Passive restoration in Araucaria Forest: useful ecological indicators in monitoring successional advancement in exotic tree plantation landscapes

Monitoring successional advancement is a complex field involving a constant search for applied ecological indicators which facilitate monitoring of secondary forests for both active and passive restoration. In this study, the authors investigate the successional advancement of floristics and tree structure within Araucaria Forest (AF) fragments under passive restoration in a context where exotic tree plantations (mainly Pinus L. genus) dominate the landscape. The ecological indicators used were floristic dissimilarity (β‐diversity inferences), indicator species, ecological groups of species, basal area, and species abundance distribution (SAD) models (α‐diversity inferences). A total of 182 tree species belonging to 91 genera and 43 botanical families were identified. A high β diversity was verified for which each site has indicator species (for the locations CD—Dicksonia sellowiana; CO—Cryptocarya aschersoniana; and PG—Pinus taeda), where pioneer species contributed to much of the abundance. Different SAD models are useful for describing passive restoration sites in exotic tree plantation landscapes, namely Lognormal, Mandelbrot, and Zipf. SAD models together with basal area, taxonomic group (e.g. Myrtaceae assemblage), and tree abundance in ecological groups are strategic ecological indicators for monitoring successional advancement in AF.     

Ethinylestradiol and its effects on the macrophages in the prostate of adult and senile gerbils

Prenatal and neonatal exposure to estrogenic compounds, such as ethinylestradiol (EE), promotes a variety of developmental disorders, including malformations and alterations in the morphology of glands, such as the prostate gland. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological effects of neonatal exposure to EE on prostatic tissue and on the identification and quantification of gerbil gland macrophages in adult and senile Mongolian gerbils. The animals were exposed to EE (10 μg/kg/day) and to the vehicle, mineral oil (100 μL) (control group) during the first 10 days of postnatal life (lactation period). Adult gerbils were euthanized at 120 days and senile gerbils at 12 months of age. Our findings permitted verification of the presence of areas with proliferative foci in the prostate glandular portions in the adult and senile animals exposed to EE. There was also an increase in macrophages in the prostate tissue of adult and senile gerbils; these cell types alter the stromal microenvironment and possibly modify the interactions between the epithelium and stroma. Neonatal exposure to EE changes the pattern of prostatic development, leading to alterations in the arrangement of cells, including macrophages, and may be related to the onset of proliferative disorders in the prostate of adult gerbils and during aging.     

Amazonia trees have limited capacity to acclimate plant hydraulic properties in response to long‐term drought

The fate of tropical forests under future climate change is dependent on the capacity of their trees to adjust to drier conditions. The capacity of trees to withstand drought is likely to be determined by traits associated with their hydraulic systems. However, data on whether tropical trees can adjust hydraulic traits when experiencing drought remain rare. We measured plant hydraulic traits (e.g. hydraulic conductivity and embolism resistance) and plant hydraulic system status (e.g. leaf water potential, native embolism and safety margin) on >150 trees from 12 genera (36 species) and spanning a stem size range from 14 to 68 cm diameter at breast height at the world's only long‐running tropical forest drought experiment. Hydraulic traits showed no adjustment following 15 years of experimentally imposed moisture deficit. This failure to adjust resulted in these drought‐stressed trees experiencing significantly lower leaf water potentials, and higher, but variable, levels of native embolism in the branches. This result suggests that hydraulic damage caused by elevated levels of embolism is likely to be one of the key drivers of drought‐induced mortality following long‐term soil moisture deficit. We demonstrate that some hydraulic traits changed with tree size, however, the direction and magnitude of the change was controlled by taxonomic identity. Our results suggest that Amazonian trees, both small and large, have limited capacity to acclimate their hydraulic systems to future droughts, potentially making them more at risk of drought‐induced mortality.     

Bioreactor production of 2,3-butanediol by Pantoea agglomerans using soybean hull acid hydrolysate as substrate

Production of 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) by Pantoea agglomerans strain BL1 was investigated using soybean hull hydrolysate as substrate in batch reactors. The cultivation media consisted of a mixture of xylose, arabinose, and glucose, obtained from the hemicellulosic fraction of the soybean hull biomass. We evaluated the influence of oxygen supply, pH control, and media supplementation on the growth kinetics of the microorganism and on 2,3-BD production. P. agglomerans BL1 was able to simultaneously metabolize all three monosaccharides present in the broth, with average conversions of 75% after 48 h of cultivation. The influence of aeration conditions employed demonstrated the mixed acid pathway of 2,3-BD formation by enterobacteria. Under fully aerated conditions (2 vvm of air), up to 14.02 g L⁻¹ of 2.3-BD in 12 h of cultivation were produced, corresponding to yields of 0.53 g g⁻¹ and a productivity of 1.17 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹, the best results achieved. These results suggest the production potential of 2,3-BD by P. agglomerans BL1, which has been recently isolated from an environmental consortium. The present work proposes a solution for the usage of the hemicellulosic fraction of agroindustry biomasses, carbohydrates whose utilization are not commonly addressed in bioprocess.

     

A standardized assessment of forest mammal communities reveals consistent functional composition and vulnerability across the tropics

The understanding of global diversity patterns has benefitted from a focus on functional traits and how they relate to variation in environmental conditions among assemblages. Distant communities in similar environments often share characteristics, and for tropical forest mammals, this functional trait convergence has been demonstrated at coarse scales (110–200 km resolution), but less is known about how these patterns manifest at fine scales, where local processes (e.g. habitat features and anthropogenic activities) and biotic interactions occur. Here, we used standardized camera trapping data and a novel analytical method that accounts for imperfect detection to assess how the functional composition of terrestrial mammal communities for two traits – trophic guild and body mass – varies across 16 protected areas in tropical forests and three continents, in relation to the extent of protected habitat and anthropogenic pressures. We found that despite their taxonomic differences, communities generally have a consistent trophic guild composition, and respond similarly to these factors. Insectivores were found to be sensitive to the size of protected habitat and surrounding human population density. Body mass distribution varied little among communities both in terms of central tendency and spread, and interestingly, community average body mass declined with proximity to human settlements. Results indicate predicted trait convergence among assemblages at the coarse scale reflects consistent functional composition among communities at the local scale, suggesting that broadly similar habitats and selective pressures shaped communities with similar trophic strategies and responses to drivers of change. These similarities provide a foundation for assessing assemblages under anthropogenic threats and sharing conservation measures.     

Correction to: Determining ecosystem functioning in Brazilian biomes through foliar carbon and nitrogen concentrations and stable isotope ratios

Biogeochemistry - The initial online publication contained typesetting mistakes in the author information. The original article has been corrected.     

Reproductive biology of the white marlin (Kajikia albida) in the southwestern and equatorial Atlantic Ocean

The present work describes the reproductive biology of the white marlin (Kajikia albida) caught in the southwestern and equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The gonads of 924 fish were collected by observers on board Brazilian tuna longliners, between November 2004 and December 2006. The spawning season was assessed by the monthly frequency distribution of distinct stages of maturity and monthly mean female gonadosomatic index GSI. Sixty-one percent (n = 656) of the fish examined were female, with a Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL) between 83 and 236 cm (mean = 155.5 ± 16.63). The 268 males had a LJFL between 90 and 220 cm (mean = 152.3 ± 34.62). Although the northeastern region of Brazil does not appear to be a significant spawning area for the species, the results suggest a higher reproductive activity in the third quarter of the year. Using a Bayesian logistic model approach, length at 50% maturity was estimated at 145.04 cm (credibility interval of 95%, 143.94–146.09 cm), for females, and at 140.03 cm (credibility interval of 95%, 137.28–142.52 cm), for males.     

Heme induces significant neutrophil adhesion in vitro via an NFκB and reactive oxygen species-dependent pathway

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - Intravascular hemolysis, a major manifestation of sickle cell disease (SCD) and other diseases, incurs the release of hemoglobin and heme from red blood cells,...     

Gamma-Decanolactone Alters the Expression of GluN2B,A1 Receptors,and COX-2 and Reduces DNA Damage in the PTZ-Induced Seizure Model After Subchronic Treatment in Mice

Neurochemical Research - Gamma-decanolactone (GD) has been shown to reduce epileptic behavior in different models, inflammatory decreasing, oxidative stress, and genotoxic parameters. This study...