Trace fossils from the Lower Triassic of North China — a potential signature of the gradual recovery of a terrestrial ecosystem

The Permian–Triassic Mass Extinction (PTME) resulted in the most severe loss of life in the history of the earth, both marine and terrestrial ecosystems suffered heavy losses simultaneously, and the biotic recovery process was difficult for both. There are many studies on the timing and pattern of this mass extinction, however, the consistency of the recovery between the marine and terrestrial facies remains controversial. In particular, few metazoans survived and the deposits were dominated by the microbialites during the Early Triassic. The reappearance of the metazoans signified the beginning of the biotic recovery. In this paper, we measured the trace fossils of the Heshanggou Formation in western Henan, North China, which plays an important role in the transformation from the flourishing of the microorganisms to the recovery of metazoans. We quantitatively described the characteristics and measured the diameter, depth, abundance and diversity of the trace fossils. Based on the acquired data, the lower part of the Heshanggou Formation is confined to simple, small, vertical burrows, suggesting that the ecological environment was suitable for the survival of special species. In the middle part, the vertical burrows become deeper, which may be due to the adaptation of organisms to the harsh environment. Disturbance is more intense and the diversity clearly increases in the upper part. Through the increasing bioturbation and diversity of the trace fossils, we found a gradual biotic recovery pattern in the Early Triassic, and the recovery mode is similar to marine ichnofossils in South China.     

The common guava—a neglected fruit with a promising future

This tropical American fruit, cultivated in Florida and elsewhere around the world, was used, because of its high vitamin-C content, to fortify military food rations in World War II.     

The potential of earthworms to restore ecosystem services after opencast mining – A review

Opencast coal mining has several environmental impacts, which require land rehabilitation when mining operations are finished. For that reason, restoration after such extractive industries’ work is common and has been well studied. However, many ecological restoration schemes do not examine to what extent complete and functioning ecosystems have been restored above and below ground. While the aim should be to restore functioning ecosystems, most restoration plans focus only on vegetation and above ground macro-fauna.Among the potential species that are likely to be important early in mine land restoration, earthworms are particularly good candidates. They provide several ecosystem services that are likely to accelerate soil restoration, improve primary production and facilitate the restoration of a functional ecosystem in mining areas. These services include the following: increase in topsoil fertility, food for a wide range of predators and recycling of waste organic materials on rehabilitated areas.Here, we outline some of the challenges specifically facing opencast mining restoration and describe how the ecosystem services provided by earthworms may address some of these challenges.     

The potential of photosynthetic aquatic species as sources of useful cellulose fibers—a review

Photosynthetic aquatic species, i.e., micro- and macroalgae and fresh or salt water plants, contain cellulose or other fibrous materials potentially suitable for paper making. Photosynthetic aquatic species having cellulosic or fibrous characteristics necessary for paper production were reviewed. These characteristics include overall fiber content, fiber size and morphology, and fiber composition. Several species of algae and aquatic plants are reported to possess cellulose in quantities greater than 10 % of total dry weight, and in general, the cellulose content in aquatic species is lower than that of most wood species. Commercial application of these aquatic algal or plant materials has been limited to simple milling, and no commercial applications utilizing processes to isolate the cellulosic fibers from these materials have yet been found.     

The common understanding of simplification approaches in published LCA studies—a review and mapping

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - This paper aims to investigate the common understanding of the variety of simplifications in LCA, by reviewing what simplification approaches...     

The quest for a mechanistic understanding of biodiversity–ecosystem services relationships

Ecosystem services (ES) approaches to biodiversity conservation are currently high on the ecological research and policy agendas. However, despite a wealth of studies into biodiversity''s role in maintaining ES (B–ES relationships) across landscapes, we still lack generalities in the nature and strengths of these linkages. Reasons for this are manifold, but can largely be attributed to (i) a lack of adherence to definitions and thus a confusion between final ES and the ecosystem functions (EFs) underpinning them, (ii) a focus on uninformative biodiversity indices and singular hypotheses and (iii) top-down analyses across large spatial scales and overlooking of context-dependency. The biodiversity–ecosystem functioning (B–EF) field provides an alternate context for examining biodiversity''s mechanistic role in shaping ES, focusing on species'' characteristics that may drive EFs via multiple mechanisms across contexts. Despite acknowledgements of a need for B–ES research to look towards underlying B–EF linkages, the connections between these areas of research remains weak. With this review, we pull together recent B–EF findings to identify key areas for future developments in B–ES research. We highlight a means by which B–ES research may begin to identify how and when multiple underlying B–EF relationships may scale to final ES delivery and trade-offs.     

Datura innoxia— a potential commercial source of scopolamine

The drug scopolamine is important, among other uses, as a pre-anesthetic in surgery and childbirth, in ophthalmology and in prevention of motion sickness. Datura Metel of Asia and Africa has been regarded as the best source of it, but a pharmacognostic study, reported here, indicates that D. innoxia of Latin America is a possible industrial source.     

Nomenclatural notes on Aster (Asteraceae)—III. The status of a. Sandwicensis

Plants ofAster sandwicensis (A. Gray in H. Mann) Hieron. belong inA. subulatus Michaux but are recognized as taxonomically distinct from those of var.subulatus. A new combination is needed:A. subulatus var.sandwicensis (A. Gray in H. Mann) A. G. Jones, comb. nov.Chamisso s.n. (G-DC!) is chosen as the lectotype.     

The common origins of the pigments of life—early steps of chlorophyll biosynthesis

The complex pathway of tetrapyrrole biosynthesis can be dissected into five sections: the pathways that produce 5-aminolevulinate (the C-4 and the C-5 pathways), the steps that transform ALA to uroporphyrinogen III, which are ubiquitous in the biosynthesis of all tetrapyrroles, and the three branches producing specialized end products. These end products include corrins and siroheme, chlorophylls and hemes and linear tetrapyrroles. These branches have been subjects of recent reviews. This review concentrates on the early steps leading up to uroporphyrinogen III formation which have been investigated intensively in recent years in animals, in plants, and in a wide range of bacteria.Abbreviations ALA 5-aminolevulinic acid - ALAS 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase - GR glutamyl-tRNA reductase - GSA glutamate-1-semialdehyde - GSAT glutamate-1-semialdehyde aminotransferase - HMB hydroxymethylbilane - PBG porphobilinogen - PBGD porphobilinogen deaminase - PBGS porphobilinogen synthase - URO uroporphyrin - URO'gen uroporphyrinogen - US uroporphyrinogen III synthase     

The influence of landscape structure on ants and dung beetles diversity in a Mediterranean savanna—Forest ecosystem

Ants and dung beetles are focal indicators of change in several ecological processes and successional vegetation stages in Mediterranean landscapes. Despite relatively good knowledge of local species distributions, there are few data on their distributions at different scales. In the present study, the influence of multiscale landscape structure was examined using both ants and dung beetles to identify species that can serve as indicators and detectors of changes in vegetation structure. Multiscale analysis is necessary to explore the different roles of indicator and detector species for use as tools in studies focused on monitoring ecological changes. The study area was the Cabañeros National Park, in the center of the Iberian Peninsula. This site was selected because it is a good setting to evaluate the effects of typical vegetation mosaics on Mediterranean species at different scales. In this study, dung beetles and ants were trapped for one year. A multiscale analysis was designed using three different vegetation habitats (forest, scrubland and grassland) and landscape matrices (woodland, scrubland and grassland). Among dung beetles, 23 indicator species (IndVal values higher than 70%) were found at different scales of analysis. In addition, 20 dung beetle species were characterized as detector species (IndVal values between 45 and 70%) for the three different levels analyzed. Similar to the dung beetles, the ants had different species assemblages at various habitats and landscape levels; however, no indicator ant species were found in this study. All species with significant IndVal values (n = 8) were identified as detector species. Thus, ant and dung beetle assemblages were influenced in different ways by vegetation structure. Both groups showed strong individual species responses to different Mediterranean landscape conditions and vegetation types. Further, both insect groups showed a great number of detector species, which can be useful in ecosystem management because they have varying degrees of preference and sensitivity for different ecological states (such as successional vegetation stages). The diverse indicator and detector species identified in this work could be useful tools for the detection of landscape structure changes at both levels habitat patches and landscape matrix. However, a generalisation of the results at landscape scale should be taken with precaution, but they encourage to study more regions and similar landscapes. The use of more than one indicator group in the analysis confirms the importance of selecting groups with different sensitivities at varying spatial scales as well as different ecosystem functions. This strategy allows the establishment of a clear baseline with which to analyze future direct and indirect impacts of management in Mediterranean protected areas.     

Residents’ valuation of ecosystem services in a Mediterranean coastal dune ecosystem: The case of the Ritoque dunes in central Chile

Coastal dunes provide a variety of cultural and ecological ecosystem services to local communities. However, most of these ecosystems are globally threatened by anthropic factors. Chile is home to important dune ecosystems such as the emblematic Ritoque coastal dunes located in the hotspot for biodiversity conservation in central Chile where there is a delicate relationship between conservation and human development interests, among local communities and authorities. Here, we performed a choice experiment study to determined willingness to implement conservation measures in the Ritoque dunes. In particular, we assessed residents’ preferences for improvements of the current state of local ecosystem services such as scenic beauty, biodiversity and archaeological sites. Residents showed preferences for improvements in Ritoque coastal dunes’ ecosystem services, and a high willingness to pay for protecting biodiversity and archeological sites, rather than for recreational infrastructure. Our study highlights the importance of place-based research that specifically addresses residents and stakeholders’ conservation priorities, which could be used to design and implement effective conservation management strategies for coastal ecosystems and coastal cities near them.     

Phosphorus resorption and tissue longevity of roots and leaves – importance for phosphorus use efficiency and ecosystem phosphorus cycles

Plant and Soil - Plants recycle substantial amounts of phosphorus (P) from senescing tissues, reducing the need to take up P from soils. This paper reviews P recycling in plants, factors that...     

Pleurotus Ostreatus — breeding potential of a new cultivated mushroom

Summary Two isolates of Pleurotus ostreatus from North America and one from Germany are interbreedable. Under identical conditions at low temperatures, their fruiting bodies are hard to distinguish. However, shape and colour and several other characters vary with culture conditions. The American stocks fruit well at temperatures from 4 to 24 °C, the German ones only below 15 °C. Four types of hybrids between German and American Pleupotus were obtained: i) The whole fruiting process is temperature sensitive as in German Pleurotus. ii) It proceeds at 4–24 °C as in American stocks, iii) Fruiting initiation is insensitive but sporophore development is sensitive to elevated temperatures, iv) Primordia formation and initial sporophore development depend on temperatures below 15 °C, but pileus expansion and spore discharge continue above 20 °. The involvement of separate genes for the single developmental steps and the use of temperature sensitivity for commercial varieties are discussed. One sporeless strain, F42x11, with considerable fruiting bodies has been obtained. In intrastock di-mon-matings this character was dominant.     

The American mayapple revisited—podophyllum peltatum—still a potential cash crop?

Podophyllum peltatum, was reexamined for its potential use in the commercial production of podophyllotoxin, a lignan used in the semisynthesis of important anticancer drugs. A survey of the natural population of the American mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum, was conducted in order to identify high-yielding genotypes. Plants were collected from the eastern and central United States. The lignan content of leaf blades and rhizome material of the collected specimens was characterized by aqueous extraction followed by HPLC analysis. Podophyllotoxin and α-peltatin appeared most prominently among the lignans obtained. Leaf blades were generally richer in podophyllotoxin than rhizomes. Several high-yielding accessions were identified, the blades of which contained 4.0–5.6% podophyllotoxin. A negative correlation was observed between podophyllotoxin and peltatin content in the blades. The combination of high biosynthetic capacity and preferential accumulation of podophyllotoxin in leaves of mayapple makesthis plant an excellent candidate for agricultural production of podophyllotoxin.     

Teriflunomide – The common drug with underestimated oxygen - Dependent anticancer potential

Leflunomide (LFN) is a well-known immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory prodrug of teriflunomide (TFN). Due to pyrimidine synthesis inhibition TFN also exhibits potent anticancer effect. Because, there is the strict coupling between the pyrimidine synthesis and the mitochondrial respiratory chain, the oxygen level could modify the cytostatic TNF effect.The aim of the study was to evaluate the cytostatic effect of pharmacologically achievable teriflunomide (TFN) concentrations at physiological oxygen levels, i.e. 1% hypoxia and 10% tissue normoxia compared to 21%oxygen level occurred in routine cell culture environment.The TFN effect was evaluated using TB, MTT and FITC Annexin tests for human primary (SW480) and metastatic (SW620) colon cancer cell lines at various oxygen levels.We demonstrated significant differences between proliferation, survival and apoptosis at 1, 10 and 21% oxygen in primary and metastatic colon cancer cell lines (SW480, SW620) under TFN treatment. The cytostatic TFN effect was more pronounced at hypoxia compared to tissue and atmospheric normoxia in both cancer cell lines, however metastatic cells were more resistant to antiproliferative and proapoptotic TFN action. The early apoptosis was predominant in physiological oxygen tension while in atmospheric normoxia the late apoptosis was induced.Our findings showed that anticancer TFN effect is more strong in physiological oxygen compared to atmospheric normoxia. It suggests that results obtained from in vitro studies could be underestimated. Thus, it gives assumption for future comprehensive studies at real oxygen environment involving TNF use in combination with other antitumor agents affecting oxygen-dependent pyrimidine synthesis.     

Tricin—a potential multifunctional nutraceutical

This review throws light on the natural occurrence and distribution of tricin (5,7,4′-trihydroxy-3′,5′-dimethoxyflavone) and its conjugated forms, as more common natural plant constituents than previously known. It examines the current literature dealing with its biosynthesis, regulation, biological significance, pharmacological effects, and potential role as a chemopreventive and anticancer agent. Because of its common occurrence in cereal grain plants and the wide spectrum of its health promoting effects, a metabolic engineering strategy is proposed to produce tricin in sufficient amounts for further experimentation, and increase its accumulation in wheat grain endosperm as a nutraceutical.     

The potential biochemical markers of Kashin–Beck disease: a meta-analysis

Objective: The objective of this study is to explore the cytokines in serum, synovial fluid as potential biomarkers of Kashin–Beck disease (KBD) and to further understand the role of these cytokines in the pathogenesis of KBD.

Methods: A systematic electronic database search was performed from inception up to 15 March 2015. Meta-analysis was performed for cytokines more than one repetition in studies with available data. The effect size was summarized as standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by a random effect model.

Results: A total of 18 articles were included. The pooled standardized mean differences showed the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (2.72, 95% CI: 1.8 5–3.59), interleukin-1 beta (1.21, 95% CI: 0.6 1–1.80), and nitric oxide (2.60, 95% CI: 1.5 2–3.68) were significantly higher in adult KBD patients compared with that in healthy controls.

Conclusions: There was explicit evidence showing that the tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 beta and nitric oxide were closely related to the presence of KBD, and these cytokines played a vital role in the pathogenesis of KBD.     

The Høylandet area – patterns and processes of a pristine boreal-subalpine ecosystem – a synopsis

The research activities on soil–freshwaterinteractions and freshwater biotic structure andprocesses in the Høylandet area during the years 1986–89are presented in this issue ofHydrobiologia. The 9 papers cover a range of topicsfrom physiochemical gradients and processes in soilsand freshwaters to selected aspects of freshwaterbiotic community structure and temporal variability.This synopsis aims (a) to present an overview of majorfindings, (b) to interpret the results in the contextof air pollution effects and (c) to outlinesuggestions for future research activities inHøylandet. The area has a sub-oceanic climate varyingfrom 1100 to 2200 mm of precipitation normallyoriginating from unpolluted airmasses from the NorthAtlantic. It is chemically dominated by sea salts, haslow concentrations and low deposition of mineralacids. The catchment geology is variable and complexand consists mainly of various granites and gneisses.The soils are undisturbed ancient soils,primarily iron podzols associated with forests, orintact histosols with strong organic characterassociated with mires, often quite acidic.They are sensitive because occurrence of predominantlyinsoluble unstable Al-complexes may leach out ifexposed to anthropogenically acidified soil drainagewater and turn up as toxic inorganic aqueous Al insurface runoff. Small amounts of locally generatednitrogen compounds are mostly retained in thecatchment. The water qualities of these Høylandetsites are run by inputs of sea salts, hydrologicalprocesses including dilution of the base flow, orlateral surface or overland flow and in-catchmentprocesses. Relative to affected areas, it appears thatthe inputs and catchment processes are in balance,i.e., that the inputs of strong acid anions, hydrogenions and sea salts are equilibrated by internalweathering and other processes and integrated withinapparently intact biogeochemical cycles. The overallresult is that these soils remain a net source ofalkalinity to the runoff. These results are confirmedby regional studies of water quality both at low andhigh flow which show that the humus and ionic contentof the water decreased with elevation, headwatersbeing more dominated by sea salts and dilutionprocesses. Excess sulphate concentrations are low, andfew if any sites appear anthropogenically acidified,the most acid pHs reflecting presence of natural weakorganic acids.The resulting surface water quality allows a diverseaquatic fauna and flora with representatives of manyacid-sensitive groups. The fish fauna consists ofself-reproducing salmonid populations with normaldemography and ecological interactions. Despite highin-lake mortality, both brown trout and Arctic charrexhibited normal age-class compositions, with noindication of the recruitment failure or highpost-spawning mortality commonly observed inacid-stressed situations. The zooplankton and benthos in the lakesare inhabited by populations of several acid sensitivespecies, like Daphnia spp and Gammaruslacustris, and with dominance of mayfly species ofthe genus Baetis in the stream fauna. Thediatom flora includes many species which are rare orabsent in acidified waters. The observed gradients indiversity and biomass seem dominated by localenvironmental conditions which reflect natural ratherthan man-made processes. The pristine nature of thearea also emerges from the paleoecological studies inLake Røyrtjønna which show that the low acidity ofthis lake evironment has persisted from preindustrialtill present times. Suggestion for future researchactivities in Høylandet are outlined.     

Interactions of ecosystem properties,ecosystem integrity and ecosystem service indicators—A theoretical matrix exercise

The ecosystem service concept is becoming more and more acknowledged in science and decision-making, resulting in several applications in different case studies and in environmental management, but still it is developing in terms of definitions, typologies and understanding its complexity. By examining the interrelations between ecosystem properties, ecosystem integrity, biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being qualitatively, the mutual influences on each constituent of the ‘ecosystem service cascade’ are illuminated, giving an impulse for further discussions and improvements for a better understanding of the complexity of human–environmental systems. Results of the theoretical interactions are among others the assumption that provisioning services exclude or compete with each other, while the role of biodiversity was found to be supporting for regulating services and cultural services. Ecosystem services meet the criteria of being adequate human–environmental system indicators and therefore, they are an appropriate instrument for decision-making and management.