Members only: induced systemic resistance to herbivory in a clonal plant network

The stoloniferous herb Trifolium repens was used to study the expression of induced systemic resistance (ISR) to the generalist caterpillar Spodoptera exigua in interconnected ramets of clonal fragments. The ISR was assessed as caterpillar preference in dual choice tests between control and systemically induced plants. The ISR was detected in young ramets, after inducing older sibling ramets on the same stolon by a controlled herbivore attack. However, older ramets did not receive a defense induction signal from younger ramets unless the predominant phloem flow was reversed by means of basal shading. This provides evidence for the notion that in T. repens the clone-internal expression of ISR is coupled to phloem transport and follows source–sink gradients. The inducibility of the genotypes was not linked to their constitutive ability to produce cyanide, implying the absence of a trade-off between these two defense traits. To our knowledge, this is the first study that explores ISR to herbivory in the context of physiological integration in potentially extensive clonal plant networks.     

Morphological, anatomical and palynological studies on Asyneuma michauxioides (Campanulaceae)

The morphological, anatomical and palynological features of Asyneuma michauxioides (Boiss.) Damboldt (Campanulaceae) were investigated. This species is an East Mediterranean Floristic Element and an endemic in Turkey. In anatomical studies, cross-sections of the root and stem were examined and demonstrated by photographs. It has conspicuous endodermis in which the Casparian bands are indistinct in the stem. According to the result of this study, it was found that pollen grain of this taxon was 3-porate sometimes 4-porate and oblate-spheroidal. Its structure was tectate and sculpture was small granules and pits with densely spaced spinules. The seeds of the taxon were eliptic to ovate in shape, laterally compressed, brown to light brown in colour, glabrous and shiny.     

Protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on iron-induced liver damage in rats

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a natural product with potent anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antioxidant activities, and attenuates inflammation and lipid peroxidation. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of CAPE on iron-induced liver damage. Rats were divided into four groups and treated for 7 days with saline (control group), 10 μmol kg CAPE/day s.c. (CAPE group), 50 mg iron-dextran/kg i.p. (IRON group) and CAPE and iron at the same time (IRON+CAPE group). Seven days later, rats were killed and the livers were excised for biochemical analysis. The administration of IRON alone resulted in higher myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and lipid peroxidation than in the control and CAPE treatment prevented the increase in MPO activity and malondialdeyde (MDA) level. No differences were observed in all four groups with regards to superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) activities. Our results collectively suggest that CAPE may be an available agent to protect the liver from injury via inhibition of MPO activity.     

Testate amoebae community analysis as a tool to assess biological impacts of peatland use

As most ecosystems, peatlands have been heavily exploited for different human purposes. For example, in Finland the majority is under forestry, agriculture or peat mining use. Peatlands play an important role in carbon storage, water cycle, and are a unique habitat for rare organisms. Such properties highlight their environmental importance and the need for their restoration. To monitor the success of peatland restoration sensitive indicators are needed. Here we test whether testate amoebae can be used as a reliable bioindicator for assessing peatland condition. To qualify as reliable indicators, responses in testate amoebae community structure to ecological changes must be stronger than random spatial and temporal variation. In this study, we simultaneously assessed differences between the effects of seasonality, intermediate scale spatial variation and land uses on living testate amoebae assemblages in natural, forested and restored peatlands. We expected the effects of seasonality on testate amoebae communities to be less pronounced than those of land use and within site variation. On average, natural sites harboured the highest richness and density, while the lowest numbers were found at forestry sites. Despite small changes observed in taxa dominance and differences in TA community structure between seasons and years at some sites, spatial heterogeneity, temperature, pH, nor water table depth seemed to significantly affect testate amoebae communities. Instead, observed differences were related to type of land use, which explained 75% of the community variation. Our results showed that testate amoebae community monitoring is a useful tool to evaluate impacts of human land use on boreal peatlands.     

Different natural biomasses for lead cation removal

It is believed that some wastes play an important role on the pollution prevention. In this paper, three different natural biomasses were investigated as biosorbent. Salsola green plant which grown at Jubail (industrial area) in KSA, it is phyto remediation plant. Salsola is metal hyper accumulation plant, it adsorbed (23.5, 25.7 mg lead per gram stem or leaf) from soil. Also it can be reused as ion exchanger for pb²⁺ from solution. Shrimp shell’s used for extraction of chitosan in laboratory with degree of substitution 81%. Chitosan and crosslinked carboxymethyl chitosan were investigated for pb²⁺ adsorption and compared with crosslinked carboxymethyl corn cob. The adsorption experiments demonstrated that the three biomasses have high adsorption capacity for pb²⁺, good reusability and stability for three cycles.