølling-Allerød warming, which is mainly controlled by the summer rainfall due to the EASM front covering the Northeast China after that.

Neogene vegetation development in the Amazon Basin: evidence from marine well-2, Foz do Amazonas (Brazil)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogota-Angel, Raul; Chemale Junior, Farid; Davila, Roberto; Soares, Emilson; Pinto, Ricardo; Do Carmo, Dermeval; Hoorn, Carina

2014-05-01

Origen and development of the highly diverse Amazon tropical forest has mostly been inferred from continental sites. However, sediment records in the marine Foz do Amazonas Basin can provide important information to better understand the influence of the Andes uplift and climate change on its plant biomes evolution since the Neogene. Sediment analyses of samples from BP-Petrobras well 1 and 2, drilled in the Amazon Fan, allowed to infer the onset of the transcontinental Amazon river and the fan phase during the middle to late Miocene (c. 10.5 Ma). As part of the CLIMAMAZON research programme we performed pollen analysis on the 10.5 to 0.4 Ma time interval. 76 ditch cutting samples of the upper 4165 m sediments of well 2 permitted us to infer changes in floral composition in the Amazon Basin. The palynological spectra across this interval (nannofossil based age model) include pollen, fern spores, dinocysts and foram lignings. When possible pollen and fern spores were grouped in four vegetation types: estuarine, tropical, mountain forest and high mountain open treeless vegetation. Pollen is generally corroded and reflects the effects of sediment transportation while reworked material is also common. Good pollen producers such as Poaceae, Asteraceae and Cyperaceae are common and reflect indistinctive vegetation types particularly those associated to riverine systems. Rhizophora/Zonocostites spp. indicate "close-distance" mangrove development. Tropical forest biomes are represented by pollen that resemble Moraceae-Urticaceae, Melastomataceae-Combretaceae, Sapotaceae, Alchornea, Euphorbiaceae, Rubiaceae, Bignoniaceae, Mauritia and Arecaceae. Myrica, and particularly sporadic occurrences of fossil fern spores like Lophosoria, and Cyathea suggest the development of a moist Andean forest in areas above 1000 m. First indicators of high altitudes appear in the last part of late Miocene with taxa associated to current Valeriana and particularly Polylepis, a neotropical taxon currently growing along the Andean fluvial system on altitudes between c. 2000 up to c. 4800 m. Alnus is an important Andean forest taxa since Pliocene. In summary, the Neogene palynological record of the Amazon Fan strongly reflects and confirms the influence of the uplift of the Andes and its transcontinental character from late Miocene onwards.

Salt Marsh Formation in the Lower Hudson River Estuary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merley, Michael; Peteet, Dorothy; Hansen, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Salt marshes are constant depositional environments and as a result contain accurate indicators of past relative sea level rise and salinity. The Hudson River marshes are at least twice as deep when compared to coastal marshes on either side of the mouth of the Hudson. The reason for this difference in sedimentation is unclear. This study uses macrofossil data as well as sediment stratigraphy in order to understand the formation and evolution of these marshes. The composition of seeds, roots, shoots and foraminifera, are used to indicate past sea levels. The four sites involved in this study are, from south to north, the Arthur Kill Marsh in Staten Island (40 36 N, 74 77W), Piermont marsh (N 4100; 73 55W) Croton Point (41 14 N; 73 50W) and Iona Island (41 18N, 73 58W). These are all tidally influenced but with increasing distances from the New York Bight, which gives a good spectrum of tidal influence. AMS-C14 dates on basal macrofossils will document the time of each marsh formation. Basal material from Arthur Kill (8 m) includes freshwater seeds such as Viola, Potomageton and Alnus along with Salix buds. Basal material from Croton Point (10 m) includes fibrous woody material, foraminifera and Zanichellia seeds and other brackish vegetational components. The basal material from Piermont (13.77 m) is lacking any identifiable macrofossils between 150 and 500 microns. The basal material from Iona Island (10 m) has vegetation such as Scirpus and Cyperus seeds, probably implying a brackish environment. The freshwater origin of the Arthur Kill marsh in Staten Island is significant because it predates either sea level rise or the western channel incision. Additional implications for this study include evidence for changes in river channel geomorphology. Reasons for the relatively deeper river marshes include possible basal clay compaction, high production due to river and marine nutrients as well as tectonic activity. This study provides the groundwork for more high-resolution studies of these marshes to understand the fluctuations in salinity caused by relative sea level rise, tectonic faulting and/or changes in precipitation/evaporation.

A survey of herbal weeds for treating skin disorders from Southern Thailand: Songkhla and Krabi Province.

PubMed

Neamsuvan, Oratai; Bunmee, Pattaraporn

2016-12-04

Skin diseases are common health problems which affecting to all ages. In Thailand, the number of patients diagnosed with skin diseases is increasing every year. Nowadays, The Ministry of Public Health is supporting and promoting herbs for treating various disorders, including disorders of the skin to reduce the problem of antibiotic resistance and adverse drug reactions. This study aimed to: (1) enumerate the herbal weeds for treating skin disorders; (2) study local knowledge of weed utilization for treating skin disorders according to the folk healers in Songkhla and Krabi province; and (3) study quantitative data by Informant consensus factor (ICF), Use value (UV) and Fidelity level (FL) value. Field surveys and Semi-structured interviews about the local names, parts of plants used, preparation and use method, as well as local properties were done. The data were further analyzed by descriptive statistics, interpretation and quantitative indexes (ICF, UV as well as FL). The results discovered 44 herbal species of weeds belonging to 41 genera in 25 families. The most used plant families were Amaranthaceae (6 species). Most plants were used to treat abscess (18 species; 40.91%). The highest UV was recorded for Commelina benghalensis (0.65). The highest ICF values were found in vitiligo, ringworm, tinea versicolor and burns (1.00 each). The highest FL values were recorded for Cleome gynandra, Cleome viscosa, Sphenoclea zeylanica, Acmella oleracea, Leersia hexandra, Cyperus involucratus, Phyllanthus urinaria and Iresine herbstii (100.00 each). A review of the literatures revealed that 34 plant species had already been tested for their pharmacological activities. The biological activities associated with treatment of skin diseases can be divided into four categories: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and antioxidant activity. The information indicates that herbal weedy utilization is still importance to the treatment of traditional healers through accumulated experience for a long time. Therefore, this study is a guide to the conservation of folk medicinal knowledge. It might be implied as the basis for drug development and application of herbal weeds to treat skin disorders along with promoting sustainable use of natural resource. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of carbon balance in Mediterranean pilot constructed wetlands vegetated with different C4 plant species.

PubMed

Barbera, Antonio C; Borin, Maurizio; Cirelli, Giuseppe L; Toscano, Attilio; Maucieri, Carmelo

2015-02-01

This study investigates carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions and carbon (C) budgets in a horizontal subsurface flow pilot-plant constructed wetland (CW) with beds vegetated with Cyperus papyrus L., Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty, and Mischantus × giganteus Greef et Deu in the Mediterranean basin (Sicily) during the 1st year of plant growing season. At the end of the vegetative season, M. giganteus showed the higher biomass accumulation (7.4 kg m(-2)) followed by C. zizanioides (5.3 kg m(-2)) and C. papyrus (1.8 kg m(-2)). Significantly higher emissions of CO2 were detected in the summer, while CH4 emissions were maximum during spring. Cumulative CO2 emissions by C. papyrus and C. zizanioides during the monitoring period showed similar trends with final values of about 775 and 1,074 g m(-2), respectively, whereas M. giganteus emitted 3,395 g m(-2). Cumulative CH4 bed emission showed different trends for the three C4 plant species in which total gas release during the study period was for C. papyrus 12.0 g m(-2) and ten times higher for M. giganteus, while C. zizanioides bed showed the greatest CH4 cumulative emission with 240.3 g m(-2). The wastewater organic carbon abatement determined different C flux in the atmosphere. Gas fluxes were influenced both by plant species and monitored months with an average C-emitted-to-C-removed ratio for C. zizanioides, C. papyrus, and M. giganteus of 0.3, 0.5, and 0.9, respectively. The growing season C balances were positive for all vegetated beds with the highest C sequestered in the bed with M. giganteus (4.26 kg m(-2)) followed by C. zizanioides (3.78 kg m(-2)) and C. papyrus (1.89 kg m(-2)). To our knowledge, this is the first paper that presents preliminary results on CO2 and CH4 emissions from CWs vegetated with C4 plant species in Mediterranean basin during vegetative growth.

The impact of papyrus wetland encroachment on the spatial and temporal variability of stream flow and sediment export in the upper Rwizi catchment, Southwest Uganda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryken, Nick; Vanmaercke, Matthias; Wanyama, Joshua; Deckers, Jozef; Isabirye, Moses; Poesen, Jean

2014-05-01

During the past 30 years, human activities in the Lake Victoria basin are responsible for eutrophication of Lake Victoria via sediment-bound nutrients. This affects food security for millions on people. Addressing this problem in this densely populated region will require adequate catchment management strategies. However, sediment yield and runoff data to develop such a strategy are currently unavailable. Also in general, sediment yields for catchments in tropical environments are very scarce, especially in East-Africa. Therefore, runoff discharge and sediment export measurements were conducted in the upper Rwizi, a representative catchment for the Lake Victoria basin which is located in Southwest Uganda. Land use in this catchment is characterized by grazing area on the high plateaus, banana cropping on the slopes and Cyperus papyrus L. wetlands in the river valleys. These papyrus wetlands are currently encroached and transformed into cropland. Eight subcatchments (99 km2 - 2120 km2), with different degrees of wetland encroachment, were monitored during the hydrological year June 2009 - May 2010. Temporal and spatial variations in runoff discharge give strong indications that papyrus wetlands are crucial for buffering runoff and sediment discharge towards Lake Victoria. Subcatchments with intact wetlands show a slower runoff response to rainfall, smaller peak runoff discharges and lower runoff coefficients. Yearly runoff depths of subcatchment with intact wetlands are three to four times smaller compared to subcatchments with encroached wetlands. Suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) show a similar result, with significant smaller SSC in the subcatchments having intact papyrus wetlands. In the subcatchments where no encroachment occurred, annual area-specific suspended sediment yields (SSY) varied between 0,26 ton ha-1 yr-1and 0,33 ton ha-1 yr-1 , while the SSY of the encroached subcatchments varied between 1,20 ton ha-1 yr-1and 2,61 ton ha-1 yr-1. This study demonstrates that papyrus wetlands are crucial for buffering runoff and sediment discharges to Lake Victoria. Hence, measures should be taken to protect these wetlands.

The Neogene Environment of the Beardmore Glacier, Transantarctic Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashworth, A. C.; Cantrill, D. J.; Francis, J. E.; Roof, S. R.

2004-12-01

Discontinuous sequences of Neogene marine and non-marine glacigenic sequences, including the Meyer Desert Formation (MDF), occur throughout the Transantarctic Mountains. The upper 85m of the MDF, consisting of interbedded diamictites, conglomerates, sandstones and siltstones, outcrops in the Oliver Bluffs on the Beardmore Glacier at 85° 07'S, 166° 35'E. The location is about 170 km south of the confluence of the Beardmore Glacier with the Ross Ice Shelf and about 500 km north of the South Pole The glacial, fluvioglacial and glaciolacustrine facies of the MDF represent a dynamic glacial margin which advanced and retreated on at least four occasions. On at least one occasion, the retreat was sufficiently long for plants and animals to colonize the head of a major fjord which existed in the place of the existing Beardmore Glacier. From the fossils we have identified at least 18 species of plants, 3 species of insects, 2 species of freshwater mollusks, and a species of fish. The plant fossils consist of pollen, seeds, fruits, flowers, leaves, wood, and in situ plants. The plants include a cryptogamic flora of mosses and liverworts, conifers, and angiosperms in the families Gramineae, Cyperaceae, Nothofagaceae, Ranunculaceae, Hippuridaceae, ?Caryophyllaceae, and ?Chenopodiaceae or ?Myrtaceae. The plants grew in a weakly developed soil developed on a complex periglacial environment that included moraines, glacial outwash streams, well-drained gravel ridges, and poorly drained depressions in which peat and marl were being deposited. The fossil assemblage represents a mosaic tundra environment of well- and poorly-drained micro-sites, in which nutrient availability would have been patchily distributed. Antarctica has been essentially in a polar position since the Early Cretaceous and at 85° S receives no sunlight from the middle of March until the end of September. Today, the annual radiation received is about 42% that of Tierra del Fuego at 55° S. During the Neogene, the absence of solar heating for about 5.5 months, even though there would have been additional heat from open water in the fjord, would have resulted in a low mean annual temperature. Mean summer temperatures, based on the minimal thermal requirements for Nothofagus, listroderine weevils, and freshwater molluscs, are estimated to have been between 4 and 5°C for at least two summer months. The research is supported by NSF grant OPP-0230696

High-resolution vegetation dynamics reconstitution in the Zaire/Congo watershed since MIS 6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalibard, Mathieu; Popescu, Speranta-Maria; Maley, Jean; Pittet, Bernard; Marsset, Tania; Baudin, François; Dennielou, Bernard; Sionneau, Thomas; Escarguel, Gilles; Droz, Laurence

2010-05-01

The present-day latitudinal migrations of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) are controlled by ocean/atmosphere dynamics impact seasonality of monsoon influence on the intertropical eastern Atlantic and western Africa. The geographical position of the Zaire/Congo drainage basin spanning the Northern and Southern hemispheres makes it a key area to study variation of the climatic parameters (temperature and monsoon activity) through time. To identify the ITCZ variability during the last 180 ka, a multiproxy analysis (pollen grains, elemental ratio derived from XRF analysis, organic matter content, clay mineralogy) was performed on the core KZAI-02, drilled offshore Angola at 3418 m water depth. Pollen record indicates a very high plant diversity (327 taxa representative of 106 families). They have been grouped as follow with respect to their ecological requirements: (1) mangrove, (2) rain forest, (3) warm-temperate forest, (4) pioneer forest, (5) afromontane forest, (6) savannah, (7) marshes. The relative fluctuation of these ecological groups during the last 180 ka allows us to reconstruct the dynamics of vegetation and its response to global climate forcing. Generally the glacial periods are characterized by the development of the afromontane forest (mainly Podocarpus) on reliefs while in lower altitudes the savannah (Fabaceae Papilionoidae, Poaceae, Zygophyllum, etc.) spreads in response to the relative precipitation decrease. During interglacials our records indicate a progressive development of forest environments, the pioneer forest (Alchornea, Bridelia, Cnestis, etc.) being progressively replaced by the tropical rain forest (Acanthaceae, Fabaceae Caesalpinoideae, Sapotaceae, etc.). This evolution indicates an increase in temperature and humidity. At the stadial/interglacial transitions the development of the mangrove (Rhizophoraceae, Avicenia, Sonneratia, etc.) seems to respond principally to sea level rise. The maximum extension of Cyperaceae marshes contemporaneously with a significant presence of afromontane forest in MIS 6 may be correlated with rainfall increase probably related to changes in the monsoon activity. The information in term of humidity obtained from some other proxies (clay mineralogy, organic carbon, and elemental ratio measured by XRF, such as Br, etc.) shows a similar trend with the pollen record. A spectral analysis has been performed and reveals that the reconstructed climatic parameters from the Zaire/Congo watershed correlated with Milankovitch cycles, including semi-precession cycles (10 kyrs) characteristic of the Equatorial zone.

Late Holocene Vegetation and Climate at the Mid Altitudes of the Western Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

ROY, I.; Ranhotra, P. S.; Shekhar, M.; Bhattacharyya, A.; Agrawal, S.; Kumar, P.; Patil, S. K.; Pal, A. K.

2017-12-01

The palynological, stable carbon isotope and magnetic susceptibility studies of a 42 cm deep sedimentary core collected from palaeolacustrine deposit at the Nachiketa area ( 2,400 m amsl) near Uttarkashi of Western Himalaya provides the late Holocene vegetation and climatic scenario of the area. Between 3200 to 1650 cal yrs BP, the high susceptibility (χlf) values along with the good frequency of fern spores might indicate the prevailing moist conditions due to high summer monsoon with good influx of the sediments. However, the low pollen concentration between 3200 to 2680 cal years BP might be due to less ground vegetation cover or poor pollen preservation in the sediments. The well represented fern spores along with the other ground vegetation taxa in the period from 1650 cal yrs BP to 600 cal yrs BP also indicates the continuous prevalence of moist conditions that can be related with the globally known medieval warm period (MWP), supported by the δ13C values around -24‰ during this time and the high χLF values. Moreover, the good representation of Cyperaceae pollen suggests the in-filling of the lake followed by the invasion of ground vegetation viz. Cheno/Ams, Apiaceae, Poaceae etc. The good pollen frequency of broadleaved taxa viz. Quercus and Alnus also supports the moist conditions. Since 600 cal years BP the lowered χLF values signifies reduced input from the surrounding suggesting the filling of the lake. The marked increase in the pollen frequency of Cheno/Ams with low values of fern spores suggest less moist conditions with reduced summer monsoon that can be related to Little Ice Age (LIA) episode. Also the low negative δ13C values (around -21‰) indicates the less ground moisture supporting the C4 taxa. The Quercus and Alnus also reduced in their pollen presence. Whereas the Pinus pollen increased gradually since nearly before 410 cal years BP till recent showing the increased invasion of this taxa to near proximity of the area. The anthropogenic activities in terms of plantation of Pinus for timber cannot be ruled out. Further shift of the δ13C value to high negative (-24‰) during recent years suggests the reversal to the warm and moist conditions following the dry LIA phase.

Holocene vegetation, environment and anthropogenic influence in the Fuzhou Basin, southeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Yuanfu; Zheng, Zhuo; Rolett, Barry V.; Ma, Ting; Chen, Cong; Huang, Kangyou; Lin, Gongwu; Zhu, Guangqi; Cheddadi, Rachid

2015-03-01

A ∼40 m sediment core (FZ4) was collected from the Fuzhou Basin, near the lower reaches of the Min River, in Fujian Province on the southeast coast of China. The sediment and pollen record contributes to our understanding of Holocene paleogeography, including local changes in vegetation and climate in the context of Neolithic cultural developments. The sediment record reveals a fluvial environment in the Fuzhou Basin during the late Pleistocene, and it demonstrates that a change from fluvial to estuarine conditions at ∼9000 cal yr BP resulted from postglacial sea level rise. Evidence of abundant marine diatoms and tidal flat laminations observed in the FZ4 sediments, implies that the Fuzhou Basin was under marine influence between ∼9000 and ∼2000 cal yr BP. After 2000 cal yr BP, a rapid retreat in coastline associated with fluvial aggradation and coastal progradation produced more shallow water for wetlands and initiated formation of the floodplain landscape. The pollen record reveals the presence of a dense subtropical forest between ca. 9000 and 7000 cal yr BP, representing the Holocene thermal maximum, which is linked with rising sea level and marine transgression in the Fuzhou Basin. Between ca. 5500 and 2000 cal yr BP, the thermophilous forest dominated by Castanopsis retreated and coniferous forest expanded, reflecting moderate climatic cooling during this period. Timing of the high frequencies for Pinus and ferns correspond with the mid-late Holocene cooling trend recorded in local mountain peatland and coastal regions of the lower Yangtze and Hanjiang deltas. Anthropogenically induced land cover change was negligible prior to the Tanshishan cultural period, which marks the beginning of Neolithic era sedentary village life on the Fujian coast around 5500 BP. The pollen transition at ca. 3000-1500 cal yr BP, distinguished by rising frequencies of Poaceae and taxa (including Cyperaceae and Artemisia) closely associated with agricultural land cover, indicates exploitation of newly formed lowlands in the emerging Min River floodplain. The historic era intensification of rice agriculture is reflected in this trend of rising frequencies of Poaceae. After ca. 2000 cal yr BP, we observe the onset of a marine regression followed by evidence for an intensely human-impacted environment characterized by sharp rises in pioneer plants such as Poaceae and Dicranopteris. This transition coincides with a rapid retreat of coastline and emergence of the Fuzhou Basin floodplain.

Changes in frozen ground and vegetation on northern slopes of the Bayan Har Mountains on northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, X.

2017-12-01

The Bayan Har Mountains (BHM) on northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest China, is representative of elevational permafrost. Permafrost in the BHM is mostly warm (<-1°C) and mosaicked with seasonally frozen ground and taliks in discontinuous permafrost zones. Warming climate has led, is leading, and will lead to marked and profound permafrost changes. Consequently, permafrost changes significantly affect hydrology, ecology and engineered infrastructures in the source area of Yellow River. Due to the limited monitoring data, however, the permafrost in the BHM is poorly understood. Based on temperature measurements from boreholes established since 2010 and other historical archives, and field investigations since 2011, this study aims at analyzing spatiotemporal changes of permafrost and their associations with vegetation characteristics. Preliminary results show that: (1) It is evident that permafrost temperatures decrease with rising elevations. Mean annual ground temperature is generally above 0°C at elevations below 4,350 m a. s. l.; Above 4,520 m a. s. l. , permafrost temperature is lower than -0.5°C; (2) From 2011 to 2016, permafrost temperatures increased by 0.02-0.11°C at elevations below 4,400 m a. s. l. , but they decreased by 0.04°C above 4,520 m a. s. l.; (3) About 64 species of vegetation were found around the boreholes. Mesoxerophytes are the dominant species at elevations below 4,400 m a. s. l. in the areas of seasonally frozen ground, and; the cyperaceae dominate above 4,520 m a. s. l. in the permafrost zones. With rising elevations, aboveground biomass increases, but the species richness declines, maybe due to the variations in hydrothermal combinations and grazing. Under a warming and wetting climate, permafrost degradation, as evidenced by the reduction in areal extent of permafrost and thickening active layer, may result in declining or depletion of near-surface soil moisture due to the lowering permafrost and supra-permafrost water tables, and in shifting of alpine vegetation from meadows to steppes, and even in converting of alpine steppes to deserts in some areas due to the diminishing of water availability. Further study will focus on the quantitative relationships between frozen ground and alpine vegetation, and the symbiosis of the permafrost and alpine wetlands.

Holocene vegetational and coastal environmental changes from the Lago Crispim record in northeastern Pará State, eastern Amazonia.

PubMed

Behling, H; Lima da Costa, M

2001-04-01

Vegetational and coastal environmental changes have been interpreted from a 600cm long and 764014C yr B.P. old sediment core from Lago Crispim located in the northeastern Pará State in northern Brazil. The radiocarbon dated sediment core was studied by multi-element geochemistry, pollen and charcoal analysis.Holocene Atlantic sea-level rise caused an elevation of local water table, which allowed the formation of organic deposits in a probably former inter-dune valley. Dense, diverse and tall Amazon rain forest, and some restinga (coastal vegetation) covered the study area at the beginning of the record at 764014C yr B.P. Mangrove vegetation developed along rivers close to the core site at that time. Subsequent decrease in less mangrove vegetation near the study site indicates a sea-level regression, beginning since around 700014C yr B.P. Lower sea-levels probably favoured the formation of a local Mauritia/Mauritiella palm swamp at 662014C yr B.P. Oscillations of higher and lower sea-level stands probably changed the size of the local palm swamp area several times between 6620 and 363014C yr B.P. Sea-level transgression at around 363014C yr B.P., caused marked coastal environmental changes: the development of mangroves near the site, the replacement of the local palm swamp by a Cyperaceae swamp, the substitution of the surrounding former Amazon rain forest and some restinga vegetation mainly by salt marshes. High amount carbonised particles suggest a strong human impact by burning on the coastal ecosystems during this late Holocene period.Highest concentrations of NaCl and also Ca, Mg and K in the upper sediment core indicate that the Atlantic was close during the late Holocene period. The core site, which is today 500m from the coastline and only 1-2m above modern sea-level, was apparently never reached by marine excursions during the Holocene.Less representation of mangrove since ca. 184014C yr B.P., may be related due to a slightly lower sea-level or to human impact in the study region. The modern shallow lake seems to be formed recently by road construction, forming an artificial dam.

Assessing the potential impacts of a changing climate on the distribution of a rabies virus vector

PubMed Central

Piaggio, Antoinette J.

2018-01-01

Common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) occur throughout much of South America to northern México. Vampire bats have not been documented in recent history in the United States, but have been documented within about 50 km of the U.S. state of Texas. Vampire bats feed regularly on the blood of mammals and can transmit rabies virus to native species and livestock, causing impacts on the health of prey. Thus cattle producers, wildlife management agencies, and other stakeholders have expressed concerns about whether vampire bats might spread into the southern United States. On the other hand, concerns about vampire-borne rabies can also result in wanton destruction at bat roosts in areas occupied by vampire bats, but also in areas not known to be occupied by this species. This can in turn negatively affect some bat roosts, populations, and species that are of conservation concern, including vampire bats. To better understand the current and possible future distribution of vampire bats in North America and help mitigate future cattle management problems, we used 7,094 vampire bat occurrence records from North America and species distribution modeling (SDM) to map the potential distribution of vampire bats in North America under current and future climate change scenarios. We analysed and mapped the potential distribution of this species using 5 approaches to species distribution modeling: logistic regression, multivariate adaptive regression splines, boosted regression trees, random forest, and maximum entropy. We then projected these models into 17 “worst-case” future climate scenarios for year 2070 to generate hypotheses about how the vampire bat distribution in North America might change in the future. Of the variables used in this analysis, minimum temperature of the coldest month had the highest variable importance using all 5 SDM approaches. These results suggest two potential near-future routes of vampire bat dispersal into the U.S., one via southern Texas, and a second into southern Florida. Some of our SDM models support the hypothesis that suitable habitat for vampire bats may currently exist in parts of the México–U.S. borderlands, including extreme southern portions of Texas, as well as in southern Florida. However, this analysis also suggests that extensive expansion into the south-eastern and south-western U.S. over the coming ~60 years appears unlikely. PMID:29466401

Assessing the potential impacts of a changing climate on the distribution of a rabies virus vector.

PubMed

Hayes, Mark A; Piaggio, Antoinette J

2018-01-01

Common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) occur throughout much of South America to northern México. Vampire bats have not been documented in recent history in the United States, but have been documented within about 50 km of the U.S. state of Texas. Vampire bats feed regularly on the blood of mammals and can transmit rabies virus to native species and livestock, causing impacts on the health of prey. Thus cattle producers, wildlife management agencies, and other stakeholders have expressed concerns about whether vampire bats might spread into the southern United States. On the other hand, concerns about vampire-borne rabies can also result in wanton destruction at bat roosts in areas occupied by vampire bats, but also in areas not known to be occupied by this species. This can in turn negatively affect some bat roosts, populations, and species that are of conservation concern, including vampire bats. To better understand the current and possible future distribution of vampire bats in North America and help mitigate future cattle management problems, we used 7,094 vampire bat occurrence records from North America and species distribution modeling (SDM) to map the potential distribution of vampire bats in North America under current and future climate change scenarios. We analysed and mapped the potential distribution of this species using 5 approaches to species distribution modeling: logistic regression, multivariate adaptive regression splines, boosted regression trees, random forest, and maximum entropy. We then projected these models into 17 "worst-case" future climate scenarios for year 2070 to generate hypotheses about how the vampire bat distribution in North America might change in the future. Of the variables used in this analysis, minimum temperature of the coldest month had the highest variable importance using all 5 SDM approaches. These results suggest two potential near-future routes of vampire bat dispersal into the U.S., one via southern Texas, and a second into southern Florida. Some of our SDM models support the hypothesis that suitable habitat for vampire bats may currently exist in parts of the México-U.S. borderlands, including extreme southern portions of Texas, as well as in southern Florida. However, this analysis also suggests that extensive expansion into the south-eastern and south-western U.S. over the coming ~60 years appears unlikely.

Seed dispersal into wetlands: Techniques and results for a restored tidal freshwater marsh

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neff, K.P.; Baldwin, A.H.

2005-01-01

Although seed dispersal is assumed to be a major factor determining plant community development in restored wetlands, little research exists on density and species richness of seed available through dispersal in these systems. We measured composition and seed dispersal rates at a restored tidal freshwater marsh in Washington, DC, USA by collecting seed dispersing through water and wind. Seed dispersal by water was measured using two methods of seed collection: (1) stationary traps composed of coconut fiber mat along an elevation gradient bracketing the tidal range and (2) a floating surface trawl net attached to a boat. To estimate wind dispersal rates, we collected seed from stationary traps composed of coconut fiber mat positioned above marsh vegetation. We also collected a small number of samples of debris deposited along high tide lines (drift lines) and feces of Canada Goose to explore their seed content. We used the seedling emergence method to determine seed density in all samples, which involved placing the fiber mats or sample material on top of potting soil in a greenhouse misting room and enumerating emerging seedlings. Seedlings from a total of 125 plant species emerged during this study (including 82 in river trawls, 89 in stationary water traps, 21 in drift lines, 39 in wind traps, and 10 in goose feces). The most abundant taxa included Bidens frondosa, Boehmeria cylindrica, Cyperus spp., Eclipta prostrata, and Ludwigia palustris. Total seedling density was significantly greater for the stationary water traps (212 + 30.6 seeds/m2/month) than the equal-sized stationary wind traps (18 + 6.0 seeds/m(2)/month). Lower-bound estimates of total species richness based on the non-parametric Chao 2 asymptotic estimators were greater for seeds in water (106 + 1.4 for stationary water traps and 104 + 5.5 for trawl samples) than for wind (54 + 6.4). Our results indicate that water is the primary source of seeds dispersing to the site and that a species-rich pool of dispersing propagules is present, an interesting result given the urbanized nature of the surrounding landscape. However, species composition of dispersing seeds differed from vegetation of restored and natural tidal freshwater marshes, indicating that planting is necessary for certain species. At other restoration sites, information on densities of dispersing seeds can support decisions on which species to plant.

Transcriptional transitions in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves upon induction of oil synthesis by WRINKLED1 homologs from diverse species and tissues.

PubMed

Grimberg, Åsa; Carlsson, Anders S; Marttila, Salla; Bhalerao, Rishikesh; Hofvander, Per

2015-08-08

Carbon accumulation and remobilization are essential mechanisms in plants to ensure energy transfer between plant tissues with different functions or metabolic needs and to support new generations. Knowledge about the regulation of carbon allocation into oil (triacylglycerol) in plant storage tissue can be of great economic and environmental importance for developing new high-yielding oil crops. Here, the effect on global gene expression as well as on physiological changes in leaves transiently expressing five homologs of the transcription factor WRINKLED1 (WRI1) originating from diverse species and tissues; Arabidopsis thaliana and potato (Solanum tuberosum) seed embryo, poplar (Populus trichocarpa) stem cambium, oat (Avena sativa) grain endosperm, and nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) tuber parenchyma, were studied by agroinfiltration in Nicotiana benthamiana. All WRI1 homologs induced oil accumulation when expressed in leaf tissue. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that all homologs induced the same general patterns with a drastic shift in gene expression profiles of leaves from that of a typical source tissue to a source-limited sink-like tissue: Transcripts encoding enzymes for plastid uptake and metabolism of phosphoenolpyruvate, fatty acid and oil biosynthesis were up-regulated, as were also transcripts encoding starch degradation. Transcripts encoding enzymes in photosynthesis and starch synthesis were instead down-regulated. Moreover, transcripts representing fatty acid degradation were up-regulated indicating that fatty acids might be degraded to feed the increased need to channel carbons into fatty acid synthesis creating a futile cycle. RT-qPCR analysis of leaves expressing Arabidopsis WRI1 showed the temporal trends of transcripts selected as 'markers' for key metabolic pathways one to five days after agroinfiltration. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements of leaves expressing Arabidopsis WRI1 showed a significant decrease in photosynthesis, even though effect on starch content could not be observed. This data gives for the first time a general view on the transcriptional transitions in leaf tissue upon induction of oil synthesis by WRI1. This yields important information about what effects WRI1 may exert on global gene expression during seed and embryo development. The results suggest why high oil content in leaf tissue cannot be achieved by solely transcriptional activation by WRI1, which can be essential knowledge in the development of new high-yielding oil crops.

Improving irrigation management in L'Horta Nord (Valencia, Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascual-Seva, Nuria; San Bautista, Alberto; López-Galarza, Salvador; Maroto, Jose Vicente; Pascual, Bernardo

2014-05-01

L'Horta Nord is an important irrigation district in Valencia (Spain), especially for vegetable crops. The traditional cropping pattern in the region consists of a rotation of chufa with crops such as potato, onion, lettuce, escarole and red cabbage, being all these crops furrow irrigated. Currently, the quality of the water used is acceptable, water is not expensive and there are no limitations on supply. Consequently, growers are not aware of the volumes of water used, application efficiencies, nor water productivity for any of the crops cited. The European Framework Directive 2000/60, based on the precautionary principle, considers preventive action for measures to be taken; moreover, drought periods are becoming more frequent and extended, and water is being diverted to other uses. Thus, water use is an issue to improve. In this sense, the current situation of the irrigation in the area is analysed using chufa (Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus Boeck.) as representative of the crops, since most of the crops in the area have shallow root systems, as chufa, which are irrigated in similar patterns. In order to analyse the irrigation performance of the traditional chufa crop as well as to achieve more sustainable results, different studies have been carried out, during the last decade. Efforts have been directed to increase water productivity, increasing yield and minimising the volumes of water applied. Different planting configurations and different irrigation thresholds, not only in furrow irrigation but also in drip irrigation, are examples of how the irrigation performance could be improved. Herein is presented a two-year study, comparing, in both furrow and drip irrigation, two irrigation schedules based on the volumetric soil water content, which was continuously monitored using capacitance sensors. Yield was significantly affected by the growing season, the irrigation system and by the irrigation schedule, and by the second order interactions of the irrigation system with the other studied variables. Greater yields (p≤0.01) were obtained in the first growing season, drip irrigation and maintaining a higher soil moisture level. When considering the irrigation water use efficiency, the irrigation system showed significant differences (p≤0.01) with greater efficiencies for drip irrigation. Considering the homogeneity of the plots in the area and the similarities of the irrigation managements of chufa with the other crops, the results could be extended to most of the plots and crops in the area.

Holocene climate variability and oceanographic changes off western South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xueqin; Dupont, Lydie; E Meadows, Michael; Schefuß, Enno; Bouimetarhan, Ilham; Wefer, Gerold

2017-04-01

South Africa is located at a critical transition zone between subtropical and warm-temperate climate zones influenced by the Indian and Atlantic oceans. Presently, the seasonal changes of atmospheric and oceanic systems induce a pronounced rainfall seasonality comprised of two different rainfall zones over South Africa. How did this seasonality develop during the Holocene? To obtain a better understanding of how South African climates have evolved during the Holocene, we conduct a comprehensive spatial-temporal approach including pollen and dinoflagellate cyst records from marine sediment samples retrieved from the Namaqualand mudbelt, a Holocene terrigenous mud deposit on the shelf of western South Africa. The representation of different vegetation communities in western South Africa is assessed through pollen analysis of surface sediments. This approach allows for climate reconstructions of the summer rainfall zone (SRZ) using Group 1 (Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Phragmites-type and Typha) and winter rainfall zone (WRZ) using Group 2 (Restionaceae, Ericaceae, Anthospermum, Stoebe/Elytropappus-type, Cliffortia, Passerina, Artemisia-type and Pentzia-type) from a single marine archive. The fossil pollen data from gravity core GeoB8331-4 indicate contrasting climate patterns in the SRZ and WRZ especially during the early and middle Holocene. The rainfall amount in the SRZ is dominated by insolation forcing, while in the WRZ it is mainly attributed to the latitudinal position of the southern westerlies. Dinoflagellate cyst data show significantly different oceanographic conditions associated with climate changes on land. High percentages of autotrophic taxa like Operculodinium centrocarpum and Spiniferites spp. indicate warm and stratified conditions during the early Holocene, suggesting reduced upwelling. In contrast, the middle Holocene is characterized by a strong increase in heterotrophic taxa in particular Lejeunecysta paratenella and Echinidinium spp., indicating cool and nutrient-rich waters with active upwelling. Thus, sea surface temperatures are dominated by upwelling dynamics influenced by the latitudinal position of the southern westerlies rather than warm waters via the Agulhas leakage. The paleo-productivity changes during the late Holocene are controlled by the freshwater influx of the Orange River indicated by abundant fluvial-related taxa such as Brigantedinium spp., Protoperidinium americanum and Lejeunecysta oliva. This corroborates the increase of Poaceae/Asteraceae ratio suggesting increased summer rainfall in the SRZ. Therefore, the terrestrial (pollen) and marine (dinoflagellate cyst) records generated from the same sediment sequence enable a clear understanding of the mechanisms driving variability in the Holocene of South Africa and provide significant insight into the land-ocean linkages.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 558-624.

PubMed

Crous, P W; Wingfield, M J; Burgess, T I; Hardy, G E St J; Barber, P A; Alvarado, P; Barnes, C W; Buchanan, P K; Heykoop, M; Moreno, G; Thangavel, R; van der Spuy, S; Barili, A; Barrett, S; Cacciola, S O; Cano-Lira, J F; Crane, C; Decock, C; Gibertoni, T B; Guarro, J; Guevara-Suarez, M; Hubka, V; Kolařík, M; Lira, C R S; Ordoñez, M E; Padamsee, M; Ryvarden, L; Soares, A M; Stchigel, A M; Sutton, D A; Vizzini, A; Weir, B S; Acharya, K; Aloi, F; Baseia, I G; Blanchette, R A; Bordallo, J J; Bratek, Z; Butler, T; Cano-Canals, J; Carlavilla, J R; Chander, J; Cheewangkoon, R; Cruz, R H S F; da Silva, M; Dutta, A K; Ercole, E; Escobio, V; Esteve-Raventós, F; Flores, J A; Gené, J; Góis, J S; Haines, L; Held, B W; Jung, M Horta; Hosaka, K; Jung, T; Jurjević, Ž; Kautman, V; Kautmanova, I; Kiyashko, A A; Kozanek, M; Kubátová, A; Lafourcade, M; La Spada, F; Latha, K P D; Madrid, H; Malysheva, E F; Manimohan, P; Manjón, J L; Martín, M P; Mata, M; Merényi, Z; Morte, A; Nagy, I; Normand, A-C; Paloi, S; Pattison, N; Pawłowska, J; Pereira, O L; Petterson, M E; Picillo, B; Raj, K N A; Roberts, A; Rodríguez, A; Rodríguez-Campo, F J; Romański, M; Ruszkiewicz-Michalska, M; Scanu, B; Schena, L; Semelbauer, M; Sharma, R; Shouche, Y S; Silva, V; Staniaszek-Kik, M; Stielow, J B; Tapia, C; Taylor, P W J; Toome-Heller, M; Vabeikhokhei, J M C; van Diepeningen, A D; Van Hoa, N; M, Van Tri; Wiederhold, N P; Wrzosek, M; Zothanzama, J; Groenewald, J Z

2017-06-01

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Australia : Banksiophoma australiensis (incl. Banksiophoma gen. nov.) on Banksia coccinea , Davidiellomyces australiensis (incl. Davidiellomyces gen. nov.) on Cyperaceae , Didymocyrtis banksiae on Banksia sessilis var . cygnorum , Disculoides calophyllae on Corymbia calophylla , Harknessia banksiae on Banksia sessilis , Harknessia banksiae-repens on Banksia repens , Harknessia banksiigena on Banksia sessilis var . cygnorum , Harknessia communis on Podocarpus sp., Harknessia platyphyllae on Eucalyptus platyphylla , Myrtacremonium eucalypti (incl. Myrtacremonium gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus globulus , Myrtapenidiella balenae on Eucalyptus sp., Myrtapenidiella eucalyptigena on Eucalyptus sp., Myrtapenidiella pleurocarpae on Eucalyptus pleurocarpa , Paraconiothyrium hakeae on Hakea sp., Paraphaeosphaeria xanthorrhoeae on Xanthorrhoea sp., Parateratosphaeria stirlingiae on Stirlingia sp., Perthomyces podocarpi (incl. Perthomyces gen. nov.) on Podocarpus sp., Readeriella ellipsoidea on Eucalyptus sp., Rosellinia australiensis on Banksia grandis , Tiarosporella corymbiae on Corymbia calophylla , Verrucoconiothyrium eucalyptigenum on Eucalyptus sp., Zasmidium commune on Xanthorrhoea sp., and Zasmidium podocarpi on Podocarpus sp. Brazil : Cyathus aurantogriseocarpus on decaying wood, Perenniporia brasiliensis on decayed wood, Perenniporia paraguyanensis on decayed wood, and Pseudocercospora leandrae-fragilis on Leandra fragilis. Chile : Phialocephala cladophialophoroides on human toe nail. Costa Rica : Psathyrella striatoannulata from soil. Czech Republic : Myotisia cremea (incl. Myotisia gen. nov.) on bat droppings. Ecuador : Humidicutis dictiocephala from soil, Hygrocybe macrosiparia from soil, Hygrocybe sangayensis from soil, and Polycephalomyces onorei on stem of Etlingera sp. France : Westerdykella centenaria from soil. Hungary : Tuber magentipunctatum from soil. India : Ganoderma mizoramense on decaying wood, Hodophilus indicus from soil, Keratinophyton turgidum in soil, and Russula arunii on Pterigota alata. Italy : Rhodocybe matesina from soil. Malaysia : Apoharknessia eucalyptorum , Harknessia malayensis , Harknessia pellitae , and Peyronellaea eucalypti on Eucalyptus pellita , Lectera capsici on Capsicum annuum , and Wallrothiella gmelinae on Gmelina arborea. Morocco : Neocordana musigena on Musa sp. New Zealand : Candida rongomai-pounamu on agaric mushroom surface, Candida vespimorsuum on cup fungus surface, Cylindrocladiella vitis on Vitis vinifera , Foliocryphia eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus sp., Ramularia vacciniicola on Vaccinium sp., and Rhodotorula ngohengohe on bird feather surface. Poland : Tolypocladium fumosum on a caterpillar case of unidentified Lepidoptera. Russia : Pholiotina longistipitata among moss. Spain : Coprinopsis pseudomarcescibilis from soil, Eremiomyces innocentii from soil, Gyroporus pseudocyanescens in humus, Inocybe parvicystis in humus, and Penicillium parvofructum from soil. Unknown origin : Paraphoma rhaphiolepidis on Rhaphiolepsis indica. USA : Acidiella americana from wall of a cooling tower, Neodactylaria obpyriformis (incl. Neodactylaria gen. nov.) from human bronchoalveolar lavage, and Saksenaea loutrophoriformis from human eye. Vietnam : Phytophthora mekongensis from Citrus grandis , and Phytophthora prodigiosa from Citrus grandis. Morphological and culture characteristics along with DNA barcodes are provided.

Spatial variation in below ground carbon cycling in a pristine peatland, driven by present and past vegetation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathijssen, Paul; Knorr, Klaus-Holger; Gałka, Mariusz; Borken, Werner

2017-04-01

Peat carbon cycling is controlled by both large scale factors, such as climate and hydrological setting, and small scale factors, such as microtopography, vegetation, litter quality, and rooting depth. These small scale factors commonly vary within peatlands, causing variation in the carbon balance at different locations within the same site. Understanding the relationship between small scale carbon cycling and vegetation helps us to assess the variation of carbon dynamics of peatlands, because vegetation composition acts as an integrator of factors such as microtopography, hydrology, and nutrient level. Variation in vegetation illustrates spatial variation of these underlying factors. Furthermore, the presence of certain plant species affects carbon cycling directly through litter quality or aeration through root tissues. In order to understand these within-site variations in terms of carbon cycling, we investigated carbon accumulation, decomposition, and biogeochemistry of pore waters along a transect of peat cores with changing vegetation and water levels in an ombrotrophic peatland in southern Patagonia. The transect ran from a Sphagnum magellanicum dominated spot with relatively high water table, to intermediately wet spots with mixed Sphagnum/shrubs vegetation, or dominated by Cyperaceae, eventually to a more elevated and drier spot dominated by cushion plants (mainly Astelia pumila). There were large differences in peat accumulation rates and peat densities, with faster peat growth and lower densities under Sphagnum, but overall carbon accumulation rates were quite similar in the various microenvironments. At most plots C/N ratios decreased with depth, concurrent with increasing humification index derived from FT-IR spectra. But under cushion plants this relation was opposite: more humification with depth, but also C/N ratios increases. This reflected the differing source material at depth under the cushion plants, and that the cushion plant peat layers were formed on top of Sphagnum peat. The divergent source material throughout a peat core makes it difficult to use C/N ratios to indicate peat decomposition rates. Although the low peat density and higher C/N ratios indicate that overall carbon turnover is slow at Sphagnum plots, pore water methane concentrations were elevated. At cushion plant plots, however, higher redox potentials exist until greater depths due to aerenchymous roots, inhibiting methane production and release. Our results demonstrate that large variation exists within pristine bogs, in terms of decomposition patterns, organic matter quality, and carbon turnover pathways, corresponding to variation in surface moisture levels and vegetation. Furthermore, variation in carbon cycling properties are maintained in buried peat layers and reflect more the organic material of that layer, than the current surface carbon dynamics.

Paleoclimatic changes occurred during the last two centuries in the Gulf of Gaeta (central-eastern Tyrrhenian Sea): a contribution of NEXTDATA project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lirer, Fabrizio; Vallefuoco, Mattia; Albertazzi, Sonia; Anzalone, Erlisiana; Bellucci, Luca; Bonomo, Sergio; Capotondi, Lucilla; Cascella, Antonio; Di Rita, Federico; Ferraro, Luciana; Florindo, Fabio; Giuliani, Silvia; Domenica Insinga, Donatella; Lurcock, Pont; Magri, Donatella; Margaritelli, Giulia; Marsella, Ennio; Petrosino, Paola; Sprovieri, Mario; Sorgato, Stefania

2014-05-01

A high-resolution integrated study, which includes tephrochronology (tefra layer associated to 1906 AD Vesuvius event) and radionuclide dating method (210Pb and 137Cs), has been performed in a super-expanded marine record (sedimentation rate of 0.47 cm/yr) from the continental shelf of the Gulf of Gaeta (central eastern Tyrrhenian Sea). Planktonic foraminifera, calcareous nannofossils, pollens and oxygen stable isotope data performed on Globigerinoides ruber, revealed environmental changes occurred during the last two centuries. In detail we recognise four paleoclimatic changes. From ca. 1800 to ca. 1865 AD, d18O G. ruber signal combined with evidences of abundance increase of planktonic foraminifera Globoratialia inflata and G. truncatulinoides and of calcareous nannofossils Emiliana huxley document cold-temperate phase. Between ca. 1865 and ca. 1882 AD, d18O G. ruber record document a short warm interval associated with a turnover from carnivorous to herbivorous-opportunistic planktonic foraminiferal species and an increase in abundance of calcareous nannofossil Florisphaera profunda. At ca. 1935 AD, d18O G. ruber data indicate a gradually warming, concomitant an evident turnover from carnivorous to herbivorous-opportunistic planktonic foraminiferal species, and associated to the increase of calcareous nannofossil F. profunda. From ca. 1950 AD to the present day the warm phase documents a further strong increase in G. ruber alba, G. quadrilobatus and F. profunda abundances. The pollen analysis carried out on the same core revealed a two-step increase in arboreal vegetation, this is mostly related to a rise of Olea, Quercus evergreen and riparian trees (Alnus and Salix) from ca. 1882 AD, and increase in conifers (Pinus and Cupressaceae) from ca. 1980 AD. The short lived warm interval documented by d18O between ca. 1865 and ca. 1882 AD may triggered the increase in Olea and the coeval general decrease in deciduous trees. Among herbs, Cyperaceae, along with ferns, show a progressive decline in the upper part of the record, especially from 1935 to the present, suggesting a reduction of wetlands. Since 1920 AD, significant frequencies of dinoflagellate cysts may reflect both a nutrient loading and temperatures increases, as also documented by d18O and micropalaeontological records. We acknowledge financial support from the Italian Project of Strategic Interest NEXTDATA (http://www.nextdataproject.it/) "A national system for recovery, storage, accessibility and dissemination of environmental and climatic data from mountain and marine areas"

Holocene climatic change, aeolian sedimentation and the nomadic Anthropocene in Eastern Tibet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehmkuhl, F.; Schlütz, F.

2009-04-01

Geomorphological and palynological studies from the Nianbaoyeze Shan in Eastern Tibet provides detailed information on the Holocene landscape and vegetation development of a mountain system located on the westernmost boundary of the modern forest belt. In addition, detailed sedimentological work was done on a section south of the Anyemachin Shan further west. Our study provides detailed information on the late glacial landscape and vegetation development of eastern Tibet. Based on a suite of geomorphological and palynological proxy data from the Nianbaoyeze Shan on the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau (33°N/101°E, 3300-4500 m asl) we reconstruct recent landscape dynamics as a function of climate change and the longevity of human influence. Study results constrain several major phases of aeolian sedimentation between 50 - 15 ka and various glacier advances during the Late Pleistocene, the Holocene and the Little Ice Age (LIA). Increased aeolian deposition was primarily associated with periods of more extensive glacial ice extent. Fluvial and alluvial sediment pulses also document an increase of erosion starting at about 4000 cal yr B.P. coinciding with cooling (Neoglacial) and a growing anthropo-zoogenic influence. Evidence for periglacial mass movements indicate that the late Holocene cooling started at around 2000 cal yr B.P. demonstrating increased surface activity under the combined effects of human influence and climate deterioration (LIA). In a section south of the Anyemachin about 150 km further west Holocene silt and paleosols development match to these results but showing higher Holocene aeolian activity. The Holocene vegetation history started with an open landscape dominated by pioneer shrubs along braided rivers (<10,600 - 9800 cal yr B.P.), followed by the spreading of conifers (Picea, Juniperus, Abies) and Betula-trees accompanied by a successive closing of the vegetation cover by Poaceae, Cyperaceae and herbs (9800 - 8300 cal yr B.P.). First signs of nomadic influences appear as early as 7200 cal yr B.P., when temperatures were up to 2°C warmer than today. Forest remained very patchy with strong local contrasts. During the following cooling phase (5900 - 2750 yr cal B.P.) the natural Kobresia-mats were transformed by nomadic grazing to Bistorta-rich Kobresia pygmaea-pastures. Modern nomadic migration routes were established at least 2200 years ago. Overgrazing and trampling led to the shrinking of Bistorta and the spreading of annual weeds. Our data point to an early start of the nomadic Anthropocene at about 6000 years ago. Against this background of a very long grazing history, modern Tibet must be seen as a cultural landscape.

Abrupt vegetation transitions characterise long-term Amazonian peatland development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roucoux, K. H.; Baker, T. R.; Gosling, W. D.; Honorio Coronado, E.; Jones, T. D.; Lahteenoja, O.; Lawson, I. T.

2012-04-01

Recent investigations of wetlands in western Amazonia have revealed the presence of extensive peatlands with peat deposits of up to 8 m-thick developing under a variety of vegetation types (Lähteenoja et al. 2012). Estimated to cover 150,000 km2 (Schulman et al. 1999), these peatlands make a valuable contribution to landscape and biological diversity and represent globally important carbon stores. In order to understand the processes leading to peat formation, and the sensitivity of these environments to future climatic change, it is necessary to understand their long-term history. The extent to which peatland vegetation changes over time, the stability of particular communities, the controls on transitions between vegetation types and how these factors relate to the accumulation of organic matter are not yet known. We report the first attempt to establish the long-term (millennial scale) vegetation history of a recently-described peatland site: Quistococha, a palm swamp, or aguajal, close to Iquitos in northern Peru. The vegetation is dominated by Mauritia flexuosa and Mauritiella armata and occupies a basin which is thought to be an abandoned channel of the River Amazon. We obtained a 4 m-long peat sequence from the deepest part of the basin. AMS-radiocarbon dating yielded a maximum age of 2,212 cal yr BP for the base of the peat, giving an average accumulation rate of 18 cm per century. Below the peat are 2 m of uniform, largely inorganic pale grey clays of lacustrine origin, which are underlain by an unknown thickness of inorganic sandy-silty clay of fluvial origin. Pollen analysis, carried out at c. 88-year intervals, shows the last 2,212 years to be characterised by the development of at least four distinct vegetation communities, with peat accumulating throughout. The main phases were: (1) Formation of Cyperaceae (sedge) fen coincident with peat initiation; (2) A short-lived phase of local Mauritia/Mauritiella development; (3) Development of mixed wet woodland with abundant Myrtaceae; (4) Expansion of Mauritia/Mauritiella palm swamp vegetation c. 1000 years ago representing establishment of the present day vegetation community. Our results show that the vegetation at this site has undergone continuous change throughout the period of peat formation. The sequence of vegetation development is not straightforward, being characterised by abrupt transitions between vegetation types and reversals in the apparent trajectory of change. Overall this suggests that the system is highly dynamic on centennial to millennial timescales. This complexity may reflect vegetation responses to a combination of external (physical) and internal (biological) drivers and the presence of thresholds in the system. Future investigations will work towards understanding the processes that drive these vegetation transitions and predicting peatland vegetation responses to future climatic change.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 214-280.

PubMed

Crous, P W; Shivas, R G; Quaedvlieg, W; van der Bank, M; Zhang, Y; Summerell, B A; Guarro, J; Wingfield, M J; Wood, A R; Alfenas, A C; Braun, U; Cano-Lira, J F; García, D; Marin-Felix, Y; Alvarado, P; Andrade, J P; Armengol, J; Assefa, A; den Breeÿen, A; Camele, I; Cheewangkoon, R; De Souza, J T; Duong, T A; Esteve-Raventós, F; Fournier, J; Frisullo, S; García-Jiménez, J; Gardiennet, A; Gené, J; Hernández-Restrepo, M; Hirooka, Y; Hospenthal, D R; King, A; Lechat, C; Lombard, L; Mang, S M; Marbach, P A S; Marincowitz, S; Marin-Felix, Y; Montaño-Mata, N J; Moreno, G; Perez, C A; Pérez Sierra, A M; Robertson, J L; Roux, J; Rubio, E; Schumacher, R K; Stchigel, A M; Sutton, D A; Tan, Y P; Thompson, E H; van der Linde, E; Walker, A K; Walker, D M; Wickes, B L; Wong, P T W; Groenewald, J Z

2014-06-01

Novel species of microfungi described in the present study include the following from South Africa: Cercosporella dolichandrae from Dolichandra unguiscati, Seiridium podocarpi from Podocarpus latifolius, Pseudocercospora parapseudarthriae from Pseudarthria hookeri, Neodevriesia coryneliae from Corynelia uberata on leaves of Afrocarpus falcatus, Ramichloridium eucleae from Euclea undulata and Stachybotrys aloeticola from Aloe sp. (South Africa), as novel member of the Stachybotriaceae fam. nov. Several species were also described from Zambia, and these include Chaetomella zambiensis on unknown Fabaceae, Schizoparme pseudogranati from Terminalia stuhlmannii, Diaporthe isoberliniae from Isoberlinia angolensis, Peyronellaea combreti from Combretum mossambiciensis, Zasmidium rothmanniae and Phaeococcomyces rothmanniae from Rothmannia engleriana, Diaporthe vangueriae from Vangueria infausta and Diaporthe parapterocarpi from Pterocarpus brenanii. Novel species from the Netherlands include: Stagonospora trichophoricola, Keissleriella trichophoricola and Dinemasporium trichophoricola from Trichophorum cespitosum, Phaeosphaeria poae, Keissleriella poagena, Phaeosphaeria poagena, Parastagonospora poagena and Pyrenochaetopsis poae from Poa sp., Septoriella oudemansii from Phragmites australis and Dendryphion europaeum from Hedera helix (Germany) and Heracleum sphondylium (the Netherlands). Novel species from Australia include: Anungitea eucalyptorum from Eucalyptus leaf litter, Beltraniopsis neolitseae and Acrodontium neolitseae from Neolitsea australiensis, Beltraniella endiandrae from Endiandra introrsa, Phaeophleospora parsoniae from Parsonia straminea, Penicillifer martinii from Cynodon dactylon, Ochroconis macrozamiae from Macrozamia leaf litter, Triposporium cycadicola, Circinotrichum cycadis, Cladosporium cycadicola and Acrocalymma cycadis from Cycas spp. Furthermore, Vermiculariopsiella dichapetali is described from Dichapetalum rhodesicum (Botswana), Ophiognomonia acadiensis from Picea rubens (Canada), Setophoma vernoniae from Vernonia polyanthes and Penicillium restingae from soil (Brazil), Pseudolachnella guaviyunis from Myrcianthes pungens (Uruguay) and Pseudocercospora neriicola from Nerium oleander (Italy). Novelties from Spain include: Dendryphiella eucalyptorum from Eucalyptus globulus, Conioscypha minutispora from dead wood, Diplogelasinospora moalensis and Pseudoneurospora canariensis from soil and Inocybe lanatopurpurea from reforested woodland of Pinus spp. Novelties from France include: Kellermania triseptata from Agave angustifolia, Zetiasplozna acaciae from Acacia melanoxylon, Pyrenochaeta pinicola from Pinus sp. and Pseudonectria rusci from Ruscus aculeatus. New species from China include: Dematiocladium celtidicola from Celtis bungeana, Beltrania pseudorhombica, Chaetopsina beijingensis and Toxicocladosporium pini from Pinus spp. and Setophaeosphaeria badalingensis from Hemerocallis fulva. Novel genera of Ascomycetes include Alfaria from Cyperus esculentus (Spain), Rinaldiella from a contaminated human lesion (Georgia), Hyalocladosporiella from Tectona grandis (Brazil), Pseudoacremonium from Saccharum spontaneum and Melnikomyces from leaf litter (Vietnam), Annellosympodiella from Juniperus procera (Ethiopia), Neoceratosperma from Eucalyptus leaves (Thailand), Ramopenidiella from Cycas calcicola (Australia), Cephalotrichiella from air in the Netherlands, Neocamarosporium from Mesembryanthemum sp. and Acervuloseptoria from Ziziphus mucronata (South Africa) and Setophaeosphaeria from Hemerocallis fulva (China). Several novel combinations are also introduced, namely for Phaeosphaeria setosa as Setophaeosphaeria setosa, Phoma heteroderae as Peyronellaea heteroderae and Phyllosticta maydis as Peyronellaea maydis. Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa.

Implications of agricultural encroachment on the carbon and greenhouse gas dynamics in tropical African wetlands.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saunders, Matthew; Kansiime, Frank; Jones, Michael

2015-04-01

Cyperus papyrus L. (papyrus) wetlands dominate the permanently inundated wetlands of tropical East Africa and support the livelihoods of millions of people in rural sub-Saharan Africa through the provision of multiple ecosystem services such as the supply of drinking water, fish protein, building materials and biofuels. These wetlands are also extremely important in local and regional scale biogeochemical cycles due to their extensive spatial distribution, high rates of photosynthetic carbon dioxide (CO2) assimilation, long-term carbon (C) sequestration in the form of peat and the control of water loss through evapotranspiration. However, these wetlands are facing significant anthropogenic pressures due to the increasing demand for agricultural land where the papyrus plants are removed and replaced with subsistence crops such as cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta). Eddy covariance measurements were made on an undisturbed papyrus wetland and a cocoyam dominated wetland on the Ugandan shoreline of Lake Victoria to better understand the impacts of agricultural encroachment on the C sequestration potential of these wetlands. Peak rates of net photosynthetic CO2 assimilation at the papyrus wetland were over 40 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1, even under increasing vapour pressure deficit (≥2 kPa), while maximum rates of assimilation at the cocoyam site were 28 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1. Annual rates of papyrus net primary productivity (NPP) were amongst the highest recorded for wetland systems globally (3.09 kg C m-2 yr-1) and the continual regeneration of the papyrus plants, due to an absence of pronounced seasonal climatic variability, can lead to significant C accumulation in the above and belowground biomass (≥88 t C ha-1). Where these wetlands remain inundated and anaerobic conditions prevail, significant detrital and peat deposits can form further increasing the combined C sink capacity of these ecosystems to over 700 t C ha-1. The C sink strength of these wetlands is however offset by the production and emission of methane (CH4), and plant-facilitated emissions of up to 32 mg CH4 m-2 h-1 were measured from mature papyrus plants grown in a constructed wetland, suggesting that these wetlands may make a significant contribution to regional methane emissions. The conversion of the papyrus wetlands to agricultural land use has significant implications for the carbon budgets of these systems, as the decomposition of detrital material in addition to the carbon exported in the crop biomass resulted in a net loss of carbon of ~10 t C ha-1 yr-1. The development of sustainable wetland management strategies are therefore required to maintain and enhance the services provided by these ecosystems especially under increasing population pressures and future climatic scenarios.

The Holocene environmental history of the Verkhoyansk Mountains region (northeastern Siberia, Russia) reconstructed from high-resolution pollen data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, S.; Tarasov, P. E.; Andreev, A. A.; Diekmann, B.

2009-04-01

The study presented here is part of the IPY project 106 "Lake Records of late Quaternary Climate Variability in northeastern Siberia" and the German Research Foundation project RI 809/17-1,2 "Late Quaternary environmental history of interstadial and interglacial periods in the Arctic reconstructed from bioindicators in permafrost sequences in NE Siberia". Both projects focus on generating high-resolution vegetation and climate proxy records mainly from lacustrine sediments along a north-south transect from Yakutia, Republic of Russia. This region is known for its climate extremes, with the Verkhoyansk Mountain Range being the coldest area in the Northern Hemisphere - "Pole of Cold". Radiocarbon-dated pollen records from Lake Billyakh (65°17'N, 126°47'E; 340 m a.s.l.) located in the central part of the Verkhoyansk Mountains were used to reconstruct vegetation and climate changes. The longest and oldest sediment core from the lake reaches back to >30 kyr BP, thus covering the last two Late Pleistocene Interstadials in Siberia. The pollen record and pollen-based biome reconstruction of the core PG 1756, which covers the last 15 kyr BP, suggest that open cool steppe and grass and sedge tundra communities with Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae, Caryophyllaceae and Selaginella rupestris dominated the area from 15 to 13.5 kyr BP. On the other hand, the constant presence of Larix pollen in quantities comparable to today's values points to the constant presence of boreal deciduous conifer trees in the regional vegetation during the last glaciation. A major spread of shrub tundra communities, including birch (Betula sect. Nanae), alder (Duschekia fruticosa) and willow (Salix) species, is dated to 13.5-12.7 kyr BP, indicating a noticeable increase in precipitation toward the end of the last glaciation, particularly during the Allerød Interstadial. Between 12.7 and 11.4 kyr BP pollen percentages of herbaceous taxa rapidly increased, whereas shrub taxa percentages decreased, suggesting strengthening of the steppe communities associated with the cold and dry Younger Dryas Stadial. However, the pollen data in hand indicate that Younger Dryas climate was less severe than the climate during the earlier interval from 15 to 13.5 kyr BP. The onset of the Holocene is marked in the pollen record by the highest values of shrub and lowest values of herbaceous taxa, suggesting a return of warmer and wetter conditions after 11.4 kyr BP. Percentages of tree taxa increase gradually and reach maximum values after 7 kyr BP, reflecting the spread of boreal cold deciduous and taiga forests in the region. An interval between 7 and 2 kyr BP is noticeable for the highest percentages of Scots pine (Pinus subgen. Diploxylon), spruce (Picea) and fir (Abies) pollen, indicating mid-Holocene spread of boreal forest communities in response to climate amelioration and degradation of the permafrost layer.

Vegetation and climate development on the Atlantic Coastal Plain during the late Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (IODP Expedition 313)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prader, Sabine; Kotthoff, Ulrich; McCarthy, Francine; Greenwood, David

2015-04-01

The major aims of IODP Expedition 313 are estimating amplitudes, rates and mechanisms of sea-level change and the evaluation of sequence stratigraphic facies models that predict depositional environments, sediment compositions, and stratal geometries in response to sea-level change. Cores from three Sites (313-M0027, M0028, and M0029) from the New Jersey shallow shelf (water depth approximately 35 m) were retrieved during May to July 2009, using an ECORD "mission-specific" jack-up platform. We have investigated the palynology of sediment cores from Site M0027, 45 km off the present-day coast of New Jersey. For this study, we have focused on pollen studies for the second half of the Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO) and the subsequent transition to cooler conditions (ca. 15 to 13 million years before present). Transport-caused bias of the pollen assemblages was identified via the analysis of the terrestrial/marine palynomorph ratio and these results were considered when interpreting palaeo-vegetation from the pollen data. Pollen preservation in the interval analyzed herein was generally very good. Pollen grains were analyzed via both light and scanning electron microscopy. For most samples, the pollen assemblages were not highly diverse. The most abundant taxa through all samples were Quercus (oak) and Carya (hickory). Typical wetland elements like Cyperaceae, Taxodium (cypress), Nyssa (tupelo tree) and taxa today growing in the tropics and subtropics like Sapotaceae, Symplocaceae, Arecaceae (palm trees) and Alangium, which indicate particularly warm climate conditions, were only sporadically found, but indicate warmer phases during the second half of the MMCO. Herbal pollen was generally rare, but members of the Asteraceae, Apiaceae, and Ericaceae families, together with infrequent occurences of Poaceae pollen indicate the presence of areas with open vegetation. The Mid-Miocene pollen assemblages reflect a vegetation in the hinterland of the New Jersey shelf which was reminiscent of Oligocene and early Miocene ecosystems analyzed in previous studies (e.g. Kotthoff et al. 2014). The ecosystem was characterized by oak-hickory forests which probably dominated in the lowlands, while frequent occurrence of conifer pollen (Pinus, Picea, Abies, Sciadopitys, and Tsuga canadensis) indicate that conifer forests prevailed in higher altitudes during the MMCO. We assume that the Miocene uplift of the Appalachian Mountains (e.g. Gallen et al., 2013) led to the proliferation of mountainous taxa and thus to an increase of related pollen taxa in the palynological record. References: Gallen, S. F., Wegmann, K. W., Bohnenstieh, D. W. R.: Miocene rejuvenation of topographic relief in the southern Appalachians, GSA Today, 23, 4-10, 2013. Kotthoff, U., McCarthy, F.M.G., Greenwood, D.R., Müller-Navarra, K., Prader, S., Hesselbo, S.P., (2014): Vegetation and climate development on the Atlantic Coastal Plain from 33 to 13 million years ago (IODP expedition 313). Climate of the Past 10, 1523-1539.

Evolution of RLSB, a nuclear-encoded S1 domain RNA binding protein associated with post-transcriptional regulation of plastid-encoded rbcL mRNA in vascular plants.

PubMed

Yerramsetty, Pradeep; Stata, Matt; Siford, Rebecca; Sage, Tammy L; Sage, Rowan F; Wong, Gane Ka-Shu; Albert, Victor A; Berry, James O

2016-06-29

RLSB, an S-1 domain RNA binding protein of Arabidopsis, selectively binds rbcL mRNA and co-localizes with Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) within chloroplasts of C3 and C4 plants. Previous studies using both Arabidopsis (C3) and maize (C4) suggest RLSB homologs are post-transcriptional regulators of plastid-encoded rbcL mRNA. While RLSB accumulates in all Arabidopsis leaf chlorenchyma cells, in C4 leaves RLSB-like proteins accumulate only within Rubisco-containing bundle sheath chloroplasts of Kranz-type species, and only within central compartment chloroplasts in the single cell C4 plant Bienertia. Our recent evidence implicates this mRNA binding protein as a primary determinant of rbcL expression, cellular localization/compartmentalization, and photosynthetic function in all multicellular green plants. This study addresses the hypothesis that RLSB is a highly conserved Rubisco regulatory factor that occurs in the chloroplasts all higher plants. Phylogenetic analysis has identified RLSB orthologs and paralogs in all major plant groups, from ancient liverworts to recent angiosperms. RLSB homologs were also identified in algae of the division Charophyta, a lineage closely related to land plants. RLSB-like sequences were not identified in any other algae, suggesting that it may be specific to the evolutionary line leading to land plants. The RLSB family occurs in single copy across most angiosperms, although a few species with two copies were identified, seemingly randomly distributed throughout the various taxa, although perhaps correlating in some cases with known ancient whole genome duplications. Monocots of the order Poales (Poaceae and Cyperaceae) were found to contain two copies, designated here as RLSB-a and RLSB-b, with only RLSB-a implicated in the regulation of rbcL across the maize developmental gradient. Analysis of microsynteny in angiosperms revealed high levels of conservation across eudicot species and for both paralogs in grasses, highlighting the possible importance of maintaining this gene and its surrounding genomic regions. Findings presented here indicate that the RLSB family originated as a unique gene in land plant evolution, perhaps in the common ancestor of charophytes and higher plants. Purifying selection has maintained this as a highly conserved single- or two-copy gene across most extant species, with several conserved gene duplications. Together with previous findings, this study suggests that RLSB has been sustained as an important regulatory protein throughout the course of land plant evolution. While only RLSB-a has been directly implicated in rbcL regulation in maize, RLSB-b could have an overlapping function in the co-regulation of rbcL, or may have diverged as a regulator of one or more other plastid-encoded mRNAs. This analysis confirms that RLSB is an important and unique photosynthetic regulatory protein that has been continuously expressed in land plants as they emerged and diversified from their ancient common ancestor.

Geomorphic and Geologic Influences in a Tropical Semi-Humid Climate Ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Augustin, C. R.; Rodrigues, B. M.

2012-12-01

Direct influences of geology and landforms in ecosystems are not always easy to identify. This influence seems to occur in the development of the Veredas, an ecosystem belonging to the Cerrado, the second biggest biome in Brazil. The Veredas ecosystem which can also be considered as a river system is one of the most striking and still not very well understood landscape feature of this biome. It occurs along a swamp type of shallow depressions that function as hydrological channels with permanent water flow but no terraces that could indicate depositional processes. They are characterized by a linear specific vegetation cover of hydrophytes including different types of palm wetlands (Melastomataceae), the most representative of which is the Mauritia flexuosa. The objective is to study these hydrological systems with the help of GIS techniques and field data in order to understand the main factors affecting their spatial distribution. The studied eco-fluvial systems comprise nine drainage basins distributed in 33,448.13 km2 in the Minas Gerais State, Brazil (1508'/180 S and 4805'/5105' W), located in a tropical semi-humid climate. Images of TM/Landsat 5 and geologic maps were used as well as an Elevation Digital SRTM-NASA-2001 Model processed using ArcGIS 10 and SPRING-INPE 4.3. Various morphometric indicators and longitudinal river profiles were also obtained complemented by field data. Results show that the Veredas present mostly slow flows what seems to be an important factor for maintaining the ecosystem as such. As a specific ecosystem as well as drainage systems they change characteristics along the geologic and geomorphic domains. They present a more representative cover of wetland palm trees accompanying shallow incised channels while running over two platos sequences elaborated on Cretaceous sandstones. In the higher portions of the Urucuia Plato (+600m) the river systems are less dense and geological control influences the occurrence of parallel patterns of the drainage. The lower Areado Plato (500-650m) is interconnected with the higher one through breaks of slopes. There are evidences that the erosion of the Urucuia Plato is causing the slow but inevitable lowering of the water table that tends to spring at the basis of Urucuia Plato, or at the top of the Areado forming a sequence of water heads. This areas have higher channel density index and a dendritic to trelice pattern with a very well represented herbaceous and forest swamp cover in which the palm trees are often seen as a continuous line following the water channel. These channels become more incised but present depositional sequences downstream in their contact with the geologic domains of Bambui Group formed by metapelitic rocks from the Mesoproterzoic. There the Veredas as ecosystem changes acquiring a more riparian type of vegetation with the predominance of species from the Fabaceae, Myrtaceae and Cyperaceae families. Landforms as well as part of the drainage system become associated to karstic processes.;

50,000 years of Environmental Change in West Tropical Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gosling, W. D.; Miller, C. S.

2010-12-01

Tropical forests provide three vital ‘ecosystem services’ to the Earth, they: i) contain c. 40% of the terrestrial carbon stock, ii) store c. 50% of global biodiversity, and iii) feedback into global climate and carbon cycles. In addition, tropical forests are thought to have been actively absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide over recent decades and consequently may be mitigating the impact of ongoing human induced global climate change. The services provided by tropical ecosystems are now threatened by human land use practices and projected future climate change. However, due to the complex nature of tropical ecosystems it is unclear how vegetation will respond to changes in global climate conditions. To provide an empirical insight into the response of tropical vegetation to global climate change it is necessary to learn lessons from the past by exploring the fossil record. Lake sediments are the ideal source for fossils to provide evidence of terrestrial vegetation response to past global climate change. The identification of fossil pollen grains trapped within lake sediments is a tried and tested way of establishing past terrestrial vegetation change. Determining the types of plant represented in the fossil pollen record at any particular point in time provides a good indication of the vegetation that surrounded that lake during sediment deposition. In this paper we present a new c. 50,000 year fossil pollen record from Lake Bosumtwi (Ghana; 06o 30’N, 01o 25’ W; c. 100 m above sea level). Lake Bosumtwi is today located within the Guineo-Congolian rainforest close to the ecotone. The seasonal migration of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) passes over Bosumtwi and consequently vegetation is likely to be sensitive to any changes in the ITCZ position and the associated monsoon. Sediments recovered from Lake Bosumtwi in 2004 by the Intercontinental Drilling Program provide an opportunity to investigate tropical vegetation response to climate change at a high resolution. Sub-millennial resolution fossil pollen data from Bosumtwi can be divided into three distinct pollen assemblage zones through the last 50,000 years. The oldest zone (c. 51,000-28,000 years ago) is dominated by grasses but has some lowland tropical (Moraceae/Urticaceae c. 11 %) and montane (Olea c. 8 %). woodland elements. The second zone (c. 28,000-11,700 years ago) is again dominated by grasses with few other associated elements besides obligate aquatic Cyperaceae and Typha. The youngest zone (c. 11,700 years ago to present) is the most palynologically diverse and contains tropical forest elements >50 % (including Moraceae/Urticaceae, Alchornea and Celtis). Within the youngest zone there is significant compositional change with pollen characteristic of the surface sediments only being established c.1000-2000 years ago. The three pollen zones in Lake Bosumtwi correspond directly to Marine Isotope Stages 3-1 suggesting that global temperature change was a key factor in driving change within lowland west tropical African vegetation.

Phenology in the Western Alps: first results of the PhenoALP project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cremonese, Edoardo; Tracol, Yann

2010-05-01

PHENOALP is a EU co-funded Interreg Project under the operational programme for cross-border cooperation "Italy-France (Alps-ALCOTRA)" 2007 - 2013, started in 2009, aiming to get a better understanding of phenological changes in the Alps and build a long term monitoring network. The results obtained after the first year of the project are mainly related to the definition of observation protocols and to the implementation of the observation networks. In particular, we focused on the comparison of different approaches for monitoring alpine grasslands phenology. We developed a new protocol for vegetative and reproductive phases of the seven most common plant growth life forms of alpine pastures: cyperaceae, poaceae (palatable and non palatable), evergreen and deciduous shrubs, forbs and leguminous. For each group quantitative and qualitative variables (e.g. leaves length, bud number, fruits number and phenophases) are monitored during the growing season. Study sites are located along an elevation gradient from 1560 to 2580 m asl and measurements are carried out on marked individuals in permanent plots. The other techniques used to monitor grassland phenology are: analysis of webcam images, weekly nadiral digital images, visual estimations of greening percentage, canopy structural measurements (i.e. height, fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation, leaf are index, etc..) and high frequency radiometric measurements of vegetation indexes related to canopy structure. All methods are providing promising results and our goal is to define a protocol suitable for long term observation based on a reasonable trade-off between the quality and robustness of collected data and the heaviness of the observations. For animal phenology we are focusing on many animal taxa among birds, mammals, amphibians and insects. First results are coming from birds and amphibians. In the case of birds, observations of reproductive phenology of some common alpine species are done along altitudinal transects of artificial nest-boxes. Moreover a protocol for the monitoring of the reproductive phases of Rana temporaria has been defined and observations are done in some ponds along an elevation gradient. A third activity of the project aims to analyse the relations between the seasonal and interannual variability of plant phenology and productivity, assessed measuring CO2 fluxes. To achieve this goal, two eddy covariance towers have been installed in a larch forest (2150 m asl) and in an alpine grassland (2160 m asl) in sites where phenology is monitored by field observations and webcams. Associated with these activities, a great effort is made towards the involvement of educational institutions in the observations of the seasonal changes of alpine ecosystems. During 2010, five school complexes located in the Italian side of the Western Alps will be involved in the French monitoring network of phenology in the Alps: Phenoclim (http://www.crea.hautesavoie.net/eng/phenoclim/index.php).Italian project partners will train schools to start phenological observations.

Carbon fluxes of Kobresia pygmaea pastures on the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foken, T.; Biermann, T.; Babel, W.; Ma, Y.

2013-12-01

With an approximate cover of 450,000 km2 on the Tibetan Plateau (TP), the Cyperaceae Kobresia pygmaea forms he world's largest alpine ecosystem. This species, especially adapted to grazing pressure, grows to a height of only 2-6 cm and can be found in an altitudinal range of 4000 to 5960 m a.s.l. A special characteristic of this ecosystem is the stable turf layer, which is built up from roots and plays a significant role in protecting soil from erosion. This is of great importance since soils on the TP store 2.5 % of the global soil organic carbon stocks. The aim of the investigation was the study of the carbon storage and the impact of human-induced land use change on these Kobresia pygmaea pastures. We therefore applied eddy-covariance measurements and modelling as a long-term control of the fluxes between the atmosphere and the pastures and 13C labelling for the investigation of flux partitioning, and chamber measurements to investigate the degradation of the pastures. Combining CO2 budgets observed in 2010 with eddy-covariance measurements and relative partitioning of Carbon fluxes estimated with 13C labelling enabled us to characterise the C turnover for the vegetation period with absolute fluxes within the plant-soil-atmosphere continuum. These results revealed that this ecosystem indeed stores a great amount of C in below-ground pools, especially in the root turf layer. To further investigate the importance of the root layer, the experiments in 2012 focused on flux measurements over the different surface types which make up the heterogeneity of the Kobresia pygmaea pastures and might result from degradation due to extensive grazing. The three surface types investigated with a LiCOR long-term monitoring chamber system include Kobresia pygmaea with intact turf layer (IRM), a surface type where the turf layer is still present but the vegetation is sparse and mainly consists of Cryptogam crusts (DRM) and finally areas without the turf layer (BS). According to the vegetation cover, net ecosystem exchange and respiration decreased from IRM over DRM to BS while ratio respiration/assimilation increased. Since measurements were conducted in succession and not parallel, a direct comparison would need further investigation. On the basis of the eddy-covariance data set measured in 2010, two models were applied and tested for Kobresia pastures: one for sensible and latent heat flux and one for carbon dioxide flux. Therefore continuously modelled fluxes were available for the chamber experiment in 2012. Significant differences were found in the carbon uptake and evapotranspiration, with the highest values on IRM and the lowest on BS. But higher fluxes were also found on IRM in September and not in the measuring period in August. It could be shown that this was in agreement with the modelled fluxes, and a different water vapour deficit was indicated as the reason.

Water saving in chufa cultivation using flat raised beds and drip irrigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascual-Seva, N.; San Bautista, A.; López-Galarza, S.; Maroto, J. V.; Pascual, B.

2012-04-01

Chufa (Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus), also known as tiger nut, is a typical crop in the Region of Valencia (Spain). Its tubers are used to produce a beverage called horchata. Chufa has been cultivated traditionally in ridges and furrow irrigated. Currently, the quality of water used is acceptable, there are no limitations on supply, and water is not expensive; therefore, large amounts of water are used. The European Water Framework Directive 2000/60 is based on the precautionary principle, considering preventive action for measures to be taken; thus, water use is an issue to improve. Moreover, drought periods are becoming more frequent and extended, and water is being diverted to other uses. In this two year study (2007-2008), we analysed how yield and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) are affected by two cultivation factors: planting strategy and irrigation system. Three planting strategies were analysed: ridges (R) and flat raised beds, with two (B2) and three (B3) plant rows along them, while two irrigation systems were compared, furrow (FI) and drip irrigation (DI). Within the beds, the effect of the position of the plant row was considered, differing among plants grown in the north (n), central (c), and south (s) rows. Distances between ridge and bed axes were 60, 80 and 120 cm for R, B2 and B3, respectively. Irrigation was based on the Volumetric Soil Water Content (VSWC), which was continuously monitored with capacitance sensors (ECH2O EC-5 in FI and multidepth capacitance sensors C-Probe in DI). Each irrigation session started when the VSWC in R dropped to 60% and 80% of field capacity in FI and DI, respectively. Each DI session lasted 60 min in 2007; while in 2008 the installation was automated, stopping each session when the sum of the VSWC at 10, 20, and 30 cm soil depth reached its corresponding field capacity value. With both irrigation systems, beds were irrigated simultaneously with ridges and with the same irrigation duration. Plants from the different plant rows were sampled periodically and later fractionated into leaves, roots, and tubers, to examine the evolution of the different plant organs. The results showed that there were no differences among planting strategies in 2007; however, in 2008, R produced lower yields than the two types of beds. The interaction between the experimental years and the irrigation strategy did affect the yield significantly, obtaining higher yields with DI than with FI, which led to higher yields in 2007 than in 2008. Regarding the IWUE, DI gave the highest values, especially in 2008. Ridges led to the highest IWUE with DI, and the lowest IWUE with FI. When comparing the different planting lines, the highest yield was obtained in the southern row. It can be concluded that modifications to the planting strategy and the irrigation system within the traditional cultivation practices of the chufa crop would increase IWUE and lead to major water savings.

Containerized Wetland Bioreactor Evaluated for Perchlorate and Nitrate Degradation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dibley, V R; Krauter, P W

2004-12-02

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLNL) designed and constructed an innovative containerized wetlands (bioreactor) system that began operation in November 2000 to biologically degrade perchlorate and nitrate under relatively low-flow conditions at a remote location at Site 300 known as Building 854. Since initial start-up, the system has processed over 3,463,000 liters of ground water and treated over 38 grams of perchlorate and 148 kilograms of nitrate. Site 300 is operated by the University of California as a high-explosives and materials testing facility supporting nuclear weapons research. The 11-square mile site located in northern Californiamore » was added to the NPL in 1990 primarily due to the presence of elevated concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground water. At the urging of the regulatory agencies, perchlorate was looked for and detected in the ground water in 1999. VOCs, nitrate and perchlorate were released into the soil and ground water in the Building 854 area as the result of accidental leaks during stability testing of weapons or from waste discharge practices that are no longer permitted at Site 300. Design of the wetland bioreactors was based on earlier studies showing that indigenous chlorate-respiring bacteria could effectively degrade perchlorate into nontoxic concentrations of chlorate, chlorite, oxygen, and chloride. Studies also showed that the addition of organic carbon would enhance microbial denitrification. Early onsite testing showed acetic acid to be a more effective carbon source than dried leaf matter, dried algae, or milk replacement starter; a nutrient and carbon source used in a Department of Defense phytoremediation demonstration. No inocula were added to the system. Groundwater was allowed to circulate through the bioreactor for three weeks to acclimate the wetland plants and to build a biofilm from indigenous flora. Using solar energy, ground water is pumped into granular activated carbon canisters to remove VOCs (Figure x). Following solar treatment, ground water containing approximately 46 mg/L of nitrate and 13 {micro}g/L of perchlorate is gravity-fed continuously into two parallel series of two-1,900 liter tank bioreactors. Each bioreactor contains coarse, aquarium-grade gravel and locally-obtained plant species such as cattails (Typha spp.), sedges (Cyperus spp.), and indigenous denitrifying microorganisms. No inocula were added to the system. Groundwater was allowed to circulate through the bioreactor for three weeks to acclimate the wetland plants and to build a biofilm from indigenous flora. Sodium acetate is added to the first bioreactor in each of the two series to promote growth and metabolic activity of rhizome microorganisms. The split flow from each series is combined, and flows through two back-up ion exchange columns to assure complete perchlorate removal. Effluent from the ground water treatment system is monitored and discharged an infiltration trench in accordance with the Substantive Requirements for Waste Discharge issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board.« less

Relationship between vegetation dynamics and dune mobility in an arid transgressive coastal system, Maspalomas, Canary Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández-Cordero, Antonio I.; Hernández-Calvento, Luis; Espino, Emma Pérez-Chacón

2015-06-01

This paper explores the relationship between vegetation dynamics and dune mobility in an arid transgressive coastal dune system, specifically the dune field of Maspalomas (Gran Canaria, Canary Islands). The aim is to understand the strategies of colonization and survival that plant communities have developed in slacks that face dune advance. The relationship between plant colonization and dune migration was performed by following Tamarix canariensis and Traganum moquinii plants for several years. Morphological data about each individual as well as the distance of each plant to the dune were measured. A study of the colonization patterns developed by T. moquinii, T. canariensis, Cyperus laevigatus and Launaea arborescens communities was performed by analyzing the evolution of consolidated plant patches and adult plants in relation to the dune advance. This was achieved using digital orthophotos and spatial analysis from geographic information systems. Initiation of plant colonization over transgressive dunes occurs on both wet and dry slacks. The results show that both plant colonization and development of adult plants are largely related to dune mobility. Thus, survival of T. moquinii and T. canariensis plants under dune migration conditions is related to both distance to the dune front and plant height at the moment of burial. Distance from the dune front and plant height increases chance of survival. The dynamics of adult plants is also related to dune displacement rates. Thus, each community has different thresholds of resistance to mobility rates. The T. canariensis community withstands average rates higher than 3 m/year. Its arboreal structure allows this species to grow high enough to resist the advance of the dunes and burial. For the T. moquinii community, the population decreases gradually to eventually disappear when dune mobility rates exceed 4 m/year. The C. laevigatus community develops at dune mobility rates lower than 3 m/year, decreasing its surface area at higher rates. The L. arborescens community endures dune migration rates of at least 1.8 m/year. However, different distances between the dune front and the vegetated area also significant factor, because these can compensate for the effects of displacement rates. Thus, the closer a vegetated area is to a dune front, the lower the rates of displacement must be to produce a greater reduction in the surface vegetation. Plant communities present two patterns of plant colonization to resist burial by sand, one vertical and the other horizontal. The horizontal pattern is employed by C. laevigatus and L. arborescens communities and consists of locating new generations of plants in progressive alignment with the dune front migration. The vertical pattern is employed by the T. canariensis community, and consists of increasing the heights of the plants. The T. moquinii community can utilize both patterns because it reacts positively to some degree of burial since it is located in areas where the dunes reach different heights.

Mapping the Wetland Vegetation Communities of the Australian Great Artesian Basin Springs Using SAM, Mtmf and Spectrally Segmented PCA Hyperspectral Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, D. C.; Lewis, M. M.

2012-07-01

The Australian Great Artesian Basin (GAB) supports a unique and diverse range of groundwater dependent wetland ecosystems termed GAB springs. In recent decades the ecological sustainability of the springs has become uncertain as demands on this iconic groundwater resource increase. The impacts of existing water extractions for mining and pastoral activities are unknown. This situation is compounded by the likelihood of future increasing demand for extractions. Hyperspectral remote sensing provides the necessary spectral and spatial detail to discriminate wetland vegetation communities. Therefore the objectives of this paper are to discriminate the spatial extent and distribution of key spring wetland vegetation communities associated with the GAB springs evaluating three hyperspectral techniques: Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM), Mixture Tuned Matched Filtering (MTMF) and Spectrally Segmented PCA. In addition, to determine if the hyperspectral techniques developed can be applied at a number of sites representative of the range of spring formations and geomorphic settings and at two temporal intervals. Two epochs of HyMap airborne hyperspectral imagery were captured for this research in March 2009 and April 2011 at a number of sites representative of the floristic and geomorphic diversity of GAB spring groups/complexes within South Australia. Colour digital aerial photography at 30 cm GSD was acquired concurrently with the HyMap imagery. The image acquisition coincided with a field campaign of spectroradiometry measurements and a botanical survey. To identify key wavebands which have the greatest capability to discriminate vegetation communities of the GAB springs and surrounding area three hyperspectral data reduction techniques were employed: (i) Spectrally Segmented PCA (SSPCA); (ii) the Minimum Noise Transform (MNF); and (iii) the Pixel Purity Index (PPI). SSPCA was applied to NDVI-masked vegetation portions of the HyMap imagery with wavelength regions spectrally segmented for the VIS-NIR (450-1,350 nm), SWIR 1 (1,400-1,800 nm) and SWIR 2 (1,950-2,480 nm). The resulting pure endmember image pixels of the vegetation communities identified were used as target spectra for input into the SAM and MTMF algorithms. Spring wetland vegetation communities successfully discriminated include low lying reeds and sedges along spring tails (Baumea spp. and Cyperus spp.), dense homogenous stands of Phragmites australis reeds, and sporadic patches of salt couch grass (Sparabolus spp.). Our results indicate that a combination of hyperspectral remote sensing techniques which reduce superfluous wavebands providing a targeted spectral matching approach are capable of discriminating and mapping key vegetation communities of the GAB springs. This approach provides reliable baseline mapping of the GAB spring wetland vegetation communities, with repeatability over space and time. In addition it has the capability to determine the sensitivity of spring wetland vegetation extent, distribution and diversity, to associated changes in spring flow rates due to water extractions. This approach will ultimately inform water allocation plan management policies.

Ethnopharmacological reports on anti-Buruli ulcer medicinal plants in three West African countries.

PubMed

Tsouh Fokou, Patrick Valere; Nyarko, Alexander Kwadwo; Appiah-Opong, Regina; Tchokouaha Yamthe, Lauve Rachel; Addo, Phyllis; Asante, Isaac K; Boyom, Fabrice Fekam

2015-08-22

Buruli ulcer (BU) is the third most common mycobacterial infection in the world, after tuberculosis and leprosy and has recently been recognized as an important emerging disease. This disease is common in West Africa where more than 99% of the burden is felt and where most affected people live in remote areas with traditional medicine as primary or only option. Reports indicate that the ethnopharmacological control approach of the disease in such settings has shown promise. However, no or very few compilations of traditional knowledge in using medicinal plants to treat BU have been attempted so far. This review aimed to record medicinal plants used traditionally against BU in three countries in West Africa: Ivory Coast, Ghana and Benin and for which ethnopharmacological knowledge supported by pharmacological investigations has been reported. The information recorded in this review will support further pharmacological research to develop appropriate drugs for a better BU control. A systematic review of the literature on ethnobotanical use and anti-BU activity of plants reported for BU treatment was performed. The approach consisted to search several resources, including Technical Reports, Books, Theses, Conference proceedings, web-based scientific databases such as publications on PubMed, Science direct, Springer, ACS, Scielo, PROTA, Google and Google scholar reporting ethnobotanical surveys and screening of natural products against Mycobacterium ulcerans. This study was limited to papers and documents published either in English or French reporting ethnopharmacological knowledge in BU treatment or pharmacological potency in vitro. This review covered the available literature up to December 2014. The majority of reports originated from the three most affected West African countries (Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Benin). Though, 98 plant species belonging to 48 families have been identified as having anti-BU use, many have received no or little attention. Most of the pharmacological studies were performed only on 54 species. To a lesser extent, ethnopharmacological knowledge was validated in vitro for only 13 species. Of those, seven species including Ricinus comminus, Cyperus cyperoides (cited as Mariscus alternifolius), Nicotiana tabacum, Mangifera indica, Solanum rugosum, Carica papaya, and Moringa oleifera demonstrated efficacy in hospitalised BU patients. Four isolated and characterized compounds were reported to have moderate bioactivity in vitro against M. ulcerans. This review compiles for the first time ethnopharmacologically useful plants against BU. The phamacological potential of 13 of them has been demonstrated in vitro and support BU evidence-based traditional medicines. In addition, 7 species showed activity in BU patients and have emerged as a promising source of the traditional medicine for treatment of BU. Yet, further safety and efficacy study should be initiated prior any approval as alternative therapy. Overall, a huge gap in knowledge appeared, suggesting further well-planned and detailed investigations of the in vitro, in vivo, and safety properties of the claimed anti-BU plants. Therefore, plants with medicinal potential should be scrutinized for biologically active compounds, using bioassay-guided fractionation approach to provide new insights to find novel therapeutics for BU control. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 400-468.

PubMed

Crous, P W; Wingfield, M J; Richardson, D M; Le Roux, J J; Strasberg, D; Edwards, J; Roets, F; Hubka, V; Taylor, P W J; Heykoop, M; Martín, M P; Moreno, G; Sutton, D A; Wiederhold, N P; Barnes, C W; Carlavilla, J R; Gené, J; Giraldo, A; Guarnaccia, V; Guarro, J; Hernández-Restrepo, M; Kolařík, M; Manjón, J L; Pascoe, I G; Popov, E S; Sandoval-Denis, M; Woudenberg, J H C; Acharya, K; Alexandrova, A V; Alvarado, P; Barbosa, R N; Baseia, I G; Blanchette, R A; Boekhout, T; Burgess, T I; Cano-Lira, J F; Čmoková, A; Dimitrov, R A; Dyakov, M Yu; Dueñas, M; Dutta, A K; Esteve-Raventós, F; Fedosova, A G; Fournier, J; Gamboa, P; Gouliamova, D E; Grebenc, T; Groenewald, M; Hanse, B; Hardy, G E St J; Held, B W; Jurjević, Ž; Kaewgrajang, T; Latha, K P D; Lombard, L; Luangsa-Ard, J J; Lysková, P; Mallátová, N; Manimohan, P; Miller, A N; Mirabolfathy, M; Morozova, O V; Obodai, M; Oliveira, N T; Ordóñez, M E; Otto, E C; Paloi, S; Peterson, S W; Phosri, C; Roux, J; Salazar, W A; Sánchez, A; Sarria, G A; Shin, H-D; Silva, B D B; Silva, G A; Smith, M Th; Souza-Motta, C M; Stchigel, A M; Stoilova-Disheva, M M; Sulzbacher, M A; Telleria, M T; Toapanta, C; Traba, J M; Valenzuela-Lopez, N; Watling, R; Groenewald, J Z

2016-06-01

Novel species of fungi described in the present study include the following from Australia: Vermiculariopsiella eucalypti, Mulderomyces natalis (incl. Mulderomyces gen. nov.), Fusicladium paraamoenum, Neotrimmatostroma paraexcentricum, and Pseudophloeospora eucalyptorum on leaves of Eucalyptus spp., Anungitea grevilleae (on leaves of Grevillea sp.), Pyrenochaeta acaciae (on leaves of Acacia sp.), and Brunneocarpos banksiae (incl. Brunneocarpos gen. nov.) on cones of Banksia attenuata. Novel foliicolous taxa from South Africa include Neosulcatispora strelitziae (on Strelitzia nicolai), Colletotrichum ledebouriae (on Ledebouria floridunda), Cylindrosympodioides brabejum (incl. Cylindrosympodioides gen. nov.) on Brabejum stellatifolium, Sclerostagonospora ericae (on Erica sp.), Setophoma cyperi (on Cyperus sphaerocephala), and Phaeosphaeria breonadiae (on Breonadia microcephala). Novelties described from Robben Island (South Africa) include Wojnowiciella cissampeli and Diaporthe cissampeli (both on Cissampelos capensis), Phaeotheca salicorniae (on Salicornia meyeriana), Paracylindrocarpon aloicola (incl. Paracylindrocarpon gen. nov.) on Aloe sp., and Libertasomyces myopori (incl. Libertasomyces gen. nov.) on Myoporum serratum. Several novelties are recorded from La Réunion (France), namely Phaeosphaeriopsis agapanthi (on Agapanthus sp.), Roussoella solani (on Solanum mauritianum), Vermiculariopsiella acaciae (on Acacia heterophylla), Dothiorella acacicola (on Acacia mearnsii), Chalara clidemiae (on Clidemia hirta), Cytospora tibouchinae (on Tibouchina semidecandra), Diaporthe ocoteae (on Ocotea obtusata), Castanediella eucalypticola, Phaeophleospora eucalypticola and Fusicladium eucalypticola (on Eucalyptus robusta), Lareunionomyces syzygii (incl. Lareunionomyces gen. nov.) and Parawiesneriomyces syzygii (incl. Parawiesneriomyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Syzygium jambos. Novel taxa from the USA include Meristemomyces arctostaphylos (on Arctostaphylos patula), Ochroconis dracaenae (on Dracaena reflexa), Rasamsonia columbiensis (air of a hotel conference room), Paecilomyces tabacinus (on Nicotiana tabacum), Toxicocladosporium hominis (from human broncoalveolar lavage fluid), Nothophoma macrospora (from respiratory secretion of a patient with pneumonia), and Penidiellopsis radicularis (incl. Penidiellopsis gen. nov.) from a human nail. Novel taxa described from Malaysia include Prosopidicola albizziae (on Albizzia falcataria), Proxipyricularia asari (on Asarum sp.), Diaporthe passifloricola (on Passiflora foetida), Paramycoleptodiscus albizziae (incl. Paramycoleptodiscus gen. nov.) on Albizzia falcataria, and Malaysiasca phaii (incl. Malaysiasca gen. nov.) on Phaius reflexipetalus. Two species are newly described from human patients in the Czech Republic, namely Microascus longicollis (from toenails of patient with suspected onychomycosis), and Chrysosporium echinulatum (from sole skin of patient). Furthermore, Alternaria quercicola is described on leaves of Quercus brantii (Iran), Stemphylium beticola on leaves of Beta vulgaris (The Netherlands), Scleroderma capeverdeanum on soil (Cape Verde Islands), Scleroderma dunensis on soil, and Blastobotrys meliponae from bee honey (Brazil), Ganoderma mbrekobenum on angiosperms (Ghana), Geoglossum raitviirii and Entoloma kruticianum on soil (Russia), Priceomyces vitoshaensis on Pterostichus melas (Carabidae) (Bulgaria) is the only one for which the family is listed, Ganoderma ecuadoriense on decaying wood (Ecuador), Thyrostroma cornicola on Cornus officinalis (Korea), Cercophora vinosa on decorticated branch of Salix sp. (France), Coprinus pinetorum, Coprinus littoralis and Xerocomellus poederi on soil (Spain). Two new genera from Colombia include Helminthosporiella and Uwemyces on leaves of Elaeis oleifera. Two species are described from India, namely Russula intervenosa (ectomycorrhizal with Shorea robusta), and Crinipellis odorata (on bark of Mytragyna parviflora). Novelties from Thailand include Cyphellophora gamsii (on leaf litter), Pisolithus aureosericeus and Corynascus citrinus (on soil). Two species are newly described from Citrus in Italy, namely Dendryphiella paravinosa on Citrus sinensis, and Ramularia citricola on Citrus floridana. Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS nrDNA barcodes are provided for all taxa.

Vertical distribution of soil organic carbon originated from a prior peatland in Greece and impacts on the landscape, after conversion to arable land

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kayrotis, Theodore; Charoulis, A.; Vavoulidou, E.; Tziouvalekas, M.

2010-05-01

The vertical distribution and the status of soil organic carbon (Corg.) in 66 surface and subsurface soil samples were investigated. These soils originated mainly from organic deposits of Philippoi (northern Greece) have been classified as Histosols and belong to the suborder of Saprists. The present study consisted of an area of 10,371 ha where about 90% of the soils are organic. The main crops are maize (Zea mays L.), sugar beets (Beta vulgaris L.), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).The surface horizons consist mainly of well-humified organic materials mixed with mineral soil particles. Usually, they have moderate or insufficient drainage regime and conditions become favorable for microbial growth. Microbes decompose and transform the soil organic compounds into mineral forms, which are then available as nutrients for the crop. The organic matter was derived primarily from Cyperaceae (Cladium mariscus, various Carex species, etc.) and from decomposed residues of arable crops. The dominant features of these soils are the high content of organic matter and the obvious stratification of soil horizons. In contrast, most arable soils in Greece are characterized by low organic matter content. The stratification differentiates the physical and chemical properties and the groundwater table even during dry summers lies at depths,150 cm beneath surface. The Corg. content was high and varied greatly among the examined samples. In the surface layers ranged between 3.57 and 336.50 g kg2 (mean 199.26 g kg2) and between 22.10 and 401.10 g kg2 in the subsurface horizons (mean 258.89 g kg2). It can be argued that surface layers are drier and part of soil organic matter was seriously affected by the process of oxidation. At drier sites, soil subsidence was appeared as a consequence of soil organic matter oxidation. Increased contents were found in the northern part of the studied area, where soil moisture is usually higher. Similarly, higher contents were found at low-lying places or in hollows, due to drainage and consequent cultivation in the plowing horizons. The Corg. was highly correlated with total soil nitrogen, which is mainly bound into the soil organic matter. The studied soils are vulnerable to management, which strongly affects their properties. Under thermic temperature conditions, soils located in the slopping margin, where moisture regime is drier, can be decomposed relatively easier and faster. Rational water management, tillage practices, avoidance of heavy machinery, and proper fertilization could contribute to the soil and water quality, without significant yield reduction. Furthermore, a set of additional measures in the examined organic soils can be applied, such as: banning of plant residues burning, avoidance of deep ploughing, maintenance of a shallow water table and the partial conversion of arable soils into pasture land. Potential alternative uses and a number of practices can be suggested for proper soil management, such as: incorporation of crop residues after harvesting into subsoil, implementation of proper rotation schemes, and in some cases rational fertilsation and irrigation management to increase productivity. This investigation also provides a quantitative estimation of the soil carbon status per hectare, and an attempt was made for the interpretation of factors which affect the distribution of Corg. within the examined surface and subsurface soil layers.

Observations on the palynology, petrography and geochemistry of the Western Kentucky number 4 coal bed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eble, C.F.; Greb, S.F.; Williams, D.A.; Hower, J.C.

1999-01-01

Eight bench-column samples of the Western Kentucky Number 4 coal bed, collected from an area along the southern margin of the Western Kentucky Coal Field, were analyzed palynologically, petrographically, and geochemically to document both temporal and spatial variability among these parameters. The Western Kentucky Number 4 coal occurs near the top of the Tradewater Formation, is of Early Desmoinesian age, and is correlative with the lower part of the Allegheny Formation of the Appalachian Basin, and Late Bolsovian strata of western Europe. Palynologically, the coal is co-dominated by spores that were produced by lycopod trees (Lycospora and Granasporites medius) and tree ferns. Thin-walled tree fern spores (Punctatisporites minutus, P. minutus, P. rotundus) are more abundant than thick-walled forms (Laevigatosporites globosus, P. granifer). Calamitean spores (Calamospora and Laevigatosporites spp.) are locally abundant as is cordaitean pollen (Florinites). Small fern (Granulatisporites) and small lycopod spores (Densosporites, Cirratriradites, Endosporites and Anacanthotriletes spinosus) are present, but occur in minor amounts. Temporal changes in palynomorph composition occur, but are not uniform between columns. Spatial variability among columns is also evident. Petrographically, the coal is dominated by vitrinite macerals, with telinite and telocollinite generally occurring more commonly than desmocollinite and gelocollinite. Basal benches typically contain high percentages of vitrinite; middle benches usually contain higher percentages of liptinite and inertinite. In about half the studied columns, the terminal coal benches show a slight increase in vitrinite. In the study area, the petrography of the Western Kentucky Number 4 coal is more uniform than the palynology. Ash yields and total sulfur contents are temporally uniform in some columns, but variable in others. In the latter case, higher percentages of ash and sulfur occur at the base of the bed and decrease up to the middle of the bed. The terminal benches of these columns often, but not always, show slight increases in ash or sulfur. Both syngenetic and epigenetic forms of sulfur are present in the Western Kentucky Number 4 coal. The high vitrinite contents and moderate to high sulfur contents suggest that the Western Kentucky Number 4 paleomire was mainly planar and rheotrophic throughout its developmental history. Groundwaters carrying dissolved solutes may have helped neutralize the normally acidic interstitial peat waters allowing for the production of sulfide minerals. Several of the columns with high sulfur contents at the base of the bed occur in faulted areas. The faults could have promoted the flow of groundwaters through the peat, providing an increased dissolved load for acid mitigation and sulfide formation. The concentration of sulfur at the base of the bed may be a function of the peat/underclay contact enhancing sulfide formation. The clay layer may also have acted as an impermeable boundary for downward moving groundwaters, causing mainly lateral, rather than vertical movement along the base of the coal bed.Eight bench-column samples of the Western Kentucky Number 4 coal bed were analyzed palynologically, petrographically, and geochemically to study both temporal and spatial variability among these parameters. Palynologically, the coal is co-dominated by spores that were produced by lycopod trees and tree ferns. Petrographically, the coal is dominated by vitrinite macerals, with telinite and telocollinite generally occurring more commonly than desmocollinite and gelocollinite. The petrography of the coal was found to be more uniform than the palynology.

Drip irrigation management in different chufa planting strategies: yield and irrigation water use efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascual-Seva, Nuria; San Bautista, Alberto; López-Galarza, Salvador; Maroto, José Vicente; Pascual, Bernardo

2013-04-01

In a study presented in the EGU assembly 2012, it was analysed how yield and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) in chufa (Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus), crop, were affected by planting strategy (ridges and flat raised beds, with two and three plant rows along them) and irrigation system [furrow (FI) and drip irrigation (DI)]. Each irrigation session started when the Volumetric Soil Water Content (VSWC) in ridges dropped to 80% of field capacity; beds were irrigated simultaneously with ridges and with the same irrigation duration. R produced lower yield than the two types of beds, and yields in DI were higher than those FI. Ridges led to the highest IWUE with DI, and to the lowest with FI. Then, it was decided to analyse, in DI, how yield and IWUE responded to start each irrigation session when the VSWC in the central point of different planting strategies [ridges (R), and flat raised beds with two (b) and three (B) plant rows along them] dropped to 80% of field capacity. In R and b, plants were irrigated by a single dripline per plant row, while in B two irrigation layouts were assayed: a single dripline per plant row (B3) and two driplines per bed (B2), placing each dripline between two planting rows. Irrigation session stop was also automated as a function of the VSWC. Results show that yield was affected (P˜0.01) by planting strategy; the greatest yield was obtained in b (2.4 kgm-2), differing (P˜0.05) from that obtained in R (2.1 kgm-2), with intermediate yields in B2 (2.3 kgm-2) and B3 (2.3 kgm-2). Yield was not affected (P˜0.05) by the utilisation of two or three driplines in B. Considerably less irrigation water was applied (IWA) in R (376 mm) than in B3 (465 mm), B2 (475 mm) and b (502 mm). This automatic irrigation management, as a function of the VSWC in each planting strategy, lead to adjust the IWA to the plant water requirements, which were similar in all three flat raised beds, since they correspond to the same planting density, that was, in turn, higher than in R. IWUE was affected (P˜0.01) by the planting strategy, obtaining greater (P˜0.05) values in R (5.54 kgm-3) than in B3 (4.84 kgm-3), B2 (4.76 kgm-3), and b (4.73 kgm-3). With the herein presented irrigation management, IWUE in flat raised beds considerably increased in relation to the previous experiments (automated as a function of the VSWC in R), although they resulted in lower values (P˜0.05) than in R. When comparing the different planting rows, neither the yield nor the average tuber weight was affected by their position. b leaded to the highest yield, while R resulted in the lowest yield, but with the highest IWUE. Considering the current prices of both tubers and irrigation water, the profit obtained by the increase in yield reached with b is greater than the cost that supposes its greater IWA. Nevertheless, if there were water delivery restrictions or price increases, R would represent a recommendable strategy.

Holocene local forest history at two sites in Småland, southern Sweden - insights from quantitative reconstructions using the Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Qiaoyu; Gaillard, Marie-José; Lemdahl, Geoffrey; Olsson, Fredrik; Sugita, Shinya

2010-05-01

Quantitative reconstruction of past vegetation using fossil pollen was long very problematic. It is well known that pollen percentages and pollen accumulation rates do not represent vegetation abundance properly because pollen values are influenced by many factors of which inter-taxonomic differences in pollen productivity and vegetation structure are the most important ones. It is also recognized that pollen assemblages from large sites (lakes or bogs) record the characteristics of the regional vegetation, while pollen assemblages from small sites record local features. Based on the theoretical understanding of the factors and mechanisms that affect pollen representation of vegetation, Sugita (2007a and b) proposed the Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm (LRA) to estimate vegetation abundance in percentage cover for well defined spatial scales. The LRA includes two models, REVEALS and LOVE. REVEALS estimates regional vegetation abundance at a spatial scale of 100 km x 100 km. LOVE estimates local vegetation abundance at the spatial scale of the relevant source area of pollen (RSAP sensu Sugita 1993) of the pollen site. REVEALS estimates are needed to apply LOVE in order to calculate the RSAP and the vegetation cover within the RSAP. The two models were validated theoretically and empirically. Two small bogs in southern Sweden were studied for pollen, plant macrofossil, charcoal, and coleoptera in order to reconstruct the local Holocene forest and fire history (e.g. Greisman and Gaillard 2009; Olsson et al. 2009). We applied the LOVE model in order to 1) compare the LOVE estimates with pollen percentages for a better understanding of the local forest history; 2) obtain more precise information on the local vegetation to explain between-sites differences in fire history. We used pollen records from two large lakes in Småland to obtain REVEALS estimates for twelve continuous 500-yrs time windows. Following the strategy of the Swedish VR LANDCLIM project (see Gaillard et al.; Trondman et al., CL 1.22; Mazier et al. CL 1.21) we used 3 sets of pollen taxa (20, 22, 31) and 3 sets of pollen productivity estimates (PPEs) (1. southern Sweden; 2. southern Sweden except for cereals, Calluna, Plantago and Rumex, Denmark; 3. the mean of all PPEs available in NW Europe). The Spearman rank correlation test shows that there are no significant differences between the 9 runs. LOVE was applied on the pollen records from the two small bogs following the same strategy. We also compared the LOVE estimates (20 taxa, PPEs dataset 2) with the records of plant macro-remains and coleoptera species that are indicators of the local occurrence of conifers (Pinus and Picea), Betula, and deciduous trees. The results show large discrepancies between the LOVE estimates and pollen percentages. The LOVE estimates are higher than pollen percentages for Cyperaceae, Gramineae and Filipendula, and the broaded-leaved trees Corylus, Fraxinus, and Tilia. In contrast, the LOVE estimates for Pinus and Betula are generally much lower than their pollen percentages. LOVE estimates and pollen percentages are relatively similar for Alnus, Quercus, and Calluna. The LOVE reconstruction confirms the assumed difference between the sites in terms of the abundance of birch and pine, which was not clearly demonstrated by the pollen percentages and accumulation rates. The Pinus LOVE estimates are significantly higher at one of the sites, which explains the differences in fire history between the sites. The comparison of the LOVE estimates with plant macro-remains and coleoptera species shows a good correspondence. References: Greisman, A. and Gaillard, MJ, 2009. Journal of Quaternary Science, 24(6):593-611. Olsson, F. et al. 2009. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 10.1016/j.palaeo.2009.07.013 Sugita, S., 1993. Quaternary Research, 39:239-244. Sugita, S., 2007a. The Holocene, 17(2):229-241. Sugita, S., 2007b. The Holocene, 17(2):243-257.

Antidepressant-like effect of Kyllinga brevifolia rhizomes in male mice and chemical characterization of the components of the active ethyl acetate fraction.

PubMed

Hellión-Ibarrola, M C; Montalbetti, Y; Heinichen, O Y; Kennedy, M L; Campuzano, M A; Alvarenga, N; Ibarrola, D A

2016-12-24

Kyllinga brevifolia rhizomes (Cyperaceae) are used in Paraguayan traditional medicine as a refreshing beverage, and is claimed to own digestive, diuretic, sedative, tonic, antispasmodic and sudorific properties. We have previously reported that its hydro- ethanolic rhizome extract possess sedative, anxiolytic and anti-aggressive-like effects in mice. However, information on its potential for treatment of syndromes associated with mood disorders is scarce. The purpose of this study is to characterize the putative antidepressant-like effects of the hydro-ethanolic extract (CEKb) and the ethyl acetate fraction (KbF-ethyl-ac) obtained from the rhizome of K. brevifolia (Rottb) on male mice exposed to forced swimming test. Also, chemical characterization of the components of the active ethyl acetate fraction was described. The antidepressant-like effects of CEKb and KbF-ethyl-ac were measured using the forced swimming test (FST) performance of male mice in single (acute), short-term and chronic modalities. Treatments in all modalities were made 1h before swimming test. The KbF-ethyl-ac was analyzed by LC-DAD-ESI-MS and LC-ESI-MS/MS in order to identify the active components. A single doses (1.0, 10.0 and 100.0mg/kg, p.o; p<0.05) of CEKb, in male mice provoked a significant reduction of the immobility time. Such effect was also observed with oral short-term treatment (7 days) with doses of 10.0 and 100.0mg/kg/day (p<0.05) of CEKb. Moreover, in the treatments during 14 days with doses of 1.0 (p<0.05), 10.0 (p<0.05), and 100.0 (p<0.001) mg/kg, p.o, of CEKb, a statistically significant reduction of the immobility time were induced. Additionally, in a different set of experiments acute dose of 1.0 (p<0.05) and 10.0 (p<0.01) mg/kg, p.o, of KbF-ethyl-ac in male mice, a significant reduction of the immobility time were provoked. Likewise, short-term treatment (7 days) with 1.0, and 10.0mg/kg (p<0.05); and after 14 days of treatment with 0.01 (p<0.01) 0.1 (p<0.001), 1.0 (p<0.001), and 10.0 (p<0.05) mg/kg of KbF-ethyl-ac in male mice, a statistically significant reduction of the immobility time, were observed. Imipramine 32mg/kg/days, i.p, induced a statistically significant reduction of immobility time and was used as positive control to validate the method employed. Moreover, it was noted important differences in the onset of the antidepressant-like effect in the FST, depending on the modality of treatment with CEKb or KbF-ethyl-ac (acute, short-term or chronic). Both, efficacy and potency were higher when repeated administration of CEKb was used, and surprisingly the efficacy of 1.0mg/kg of KbF-ethyl-ac (14 days) was similar to imipramine. The main constituents of the KbF-ethyl-ac were identified as catechins and their dimers by LC-DAD-ESI-MS and LC-ESI-MS/MS, according to their UV and MS spectra, as compared with the literature data. These results indicate an important antidepressant-like profile of action for the CEKb and KbF-ethyl-ac; and meanwhile, this effect may partially reside on catechins and their dimers isolated from the KbF-ethyl-ac. These findings indicate that K. brevifolia exerts antidepressant -like effects in mice and suggest its potential usefulness for the treatment of depression in humans and encourage us to pursue the isolation of the molecules associated to the effect observed in CEKb and KbF-ethyl-ac, and to determine the mechanism of antidepressant-like effect of Kyllinga brevifolia using adequate complementary test. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mid-late Holocene climate and vegetation in northeastern part of the Altai Mountains recorded in Lake Teletskoye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudaya, Natalia; Nazarova, Larisa; Novenko, Elena; Babich, Valery; Kalugin, Ivan; Daryin, Andrei

2015-04-01

We report the first high-resolution (with intervals ca. 20-50 years) late-Holocene (4200 yr BP) pollen record from Lake Teletskoye, Altai Mountains, obtained from the underwater Ridge of Sofia Lepneva in 2006 (core Tel 2006). The study presents (i) the results of palynological analysis of Tel 2006; (ii) the results of spectral analysis of natural cycles based on the periodical fluctuation of taiga-biome curve; and (iii) quantitative reconstructions of the late-Holocene regional vegetation, woody coverage and climate in northern part of the Altai Mountains in order to define place of Northeast Altai on the map of the late-Holocene Central Asian environmental history. Late Holocene vegetation of the northeastern part of Altai recorded in Tel 2006 core is characterized by spread of dark-coniferous forest with structure similar to modern. Dominant trees, Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica) and Siberian fir (Abies sibirica), are the most ecological sensitive taxa between Siberian conifers (Shumilova, 1962), that as a whole suggests mild and humid climatic conditions during last 4200 years. However, changes of pollen taxa percentages and results of numerical analysis reveal pronounced fluctuation of climate and vegetation. Relatively cool and dry stage occurred prior to ca. 3500 cal yr BP. Open vegetation was widespread in the region with maximum deforestation and minimal July temperatures between 3800-3500 cal yr BP. Steppe-like communities with Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae and Cyperaceae could grow on the open sites around Lake Teletskoye. Reconstructed woody coverage is very low and varies between 29-35%. After ca. 3500 cal yr BP the area of dark-coniferous mountain taiga has significantly enlarged with maximums of woody coverages and taiga biome scores between ca. 2470-1040 cal yr BP. In the period of ~3500-2500 cal yr BP the averages July temperatures increased more than 1 0C. Climate became warmer and wetter. During last millennium (after 1040 cal yr BP) average July temperatures fell to 17.04 0C. Minimums of July temperatures related to AD1560-1650 and may reflect Little Ice Age in the northeastern Altai. This assumption is in an agreement with previous data from Lake Teletskoye (core Tel 2001-02 covered last 1000 years) where the period with relatively cold and dry climate was revealed between AD1560 and 1820 (Andreev et al., 2007). The coldest period in Tuva according to dendrochronological data (Myglan, Oidupaa, Vaganov, 2012) was in 17-19 centuries with minimum of June-July temperatures at AD1778-1819. Pollen records from the Chuya basin (southeastern part of Russian Altai) revealed the onset of LIA around AD1600 (Schluetz&Lehmkuhl, 2007). Open steppe-like vegetation slightly enlarged after ~AD1700 with increasing of continentality. Modern Index of Continentality mapping for the Altai Mountains is in range of 50-59 (Grieser et al., 2006). The average Index of Continentality calculated for last 30 years using data from Barnaul meteostation, located 300 km northwest of the lake in forest-steppe zone, is 40.6; the average Index of Continentality for Yailu meteostation (north shore of Lake Teletskoye) is 20. Index of Continentality reconstructed from Tel 2006 varies in limits of 48-58 and obviously shows regional but not local situation. Throughout the Tel 2006 record woody coverages vary between 29.0% at the 3890 cal yr BP and 50.3% at the AD1830. Woody coverage greater than 65% is associated with the Siberian mid-latitudinal zonal taiga. Areas north and south of the taiga zone have moderate forest coverage (25-45%), suggesting greater landscape openness (Tarasov et al., 2007). Regarding to VCF data, modern woody cover in 20 km around the lake is ca. 55% (http://glcf.umiacs.umd.edu/data/vcf). Reconstructed woody coverage is lower than observed and reflect probably forest development in the whole lake catchment basin. Spectral analysis of Tel 2006 data demonstrates periodic changes of taiga-biome curve of ~1050, ~470 and ~210 years intervals during the Late Holocene. Kravchinsky et al. (2013) presume that the 1000- and 500-year periodicities recorded in magnetic properties of soil layers correspond to solar activity induced climate changes in Southern Siberia; however, Stuiver&Braziunas (1993) relate the ~500-yr cycle to flux oscillations in the Atlantic Ocean thermohaline circulation. The ˜210-year periodicities may reflect the ~200-year solar de Vries cycle that is commonly believed to be one of the most intense solar cycles (e.g. Wagner G. et al., 2001; Damon&Peristykh, 2000; Stuiver&Braziunas, 1993). Dendrochronlogical data obtained from the Tien Shan and Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau confirm the existence of 200-year climatic cycles associated with solar activity in Central Asia (Raspopov et al., 2008). Absence of 1500-year climatic cycles (Bond events) in Tel 2006 record may be explained by deep intercontinental location of the Lake Teletskoye whereas 1500-year cycles are linked with the North Atlantic oceanic circulation (Bond et al., 2001; Debret et al., 2007).

Predicting sea-level rise vulnerability of terrestrial habitat and wildlife of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reynolds, Michelle H.; Berkowitz, Paul; Courtot, Karen N.; Krause, Crystal M.; Reynolds, Michelle H.; Berkowitz, Paul; Courtot, Karen N.; Krause, Crystal M.

2012-01-01

If current climate change trends continue, rising sea levels may inundate low-lying islands across the globe, placing island biodiversity at risk. Recent models predict a rise of approximately one meter (1 m) in global sea level by 2100, with larger increases possible in areas of the Pacific Ocean. Pacific Islands are unique ecosystems home to many endangered endemic plant and animal species. The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), which extend 1,930 kilometers (km) beyond the main Hawaiian Islands, are a World Heritage Site and part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. These NWHI support the largest tropical seabird rookery in the world, providing breeding habitat for 21 species of seabirds, 4 endemic land bird species and essential foraging, breeding, or haul-out habitat for other resident and migratory wildlife. In recent years, concern has grown about the increasing vulnerability of the NWHI and their wildlife populations to changing climatic patterns, particularly the uncertainty associated with potential impacts from global sea-level rise (SLR) and storms. In response to the need by managers to adapt future resource protection strategies to climate change variability and dynamic island ecosystems, we have synthesized and down scaled analyses for this important region. This report describes a 2-year study of a remote northwestern Pacific atoll ecosystem and identifies wildlife and habitat vulnerable to rising sea levels and changing climate conditions. A lack of high-resolution topographic data for low-lying islands of the NWHI had previously precluded an extensive quantitative model of the potential impacts of SLR on wildlife habitat. The first chapter (chapter 1) describes the vegetation and topography of 20 islands of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, the distribution and status of wildlife populations, and the predicted impacts for a range of SLR scenarios. Furthermore, this chapter explores the potential effects of SLR on wildlife breeding habitats for each island. The subsequent chapter (chapter 2) details a study of the Laysan Island ecosystem, describing a quantitative model that incorporates SLR, storm wave, and rising groundwater inundation. Wildlife, storm, and oceanographic data allowed for an assessment of the phenological and spatial vulnerability of Laysan Island's breeding bird species to SLR and storms. Using remote sensing and geospatial techniques, we estimated topography, classified vegetation, modeled SLR, and evaluated a range of climate change scenarios. On the basis of high-resolution airborne data collected during 2010-11 (root-mean-squared error = 0.05-0.18 m), we estimated the maximum elevation of 20 individual islands extending from Kure Atoll to French Frigate Shoals (range: 1.8-39.7 m) and computed the mean elevation (1.7 m, standard deviation 1.1 m) across all low-lying islands. We also analyzed general climate models to describe rainfall and temperature scenarios expected to influence adaptation of some plants and animals for this region. Outcomes for the NWHI predicted an increase in temperature of 1.8-2.6 degrees Celsius (°C) and an annual decrease in precipitation of 24.7-76.3 millimeters (mm) across the NWHI by 2100. Our models of passive SLR (excluding wave-driven effects, erosion, and accretion) showed that approximately 4 percent of the total land area in the NWHI will be lost with scenarios of +1.0 m of SLR and 26 percent will be lost with +2.0 m of SLR. Some atolls are especially vulnerable to SLR. For example, at Pearl and Hermes Atoll our analysis indicated substantial habitat losses with 43 percent of the land area inundated at +1.0 m SLR and 92 percent inundated at +2.0 m SLR. Across the NWHI, seven islands will be completely submerged with +2.0 m SLR. The limited global ranges of some tropical nesting birds make them particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts in the NWHI. Climate change scenarios and potential SLR impacts presented here emphasize the need for early climate change adaptation and mitigation planning, especially for species with limited breeding distributions and/or ranges restricted primarily to the low-lying NWHI: Cyperus pennatiformis var. bryanii, Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), Laysan Albatross (P. immutabilis), Bonin Petrel (Pterodroma hypoleuca), Gray-backed Tern (Onychoprion lunatus), Laysan Teal (Anas laysanensis), Laysan Finch (Telespiza cantans), and Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi). Furthermore, SLR scenarios that include the effects of wave dynamics and groundwater rise may indicate amplified vulnerability to climate change driven habitat loss on low-lying islands. In chapter 2, we incorporated the combined effects of SLR, dynamic wave-driven inundation, and rising groundwater in a quantitative study specifically for the Laysan Island ecosystem. This is the first hydrodynamic model to simulate the combined impacts of SLR and wave-driven inundation in the NWHI. We developed a high-resolution digital elevation model (mean vertical accuracy of 0.32 m) for the island. Then using recent satellite imagery, geospatial models, and historical oceanographic, storm, and biological data we estimated potential inundation extent, habitat loss, and wildlife population impacts for a range of potential SLR scenarios (0.00, +0.50, +1.00, +1.50, and +2.00 m) that may occur over the next century. Additionally, we estimated the carrying capacity of Laysan Island for five species based on the available population monitoring data and described how potential losses in nesting habitat could influence population dynamics for Black-footed Albatross, Laysan Albatross, Red-footed Booby (Sula sula), Laysan Teal, and Laysan Finch. For some other seabird populations (Masked Booby, S. dactylatra; Brown Booby, S. leucogaster; Great Frigatebird, Fregata minor; and Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuscata), we used recent colony distribution data, land cover maps, and nesting behavior to estimate potential losses of nesting habitat from SLR and wave-driven inundation. We observed far greater potential impacts of SLR to wildlife with the dynamic wave-driven modeling approach than with the passive modeling approach. Depending on SLR scenario and coastal orientation, during storms under a +2.00 m SLR scenario, the wave-driven inundation model predicted three times more inundation than the passive model (17.2 percent of total terrestrial area versus 4.6 percent, respectively). Large-wave events generally added 1 m of water height to passive inundation surfaces, therefore our dynamic models (during storm events) forecasted comparable inundation extents earlier than passive models. Although wave-driven water levels were highest in the northwest quadrant of Laysan Island, the greatest extent of inundation occurred in the southeast where coastal dunes less than 3 m above mean sea level provide little protection from wave-driven inundation. When wave-driven inundation was included in the SLR model for Laysan Island greater nesting habitat loss and potential impacts on wildlife population dynamics were predicted. The consequences of habitat loss due to SLR may be worse for species with colonies in the wave-exposed coastal zones (for example, Black-footed Albatross) and for populations already near the island's carrying capacity (for example, Laysan Teal). Species whose peak incubation and chick-rearing periods coincide with seasonally high wave heights also will be increasingly vulnerable, especially those species nesting on the ground in areas vulnerable to inundation, such as Gray-backed Tern and Black-footed Albatross. Other species that have space for population growth, or are not restricted to a narrow range of habitat types on Laysan (for instance, Sooty Terns), may be less sensitive to habitat loss from SLR over the next century. Our assessments of inundation risk, habitat loss, and wildlife species vulnerability synthesize current knowledge about individual islands and contribute to a broader understanding of the impacts of inundation from SLR and storm-induced waves. Yet, most NWHI and their bird populations lack monitoring data to evaluate adaptations to and impacts of climate change. Exceptions include some data sets from long-term monitoring of wildlife populations, tides, or weather at French Frigate Shoals, Laysan Island, and Midway Atoll. These data sets are potentially valuable baselines, which could be informative for adaptive learning (integrating management and science) to predict, adapt, and mitigate the effects of climate change on NWHI wildlife in the future. This study provides the first quantitative vulnerability assessment for all of the low-lying NWHI, and results identify biological communities, locales, and resident endangered species of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument expected to be at risk from SLR. This report is also intended as a reference for managers and conservation planners, a tool to identify and potentially reduce uncertainty, and a starting place for developing climate change monitoring priorities and future scientific studies.