Native seed addition as an effective tool for post-invasion restoration

Invasive plant species reduce biodiversity, alter ecosystem processes, and cause economic losses. Control of invasive plants is therefore highly desired by land managers and policy makers. However, invasive plant control strategies frequently fail, partly because management often concentrates only on the eradication of invasive plants and not on revegetation with native species that use the available resources and prevent reinvasion. In this study, we focused on the intracontinental invader Rumex alpinus L., which was introduced by humans from the Alps to the lower mountains of Central Europe, where it has spread to semi-natural meadows, suppresses local biodiversity, and reduces the quality of hay used as cattle fodder. The species can be effectively removed using herbicide, but this leaves behind a persistent seed bank. Without further treatment, the invader rapidly regenerates and reinvades the area. We supplemented the herbicide treatment by adding the seeds of native grasses. Addition of native-seed effectively suppressed the regeneration of the invader from the seed bank, reduced its biomass, and consequently, prevented massive reinvasion. While the invader removal was successful, the restored community remained species-poor because the dense sward of native grasses blocked the regeneration of native forbs from the seed bank. Nevertheless, the addition of native seed proved to be an effective tool in preventing reinvasion after the eradication of the invasive plant.     

Paleolimnology: an important tool for effective ecosystem management

Effective management of aquatic resources requires long-term environmental data. However, because long-term observations are rarely available, indirect proxy methods must be used to substitute for these missing historical data sets. Major advances have been made in paleolimnology over the last decade, and many of these advances can be applied directly to integrated and cost-effective assessments of aquatic ecosystem health. This commentary uses the analogy of human health to argue that paleolimnological data provide information crucial to the decision-making processes of ecosystem managers.Keynote lecture, presented at the International Sumposium on Aquatic Ecosystem Health, Waterloo, Ontario, July 23, 1990.     

Brevibacillus as a biological tool: a short review

The significance of Brevibacillus has been documented scientifically in the published literature and commercially in heterologous recombinant protein catalogs. Brevibacillus is one of the most widespread genera of Gram-positive bacteria, recorded from the diverse environmental habitats. The high growth rate, better transformation efficiency by electroporation, availability of shuttle vectors, production of negligible amount of extracellular protease, and the constitutive expression of heterologous proteins make some strains of this genus excellent laboratory models. Regarding biotechnological applications, this genus continues to be a source of various enzymes of great biotechnological interest due to their ability to biodegrade low density polyethylene, ability to act as a candidate bio-control agent, and more recently acknowledged as a tool for the overexpression. This article reviews the properties of Brevibacillus spp. as better biological tools with varied applications.     

Pulse wave analysis as an experimental tool to clinical application: past and present (review)

Pulse examination by palpation of a peripheral artery against a bony prominence is the most commonly used and widely accepted method. However this is subjective and thus prone to errors. Although pulse waveform was recorded in the 19th century, it did not gain popularity because of inconvenience in using the recording instruments and the absence of a sound theory to explain the wave forms recorded. Sphygmomanometry for recording blood pressure gained popularity as it was easy to record and had a sound theoretical background. Sphygmomanometry provides two extreme values of blood pressure but does not give a true representation of the blood pressure changes occurring in the entire cardiac cycle. Recently there has been resurgence in the analysis of the graphical recording of the pulse wave. Photoplethysmography is becoming a widely accepted technique in assessing the volume pulse. The whole review is about historical background, non-invasive methods of pulse recording, relation of the digital volume pulse to the pressure pulse and the advantages of recording the pressure pulse.     

Genome profiling (GP) as an effective tool for monitoring culture collections: a case study with Trichosporon

Species identification and classification of a large number of microbes are essential and heavy workloads in culture collections and relevant laboratories. The identification of species usually requires different methods depending on species. Therefore, the development of a method which is simple and applicable to any organisms will lessen the burdens, increase the reliability of databases and thus enhance the science on microbes. The genome profiling (GP) method, developed previously, was found effective in monitoring authenticities of all strains/species tested in culture collections and expectedly various species, which was shown by applying the GP and the conventional sequencing methods to identifying and classifying species/strains belonging to the genus Trichosporon (38 strains; 16 species). Small differences between strains (11 strains of Trichosporon asahii and 4 strains of Trichosporon coremiiforme) can be reliably discriminated by GP, which was unsuccessful in the conventional sequencing approach. Importantly, seven possible false-assignments contained in the database were all pointed out by the GP method with near-perfect correctness, showing the power of the GP method.GP was shown to be a potent tool for rapidly and correctly monitoring species and strains of fungi in culture collections owing to its simple and informative natures.     

Lactic acid bacteria as a tool for biovanillin production: A review

Vanilla is the most commonly used natural flavoring agent in industries like food, flavoring, medicine, and fragrance. Vanillin can be obtained naturally, chemically, or through a biotechnological process. However, the yield from vanilla pods is low and does not meet market demand, and the use of vanillin produced by chemical synthesis is restricted in the food and pharmaceutical industries. As a result, the biotechnological process is the most efficient and cost-effective method for producing vanillin with consumer-demanding properties while also supporting industrial applications. Toxin-free biovanillin production, based on renewable sources such as industrial wastes or by-products, is a promising approach. In addition, only natural-labeled vanillin is approved for use in the food industry. Accordingly, this review focuses on biovanillin production from lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which is generally recognized as safe (GRAS), and the cost-cutting efforts that are utilized to improve the efficiency of biotransformation of inexpensive and readily available sources. LABs can utilize agro-wastes rich in ferulic acid to produce ferulic acid, which is then employed in vanillin production via fermentation, and various efforts have been applied to enhance the vanillin titer. However, different designs, such as response surface methods, using immobilized cells or pure enzymes for the spontaneous release of vanillin, are strongly advised.     

Environmental DNA metabarcoding as an effective and rapid tool for fish monitoring in canals

We focus on a case study along an English canal comparing environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding with two types of electrofishing techniques (wade-and-reach and boom-boat). In addition to corroborating data obtained by electrofishing, eDNA provided a wider snapshot of fish assemblages. Given the semi-lotic nature of canals, we encourage the use of eDNA as a fast and cost-effective tool to detect and monitor whole fish communities.     

Microarrays as a diagnostic tool in prenatal screening strategies: ethical reflection

Genomic microarray analysis is increasingly being applied as a prenatal diagnostic tool. Microarrays enable searching the genome at a higher resolution and with higher sensitivity than conventional karyotyping for identifying clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities. As yet, no clear guidelines exist on whether microarrays should be applied prenatally for all indications or only in selected cases such as ultrasound abnormalities, whether a targeted or genome-wide array should be used, and what these should include exactly. In this paper, we present some ethical considerations on the prenatal use of microarrays. There is a strong consensus, at least in Western countries, that the aim of prenatal screening for foetal abnormalities should be understood as facilitating autonomous reproductive choice for prospective parents. The tests offered should be valid and useful to reach that purpose. Against this background, we address several ethical issues raised by the prenatal application of microarrays. First, we argue that the general distinction between a targeted and a genome-wide microarray needs to be scrutinised. Then we examine whether microarrays are ‘suitable tests’ to serve either a screening or a diagnostic purpose. Given the wide range of findings possibly generated by microarrays, the question arises whether microarrays actually promote or interfere with autonomous reproductive decision-making. Moreover, if variants of unknown clinical significance are identified, this adds to the burden and complexity of reproductive decision-making. We suggest a qualified use of microarrays in the prenatal context.     

Behavioural biology: an effective and relevant conservation tool

'Conservation behaviour' is a young discipline that investigates how proximate and ultimate aspects of the behaviour of an animal can be of value in preventing the loss of biodiversity. Rumours of its demise are unfounded. Conservation behaviour is quickly building a capacity to positively influence environmental decision making. The theoretical framework used by animal behaviourists is uniquely valuable to elucidating integrative solutions to human-wildlife conflicts, efforts to reintroduce endangered species and reducing the deleterious effects of ecotourism. Conservation behaviourists must join with other scientists under the multidisciplinary umbrella of conservation biology without giving up on their focus: the mechanisms, development, function and evolutionary history of individual differences in behaviour. Conservation behaviour is an increasingly relevant tool in the preservation of nature.     

Epidermal growth factor receptor PROTACs as an effective strategy for cancer therapy: A review

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a transmembrane glycoprotein that mediates cellular signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and metastatic spread, is an important oncogenic drug target. Targeting the intracellular and extracellular domains of the EGFR has been authorized for a number of small-molecule TKIs and mAbs, respectively. However, their clinical application is limited by EGFR catalytic structural domain alterations, cancer heterogeneity, and persistent drug resistance. To bypass these limitations, protease-targeted chimeras (PROTACs) are emerging as an emerging and promising anti-EGFR therapy. PROTACs compensate for the limitations of traditional occupancy-driven small molecules by exploiting intracellular protein destruction processes. Recently, a mushrooming number of heterobifunctional EGFR PROTACs have been created using wild-type (WT) and mutated EGFR TKIs. PROTACs outperformed EGFR TKIs in terms of cellular inhibition, potency, toxicity profiles, and anti-drug resistance. Herein, we present a comprehensive overview of the development of PROTACs targeting EGFR for cancer therapy, while also highlighting the challenges and opportunities associated with the field.     

Random-priming in vitro recombination: an effective tool for directed evolution.

A simple and efficient method for in vitro mutagenesis and recombination of polynucleotide sequences is reported. The method involves priming template polynucleotide(s) with random-sequence primers and extending to generate a pool of short DNA fragments which contain a controllable level of point mutations. The fragments are reassembled during cycles of denaturation, annealing and further enzyme-catalyzed DNA polymerization to produce a library of full-length sequences. Screening or selecting the expressed gene products leads to new variants with improved functions, as demonstrated by the recombination of genes encoding different thermostable subtilisins in order to obtain enzymes more stable than either parent.     

Spontaneous succession in limestone quarries as an effective restoration tool for endangered arthropods and plants

1. The view of post-mining sites is rapidly changing among ecologists and conservationists, as sensitive restoration using spontaneous succession may turn such sites into biodiversity refuges in human-exploited regions. However, technical reclamation, consisting of covering the sites by topsoil, sowing fast-growing herb mixtures and planting trees, is still commonly adopted. Until now, no multi-taxa study has compared technically reclaimed sites and sites left with spontaneous succession.
2. We sampled communities of vascular plants and 10 arthropod groups in technically reclaimed and spontaneously restored plots in limestone quarries in the Bohemian Karst, Czech Republic. For comparison, we used paired t -tests and multivariate methods, emphasizing red-list status and habitat specialization of individual species.
3. We recorded 692 species of target taxa, with a high proportion of red-listed (10%) and xeric specialist (14%) species, corroborating the great conservation potential of the quarries.
4. Spontaneously restored post-mining sites did not differ in species richness from the technical reclaimed sites but they supported more rare species. The microhabitat cover of leaf litter, herbs and moss, were all directly influenced by the addition of topsoil during reclamation.
5. Synthesis and applications. Our results show that the high conservation potential of limestone quarries could be realized by allowing succession to progress spontaneously with minimal intervention. Given the threat to semi-natural sparsely vegetated habitats in many regions, active restoration measures at post-mining sites should be limited to maintenance of early successional stages, instead of acceleration of succession.     

Satellite imagery as a tool for monitoring species diversity: an assessment

1. A landscape of 5 × 5·5 km in the Karnataka region of the Western Ghats of India was mapped into seven landscape element types, using field identification of types as well as supervised and unsupervised classification of satellite imagery.
2. Plant communities distributed in these landscape element types were surveyed in the field using 246 quadrats of 10 × 10 m, in order to assess whether these types could be distinguished in terms of species composition. All angiosperms excluding grasses, which could not be identified accurately in the field, were recorded for this purpose.
3. Landscape element types identified in the field harboured significantly distinctive sets of species of flowering plants, and were also by and large distinctive in terms of their species richness.
4. Landscape element types could be identified accurately on the basis of supervised classification: the types thus demarcated harboured distinctive sets of flowering plants.
5. Landscape element types coupled to satellite imagery could then be used to organize a programme of monitoring biodiversity.
6. Unsupervised classification of satellite imagery did not permit classification of landscape element types with a high enough level of accuracy. In consequence, the demarcated landscape element types did not harbour significantly distinctive sets of species of flowering plants. Unsupervised classification is therefore not appropriate in a programme of monitoring biodiversity.     

Modeling as a tool to manage ecosystems under multiple stresses: an application to Lake Ontario

Present-day ecosystem management involves understanding of the synergistic effect of multiple stressors on multiple and frequently nebulous management end-points. An example is the simultaneous management of nutrient load reductions and salmon stocking in Lake Ontario. In this study, a simple whole-lake annual time scale model was developed to assess the relationship between these two stressors and various ecosystem responses. The model was used to explore the utility of some possible management end-points for ecosystem health. In historical simulations, production per stocked fish and salmon survival appeared to be good indicators, while nutrient recycling rate and average ecosystem-wide food limitation were found to be fairly unresponsive to the two stressors. The model was further used to predict long term averages of salmon biomass and selected health indicators at various sustained loading and stocking rates. Salmon biomass increased with stocking rate at all stocking rates examined, but the rate of increase declined somewhat at high stocking rates. The response of salmon biomass to nutrient loading appeared to be approximately sigmoidal i.e. there was a nutrient threshold below which fish biomass could not be sustained and another nutrient threshold above which salmon biomass either remained constant or even decreased. The response to either stressor was found to be modified by the value of the other stressor, illustrating the importance of ecosystem-level models for aquatic ecosystem management.     

Aerial application of pheromones for mating disruption of an invasive moth as a potential eradication tool

Biological invasions can cause major ecological and economic impacts. During the early stages of invasions, eradication is desirable but tactics are lacking that are both effective and have minimal non-target effects. Mating disruption, which may meet these criteria, was initially chosen to respond to the incursion of light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana (LBAM; Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), in California. The large size and limited accessibility of the infested area favored aerial application. Moth sex pheromone formulations for potential use in California or elsewhere were tested in a pine forest in New Zealand where LBAM is abundant. Formulations were applied by helicopter at a target rate of 40 g pheromone per ha. Trap catch before and after application was used to assess the efficacy and longevity of formulations, in comparison with plots treated with ground-applied pheromone dispensers and untreated control plots. Traps placed at different heights showed LBAM was abundant in the upper canopy of tall trees, which complicates control attempts. A wax formulation and polyethylene dispensers were most effective and provided trap shut-down near ground level for 10 weeks. Only the wax formulation was effective in the upper canopy. As the pheromone blend contained a behavioral antagonist for LBAM, 'false trail following' could be ruled out as a mechanism explaining trap shutdown. Therefore, 'sensory impairment' and 'masking of females' are the main modes of operation. Mating disruption enhances Allee effects which contribute to negative growth of small populations and, therefore, it is highly suitable for area-wide control and eradication of biological invaders.