The ‘paradigm of extremes’: extremely low genetic diversity in an extremely narrow endemic species, Coristospermum huteri (Umbelliferae)

Low levels of genetic diversity in endemic species are generally attributable to the small size of their populations. This lack of genetic variability will, predictably, be more evident in those species that occur in only one or a very few localities with a total population consisting of a few dozen individuals, or sometimes fewer (i.e. ‘extremely narrow endemics’, ENEs). We used allozyme electrophoresis to survey the genetic variability of Coristospermum huteri, an endemic species from the island of Majorca (Balearic Islands, W. Mediterranean Basin) with a single natural population of about 100 individuals. As expected, allozyme variability was virtually nil for this species (P = 8.3 %, A = 1.08, H _e = 0.022), which seems to be a general rule for ENEs (mean H _e = 0.057). A founder effect associated with a dispersal event from the continent is probably behind the lack of genetic diversity in this highly threatened species. Preservation of the mountain summit where the plant is found (Puig Major) is essential for the survival of C. huteri, and would also guarantee the conservation of other ENEs and rare and threatened species.     

Dual Δ¹³C/δ¹⁸O response to water and nitrogen availability and its relationship with yield in field-grown durum wheat

The combined use of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes in plant matter is a tool of growing interest in cereal crop management and breeding, owing to its relevance for assessing the photosynthetic and transpirative performance under different growing conditions including water and N regimes. However, this method has not been applied to wheat grown under real field conditions. Here, plant growth, grain yield (GY) and the associated agronomic components, carbon isotope discrimination (Δ¹³C) plus oxygen isotope composition (δ¹⁸O) as well as leaf and canopy gas exchange were measured in field‐grown wheat subjected to different water and N availabilities. Water limitation was the main factor affecting yield, leaf and canopy gas exchange and Δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O, whereas N had a smaller effect on such traits. The combination of Δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O gave a clear advantage compared with gas exchange measurements, as it provides information on the instantaneous and the long‐term plant photosynthetic and transpirative performance and are less labour intensive than gas exchange measurements. In addition, the combination of plant Δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O predicted differences in GY and related agronomical parameters, providing agronomists and breeders with integrative traits for selecting crop management practices and/or genotypes with better performance under water‐limiting and N‐limiting conditions.     

The role of age and exposure to Plasmodium falciparum in the rate of acquisition of naturally acquired immunity: a randomized controlled trial

Background

The rate of acquisition of naturally acquired immunity (NAI) against malaria predominantly depends on transmission intensity and age, although disentangling the effects of these is difficult. We used chemoprophylaxis to selectively control exposure to P. falciparum during different periods in infancy and explore the effect of age in the build-up of NAI, measured as risk of clinical malaria.

Methods and Findings

A three-arm double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 349 infants born to Mozambican HIV-negative women. The late exposure group (LEG) received monthly Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) plus Artesunate (AS) from 2.5–4.5 months of age and monthly placebo from 5.5–9.5 months; the early exposure group (EEG) received placebo from 2.5–4.5 months and SP+AS from 5.5–9.5 months; and the control group (CG) received placebo from 2.5–9.5 months. Active and passive case detection (PCD) were conducted from birth to 10.5 and 24 months respectively. The primary endpoint was time to first or only episode of malaria in the second year detected by PCD. The incidence of malaria during the second year was of 0.50, 0.51 and 0.35 episodes/PYAR in the LEG, EEG and CG respectively (p = 0.379 for the adjusted comparison of the 3 groups). The hazard ratio of the adjusted comparison between the LEG and the CG was 1.38 (0.83–2.28, p = 0.642) and that between the EEG and the CG was 1.35 (0.81–2.24, p = 0.743).

Conclusions

After considerably interfering with exposure during the first year of life, there was a trend towards a higher risk of malaria in the second year in children who had received chemoprophylaxis, but there was no significant rebound. No evidence was found that the age of first exposure to malaria affects the rate of acquisition of NAI. Thus, the timing of administration of antimalarial interventions like malaria vaccines during infancy does not appear to be a critical determinant.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00231452","term_id":"NCT00231452"}}NCT00231452     

MEXALCA: a modular method for the extrapolation of crop LCA

Purpose  

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is widely used for the environmental assessment of food products, but difficulties arise when evaluating large portfolios of food products or when faced with a diversity of sources of ingredients and/or frequent changes of suppliers. In such situations, a specific, in-depth assessment of each ingredient is not feasible, and screening approaches using a few LCIA (Life Cycle Impact Assessment) results are not recommended. The goal of this paper is to propose an intermediate solution between a screening assessment using limited data and specific LCA for all products considering all sources of ingredients.     

Use of Life Cycle assessment in the procedure for the establishment of environmental criteria in the catalan ECO-label of leather

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been used to detect the environmental ‘hot spots’ in the chrome-tanned bovine leather industry. We have studied those stages in the life cycle of leather, which occur ‘from cradle to gate’. The production chain studied starts with the agricultural products (fertiliser and pesticide production is also included) needed for cattle raising, it is followed by the slaughterhouse, and ends at the tanning industry gate. Main chemicals and waste flows in and out of this chain have also been included in the analysis. One of the main conclusions is that the tannery is an important stage in most of the impact categories, mainly due to the landfilling of the tannery wastes. Agriculture and — to a lesser extent — cattle raising also play a very important role in most of the impact categories; the former, due to the related energy consumption and use of fertilisers, and the latter due to the emissions associated with animal care. The Autonomous Government of Catalonia is using the results of this study to establish the environmental criteria that a leather product must fulfil in order to attain the Catalan eco-label.     

Review of LCA datasets in three emerging economies: a summary of learnings

Purpose

In response to a need for interoperable LCA databases of adequate quality, a review of 40 datasets from emerging economies has been conducted with UNEP support by independent LCA experts, with the purpose to encourage improvements, either prior to publication or as part of a continuous improvement cycle. We discuss the lessons learned during this reviewing process.

Methods

The review effort had to be delivered in a set and limited timeline of 9 months and covered 20 datasets from Malaysia, ten from Brazil, and ten from Thailand. The developed review process consisted in, among others, (i) developing a set of review criteria for this specific effort, (ii) pairing a local sector reviewer with an international LCA expert to enhance capacity development, (iii) establishing a legal relationship via a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) between the data provider and the data reviewers, and (iv) providing a review report for each dataset that assesses the presence and magnitude of gaps or deficiencies relative to the criteria, as well as their implications for qualifying usage.

Results and discussion

The reviews provided solid recommendations for improvement to the majority of the datasets submitted by the three countries. This review exercise has been conducted in the given timeframe for the majority of the datasets. Many challenges have been faced along the way; among them agreeing on an NDA, the need for sufficient information, and the question of the confidentiality of the data. The developed set of criteria for this exercise have not been presented or discussed outside of the narrow review exercise and therefore can be seen as a starting point for further debates and improvements that should involve the broad LCA community.

Conclusions

This hands-on exercise provided some valuable insights into the road towards global consensus and guidance on data review. Beyond this time-constrained effort, a broader discussion and consensus at international level on the review of datasets and a continuous effort in reviewing datasets is desirable. Four key aspects were identified as necessary to consider: review criteria, review process, reviewers’ selection criteria, and development of a legal basis which protects the confidentiality of the data, as well as the position of the reviewers. This last aspect is sensitive as, in LCA datasets reviews, companies and/or countries might disclose some information with high stakes regarding competition and trade.

     

Unmasking cryptic species: morphometric and phylogenetic analyses of the Ibero‐North African Linaria incarnata complex

Linaria incarnata has been treated as a widely distributed Ibero‐North African species in the latest taxonomic reviews. Morphological and phylogenetic disparity between populations of this species has been previously reported. Here we present new morphological and phylogenetic evidence for the disintegration of L. incarnata into three distinct species: L. incarnata from the western Iberian Peninsula; L . mamorensis sp. nov. from north‐western Morocco; and L. onubensis from south‐western Spain. The relatively poor morphological differentiation between these taxa (which can be regarded as cryptic species) and their distinct phylogenetic positions indicate that characters of the L. incarnata morphotype have been acquired multiple times in the evolution of Linaria section Versicolores. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 00, 000–000.