Impact of straw and rock-fragment mulches on soil moisture and early growth of holm oaks in a semiarid area

Science.gov (United States)

M. N. Jimenez; J. R. Pinto; M. A. Ripoll; A. Sanchez-Miranda; F. B. Navarro

2017-01-01

Planted seedlings and saplings usually exhibit low survival and growth rates under dry Mediterranean environments, especially late-successional species such as Quercus. In this work, we studied the effects of straw and rock fragment mulches on the establishment conditions of holm oak (Quercus ilex L. subsp. ballota (Def.) Samp.) in SE Spain. Soil moisture was...

INOCULAÇÃO DE Fusarium oxysporum E Fusarium solani E NÍVEIS DE SOMBREAMENTO NA ERVA-MATE: INFLUÊNCIA NA SEVERIDADE DA PODRIDÃO-DE-RAÍZES

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Igor Poletto

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hill is a broadly cultivated species in the South of Brazil. With the increasing planted area, mainly in the last decade, fitosanitary problems caused by pest and diseases have increased in this crop, and the root-rot is becoming one of the main problems. Among the pathogens, Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht. and Fusarium solani (Mart. Sacc are the main ones. These fungi provoke severe damages resulting in the destruction of the root system and, in the most serious cases, they cause the death of the plant. It is suspected that the incidence and severity of disease are influenced by cultivation of Ilex paraguariensis in different levels of shading or full sun. Therefore, experiments were conducted in the Forest Nursery area belonging to Forest Sciences Department/CCR/UFSM with the objective of confirming this assumption. The experiment was conducted in a factorial design (2 x 5, composed by Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium solani inoculation and by shading levels. It was verified that the plants submitted to lower shading levels or full sun had their predisposed to the disease.

Topsoil depth substantially influences the responses to drought of the foliar metabolomes of Mediterranean forests

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Rivas-Ubach, A.; Barbeta, A.; Sardans, J.; Guenther, A.; Ogaya, R.; Oravec, Michal; Urban, Otmar; Peňuelas, J.

2016-01-01

Roč. 21, aug (2016), s. 41-54 ISSN 1433-8319 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1415; GA MŠk(CZ) LM2015061; GA MŠk EE2.3.20.0246 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : vegetation structure * soil depth * soil moisture * metabolomics * Quercus ilex Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 3.123, year: 2016

Preimpoundment Water Quality Study

Science.gov (United States)

1981-12-01

American Elm U. americana Americrn Holly Ilex opaca Persirmnr~ Diospyros virginiana Tulip Rbplar Liriodexniron tul-ipifera Basswoo Tilia americana...Brown Company, Dubuque, Iowa. 977 pp. Roback, S.S. 1963. The genus Xenochironomus (Diptera: Tendipedidae) Kieffer, taxonomy and immature stages...Transactions of the American Entomological Society 88:235-245. Roback, S.S. 1969. The immature stages of the genus Tanypus Meigen (Diptera: Chironomidae

Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Space Shuttle Advanced Solid Rocket Motor Program

Science.gov (United States)

1988-12-01

species, including orchids ( Orchidaceae ) and several carnivorous plants, such as sundews (Drosera sp.), pitcher plants (Sarracenia sp.) and pipeworts...a dense shrub cover including saw palmetto, sea grape (Coccoloba urifera), wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera), and tough buckthorn (Bumelia tenax) (George...Cherry Prunus serotina Shrubs Galberries Ilex glabra, I. coriacea Wax Myrtle yrica cerifeFa Vines Bamboo Vine Similax laurifolia Poison Ivy Rhus radicans

Evolução da margem de comercialização da erva mate no Rio Grande do Sul = Evolution of commercialization of the Ilex paraguariensis in Rio Grande do Sul

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Vanclei Zanin

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A erva-mate é um produto fortemente enraizado à cultura, à história e à tradição de parcelas importantes da população brasileira, sobretudo na região Sul. A partir dos anos 1990 o setor passou por modificações, como a desregulamentação e o aumento da competição externa. Nesse contexto, esse trabalho teve por objetivo investigar a evolução da margem de comercialização da erva-mate no mercado gaúcho, grande produtor e principal consumidor nacional, no período janeiro de 1998 a dezembro de 2016. Investigou-se também o comportamento da produção, do consumo e do comércio externo. Os resultados indicaram aumento da produção cultivada, reflexo da desregulamentação, enquanto que o comércio externo teve importância marginal no total de vendas, tanto antes quanto após a desregulamentação. Os resultados indicaram também substancial estabilidade da margem, e os preços só foram alterados consideravelmente por um choque de oferta em 2013. Por se tratar de uma cultura permanente, cuja oferta é inelástica aos preços, pode-se levar tempo para retornar ao nível anterior. Por fim, destaca-se a importância de diversificar o consumo e da organização de informações setoriais como ferramentas para desenvolver o setor e as economias locais a ele vinculadas. = Ilex paraguariensis is a very traditional herb consumed by a large share of Brazilian citizens, mainly in the south region, where it is related to local culture and history. Its market passed through several changes from the 1990’s until the present, such as deregulation and an increasing international competition. Considering this scenario, this research studied this product gross margin between January 1998 and December 2016 in the state of Rio Grande do Sul—which is this herb main supplier and consumer. Production, consumption and international trade patterns were also analyzed. Results show that cultivated production increased after deregulation, meanwhile

Ecological Baseline, Fort Hood, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

1980-08-01

cedar eTm (Uiimus crassifolia), Texas ash (Fraxinus texansis), and Texas persimmon ( Diospyros texana). Conversely, the two predominant tree species...Ilex decidua), Mex- ican buckeye (Ungnadia spjeciosa), and Texas persimmon ( Diospyros texana). Vines included greenbrier (Smilax bona-nox) and white...Hedgehey Cactus (Echinocereus sp.) has been observed on Fort Hood. Due to the brief period of flowering for this genus , the individual species were not

Location and Description of Transects for Ecological Studies in Floodplain Forests of the Lower Suwannee River, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

2002-01-01

Level Datum of 1929. Horizontal datum: In this report, horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1927 (NAD27...ileopa Ilex opaca Ait. var. opaca American holly junsil Juniperus silicicola (Small) Bailey 1 southern red cedar liqsty Liquidambar styraciflua L...swamp gum nyssyl Nyssa sylvatica Marsh.1 blackgum ostvir Ostrya virginiana (Mill.) K. Koch eastern hophornbeam perpal Persea palustris (Raf.) Sarg

Effect of Severe Winter Cold on the Photosynthetic Potentials of Three Co-occurring Evergreen Woody Species in a Mediterranean Forest, Catalonia (Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Sperlich, Dominik; Gracia, Carlos; Peñuelas, Josep; Sabaté, Santi

2013-04-01

Evergreen tree species in the Mediterranean region have to cope with a wide range of environmental stress conditions from summer drought to winter cold. The winter period can lead to photoinhibition due to a combination of high solar irradiances and chilling temperatures which can reduce the light saturation point. However, Mediterranean winter mildness can lead periodically to favourable environmental conditions above the threshold for positive carbon balance benefitting evergreen woody species in contrast to winter deciduous species. The advantage of being able to photosynthesis all year round with a significant fraction in the winter month is compensating for the lower photosynthetic potentials during spring and summer in comparison to deciduous species. In this work, we investigated the physiological behaviour of three evergreen tree species (Quercus ilex, Pinus halepensis, Arbutus undeo) co-occurring in a natural and mature Mediterranean forest after a period of mild winter conditions and their response to a sudden period of intense cold weather. Therefore, we examined in each period the photosynthetic potentials by estimating the maximum carboxylation rate (Vcmax) and the maximum electron transport rate (Jmax) through gas exchange measurements. The results indicate that all species exhibited extraordinary high photosynthetic potentials during the first period of measurement as a response to the mild conditions. However, the sudden cold period affected negatively the photosynthetic potentials of Quercus ilex and A. unedo with reduction ranging between 37 to 45 %, whereas they were observed to be only insignificantly reduced in Pinus halepensis. Our results can be explained by previous classifications into photoinhibition-avoiding (P. halpensis) and photoinhibition-tolerant (Q. ilex, A. undeo) species on the basis of their susceptibility to dynamic photoinhibition (Martinez Ferri 2000). Photoinhibition tolerant species are characterised with a more dynamic

Antimicrobial activity of four plants from Peruvian north-east

OpenAIRE

Ruiz Q., Julio R.; Roque A., Mirtha

2014-01-01

The present work investigated the in vitro antimicrobial activities of ethanolic, methonolic and hydroalcoholic extracts corresponding to four plants of north easter of Peru; Cassia reticulata (whole plant), Ilex guayusa Loes (leaves), Piper lineatum (leaves), y Terminalia catappa (leaves). The plants were collected in the department of Cajamarca, except Terminalia catappa (Amazonas). The antimicrobial activity was determinated by the method of agar diffusion. The used microorganisms were the...

Habitat Development at Eight Corps of Engineers Sites: Feasibility and Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-10-01

extremely slippery in wet weather, the vegetation should be either dense enough to provide traction to access vehicles or a layer of gravel or other surface...willow, green ash, bottomland oak species such as water oak, cedar elm , and Texas sugarberry and a variety of understory plants such as dewberry, frog...American elm Ulmus americana American holly Ilex opaca Annual pickleweed Salicornia bigj~lovi Arrow arum Peltandra virginica Arrowheads Sagittaria spp

Soil properties and understory herbaceous biomass in forests of three species of Quercus in Northeast Portugal

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Marina Castro

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Aim of study: This paper aims to characterize some soil properties within the first 25 cm of the soil profile and the herbaceous biomass in Quercus forests, and the possible relationships between soil properties and understory standing biomass.Area of study: Three monoespecific Quercus forests (Q. suber L., Q. ilex subsp. rotundifolia Lam. and Q. pyrenaica Willd in NE Portugal.Material and methods: During 1999 and 2000 soil properties (pH-KCl, total soil nitrogen (N, soil organic carbon (SOC, C/N ratio, available phosphorus (P, and available potassium (K and herbaceous biomass production of three forest types: Quercus suber L., Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia Lam. and Quercus pyrenaica Willd were studied.Main results: The results showed a different pattern of soil fertility (N, SOC, P, K in Quercus forests in NE of Portugal. The C/N ratio and the herbaceous biomass confirmed this pattern. Research highlights: There is a pattern of Quercus sp. distribution that correlates with different soil characteristics by soil characteristics in NE Portugal. Q. pyrenaica ecosystems were found in more favoured areas (mesic conditions; Q. rotundifolia developed in nutrient-poor soils (oligotrophic conditions; and Q. suber were found in intermediate zones.Keywords: fertility; biomass; C/N ratio; cork oak; holm oak; pyrenean oak.

Relating ring width of Mediterranean evergreen species to seasonal and annual variations of precipitation and temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Nijland, W.; Jansma, E.; Addink, E. A.; Domínguez Delmás, M.; de Jong, S. M.

2011-05-01

Plant growth in Mediterranean landscapes is limited by the typical summer-dry climate. Forests in these areas are only marginally productive and may be quite susceptible to modern climate change. To improve our understanding of forest sensitivity to annual and seasonal climatic variability, we use tree-ring measurements of two Mediterranean evergreen tree species: Quercus ilex L. and Arbutus unedo L. We sampled 34 stems of these species on three different types of substrates in the Peyne study area in southern France. The resulting chronologies were analysed in combination with 38 yr of monthly precipitation and temperature data to reconstruct the response of stem growth to climatic variability. Results indicate a strong positive response to May and June precipitation, as well as a significant positive influence of early-spring temperatures and a negative growth response to summer heat. Comparison of the data with more detailed productivity measurements in two contrasting years confirms these observations and shows a strong productivity limiting effect of low early-summer precipitation. The results show that tree-ring data from Q.ilex and A.unedo can provide valuable information about the response of these tree species to climate variability, improving our ability to predict the effects of climate change in Mediterranean ecosystems.

Informe de personal de apoyo: Tournier, Horacio A. (2013-2014)

OpenAIRE

Tournier, Horacio Alfio

2014-01-01

Proyectos de investigación en los cuales colabora: A) Evaluación de las propiedades antioxidantes, citotóxicas y farmacológicas de productos naturales. A1) Determinación de la actividad citotóxica de extractos y compuestos de plantas nativas argentinas y sudamericanas en un modelo de células en cultivo. A2) Caracterización de extractos de yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis), corozo (Bactris guineensis) y curuba...

Protective effect of yerba mate intake on the cardiovascular system: a post hoc analysis study in postmenopausal women

OpenAIRE

da Veiga, D.T.A.; Bringhenti, R.; Copes, R.; Tatsch, E.; Moresco, R.N.; Comim, F.V.; Premaor, M.O.

2018-01-01

The prevalence of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases is increased in postmenopausal women, which contributes to the burden of illnesses in this period of life. Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a native bush from Southern South America. Its leaves are rich in phenolic components, which may have antioxidant, vasodilating, hypocholesterolemic, and hypoglycemic proprieties. This post hoc analysis of the case-control study nested in the Obesity and Bone Fracture Cohort evaluated the consumpt...

A process-based model to estimate gas exchange and monoterpene emission rates in the mediterranean maquis - comparisons between modelled and measured fluxes at different scales

Science.gov (United States)

Vitale, M.; Matteucci, G.; Fares, S.; Davison, B.

2009-02-01

This paper concerns the application of a process-based model (MOCA, Modelling of Carbon Assessment) as an useful tool for estimating gas exchange, and integrating the empirical algorithms for calculation of monoterpene fluxes, in a Mediterranean maquis of central Italy (Castelporziano, Rome). Simulations were carried out for a range of hypothetical but realistic canopies of the evergreen Quercus ilex (holm oak), Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree) and Phillyrea latifolia. More, the dependence on total leaf area and leaf distribution of monoterpene fluxes at the canopy scale has been considered in the algorithms. Simulation of the gas exchange rates showed higher values for P. latifolia and A. unedo (2.39±0.30 and 3.12±0.27 gC m-2 d-1, respectively) with respect to Q. ilex (1.67±0.08 gC m-2 d-1) in the measuring campaign (May-June). Comparisons of the average Gross Primary Production (GPP) values with those measured by eddy covariance were well in accordance (7.98±0.20 and 6.00±1.46 gC m-2 d-1, respectively, in May-June), although some differences (of about 30%) were evident in a point-to-point comparison. These differences could be explained by considering the non uniformity of the measuring site where diurnal winds blown S-SW direction affecting thus calculations of CO2 and water fluxes. The introduction of some structural parameters in the algorithms for monoterpene calculation allowed to simulate monoterpene emission rates and fluxes which were in accord to those measured (6.50±2.25 vs. 9.39±4.5μg g-1DW h-1 for Q. ilex, and 0.63±0.207μg g-1DW h-1 vs. 0.98±0.30μg g-1DW h-1 for P. latifolia). Some constraints of the MOCA model are discussed, but it is demonstrated to be an useful tool to simulate physiological processes and BVOC fluxes in a very complicated plant distributions and environmental conditions, and necessitating also of a low number of input data.

Dinàmica dels micronutrients en la caiguda i descomposició de la virosta de tres sistemes forestals del Montseny

OpenAIRE

Caritat, Antònia

1990-01-01

The dynamics of Mn, Fe and Zn has been studiedin the litterfall and in the decomposition process in individual monospecific stands of holm oak (Quercus ilex), beech (Fagus sylvatica) and fir (Abies alba) in the Montseny mountains. Usually, micronutrient concentrations in different litterfall fractions are higher than those in biomass due to the increase in dead organs. Beech is the forest with the highest manganese and iron return in litterfall. It has been observed that the maximum micronutr...

Seasonal variability of foliar photosynthetic and morphological traits and drought impacts in a Mediterranean mixed forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Sperlich, D; Chang, C T; Peñuelas, J; Gracia, C; Sabaté, S

2015-05-01

The Mediterranean region is a hot spot of climate change vulnerable to increased droughts and heat waves. Scaling carbon fluxes from leaf to landscape levels is particularly challenging under drought conditions. We aimed to improve the mechanistic understanding of the seasonal acclimation of photosynthesis and morphology in sunlit and shaded leaves of four Mediterranean trees (Quercus ilex L., Pinus halepensis Mill., Arbutus unedo L. and Quercus pubescens Willd.) under natural conditions. Vc,max and Jmax were not constant, and mesophyll conductance was not infinite, as assumed in most terrestrial biosphere models, but varied significantly between seasons, tree species and leaf position. Favourable conditions in winter led to photosynthetic recovery and growth in the evergreens. Under moderate drought, adjustments in the photo/biochemistry and stomatal/mesophyllic diffusion behaviour effectively protected the photosynthetic machineries. Severe drought, however, induced early leaf senescence mostly in A. unedo and Q. pubescens, and significantly increased leaf mass per area in Q. ilex and P. halepensis. Shaded leaves had lower photosynthetic potentials but cushioned negative effects during stress periods. Species-specificity, seasonal variations and leaf position are key factors to explain vegetation responses to abiotic stress and hold great potential to reduce uncertainties in terrestrial biosphere models especially under drought conditions. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Quantitative and enantioselective analysis of monoterpenes from plant chambers and in ambient air using SPME

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N. Yassaa

2010-11-01

Full Text Available A headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS system has been developed for quantifying enantiomeric and nonenantiomeric monoterpenes in plant chamber studies and ambient air. Performance of this system was checked using a capillary diffusion system to produce monoterpene standards. The adsorption efficiency, competitive adsorption and chromatographic peak resolution of monoterpene enantiomer pairs were compared for three SPME fibre coatings: 75 μm Carboxen-PDMS (CAR-PDMS, 50/30 μm divinylbenzene-carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane (DVB-CAR-PDMS and 65 μm divinylbenzene-polydimethylsiloxane (DVB-PDMS. Key parameters such as the linearity and reproducibility of the SPME system have been investigated in this work. The best compromise between the enantiomeric separation of monoterpenes and competitive adsorption of the isoprenoids on the solid SPME fibre coating was found for DVB-PDMS fibres. The optimum conditions using DVB-PDMS fibres were applied to measure the exchange rates of monoterpenes in the emission of Quercus ilex using a laboratory whole plant enclosure under light and dark conditions, as well as in ambient air. With 592 and 223 ng m⁻² s⁻¹ respectively, β-myrcene and limonene were the predominant monoterpenes in the emission of Q. ilex. These values were closely comparable to those obtained using a zNose and cartridge GC-FID systems.

Quantitative and enantioselective analysis of monoterpenes from plant chambers and in ambient air using SPME

Science.gov (United States)

Yassaa, N.; Custer, T.; Song, W.; Pech, F.; Kesselmeier, J.; Williams, J.

2010-11-01

A headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) system has been developed for quantifying enantiomeric and nonenantiomeric monoterpenes in plant chamber studies and ambient air. Performance of this system was checked using a capillary diffusion system to produce monoterpene standards. The adsorption efficiency, competitive adsorption and chromatographic peak resolution of monoterpene enantiomer pairs were compared for three SPME fibre coatings: 75 μm Carboxen-PDMS (CAR-PDMS), 50/30 μm divinylbenzene-carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane (DVB-CAR-PDMS) and 65 μm divinylbenzene-polydimethylsiloxane (DVB-PDMS). Key parameters such as the linearity and reproducibility of the SPME system have been investigated in this work. The best compromise between the enantiomeric separation of monoterpenes and competitive adsorption of the isoprenoids on the solid SPME fibre coating was found for DVB-PDMS fibres. The optimum conditions using DVB-PDMS fibres were applied to measure the exchange rates of monoterpenes in the emission of Quercus ilex using a laboratory whole plant enclosure under light and dark conditions, as well as in ambient air. With 592 and 223 ng m-2 s-1 respectively, β-myrcene and limonene were the predominant monoterpenes in the emission of Q. ilex. These values were closely comparable to those obtained using a zNose and cartridge GC-FID systems.

Shifts in soil fungal communities in Tuber melanosporum plantations over a 20-year transition from agriculture fields to oak woodlands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bing, L.; Fischer, C.R.; Bonet, J.A.; Castaño, C.; Colinas, C.

2016-07-01

Aim of study: To explore the diversity of soil fungi found in black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) plantations following the introduction of the mycorrhizal-colonized host tree, (Quercus ilex), through the development of the brûlé and production of mature sporocarps. Area of study: This research was carried out province of Teruel, Aragon (central eastern Spain). Material and Methods: Soil samples from 6 plantations were collected beneath Q. ilex trees inoculated with T. melanosporum, of 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 and 20 years after out planting in truffle plantations. Soil DNA was extracted, PCR-amplified and sequenced to compare soil fungi present at different ages. Main results: As tree age increased, we observed an increased frequency of T. melanosporum (from 8% to 71% of sequenced colonies) and concomitant decrease in the combined frequency of Fusarium spp. and Phoma spp. (from 64% to 3%). Research highlights: There are important shifts in species richness and in functional groups in the soil fungal communities in maturing black truffle-oak woodland plantations. The observed inverse relationship between the frequency of soil endophytic and/or pathogenic fungi and that of the mycorrhizal mutualist T. melanosporum provides support to continue a deeper analysis of shifts in fungal communities and functional groups where there is a transition from agriculture fields to woodlands. (Author)

Relating ring width of Mediterranean evergreen species to seasonal and annual variations of precipitation and temperature

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W. Nijland

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Plant growth in Mediterranean landscapes is limited by the typical summer-dry climate. Forests in these areas are only marginally productive and may be quite susceptible to modern climate change. To improve our understanding of forest sensitivity to annual and seasonal climatic variability, we use tree-ring measurements of two Mediterranean evergreen tree species: Quercus ilex L. and Arbutus unedo L. We sampled 34 stems of these species on three different types of substrates in the Peyne study area in southern France. The resulting chronologies were analysed in combination with 38 yr of monthly precipitation and temperature data to reconstruct the response of stem growth to climatic variability. Results indicate a strong positive response to May and June precipitation, as well as a significant positive influence of early-spring temperatures and a negative growth response to summer heat. Comparison of the data with more detailed productivity measurements in two contrasting years confirms these observations and shows a strong productivity limiting effect of low early-summer precipitation. The results show that tree-ring data from Q.ilex and A.unedo can provide valuable information about the response of these tree species to climate variability, improving our ability to predict the effects of climate change in Mediterranean ecosystems.

Assessment of heavy metal pollution of topsoils and plants in the City of Belgrade

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Andrejić Gordana

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In order to assess heavy metal pollution in the city of Belgrade (Serbia concentrations of V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were measured on 18 topsoil samples collected in the proximity to central urban boulevards and in urban parks. In addition, concentrations of specified elements were determined in leaves of three evergreen plant species Buxus sempervirens L., Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh Nutt. and Prunus laurocerasus L. so as to estimate their sensitivity to heavy metal pollution. Even though various types of soils from different quarts of Belgrade were sampled, their heavy metal contents were very similar, with somewhat higher concentrations of almost all elements detected in the proximity to high traffic roads. Generally, concentrations of heavy metals in leaves of investigated plant species paralleled the heavy metal concentrations found in their respective soils and were higher in plants sampled from boulevards then from urban parks. Since investigated plant show no visible injuries induced by detected heavy metal pollution these species are suitable for the successful urban landscaping. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173030

Azadirachtin on Oligonychus yothersi in yerba mate Ilex paraguariensis

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Luis Francisco Angeli Alves

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: The red mite Oligonychus yothersi is one of the main pests of yerba mate in Brazil The damage this mite causes leads to leaf drop and decreased production. There are no registered acaricides for use in yerba mate; thus, laboratory and field experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of azadirachtin (Azamax(r, 250mL 100L-1 for the control of the red mite in yerba mate. In the laboratory, azadirachtin was applied to yerba mate leaf disks before (residual contact and after (direct contact infestation with 15 newly emerged red mite adult females. The effect of azadirachtin on mite behavior was evaluated in arenas with treated and untreated yerba mate leaves, and the number of mites in both areas was recorded. Ovicidal action was evaluated by applying azadirachtin to eggs and recording egg hatching. In the field, two applications of the product were performed (1L spray liquid plant-1 with a 7-day interval. The numbers of living mites were evaluated at 7, 14 and 21 days following the first application on randomly collected leaves. It was observed 86.6 and 91.4% of mortality following 24h of residual and direct contact, respectively. Repellent (62% of individuals leaving the treated area and ovicidal (98.9% decrease in egg hatching effects were also observed. The mite population in the yerba mate crop field had decreased by 59.6% at 14 days after the first application of azadirachtin. The results show the potential of azadirachtin for the control of O. yothersi in yerba mate in Brazil.

Promoting the potential of flux-measuring stations in urban parks: An innovative case study in Naples, Italy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Guidolotti, G.; Calfapietra, Carlo; Pallozzi, E.; De Simoni, G.; Esposito, R.; Mattioni, M.; Nicolini, G.; Matteucci, G.; Brugnoli, E.

2017-01-01

Roč. 233, feb (2017), s. 153-162 ISSN 0168-1923 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1415; GA MŠk(CZ) LD13031 Institutional support: RVO:86652079 Keywords : eddy covariance measurements * net ecosystem exchange * carbon-dioxide fluxes * ozone deposition * air-quality * mediterranean forest * surface fluxes * climate-change * quercus-ilex * water-vapor * Urban forest * Eddy covariance * Greenhouse gases * bvoc * Air pollutants Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour OBOR OECD: Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7) Impact factor: 3.887, year: 2016

Effect of different soil water available levels on the development of young plants of “erva-mate”

OpenAIRE

Pintro, Jose Carlos; UEM; Flores, Feliciano Edi Vieira; UFRGS

2008-01-01

The influence of different levels of soil water availability on the development of young plants of “erva-mate” (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.) was studied under controlled conditions. The plants were cultivated during the period from January to November, a total of 45 weeks. The foreseen treatments corresponded to 3 water available levels for plants: treatment 1 (T-1): soil moisture at 0.3 atm of tension, treatment 2 (T-2): soil moisture at 80% of water quantity used in T-1, and treatment 3 (T...

Efficiency of vegetation roots for protection against surface erosion in mountainous areas: the case of Mahonia aquifolium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hudek, C.

2013-01-01

Topsoil is a valuable resource for agricultural production. Any destructive changes in the quantity and quality of topsoil can deteriorate the on-site and off-site environment and be detrimental to agricultural production. Small scale mountain agro-ecosystems are particularly sensitive to soil

More than just drought: complexity of recruitment patterns in Mediterranean forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Granda, Elena; Escudero, Adrián; Valladares, Fernando

2014-12-01

Understanding community dynamics during early life stages of trees is critical for the prediction of future species composition. In Mediterranean forests drought is a major constraint for regeneration, but likely not the only factor determining the observed spatial patterns. We carried out a sowing experiment aimed at identifying main filters during seed-seedling transition. Specifically, we studied seed fate (predation, fungi infection, emergence) and subsequent seedling performance (mortality during the first summer and overall recruitment after 2 years) of four co-occurring Mediterranean tree species (Quercus ilex, Quercus faginea, Juniperus thurifera, Pinus nigra). We related these processes to the dominant species composition, microhabitat heterogeneity, herb cover and seed mass. The identity of the dominant species in the forest canopy was more important for recruitment than the forest canopy being dominated by conspecific vs. heterospecific species. The patterns we found suggest that biotic interactions such as facilitation (lower mortality under the canopies) and herb competition (during emergence of J. thurifera) are relevant during recruitment. Moreover, our results pointed to ontogenetic conflicts regarding the seed mass of Q. faginea and to density-dependent seed mortality for Q. ilex, rarely described in Mediterranean ecosystems. We propose that our study species experience population growth in forests dominated by heterospecifics where the recruitment success depends on habitat heterogeneity and on moderated biotic and abiotic stresses created by each species. Our results reveal patterns and mechanisms involved in recruitment constraints that add complexity to the well-known drought-related processes in Mediterranean ecosystems.

The likely impact of climate change on the biodiversity of Italian forests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Borghetti M

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Based on literature results and our expert evaluation, we report some likely impacts of climate change on the biodiversity of forest communities in Italy by the end of this century. In the Mediterranean region and on the Apennines: at low altitudes, vulnerability of Pinus sp. and Quercus ilex forests, with loss of intraspecific genetic variability; transition from Mediterranean closed-canopy macchia to scattered shrublands; risk of local extinction for coastal populations of mesic/relic hardwood species (e.g., Quercus robur, Carpinus betulus, Zelkova sicula, Fraxinus sp.; ’eastern’ relic species like Quercus troiana, Quercus frainetto, Quercus aegilops, and Q. gussonei in Sicily, and the peripheral low-altitude Fagus sylvatica populations, will be highly vulnerable; in the mid-altitude forest, vulnerability of most demanding species like Quercus cerris and Castanea sativa, possible immigration of Mediterranean species like Quercus ilex; in the montane forest, Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba will be less competitive with respect to more continental and drought-resistant tree species, and could loose genetic variability; relic species like Taxus baccata and Betula aetnensis may be at risk. In the alpine region: upward movement of timberline and changes in timberline communities, for instance Picea abies may be more competitive over Larix decidua, and fragmented species like Pinus cembra might become vulnerable. In general, we recognize the difficulty in separating the effects of climatic variables from those of other processes, like fires and land-use change.

Shifts in soil fungal communities in Tuber melanosporum plantations over a 20-year transition from agriculture fields to oak woodlands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Bing

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Aim of study: To explore the diversity of soil fungi found in black truffle (Tuber melanosporum plantations following the introduction of the mycorrhizal-colonized host tree, (Quercus ilex, through the development of the brûlé and production of mature sporocarps.Area of study: This research was carried out province of Teruel, Aragon (central eastern Spain.Material and Methods: Soil samples from 6 plantations were collected beneath Q. ilex trees inoculated with T. melanosporum, of 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 and 20 years after out planting in truffle plantations. Soil DNA was extracted, PCR-amplified and sequenced to compare soil fungi present at different ages.Main results: As tree age increased, we observed an increased frequency of T. melanosporum (from 8% to 71% of sequenced colonies and concomitant decrease in the combined frequency of Fusarium spp. and Phoma spp. (from 64% to 3%.Research highlights: There are important shifts in species richness and in functional groups in the soil fungal communities in maturing black truffle-oak woodland plantations. The observed inverse relationship between the frequency of soil endophytic and/or pathogenic fungi and that of the mycorrhizal mutualist T. melanosporum provides support to continue a deeper analysis of shifts in fungal communities and functional groups where there is a transition from agriculture fields to woodlands.Abbreviations used: Ectomycorrhiza (ECM fungus; Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM; Operational taxonomic unit (OTU.

ESTUDO DA ALTERAÇÃO DA COR E DEGRADAÇÃO DA CLOROFILA DURANTE ARMAZENAGEM DE ERVA-MATE TIPO CHIMARRÃO

OpenAIRE

Gisela Cabral Malheiros

2007-01-01

A Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hill., conhecida popularmente como erva-mate, é uma espécie nativa da região subtropical da América do Sul, a qual é matéria-prima para o produto ervamate, utilizado principalmente no preparo da bebida chimarrão. Dentre os atributos sensoriais da erva-mate tipo chimarrão, a cor constitui o primeiro critério utilizado pelo consumidor para sua aceitabilidade. A cor verde da erva-mate deve-se à presença de clorofila. Ocorrem perdas expressivas de clorofila no proc...

Susceptibility of Oligonychus yothersi (Acari: Tetranychidae) to the fungus Beauveria bassiana

OpenAIRE

Oliveira, Renato Cassol de; Alves, Luis Francisco Angeli; Neves, Pedro Manuel Oliveira Janeiro

2002-01-01

A cultura da erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis) é uma importante atividade econômica no Sul do Brasil. Com o aumento de consumo nos anos oitenta, cresceram também as áreas de monocultura, gerando condições favoráveis para o aumento populacional de insetos e ácaros fitófagos, entre eles o ácaro vermelho Oligonychus yothersi. Este estudo avaliou a suscetibilidade do ácaro vermelho O. yothersi a vários isolados do fungo Beauveria bassiana. O experimento foi conduzido em Cascavel, PR. Discos foliare...

La caféine : esquisse d'une histoire phytochimique

OpenAIRE

Jaussaud, Philippe

2016-01-01

article électronique déposé sur le blog Interfaces/Livres anciens de l'Université de Lyonhttp://bibulyon.hypotheses.org/6616; Présente dans les trois boissons chaudes habituellement associées à nos petits-déjeuners - café, thé et chocolat -, la caféine est une méthylxanthine. Elle existe dans des plantes taxinomiquement très variées, comme : le Caféier (Coffea arabica, Coffea canefora, etc.), le Maté (Ilex paraguariensis), le Guarana (Paullinia cupana), le Théier (Camellia sinensis), le Kolat...

Efeito da ingestão de chocolate e erva mate no perfil lipídico e oxidativo de indivíduos com HIV/AIDS em uso de terapia antirretroviral

OpenAIRE

Suelen Jorge de Souza

2013-01-01

Introdução: Atualmente observa-se aumento das complicações cardiovasculares, como alterações no perfil lipídico e oxidativo, em indivíduos com HIV/AIDS, devido à própria infecção, bem como aos diferentes componentes da terapia antirretroviral (TARV). Vários estudos, em outras populações, mostram que os flavonóides presentes no cacau (Theobroma cacao) e erva mate (Ilex paraguariensis) podem melhorar a função cardiovascular devido às suas propriedades antioxidantes e hipolipemiantes. Objetivo: ...

Estrutura arbórea da Floresta Ombrófila Densa Altomontana de serras do Sul do Brasil Tree component structure of tropical upper montane rain forests in Southern Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurício Bergamini Scheer

2011-12-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho teve os objetivos de agrupar informações sobre a estrutura arbórea da floresta altomontana da Serra do Mar paranaense e de compará-las com as de florestas altomontanas de outras serras do Sul e Sudeste do Brasil. Foram realizados levantamentos fitossociológicos em diversas montanhas de quatro importantes serras (ou subserras do Paraná. Nas quatro subserras foram amostrados 2294 indivíduos (PAP > 10 cm pertencentes a 28 famílias, 43 gêneros e 78 espécies. Foi observada maior riqueza de espécies na amostragem da Serra Gigante (41 espécies, seguida pelas serras da Prata (37, da Igreja (34 e do Ibitiraquire (26. A altura média obtida para os indivíduos foi de 4,8 m, o PAP médio de 22,9 cm, a densidade média de 4779 ind/ha, a área basal média de 33,5 m²/ha e o índice de diversidade de Shannon total de 2,68 nat/ind. Agrupando informações de estudos realizados em outras subserras paranaenses, totalizando 11 levantamentos e 204 parcelas (10200 m², obteve-se uma matriz com 75 espécies determinadas, onde as cinco com maior porcentagem de importância estrutural foram Ilex microdonta, Siphoneugena reitzii, Drimys angustifolia, Ocotea porosa e Ilex chamaedrifolia. Os trechos amostrados na Serra do Mar do Paraná, apresentaram menor riqueza e diversidade que os da Serra da Mantiqueira (MG e maior que os dos Aparados da Serra Geral (SC. Tais diferenças, possivelmente, estão relacionadas às influências antrópicas, das distâncias geográficas, dos diferentes centros de endemismo, dos entornos tropicais ou subtropicais dominantes, das feições geomorfológicas, entre outros fatores.The aims of this study were: (1 to group information about the tree structure of the upper montane rain forest of Serra do Mar in the state of Paraná (PR, Southern Brazil; and (2 to compare this information with available data from other mountain ranges in Southern and Southeastern Brazil. In the four mountain ranges studied, 2294

Inhibitory effects of total saponins from Ilex pubescens Hook against ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

With the rapid development of social economy, the incidence of cardiovascular disease is rising year by year. And in China, cardiovascular disease has been ranked second ... International Medical Center of the Chinese PLA. General Hospital. A voucher specimen (PLA no. 2014-119) was deposited in the herbarium of the.

Evapotranspiration from a Mediterranean evergreen oak savannah: The role of trees and pasture

Science.gov (United States)

Paço, Teresa A.; David, Teresa S.; Henriques, Manuel O.; Pereira, João S.; Valente, Fernanda; Banza, João; Pereira, Fernando L.; Pinto, Clara; David, Jorge S.

2009-05-01

SummaryMediterranean evergreen oak woodlands of southern Portugal ( montados) are savannah-type ecosystems with a widely sparse tree cover, over extensive grassland. Therefore, ecosystem water fluxes derive from two quite differentiated sources: the trees and the pasture. Partitioning of fluxes according to these different sources is necessary to quantify overall ecosystem water losses as well as to improve knowledge on its functional behaviour. In southern Iberia, these woodlands are subjected to recurrent droughts. Therefore, reaction/resilience to water stress becomes an essential feature of vegetation on these ecosystems. Long-term tree transpiration was recorded for 6 years from a sample of holm oak ( Quercus ilex ssp. rotundifolia) trees, using the Granier sap flow method. Ecosystem transpiration was measured by the eddy covariance technique for an 11-month period (February to December 2005), partly coincident with a drought year. Pasture transpiration was estimated as the difference between ecosystem (eddy covariance) and tree (sap flow) transpiration. Pasture transpiration stopped during the summer, when the surface soil dried up. In the other seasons, pasture transpiration showed a strong dependence on rainfall occurrence and on top soil water. Conversely, trees were able to maintain transpiration throughout the summer due to the deep root access to groundwater. Q. ilex trees showed a high resilience to both seasonal and annual drought. Tree transpiration represented more than half of ecosystem transpiration, in spite of the low tree density (30 trees ha -1) and crown cover fraction (21%). Tree evapotranspiration was dominated by transpiration (76%), and interception loss represented only 24% of overall tree evaporation.

Hexenuronic acid in South African Eucalyptus hybrid clones: optimization of the acid hydrolysis (A) stage

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Andrew, JE

2009-10-01

Full Text Available acicl (IlexA) itr kraftw-W pLrlps rs xn rctive area of reseiirch lvith irnportant rtrtplit':rLions lbr the rnlnlrfacturc o1' blear:hccl <.:hcrnil:al 1:ulps. I)uriug krelt pulpirrg. thc reacticln ol ,1-0-r-ncth_vl- glucurorric acid groups in tlrc str...()n!{ aikali conditions lcsuli in thc fbi'mution of llcx.,\\. II-3]. I-Iexenuronic acicl h:rs irccn liruncl to be trnrclrtire in llk.rlirrc ox\\gcn and perox- idc blcaching stages [4 | . I iox,evcr. clue tti t]reir unsaturate d n'.rtrlrc. the acicl groups...

Emissão de PM2,5 e gases em sistemas domésticos de queima de biomassa

OpenAIRE

Fernandes, Ana Patrícia da Silva

2009-01-01

Realizou-se uma série de testes para determinar a composição gasosa e a constituição química das emissões de PM2,5 resultantes da combustão doméstica em lareira e fogão. Queimaram-se 7 espécies lenhosas representativas da floresta Portuguesa (Pinus pinaster, Eucalyptus globulus, Quercus suber, Acácia longifolia, Quercus faginea, Olea europea, Quercus ilex rotundifolia) e briquetes de resíduos de biomassa. A amostragem de gases foi realizada junto à exaustão da chaminé do fogão e da lareira...

Is shade beneficial for mediterranean shrubs experiencing periods of extreme drought and late-winter frosts?

Science.gov (United States)

Valladares, Fernando; Zaragoza-Castells, Joana; Sánchez-Gómez, David; Matesanz, Silvia; Alonso, Beatriz; Portsmuth, Angelika; Delgado, Antonio; Atkin, Owen K

2008-12-01

Plants are naturally exposed to multiple, frequently interactive stress factors, most of which are becoming more severe due to global change. Established plants have been reported to facilitate the establishment of juvenile plants, but net effects of plant-plant interactions are difficult to assess due to complex interactions among environmental factors. An investigation was carried out in order to determine how two dominant evergreen shrubs (Quercus ilex and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) co-occurring in continental, Mediterranean habitats respond to multiple abiotic stresses and whether the shaded understorey conditions ameliorate the negative effects of drought and winter frosts on the physiology of leaves. Microclimate and ecophysiology of sun and shade plants were studied at a continental plateau in central Spain during 2004-2005, with 2005 being one of the driest and hottest years on record; several late-winter frosts also occurred in 2005. Daytime air temperature and vapour pressure deficit were lower in the shade than in the sun, but soil moisture was also lower in the shade during the spring and summer of 2005, and night-time temperatures were higher in the shade. Water potential, photochemical efficiency, light-saturated photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and leaf 13C composition differed between sun and shade individuals throughout the seasons, but differences were species specific. Shade was beneficial for leaf-level physiology in Q. ilex during winter, detrimental during spring for both species, and of little consequence in summer. The results suggest that beneficial effects of shade can be eclipsed by reduced soil moisture during dry years, which are expected to be more frequent in the most likely climate change scenarios for the Mediterranean region.

Effect of total flavonoids of Radix Ilicis pubescentis on cerebral ischemia reperfusion model

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Xiaoli Yan

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to observe the effects of total flavonoids of Radix Ilicis pubescentis on mouse model of cerebral ischemia reperfusion. Mice were orally given different doses of total flavonoids of Radix Ilicis pubescentis 10 d, and were administered once daily. On the tenth day after the administration of 1 h in mice after anesthesia, we used needle to hook the bilateral common carotid artery (CCA for 10 min, with 10 min ischemia reperfusion, 10 min ischemia. Then we restored their blood supply, copy the model of cerebral ischemia reperfusion; We then had all mice reperfused for 24 h, and then took their orbital blood samples and measured blood rheology. We quickly removed the brain, with half of the brain having sagittal incision. Then we fixed the brains and sectioned them to observe the pathological changes of brain cells in the hippocampus and cortex. We also measured the other half sample which was made of brain homogenate of NO, NOS, Na+-K+-, ATP enzyme Mg2+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase. Acupuncture needle hook occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries can successfully establish the model of cerebral ischemia reperfusion. After comparing with the model mice, we concluded that Ilex pubescens flavonoids not only reduce damage to the brain nerve cells in the hippocampus and cortex, but also significantly reduce the content of NO in brain homogenate, the activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS and increases ATP enzyme activity (P < 0.05, P < 0.01. In this way, cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury is improved. Different dosages of Ilex pubescens flavonoids on mouse cerebral ischemia reperfusion model have good effects.

Differences in impacts of Hurricane Sandy on freshwater swamps on the Delmarva Peninsula, Mid−Atlantic Coast, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Middleton, Beth A.

2016-01-01

Hurricane wind and surge may have different influences on the subsequent composition of forests. During Hurricane Sandy, while damaging winds were highest near landfall in New Jersey, inundation occurred along the entire eastern seaboard from Georgia to Maine. In this study, a comparison of damage from salinity intrusion vs. wind/surge was recorded in swamps of the Delmarva Peninsula along the Pocomoke (MD) and Nanticoke (DE) Rivers, south of the most intense wind damage. Hickory Point Cypress Swamp (Hickory) was closest to the Chesapeake Bay and may have been subjected to a salinity surge as evidenced by elevated salinity levels at a gage upstream of this swamp (storm salinity = 13.1 ppt at Nassawango Creek, Snow Hill, Maryland). After Hurricane Sandy, 8% of the standing trees died at Hickory including Acer rubrum, Amelanchier laevis, Ilex spp., and Taxodium distichum. In Plot 2 of Hickory, 25% of the standing trees were dead, and soil salinity levels were the highest recorded in the study. The most important variables related to structural tree damage were soil salinity and proximity to the Atlantic coast as based on Stepwise Regression and NMDS procedures. Wind damage was mostly restricted to broken branches although tipped−up trees were found at Hickory, Whiton and Porter (species: Liquidamabar styraciflua, Pinus taeda, Populus deltoides, Quercus pagoda and Ilex spp.). These trees fell mostly in an east or east−southeast direction (88o−107o) in keeping with the wind direction of Hurricane Sandy on the Delmarva Peninsula. Coastal restoration and management can be informed by the specific differences in hurricane damage to vegetation by salt versus wind.

A new plant chamber facility PLUS coupled to the atmospheric simulation chamber SAPHIR

Science.gov (United States)

Hohaus, T.; Kuhn, U.; Andres, S.; Kaminski, M.; Rohrer, F.; Tillmann, R.; Wahner, A.; Wegener, R.; Yu, Z.; Kiendler-Scharr, A.

2015-11-01

A new PLant chamber Unit for Simulation (PLUS) for use with the atmosphere simulation chamber SAPHIR (Simulation of Atmospheric PHotochemistry In a large Reaction Chamber) has been build and characterized at the Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Germany. The PLUS chamber is an environmentally controlled flow through plant chamber. Inside PLUS the natural blend of biogenic emissions of trees are mixed with synthetic air and are transferred to the SAPHIR chamber where the atmospheric chemistry and the impact of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) can be studied in detail. In PLUS all important enviromental parameters (e.g. temperature, PAR, soil RH etc.) are well-controlled. The gas exchange volume of 9.32 m3 which encloses the stem and the leafes of the plants is constructed such that gases are exposed to FEP Teflon film and other Teflon surfaces only to minimize any potential losses of BVOCs in the chamber. Solar radiation is simulated using 15 LED panels which have an emission strength up to 800 μmol m-2 s-1. Results of the initial characterization experiments are presented in detail. Background concentrations, mixing inside the gas exchange volume, and transfer rate of volatile organic compounds (VOC) through PLUS under different humidity conditions are explored. Typical plant characteristics such as light and temperature dependent BVOC emissions are studied using six Quercus Ilex trees and compared to previous studies. Results of an initial ozonolysis experiment of BVOC emissions from Quercus Ilex at typical atmospheric concentrations inside SAPHIR are presented to demonstrate a typical experimental set up and the utility of the newly added plant chamber.

A new plant chamber facility, PLUS, coupled to the atmosphere simulation chamber SAPHIR

Science.gov (United States)

Hohaus, T.; Kuhn, U.; Andres, S.; Kaminski, M.; Rohrer, F.; Tillmann, R.; Wahner, A.; Wegener, R.; Yu, Z.; Kiendler-Scharr, A.

2016-03-01

A new PLant chamber Unit for Simulation (PLUS) for use with the atmosphere simulation chamber SAPHIR (Simulation of Atmospheric PHotochemistry In a large Reaction Chamber) has been built and characterized at the Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Germany. The PLUS chamber is an environmentally controlled flow-through plant chamber. Inside PLUS the natural blend of biogenic emissions of trees is mixed with synthetic air and transferred to the SAPHIR chamber, where the atmospheric chemistry and the impact of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) can be studied in detail. In PLUS all important environmental parameters (e.g., temperature, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), soil relative humidity (RH)) are well controlled. The gas exchange volume of 9.32 m3 which encloses the stem and the leaves of the plants is constructed such that gases are exposed to only fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) Teflon film and other Teflon surfaces to minimize any potential losses of BVOCs in the chamber. Solar radiation is simulated using 15 light-emitting diode (LED) panels, which have an emission strength up to 800 µmol m-2 s-1. Results of the initial characterization experiments are presented in detail. Background concentrations, mixing inside the gas exchange volume, and transfer rate of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) through PLUS under different humidity conditions are explored. Typical plant characteristics such as light- and temperature- dependent BVOC emissions are studied using six Quercus ilex trees and compared to previous studies. Results of an initial ozonolysis experiment of BVOC emissions from Quercus ilex at typical atmospheric concentrations inside SAPHIR are presented to demonstrate a typical experimental setup and the utility of the newly added plant chamber.

Drought enhances folivory by shifting foliar metabolomes in Quercus ilex trees

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Rivas-Ubach, A.; Gargallo-Garriga, A.; Sardans, J.; Oravec, Michal; Mateu-Castell, L.; Pérez-Trujillo, M.; Parella, T.; Ogaya, R.; Urban, Otmar; Penuelas, J.

2014-01-01

Roč. 202, č. 3 (2014), s. 874-885 ISSN 1469-8137 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : drought * ecology * ecometabolomics * folivory * metabolomics * stoichiometry Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 6.545, year: 2013

Facilitation of Quercus ilex recruitment by shrubs in Mediterranean open woodlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, Christian; den Ouden, Jan; Diaz, Mario

Question: Insufficient tree regeneration threatens the long-term persistence of biodiverse Mediterranean open oak woodlands. Could shrubs, scarce due to decades of management ( clearing and ploughing), facilitate holm oak recruitment at both acorn and seedling stages? Location: Open oak woodlands in

Facilitation of Quercus ilex recruitment by shrubs in Mediterranean open woodlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, C.; Ouden, den J.; Diaz, M.

2008-01-01

Question: Insufficient tree regeneration threatens the long-term persistence of biodiverse Mediterranean open oak woodlands. Could shrubs, scarce due to decades of management (clearing and ploughing), facilitate holm oak recruitment at both acorn and seedling stages? Location: Open oak woodlands in

Review of CHP projections tp 2010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choudhury, W.

2003-07-01

This report summarises the findings of a study examining market conditions for combined heat and power since 2000 and assessing the commercial position of cogeneration (CHP) in order to provide advice on likely distributed generation in relation to technology, location and commissioning timetables. Details are given of the modelling of the development of 'good quality' CHP by Cambridge Econometrics (CE), and the work carried out by ILEX updating the CE study. Modelling assumptions, market conditions for CHP since the CE study, the effect of market conditions on CE modelling assumptions, justified changes in assumptions, and evaluation of likely CHP capacity to 2010 are discussed.

Primeira ocorrência de Pythium sp. E Rhizoctonia sp. causando podridão-de-raízes em ervais no Rio Grande do Sul

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor Poletto

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In 2004, some plantations of Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil. In Taquari Valley, state of Rio Grande do Sul, started presenting growth stagnation, yellowing, leaf drop and necrosis in the root system, typical symptoms of root rot. Roots samples were collected in farms of two cities and sent for analysis at the Plant Disease Laboratory at the Department of Plant Protection/CCR/UFSM. The presence of Rhizoctonia and Pythium was diagnosed and these were pathogenic when inoculated in plants of erva-mate. This is the first observation of these two fungi causing root rot in erva-mate plantations in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.

Tecnologia da erva-mate solúvel

OpenAIRE

Berté, Kleber Alves dos Santos

2011-01-01

Resumo: A erva-mate (Ilex paguariensis A. St.-Hil.) é uma árvore da família Aquifoliaceae, que ocupa uma região da América do Sul de aproximadamente 540.000 km², situada entre o noroeste Argentino, o leste do Paraguai e sul do Brasil. Os estados do Paraná, Santa Catarina e Rio Grande do Sul são os maiores produtores e consumidores de erva-mate. O chimarrão é a bebida mais apreciada e o seu consumo está vinculado às tradições e hábitos culturais predominantemente na região sul do país. O desen...

Topical Botanical Agents for the Treatment of Psoriasis: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Farahnik, Benjamin; Sharma, Divya; Alban, Joseph; Sivamani, Raja K

2017-08-01

Patients with psoriasis often enquire about the use of numerous botanical therapeutics. It is important for dermatologists to be aware of the current evidence regarding these agents. We conducted a systematic literature search using the PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases for controlled and uncontrolled clinical trials that assessed the use of topical botanical therapeutics for psoriasis. The search included the following keywords: 'psoriasis' and 'plant' or 'herbal' or 'botanical'. We also reviewed citations within articles to identify additional relevant sources. We then further refined the results by route of administration and the topical botanical agents are reviewed herein. A total of 27 controlled and uncontrolled clinical trials addressing the use of topical botanical agents for psoriasis were assessed in this review. We found that the most highly studied and most efficacious topical botanical therapeutics were Mahonia aquifolium, indigo naturalis, aloe vera, and, to a lesser degree, capsaicin. The most commonly reported adverse effects were local skin irritation, erythema, pruritus, burning, and pain. However, the overall evidence for these therapeutics remains limited in quantity and quality. The literature addresses a large number of studies in regard to botanicals for the treatment of psoriasis. While most agents appear to be safe, further research is necessary before topical botanical agents can be consistently recommended to patients.

Topsoil depth substantially influences the responses to drought of the foliar metabolomes of Mediterranean forests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rivas-Ubach, Albert; Barbeta, Adrià; Sardans, Jordi; Guenther, Alex; Ogaya, Romà; Oravec, Michal; Urban, Otmar; Peñuelas, Josep

2016-08-01

Soils provide physical support, water, and nutrients to terrestrial plants. Upper soil layers are crucial for forest dynamics, especially under drought conditions, because many biological processes occur there and provide support, water and nutrients to terrestrial plants. We postulated that tree size and overall plant function manifested in the metabolome composition, the total set of metabolites, were dependent on the depth of upper soil layers and on water availability. We sampled leaves for stoichiometric and metabolomic analyses once per season from differently sized Quercus ilex trees under natural and experimental drought conditions as projected for the coming decades. Different sized trees had different metabolomes and plots with shallower soils had smaller trees. Soil moisture of the upper soil did not explain the tree size and smaller trees did not show higher concentrations of biomarker metabolites related to drought stress. However, the impact of drought treatment on metabolomes was higher in smaller trees in shallower soils. Our results suggested that tree size was more dependent on the depth of the upper soil layers, which indirectly affect the metabolomes of the trees, than on the moisture content of the upper soil layers. Metabolomic profiling of Q. ilex supported the premise that water availability in the upper soil layers was not necessarily correlated with tree size. The higher impact of drought on trees growing in shallower soils nevertheless indicates a higher vulnerability of small trees to the future increase in frequency, intensity, and duration of drought projected for the Mediterranean Basin and other areas. Metabolomics has proven to be an excellent tool detecting significant metabolic changes among differently sized individuals of the same species and it improves our understanding of the connection between plant metabolomes and environmental variables such as soil depth and moisture content.

Arsenic, cadmium and lead concentrations in Yerba mate commercialized in Southern Brazil by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisia Maria Gobbo dos Santos

2017-12-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: “Mate” or “Yerba Mate” (Ilex paraguariensis is a native South American plant, commonly consumed in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil. Recent research has detected the presence of many vitamins and metals in this plant. Theses metals are also part of yerba mate’s mineral composition, due to soil and water contamination by pesticides and fertilizers, coal and oil combustion, vehicle emissions, mining, smelting, refining and the incineration of urban and industrial waste. Regardless of their origin, some inorganic elements, such as arsenic, cadmium and lead, are considered toxic, since they accumulate in all plant tissues and are, thus, introduced into the food chain. In this context, the aim of the present study was to determine and compare arsenic, cadmium, lead concentrations in 104 samples of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis marketed, and consumed in three southern Brazilian States, namely Paraná (PR, Santa Catarina (SC and Rio Grande do Sul (RS. Each element was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, on a Nexion 300D equipment (Perkin Elmer. As, Cd and Pb concentrations in yerba mate leaves ranged from 0.015 to 0.15mg kg-1, 0.18 to 1.25mg kg-1 and 0.1 to 1.20mg kg-1, respectively. Regarding Cd, 84% of the samples from RS, 63% from PR and 75% from SC showed higher concentrations than the maximum permissible limit of 0.4mg kg-1 established by the Brazilian National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA, while 7% of the samples from RS and 5% from PR were unsatisfactory for Pb. Concentrations were below the established ANVISA limit of 0.6mg kg-1 for all samples.

Plasticity and stress tolerance override local adaptation in the responses of Mediterranean holm oak seedlings to drought and cold.

Science.gov (United States)

Gimeno, Teresa E; Pías, Beatriz; Lemos-Filho, José P; Valladares, Fernando

2009-01-01

Plant populations of widely distributed species experience a broad range of environmental conditions that can be faced by phenotypic plasticity or ecotypic differentiation and local adaptation. The strategy chosen will determine a population's ability to respond to climate change. To explore this, we grew Quercus ilex (L.) seedlings from acorns collected at six selected populations from climatically contrasting localities and evaluated their response to drought and late season cold events. Maximum photosynthetic rate (A(max)), instantaneous water use efficiency (iWUE), and thermal tolerance to freeze and heat (estimated from chlorophyll fluorescence versus temperature curves) were measured in 5-month-old seedlings in control (no stress), drought (water-stressed), and cold (low suboptimal temperature) conditions. The observed responses were similar for the six populations: drought decreased A(max) and increased iWUE, and cold reduced A(max) and iWUE. All the seedlings maintained photosynthetic activity under adverse conditions (drought and cold), and rapidly increased their iWUE by closing stomata when exposed to drought. Heat and freeze tolerances were similarly high for seedlings from all the populations, and they were significantly increased by drought and cold, respectively; and were positively related to each other. Differences in seedling performance across populations were primarily induced by maternal effects mediated by seed size and to a lesser extent by idiosyncratic physiologic responses to drought and low temperatures. Tolerance to multiple stresses together with the capacity to physiologically acclimate to heat waves and cold snaps may allow Q. ilex to cope with the increasingly stressful conditions imposed by climate change. Lack of evidence of physiologic seedling adaptation to local climate may reflect opposing selection pressures to complex, multidimensional environmental conditions operating within the distribution range of this species.

Changes in leaf δ13C and δ15N for three Mediterranean tree species in relation to soil water availability

Science.gov (United States)

Ogaya, Romà; Peñuelas, Josep

2008-11-01

A rain exclusion experiment simulating drought conditions expected in Mediterranean areas for the following decades (15% decrease in soil moisture) was conducted in a Mediterranean holm oak forest to study the response of leaf δ13C, δ15N, and N concentrations to the predicted climatic changes for the coming decades. Plant material was sampled in 2000, 2003, 2004, and 2005 in eight plots: four of them were control plots and the other four plots received the rain exclusion treatment. Although there was a negative relationship between δ13C and soil moisture, for each species and year, the rain exclusion treatment did not have any significant effect on δ13C, and therefore on the intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) of the three dominant species: Phillyrea latifolia, Arbutus unedo, and Quercus ilex. On the other hand, rain exclusion clearly increased the δ15N values in the three species studied, probably indicating higher N losses at the soil level leading to a 15N enrichment of the available N. It suggested that rain exclusion exerted a greater effect on the nitrogen biogeochemical cycle than on the carbon assimilation process. δ15N values were inversely correlated with summer soil moisture in Q. ilex and A. unedo, but no relationship was observed in P. latifolia. This latter species showed the lowest iWUE values, but it was the only species with no decrease in annual basal increment in response to the rain exclusion treatment, and it also had the highest resistance to the hot and dry conditions projected for the Mediterranean basin in the coming decades. The different strategies to resist rain exclusion conditions of these species could induce changes in their competitive ability and future distribution. The losses of N from the ecosystem may further limit plant growth and ecosystem functioning.

The sentinel tree nursery as an early warning system for pathway risk assessment: Fungal pathogens associated with Chinese woody plants commonly shipped to Europe.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Maria Vettraino

Full Text Available Introduction of and invasion by alien plant pathogens represents the main cause of emerging infectious diseases affecting domesticated and wild plant species worldwide. The trade in living plants is the most common pathway of introduction. Many of the alien tree pathogens recently introduced into Europe were not previously included on any quarantine lists. To help determine the potential risk of pest introduction through trading of ornamental plants, a sentinel nursery was established in Beijing, China in 2008. The sentinel nursery planting included four of the most common ornamental woody species shipped to Europe including Ilex cornuta var. fortunae, Zelkova schneideriana, Fraxinus chinensis and Buxus microphylla. Symptoms developing on these species within the sentinel nursery were detected in 2013 and consisted of necrotic spots on leaves, canker and stem necrosis, shoot blight and shoot necrosis. Fungi associated with the trees and their symptoms included Alternaria alternata detected from all hosts; Diaporthe liquidambaris and Diaporthe capsici from bark and leaf necrosis of Zelkova schneideriana; Botryosphaeria dothidea and Nothophoma quercina from stem cankers on Fraxinus chinensis and leaf necrosis on Ilex cornuta; and Pseudonectria foliicola from leaf necrosis on Buxus microphylla. Next generation sequencing analysis from asymptomatic tissues detected eighteen OTU's at species level among which some taxa had not been previously recorded in Europe. These results clearly demonstrate that looking at trees of internationally traded species in the region of origin can reveal the presence of potentially harmful organisms of major forestry, landscape or crop trees. Results of this study also provide an indication as to how some disease agents can be introduced using pathways other than the co-generic hosts. Hence, sentinel nurseries represent one potential mechanism to address the current lack of knowledge about pests in the countries from

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Scotta, Ana Verónica; Bongiovanni, Guillermina Azucena; Soria, Elio Andrés

2018-03-21

Antecedentes: Clorpirifos es un pesticida altamente tóxico, que puede producir inmunotoxicidad con efectos deletéreos sobre la salud a nivel mundial. Por otro lado, las plantas americanas pueden tener derivados con actividad protectora e inmunoestimulante. Por lo tanto, debe evaluarse el potencial de estas plantas frente a clorpirifos. Objetivo: Identificar extractos acuosos bioactivos de Lantana grisebachii (LG), Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco (AQ), Peumus boldus (PB), e Ilex paraguariensis (IP), contra la toxicidad de clorpirifos sobre esplenocitos de hembras Balb/c. Materiales y Métodos: Esplenocitos fueron tratados in vitro por 72 horas con 0-35 µg/mL de clorpirifos, 0-100 µg/mL de cada extracto (LG, AQ, PB, IP) y 0-5 µg/mL de concanavalina A. Luego, se midió y analizó estadísticamente viabilidad y muerte celular (tinciones de resazurina y yoduro de propidio), hidroperóxidos, lipoperóxidos (ensayos basados en naranja de xilenol), actividad de la ?-glutamiltranspeptidasa (método de Szasz). Resultados: Clorpirifos redujo la viabilidad celular de forma dosis dependiente, lo que fue contrarrestado por AQ e IP, los que fueron menos activos en las células inducibles por concanavalina A (p<0,05). La toxicidad por clorpirifos implicó la inducción de la ?-glutamiltranspeptidasa con la consecuente reducción de los peróxidos, mientras que AQ y principalmente IP antagonizaron dichas respuestas (p<0,05). Conclusiones: Los extractos de Ilex paraguariensis y Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco protegieron in vitro a los esplenocitos frente a clorpirifos. Este efecto dependió del tipo celular, dado que las células inducibles por concanavalina A fueron más susceptibles a este tóxico.

The temporal response to drought in a Mediterranean evergreen tree: comparing a regional precipitation gradient and a throughfall exclusion experiment.

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Martin-Stpaul, Nicolas K; Limousin, Jean-Marc; Vogt-Schilb, Hélène; Rodríguez-Calcerrada, Jesus; Rambal, Serge; Longepierre, Damien; Misson, Laurent

2013-08-01

Like many midlatitude ecosystems, Mediterranean forests will suffer longer and more intense droughts with the ongoing climate change. The responses to drought in long-lived trees differ depending on the time scale considered, and short-term responses are currently better understood than longer term acclimation. We assessed the temporal changes in trees facing a chronic reduction in water availability by comparing leaf-scale physiological traits, branch-scale hydraulic traits, and stand-scale biomass partitioning in the evergreen Quercus ilex across a regional precipitation gradient (long-term changes) and in a partial throughfall exclusion experiment (TEE, medium term changes). At the leaf scale, gas exchange, mass per unit area and nitrogen concentration showed homeostatic responses to drought as they did not change among the sites of the precipitation gradient or in the experimental treatments of the TEE. A similar homeostatic response was observed for the xylem vulnerability to cavitation at the branch scale. In contrast, the ratio of leaf area over sapwood area (LA/SA) in young branches exhibited a transient response to drought because it decreased in response to the TEE the first 4 years of treatment, but did not change among the sites of the gradient. At the stand scale, leaf area index (LAI) decreased, and the ratios of stem SA to LAI and of fine root area to LAI both increased in trees subjected to throughfall exclusion and from the wettest to the driest site of the gradient. Taken together, these results suggest that acclimation to chronic drought in long-lived Q. ilex is mediated by changes in hydraulic allometry that shift progressively from low (branch) to high (stand) organizational levels, and act to maintain the leaf water potential within the range of xylem hydraulic function and leaf photosynthetic assimilation. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Composição mineral do produto comercial da erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil. Mineral composition of a commercial product from mate-herb (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.

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Reges Heinrichs

2001-10-01

Full Text Available Com o objetivo de quantificar e avaliar a concentração mineral na matéria seca e na infusão de erva-mate tipo chimarrão, selecionaram-se três amostras comerciais, com ampla aceitação pelo consumidor, as quais foram amostradas com quatro repetições. Na industrialização da erva-mate tipo chimarrão, são utilizadas folhas, pecíolos e ramos finos, tendo uma composição aproximada de 30% ramos e 70% folhas, que são beneficiados para posterior comercialização. O preparo das amostras e as análises foram efetuadas no Laboratório de Nutrição Mineral de Plantas do Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA/USP. Para determinação da composição mineral da matéria seca, as amostras foram moídas em moinho "tipo Willey", com posterior digestão e determinação dos teores de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn, Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Na e Pb. Para determinação dos elementos na infusão, utilizaram-se 70g de erva-mate para um litro de água desionizada a 80ºC, simulando-se a temperatura para chimarrão, mantendo-se até esfriar e posteriormente coando-se. Os elementos analisados na infusão foram os determinados na matéria seca e, além destes, Mo, Ba, Si e Sr, exceto Co. As leituras das concentrações foram realizadas através da espectrometria de emissão atômica com plasma de argônio. Na matéria seca, os elementos que apresentaram maior destaque é a concentração são Mg e Mn. As maiores concentrações na infusão da erva-mate, em ordem decrescente, foram: K; Mg; S; Ca e P. Quanto à solubilidade do elemento, em relação a sua concentração na matéria seca foi a seguinte: B > S-SO4 > Zn > K > P > Mg =Mn > Cu > Cr, os demais apresentaram valores menores que 30%. A infusão da erva-mate apresenta altas concentrações de K, Mg e Mn (por ser um micronutriente, intermediárias de S, Ca e P, baixa de Al e zero de Cd e Pb.The mineral composition of three commercial mate products and of the infusions thereof were evaluated, being four replicates used. In the industrial processing of 'chimarrão' mate-herb, leaves and twigs are employed, having an approximate proportion of 70% and 30% respectively. Both in the commercial mate products and their infusions N was determined by micro-Kjeldahl whereas P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn, Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Na, and Pb were analysed either by atomic absorption or by argon plasma. In the commercial product Mg and Mn were the main elements. In the infusions higher concentrations were in decreasing order: K, Mg, S, Ca and P. Solubility obeyed the order: B > S-SO4 > Zn > K > P > Mg =Mn > Cu > Cr. The remaining elements showed lower 30% soluble proportions. The infusion has high concentrations of K, Mg and Mn (a micronutrient, intermediate ones for S, Ca and P, low level of Al, and zero concentrations of Cd and Pb.

Ømålsordbogen som leksikografisk, sproglig og kulturhistorisk resurse

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gudiksen, Asgerd; Hovmark, Henrik

2018-01-01

-format, indkøb og opsætning af et nyt databasebaseret redigeringsværktøj (iLEX) inkl. udarbejdelse af xml-skema samt publiceringsløsning. Både database og publiceringsløsning forsøges så vidt muligt tilrettelagt så ordbogen fremover ikke er bundet til at udkomme på tryk, men også er forberedt til publicering på...... gang med en ny digitaliseringsproces finansieret af Carlsbergfondet. Processen har omfattet flere forskellige dele: udarbejdelse af en dania-font i unicode, et nyt korpusværktøj (i samarbejde med Det Danske Sprog- og Litteraturselskab), digitalisering af de trykte bind 1–11 (a–lindorm) til xml...

INFLUÊNCIA DA AMÔNIA E OXIGÊNIO DA ÁGUA IN VIVO E DA ERVA-MATE EX VIVO SOBRE A ESTABILIDADE LIPÍDICA DE FILÉS DE DOURADO

OpenAIRE

Ana Paula de Lima Veeck

2008-01-01

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar os efeitos da exposição in vivo a concentrações estressantes de amônia e oxigênio na água e do tratamento com extrato de erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis) post mortem sobre a estabilidade lipídica de filés de dourado (Salminus brasiliensis). Foi avaliada a influência de diferentes níveis de amônia e oxigênio sobre a composição centesimal, composição de ácidos graxos e a peroxidação lipídica de filés de dourado, assim como a estabilidade desses filés d...

Anatomy Of Archaeological Wood Charcoals From Yenibademli Mound (Imbros), Western Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Yaman, B.

In this study, the qualitative and quantitative anatomy of six wood charcoals from an early Bronze Age settlement in the island Imbros (Gökçeada) were presented. Taxonomic identification on the basis of wood anatomy showed that two of them belong to the genus Quercus (section Ilex and cf Quercus), and four of them belong to the genus Pinus. Any fireplace is absent at the location of wood charcoals in G9 plan square. It appears that the woody branches on the horizontal roof of the building fell down to the floor after a big fire. It is most likely that the woody genera identified in the study were used for roof construction.

Ingested Nitrate and Breast Cancer in the Spanish Multicase-Control Study on Cancer (MCC-Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Espejo-Herrera, Nadia; Gracia-Lavedan, Esther; Pollan, Marina; Aragonés, Nuria; Boldo, Elena; Perez-Gomez, Beatriz; Altzibar, Jone M.; Amiano, Pilar; Zabala, Ana Jiménez; Ardanaz, Eva; Guevara, Marcela; Molina, Antonio J.; Barrio, Juan Pablo; Gómez-Acebo, Ines; Tardón, Adonina; Peiró, Rosana; Chirlaque, Maria Dolores; Palau, Margarita; Muñoz, Montse; Font-Ribera, Laia; Castaño-Vinyals, Gemma; Kogevinas, Manolis; Villanueva, Cristina M.

2016-01-01

Background: Ingested nitrate leads to endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds that are breast carcinogens in animals, but human evidence is limited. Objective: We evaluated ingested nitrate as a risk factor for breast cancer (BC) in a multicase–control study. Methods: Hospital-based incident BC cases and population-based controls were recruited in eight Spanish regions in 2008–2013; participants provided residential and water consumption from 18 years of age and information on known BC risk factors. Long-term nitrate levels (1940–2010) were estimated and linked with residential histories and water consumption to calculate waterborne ingested nitrate (milligrams/day). Dietary ingested nitrate (milligrams/day) was calculated using food frequency questionnaires and published dietary nitrate contents. Interactions with endogenous nitrosation factors and other variables were evaluated. A total of 1,245 cases and 1,520 controls were included in the statistical analysis. Results: Among the study regions, average ± SD waterborne ingested nitrate ranged from 2.9 ± 1.9 to 13.5 ± 7.5 mg/day, and dietary ingested nitrate ranged from 88.5 ± 48.7 to 154 ± 87.8 mg/day. Waterborne ingested nitrate was not associated with BC overall, but among postmenopausal women, those with both high nitrate (> 6 vs. Zabala AJ, Ardanaz E, Guevara M, Molina AJ, Barrio JP, Gómez-Acebo I, Tardón A, Peiró R, Chirlaque MD, Palau M, Muñoz M, Font-Ribera L, Castaño-Vinyals G, Kogevinas M, Villanueva CM. 2016. Ingested nitrate and breast cancer in the Spanish Multicase-Control Study on Cancer (MCC-Spain). Environ Health Perspect 124:1042–1049; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1510334 PMID:26942716

EX VITRO ROOTING AND ACCLIMATIZATION OF Ilex paraguariensis A. St Hil. MICROCUTTINGS

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Kenia Michele de Quadros Tronco

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The technique of microcutting and ex vitro rooting can result in plantlets with better quality of radicular system and larger number of secondary roots, when compared with conventional cutting. The objective of this work was to evaluate the ex vitro rooting and acclimatization of holly microcuttings in different doses of phytoregulator indole-3-butyric acid (IBA and substrate. In the growth room were evaluated different doses of indole-3-butyric acid (0, 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg.L-1 and different substrates used pure (coarse sand, carbonized rice husk, vermiculite, coconut fiber and commercial substrate. In humid chamber were evaluated the same pure substrates and the following combinations of the same volume ratios: carbonized rice husk + coarse sand; carbonized rice husk + coarse sand + commercial substrate; carbonized rice husk + commercial substrate. The ex vitro rooting and acclimation of holly microcuttings can be done in the humid chamber, necessitating the use of indole-3-butyric acid at a dose of 1250 mg.L-1. The substrate composed in equal proportions of carbonized rice husk + coarse sand + commercial substrate provided a higher percentage of rooted microcuttings.

Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of plant extracts traditionally used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Cogo, Laura Lúcia; Monteiro, Cristina Leise Bastos; Miguel, Marilis Dallarmi; Miguel, Obdulio Gomes; Cunico, Miriam Machado; Ribeiro, Marcelo Lima; de Camargo, Eloá Ramalho; Kussen, Gislene Maria Botão; Nogueira, Keite da Silva; Costa, Libera Maria Dalla

2010-01-01

The antibacterial activity of plant extracts obtained from Bixa orellana L., Chamomilla recutita L., Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil., Malva sylvestris L., Plantago major L. and Rheum rhaponticum L. has been evaluated against two reference strains and eleven clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori. All the plant species chosen are used in popular Brazilian cuisine and folk medicine in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Initial screening was made by the disk diffusion test and then minimum inhibitory concentration was determined by the agar dilution method. The results presented in this work demonstrated that among the plant preparations analyzed, B. orellana L., C. recutita L., I. paraguariensis A. St.-Hil. and M. sylvestris L. were capable of inhibiting the in vitro growth of H. pylori. PMID:24031496

Two new species of Thyronectria from Mediterranean Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Checa, Julia; Jaklitsch, Walter M; Blanco, María N; Moreno, Gabriel; Olariaga, Ibai; Tello, Salvador; Voglmayr, Hermann

2015-01-01

Two new species of Thyronectria growing in Mediterranean vegetation are described from southern Spain; they are T. giennensis from Quercus ilex ssp. rotundifolia and T. pistaciae from Pistacia lentiscus. Both species are characterized by morphology of sexual and asexual morphs and by DNA data. They have olivaceous to green-brown muriform ascospores and are closely related to T. asturiensis and T. roseovirens, as determined by multigene phylogenetic analyses of a matrix containing six loci (ITS and 28S regions of nuc rDNA, ACT1, RPB1, RPB2, TEF1 and TUB2 genes). We also report that Cucurbitaria bicolor is a synonym of Thyronectria rhodochlora, the type species of Thyronectria. © 2015 by The Mycological Society of America.

Estrutura e classificação de um remanescente de floresta ripária no município de Lages, SC

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André Rosalvo Terra Nascimento

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates aspects of classification and reports the diversity in a remnant of a riparian forest in Lages, Santa Catarina. Twenty-five plots were allocated along the river, and all trees with diameter at breast height (DBH greater than or equal to 5 cm were measured. The community had 67 tree species and a canopy with emergent species. The diameter distribution showed a self-regenerating community, with a large number of small trees and high values of density and basal area per hectare. The classification separated the sites with higher basal area, presence of Cabralea canjerana and Myrcia hatschbachii and the sites with presence of generalist species Celtis iguanaea and Ilex brevicuspis, denoting a large environmental variability in this forest.

Natural production of Tuber aestivum in central Spain: Pinus spp. versus Quercus spp. brûlés

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Luis G. Garcia-Montero

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Aim of study: Tuber aestivum is the most widespread edible truffle, with increasing commercial interest. This species can produce carpophores with conifer hosts, in contrast with the inability of Pinus spp. to induce fruiting in other truffle species such as Tuber melanosporum. Therefore the objective is to compare the characteristics and carpophore production of T. aestivum brûlés associated with Pinus spp. versus Quercus spp.Area of study: We studied the natural habitats of T. aestivum in the Alto Tajo Nature Reserve in central Spain.Material and methods: During 5 years, we monitored the production of carpophores and brûlé size of 145 T. aestivum brûlés associated with Pinus nigra subsp. salzmanni and P. sylvestris and Quercus ilex subsp. ballota and Q. faginea hosts. Statistical treatment was performed using the Statistica Program v. 6.Main Results: The size of brûlés associated with Pinus was significantly smaller than that of brûlés associated with Quercus. However, carpophore production per brûlé, and especially for brûlés of similar size, was greater when the host plant was a pine. After accounting for brûlé size, the production of brûlés associated with Pinus spp. was 2.23 (95% CI, between 1.35 and 3.69 and 1.61 (95% CI, between 1.02 and 2.54 times greater than the production of brûlés associated with Quercus faginea and Q. ilex subsp. ballota, respectively.Research highlights: The considerable ability of Pinus nigra subsp. salzmanni and P. sylvestris to form effective brûlés and to produce carpophores of Tuber aestivum in natural conditions was clearly demonstrated, and suggest that those species can be of use in the culture of T. aestivum.Key words: Summer truffle; Tuber aestivum; truffle culture; truffle ecology; Pinus spp.; Quercus spp.

Ozone risk assessment in three oak species as affected by soil water availability.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoshika, Yasutomo; Moura, Barbara; Paoletti, Elena

2018-03-01

To derive ozone (O 3 ) dose-response relationships for three European oak species (Quercus ilex, Quercus pubescens, and Quercus robur) under a range of soil water availability, an experiment was carried out with 2-year-old potted seedlings exposed to three levels of water availability in the soil and three levels of O 3 pollution for one growing season in an ozone free-air controlled exposure (FACE) facility. Total biomass losses were estimated relative to a hypothetical clean air at the pre-industrial age, i.e., at 10 ppb as daily average (M24). A stomatal conductance model was parameterized with inputs from the three species for calculating the stomatal O 3 flux. Exposure-based (M24, W126, and AOT40) and flux-based (phytotoxic O 3 dose (POD) 0-3 ) dose-response relationships were estimated and critical levels (CL) were calculated for a 5% decline of total biomass. Results show that water availability can significantly affect O 3 risk assessment. In fact, dose-response relationships calculated per individual species at each water availability level resulted in very different CLs and best metrics. In a simplified approach where species were aggregated on the basis of their O 3 sensitivity, the best metric was POD 0.5 , with a CL of 6.8 mmol m -2 for the less O 3 -sensitive species Q. ilex and Q. pubescens and of 3.5 mmol m -2 for the more O 3 -sensitive species Q. robur. The performance of POD 0 , however, was very similar to that of POD 0.5 , and thus a CL of 6.9 mmol m -2 POD 0 and 3.6 mmol m -2 POD 0 for the less and more O 3 -sensitive oak species may be also recommended. These CLs can be applied to oak ecosystems at variable water availability in the soil. We conclude that POD y is able to reconcile the effects of O 3 and soil water availability on species-specific oak productivity.

How Does Temperature Impact Leaf Size and Shape in Four Woody Dicot Species? Testing the Assumptions of Leaf Physiognomy-Climate Models

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, M.; Royer, D. L.

2017-12-01

The physiognomy (size and shape) of fossilized leaves has been used to reconstruct the mean annual temperature of ancient environments. Colder temperatures often select for larger and more abundant leaf teeth—serrated edges on leaf margins—as well as a greater degree of leaf dissection. However, to be able to accurately predict paleotemperature from the morphology of fossilized leaves, leaves must be able to react quickly and in a predictable manner to changes in temperature. We examined the extent to which temperature affects leaf morphology in four tree species: Carpinus caroliniana, Acer negundo, Ilex opaca, and Ostrya virginiana. Saplings of these species were grown in two growth cabinets under contrasting temperatures (17 and 25 °C). Compared to the cool treatment, in the warm treatment Carpinus caroliniana leaves had significantly fewer leaf teeth and a lower ratio of total number of leaf teeth to internal perimeter; and Acer negundo leaves had a significantly lower feret diameter ratio (a measure of leaf dissection). In addition, a two-way ANOVA tested the influence of temperature and species on leaf physiognomy. This analysis revealed that all plants, regardless of species, tended to develop more highly dissected leaves with more leaf teeth in the cool treatment. Because the cabinets maintained equivalent moisture, humidity, and CO2 concentration between the two treatments, these results demonstrate that these species could rapidly adapt to changes in temperature. However, not all of the species reacted identically to temperature changes. For example, Acer negundo, Carpinus caroliniana, and Ostrya virginiana all had a higher number of total teeth in the cool treatment compared to the warm treatment, but the opposite was true for Ilex opaca. Our work questions a fundamental assumption common to all models predicting paleotemperature from the physiognomy of fossilized leaves: a given climate will inevitably select for the same leaf physiognomy

Distribución de plantas vasculares a escala local. Taxones con mayor ocupación geográfica en Ambite y Utande (La Alcarria Occidental

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García-Abad Alonso, Juan Javier

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The method for performing Floral Cover Indices (FCI, presented in a previous article, is applied to two 100 km2 U.T.M. grid cells (30TVK86, Ambite and 30TWL02,Utande. They are located in different sectors of the natural region of Western “La Alcarria”. The goal is to know and compare distributions of presence and abundance of vascular plants at local scale. Geographical factors affecting cover of the flora is widely exposed. Analysis method and chorological maps drawing with four spatial levels (1, 4, 25 and 100 km2 are presented. Results of the twelve taxa with the highest FCI in the set of two grid cells and phytogeographical interpretations are shown: Genista scorpius, Quercus ilex subsp. ballota, Thymus vulgaris, Helianthemum cinereum subsp. rotundifolium, Brachypodium retusum, Thymus zygis subsp. sylvestris, Lavandula latifolia, Dactylis hispanica, Rosmarinus officinalis, Koeleria vallesiana, Quercus faginea y Salvia lavandulifolia.Se aplica la Metodología de Índices de Ocupación de la Flora, presentada en un artículo anterior, en dos cuadrículas de 100 km2 pertenecientes a La Alcarria Occidental, pero localizadas en sectores diferentes (Ambite, 30TVK86, y Utande, 30TWL02, con objeto de conocer y comparar las distribuciones geográficas de la presencia y abundancia de plantas vasculares a escala local. Se exponen ampliamente los factores geográficos diferenciales que inciden en la ocupación de la flora. Se presentan el método de análisis y la elaboración de la cartografía corológica para cuatro resoluciones cartográficas diferentes (1, 4, 25 y 100 km2. Se muestran y se comentan fitogeográficamente los resultados de los doce taxones con mayor IOP en el conjunto de las dos cuadrículas: Genista scorpius, Quercus ilex subsp. ballota, Thymus vulgaris, Helianthemum cinereum subsp. rotundifolium, Brachypodium retusum, Thymus zygis subsp. sylvestris, Lavandula latifolia, Dactylis hispanica, Rosmarinus officinalis, Koeleria

Unravelling spatiotemporal tree-ring signals in Mediterranean oaks: a variance-covariance modelling approach of carbon and oxygen isotope ratios.

Science.gov (United States)

Shestakova, Tatiana A; Aguilera, Mònica; Ferrio, Juan Pedro; Gutiérrez, Emilia; Voltas, Jordi

2014-08-01

Identifying how physiological responses are structured across environmental gradients is critical to understanding in what manner ecological factors determine tree performance. Here, we investigated the spatiotemporal patterns of signal strength of carbon isotope discrimination (Δ(13)C) and oxygen isotope composition (δ(18)O) for three deciduous oaks (Quercus faginea (Lam.), Q. humilis Mill. and Q. petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) and one evergreen oak (Q. ilex L.) co-occurring in Mediterranean forests along an aridity gradient. We hypothesized that contrasting strategies in response to drought would lead to differential climate sensitivities between functional groups. Such differential sensitivities could result in a contrasting imprint on stable isotopes, depending on whether the spatial or temporal organization of tree-ring signals was analysed. To test these hypotheses, we proposed a mixed modelling framework to group isotopic records into potentially homogeneous subsets according to taxonomic or geographical criteria. To this end, carbon and oxygen isotopes were modelled through different variance-covariance structures for the variability among years (at the temporal level) or sites (at the spatial level). Signal-strength parameters were estimated from the outcome of selected models. We found striking differences between deciduous and evergreen oaks in the organization of their temporal and spatial signals. Therefore, the relationships with climate were examined independently for each functional group. While Q. ilex exhibited a large spatial dependence of isotopic signals on the temperature regime, deciduous oaks showed a greater dependence on precipitation, confirming their higher susceptibility to drought. Such contrasting responses to drought among oak types were also observed at the temporal level (interannual variability), with stronger associations with growing-season water availability in deciduous oaks. Thus, our results indicate that Mediterranean deciduous

New Perspectives on Antiacne Plant Drugs: Contribution to Modern Therapeutics

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Priyam Sinha

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Acne is a common but serious skin disease, which affects approximately 80% adolescents and young adults in 11–30 age group. 42.5% of men and 50.9% of women continue to suffer from this disease into their twenties. Bacterial resistance is now at the alarming stage due to the irrational use of antibiotics. Hence, search for new lead molecule/bioactive and rational delivery of the existing drug (for better therapeutic effect to the site of action is the need of the hour. Plants and plant-derived products have been an integral part of health care system since time immemorial. Therefore, plants that are currently used for the treatment of acne and those with a high potential are summarized in the present review. Most active plant extracts, namely, P. granatum, M. alba, A. anomala, and M. aquifolium exhibit minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC in the range of 4–50 µg/mL against P. acnes, while aromatic oils of C. obovoides, C. natsudaidai, C. japonica, and C. nardus possess MICs 0.005–0.6 μL/mL and phytomolecules such as rhodomyrtone, pulsaquinone, hydropulsaquinone, honokiol, magnolol, xanthohumol lupulones, chebulagic acid and rhinacanthin-C show MIC in the range of 0.5–12.5 μg/mL. Novel drug delivery strategies of important plant leads in the treatment of acne have also been discussed.

Direct seeding woody species for restoration of bottomlands

Science.gov (United States)

Twedt, D.J.; Connor, Kristina F

2006-01-01

I direct seeded (broadcast) seeds of 39 species of trees and shrubs using an ATV-mounted rotary spreader to initiate restoration of bottomland forest on retired agricultural sites. Four sites were planted during February, 2000, and 13 additional sites were planted during April and May, 2001. After two growing seasons, stem density of direct-seeded species varied greatly among study plots (range = 0 to 888 stems/ha) but averaged only 110 stems/ha. I recommend that future efforts at direct seeding focus on seven shrub species (Amorpha fruticosa L., Cephalanthus occidentalis L., Cornus spp., Crataegus spp., Ilex decidua Walt., Morus rubra L., and Prunus spp.) and seven tree species (Celtis laevigata Willd., Diospyros virginiana L., Fraxinus spp., Gleditsia triacanthos L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich, and Ulmus spp.) that successfully established in these trials.

Determination of Flavonoids, Phenolic Acids, and Xanthines in Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis St.-Hil.

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Mirza Bojić

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Raw material, different formulations of foods, and dietary supplements of mate demands control of the content of bioactive substances for which high performance thin layer chromatography (TLC, described here, presents simple and rapid approach for detections as well as quantification. Using TLC densitometry, the following bioactive compounds were identified and quantified: chlorogenic acid (2.1 mg/g, caffeic acid (1.5 mg/g, rutin (5.2 mg/g, quercetin (2.2 mg/g, and kaempferol (4.5 mg/g. The results obtained with TLC densitometry for caffeine (5.4 mg/g and theobromine (2.7 mg/g show no statistical difference to the content of total xanthines (7.6 mg/g obtained by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Thus, TLC remains a technique of choice for simple and rapid analysis of great number of samples as well as a primary screening technique in plant analysis.

Chemical characterization of candy made of Erva-Mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil.) residue.

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira, Manoela A; Rovaris, Angela A; Maraschin, Marcelo; De Simas, Karina N; Pagliosa, Cristiane M; Podestá, Rossana; Amboni, Renata D M C; Barreto, Pedro L M; Amante, Edna R

2008-06-25

The aim of this work was to evaluate the chemical properties of the residues from erva-mate processing and also to determine the candy-making performance with addition of residues from erva-mate on consumers' acceptance and purchase intent of this new product. The candies containing different amounts of mate powder were evaluated through overall acceptability test and purchase intent. Mate powder showed high contents of dietary fiber, total ash, and total polyphenols. The total dietary fiber content of the mate candies ranged from 5.7 to 6.29% on a dry matter basis. Supplementation with mate powder caused significant increases in polyphenol and mineral contents of mate candies. The incorporation of mate powder increased the hardness of the candies and produced desirable results in their nutritional characteristics. The sensory tests indicated that mate candies were acceptable and approved in relation to purchase intent.

ESTRUTURA POPULACIONAL E REGENERAÇÃO DE ESPÉCIES ARBÓREAS NA FLORESTA NACIONAL DE SÃO FRANCISCO DE PAULA, RIO GRANDE DO SUL

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Angela Luciana de Avila

2016-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to characterize the population structure and aspects of regeneration of Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol. Kuntze, Blepharocalyx salicifolius (Kunth O. Berg and Ilex paraguariensis A. St.- Hil. in different environmental and disturbance conditions in the National Forest of São Francisco de Paula, RS state. Six conglomerates of one hectare were used, with 16 plots (20 x 20 m each, where the species were sampled in three size classes. The size class II (SC II – diameter at breast height (DBH ≥ 9.55 cm was sampled in 96 plots, the SC I (4.8 ≤ DBH < 9.55 cm in 36 subplots of 10 x 10 m, and the established natural regeneration (ENR (1 ≤ DBH < 4.8 cm in 36 cells of 3.16 x 3.16 m. The seedling bank (SB - height ≥ 30 cm and DBH < 1 cm, the seed rain (SR and the soil seed bank (SSB were sampled in all plots of 20 x 20 m. The data were analysed by taking into account all the different vegetation groups together and separately for each cluster identified in a previous study. For SC II, the frequency distribution of DBH was analysed combined with the analysis of absolute density and frequency for all life stages (SR, SSB, SB, ENR, SC I and SC II. The results indicated high variability in density of these species among the different life stages and environmental conditions. Araucaria angustifolia presented gaps in the regeneration process in areas that had low past disturbance, not showing the “reverse-J” distribution (SC II and with lower regeneration capacity in relation to the other species (SR, SSB and SB. Ilex paraguariensis and Blepharocalyx salicifolius showed higher population stability in environment with low level of human interference (SC II. The first species demonstrated preference for soils with good drainage, while the second species for humid soils. Moreover, gaps in the regeneration process of different populations were detected, which changed according to environmental conditions and

O factor de coberto vegetal, para árvores e Arbustos, em modelos de erosão hídrica The vegetation cover factor, for tree and bush canopies, in models of water erosion

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Carla Rolo Antunes

2011-07-01

Full Text Available O objectivo primordial do presente trabalho consiste na análise do comportamento de cobertos arbóreos e arbustivos, em termos do processo de intercepção da precipitação, designadamente, retenção e gotejo, e no estabelecimento de uma componente a incluir em modelos de erosão, que permita quantificar o factor de coberto vegetal em caso de ocupação do solo por estes cobertos, associados a culturas arvenses, em subcoberto, particularmente, na Equação Universal da Perda de Solo Revista (RUSLE. O trabalho experimental utilizou um simulador de chuva, tendo-se obtido valores do diâmetro das gotas (gotejo das folhas de espécies características dos sistemas de uso do solo mais comuns no Sul de Portugal, nomeadamente sobreiro (Quercus suber L., azinheira (Quercus ilex L. ssp. rotundifolia Lam e carrasco (Quercus coccifera L., e quantificado valores de retenção nas folhas. A partir dos resultados obtidos estimou-se a energia cinética para diferentes alturas de queda e, consequentemente, valores correctivos a aplicar aos valores de C tradicionalmente considerados, relativos às culturas agrícolas.The main objective of this work consists on the analyzes of tree and bush canopies behavior, in terms of the rainfall interception process, namely, leave retention, and dripping, and the establishment of a erosion model component to include in to quantify the cover factor (C of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE for mixed land covered systems with arable crops, in association with trees and bushes. In the experimental work a rainfall simulator was used and the characteristic values for the diameter of the dripping drops and retention of the leaves from characteristic species of the more common mixed land-use systems in Southern of Portugal, particularly with Cork oak (Quercus suber L., Holm or evergreen oak (Quercus ilex L. ssp. rotundifolia Lam and Kermes or wild oak (Quercus coccifera L., were obtained. From the obtained results

Habitat use by wild boar Sus scrofa in Moncayo Nature Park, Spain

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Rodrigues, Patrícia

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Habitat use by wild boar Sus scrofaz was examined during a three-year period in Moncayo Nature Park, a protected mountain area in the Iberian mountain system, Spain. Tracking indirect signs of activity was used to collect data on the species occurrence, according to vegetation type, topography, hunting activity, and season. The data were analysed using binary logistic regression. Habitat used by wild boar differed according seasons, management practices, and vegetation. Main selected habitats were at medium elevations (1,101-1,600 m in areas dominated by holm oak (Quercus ilex, beech (Fagus sylvatica and oak woods of Q. robur, Q. petraea and Q. pyrenaica. Non-hunting areas were selected over hunting areas. We found a seasonal variation in the habitat use of wild boar, with areas dominated by holm oak being used disproportionately in spring, and areas at medium elevations selected only during summer. The results also support the view that non-hunting areas provide a refuge for this species inside the protected area.Estudiamos el uso del hábitat por parte del jabalí Sus scrofa a lo largo de tres años en el Parque Natural del Moncayo, un área protegida de montaña en el Sistema Ibérico, España. Para ello rastreamos las huellas y señales de su actividad en función de la vegetación, topografía, actividad cinegética y estacionalidad. Los datos fueron analizados utilizando regresiones logísticas binarias. El hábitat usado por el jabalí difiere según las estaciones, gestión y vegetación. Los hábitat mayoritariamente seleccionados fueron las altitudes medias (1101-1600 m en áreas dominadas por la encina (Quercus ilex, haya (Fagus sylvatica y robles (Q. robur, Q. petraea y Q. pirenaica. Las zonas no cinegéticas fueron seleccionadas frente a las cinegéticas. Encontramos diferencias estacionales en el uso del hábitat, con un uso mayor al esperado de los encinares en primavera así como de altitudes medias durante el verano. Los

Biological aspects of Periga circumstans Walker, 1855 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae: Hemileucinae with larvae reared on khaki and mate-plant leaves

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A. Specht

Full Text Available The goal of the present study was to investigate biological aspects of Periga circumstans Walker, 1855 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae: Hemileucinae whose larvae were fed on leaves of khaki-plant (Diospyros khaki Linnaeus - Ebenaceae and Mate-plant (Ilex paraguariensis Saint Hilaire - Aquifoliaceae leaves. The biological parameters were obtained from specimens kept under controlled conditions: temperature of 25 ± 1 °C, relative humidity of 70 ± 10%, and photoperiod of 12 hours. For each developmental stage, morphological and ethological parameters are described. The larvae passed through six instars with a growth average rate of 1.4 for each instar. The host plants influenced significantly only the total duration of the larval phase, which was prolonged for larvae fed on khaki-plant leaves. Several aspects related to the morphology and the ethology of P. circumstans are similar to those described for Lonomia obliqua Walker, 1855.

Determinação de compostos fenólicos por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência isocrática durante estacionamento da erva-mate Determination of phenolic compounds by isocratic high performance liquid chromatografic method during storage of yerba-mate

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Fabiana L. Goularte Dutra

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Different phenolic compound, 5- caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA, caffeic acid (AC and rutin (Ru contents of yerba-mate (Ilex paraguariensis Brazilian samples of 06 different regions of São Mateus - Paraná, during natural and accelerated industrial storage, were evaluated. For quantification, a reverse phase HPLC isocratic method was developed and validated using methanol:water (35:65 v/v acidified with 0.5% acetic acid as mobile phase and a photodiode array detector. The six sample global average contents were (34.90 and 36.10 mg g-1 for 5-CQA, (0.18 mg g-1 and 0.23 mg g-1 for AC and (7.12 and 7.18 mg g-1 for Ru, respectively, for the natural and accelerated storage systems. The results showed that the 5-CQA and Ru content are kept constant during the storage while AC content increase only during accelerated storage.

Efeito da luminosidade e da adição de nitrogênio no crescimento de plantas de Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil. Effect of light and nitrogen on the growth of Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.

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Jorge Zbigniew Mazuchowski

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Neste trabalho, buscou-se identificar o efeito de diferentes níveis de luminosidade e da adição de adubo nitrogenado sobre o crescimento das plantas de erva-mate, no primeiro ano de crescimento. No experimento, usou-se o delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com três repetições, em quatro tratamentos e dois subtratamentos, tendo 16 parcelas por bloco. O esquema adotado foi o fatorial, tendo como variável constante a luminosidade em quatro intensidades (100, 70, 50 e 30% e o nitrogênio como variável interveniente sobre as parcelas. As leituras foram efetuadas a cada 45 dias, em três horários diários por três dias consecutivos, durante um ano. Verificou-se que a condição mais adequada para o crescimento das plantas foi com luminosidades de 50 e 30%. A adição de nitrogênio não mostrou influência relevante no crescimento da erva-mate, especialmente nas luminosidades de 100 e 70%, enquanto o aumento da luminosidade tendeu a reduzir o crescimento das plantas. Contudo, as plantas adubadas (1N tiveram maior rebrota que aquelas não-adubadas. A adição de nitrogênio mineral, em dosagens elevadas, foi danosa para as plantas de erva-mate, acarretando a mortalidade nas parcelas com tratamentos de maior luminosidade.This paper aimed to evaluate the effect of different levels of luminosity and nitrogen addition on the height of mate plants in the first year of growth. The experiment was arranged in randomized blocks, with three replicates, in four treatments and two sub-treatments, in a total of 16 plots per block, in a factorial design, with the luminosity in four different intensities (100%, 70%, 50% and 30% and the nitrogen application as the intervening variable on the plots. Data were collected every 45 days, in three daily schedules during three consecutive days, over one year. It was found that the best conditions to plant growth were 50% and 30% luminosity. The nitrogen addition have no relevant influence in plant growth, particularly at 100% and 70% luminosity, while the increase in luminosity contributed to the reduction in plant growth. However, the fertilized plants (1N increased regrowth. Nitrogen addition at high doses damaged the mate plants and caused death of mate plants in the plots with higher luminosity.

Morfometria e nervação foliar em procedências de erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hill. (Aquifoliaceae = Morphometry and foliar venation in origins of maté (Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hill. (Aquifoliaceae

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Vânia Helena Techio

2009-10-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho objetivou analisar a morfologia foliar morfometria e nervação foliar de procedências de erva-mate coletadas no Sul do Brasil e Argentina. Analisaram-se 30 folhas de cada procedência, obtendo-se cinco medidas (comprimento total da folha, largura máxima, comprimento desde a base até a largura máxima, comprimento do pecíolo e área e calculando-se dois índices (comprimento total sobre a largura máxima e comprimento desde a base até a largura máxima sobre o comprimento total da folha. Para anervação foliar, as folhas foram clarificadas por meio da técnica de diafanização. Os maiores e menores valores morfométricos foram, respectivamente, 118 e 67 mm para comprimento da folha, 51 e 34 mm para largura máxima, 78 e 42 mm para comprimento desde a base até alargura máxima, 16 e 10 mm para comprimento do pecíolo, 2,3 e 2 mm para comprimento sobre largura máxima e 0,65 e 0,6 para comprimento desde a base até a largura máxima sobre o comprimento da folha. Quanto à nervação foliar, não foram observadas diferenças entre as folhas das distintas procedências, as quais apresentaram nervação primária penada, nervação secundária semicraspedódroma, nervuras terciárias com percurso alternado e sinuoso, nervação quaternária reticulada, constituída por polígonos regulares e nervação de 5ª ordem dicotomizante.The present research aimed to evaluate the foliar morphology(morphometry and leaf venation of origins of maté collected in southern Brazil and Argentina. For the study of the morphometry, thirty leaves/plant were analyzed, and five measurements (leaf total length, maximum width, length from the base until maximum width, area and petiole length and two indices were obtained (total leaf length on maximum width and length from basis until maximum width on total leaf length. The leaves were clarified by the clarificationtechnique and examined in stereomicroscope. The highest and lowest values of leaf morphometry were, respectively, 118 and 67 mm for total leaf length, 51 and 34 mm for maximum width, 78 and 42 mm for length from the base until the maximum width, 16 and 10 mm for petiole length, 2.3 and 2 mm for total length on maximum width, and 0.65 and 0.6 for length from the base until the maximum width on total leaf length. In regards to leaf venation, differences between leaves of different origins were not observed, which presentedpinnate primary venation; semicraspedodromous secondary venation, alternate percurrent and sinuous tertiary venation, regular polygonal reticulate quaternary venation and dichotomizing 5tha vein category.

Management of nursery practices for efficient ectomycorrhizal fungi application in the production of Quercus ilex

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Oliveira, R. S.; Franco, A. R.; Vosátka, Miroslav; Castro, P. M. L.

2010-01-01

Roč. 52, 2-3 (2010), s. 125-131 ISSN 0334-5114 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1M0571 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : forest nursery inoculation * improved plant growht * holm oak Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.442, year: 2010

Propriedades Ecofisiológicas e Produtivas como Ferramenta para Melhoramento Genético de Erva-Mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil. Ecophysiological and Productive Properties as Tool for Breeding of Maté (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.

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Miroslava Rakocevic

2011-03-01

Full Text Available

Evaluation of gamma irradiation of teas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerolis, Luanai G.L.; Lameiras, Fernando S.; Menezes, Maria A.B.C.; Leal, Alexandre S., E-mail: luanaigraz@yahoo.com.br [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Krambrock, Klaus, E-mail: klaus@fisica.ufmg.br [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica. Lab. de Ressonancia Paramagnetica Eletronica

2013-07-01

There is a growing interest in the determination of non-essential traces elements in agroindustrial products. The continuous ingestion and accumulation in the organism of such elements, that may be toxic, can cause hazards to the human health in the long term. Reliable analytical techniques are necessary to monitor such products, including teas. In this work, the neutron activation technique is being employed to determine the trace elements in teas, due to its high sensibility and the possibility to perform a multi-elementary analysis. The gamma irradiation of teas is also being studied, because the shelf life can be extended and no chemical product is added to the teas. There is a concern related to the formation of free radicals in the teas, which is being accessed with electronic paramagnetic resonance. The results of the gamma irradiation up to 20 kGy of Camelia sinensis, Ilex paraguariensis, and Matricaria recutita are presented. (author)

An Improved Clearing and Mounting Solution to Replace Chloral Hydrate in Microscopic Applications

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Thomas S. Villani

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Premise of the study: This study presents Visikol™, a new proprietary formulation that can be used as an efficient replacement for chloral hydrate as a clearing agent for microscopic examination. In the United States, chloral hydrate is regulated and therefore difficult to acquire. Methods and Results: Fresh and dry samples of the following plants: ginger (Zingiber officinale, maté (Ilex paraguariensis, lime basil (Ocimum americanum, oregano (Origanum vulgare, and mouse-ear cress (Arabidopsis thaliana, were cleared using Visikol or chloral hydrate solution and compared using a light microscope. Conclusions: This new method can be used successfully to clear specimens, allowing identification of diagnostic characteristics for the identification of plant materials. Visikol is as effective as chloral hydrate in providing clarity and resolution of all tissues examined. Tissues become transparent, allowing observation of deeper layers of cells and making it effective in research, botanical and quality control, and for educational applications.

Mutagenicity assessment of aerosols in emissions from wood combustion in Portugal.

Science.gov (United States)

Vu, B; Alves, C A; Gonçalves, C; Pio, C; Gonçalves, F; Pereira, R

2012-07-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) extracts of fine particles (PM(2.5)) collected from combustion of seven wood species and briquettes were tested for mutagenic activities using Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100. The woods were Pinus pinaster (maritime pine), Eucalyptus globulus (eucalypt), Quercus suber (cork oak), Acacia longifolia (golden wattle), Quercus faginea (Portuguese oak), Olea europea (olive), and Quercus ilex rotundifolia (Holm oak). Burning experiments were done using woodstove and fireplace, hot start and cold start conditions. A mutagenic response was recorded for all species except golden wattle, maritime pine, and briquettes. The mutagenic extracts were not correlated with high emission factors of carcinogenic PAHs. These extracts were obtained both from two burning appliances and start-up conditions. However, fireplace seemed to favour the occurrence of mutagenic emissions. The negative result recorded for golden wattle was interesting, in an ecological point of view, since after confirmation, this invasive species, can be recommended for domestic use. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of the PHYTENER project. Development of phyto-remediation on soils contaminated by metals for energy purposes: ecologic viability, social interest and economic assessment. Synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bidar, Geraldine; Detriche, Sebastien; Douay, Francis; Fourrier, Herve; Louvel, Brice; Pelfrene, Aurelie; Pourrut, Bertrand; Nsanganwimana, Florien; Pruvot, Christelle; Waterlot, Christophe; Muchembled, Jerome; Comont, Eric; Statnik, Corinne; Demuynck, Sylvain; Grumiaux, Fabien; Lemiere, Sebastien; Lepretre, Alain; Pernin, Celine; Pauwels, Jean-Francois; Therssen, Eric; Deram, Annabelle; Hayet, Audrey; Billet, Sylvain; Firmin, Stephane; Fontaine, Joel; Labidi, Sonia; Lounes-Hadj Sahraoui, Anissa; Shirali, Pirouz; Tisserand, Benoit; Verdin, Anthony; Cazier, Fabrice; Dorothee, Dewaele; Genevray, Paul; Scheifler, Renaud; Proix, Nicolas; Retailleau, Julien; Richard, Antoine; Blarel, Jacques; Lefevre, Benoit; Billaut, Geoffrey; Cadiere, Frederique; Collet, Bastien; Faure, Olivier; Lamy, Isabelle

2015-03-01

This publication proposes a synthesis of results obtained within a multi-disciplinary research programme, Phytener, performed between 2009 and 2013. This programme notably considered the case of ancient mining sites and of the associated soil contaminations (by cadmium, lead or zinc), and the study of the use of phyto-technologies for a better management of highly contaminated agricultural spaces. These studies addressed management modes based on phyto-remediation (assisted or not) of cadmium, lead and zinc, with the implication of two biomass production sectors: wood (with the following species: Robinia pseudoacacia, Alnus glutinosa, Quercus ilex and Acer pseudoplatanus) and an herbaceous vegetation (Miscanthus x giganteus). The objective was then to assess the ecologic viability of the proposed management modes, to contribute to a sustainable redevelopment of agriculture, and to give back an economic interest to disqualified agricultural soils while meeting environmental, economic and social demands. Thus, the authors present the experimental approach and discuss the obtained results

Mate extract as feed additive for improvement of beef quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Zawadzki, Andressa; Arrivetti, Leandro de O.R.; Vidal, Marília P.

2017-01-01

Mate (Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil.) is generally recognized as safe (GRAS status) and has a high content of alkaloids, saponins, and phenolic acids. Addition of mate extract to broilers feed has been shown to increase the oxidative stability of chicken meat, however, its effect on beef quality...... from animals supplemented with mate extract has not been investigated so far. Addition of extract of mate to a standard maize/soy feed at a level of 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5% w/w to the diet of feedlot for cattle resulted in increased levels of inosine monophosphate, creatine and carnosine in the fresh meat....... The content of total conjugated linoleic acid increased in the meat as mate extract concentration was increased in the feed. The tendency to radical formation in meat slurries as quantified by EPR spin-trapping decreased as increasing mate extract addition to feed, especially after storage of the meat...

Drinking yerba mate infusion: a potential risk factor for invasive fungal diseases?

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira, N O; Peres, A; Aquino, V R; Pasqualotto, A C

2010-12-01

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) infusion is a very popular drink in South America. Although several studies have evaluated the potential for fungal contamination in foodstuff, very few investigations have been conducted with yerba mate samples. In order to evaluate for the presence of potentially pathogenic fungi, here we studied 8 brands of yerba mate commercially available in Southern Brazil. Fungal survival in adverse conditions such as gastric pH was determined by incubating samples at pH 1.5. Because hot water is generally used to prepare yerba mate infusion, the effect of several temperatures on fungal growth was also investigated. All but 1 yerba mate brand showed substantial fungal growth, in the range of <10–4900 colony-forming units per gram. Some of these fungi were able to survive extreme variations in pH and temperature. Because of the potential for yerba mate to carry pathogenic fungi, immunocompromised patients may be at risk of acquiring invasive fungal diseases by drinking yerba mate infusion.

Phytochemical profile of morphologically selected yerba-mate progenies

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Alice Teresa Valduga

2016-02-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Yerba-mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil is a native South American species. Plant progenies are populations that differ in terms of their productivity, morphology and phytochemical profile. This study aimed to determine the concentration of primary and secondary metabolites, such as antioxidants, in leaves, of yerba-mate progenies selected based on morphological characteristics. We evaluated the centesimal composition of secondary metabolites in the leaves of five yerba-mate plants. Methylxanthines and phenolic compounds were determined by UPLC-PDA, and antioxidant activity by measuring DPPH scavenging. Significant differences were found in centesimal composition and the contents of caffeine, theobromine, rutin and chlorogenic acid, as well as antioxidant activities, in selected progenies. The IC50 values were correlated with the chlorogenic acid levels (r2 = 0.5242 and soluble content (r2 = 0.7686. The morphological characteristics observed in yerba-mate leaves can be used as a tool for plant selection, to obtain matrices with different phytochemical profiles as a genetic material source.

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of methylxanthines from maté tea leaves

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M.D.A. Saldaña

2000-09-01

Full Text Available Methylxanthines are alkaloids found in natural products such as tea, coffee and guaraná. These alkaloids are commonly used in cola drinks and pharmaceutical products due principally to their stimulant and diuretic effects on the human organism. In this work, experimental data on the supercritical CO2 extraction of caffeine, theophylline and theobromine from herbal maté tea, a beverage traditionally consumed by the gauchos of southern Brazil, the Argentine, Paraguay and Uruguay, were obtained using high pressure extraction equipment that allows adequate control of temperature and pressure. The continuous extraction/fractionation of maté tea leaves, Ilex paraguariensis in natura using carbon dioxide was carried out at 313.2 and 343.2 K and pressures of 13.8 and 25.5 MPa. Extraction/fractionation curves revealed the large influence of temperature and pressure on extraction yield. CO2 was also found to show a higher selectivity for caffeine than for theophylline and theobromine.

The tradable value of distributed generation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-07-01

A general guide for all generators connected to the electric power distribution network is presented. It provides an indication of the tradable value of distributed generation in prevailing market conditions. The document covers (i) the elements of value for which distributed generators may be awarded; (ii) how generators can realize these values and (iii) references to other relevant sources of information. The value an individual generator can realize depends on size, technology, operating profile, location and connection voltage. Definitions of small, medium and large generators are given. The values received by a generator will depend at least on prevailing prices, time of day and time of year. Added value may come from Renewable Obligation Certificates and Climate Change Levy Exemption Certificates. Worked examples are given for a domestic PV system, an industrial CHP scheme and a wind farm. The study was carried out by Ilex Energy Consulting and supported by the DTI.

Soda-anthraquinone, kraft and organosolv pulping of holm oak trimmings.

Science.gov (United States)

Alaejos, J; López, F; Eugenio, M E; Tapias, R

2006-11-01

The operating conditions for an organosolv (ethyleneglycol) and two alkaline (soda-anthraquinone and kraft) processes for obtaining cellulose pulp and paper from holm oak (Quercus ilex) wood trimmings were optimized. A range of variation for each process variable (viz. temperature, cooking time and soda or ethyleneglycol concentration) was established and a central composite experimental design involving three independent variables at three different variation levels was applied. The results obtained with the three cooking processes used were compared and those provided by the kraft process were found to be the best. Thus, the tensile index values it provided (5.9-16.3 N m/g) were 23.7% and 41.5% better than those obtained with the soda-AQ and ethyleneglycol processes, respectively. Also, the kraft process provided the best burst index, brightness and kappa number values. Based on the optimum working ranges, the temperature and cooking time were the variables resulting in the most and least marked changes, respectively, in pulp properties.

Tree species identity and diversity drive fungal richness and community composition along an elevational gradient in a Mediterranean ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Saitta, Alessandro; Anslan, Sten; Bahram, Mohammad; Brocca, Luca; Tedersoo, Leho

2018-01-01

Ecological and taxonomic knowledge is important for conservation and utilization of biodiversity. Biodiversity and ecology of fungi in Mediterranean ecosystems is poorly understood. Here, we examined the diversity and spatial distribution of fungi along an elevational gradient in a Mediterranean ecosystem, using DNA metabarcoding. This study provides novel information about diversity of all ecological and taxonomic groups of fungi along an elevational gradient in a Mediterranean ecosystem. Our analyses revealed that among all biotic and abiotic variables tested, host species identity is the main driver of the fungal richness and fungal community composition. Fungal richness was strongly associated with tree richness and peaked in Quercus-dominated habitats and Cistus-dominated habitats. The highest taxonomic richness of ectomycorrhizal fungi was observed under Quercus ilex, whereas the highest taxonomic richness of saprotrophs was found under Pinus. Our results suggest that the effect of plant diversity on fungal richness and community composition may override that of abiotic variables across environmental gradients.

1825 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Márcia d´Avila

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil. has a social, cultural and economic importance in the southern states of Brazil. The pure stands of this culture was responsible for the increase of many species of insects. Hedypathes betulinus (Klug, 1825 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae is considered the main pest from an economic viewpoint because of its difficult control and potential for damage. The larval phase occurs inside the twings and trunks, what makes more difficult to deal with its detention and management. Cultural and mechanical management are the most indicated, such as collection of adults, prunning and burning of plant parts damaged by the insect, balanced nutrition, adequate plant density and maintenance of areas with native vegetation or also the introduction of policulture. These strategies may increase the agroecossystem balance and thus a reduction of the insect-pest to an aceptable level. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assemble and the discuss the information on the bioecology and management of erva-mate borer.

Evaluation of gamma irradiation of teas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerolis, Luanai G.L.; Lameiras, Fernando S.; Menezes, Maria A.B.C.; Leal, Alexandre S.; Krambrock, Klaus

2013-01-01

There is a growing interest in the determination of non-essential traces elements in agroindustrial products. The continuous ingestion and accumulation in the organism of such elements, that may be toxic, can cause hazards to the human health in the long term. Reliable analytical techniques are necessary to monitor such products, including teas. In this work, the neutron activation technique is being employed to determine the trace elements in teas, due to its high sensibility and the possibility to perform a multi-elementary analysis. The gamma irradiation of teas is also being studied, because the shelf life can be extended and no chemical product is added to the teas. There is a concern related to the formation of free radicals in the teas, which is being accessed with electronic paramagnetic resonance. The results of the gamma irradiation up to 20 kGy of Camelia sinensis, Ilex paraguariensis, and Matricaria recutita are presented. (author)

Ingested Nitrate and Breast Cancer in the Spanish Multicase-Control Study on Cancer (MCC-Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

Espejo-Herrera, Nadia; Gracia-Lavedan, Esther; Pollan, Marina; Aragonés, Nuria; Boldo, Elena; Perez-Gomez, Beatriz; Altzibar, Jone M; Amiano, Pilar; Zabala, Ana Jiménez; Ardanaz, Eva; Guevara, Marcela; Molina, Antonio J; Barrio, Juan Pablo; Gómez-Acebo, Ines; Tardón, Adonina; Peiró, Rosana; Chirlaque, Maria Dolores; Palau, Margarita; Muñoz, Montse; Font-Ribera, Laia; Castaño-Vinyals, Gemma; Kogevinas, Manolis; Villanueva, Cristina M

2016-07-01

Ingested nitrate leads to endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds that are breast carcinogens in animals, but human evidence is limited. We evaluated ingested nitrate as a risk factor for breast cancer (BC) in a multicase-control study. Hospital-based incident BC cases and population-based controls were recruited in eight Spanish regions in 2008-2013; participants provided residential and water consumption from 18 years of age and information on known BC risk factors. Long-term nitrate levels (1940-2010) were estimated and linked with residential histories and water consumption to calculate waterborne ingested nitrate (milligrams/day). Dietary ingested nitrate (milligrams/day) was calculated using food frequency questionnaires and published dietary nitrate contents. Interactions with endogenous nitrosation factors and other variables were evaluated. A total of 1,245 cases and 1,520 controls were included in the statistical analysis. Among the study regions, average ± SD waterborne ingested nitrate ranged from 2.9 ± 1.9 to 13.5 ± 7.5 mg/day, and dietary ingested nitrate ranged from 88.5 ± 48.7 to 154 ± 87.8 mg/day. Waterborne ingested nitrate was not associated with BC overall, but among postmenopausal women, those with both high nitrate (> 6 vs. nitrate and low red meat intake (adjusted odds ratio = 1.64; 95% confidence interval: 1.08, 2.49; overall interaction p-value = 0.17). No association was found with dietary nitrate. Waterborne ingested nitrate was associated with BC only among postmenopausal women with high red meat consumption. Dietary nitrate was not associated with BC regardless of the animal or vegetable source or of menopausal status. Espejo-Herrera N, Gracia-Lavedan E, Pollan M, Aragonés N, Boldo E, Perez-Gomez B, Altzibar JM, Amiano P, Zabala AJ, Ardanaz E, Guevara M, Molina AJ, Barrio JP, Gómez-Acebo I, Tardón A, Peiró R, Chirlaque MD, Palau M, Muñoz M, Font-Ribera L, Castaño-Vinyals G, Kogevinas M, Villanueva CM. 2016. Ingested

Ecology of an endemic insular species: Cyclamen balearicum Willk. In the Balearic Islands

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Grandjanny, Michel

1997-06-01

Full Text Available We studied Cyclamen balearicum Willk. in the Balearic Islands with the following two objectives: 1 to describe and discuss its ecology, 2 to discuss the type of rarity it represents. The species grows on Ibiza, Cabrera, Menorca and Mallorca; it is much more frequent on the latter two islands, and is abundant in the moutainous northern part of Mallorca. It is absent from Formentera. The species was found along the entire elevation gradient, thus experiencing a large range of rainfall and temperature conditions. It was encountered not only on limestone but also, occasionally on sandstone and schist in Menorca. Its local habitat is sheltered and shady, with a northern exposure, under a high cover of evergreen woody plants, with a stony soil. Quercus ilex L. and Pinus halepensis Mill, trees and Pistacia lentiscus L. shrubs are the more commonly observed dominant species where C. balearicum occuis. The usual entena applied in defining plant raríty are inadequate in this case, particularly where habitat specificity is concemed.Cyclamen balearicum Willk. ha sido estudiado en las Islas Baleares con dos objetivos principales: 1 describir y discutir su ecología, 2 discutir el tipo de especie rara que representa. La especie se encuentra en Ibiza. Cabrera, Menorca y Mallorca, aunque es mucho más frecuente en las dos últimas islas y abundante en la región montañosa del norte de Mallorca. No se ha encontrado en Formentera. La especie es capaz de crecer bajo una amplia gama de condiciones de precipitación y temperatura, puesto que se encuentra a lo largo de todo el gradiente altitudinal. Crece sobre rocas calcáreas y también, en Menorca, más raramente, sobre areniscas y esquistos. Se desarrolla principalmente en ambientes protegidos y sombreados orientados al norte, bajo la cubierta de árboles perennifohos, sobre suelos pedregosos. Quercus ilex L. y Pinus halepensis Mill, son las especies arbóreas, y Pistacia lentiscus L. la especie arbustiva, que

A method to quantify infection and colonization of holm oak (Quercus ilex roots by Phytophthora cinnamomi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruiz-Gómez Francisco J

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands. is an important root rot pathogen widely distributed in the north hemisphere, with a large host range. Among others diseases, it is known to be a principal factor in the decline of holm oak and cork oak, the most important tree species in the “dehesa” ecosystem of south-western Spain. Previously, the focus of studies on P. cinnamomi and holm oak have been on molecular tools for identification, functional responses of the host, together with other physiological and morphological host variables. However, a microscopic index to describe the degree of infection and colonization in the plant tissues has not yet been developed. A colonization or infection index would be a useful tool for studies that examine differences between individuals subjected to different treatments or to individuals belonging to different breeding accessions, together with their specific responses to the pathogen. This work presents a methodology based on the capture and digital treatment of microscopic images, using simple and accessible software, together with a range of variables that quantify the infection and colonization process.

Decline in holm oak coppices (Quercus ilex L. subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp.): biometric and physiological interpretations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Serrada, R.; Gómez-Sanz, V.; Aroca, M.J.; Otero, J.; Bravo-Fernández, J.A.; Roig, S.

2017-11-01

Aim of the study: To analyse the decline in aged holm oak coppice forests as regards above-ground and below-ground fractions and physiological features. Area of study: Centre of the Iberian Peninsula (Guadalajara province). Material and methods: 26 pairs of holm oak stools with different vigour but with similar site and structural characteristics within each pair were selected. Morphological (basal area, number of stools, maximum height) and physiological traits (leaf water potential, stomatal conductance) of the standing stools were assessed. Their aerial and underground parts were extracted and different size fractions of both their above and below-ground biomass were quantified. Linear mixed models were built to test the effect of ’Stool vigour’ on the mean behaviour of the measured variables. Additionally, for the aerial part, linear regressions between the weights of the different size fractions and the basal area at breast height were performed using ‘Stool vigour’ as a fixed factor. Main results: For the same site, root depth, and number and diameter of shoots than good vigour stools, poor vigour stools displayed: lower predawn water potential, greater leaf mass per unit of area; lower total leaf area; lower above-ground biomass (in total as well as per fractions); lower fine roots biomass; lower proportion of leaf biomass and a greater proportion of biomass of both all roots and those with diameter 2-7 cm. Research highlights: The above-ground physiological and morphological characteristics of declined stools are interpreted as poorer adaptation to site conditions. Root system architecture was found to be relevant to explain this behaviour.

Decline in holm oak coppices (Quercus ilex L. subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp.): biometric and physiological interpretations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serrada, R.; Gómez-Sanz, V.; Aroca, M.J.; Otero, J.; Bravo-Fernández, J.A.; Roig, S.

2017-01-01

Aim of the study: To analyse the decline in aged holm oak coppice forests as regards above-ground and below-ground fractions and physiological features. Area of study: Centre of the Iberian Peninsula (Guadalajara province). Material and methods: 26 pairs of holm oak stools with different vigour but with similar site and structural characteristics within each pair were selected. Morphological (basal area, number of stools, maximum height) and physiological traits (leaf water potential, stomatal conductance) of the standing stools were assessed. Their aerial and underground parts were extracted and different size fractions of both their above and below-ground biomass were quantified. Linear mixed models were built to test the effect of ’Stool vigour’ on the mean behaviour of the measured variables. Additionally, for the aerial part, linear regressions between the weights of the different size fractions and the basal area at breast height were performed using ‘Stool vigour’ as a fixed factor. Main results: For the same site, root depth, and number and diameter of shoots than good vigour stools, poor vigour stools displayed: lower predawn water potential, greater leaf mass per unit of area; lower total leaf area; lower above-ground biomass (in total as well as per fractions); lower fine roots biomass; lower proportion of leaf biomass and a greater proportion of biomass of both all roots and those with diameter 2-7 cm. Research highlights: The above-ground physiological and morphological characteristics of declined stools are interpreted as poorer adaptation to site conditions. Root system architecture was found to be relevant to explain this behaviour.

Yerba Mat? (Ilex paraguariensis) Metabolic, Satiety, and Mood State Effects at Rest and during Prolonged Exercise

OpenAIRE

Alkhatib, Ahmad; Atcheson, Roisin

2017-01-01

Yerba Mat? (YM), has become a popular herb ingested for enhancing metabolic health and weight-loss outcomes. No studies have tested the combined metabolic, satiety, and psychomotor effects of YM during exercise. We tested whether YM ingestion affects fatty acid oxidation (FAO), profile of mood state score (POMS), and subjective appetite scale (VAS), during prolonged moderate exercise. Twelve healthy active females were randomized to ingest either 2 g of YM or placebo (PLC) in a repeated-measu...

Soil properties linked to Phytophthora cinnamomi presence and oak decline in Iberian dehesas

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, G.; Vivas, M.; Pérez, A.; Cubera, E.; Madeira, M.; Solla, A.

2009-04-01

Dehesas cover about 3,100,000 ha in the Iberian Peninsula, and support an outstanding diversity of wildlife and flora endemisms. These open woodlands provide Spain and Portugal inhabitants with a high-quality food, derived from animal production, sustain rural population, and act as retardants of soil erosion and desertification, which are considered primary environmental concerns in the Mediterranean basin. Dehesas are considered examples of sustainable use, though in the last few decades intensive land use, imposed by a concomitant change in the technological and socio-economic conditions, and common agricultural policies threat their conservation. Soil compaction and erosion, oak regeneration failure, dieback of old-ageing stands, and loose of biodiversity are some of the most common threats. At the same time, a severe decline of Quercus ilex (Holm oak) has been reported since the 1990s in the southern Iberian Peninsula, and more recently in France, Italy, and Morocco. In the Iberian Peninsula, the decline has been mostly observed in dehesas, where a combination of factors, possibly acting in synergy, have been put forward to explain the disease. Severe drought episodes, flooding, and rapid fluctuations in soil water content have been reported as predisposing factors favoring tree invasion by bark borer insects and/or pathogenic fungi. It is mostly ignored to what extent decline is a natural or a man-induced process, and if it is associated to either basic, management-related soil properties, or both. To bring insight to this problem, extensive and integrative comparisons of some soil properties related to hydromorphism were initiated, comprising pairs of adjacent non-symptomatic and symptomatic Q. ilex trees. In 2008, 48 dehesa stands from western Spain (Cáceres), half of them located along stream banks and the other half located in slopes, were intensively studied. In each stand, soil and root samples were taken under 3 non-symptomatic (healthy) and 3

A multi-approach monitoring of particulate matter, metals and PAHs in an urban street canyon.

Science.gov (United States)

De Nicola, Flavia; Murena, Fabio; Costagliola, M Antonietta; Alfani, Anna; Baldantoni, Daniela; Prati, M Vittoria; Sessa, Ludovica; Spagnuolo, Valeria; Giordano, Simonetta

2013-07-01

For the first time until now, the results from a prediction model (Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling System (ADMS)-Road) of pollutant dispersion in a street canyon were compared to the results obtained from biomonitors. In particular, the instrumental monitoring of particulate matter (PM10) and the biomonitoring of 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 11 metals by Quercus ilex leaves and Hypnum cupressiforme moss bags, acting as long- and short-term accumulators, respectively, were carried out. For both PAHs and metals, similar bioaccumulation trends were observed, with higher concentrations in biomonitors exposed at the leeward canyon side, affected by primary air vortex. The major pollutant accumulation at the leeward side was also predicted by the ADMS-Road model, on the basis of the prevailing wind direction that determines different exposure of the street canyon sides to pollutants emitted by vehicular traffic. A clear vertical (3, 6 and 9 m) distribution gradient of pollutants was not observed, so that both the model and biomonitoring results suggested that local air turbulences in the street canyon could contribute to uniform pollutant distribution at different heights.

Modeling heat and mass transfer in the heat treatment step of yerba maté processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. M. Peralta

2007-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research was to estimate the leaf and twig temperature and moisture content of yerba maté branches (Ilex paraguariensis Saint Hilaire during heat treatment, carried out in a rotary kiln dryer. These variables had to be estimated (modeling the heat and mass transfer due to the difficulty of experimental measurement in the dryer. For modeling, the equipment was divided into two zones: the flame or heat treatment zone and the drying zone. The model developed fit well with the experimental data when water loss took place only in leaves. In the first zone, leaf temperature increased until it reached 135°C and then it slowly decreased to 88°C at the exit, despite the gas temperature, which varied in this zone from 460°C to 120°C. Twig temperature increased in the two zones from its inlet temperature (25°C up to 75°C. A model error of about 3% was estimated based on theoretical and experimental data on leaf moisture content.

Costs and benefits of embedded generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

Ilex Associates has been appointed by ETSU to examine the underlying costs and benefits of embedded generation (i.e. generation which is directly connected into a REF's distribution network instead of the national transmission network). The main impetus for this work stems from the need to understand the true value of embedded generation in time to review the development of further NFFO contracts following the expiry of the, so called, ''nuclear levy''. This is particularly important at this time because of the view expressed by the Director General of Electricity Supply (DGES) that to continue to receive support renewables technologies should be able to demonstrate good progress in converging towards a market price. The prime objectives of this study are to determine the costs and benefits of connecting and operating a generator that is embedded in a local Regional Electricity Company's (REC's) distribution network compared to the alternative option of providing electricity from a large generating station which is connected directly to the transmission system (and colloquially known as directly connected generation). (UK)

Late Pleistocene Vegetation, Climate and Relative Sea Level Changes in the Southeastern Brazilian Coast, Based on C and N Isotopes and Bio Indicator Analysis of Mangrove Organic Matter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pessenda, L. C.R.; Vidotto, E.; Buso, Jr., A. A.; Assarini, Jr., J. P.; Bendassollia, J. A. [Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture (CENA), University of Sao Paulo (USP), Piracicaba, Sao Paulo (Brazil); De Oliveira, P. E. [University of Guarulhos (UNG), Guarulhos, Sao Paulo (Brazil); Macias, F. [' ' Luiz de Queiroz' ' College of Agriculture/USP, Piracicaba, Sao Paulo (Brazil); Ricardi-Branco, F. [University of Campinas - Geosciences Institute, Campinas, Sao Paulo (Brazil)

2013-07-15

On the southeastern Brazilian coast, mangrove organic matter records have been studied by C and N isotopes, pollen and diatom analysis to reconstruct 40 ka of vegetation and climatic history. The {delta}{sup 13}C and {delta}{sup 15}N presented more depleted values from 40 to 19 ka BP. The high C/N ratios and depleted isotopic values indicate the predominance of C3 land plants in the location presently occupied by the mangrove vegetation, and a lower sea level than today. The presence of pollen of Ilex, Weinmannia, Symplocos, Drimys and Podocarpus suggest a colder and more humid climate than present. From 19 to 2.2 ka BP a sedimentary hiatus is associated with a sea level rise. The presence of mangrove in its present position since at least 2.200 a BP and the return of the marine coastline are associated with the lowest C/N ratio, more enriched {delta}{sup 13}C and {delta}{sup 15}N values and the presence of marine diatoms. (author)

Twin-cuvette measurement technique for investigation of dry deposition of O3 and PAN to plant leaves under controlled humidity conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Sun

2016-02-01

with Quercus ilex was investigated over a 14 day measurement period under controlled climate chamber conditions. By using O3 mixing ratios between 32 and 105 ppb and PAN mixing ratios between 100 and 350 ppt, a linear dependency of the O3 flux as well as the PAN flux in relation to its ambient mixing ratio could be observed. At relative humidity (RH of 40 %, the deposition velocity ratio of O3 and PAN was determined to be 0.45. At that humidity, the deposition of O3 to the plant leaves was found to be only controlled by the leaf stomata. For PAN, an additional resistance inhibited the uptake of PAN by the leaves. Furthermore, the formation of water films on the leaf surface of plants inside the chamber could be continuously tracked with our custom built leaf wetness sensors. Using this modified leaf wetness sensor measuring the electrical surface conductance on the leaves, an exponential relationship between the ambient humidity and the electrical surface conductance could be determined.

Breeding ornithical communities in the Natural Reserve “Monte Soratte” (Central Italy: composition and structure.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corrado Battisti

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In this study we obtained further data on the breeding bird communities of “Monte Soratte” nature reserve (Latium, central Italy. We sampled 55 breeding species (49 during the standard sampling with point counts in four habitat types (Quercus ilex oak woods, landscape mosaics, urban habitats and wet habitat mosaics along the Tiber river. Landscape mosaics and wet mosaics along the Tiber river showed higher values both of richness (also normalizing with the Margalef index and Shannon diversity when compared to the other habitat types. Bird community in urban habitats showed a high mean species richness but a low β-diversity index, probably due to low spatial heterogeneity. The values of mean species richness are not significantly different among habitat types. Further research should be promoted to confirm the nesting of some species, yet observed in this area (e.g., Falco peregrinus, Phylloscopus bonelli. “Monte Soratte” nature reserve may represent a stop-over site and a foraging area for migrant raptors of conservation concern (e.g., for Circaetus gallicus.

Silvicultural options in ageing holm oak (Quercus ilex L. coppices in Gargano: results after 14 growing seasons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scopigno D

2008-12-01

Full Text Available In the frame of a long-term research program concerning management of ageing holm oak coppices, results available after 14 growing seasons are reported in present paper. Experimental treatments include: A 50 standards per hectare, all of the same age; B 250 standards per hectare, all of the same age; C 140 standards per hectare, with two different ages; D conversion to high forest; E natural evolution (control. A total of 15 permanent plots were established (5 treatments x 3 replicates per treatment and the experimental design used is that of randomised blocks. Based on observations concerning seedlings and shoots development and standards growth and competitive effects, the following preliminary results may be highlighted: i recovering the traditional coppicing system with few standards per hectare represents a valid option from both ecological and shoots growth point of view; the stools, with few standards per hectare, showed a larger number of sprouts, provided with a higher average height and larger diameters; ii uneven-aged standards represent a good alternative form the points of view of both landscape impact immediately after felling operations and stand resistance to climatic damages; iii a good alternative is to apply conversion treatments to high forest, whenever their site quality allows these operations.

LC-MSn study of the chemical transformations of hydroxycinnamates during yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) tea brewing.

Science.gov (United States)

Matei, Marius Febi; Jaiswal, Rakesh; Patras, Maria A; Kuhnert, Nikolai

2016-12-01

Yerba maté is one of the most popular beverages in South American countries and its consumption is associated with a wide array of health effects. In this study, we used advanced HPLC-ESI-MS n and HPLC-ESI-HRMS methods for the identification and characterization of hydroxycinnamates and their derivatives formed during the brewing process of yerba maté. We report on the hydroxylation of the hydroxycinnamates cinnamoyl substituent by conjugate addition of water to form 3-hydroxy-dihydrocinnamic acid derivatives using a series of model compounds, including caffeoylglucoses, dicaffeoylquinic acids, methyl caffeoylquinate and mono caffeoylquinic acids. The regiochemistry of conjugate addition was determined by targeted tandem MS experiments performed on authentic standards. It was interesting to note that hydroxylation of hydroxycinnamates produced cis and acyl-migration isomers, which is in line with previously reported data. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Efeito da erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis) sobre o metabolismo de ratos tratados com dieta hiperlipídica

OpenAIRE

Luana Ferreira Gomes

2012-01-01

A obesidade é definida por um acúmulo excessivo de gordura na forma de tecido adiposo. É um problema crescente, resultando em significativa morbidade e mortalidade por doenças relacionadas, bem como uma redução da qualidade de vida. O acúmulo excessivo de tecido adiposo que caracteriza a obesidade está diretamente relacionado ao desenvolvimento patologias que, coletivamente, compõem a chamada síndrome metabólica. O tecido adiposo é o principal reservatório energético do organismo, mas também ...

Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria): Section 7.5.10, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wildlife Resources Management Manual

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Martin, Chester

1997-01-01

...), yauipon is the most valuable to wildlife (Halls and Ripley 1961). Its thicket-forming characteristics make it excellent cover for many birds, and its fruits and foliage provide a year-round food source for white-tailed deer (Halls 1977...

Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguariensis) Metabolic, Satiety, and Mood State Effects at Rest and during Prolonged Exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Alkhatib, Ahmad; Atcheson, Roisin

2017-08-15

Yerba Maté (YM), has become a popular herb ingested for enhancing metabolic health and weight-loss outcomes. No studies have tested the combined metabolic, satiety, and psychomotor effects of YM during exercise. We tested whether YM ingestion affects fatty acid oxidation (FAO), profile of mood state score (POMS), and subjective appetite scale (VAS), during prolonged moderate exercise. Twelve healthy active females were randomized to ingest either 2 g of YM or placebo (PLC) in a repeated-measures design. Participants rested for 120 min before performing a 30-min cycling exercise corresponding to individuals' crossover point intensity (COP). FAO, determined using indirect calorimetry, was significantly higher during the 30-min exercise in YM vs. PLC (0.21 ± 0.07 vs. 0.17 ± 0.06 g/min, p exercise at targeted "fat-loss"' intensities augments FAO and improves measures of satiety and mood state. Such positive combined metabolic, satiety, and psychomotor effects may provide an important role for designing future fat and weight-loss lifestyle interventions.

Fitossociologia do componente arbóreo na floresta turfosa do Parque Nacional da Lagoa do Peixe, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil Phytosociology of the tree component in a peat forest of the National Park Lagoa do Peixe, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lúcia Patrícia Pereira Dorneles

2004-12-01

Full Text Available A composição florística e a estrutura do componente arbóreo foram analisadas na floresta de restinga turfosa do Parque Nacional da Lagoa do Peixe (31º04' - 31º29'S, 50º461 - 51º09'W, localizado na região central da Planície Costeira do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. O componente arbóreo foi amostrado pelo método de quadrantes centrados, incluindo indivíduos com DAP mínimo de 5cm. Foram amostrados 60 pontos, distribuídos ao longo de quatro transectos paralelos, aproximadamente com a mesma orientação NE-SW do sistema lagunar. A composição florística resultou em 14 famílias, 18 gêneros e 21 espécies. A densidade arbórea total estimada para um hectare foi de 3.479 indivíduos. A família com maior riqueza específica foi Myrtaceae. As espécies mais importantes foram Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham. Glassman, Myrcia multiflora (Lam. DC., Ilex pseudobuxus Reissek, Citharexylum myrianthum Cham. e Dendropanax cuneatum Decne. & Planch. A diversidade específica estimada pelo índice de Shannon (H' foi de 2,601 nats.ind.-1 e a equabilidade (J de 0,854, similar aos resultados obtidos em outros estudos realizados em florestas brejosas ou turfosas do Sul e Sudeste do Brasil.Floristic composition and structure of the tree component were analyzed in a coastal peat forest of the National Park Lagoa do Peixe (31º04' - 31º29'S, 50º46' - 51º09'W, located in the central region of the coastal plain of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The tree component was sampled according to the point-centered quarter method, including individuals with a minimum DBH of 5cm. Sixty sample points were distributed along four parallel transects, approximately with the same NE-SW orientation as the lagoon system. Floristic composition resulted in 14 families, 18 genera and 21 species. The total tree density estimated for one hectare was 3,479 individuals. The family with highest species richness was Myrtaceae. The most important species were Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham

FITOSSOCIOLOGIA DA VEGETAÇÃO ARBÓREA DO PARQUE NACIONAL DO IGUAÇU

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Ronan Felipe de Souza

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Phytosociology of tree vegetation in Iguaçu National Park is inserted within Atlantic Forest biome and is considered the largest Brazilian non-Amazon Park. Despite its importance and its significant forest area, there are few scientific studies related to its vegetation. In order to meet this demand, we conducted a phytosociological inventory of the tree vegetation by means of plots installed in different environments, striving to achieve optimum environmental representation. In the classification of vegetation by TWINSPAN the forests were initially separated into ambient montane and submontane. An ecotone region between seasonal and araucaria forests was observed in the montane site, at an altitude above 700 m. The semideciduous forest montane was observed at altitudes of 600-700 meters. The Forest Seasonal Submontane in the lowlands was separated into two subformations, Typical and Humid, due to physiognomic variations regulated by geomorphology and humidity. According to the results, the tree vegetation of Iguaçu National Park is a remnant of great importance for the conservation of forest species in southern Brazil, among which stand out Aspidosperma polyneuron Müll. Arg., Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol. Kuntze, Euterpe edulis Mart. and Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.

Ilexonin A Promotes Neuronal Proliferation and Regeneration via Activation of the Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway after Cerebral Ischemia Reperfusion in Rats

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Bi-Qin Zhang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aims. Ilexonin A (IA, a component of the Chinese medicine Ilex pubescens, has been shown to be neuroprotective during ischemic injury. However, the specific mechanism underlying this neuroprotective effect remains unclear. Methods. In this study, we employed a combination of immunofluorescence staining, western blotting, RT-PCR, and behavioral tests, to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in IA regulation of neuronal proliferation and regeneration after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in rodents. Results. Increases in β-catenin protein and LEF1 mRNA and decreases in GSK3β protein and Axin mRNA observed in IA-treated compared to control rodents implicated the canonical Wnt pathway as a key signaling mechanism activated by IA treatment. Furthermore, rodents in the IA treatment group showed less neurologic impairment and a corresponding increase in the number of Brdu/nestin and Brdu/NeuN double positive neurons in the parenchymal ischemia tissue following middle cerebral artery occlusion compared to matched controls. Conclusion. Altogether, our data indicate that IA can significantly diminish neurological deficits associated with cerebral ischemia reperfusion in rats as a result of increased neuronal survival via modulation of the canonical Wnt pathway.

Valoración Biogeográfica de los Paisajes Vegetales de Las Bardenas Reales de Navarra a través de la Metodología LANBIOEVA

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Pedro José Lozano-Valencia

2017-12-01

Full Text Available El territorio de las Bardenas de Navarra configura uno de los paisajes más originales e infrecuentes de Europa. El relieve tabular estructural del Terciario ha sido modelado mayoritariamente en forma de badlands en un contexto climático de precipitaciones escasas y concentradas, temperaturas rigurosas tanto en invierno como en verano y vientos persistentes. Este contexto ambiental configura un paisaje vegetal de carácter estepario y con ciertas reminiscencias de zonas áridas o semiáridas. Es precisamente este interés el que nos lleva a caracterizar y valorar sus agrupaciones vegetales a través de la metodología LANBIOEVA. El método se aplica de forma sistemática de manera que las evaluaciones para cada uno de los criterios y subcriterios puedan ser comparadas con las obtenidas durante más de 25 años en otros ámbitos y formaciones a escala global. Destacan con valoraciones altas el pinar de Pinus halepensis y, sobre todo, el carrascal de Quercus ilex ssp. rotundifolia. Por su parte, las puntuaciones más bajas se registran para el coscojar de Quercus coccifera.

Determination of caffeine, theobromine and theophylline in Mate beer and Mate soft drinks by high-performance thin-layer chromatography.

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Oellig, Claudia; Schunck, Jacob; Schwack, Wolfgang

2018-01-19

Mate beer and Mate soft drinks are beverages produced from the dried leaves of Ilex paraguariensis (Yerba Mate). In Yerba Mate, the xanthine derivatives caffeine, theobromine and theophylline, also known as methylxanthines, are important active components. The presented method for the determination of caffeine, theobromine and theophylline in Mate beer and Mate soft drinks by high-performance thin-layer chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPTLC-UV) offers a fully automated and sensitive determination of the three methylxanthines. Filtration of the samples was followed by degassing, dilution with acetonitrile in the case of Mate beers for protein precipitation, and centrifugation before the extracts were analyzed by HPTLC-UV on LiChrospher silica gel plates with fluorescence indicator and acetone/toluene/chloroform (4:3:3, v/v/v) as the mobile phase. For quantitation, the absorbance was scanned at 274nm. Limits of detection and quantitation were 1 and 4ng/zone, respectively, for caffeine, theobromine and theophylline. With recoveries close to 100% and low standard deviations reliable results were guaranteed. Experimental Mate beers as well as Mate beers and Mate soft drinks from the market were analyzed for their concentrations of methylxanthines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epiphytic bryophytes of Quercus forests in Central and North inland Iberian Peninsula

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Nagore García Medina

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Diversity patterns are governed by a complex network of interacting factors. Studies directed to disentangle the most important factors affecting diversity have frequently shown divergent results, which has encouraged a rewarding debate about the relative importance of each factor. Scale dependency has been identified as a direct cause of at least part of such divergences. However, studies with spatially-explicit measurements at different scales are costly and therefore they are relatively scarce despite their importance. Here, we present a database to disentangle the cross-scale variation in the importance of factors affecting the diversity of epiphytic bryophyte communities in Quercus dominated forests (Quercus ilex L., Quercus pyrenaica Willd. and Quercus faginea Lam. in the North-western region of the Iberian Peninsula. We provide species-per-site abundance information with more than 9000 entries and an environmental table containing 20 in situ measured variables at three different scales (forest, stand, and sample. The database will help to advance the research of cross-scale effects of diversity patterns while at the same time providing valuable information on the distribution of a poorly known group of organisms. 

Wetland and microhabitat use by nesting four-toed salamanders in Maine

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Chalmers, R.J.; Loftin, C.S.

2006-01-01

Little is known of Four-Toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) habitat use, despite the species' extensive range and elevated conservation status. We investigated species-habitat relationships that predict H. scutatum nesting presence in Maine at wetland and microhabitat scales by comparing microhabitats with and without nests. We created logistic regression models, selected models with AIC, and evaluated models with reserve data. Wetlands with nests were best predicted by shoreline microhabitat of Sphagnum spp., wood substrate, water flow, blue-joint reed grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), meadowsweet (Spiraea alba), steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa), sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), and absence of sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia) or deciduous forest canopy. Within occupied wetlands, shoreline microhabitat where nests occurred was best distinguished from available, unoccupied shoreline microhabitat by steeper shore, greater near-shore and basin water depth, deeper nesting vegetation, presence of moss spp. and winterberry (Ilex verticillata), and a negative association with S. alba, leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), and K. angustifolia. These models of wetland and microhabitat use by H. scutatum may assist ecologists and managers in detecting and conserving this species. Copyright 2006 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.

Effect of supplementation with barley and calcium hydroxide on intake of Mediterranean shrubs

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Dragan Skobic

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Maquis plant communities are one of the most varied vegetation types in the Mediterranean region and an important habitat for wild and domestic herbivores. Although the majority of these shrubs are nutritious, the secondary compounds are main impediments that reduce their forage value. In five experiments we determined the effect of supplementing goats with calcium hydroxide plus barley, and barley alone on intake of five dominant shrubs (Quercus ilex, Erica multiflora, Arbutus unedo, Viburnum tinus and Pistacia lentiscus of the Mediterranean maquis community. The combination of calcium hydroxide plus barley and barley alone increased utilization of all five investigated Mediterranean shrubs; therewith that intake of Arbutus unedo and Viburnum tinus was not statistically significant. Supplemented goats with calcium hydroxide plus barley or barley alone could be effective in controlling secondary compounds-rich Mediterranean shrubs where their abundance threatens biodiversity. This control can be facilitated by browsing dominant Mediterranean shrubs, which has been shown to be effective in managing Mediterranean maquis density. Calcium hydroxide and barley (energy enhance use of secondary compounds-containing plants, which may increase production of alternate forages and create a more diverse mix of plant species in the Mediterranean maquis plant community.

Field-amplified sample stacking-sweeping of vitamins B determination in capillary electrophoresis.

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Dziomba, Szymon; Kowalski, Piotr; Bączek, Tomasz

2012-12-07

A capillary electrophoretic method for determination of five water soluble vitamins B along with baclofen as an internal standard has been developed and assessed in context of precision, accuracy, sensitivity, freedom from interference, linearity, detection and quantification limits. On-line preconcentration technique, namely field-amplified sample stacking (FASS)-sweeping, has been employed in respect to obtain more sensitive analysis. Separation conditions received after optimization procedure were as following background electrolyte (BGE), 10 mM NaH(2)PO(4), 80 mM SDS, (pH 7.25); sample matrix (SM), 10 mM NaH(2)PO(4) (pH 4.60); uncoated fused silica capillary (50 μm i.d. × 67 cm length); UV spectrophotometric detection at 200 nm; injection times: 10s and 30s at 3.45 kPa; applied voltage 22 kV; temperature 22°C. Validation parameters, namely precision, accuracy and linearity, were considered as satisfactory. Under the optimized conditions, it has been also successfully applied for vitamins B determination in bacterial growth medium and commercially available Ilex paraguariensis leaves. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transfer of 238U, 230Th, 226Ra, and 210Pb from soils to tree and shrub species in a Mediterranean area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanco Rodriguez, P.; Vera Tome, F.; Lozano, J.C.; Perez Fernandez, M.A.

2010-01-01

The soil-to-plant transfer factors of natural uranium isotopes ( 238 U and 234 U), 230 Th, 226 Ra, and 210 Pb were studied in a disused uranium mine located in the Extremadura region in the south-west of Spain. The plant samples included trees (Quercus ilex, Quercus suber, and Eucalyptus cameldulensis) and one shrub (Cytisus multiflorus). All of them are characteristic of Mediterranean environments. The activity concentrations in leaves and fruit were determined for the tree species at different stages of growth. For the shrub, the total above-ground fraction was considered in three seasons. For old leaves and fruit, the highest activity concentrations were found in Eucalyptus cameldulensis for all the radionuclides studied, except in the case of 230 Th that presented similar activity concentrations in all of the tree species studied. In every case, the transfer to fruit was less than the transfer to leaves. In the shrub, the results depended on the season of sampling, with the highest value obtained in spring and the lowest in autumn. Important correlations were obtained for 238 U and 226 Ra between the activity ratio in soils with that in leaves or fruit.

Tannins in tropical woods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doat, J

1978-01-01

A preliminary study was made of the chemistry of pyrogallol- and catecholtannins, their general properties and methods of extraction and determination. Three methods of estimation - Lowenthal, powdered hide and spectrophotometry - were compared using two control solutions, four samples of wood and one of bark. Using the empirical powdered hide method, tannins of both types were estimated in wood and bark of various tropical species (some separately and some as a mixture), Moroccan oaks (Quercus suber and Q. ilex), and European oak 9Q. petraea). Further tests were made on the wood and bark of the two mangrove species, Rhizophora mangle and R. racemosa, by subjecting them to successive extraction with a range of solvents. None of the woods tested had as much as the 10% of tannins considered necessary in economic sources. The bark of the two mangroves, of Eucalyptus urophylla and of Prosopis africana had tannin contents over 10% and the latter two species had very favorable tannin/non-tannin ratios. All the tropical species, with the probable exception of E. urophylla, had only catecholtannins. Only the oaks and E. urophylla bark gave positive results when tested for gallotannins.

Erva-mate production and conservation of Araucaria Forest

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Pablo Signor

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This study aims to characterize a native production area (native erval through silvicultural procedures, productivity and density of Ilex paraguariensis St.-Hil. (erva-mate and also the floristic, phytosociology, and diameter structure. To identify the silvicultural procedures, we used semi-structured interviews. For productivity assessment, the commercial biomass of I. paraguariensis was determined. For vegetation assessment, two permanent sample plots totaling 1.25 ha were installed, considering all individuals with circumference at 1.30 m above soil level (CBH ≥ 31.4 cm, for which it was registered CBH, botanical identification, XY coordinates in the plot, and all the individuals of I. paraguariensis composing the production system. Silvicultural procedures were characterized by mowing, canopy opening and conduct of natural regeneration, promoting I. paraguariensis, Araucaria angustifolia (Bert. Kuntze, and cattle. I. paraguariensis density was 634 trees.ha-1, with 2,030 kg.ha-1 of productivity in three-year crops. We found 22 species, with a predominance of Myrtaceae and Aquifoliaceae. The species of highest importance value and coverage was A. angustifolia. The diameter distribution showed a higher concentration of individuals in the smaller classes.

Epiphytic lichens as sentinels for heavy metal pollution at forest ecosystems (central Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loppi, Stefano; Pirintsos, S.A.

2003-01-01

Epiphytic lichens were useful as an early warning system for changes in forest ecosystems. - The results of a study using epiphytic lichens (Parmelia caperata) as sentinels for heavy metal deposition at six selected forest ecosystems of central Italy are reported. The woods investigated are characterized by holm oak (Quercus ilex), turkey oak (Quercus cerris) and beech (Fagus sylvatica) and represent the typical forest ecosystems of central Italy at low, medium and high elevations, respectively. The results showed that levels of heavy metals in lichens were relatively low and consequently no risk of heavy metal air pollution is expected for the six forest ecosystems investigated. However, for two of them there are indications of a potential risk: the beech forest of Vallombrosa showed signs of contamination by Pb as a consequence of vehicle traffic due to the rather high touristic pressure in the area, and the holm oak forest of Cala Violina showed transboundary pollution by Mn, Cr and Ni originating from the steel industry in Piombino. Epiphytic lichens proved to be very effective as an early warning system to detect signs of a changing environment at forest ecosystems

UMA BREVE HISTÓRIA (INDÍGENA DA ERVA-MATE NA REGIÃO PLATINA: DA PROVÍNCIA DO GUAIRÁ AO ANTIGO SUL DE MATO GROSSO

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Jorge Eremites de Oliveira

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Neste artigo, os autores analisam a exploração da erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis na bacia platina. O estudo se estende desde a Província do Guairá, no período colonial, até a incorporação do antigo sul de Mato Grosso, atual Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, ao território brasileiro. Esta última situação ocorreu no século XIX, após o fim da guerra entre o Paraguai e a Tríplice Aliança (1864-1870 e com a implantação, na década de 1880, da Companhia Matte Larangeira na região. A empresa explorou durante décadas os ervais nativos, o território e o trabalho de comunidades guarani e kaiowá. Também explorou a mão de obra de trabalhadores não índios de origem paraguaia e brasileira, dentre outros. A economia ervateira é, pois, o fio condutor para uma análise mais ampla sobre um longo processo histórico e sociocultural.

Phytosociology of a coastal peat forest of the Toto Beach, Municipality of Pelotas, RS, Brazil

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Tiago Schuch Lemos Venzke

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Floristic composition and structure of the tree component were analyzed in a coastal peat forest of the Toto Beach, located in the southern region of Lagoa dos Patos (31º43’39”S e 52º12’04”W. The phytosociological sampling was conducted on a sample area of 0.1 ha. All trees with DBH ≥ 4.8 cm were included. The species richness found was equivalent to 23 species distributed in 20 genera and 15 families. Two endangered species were sampled. The total tree density estimated for one hectare was equivalent to 3,480 trees. The most important species in the forest structure were Ocotea sp., Myrcia multiflora, Psidium cattleyanum, Ocotea pulchella, Myrsine lorentziana, Citharexyllum myrianthum, Ilex dumosa, Syagrus romanzoffiana, Guapira opposita and Sebastiania brasiliensis. The species diversity estimated by the Shannon index was 2,174 nats.ind.-1 and evenness (J was 0.684. The forest structure, number of taxa and diversity are similar to other surveys carried out in swamp forests of southern and southeastern Brazil. These parameters must be considered in the environmental licensing and ecological restoration projects of this forest type.

Trace element content and molecular biodiversity in the epiphytic moss Leptodon smithii: two independent tracers of human disturbance.

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Spagnuolo, Valeria; Terracciano, Stefano; Giordano, Simonetta

2009-03-01

This paper focuses on chemical composition of the epiphytic moss Leptodon smithii, gathered on Quercus ilex bark, assessed in seven sites located in urban and extra-urban/remote areas of southern Italy, a poorly surveyed geographic area. The concentrations of Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn in moss tissue are generally more abundant in moss gathered in the urban sites; among extra-urban/remote sites Valle delle Ferriere showed the highest metal concentrations, mostly related to an industrial activity occurred in the past. L. smithii chemistry seems influenced by airborne dust locally enhanced by erosion phenomena, long-range transport of pollutants and marine aerosols. Element content in moss is compared with genetic variability of L. smithii estimated in the same sites. Pearson's correlation coefficient between gene diversity and total element load (r=-0.851; p=0.03) suggests that anthropogenic pressure, determining habitat disturbance and fragmentation, leads both to genetic impoverishment consequent to population shrink, and to a higher accumulation in moss tissues, as a consequence of increased airborne major/trace elements. Thus, the coupled evaluation of chemical composition in mosses and gene diversity may prove a useful tool to highlight environmental disturbance in a gradient of land use.

BIOECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF ERVA-MATE BORER, Hedypathes betulinus (KLUG, 1825 (COLEOPTERA: CERAMBYCIDAE

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Márcia d´Avila

2010-08-01

Full Text Available The erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil. has a social, cultural and economic importance in  the southern states of Brazil. The  pure stands of  this culture was responsible for the increase  of many species of insects. Hedypathes betulinus (Klug, 1825 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae is considered the main pest from an economic viewpoint because of its difficult control and potential for damage. The larval phase occurs inside the twings and trunks, what makes more difficult to deal with its detention and management. Cultural and mechanical management are the most indicated, such as collection of adults, prunning and burning of plant parts damaged by the insect, balanced nutrition, adequate plant density and maintenance of areas with native vegetation or also the introduction of policulture. These strategies  may increase  the  agroecossystem  balance  and  thus  a  reduction  of  the  insect-pest  to  an aceptable level. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assemble and the discuss the information on the bioecology and management of erva-mate borer.

Determinação do perfil de compostos voláteis e avaliação do sabor e aroma de bebidas produzidas a partir da erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis Volatile compounds profile and flavor analysis of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis beverages

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Carla Carolina Batista Machado

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Volatile compounds from green and roasted yerba mate were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and the flavor profile from yerba mate beverages was determined by descriptive quantitative analyses. The main compounds tentatively identified in green mate were linalool, alpha-terpineol and trans-linalool oxide and in roasted mate were (E,Z-2,4-heptadienal isomers and 5-methylfurfural. Green mate infusion was qualified as having bitter taste and aroma as well as green grass aroma while roasted mate was defined as having a smooth, slightly burnt aroma. The relationship between the tentatively identified compounds and flavor must be determined by olfatometric analysis.

Flora arbórea da bacia do rio Tibagi (Paraná, Brasil: Celastrales sensu Cronquist Tree flora of the Tibagi river basin (Paraná, Brazil: Celastrales sensu Cronquist

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Ricardo Augusto Gorne Viani

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho estudou, por meio de coleções de herbários, os representantes arbóreos da ordem Celastrales sensu Cronquist, encontrados na bacia do rio Tibagi, estado do Paraná, Brasil. Esta bacia hidrográfica, subdividida em três zonas de norte para sul, baixo Tibagi (BT, médio Tibagi (MT e alto Tibagi (AT, apresenta diferentes condições ambientais e tipos de vegetação ao longo de sua extensão. A ordem Celastrales está representada na bacia estudada por 15 espécies arbóreas, pertencentes às famílias Aquifoliaceae, Celastraceae e Icacinaceae. Icacinaceae conta com apenas duas espécies, Citronella gongonha e C. paniculata, sendo a primeira distinta pelo ovário glabro e folhas geralmente com espinhos. Aquifoliaceae contém seis espécies: Ilex brasiliensis, I. brevicuspis, I. chamaedryfolia, I. dumosa, I. paraguariensis e I. theezans, que ocorrem preferencialmente no AT e MT e se distinguem pela dimensão, revestimento, ápice e margem da folha e pela morfologia das sépalas. Celastraceae está representada por sete espécies pertencentes a dois gêneros, Plenckia populnea, espécie de cerrado, encontrada apenas no MT e seis espécies de Maytenus (M. aquifolia, M. dasyclada, M. evonymoides, M. ilicifolia, M. robusta e M. salicifolia, com distinção baseada principalmente no tipo de margem e dimensão das folhas, forma do ramo e número de flores por inflorescência.A study of the tree species of the order Celastrales sensu Cronquist from the Tibagi river basin, Paraná state, Brazil, is presented, based on herbarium material. This basin is subdivided into three zones, from north to south: lower Tibagi (BT, mid Tibagi (MT and upper Tibagi (AT, each with different environmental conditions and vegetation types. The order Celastrales is represented in the basin by 15 tree species belonging to three families: Aquifoliaceae, Celastraceae and Icacinaceae. Icacinaceae has only two species, Citronella gongonha and C. paniculata. The

SIDOL – Sistema de Identificação Dendrológica On-line / SIDOL - On-line Dendrologic Identification System

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Daniel Saueressig

2009-04-01

Full Text Available ResumoApresenta-se um sistema informatizado, com uso via Internet, objetivando facilitar e agilizar o processo de identificação das espécies arbóreas e principais arbustos encontrados no Campus Universitário de Irati (UNICENTRO, que tem como base a combinação de características macromorfológicas informadas pelo usuário. O sistema de consulta, apresentado em modo formulário, é dinâmico. Os passos do usuário são guiados e as ações informadas, facilitando o entendimento e a interação com o sistema. Após a entrada das informações, o sistema consulta as tabelas do banco de dados em busca de resultados. Os resultados da busca, caso haja registro, são exibidas ao usuário, que não precisa ter conhecimento técnico para operar o sistema. Associado à criação do sistema foi realizado o estudo florístico do Campus, que mostrou a presença de 127 espécies pertencentes a 92 gêneros e 46 famílias. As famílias Myrtaceae (19 espécies, Fabaceae (15, Lauraceae (9, Asteraceae (7, Salicaceae (6 e Aquifoliaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Rosaceae e Solanaceae (5, apresentaram uma maior riqueza florística e juntas representam 59,84% das espécies catalogadas. Os gêneros mais ricos foram Ilex (5 espécies, Eugenia e Casearia (4 e Cinnamomum, Zanthoxylum, Ocotea e Myrcia (3.AbstractA virtual system supported by Internet is presented in order to facilitate and accelerate identification of trees and shrubs growing at the University Campus in Irati, Paraná State, Brazil (UNICENTRO - Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste. The system key is the combination of macromorphological characteristics informed by the user. The search system is dynamic and is presented in a chart format. User steps are guided and actions are informed in order to facilitate understanding and interaction with the system. After the information input, the system searches results in the data bank. When the input matches an existing record, the system displays the stored

Structure and floristic composition of five caiva area in north plateau of Santa Catarina State, Brazil Estrutura e composição florística de cinco áreas de caíva no planalto norte de Santa Catarina

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Ana Lúcia Hanisch

2010-12-01

Full Text Available

Caivas are remnants areas of Mixed Ombrophylous Forest, whose inferior stratum is composed of native pastures used for animal consume. The aim of this work was to evaluate the structure and floristic  composition of five caivas areas. Plots of one hectare were used. Every individual with DBH ≥ 5 cm were measured and identified. The parameters of density, frequency, dominance, Importance Value (IV were calculated. These results showed 24 families and 52 species. The families with the higher number of species were Lauraceae, Myrtaceae, Aquifoliaceae and Sapindaceae and with the higher number of individuals were Myrtaceae, Araucariaceae, Aquifoliaceae and Lauraceae. The Shannon diversity index value showed high floristic diversity in the caivas and the Sorensen index showed floristic similarity among the five caivas areas. Araucaria angustifolia, Myrcia sp. Ocotea porosa, Cinnamodendron dinisii and Ilex paraguariensis were the five most important species based on Importance Value. The results confirmed that the caivas areas represent an important reservoir of native tree species, although they were being management for a long time.

doi: 10.4336/2010.pfb.30.64.303

Caívas são remanescentes de Floresta Ombrófila Mista, com diferentes densidades arbóreas, cujo estrato herbáceo é formado por pastagens nativas ou  naturalizadas utilizadas para pastejo animal. Este trabalho avaliou a composição florística e a estrutura arbórea de cinco caívas bem estabelecidas. Foram utilizadas parcelas de um hectare em cada caíva, onde foram medidos e identificados todos os indivíduos com DAP ≥ 5 cm e calculados os parâmetros fitossociológicos de densidade, frequência, dominância e valor de importância. Verificou-se a ocorrência de 24 famílias e 52 espécies. As famílias com maior número de espécies foram Lauraceae, Myrtaceae, Aquifoliaceae e Sapindaceae; e as famílias com maior n

Atmospheric deposition of inorganic nitrogen in Spanish forests of Quercus ilex measured with ion-exchange resins and conventional collectors

Science.gov (United States)

Héctor García-Gomez; Sheila Izquieta-Rojano; Laura Aguillaume; Ignacio González-Fernández; Fernando Valiño; David Elustondo; Jesús M. Santamaría; Anna Àvila; Mark E. Fenn; Rocío Alonso

2016-01-01

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition is one of the main threats for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Measurement techniques like ion-exchange resin collectors (IECs), which are less expensive and time-consuming than conventional methods, are gaining relevance in the study of atmospheric deposition and are recommended to expand monitoring networks. In the present work...

Habitat Fragmentation can Modulate Drought Effects on the Plant-soil-microbial System in Mediterranean Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) Forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Flores-Rentería, Dulce; Curiel Yuste, Jorge; Rincón, Ana; Brearley, Francis Q; García-Gil, Juan Carlos; Valladares, Fernando

2015-05-01

Ecological transformations derived from habitat fragmentation have led to increased threats to above-ground biodiversity. However, the impacts of forest fragmentation on soils and their microbial communities are not well understood. We examined the effects of contrasting fragment sizes on the structure and functioning of soil microbial communities from holm oak forest patches in two bioclimatically different regions of Spain. We used a microcosm approach to simulate the annual summer drought cycle and first autumn rainfall (rewetting), evaluating the functional response of a plant-soil-microbial system. Forest fragment size had a significant effect on physicochemical characteristics and microbial functioning of soils, although the diversity and structure of microbial communities were not affected. The response of our plant-soil-microbial systems to drought was strongly modulated by the bioclimatic conditions and the fragment size from where the soils were obtained. Decreasing fragment size modulated the effects of drought by improving local environmental conditions with higher water and nutrient availability. However, this modulation was stronger for plant-soil-microbial systems built with soils from the northern region (colder and wetter) than for those built with soils from the southern region (warmer and drier) suggesting that the responsiveness of the soil-plant-microbial system to habitat fragmentation was strongly dependent on both the physicochemical characteristics of soils and the historical adaptation of soil microbial communities to specific bioclimatic conditions. This interaction challenges our understanding of future global change scenarios in Mediterranean ecosystems involving drier conditions and increased frequency of forest fragmentation.

EVALUATION OF FACTORS OF THE WORKPLACES IN MATE INDUSTRY (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill. AT CENTRAL-SOUTH IN PARANA STATE

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Eduardo da Silva Lopes

2006-12-01

Full Text Available This research was developed in the maté process industry workplaces, located in central-south of the Parana State, Brazil, from June to August 2005. The climate conditions, noise and light level were analyzed using suitable ergonomic methods. The results showed that the climate conditions through the Wet Bulle Globe Temperature (WBGT was in accordance with NR 15 standard, with a maximum of 17.0 ºC at 15:00 p.m. in the “Barbaquá” sector. The noise levels were above allowed by legislation in the “Barbaquá” sector at finally work day. The light conditions were not in accordance with NBR 5413/92 in the majority of the workplaces evaluated, mainly after the 18:00 p.m, when the artificial illumination became necessary.

Pollen loads and specificity of native pollinators of lowbush blueberry.

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Moisan-Deserres, J; Girard, M; Chagnon, M; Fournier, V

2014-06-01

The reproduction of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) is closely tied to insect pollination, owing to self-incompatibility. Many species are known to have greater pollination efficiency than the introduced Apis mellifera L., commonly used for commercial purposes. In this study, we measured the pollen loads of several antophilous insect species, mostly Apoidea and Syrphidae, present in four lowbush blueberry fields in Lac-St-Jean, Québec. To measure pollen loads and species specificity toward V. angustifolium, we net-collected 627 specimens of pollinators, retrieved their pollen loads, identified pollen taxa, and counted pollen grains. We found that the sizes of pollen loads were highly variable among species, ranging from a few hundred to more than 118,000 pollen grains per individual. Bombus and Andrena species in particular carried large amounts of Vaccinium pollen and thus may have greater pollination efficiency. Also, two species (Andrena bradleyi Viereck and Andrena carolina Viereck) showed nearly monolectic behavior toward lowbush blueberry. Finally, we identified alternative forage plants visited by native pollinators, notably species of Acer, Rubus, Ilex mucronata, Ledum groenlandicum, and Taraxacum. Protecting these flowering plants should be part of management practices to maintain healthy pollinator communities in a lowbush blueberry agroecosystem.

Efficiency of producing anion and relative humidity of the indigenous woody plants in Jeju islands

Science.gov (United States)

Son, S.-G.; Kim, K.-J.; Kim, H.-J.; Kim, C.-M.; Byun, K.-O.

2009-04-01

This study is to evaluate the ability of interior plants to produce anion and relative humidity that can purify polluted indoor air. Four indigenous woody plants in Jeju islands such as Sarcandra glaber (Thunb.) Nakai, Illicium anisatum L, Cleyera japonica Thunb. and Ilex rotunda Thunb. were used. Sansevieria trifasciata cv. Laurentii was also used as a comparative plant. The amount of anion and increment of relative humidity produced by five species of indoor plants was assessed by anion measurement (ITC-201A)in a sealed acryl chamber (118Ã-118Ã-119.5cm). The highest amount of anion was 515 ea/cm3produced by I. rotunda. The amounts of anion were 293 ea/cm3, 273 ea/cm3, and 211 ea/cm3 in S. glaber, I. anisatum and C. japonica, respecively while it was 220 ea/cm3 in S. trifasciata. The increment of relative humidity was highest in I. anisatum as 27.4% while it was lowest in S. trifasciata as 14.0%. This result suggested that all four indigenous plants tested were more effective to purify the indoor polluted air than S. trifasciata. Key words: interior plant, S. glaber, I. anisatum, C. japonica, I. rotunda, indoor polluted air

Effect of exercise on skeletal muscle proteolytic enzyme activity and meat quality characteristics in Iberian pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Bote, C J; Toldrá, F; Daza, A; Ferrer, J M; Menoyo, D; Silió, L; Rodríguez, M C

2008-05-01

The effects of physical activity on performance, carcass traits, Psoas major lysosomal and exoprotease acitivies and meat quality were studied in 24 castrated male Iberian pigs during the last fattening period (from 111.1±SD: 5.2kg). Pigs were randomly distributed in three groups. Two groups receiving the same diet were reared in confinement, one housed in individual pens of 8m(2) (sedentary group) and the other was housed outdoor with daily (up to 2km) forced walking (exercise group). And one group was reared under the traditional production system walking daily several km and fed mostly with acorn from Quercus ilex and Quercus rotundifolia and grass (free-range group). No differences were found in performance and carcass traits. In exercised pigs a lower activity of cathepsin B+L and total cathepsins (P<0.05) was observed. Exercise induced the inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidases II and III and arginyl aminopeptidase and the activation of dipeptidyl peptidases IV and leucyl aminopeptidase (P<0.05). Although no effects on total free amino acids in Psoas major muscle were observed the concentration of branched chain amino acids decreased in the free-range pig group probably related to an increase in physical activity. Exercise had no effects in Psoas major postmortem tenderness and water holding capacity.

Exposure experiments of trees to sulfur dioxide gas. Part I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Otani, A.

1974-12-01

The effects of gaseous sulfur dioxide on trees were studied. Twenty species of plant seedlings (70 cm in height) including Cedrus deodara, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Ginkgo biloba, Celmus parvifolia var. albo-marginata, Pinus thumbergii, P. densiflora, Cryptomeria japonica, and Quercus myrsinaefolia, were exposed in a room to gaseous sulfur dioxide at 0.8 ppm for 7.5 hr/day (from 9 am to 4:30 pm) for 24 days at a temperature of 20-35 deg C and RH of 55-75%. Visible damage to plants was lighter in C.j. and Chamae cyparis obtusa, more severe in P.t., G.b., and C.d. The damage appeared earlier in G.b., Cinnamomum camphona, and Ilex rotunda, and the change of early symptoms was smaller in P.t., C.j., and C.o. The leaves of the 4-5th positions from the sprout were apt to be damaged. Although the sulfur content of exposed leaves increased markedly, that in other parts did not increase. Because of the high concentration of the gas and the short period of exposure, the absorption of sulfur into leaves should have differed from the situation in fields where longer exposure to lower concentrations of the gas would be expected. 6 references.

Dynamics of Understory Shrub Biomass in Six Young Plantations of Southern Subtropical China

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Yuanqi Chen

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Understory shrubs are an important component of forest ecosystems and drive ecosystem processes, such as ecosystem carbon cycling. However, shrub biomass carbon stocks have rarely been reported, which limits our understanding of ecosystem C stock and cycling. In this study, we evaluated carbon accumulation of shrub species using allometric equations based on height and basal diameter in six subtropical plantations at the age of 1, 3, 4 and 6 years. The results showed that plantation type did not significantly affect the total biomass of shrubs, but it significantly affected the biomass of Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Ilex asprella, Clerodendrum fortunatum and Baeckea frutescens. The biomass of dominant shrub species R. tomentosa, I. asprella, Gardenia jasminoides and Melastoma candidum increased with stand age, while the biomass of C. fortunatum and B. frutescens decreased. The inconsistent biomass-time patterns of different shrub species may be the primary reason for the altered total shrub biomass in each plantation. Consequently, we proposed that R. tomentosa, I. asprella, G. jasminoides and M. candidum could be preferable for understory carbon accumulation and should be maintained or planted because of their important functions in carbon accumulation and high economic values in the young plantations of southern subtropical China.

Transfer of {sup 238}U, {sup 230}Th, {sup 226}Ra, and {sup 210}Pb from soils to tree and shrub species in a Mediterranean area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blanco Rodriguez, P. [Natural Radioactivity Group, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda. de Elvas s/n, 06071 Badajoz (Spain); Vera Tome, F. [Natural Radioactivity Group, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda. de Elvas s/n, 06071 Badajoz (Spain)], E-mail: fvt@unex.es; Lozano, J.C. [Natural Radioactivity Group, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda. de Elvas s/n, 06071 Badajoz (Spain); Laboratorio de Radiaciones Ionizantes, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca (Spain); Perez Fernandez, M.A. [Natural Radioactivity Group, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda. de Elvas s/n, 06071 Badajoz (Spain); Area de Ecologia, Universidad Pablo Olavide, Carretera de Utrera km. 1, 41013 Sevilla (Spain)

2010-06-15

The soil-to-plant transfer factors of natural uranium isotopes ({sup 238}U and {sup 234}U), {sup 230}Th, {sup 226}Ra, and {sup 210}Pb were studied in a disused uranium mine located in the Extremadura region in the south-west of Spain. The plant samples included trees (Quercus ilex, Quercus suber, and Eucalyptus cameldulensis) and one shrub (Cytisus multiflorus). All of them are characteristic of Mediterranean environments. The activity concentrations in leaves and fruit were determined for the tree species at different stages of growth. For the shrub, the total above-ground fraction was considered in three seasons. For old leaves and fruit, the highest activity concentrations were found in Eucalyptus cameldulensis for all the radionuclides studied, except in the case of {sup 230}Th that presented similar activity concentrations in all of the tree species studied. In every case, the transfer to fruit was less than the transfer to leaves. In the shrub, the results depended on the season of sampling, with the highest value obtained in spring and the lowest in autumn. Important correlations were obtained for {sup 238}U and {sup 226}Ra between the activity ratio in soils with that in leaves or fruit.

New remarkable records of microfungi from Sardinia (Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, M; Nerat, N; Ale-Agha, N

2010-01-01

In June 2009 we organized a botanical student excursion to the eastern part of Sardinia, Italy. On this occasion we were able to collect and identify over 80 species of microfungi growing on higher plants. The collecting sites were spread over a large area, among them were La Caletta, Capo Comino, Monte Albo, Cala Gonone, Monte Maccione, San Teodoro, Capo Testa. The collected microfungi were parasitic or saprophytic; Basidiomycotina (Uredinales), Ascomycotina and Deuteromycotina (Hyphomycetes, Coelomycetes) were predominant. Examples are Pezicula corticola (Jörg.) NANNF. (new for Sardinia), on Pyrus communis. Puccinia chamaecyparissi TROTT. (new for Sardinia), on Santolina insularis. Sphaceloma oleae CICC. and GRANITI (new for Sardinia) and Phlyctema vagabunda DESM. (new for Sardinia), on Olea europaea and Arbutus unedo. Puccinia pseudosphaeria MONT. (new for Sardinia), on Sonchus oleraceus. Discula umbrinella (BERK. and BR.) SUTTON (new for Sardinia)(D. quercina WEST. and BARK), on Quercus coccifera. Zaghouania phillyreae PAT. (new for Sardinia), on Phillyrea angustifolia. Phymatotrichum omnivorum (DUGGAR) HENNEBERT, new on Verbascum thapsus for Sardinia. Guignardia punctoidea (COOKE) SCHROTER (new for Sardinia), on Quercus ilex. Many of the collected species are rare or unknown for the area of investigation until now. All specimens are located in the Herbarium ESS, Mycotheca Parva collection G.B. Feige and N. Ale-Agha.

Drought-induced xylem cavitation and hydraulic deterioration: risk factors for urban trees under climate change?

Science.gov (United States)

Savi, Tadeja; Bertuzzi, Stefano; Branca, Salvatore; Tretiach, Mauro; Nardini, Andrea

2015-02-01

Urban trees help towns to cope with climate warming by cooling both air and surfaces. The challenges imposed by the urban environment, with special reference to low water availability due to the presence of extensive pavements, result in high rates of mortality of street trees, that can be increased by climatic extremes. We investigated the water relations and xylem hydraulic safety/efficiency of Quercus ilex trees growing at urban sites with different percentages of surrounding impervious pavements. Seasonal changes of plant water potential and gas exchange, vulnerability to cavitation and embolism level, and morpho-anatomical traits were measured. We found patterns of increasing water stress and vulnerability to drought at increasing percentages of impervious pavement cover, with a consequent reduction in gas exchange rates, decreased safety margins toward embolism development, and increased vulnerability to cavitation, suggesting the occurrence of stress-induced hydraulic deterioration. The amount of impermeable surface and chronic exposure to water stress influence the site-specific risk of drought-induced dieback of urban trees under extreme drought. Besides providing directions for management of green spaces in towns, our data suggest that xylem hydraulics is key to a full understanding of the responses of urban trees to global change. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

Plant extracts, metaldehyde and saline solutions on the population control of Bradybaena similaris

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Junir Antonio Lutinski

2016-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: This study aimed to test the efficiency of plant extracts, metaldehyde and saline solutions, as alternatives to the population control of the snail Bradybaena similaris , and to investigate the effect of the plant extracts in reducing the damage of the snail on Brassica oleracea . The experiments were performed at the Entomology Laboratory of the Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó (Unochapecó, using a random experimental design with nine treatments in triplicate. Five adult individuals of B. similaris were subjected to each trial, totaling 135 snails. The following treatments were tested: cinnamon ( Melia azedarach , timbó ( Ateleia glazioveana , rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis , mate herb ( Ilex paraguariensis , two concentrations of metaldehyde (3% and 5%, two concentrations of salt solution (5% and 10 %, and a control treatment (distilled water. To evaluate the survival of B. similaris it was checked the treatments every 24 hours, over four consecutive days. The results revealed that the two concentrations of metaldehyde were fully efficient, that the saline solution (10% had and intermediate efficiency, and that all other treatments were not effective. The treatment with the M. azedarach extract induced a higher consumption of B. oleracea , while the saline solution at 10% and the extracts of R. officinalis and I. paraguariensis inhibited leaf consumption.

Estrutura e classificação de um remanescente de floresta ripária no município de Lages, SC

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André Rosalvo Terra Nascimento

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Este estudo objetiva descrever a diversidade e investigar aspectos da classificação de um remanescente de floresta ripária na região de Lages, estado de Santa Catarina. Usando o método de parcelas foram alocadas vinte e cinco unidades amostrais ao longo do curso de água, sendo mensuradas todas as espécies arbóreas com diâmetro à altura do peito (DAP maior ou igual a 5 cm. A comunidade apresentou um dossel multiestratificado com espécies emergentes de grande porte e uma riqueza de 67 espécies arbóreas. A distribuição em diâmetro evidenciou uma comunidade autoregenerativa, com um grande número de indivíduos de pequenos diâmetros, os quais juntamente com as árvores de grande porte, somaram altos valores de área basal e densidade por hectare. A classificação separou os trechos mais desenvolvidos com maior área basal e complexidade com a presença de Cabralea canjerana e Myrcia hatschbachii dos trechos mais instáveis e com presença das espécies mais generalistas Celtis iguanaea e Ilex brevicuspis, denotando uma grande variabilidade ambiental nesse tipo de floresta.

Aproximación a la medición del impacto del Backorder en sistemas de manufactura flexible

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Juan-José Bravo

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Este documento estudia las implicaciones que se tienen al considerar o no las órdenes pendientes (que se llamarán de aquí en adelante "backorders" en los modelos de planeación, control y configuración de la producción en sistemas de manufactura Ilexible (SMP.En muchos de los modelos que intentan estudiar los SMF no se considera el backorder, y en aquellos en que es considerado, se incluye corno una variable pasiva donde no se ha advertido de manera explicita el impacto que pueda tener en dichos sistemas y en especial su relación con el patrón de demanda. En la presente investigación se identificaron beneficios directos de la inclusión de backorders en la utilización de capacidad, en el balanceo de carga de trabajo entre grupos de Máquinas (células y en los niveles de inventario. Finalmente se propone usar el concepto económico de elasticidad para la medición de los impactos reales entre el backorder y otros [actores de producción, estrategia novedosa en este tipo de aplicaciones y que puede ser objeto de investigaciones futuras.

Biomass models to estimate carbon stocks for hardwood tree species

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruiz-Peinado, R.; Montero, G.; Rio, M. del

2012-11-01

To estimate forest carbon pools from forest inventories it is necessary to have biomass models or biomass expansion factors. In this study, tree biomass models were developed for the main hardwood forest species in Spain: Alnus glutinosa, Castanea sativa, Ceratonia siliqua, Eucalyptus globulus, Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus angustifolia, Olea europaea var. sylvestris, Populus x euramericana, Quercus canariensis, Quercus faginea, Quercus ilex, Quercus pyrenaica and Quercus suber. Different tree biomass components were considered: stem with bark, branches of different sizes, above and belowground biomass. For each species, a system of equations was fitted using seemingly unrelated regression, fulfilling the additivity property between biomass components. Diameter and total height were explored as independent variables. All models included tree diameter whereas for the majority of species, total height was only considered in the stem biomass models and in some of the branch models. The comparison of the new biomass models with previous models fitted separately for each tree component indicated an improvement in the accuracy of the models. A mean reduction of 20% in the root mean square error and a mean increase in the model efficiency of 7% in comparison with recently published models. So, the fitted models allow estimating more accurately the biomass stock in hardwood species from the Spanish National Forest Inventory data. (Author) 45 refs.

Land-cover classification with an expert classification algorithm using digital aerial photographs

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José L. de la Cruz

2010-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the spectral information of digital aerial sensors in determining land-cover classification using new digital techniques. The land covers that have been evaluated are the following, (1 bare soil, (2 cereals, including maize (Zea mays L., oats (Avena sativa L., rye (Secale cereale L., wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and barley (Hordeun vulgare L., (3 high protein crops, such as peas (Pisum sativum L. and beans (Vicia faba L., (4 alfalfa (Medicago sativa L., (5 woodlands and scrublands, including holly oak (Quercus ilex L. and common retama (Retama sphaerocarpa L., (6 urban soil, (7 olive groves (Olea europaea L. and (8 burnt crop stubble. The best result was obtained using an expert classification algorithm, achieving a reliability rate of 95%. This result showed that the images of digital airborne sensors hold considerable promise for the future in the field of digital classifications because these images contain valuable information that takes advantage of the geometric viewpoint. Moreover, new classification techniques reduce problems encountered using high-resolution images; while reliabilities are achieved that are better than those achieved with traditional methods.

Fast separation of triterpenoid saponins using supercritical fluid chromatography coupled with single quadrupole mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yang; Zhang, Tingting; Zhou, Haibo; Feng, Ying; Fan, Chunlin; Chen, Weijia; Crommen, Jacques; Jiang, Zhengjin

2016-03-20

Triterpenoid saponins (TSs) are the most important components of some traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and have exhibited valuable pharmacological properties. In this study, a rapid and efficient method was developed for the separation of kudinosides, stauntosides and ginsenosides using supercritical fluid chromatography coupled with single quadrupole mass spectrometry (SFC-MS). The separation conditions for the selected TSs were carefully optimized after the initial screening of eight stationary phases. The best compromise for all compounds in terms of chromatographic performance and MS sensitivity was obtained when water (5-10%) and formic acid (0.05%) were added to the supercritical carbon dioxide/MeOH mobile phase. Beside the composition of the mobile phase, the nature of the make-up solvent for interfacing SFC with MS was also evaluated. Compared to reversed phase liquid chromatography, the SFC approach showed higher resolution and shorter running time. The developed SFC-MS methods were successfully applied to the separation and identification of TSs present in Ilex latifolia Thunb., Panax quinquefolius L. and Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. These results suggest that this SFC-MS approach could be employed as a useful tool for the quality assessment of natural products containing TSs as active components. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Propagation of Native Tree Species to Restore Subtropical Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forests in SW China

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Yang Lu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest (EBLF is a widespread vegetation type throughout East Asia that has suffered extensive deforestation and fragmentation. Selection and successful propagation of native tree species are important for improving ecological restoration of these forests. We carried out a series of experiments to study the propagation requirements of indigenous subtropical tree species in Southwest China. Seeds of 21 tree species collected from the natural forest were materials for the experiment. This paper examines the seed germination and seedling growth performance of these species in a nursery environment. Germination percentages ranged from 41% to 96% and were ≥50% for 19 species. The median length of germination time (MLG ranged from 24 days for Padus wilsonii to 144 days for Ilex polyneura. Fifteen species can reach the transplant size (≥15 cm in height within 12 months of seed collection. Nursery-grown seedlings for each species were planted in degraded site. Two years after planting, the seedling survival rate was >50% in 18 species and >80% in 12 species. Based on these results, 17 species were recommended as appropriate species for nursery production in forest restoration projects. Our study contributes additional knowledge regarding the propagation techniques for various native subtropical tree species in nurseries for forest restoration.

Common plant toxicology: A comparison of national and Southwest Ohio data trends on plant poisonings in the 21st century

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petersen, Dan D.

2011-01-01

Data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) and the Cincinnati-based Drug and Poison Information Center (DPIC) were analyzed to determine the incidence and trends of human plant poisonings since the year 2000. Approximately 3.4% of the approximately 4.3 million annual calls to the AAPCC centers involved plants, with a higher fraction (4.5%) for pediatric exposures. Nearly 70% of plant exposures occurred in children under six. Only 8% of cases required treatment in a health-care facility, and only 0.1% (in 2008) were considered severe outcomes. The most prominent groups of plants involved in exposures are those containing oxalates, and the most common symptom is gastroenteritis. The top 12 identified plants (in descending order) nationally were Spathiphyllum species (peace lilly), Philodendron species (philodendron), Euphorbia pulcherrima (poinssettia), Ilex species (holly), Phytolacca americana (pokeweed), Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy), Capsicum (pepper), Ficus (rubber tree, weeping fig), Crassula argentea (jade plant), Diffenbachia (dumb cane), Epipremnum areum (pothos) and Schlumbergera bridesii (Christmas cactus). Broad overlaps between the DPIC and the AAPCC incidence data were noted, with essentially the same plant species in each dataset. The nature of the various toxins, the symptomatology and potential treatments are discussed for the highest ranking plant species.

The Effect of Mercury Mining Activities on Oak Forest in the Almaden Area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villadoniga, M.; Sierra, M. J.; Millan, R.

2009-01-01

This scientific-technical report is the result of the research work carried out by Maite Villadoniga Garcia, to obtain the Master's Final Project, this has been developed at the Unit of Soil Degradation in the Department of Environment at CIEMAT. Two main reasons are important for the study of the vegetation in Almaden, firstly to ascertain the state in which they find the different landscapes surrounding the mine and secondly, it would be interesting to know the potential applications for recovery areas, degraded by this type of mining. This report presents the initial analysis of a natural area where there has not been activity related to mining of mercury, but their lithologic conditions and proximity to the mine of Almaden (within 3 km) make it a space in which they are both elevated mercury concentrations in soil (1.25 to 35.55 mg kg - 1) and plant species (Quercus ilex: 0.10-2.29 mg kg - 1; Pseudovernia sp. 1.10-21.06 mg kg - 1). We can conclude after this study that the natural vegetation of the area if they had been affected by years of mining, although not find any obvious signs of damage to these ecosystems and that different factors affect the uptake of mercury by of different species. (Author) 37 refs.

INFLUÊNCIA DO ESPAÇAMENTO E IDADE DA BROTAÇÃO NA MORFOMETRIA DE POVOAMENTOS DE Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill.

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Frederico Dimas Fleig

2003-05-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho apresenta aspectos da morfometria de erveiras reflorestadas. A área de estudos localiza- -se no estado de Santa Catarina, no município de Catanduvas. As plantas avaliadas apresentam idade aproximada de 14 anos, e estão dispostas em um arranjo fatorial com espaçamentos de 3, 4 e 5 m nas entrelinhas e 2, 3 e 4 m nas linhas. Dividiram-se as erveiras em dois grupos, sendo o primeiro podado em setembro, e o segundo, em janeiro respectivamente, quando as copas atingiram 24 e 28 meses de idade. A totalidade das erveiras avaliadas apresentam-se bifurcadas na proximidade da base, assim, o perímetro ao nível do solo apresenta-se com correlação não-significativa com a biomassa da copa. Pela comparação das áreas basais e número de troncos obtidos a 0,3, 06 e 0,9 m de altura, constatou-se que a altura ideal de avaliação do tronco é a 0,60 m de altura em relação ao nível do solo. A área basal por planta, a essa altura, foi positivamente influenciada pelos espaçamentos nas entrelinhas e nas linhas (Prob<0,05. O número de troncos à altura de 0,6 m (Nt6 da planta foi significativamente influenciado pela distância entre plantas na linha, na qual a de 2 m foi menor e divergente das demais. Os espaçamentos entre erveiras influenciaram as dimensões das copas, sendo o diâmetro da copa (Dc8 significativamente influenciado pelo espaçamento nas linhas, com superioridade para os maiores espaçamentos. O comprimento da copa (Cc e a altura total (ht foram significativamente influenciados pelas distâncias na linha e na entrelinha. O grau de copa (Cc/ht só apresenta diferença significativa para o fator linha. Já o grau de cobertura (Dc8/ht apresentou diferença significativa para o fator distância entrelinhas. O formal de copa (Dc8/Cc atingiu valores próximos à unidade, pois as erveiras apresentam copas com diâmetro proporcional ao seu comprimento.

Large-scale recruitment limitation in Mediterranean pines : The role of Quercus ilex and forest successional advance as key regional drivers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carnicer, Jofre; Coll, Marta; Pons, Xavier; Ninyerola, Miquel; Vayreda, Jordi; Penuelas, Josep

Aim Large-scale patterns of limitations in tree recruitment remain poorly described in the Mediterranean Basin, and this information is required to assess the impacts of global warming on forests. Here, we unveil the existence of opposite trends of recruitment limitation between the dominant genera

DESENVOLVIMENTO DE IOGURTE LIGHT COM EXTRATO DE ERVA-MATE (ILEX PARAGUARIENSIS ST. HIL E ADIÇÃO DE PROBIÓTICOS

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Daiane PRECI

2011-01-01

Full Text Available O comportamento no consumo de alimentos vem sofrendo mudanças signifi cativas nos últimos anos, motivado por um maior nível de consciência dos consumidores com a saúde. A preocupação de proporcionar aos consumidores produtos de qualidade requer a adoção de medidas para limitar a oxidação durante as etapas de processamento e armazenamento dos produtos, como a adição de compostos antioxidantes nos mesmos. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o potencial do extrato de erva-mate como antioxidante em iogurte light. Também foi avaliado o comportamento dos iogurtes formulados durante a vida de prateleira. Observou-se que o percentual antioxidante atingiu 99,5% de atividade antioxidante para a concentração 750μgmL-1 e forneceu um IC50 de 254,8μgmL-1. No 60º dia de armazenamento sob refrigeração, os iogurtes com 0,1% de extrato e ambos com 0,25% de extrato de erva mate apresentaram diferença em relação às duas formulações que não receberam a adição de extrato, de forma a apresentarem os menores valores de mg de MA/kg de amostra. A presença de extrato de erva mate não infl uenciou signifi cativamente na oxidação de proteínas. Não se observou interferência do extrato de ervamate nos valores de acidez e não foi observada diferença estatística na contagem das bactérias lácticas, de maneira que o extrato de erva mate não afetou o desenvolvimento microbiológico.

Risk factors for esophageal cancer in non-smokers and non-drinkers: a case-control study in Uruguay Fatores de risco para o câncer esofágico em não usuários de tabaco e bebida alcoólica: um estudo caso-controle no Uruguai

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Alvaro L. Ronco

2004-12-01

Full Text Available In order to analyze possible associations of lifestyle factors with esophageal cancer among non-smokers and non-drinkers, the authors carried out the present study. Special emphasis was placed on the analysis of "mate" (infusion of the herb Ilex paraguariensis drinking, which has been associated with most cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract. The study was conducted at the Instituto Nacional de Oncología in Montevideo, Uruguay. Data corresponded to 73 esophageal cancer cases and 219 controls. A detailed questionnaire included sections on sociodemographic variables, occupation, family history of cancer, "mate" drinking, and a restricted list of dietary items including: red meat, processed meat, salted meat, barbecue, milk, fresh vegetables and fruits. Odds ratios (ORs were estimated by unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for major potential confounders, including age, sex, education, urban/rural status and region of birth. Moderate increases in risk were observed for: daily "mate" consumption (OR=2.2, age of quitting (OR=2.02, duration (OR=2.49 and intensity (OR=1.91, most of which were statistically significant. Consequently, our report demonstrates a particular role for "mate" consumption on esophageal cancer in Uruguay, regardless of other well-known risk factors.Os autores realizaram o presente estudo para analisar possíveis associações de fatores de estilo de vida com o câncer esofágico em não usuários de tabaco e bebida alcoólica. Foi especialmente enfatizada a análise do "mate" (infusão da erva Ilex paraguariensis, que tem sido associado à maioria dos cânceres do trato aerodigestivo. O estudo foi realizado no Instituto Nacional de Oncología em Montevidéu, Uruguai. Os dados correspondem a 73 casos de câncer esofágico e 219 controles. Um detalhado questionário incluiu seções de variáveis sócio-demográficas, ocupação, história familiar de câncer, consumo de "mate" e uma relação restritiva de itens da

Intensity of bitterness of processed yerba mate leaves originated in two contrasted light environments

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Miroslava Rakocevic

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The bitterness intensity of beverage prepared from the leaves produced on the males and females of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis, grown in the forest understory and monoculture, was evaluated. The leaves were grouped by their position (in the crown and on the branch tips and by the leaf age. The leaf gas exchange, leaf temperature and photosynthetic photon flux density were observed. Inter and intra-specific competition for light and self-shading showed the same effect on yerba mate beverage taste. All the shading types resulted in bitterer taste of the processed yerba mate leaves compared to the leaves originated under the direct sun exposure. The leaves from the plants grown in the monoculture showed less bitterness than those grown in the forest understory. This conclusion was completely opposite to the conventionally accepted paradigm of the yerba mate industries. The leaves from the tips (younger leaves of the plants grown in the monoculture resulted a beverage of softer taste; the males produced less bitter leaves in any light environment (forest understory or in the crown in monoculture. The taste was related to the photosynthetic and transpiration rate, and leaf temperature. Stronger bitterness of the leaves provided from the shade conditions was related to the decreased leaf temperature and transpiration in the diurnal scale.Mediu-se a intensidade de amargor da bebida preparada a partir de folhas da erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis de diversas idades, situadas em duas posições na copa (interior e ponteiras, produzidas por plantas masculinas e femininas cultivadas na floresta antropizada e em monocultura. As trocas gasosas foliares, a temperatura de folhas e a densidade de fluxo de fótons fotossinteticamente ativos também foram medidas. Com isso verificou-se que a idéia corrente de que o sombreamento está diretamente relacionado ao sabor suave do chimarrão é completamente equivocada, já que as competições inter- e intra

Suscetibilidade de Oligonychus yothersi (Acari: Tetranychidae ao fungo Beauveria bassiana Susceptibility of Oligonychus yothersi (Acari: Tetranychidae to the fungus Beauveria bassiana

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Renato Cassol de Oliveira

2002-03-01

Full Text Available A cultura da erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis é uma importante atividade econômica no Sul do Brasil. Com o aumento de consumo nos anos oitenta, cresceram também as áreas de monocultura, gerando condições favoráveis para o aumento populacional de insetos e ácaros fitófagos, entre eles o ácaro vermelho Oligonychus yothersi. Este estudo avaliou a suscetibilidade do ácaro vermelho O. yothersi a vários isolados do fungo Beauveria bassiana. O experimento foi conduzido em Cascavel, PR. Discos foliares de erva-mate (2,2 cm² foram previamente infestados com 20 fêmeas adultas. Alíquotas de 1 mL de cada suspensão de conídios dos diferentes isolados de B. bassiana, ajustadas na concentração de 1,0x10(8 conídios mL-1 foram pulverizadas, separadamente, sobre um conjunto de 5 discos. Os discos foliares foram mantidos flutuando em água destilada, em caixas plásticas (3 cm de diâmetro, sob condições controladas. Diariamente, os ácaros mortos foram transferidos para câmara úmida, para confirmação de mortalidade causada pelo fungo. A mortalidade total variou entre 77 e 98% (6 dias após a aplicação, não permitindo diferenciar os isolados quanto à virulência (P>0,05. Já a mortalidade confirmada variou entre 19 e 75%, permitindo diferenciá-los (PThe Paraguay tea (Ilex paraguariensis crop is an important economical activity in Southern Brazil. With the increase of tea consumption in the 80s, the number of monoculture crops also increased, creating favorable conditions for the development of phytophagous insect and mite populations, such as the red mite Oligonychus yothersi. The objective of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of the red mite O. yothersi to the several strains of the Beauveria bassiana fungus. The experiments were carried out in Cascavel, PR, Brazil. Leaf disks of Paraguay tea (2.2 cm² were previously infested with 20 adult females. Five disks were inoculated with 1 mL of each conidial suspension of B

Soil and vegetation influence in plants natural radionuclides uptake at a uranium mining site

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Charro, E.; Moyano, A.

2017-12-01

The main objective of this work is to investigate the uptake of several radionuclides by the vegetation characteristic of a dehesa ecosystem in uranium mining-impacted soils in Central-West of Spain. The activity concentration for 238U, 226Ra, 210Pb, 232Th, and 224Ra was measured in soil and vegetation samples using a Canberra n-type HPGe gamma-ray spectrometer. Transfer factors of natural radionuclides in different tissues (leaves, branches, twigs, and others) of native plants were evaluated. From these data, the influence of the mine, the physicochemical parameters of the soils and the type of vegetation were analyzed in order to explain the accumulation of radionuclides in the vegetation. A preferential uptake of 210Pb and 226Ra by plants, particularly by trees of the Quercus species (Quercus pyrenaica and Quercus ilex rotundifolia), has been observed, being the transfer factors for 226Ra and 210Pb in these tree species higher than those for other plants (like Pinus pinaster, Rubur ulmifolius and Populus sp.). The analysis of radionuclide contents and transfer factors in the vegetation showed no evidence of influence of the radionuclide concentration in soils, although it could be explained in terms of the type of plants and, in particular, of the tree's species, with special attention to the tree's rate of growth, being higher in slow growing species.

Mutagenicity assessment of aerosols in emissions from wood combustion in Portugal

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Vu, B.; Alves, C.A.; Gonçalves, C.; Pio, C.; Gonçalves, F.; Pereira, R.

2012-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) extracts of fine particles (PM 2.5 ) collected from combustion of seven wood species and briquettes were tested for mutagenic activities using Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100. The woods were Pinus pinaster (maritime pine), Eucalyptus globulus (eucalypt), Quercus suber (cork oak), Acacia longifolia (golden wattle), Quercus faginea (Portuguese oak), Olea europea (olive), and Quercus ilex rotundifolia (Holm oak). Burning experiments were done using woodstove and fireplace, hot start and cold start conditions. A mutagenic response was recorded for all species except golden wattle, maritime pine, and briquettes. The mutagenic extracts were not correlated with high emission factors of carcinogenic PAHs. These extracts were obtained both from two burning appliances and start-up conditions. However, fireplace seemed to favour the occurrence of mutagenic emissions. The negative result recorded for golden wattle was interesting, in an ecological point of view, since after confirmation, this invasive species, can be recommended for domestic use. - Highlights: ► Both woodstove and fireplace, either with a cold or hot start, produce emissions with mutagenic potential. ► The high level of carcinogenic PAHs in combustion emissions was not correlated with mutagenicity. ► The golden wattle, an invasive species, produced no mutagenic emissions. - Wood smoke from fireplace burning of dominant forest species displayed strong mutagenic activity without a significant correlation with carcinogenic PAHs emission factors.

Seasonal carbon storage and growth in Mediterranean tree seedlings under different water conditions.

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Sanz-Pérez, Virginia; Castro-Díez, Pilar; Joffre, Richard

2009-09-01

In all Mediterranean-type ecosystems, evergreen and deciduous trees differing in wood anatomy, growth pattern and leaf habit coexist, suggesting distinct adaptative responses to environmental constraints. This study examined the effects of summer water stress on carbon (C) storage and growth in seedlings of three coexisting Mediterranean trees that differed in phenology and wood anatomy characteristics: Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp., Quercus faginea Lam. and Pinus halepensis L. Seedlings were subjected to two levels of watering during two consecutive summers and achieved a minimum of -0.5 and -2.5 MPa of predawn water potential in the control and water stress treatment, respectively. Both Quercus species concentrated their growth in the early growing season, demanding higher C in early spring but replenishing C-stores in autumn. These species allocated more biomass to roots, having larger belowground starch and lipid reserves. Quercus species differed in seasonal storage dynamics from P. halepensis. This species allocated most of its C to aboveground growth, which occurred gradually during the growing season, leading to fewer C-reserves. Soluble sugar and starch concentrations sharply declined in August in P. halepensis, probably because reserves support respiration demands as this species closed stomata earlier under water stress. Drought reduced growth of the three species, mainly in Q. faginea and P. halepensis, but not C-reserves, suggesting that growth under water stress conditions is not limited by C-availability.

ATIVIDADE INSETICIDA DE PLANTAS MEDICINAIS SOBRE O Callosobruchus maculatus (COLEOPTERA: BRUCHIDAE

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Antonia Mirian Nogueira de Moura Guerra

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the insecticidal activity of eight medicinal plants on Callosobruchus maculatus (F. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae. Plant powder from Rosmarinus officinalis (L. leaves, Peumus boldus (Mol leaves, Matricaria chamomilla (L. flowers, Baccharis trimera (Less. leaves, Camellia sinensis (L. leaves, Thea sinensis (L. leaves, Ilex paraguariensis (St. Hil. leaves, and fruits of Pimpinella anisum (L. were used in the experiment. Bioassays were carried out under constant conditions of temperature (28±2 °C, relative humidity (70±5% and scotophase of 24 hours. Experimental units consisted of 20 grams of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L. Walp. grains with 13% wet basis moisture content, 2 g plant powder and ten adult insects, both placed in plastic containers (60 mm in diameter x 60 mm high. The analyzed variables included: insect mortality, oviposition (egg number and instantaneous rate of population growth (ri. The number of dead insects was recorded 5 days after bioassays were started, the egg number was recorded after 12 days, and ri was estimated on the 60th day. All the tested plants had toxicity to C. maculatus. The highest mortality was found in insects treated with P. boldus and I. paraguariensis. Number of eggs and ri also varied significantly among the powders. The lowest mean values for these parameters were recorded in the plots treated with P. boldus, P. anisum and R. officinalis.

The flora of Oktibbeha County, Mississippi

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Leidolf, A.; McDaniel, S.; Nuttle, T.

2002-01-01

We surveyed the flora of Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, U.S.A., from February 1994 to 1996. Occupying 118 square kilometers in east-central Mississippi, Oktibbeha County lies among 3 physiographic regions that include, from west to east, Interior Flatwoods, Pontotoc Ridge, and Black Prairie. Accordingly, the county harbors a diverse flora. Based on field work, as well as an extensive review of published literature and herbarium records at IBE and MISSA, we recorded a total of 1,148 taxa (1,125 species, 7 hybrids, 16 infraspecific taxa) belonging to 514 genera in 160 families, over 85% of all taxa documented were native. Compared to 3 other counties in east-central Mississippi, Oktibbeha County has the second largest recorded flora. The number of state-listed (endangered, threatened, or of special concern) taxa (67) documented in this survey far exceeds that reported from any other county in the region. Three introduced species, Ilex cornuta Lindl. & Paxton, Mahonia bealei (Fortune) Carrie??re, and Nandina domestica Thunb., are reported in a naturalized state for the first time from Mississippi. We also describe 16 different plant communities belonging to 5 broad habitat categories: bottomland forests, upland forests and prairies, aquatic habitats, seepage areas, and human-influenced habitats. A detailed description of the vegetation associated with each of these communities is provided.

Estimating soil erosion in Natura 2000 areas located on three semi-arid Mediterranean Islands.

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Zaimes, George N; Emmanouloudis, Dimitris; Iakovoglou, Valasia

2012-03-01

A major initiative in Europe is the protection of its biodiversity. To accomplish this, specific areas from all countries of the European Union are protected by the establishment of the "Natura 2000" network. One of the major threats to these areas and in general to ecosystems is soil erosion. The objective of this study was to quantitatively estimate surface soil losses for three of these protected areas that are located on semi-arid islands of the Mediterranean. One Natura 2000 area was selected from each of the following islands: Sicily in Italy, Cyprus and Rhodes in Greece. To estimate soil losses, Gerlach troughs were used. These troughs were established on slopes that ranged from 35-40% in four different vegetation types: i) Quercus ilex and Quercus rotundifolia forests, ii) Pinus brutia forests, iii) "Phrygana" shrublands and iv) vineyards. The shrublands had the highest soil losses (270 kg ha(-1) yr(-1)) that were 5-13 times more than the other three vegetation types. Soil losses in these shrublands should be considered a major concern. However, the other vegetation types also had high soil losses (21-50 kg ha(-1) yr(-1)). Conclusively, in order to enhance and conserve the biodiversity of these Natura 2000 areas protective management measures should be taken into consideration to decrease soil losses.

Leaf size indices and structure of the peat swamp forest

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L.G. Aribal

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Leaf size indices of the tree species in the peatland of Agusan del Sur in Mindanao in Philippines was examined to deduce the variation of forest structure and observed forest zonation.  Using raunkiaer and webb’s leaf size classification, the leaf morphometrics of seven tree species consistently found on the established sampling plots were determined.  The species includes Ternstroemia philippinensis Merr., Polyscias aherniana Merr. Lowry and G.M. Plunkett, Calophyllum sclerophyllum Vesque, Fagraea racemosa Jack, Ilex cymosa Blume, Syzygium tenuirame (Miq. Merr. and Tristaniopsis micrantha Merr. Peter G.Wilson and J.T.Waterh.The LSI were correlated against the variables of the peat physico-chemical properties (such as bulk density, acrotelm thickness, peat depth, total organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, pH; water (pH, ammonium, nitrate, phosphate; and leaf tissue elements (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.  Result showed a decreasing leaf size indices and a three leaf size category consisting of mesophyllous, mesophyllous-notophyllous and microphyllous were observed which corresponds to the structure of vegetation i.e., from the tall-pole forest having the biggest average leaf area of 6,142.29 mm2 to the pygmy forest with average leaf area of 1,670.10 mm2.  Such decreased leaf size indices were strongly correlated to soil nitrogen, acrotelm thickness, peat depth, phosphate in water, nitrogen and phosphorus in the plant tissue.

Integrating climate change criteria in reforestation projects using a hybrid decision-support system

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Curiel-Esparza, Jorge; Gonzalez-Utrillas, Nuria; Canto-Perello, Julian; Martin-Utrillas, Manuel

2015-09-01

The selection of appropriate species in a reforestation project has always been a complex decision-making problem in which, due mostly to government policies and other stakeholders, not only economic criteria but also other environmental issues interact. Climate change has not usually been taken into account in traditional reforestation decision-making strategies and management procedures. Moreover, there is a lack of agreement on the percentage of each one of the species in reforestation planning, which is usually calculated in a discretionary way. In this context, an effective multicriteria technique has been developed in order to improve the process of selecting species for reforestation in the Mediterranean region of Spain. A hybrid Delphi-AHP methodology is proposed, which includes a consistency analysis in order to reduce random choices. As a result, this technique provides an optimal percentage distribution of the appropriate species to be used in reforestation planning. The highest values of the weight given for each subcriteria corresponded to FR (fire forest response) and PR (pests and diseases risk), because of the increasing importance of the impact of climate change in the forest. However, CB (conservation of biodiversitiy) was in the third position in line with the aim of reforestation. Therefore, the most suitable species were Quercus faginea (19.75%) and Quercus ilex (19.35%), which offer a good balance between all the factors affecting the success and viability of reforestation.

Monitoring and management of Cerambyx cerdo in the Mediterranean region – a review and the potential role of citizen science

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Paolo Casula

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The Great Capricorn beetle, Cerambyx cerdo, and Mediterranean oak habitats (Quercus ilex – 9340 and Quercus suber – 9330 are protected by the Habitats Directive (HD. However, in the Mediterranean basin, these habitats are also traditionally used for animal, wood, and cork productions. Cerambyx cerdo feeds into the wood of trees and can be perceived by forest practitioners as an umbrella species or as a pest, depending on the context. Monitoring programmes involving forest practitioners could thus focus on assessing: 1 the conservation status of the Great Capricorn beetle and habitats (distribution and abundance of insects and reproductive sites or colonised trees, 2 pest status, and 3 management options to achieve both conservational and economic benefits. Considering that Cerambyx cerdo and Cork and Holm oak forests are not priority species or habitats under the HD, targeted funding is likely to be limited for monitoring. In this context, citizen science could gather important information on the target species useful for the monitoring programmes and management. To address management questions, the citizen science based programme for Cerambyx cerdo monitoring and habitat conservation should be seen not only as citizens collecting good data sets, but also as a deeper collaboration amongst different knowledge bodies and perspectives within a community – based environmental monitoring and learning network.

A PCR based method to detect Russula spp. in soil samples and Limodorum abortivum roots in Mediterranean environments

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Eduardo Larriba

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Aim of study: Orchidaceaehas the largest number of species of any family in the plant kingdom. This family is subject to a high risk of extinction in natural environments, such as natural parks and protected areas. Recent studies have shown the prevalence of many species of orchids to be linked to fungal soil diversity, due to their myco-heterotrophic behaviour. Plant communities determine fungal soil diversity, and both generate optimal conditions for orchid development. Area of study: The work was carried out in n the two most important natural parks in Alicante (Font Roja and Sierra Mariola, in South-eastern of Spain. Material and Methods: We designed a molecular tool to monitor the presence of Russula spp. in soil and orchids roots, combined with phytosociological methods. Main results: Using a PCR-based method, we detected the presence in the soil and Limodorum abortivum orchid roots of the mycorrhizal fungi Russula spp. The species with highest coverage was Quercus rotundifolia in areas where the orchid was present. Research highlights: We present a useful tool based on PCR to detect the presence of Russula spp. in a natural environment. These results are consistent with those obtained in different studies that linked the presence of the mycorrhizal fungi Russula spp. in roots of the species Limodorum and the interaction between these fungal species and Quercus ilex trees in Mediterranean forest environments.

Assessing ozone and nitrogen impact on net primary productivity with a Generalised non-Linear Model

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De Marco, Alessandra; Screpanti, Augusto; Attorre, Fabio; Proietti, Chiara; Vitale, Marcello

2013-01-01

Some studies suggest that in Europe the majority of forest growth increment can be accounted for N deposition and very little by elevated CO 2 . High ozone (O 3 ) concentrations cause reductions in carbon fixation in native plants by offsetting the effects of elevated CO 2 or N deposition. The cause-effect relationships between primary productivity (NPP) of Quercus cerris, Q. ilex and Fagus sylvatica plant species and climate and pollutants (O 3 and N deposition) in Italy have been investigated by application of Generalised Linear/non-Linear regression model (GLZ model). The GLZ model highlighted: i) cumulative O 3 concentration-based indicator (AOT40F) did not significantly affect NPP; ii) a differential action of oxidised and reduced nitrogen depositions to NPP was linked to the geographical location; iii) the species-specific variation of NPP caused by combination of pollutants and climatic variables could be a potentially important drive-factor for the plant species' shift as response to the future climate change. - Highlights: ► GLZ Models emphasized the role of combination of variables affecting NPP. ► A differential action of ox-N and red-N deposition to NPP was observed for plants. ► Different responses to climate and pollutants could affect the plant species' shift. - Ozone and nitrogen depositions have non-linear effects on primary productivity of tree species differently distributed in Italy.

Study of some characteristic Mediterranean vegetation species best suited for renaturalization of terminal-phase municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in Puglia (Southern Italy)

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De Mei, Massimiliano; Di Mauro, Mariaida

2006-07-01

Natural recovery of worked-out or closed municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills is a current topic, but knowledge about the adaptability of Mediterranean vegetation species to such stressful conditions is still quite poor. Autochthonous plants were selected to withstand the stresses such as hot climate and drought typical of Mediterranean areas; this characteristic potentially allows the plants an easier, efficient adaptation. Our aim was to provide information in order to obtain an adequate quality of environmental renewal of a landfill and a reduced management cost while ensuring rehabilitation to an acceptable naturalistic state. The investigation lasted 3 years; some Mediterranean scrub native plant species were selected and monitored in their morphological (total and relative height, basal diameter, number of inter-nodes) and physiological (photosynthetic rate and water potential) activity. In order to test dependence on CO 2 concentration, different meteorological parameters were also monitored. Ceratonia siliqua, Phillyrea latifolia, Olea europaea and Quercus ilex showed considerable adaptability, reacting positively to every improvement in environmental conditions, particularly those of a meteorological nature. Survival and growth was satisfactory in Hedysarum coronarium, Medicago sativa, Lotus corniculatus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Myrtus communis and Viburnum tinus. Fraxinus ornus and Acer campestre suffered stress during the summer dry period and recovered quickly when atmospheric conditions improved. A drop irrigation system to ensure a satisfactory soil moisture during summer dry periods was the fundamental element for survival.

Ilexgenin A, a novel pentacyclic triterpenoid extracted from Aquifoliaceae shows reduction of LPS-induced peritonitis in mice.

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Sun, Weidong; Liu, Chang; Zhang, Yaqi; Qiu, Xia; Zhang, Li; Zhao, Hongxia; Rong, Yi; Sun, Yun

2017-02-15

Ilexgenin A (IA) is a novel pentacyclic triterpenoid, which extracted from leaves of Ilex hainanensis Merr. In the present study, we aim to explore anti-inflammatory activity of IA on LPS-induced peritonitis and its underlying molecular mechanism. The results determined that IA was capable of suppressing peritonitis in mice induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of lipopolysaccaride (LPS). Furthermore, the results showed that IA dramatically inhibited levels of inflammatory cells infiltration in peritoneal cavity and serum in LPS-induced mice peritonitis model. Besides, IA could dramatically inhibit levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) in peritoneal cavity in LPS-induced mice peritonitis model. In vitro study, the results showed that IA inhibited production of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α at transcriptional and translational levels in RAW 264.7 cells induced by LPS. Furthermore, IA could suppress the LPS-induced activation of Akt and downstream degradation and phosphorylation of kappa B-α (IκB-α). Moreover, IA could significantly inhibit ERK 1/2 phosphorylation in RAW 264.7 cells induced by LPS. These results were concurrent with molecular docking which revealed ERK1/2 inhibition. These results demonstrated that IA might as an anti-inflammatory agent candidate for inflammatory disease therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Mercury Mining Activities on Oak Forest in the Almaden Area; El Encinar en el Distrito Minero de Almaden y su Afectacion por la Mineria del Mercurio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Villadoniga, M.; Sierra, M.J.; Millan, R.

2009-07-01

This scientific-technical report is the result of the research work carried out by Maite Villadoniga Garcia, to obtain the Master's Final Project, this has been developed at the Unit of Soil Degradation in the Department of Environment at CIEMAT. Two main reasons are important for the study of the vegetation in Almaden, firstly to ascertain the state in which they find the different landscapes surrounding the mine and secondly, it would be interesting to know the potential applications for recovery areas, degraded by this type of mining. This report presents the initial analysis of a natural area where there has not been activity related to mining of mercury, but their lithologic conditions and proximity to the mine of Almaden (within 3 km) make it a space in which they are both elevated mercury concentrations in soil (1.25 to 35.55 mg kg{sup -}1) and plant species (Quercus ilex: 0.10-2.29 mg kg{sup -}1; Pseudovernia sp. 1.10-21.06 mg kg{sup -}1). We can conclude after this study that the natural vegetation of the area if they had been affected by years of mining, although not find any obvious signs of damage to these ecosystems and that different factors affect the uptake of mercury by of different species. (Author) 37 refs.

Morphological and phenological shoot plasticity in a Mediterranean evergreen oak facing long-term increased drought.

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Limousin, Jean-Marc; Rambal, Serge; Ourcival, Jean-Marc; Rodríguez-Calcerrada, Jesus; Pérez-Ramos, Ignacio M; Rodríguez-Cortina, Raquel; Misson, Laurent; Joffre, Richard

2012-06-01

Mediterranean trees must adjust their canopy leaf area to the unpredictable timing and severity of summer drought. The impact of increased drought on the canopy dynamics of the evergreen Quercus ilex was studied by measuring shoot growth, leaf production, litterfall, leafing phenology and leaf demography in a mature forest stand submitted to partial throughfall exclusion for 7 years. The leaf area index rapidly declined in the throughfall-exclusion plot and was 19% lower than in the control plot after 7 years of treatment. Consequently, leaf litterfall was significantly lower in the dry treatment. Such a decline in leaf area occurred through a change in branch allometry with a decreased number of ramifications produced and a reduction of the leaf area supported per unit sapwood area of the shoot (LA/SA). The leafing phenology was slightly delayed and the median leaf life span was slightly longer in the dry treatment. The canopy dynamics in both treatments were driven by water availability with a 1-year lag: leaf shedding and production were reduced following dry years; in contrast, leaf turnover was increased following wet years. The drought-induced decrease in leaf area, resulting from both plasticity in shoot development and slower leaf turnover, appeared to be a hydraulic adjustment to limit canopy transpiration and maintain leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity under drier conditions.

BIOECOLOGIA E MANEJO DA BROCA-DA-ERVA-MATE, Hedypathes betulinus (KLUG, 1825 (COLEOPTERA: CERAMBYCIDAE

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Jerson V. Carús Guedes

2006-07-01

Full Text Available A cultura da erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil. apresenta grande importância social, cultural e econômica no sul do Brasil. Com a formação de povoamentos puros e o aumento da área de plantio, observou-se um aumento populacional de muitas espécies de insetos. Dentre os insetos-praga, a broca-da-erva-mate, Hedypathes betulinus (Klug, 1825 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, é a de maior importância econômica, em razão dos danos que causa e seu difícil controle. A fase larval ocorre no interior dos galhos e troncos das plantas, dificultando sua detecção e manejo. O manejo cultural e o mecânico são os mais indicados, como a coleta de adultos, poda e queima de partes atacadas da planta, nutrição equilibrada, densidade adequada de plantas e manutenção de áreas com vegetação nativa ou ainda a introdução do policultivo. Com essas técnicas, espera-se um maior equilibrio do agroecossistema e, com isso, a diminuição dos insetos-praga a um nível aceitável. Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho é reunir e discutir as informações da bioecologia e manejo da broca-da-erva-mate.

The Effect of Mercury Mining Activities on Oak Forest in the Almaden Area; El Encinar en el Distrito Minero de Almaden y su Afectacion por la Mineria del Mercurio

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Villadoniga, M; Sierra, M J; Millan, R

2009-07-01

This scientific-technical report is the result of the research work carried out by Maite Villadoniga Garcia, to obtain the Master's Final Project, this has been developed at the Unit of Soil Degradation in the Department of Environment at CIEMAT. Two main reasons are important for the study of the vegetation in Almaden, firstly to ascertain the state in which they find the different landscapes surrounding the mine and secondly, it would be interesting to know the potential applications for recovery areas, degraded by this type of mining. This report presents the initial analysis of a natural area where there has not been activity related to mining of mercury, but their lithologic conditions and proximity to the mine of Almaden (within 3 km) make it a space in which they are both elevated mercury concentrations in soil (1.25 to 35.55 mg kg{sup -}1) and plant species (Quercus ilex: 0.10-2.29 mg kg{sup -}1; Pseudovernia sp. 1.10-21.06 mg kg{sup -}1). We can conclude after this study that the natural vegetation of the area if they had been affected by years of mining, although not find any obvious signs of damage to these ecosystems and that different factors affect the uptake of mercury by of different species. (Author) 37 refs.

Effect of elevated CO2 on monoterpene emission of young Quercus ilex trees and its relation to structural and ecophysiological parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staudt, M.; Joffre, R.; Rambal, S.; Kesselmeier, J.

2001-01-01

Growth, leaf monoterpene emission, gas exchange, leaf structure and leaf chemical composition of one year-old oak seedlings grown in ambient and elevated carbon dioxide concentrations were investigated. Results of the various measurements and experiments are discussed in the context of resource acquisition and allocation by oak seedlings, and evaluated in terms of emission predictions. From the findings it was concluded that oak seedlings grown in elevated carbon dioxide have an increased emission capacity and increased foliage biomass. It was predicted that in a future world, characterized by high carbon dioxide concentrations, the atmospheric load of monoterpenes from Mediterranean forests will rise, although mature trees native to environments with elevated carbon dioxide will likely respond differently than the oak seedlings used in this study. The impacts of climatic change are uncertain, but it is suspected that trees grown near carbon dioxide springs benefit from increased resistance to water stress. There are indications that the increased capacity to tolerate water limitations in response to growth in elevated carbon dioxide environments could indirectly promote emissions. 39 refs., 4 tabs., 1 fig

The bark of the branches of holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) for a retrospective study of trace elements in the atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drava, Giuliana; Brignole, Daniele; Giordani, Paolo; Minganti, Vincenzo

2017-01-01

Tree bark has proved to be a useful bioindicator for trace elements in the atmosphere, however it reflects an exposure occurring during an unidentified period of time, so it provides spatial information about the distribution of contaminants in a certain area, but it cannot be used to detect temporal changes or trends, which is an important achievement in environmental studies. In order to obtain information about a known period of time, the bark collected from the annual segments of tree branches can be used, allowing analyses going back 10–15 years with annual resolution. In the present study, the concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn were measured by atomic emission spectrometry in a series of samples covering the period from 2001 to 2013 in an urban environment. Downward time trends were significant for Cd, Pb and Zn. The only trace element showing an upward time trend was V. The concentrations of the remaining six trace elements were constant over time, showing that their presence in bark is not simply proportional to the duration of exposure. This approach, which is simple, reliable and widely applicable at a low cost, allows the “a posteriori” reconstruction of atmospheric trace element deposition when or where no monitoring programme is in progress and no other natural archives are available. - Highlights: • Branch bark allows the historical reconstruction of atmospheric trace elements. • This approach is simple, reliable, widely applicable and “a posteriori”. • Downward time trends were found for Cd, Pb and Zn; upward trend for V.

The bark of the branches of holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) for a retrospective study of trace elements in the atmosphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drava, Giuliana, E-mail: drava@difar.unige.it; Brignole, Daniele; Giordani, Paolo; Minganti, Vincenzo

2017-04-15

Tree bark has proved to be a useful bioindicator for trace elements in the atmosphere, however it reflects an exposure occurring during an unidentified period of time, so it provides spatial information about the distribution of contaminants in a certain area, but it cannot be used to detect temporal changes or trends, which is an important achievement in environmental studies. In order to obtain information about a known period of time, the bark collected from the annual segments of tree branches can be used, allowing analyses going back 10–15 years with annual resolution. In the present study, the concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn were measured by atomic emission spectrometry in a series of samples covering the period from 2001 to 2013 in an urban environment. Downward time trends were significant for Cd, Pb and Zn. The only trace element showing an upward time trend was V. The concentrations of the remaining six trace elements were constant over time, showing that their presence in bark is not simply proportional to the duration of exposure. This approach, which is simple, reliable and widely applicable at a low cost, allows the “a posteriori” reconstruction of atmospheric trace element deposition when or where no monitoring programme is in progress and no other natural archives are available. - Highlights: • Branch bark allows the historical reconstruction of atmospheric trace elements. • This approach is simple, reliable, widely applicable and “a posteriori”. • Downward time trends were found for Cd, Pb and Zn; upward trend for V.

VIGOR JUVENIL EM PROGÊNIES DE ERVA-MATE (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil. NATIVAS DO ESTADO DE MATO GROSSO DO SUL

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Raul Alffonso Rodrigues Roa

2007-03-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho objetivou estimar parâmetros e valores genéticos para caracteres altura, diâmetro e sobrevivência de progênies de erva-mate em fase inicial de desenvolvimento, com vistas ao estabelecimento de teste de progênie em área indígena Kaiowá e Guarani, visando à seleção de materiais genéticos adaptados ao local. As sementes foram coletadas de trinta matrizes nativas de polinização aberta no município de Caarapó, MS. As progênies de meio-irmãos foram estabelecidas no viveiro da COMFLORA Reflorestadora, em Ponta Porã, MS, sob delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com trinta tratamentos (progênies, cinco repetições e dez plantas por parcela em linhas simples. Aos 8 meses de idade, foram avaliados os caracteres: altura total das mudas, diâmetro do coleto e sobrevivência. Os valores obtidos de herdabilidades individual (0,48; 0,55 e 0,79 e para média de progênies (0,74; 0,87 e 0,90 para os caracteres altura, diâmetro e sobrevivência, respectivamente, foram expressivos, sugerindo grandes chances de progresso genético na seqüência das avaliações. Ganhos genéticos preditos de 46,26% foram obtidos para o caracter altura e 38,61% para o caracter diâmetro, com a seleção dos dez melhores indivíduos. Os coeficientes de variação genética individual (CVgi% para os caracteres altura (25,24 e diâmetro (18,48 são considerados valores elevados, o que denota a ocorrência de uma expressão genética desejável para o programa de melhoramento genético. Os ganhos genéticos com seleção para a idade avaliada estimulam a utilização desse germoplasma e a continuidade das avaliações em idades mais avançadas.

Aleppo pine afforestation in the Massis del Caroig, Eastern Spain. The impact on soil water repellency and infiltration rates.

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Cerdà, Artemi; González Pelayo, Óscar; Jordán, Antonio; Mataix Solera, Jorge; Úbeda, Xavier

2015-04-01

Paloma Hueso and co-workers (2014; 2015) researched the impact of soil treatment on soil erosion and organic matter recovery in Mediterranean types ecosystems and they demonstrated that the surface wash and the soil quality is determined by the soil management. Afforestation and proper management with fertilizers, mulches and vegetation recovery, are common strategies to flight against soil erosion in Mediterranean type ecosystems García Orenes et al., 2010; Barbera et al., 2012; García Orenes et al., 2012; Mekuria and Aynekulu, 2013; Jiménez et al., 2015; Tengberg et al., 2015; Tesfaye et al., 2015). However, Hueso et al., (2014; 2015) did not paid attention to the impact that water repellency can trigger in the runoff generation and water repellency when soils increase the organic matter. In Eastern Spain, afforestation with Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) was very popular during the XX century, although little is know about his impact on soil hydrology. Many of the impacts of afforestation were found positive (García et al., 2000; Maestre et al., 2003; Bellot et al., 2004; Maestre and Cortina, 2004; Chirino et al., 2006; Querejeta et al., 2008; ). This research shows the impact of Pinus halepensis Mill. on soil water repellency, in comparison to the natural scrubland and the cover of Quercus ilex. Within the El Teularet-Sierra de Enguera Experimental Station five types of vegetation covers were selected: Pinus halepensis, Quercus Ilex, Quercus coccifera, Rosmarinus officinalis, Thymus vulgaris and Brachypodium retusum. The Water Drop Penetration Time method (Cerda and Doerr; 2007; 2008) was applied. A hundred drops were applied at the soil surface, 1, 2, 5 and 10 cm depth 5 times along the year 2013 under different soil moisture content. The results show that the water repllency of the soils is: Pinus Pinus halepensis > Quercus coccifera > Rosmarinus officinalis > Quercus ilex > Thymus vulgaris > Brachypodium retusum. This is related to the higher

Horta orgânica de ervas medicinais: inclusão social na comunidade da Barra em Muriaé/MG - Brasil

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José Luiz de Freitas Paixão

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Foi implantada uma horta orgânica de ervas medicinais na comunidade da Barra (Muriaé, MG com o objetivo de inclusão social de pessoas carentes ao permitir acesso ao tratamento por fitoterapia. O início das atividades foi em janeiro de 2006, com a escolha das espécies, obtenção de mudas e instalação da horta. As 40 espécies selecionadas, sob manejo agroecológico, eram indicadas com terapêutica aos 25 principais problemas de saúde levantados na comunidade. O formato didático da horta, representando o corpo humano, serviu como referência às indicações de uso de cada espécie. A horta foi mantida até meados de 2012 na Barra e transferida ao IFMURIAÉ, em área de cultivo agroecológico, no Bairro Sofoco, onde se realizam as práticas do curso de técnico em agroecologia. A comunidade da Barra auxiliou desde as primeiras ações, sendo atuante na colheita das plantas medicinais. As plantas coletadas foram levadas a sala anexa à Paróquia local onde se realizou o processamento pós-colheita e o preparo de fitoterápicos. A dispensação dos preparados foi em outra sala cedida pela Paróquia. As formas fitoterápicas disponibilizadas à população foram de uso interno (erva seca, tintura, xarope e externo (creme, gel, pomada, sendo as mais procuradas: gel, tintura e xarope. De 2006 a 2012 foram  32.400 atendimentos, média de 385 pessoas/mês. O sucesso do projeto se reflete no aumento do número de espécies utilizadas, passando de 40 espécies em 2006 para 170 espécies em 2012, dentre elas: alecrim de jardim (Rosmarinus officinalis, alfavaca (Ocimum basilicum, amora (Morus alba, arnica brasileira (Solidago microglossa, calêndula (Calendula officinalis, camomila (Matricaria chamomilla, capim gordura (Melinis minutiflora, cavalinha (Equisetum arvense, chapéu-de-couro (Echinodorus grandiflorus e espinheira santa (Maytenus aquifolium.

Whole-plant allocation to storage and defense in juveniles of related evergreen and deciduous shrub species.

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Wyka, T P; Karolewski, P; Żytkowiak, R; Chmielarz, P; Oleksyn, J

2016-05-01

In evergreen plants, old leaves may contribute photosynthate to initiation of shoot growth in the spring. They might also function as storage sites for carbohydrates and nitrogen (N). We hence hypothesized that whole-plant allocation of carbohydrates and N to storage in stems and roots may be lower in evergreen than in deciduous species. We selected three species pairs consisting of an evergreen and a related deciduous species: Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh) Nutt. and Berberis vulgaris L. (Berberidaceae), Prunus laurocerasus L. and Prunus serotina Ehrh. (Rosaceae), and Viburnum rhytidophyllum Hemsl. and Viburnum lantana L. (Adoxaceae). Seedlings were grown outdoors in pots and harvested on two dates during the growing season for the determination of biomass, carbohydrate and N allocation ratios. Plant size-adjusted pools of nonstructural carbohydrates in stems and roots were lower in the evergreen species of Berberidaceae and Adoxaceae, and the slope of the carbohydrate pool vs plant biomass relationship was lower in the evergreen species of Rosaceae compared with the respective deciduous species, consistent with the leading hypothesis. Pools of N in stems and roots, however, did not vary with leaf habit. In all species, foliage contained more than half of the plant's nonstructural carbohydrate pool and, in late summer, also more than half of the plant's N pool, suggesting that in juvenile individuals of evergreen species, leaves may be a major storage site. Additionally, we hypothesized that concentration of defensive phenolic compounds in leaves should be higher in evergreen than in deciduous species, because the lower carbohydrate pool in stems and roots of the former restricts their capacity for regrowth following herbivory and also because of the need to protect their longer-living foliage. Our results did not support this hypothesis, suggesting that evergreen plants may rely predominantly on structural defenses. In summary, our study indicates that leaf habit has

Estimativa das gerações anuais de Gyropsylla spegazziniana (LIZER, 1917 em função de sua exigência térmica Estimation of the annual generations of Gyropsylla spegazziniana (LIZER, 1917 in function on the thermal requeriments

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Luís Antônio Chiaradia

2002-06-01

Full Text Available Gyropsylla spegazziniana (Lizer, 1917 (Hemiptera, Psyllidae ou "ampola" é uma praga da erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis que induz a hipertrofia de folhas novas, para abrigar as ninfas. Folhas com estes sintomas caem após a saída dos insetos, reduzindo a produtividade dos ervais. Para estudar as interferências dos fatores ambientais sobre a flutuação populacional desta praga, foram realizadas amostragens quinzenais, em dois ervais situados em Chapecó-SC, no período de 1997 a 2000. A triagem das amostras foi realizada na Epagri/CPPP e totalizou 21.044 espécimes, com razão sexual de 0,42. A análise de correlação entre os insetos capturados no período 1998/2000 e a média mensal de temperatura mínima (Tmi acusou r = 0,63 e a análise de regressão linear expressou a equação = - 1.621,47 + 156,37 Tmi, com r² = 0,40. A temperatura base (Tb de 10,36 ºC foi estimada ao atribuir valor zero para esta equação. A constante térmica (K de 399,52 graus-dia (GD foi calculada por K = D (T – Tb, onde D = 27,29 dias do ciclo de vida da "ampola" a 25ºC (T. Os 3.219,30 GD anuais foram obtidos pela média dos somatórios anuais das médias mensais das temperaturas médias, diminuídas da Tb e multiplicadas pelo número de dias de cada mês, nos meses que a Tmi > Tb. A divisão do GD anual pela K resultou em 8,05 possíveis gerações anuais desta praga.Gyropsylla spegazziniana (Lizer, 1917 (Hemiptera, Psyllidae or "ampul" is a pest of paraguay-tea (Ilex paraguariensis that provoques the growth in the structure of new leaves for ninfal protection. Leaves with these symptoms fall after insects left causing produtivity reduction. To study the environmental factors interference in the population flutuation of this pest, two orchards were biweekly sampled from 1997 to 2000 in Chapecó, SC. The samples were evaluated in the Agricultural Research Enterprise - Epagri/CPPP, and totaled 21,044 insects with 0.42% of sexual ratio. Correlation analyses

Leaf anatomy of medicinal shrubs and trees from Misiones forest of the Paranaense Province (Argentina: Part 2 Anatomía foliar de arbustos y árboles medicinales de la Selva Misionera de la provincia Paranaense (Argentina: Parte 2

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Ana M. Arambarri

2008-07-01

Full Text Available The present paper contains the study of the second part of medicinal shrubs and trees from Paranaense province. Forty five species of shrubs and trees belonging to 29 families inhabiting Misiones forest of the Paranaense biogeographic province (Argentina have been cited with medicinal properties. The work provides illustrations of diagnostic characters and conclusions of the main botanical differential traits, such as the presence of crystaliferous epidermis (e.g. Trixis divaricata subsp. divaricata; stomata and trichomes types (e. g. ciclocytic stomata in Pilocarpus pennatifolius and scale peltate trichomes in Tabebuia heptaphylla; midvein transection outlines (e.g. midvein convex and keel-shaped on the adaxial side in Schinus weinmanniifolia; presence and types of crystals (e.g. crystal sand in Cordia ecalyculata, raphides in Psychotria carthagenensis. This paper also gives an ecological interpretation of the species studied which shows predominantly a combination of mesomorphic (e.g. hypostomatic leaves, dorsiventral mesophyll and xeromorphic leaf traits (e.g. thick cuticle, abundant sclerenchyma, multilayered epidermis, mesophyll formed exclusively by palisade parenchyma, multilayered hypodermis, presence of sclereids. Only two species (Ilex paraguariensis and Manihot grahamii have mesomorphic (e.g. hypostomatic leaves, dorsiventral mesophyll and hygromorphic leaf characters (e.g. epidermis glabrous. Finally, the work provides a key to distinguish 107 medicinal shrubs and trees from the Paranaense biogeographic province (Part 1: Gallery forests and Part 2: Misiones forest that permit identified species using anatomy leaf characteristics.El presente trabajo corresponde a la segunda entrega del estudio de arbustos y árboles medicinales de la provincia biogeografica Paranaense. En esta parte, se analizaron 45 especies contenidas en 29 familias que habitan la Selva Misionera y han sido citadas con propiedades medicinales. El trabajo se acompa

Colorectal Cancer and Long-Term Exposure to Trihalomethanes in Drinking Water: A Multicenter Case–Control Study in Spain and Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Villanueva, Cristina M.; Gracia-Lavedan, Esther; Bosetti, Cristina; Righi, Elena; Molina, Antonio José; Martín, Vicente; Boldo, Elena; Aragonés, Nuria; Perez-Gomez, Beatriz; Pollan, Marina; Acebo, Ines Gomez; Altzibar, Jone M.; Zabala, Ana Jiménez; Ardanaz, Eva; Peiró, Rosana; Tardón, Adonina; Chirlaque, Maria Dolores; Tavani, Alessandra; Polesel, Jerry; Serraino, Diego; Pisa, Federica; Castaño-Vinyals, Gemma; Espinosa, Ana; Espejo-Herrera, Nadia; Palau, Margarita; Moreno, Victor; La Vecchia, Carlo; Aggazzotti, Gabriella; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J; Kogevinas, Manolis

2016-01-01

��control study population. Negative associations with chloroform concentrations and ingestion suggest differences among specific THMs, but these findings should be confirmed in other study populations. Citation: Villanueva CM, Gracia-Lavedan E, Bosetti C, Righi E, Molina AJ, Martín V, Boldo E, Aragonés N, Perez-Gomez B, Pollan M, Gomez Acebo I, Altzibar JM, Jiménez Zabala A, Ardanaz E, Peiró R, Tardón A, Chirlaque MD, Tavani A, Polesel J, Serraino D, Pisa F, Castaño-Vinyals G, Espinosa A, Espejo-Herrera N, Palau M, Moreno V, La Vecchia C, Aggazzotti G, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Kogevinas M. 2017. Colorectal cancer and long-term exposure to trihalomethanes in drinking water: a multicenter case–––control study in Spain and Italy. Environ Health Perspect 125:56–65; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP155 PMID:27383820

Efeito do consumo de erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis sobre o ganho de peso e a glicemia de jejum em ratos alimentados com uma dieta hiperlipídica = Effect of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis consumption on weight gain and fasting glucose in rats fed with a high-fat diet

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Machado, Alisson Diego

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito do consumo de erva-mate sobre o ganho de peso e a glicemia de jejum em ratos alimentados com uma dieta hiperlipídica. Materiais e Métodos: Foram utilizados 14 ratos divididos em três grupos. O primeiro grupo (n=4 foi alimentado com ração comercial para ratos, o segundo (n=5 recebeu dieta hiperlipídica e o terceiro (n=5 foi alimentado com dieta hiperlipídica acrescida de infusão de erva-mate, durante 24 dias. Durante o estudo foram monitorados o peso e o índice de Lee e ao final a glicemia de jejum. Resultados: Os ratos alimentados com dieta hiperlipídica contendo infusão de erva-mate apresentaram menor ganho de peso em relação aos que consumiram apenas a ração hiperlipídica, nos três períodos experimentais analisados (p=0,048, p=0,016 e p=0,048, respectivamente. Não houve diferença significativa em relação ao índice de Lee entre os grupos. O consumo da erva-mate promoveu tendência a menores níveis de glicemia de jejum em relação ao grupo alimentado com dieta comercial (p=0,056 e ao grupo que recebeu dieta hiperlipídica (p=0,075. Conclusão: O consumo de erva-mate proporcionou menor ganho de peso em relação aos ratos que foram alimentados apenas com ração hiperlipídica e tendência a menores níveis de glicemia de jejum

The Effect of Mg2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+ pre-treatment on the color of yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis leaves

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Griselda Patricia Scipioni

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to study the effect of alkaline blanching followed by an immersion in salt solutions of Mg2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+ on color preservation of Yerba Maté leaves. The concentration of NaOH in the alkaline solution influenced all of the color parameters. Ion concentration and dipped time influenced only some color parameters. The color parameters of the product obtained with different treatments were different from the control sample (blanched with boiling water instead of alkaline blanching and from the product obtained via industrial processing. The green color in the pre-treated and control samples was more intense (greater values of -a and darker (low values of L and b. Ionic and ash content in the leaves increased with the treatments.

Adverse events of herbal food supplements for body weight reduction: systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Pittler, M H; Schmidt, K; Ernst, E

2005-05-01

Herbal weight-loss supplements are marketed with claims of effectiveness. Our earlier systematic review identified data from double-blind, randomized controlled trials for a number of herbal supplements. The aim of this systematic review was to assess all clinical evidence of adverse events of herbal food supplements for body weight reduction for which effectiveness data from rigorous clinical trials exist. We assessed Ephedra sinica, Garcinia cambogia, Paullinia cupana, guar gum, Plantago psyllium, Ilex paraguariensis and Pausinystalia yohimbe. Literature searches were conducted on Medline, Embase, Amed and The Cochrane Library. Data were also requested from the spontaneous reporting scheme of the World Health Organization. We hand-searched relevant medical journals and our own files. There were no restrictions regarding the language of publication. The results show that adverse events including hepatic injury and death have been reported with the use of some herbal food supplements. For herbal ephedra and ephedrine-containing food supplements an increased risk of psychiatric, autonomic or gastrointestinal adverse events and heart palpitations has been reported. In conclusion, adverse events are reported for a number of herbal food supplements, which are used for reducing body weight. Although the quality of the data does not justify definitive attribution of causality in most cases, the reported risks are sufficient to shift the risk-benefit balance against the use of most of the reviewed herbal weight-loss supplements. Exceptions are Garcinia cambogia and yerba mate, which merit further investigation.

Impact of Climate Change and Anthropogenic Activities in the Dynamics of Land Cover in Mediterranean Steppe West Algeria

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Si Tayeb, Tayeb

2016-08-01

The last thirty years, there is a real dynamic change of land cover with intensive degradation of the natural vegetation especially in arid zone. Indeed, the adverse effects of drought periods from the year 1970 combined with population growth and economic conditions experienced by the country in the 1980s have greatly upset the delicate balance of the natural environment. These adverse effects may result in partial or total disappearance of some natural ecosystems.The objective of this work is to study the distribution of plant formations that constitute the ecosystem typical of west Algeria and their dynamics in time and space, as well as to develop a method to monitor the degradation process and a system capable of effectively protecting areas classified for their plant and animal species.The Landsat satellite images were used to map the vegetation of the study area at a scale of 1:200,000. A comparison was then made between the map obtained from satellite images (Landsat 8) of 2014 and (Landsat 5) of 1987.The results show the following main trends in the distribution patterns of steppe species, a strong decrease of land occupied by steppe of Stipatenacissima and steppe of Artimesiaherba-alba, witch replaced by three taxa Thymelaeamicrophylla, Salsolavermiculata and Peganumharmala. Steppe of Artemisia herbaalba has been transformed by steppe of. taxa Thymelaeamicrophylla, Salsolavermiculata and Lygeumspartum. Woody species such as Quercus ilex and Juniperusphoenicea are characterized by a large regression.

Exchange of NO2 between spruces and the atmosphere is dominated by deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Breuninger, C.; Meixner, F. X.; Kesselmeier, J.

2009-04-01

The chemical budget of troposheric ozone is largely determined by the concentration of NOx (NO and NO2), which is in remote areas related to biological activities of soils and vegetation. The atmospheric concentration of NO2 is strongly influenced by the bi-directional exchange between the atmosphere and plants. The exchange depends on stomatal compensations points in close relation to the NO2 concentrations in ambient air. It is accepted that NO2 uptake by plants represents a large NO2 sink, but the magnitude is still unidentified. A better knowledge of compensation point values for the bi-directional NO2 exchange is a matter of recent discussions, as accurate estimates would help to reliably classify vegetation types. In close relation to our previous studies of Betula pendula, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus ilex und Pinus sylvestris we investigated a further representative of conifers, Picea abies, under field and laboratory conditions. The measurements were part of the DFG joined project EGER (ExchanGE processes in mountainous Regions). We used dynamic chambers and a sensitive and highly specific NO-NO2-Analysator. CO¬2 and H2O exchange were measured simultaneously to assess physiological comparative parameters such as photosynthesis, transpiration and stomatal conductance. Additionally O3 concentrations were recorded, to detect and estimate chemical reactions within the chamber. During the measurements the NO2 exchange was obviously dominated by deposition and depended on stomatal conductance.

Recent advances in the bioactive properties of yerba mate

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Camila Helena Ferreira Cuelho

Full Text Available Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil. is a perennial shrub of Aquifoliaceae family that grows naturally in South America and is cultivated in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. The aim of this review is to summarize concisely recent advances published in the last 4 years on the antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity and antimutagenic activities of yerba mate. For this, a search was made in some of the databases on the web as PubMed, Google Scholar and Medline. There are several studies in the literature reporting the effects of yerba mate in the metabolic profile related to diabetes and obesity. Among the findings of the researches are the reduction of body weight, liver triglycerides and white adipose tissue. It also increases the levels of glucagon-like peptide 1 and leptin, reduces blood glucose and insulin resistance and contributes to a lower rate of growth of adipose tissue. Regarding the antioxidant properties, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and rutin are the compounds that contribute to the antioxidant activity. The aqueous extract also protects the red cells of hemolysis induced by hydrogen peroxide. In mutagenesis, researches suggest that dicaffeoylquinic acids in yerba mate could be potential anti-cancer agents. Saponins in leaves of yerba mate prevent the in?ammation and colon cancer in vitro. Already in skin cancer, oral and topic treatment of rats exposed at ultraviolet radiation with mate tea prevented the lipid peroxidation and DNA damage.

ISOLATION OF MESOPHYLL PROTOPLASTS FROM MEDITERRANEAN WOODY PLANTS FOR THE STUDY OF DNA INTEGRITY UNDER ABIOTIC STRESS

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Elena Kuzminsky

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Abiotic stresses have considerable negative impact on Mediterranean plant ecosystems and better comprehension of the genetic control of response and adaptation of trees to global changes is urgently needed. The Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis assay could be considered a good estimator of DNA damage in an individual eukaryotic cell. This method has been mainly employed in animal tissues, because the plant cell wall represents an obstacle for the extraction of nuclei; moreover, in Mediterranean woody species, especially in the sclerophyll plants, this procedure can be quite difficult because of the presence of sclerenchyma and hardened cells. On the other hand, these plants represent an interesting material to be studied because of the ability of these plants to tolerate abiotic stress. For instance, holm oak (Quercus ilex L. has been selected as the model plant to identify critical levels of O3 for Southern European forests. Consequently, a quantitative method for the evaluation of cell injury of leaf tissues of this species is required. Optimal conditions for high-yield nuclei isolation were obtained by using protoplast technology and a detailed description of the method is provided and discussed. White poplar (Populus alba L. was used as an internal control for protoplast isolation. Such a method has not been previously reported in newly fully developed leaves of holm oak. This method combined with Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis assay represents a new tool for testing the DNA integrity of leaf tissues in higher plants under stress conditions.

Assessing the risk caused by ground level ozone to European forest trees: A case study in pine, beech and oak across different climate regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emberson, Lisa D.; Bueker, Patrick; Ashmore, Mike R.

2007-01-01

Two different indices have been proposed for estimation of the risk caused to forest trees across Europe by ground-level ozone, (i) the concentration based AOT40 index (Accumulated Over a Threshold of 40 ppb) and (ii) the recently developed flux based AFstY index (Accumulated stomatal Flux above a flux threshold Y). This paper compares the AOT40 and AFstY indices for three forest trees species at different locations in Europe. The AFstY index is estimated using the DO 3 SE (Deposition of Ozone and Stomatal Exchange) model parameterized for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), beech (Fagus sylvatica) and holm oak (Quercus ilex). The results show a large difference in the perceived O 3 risk when using AOT40 and AFstY indices both between species and regions. The AOT40 index shows a strong north-south gradient across Europe, whereas there is little difference between regions in the modelled values of AFstY. There are significant differences in modelled AFstY between species, which are predominantly determined by differences in the timing and length of the growing season, the periods during which soil moisture deficit limits stomatal conductance, and adaptation to soil moisture stress. This emphasizes the importance of defining species-specific flux response variables to obtain a more accurate quantification of O 3 risk. - A new flux-based model provides a revised assessment of risks of ozone impacts to European forests

The biogenic volatile organic compounds emission inventory in France: application to plant ecosystems in the Berre-Marseilles area (France).

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Simon, Valérie; Dumergues, Laurent; Ponche, Jean-Luc; Torres, Liberto

2006-12-15

An inventory describing the fluxes of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), isoprene and monoterpenes, and other VOCs (OVOCs) from the biosphere to the atmosphere, has been constructed within the framework of the ESCOMPTE project (fiEld experimentS to COnstrain Models of atmospheric Pollution and Transport of Emissions). The area concerned, located around Berre-Marseilles, is a Mediterranean region frequently subject to high ozone concentrations. The inventory has been developed using a fine scale land use database for the year 1999, forest composition statistics, emission potentials from individual plant species, biomass distribution, temperature and light intensity. The seasonal variations in emission potentials and biomass were also taken into account. Hourly meteorological data for 1999 were calculated from ALADIN data and these were used to predict the hourly isoprene, monoterpene and OVOC fluxes for the area on a 1 kmx1 km spatial grid. Estimates of annual biogenic isoprene, monoterpene and OVOC fluxes for the reference year 1999 were 20.6, 38.9 and 13.3 kt, respectively, Quercus pubescens, Quercus ilex, Pinus halepensis and garrigue vegetation are the dominant emitting species of the area. VOC emissions from vegetation in this region contribute approximately 94% to the NMVOC (non-methane volatile organic compounds) of natural origin and are of the same order of magnitude as NMVOC emissions from anthropogenic sources. These results complete the global ESCOMPTE database needed to make an efficient strategy for tropospheric ozone reduction policy.

Trichome density and its UV-B protective potential are affected by shading and leaf position on the canopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liakoura, V.; Stefanou, M.; Manetas, Y.; Cholevas, C.; Karabourniotis, G.

1997-01-01

In Olea europaea trichome density and UV-B absorbing compounds of leaf hairs and the lamina proper of leaves located in south-facing, north-facing and the internal of the canopy were positively correlated to the UV-B midday instant irradiance measured in September at these three different positions of the canopy. The correlation between these three parameters and the receiving photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), however, was weaker. In Quercus ilex, trichome density and its UV-B absorbing capacity were considerably higher in the exposed, south-facing leaves, compared to the deeply shaded ones; the UV-B absorbing capacity of the de-haired lamina, however, was the same. In the broad-leaved, alpine rosette of Verbascum speciosum, one could distinguish two areas on the leaves, one exposed and one shaded by the superimposed lamina. Although trichome density and the UV-B absorbing compounds of the de-haired leaf were the same in the two areas, the UV-B absorbing capacity of hairs was considerably increased in the exposed region. In V. speciosum, exposure induced also qualitative changes in the UV-B absorbance profile, apparently due to the formation of new flavonoid compounds absorbing maximally at 345–350 nm. In all other cases, the differences were mainly quantitative. The results support the postulate of a function of leaf hairs as a UV-B radiation screen and suggest that trichome density and/or its UV-B absorbing capacity may depend on irradiance during leaf development

Seedling regeneration on decayed pine logs after the deforestation events caused by pine wilt disease

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Y. Fukasawa

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Coarse woody debris (CWD forms an important habitat suitable for tree seedling establishment, and the CWD decay process influences tree seedling community. In Japan, a severe dieback of Pinus densiflora Sieb. & Zucc. caused by pine wilt disease (PWD damaged huge areas of pine stands but creates huge mass of pine CWD. It is important to know the factors influencing seedling colonization on pine CWD and their variations among geographical gradient in Japan to expect forest regeneration in post-PWD stands. I conducted field surveys on the effects of latitude, climates, light condition, decay type of pine logs, and log diameter on tree seedling colonization at ten geographically distinct sites in Japan. In total, 59 tree taxa were recorded as seedlings on pine logs. Among them, 13 species were recorded from more than five sites as adult trees or seedlings and were used for the analyses. A generalized linear model showed that seedling colonization of Pinus densiflora was negatively associated with brown rot in sapwood, while that of Rhus trichocarpa was positively associated with brown rot in heartwood. Regeneration of Ilex macropoda had no relationships with wood decay type but negatively associated with latitude and MAT, while positively with log diameter. These results suggested that wood decay type is a strong determinant of seedling establishment for certain tree species, even at a wide geographical scale; however, the effect is tree species specific.

INFLUÊNCIA DA LUMINOSIDADE E FERTILIZANTES NOS TEORES DE METILXANTINAS E COMPOSTOS FENÓLICOS EM FOLHAS DE ERVA-MATE

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Überson Boaretto Rossa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil. is a climax species adapted to low light, and that is why is more cultivated in consortium with other species of woods and more intensively that their traditional exploration. To maintain adequate levels of productivity, it is necessary the use of a fertilizer that gives nutritional intake to plants. The levels of substances of plant secondary metabolism as methylxanthines and phenolic compounds may be affected by this type of intensive management since the shading and fertilization influence the physiology of the plant. Aiming the determination of the levels of totals methylxanthines and phenolic compounds, produced under relative brightness of 30, 45 and 60%, and conventional fertilization (N, P 2 O 5 and K 2 O 15-05-30 and slow release (N, P 2 O 5 and K 2 O 15-08-12, this study was proposed for two growing seasons 2011 e 2012. The fertilization of mate tea associated with the apparent brightness levels did not promote increased levels of totals methylxanthines and phenolic compounds. The apparent brightness of 30% established the best indicator to obtain methylxanthines, and the conventional fertilization had the highest fertilization production of methylxanthine, when subjected to the apparent brightness of 30 and 45 %. There was an increase of the content of phenolic compounds of the growing season 2011 to 2012 promoted by the fertilization treatment with FLL and FC under the apparent brightness of 30% and 60%.

Non-preference of the red mite Oligonychus yothersi McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae for oviposition on leaves of Paraguay tea progenies (Ilex paraguariensis/ Não-preferência do ácaro-vermelho, Oligonychus yothersi McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae, para oviposição em folhas de progênies de erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis

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José Djair Vendramim

2007-10-01

Full Text Available The oviposition preference of the red mite Oligonychus yothersi McGregor was evaluated under laboratory in 52 Paraguay tea progenies and one control collected in a local farm. The experiments were conducted on Paraguay tea leaf discs infested with one adult female mite/disc, incubated in a climate chamber (25±1ºC, 14h photophase for five days. Evaluations were performed daily, by counting the number of eggs laid in the period, the number of female escapes in the first 48 hours, as well as the number of eggs laid before the escaping. It was verified that discrimination by the mite occurred on two groups of progenies, in relation to the number of eggs: one group was different from the control (53.8% of the progenies and the other was identical to it (46.2% of the progenies. In the first group, 60.7% of progenies were less oviposited while a higher number of eggs/female than the control was verified in 39.3% of them. In 57.7% of progenies there was escape of some mites (10 to 40%, and in 10 of these progenies no eggs were laid. The data provide evidences that in some of the progenies evaluated there is resistance by non-preference to oviposition of the Paraguay tea red mite.A preferência para oviposição do ácaro-vermelho, Oligonychus yothersi McGregor, foi avaliada em condições de laboratório em 52 progênies de erva-mate e uma testemunha coletada em uma propriedade da região. Os experimentos foram realizados em discos foliares de erva-mate (2 cm de diâmetro, infestados com uma fêmea adulta do ácaro, e incubados a 25±1ºC e 14h de fotofase, durante cinco dias. As avaliações foram realizadas diariamente, contando-se o número de ovos depositados no período, número de fêmeas que fugiram nas primeiras 48 horas e número de ovos depositados antes da fuga. Verificou-se que houve discriminação do ácaro em dois grupos de progênies, em relação ao número de ovos, um que diferiu em relação à testemunha (53,8% de progênies e outro que se igualou à mesma (46,2% das progênies. No primeiro grupo, houve menor oviposição em 60,7% das progênies, enquanto que em cerca de 39,3% ocorreu maior oviposição (média de 3,1 ovos/fêmea. Em 57,7% das progênies houve fuga das fêmeas (10 a 40%, sendo que em 10 dessas progênies não ocorreu oviposição antes da fuga. Os dados indicam que em algumas das progênies de erva-mate testadas há resistência por não-preferência para oviposição ao ácaro-vermelho.

Advice given to women in Argentina about breast-feeding and the use of alcohol

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Pepino, M. Yanina; Mennella, Julie A.

2006-01-01

Objective To explore the types of advice that women in Argentina received from health professionals, family members, and friends about drinking alcoholic beverages and about alcohol usage during pregnancy and lactation. Methods In December 2001 and December 2002, structured interviews were conducted with a total of 167 women who were then breast-feeding or who had recently breast-fed their infant. Mothers were asked about the type of advice, if any, that they had received about the use of alcohol from health professionals and from family members and friends. Also included were questions related to the usage of the traditional Argentine beverage “mate” (an infusion widely consumed in South America that is prepared from the leaves of the Ilex paraguayensis plant) and the types of advice the women had received about breast-feeding and neonatal care in general. Results Of the 167 women studied, 96.4% of them reported that their physician had advised them to breast-feed their infant. In addition, 93.4% of the women said they had treated their infant’s umbilical cord stump with alcohol. Fewer than half of the women (46.7%) reported that their physician had advised them about drinking alcoholic beverages during pregnancy, and even fewer (25.7%) received such advice during lactation. Family and friends were about equally likely to give advice about the consumption of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy (42.6%) and during lactation (47.9%). However, the type of advice changed, with the family and friends being significantly more likely to encourage drinking when the women were lactating than when they were pregnant (P embarazo y la lactancia. Métodos En diciembre de 2001 y diciembre de 2002 se llevaron a cabo entrevistas estructuradas con un total de 167 mujeres que estaban amamantando o que habían amamantado recientemente. A las madres se les preguntó qué tipo de consejos, en caso de haberlos, les dieron los profesionales de la salud y sus parientes y amistades

Uso da vegetação nativa pela população local no município de Ingaí, MG, Brasil Use of native vegetation by the local population in Ingaí municipacity, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

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Rejane Tavares Botrel

2006-03-01

Full Text Available O objetivo do presente estudo foi realizar um levantamento etnobotânico no município de Ingaí, MG, para se conhecer os usos que a população local atribui à vegetação nativa da região e investigar se tais usos se destinam à subsistência ou comercialização. O levantamento etnobotânico foi conduzido como estudo de caso, na área urbana e periurbana do município. Foram realizadas entrevistas com 17 moradores utilizando questionários semi-estruturados. A partir destas entrevistas foi possível classificar as espécies em quatro categorias de uso: medicinal, lenha, madeireiro (construção civil e fabricação de móveis e diversos usos (artesanato, alimentação, ferramentas, etc.. Os dados foram analisados por meio de descrições qualitativas e quantitativas (índices de diversidade de Shannon - H'- e equabilidade de Pielou - J'. Para análise de importância relativa das espécies indicadas para uso medicinal, foram utilizadas a concordância quanto ao uso principal (CUP, o fator de correção (FC e a concordância quanto ao uso principal corrigida (CUPc. Foram atribuídos usos a 144 espécies coletadas, identificadas e distribuídas nos hábitos de arbórea, arbustiva, herbácea e trepadeira. No município, existe a comercialização de espécies vegetais, em sua maior parte para uso lenheiro e feitio de moirões. Quanto à importância relativa das espécies, aquelas que apresentaram maiores valores de CUP e CUPc, sugerem maior potencial para estudos farmacológicos: Ilex cerasifolia Reisseck e Solanum lycocarpum A. St.-Hil, que apresentaram valores integrais para os dois índices. O índice de diversidade de Shanonn encontrado para as plantas citadas foi considerado alto, sugerindo que a população utiliza uma grande parcela da diversidade local, na maior parte, apenas para fins de subsistência.The purpose of the present study was to carry out an ethnobotanyc survey in the municipality of Ingaí, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, to

Anti nutritional evaluation of the flour of the nipples of holm oak (quercus ilex) and oak cork (quercus suber) Raw and pressure-sealed

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El Mahi, F. Z.

2009-07-01

The present study contributes to the development of the food potential of the nipples of oak like new resources likely to be exploited on an industrial scale for their use in animal feeds. Our work relates to two species S of nipples of oak, edible, the homl oak and the other fodder one, the oal cork known for their spontaneousness and their vey significant geographical distribution. (Author)

Anti nutritional evaluation of the flour of the nipples of holm oak (quercus ilex) and oak cork (quercus suber) Raw and pressure-sealed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Mahi, F. Z.

2009-01-01

The present study contributes to the development of the food potential of the nipples of oak like new resources likely to be exploited on an industrial scale for their use in animal feeds. Our work relates to two species S of nipples of oak, edible, the holm oak and the other fodder one, the oak cork known for their spontaneousness and their vey significant geographical distribution. (Author)

Organic compounds in PM 2.5 emitted from fireplace and woodstove combustion of typical Portuguese wood species

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Gonçalves, Cátia; Alves, Célia; Fernandes, Ana Patrícia; Monteiro, Cristina; Tarelho, Luís; Evtyugina, Margarita; Pio, Casimiro

2011-09-01

The aim of this study is the further characterisation of PM 2.5 emissions from the residential wood combustion of common woods grown in Portugal. This new research extends to eight the number of biomass fuels studied and tries to understand the differences that the burning appliance (fireplace versus woodstove) and the combustion temperature (cold and hot start) have on emissions. Pinus pinaster (Maritime pine), Eucalyptus globulus (eucalypt), Quercus suber (cork oak), Acacia longifolia (Golden wattle), Quercus faginea (Portuguese oak), Olea europea (Olive), Quercus ilex rotundifolia (Holm oak) and briquettes produced from forest biomass waste were used in the combustion tests. Determinations included fine particle emission factors, carbonaceous content (OC and EC) by a thermal-optical transmission technique and detailed identification and quantification of organic compounds by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fine particle emission factors from the woodstove were lower than those from the fireplace. For both combustion appliances, the OC/EC ratio was higher in "cold start" tests (1.56 ± 0.95 for woodstove and 2.03 ± 1.34 for fireplace). These "cold start" OC/EC values were, respectively, for the woodstove and the fireplace, 51% and 69% higher than those obtained in "hot start" experiments. The chromatographically resolved organics included n-alkanes, n-alkenes, PAHs, n-alkanals, ketones, n-alkanols, terpenoids, triterpenoids, phenolic compounds, phytosterols, alcohols, n-alkanoic acids, n-di-acids, unsaturated acids and alkyl esters of acids. The smoke emission rate and composition varied widely depending on fuel type, burning appliance and combustion temperature.

Patterns of leaf morphology and leaf N content in relation to winter temperatures in three evergreen tree species

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Mediavilla, Sonia; Gallardo-López, Victoria; González-Zurdo, Patricia; Escudero, Alfonso

2012-09-01

The competitive equilibrium between deciduous and perennial species in a new scenario of climate change may depend closely on the productivity of leaves along the different seasons of the year and on the morphological and chemical adaptations required for leaf survival during the different seasons. The aim of the present work was to analyze such adaptations in the leaves of three evergreen species ( Quercus ilex, Q. suber and Pinus pinaster) and their responses to between-site differences in the intensity of winter harshness. We explore the hypothesis that the harshness of winter would contribute to enhancing the leaf traits that allow them to persist under conditions of stress. The results revealed that as winter harshness increases a decrease in leaf size occurs in all three species, together with an increase in the content of nitrogen per unit leaf area and a greater leaf mass per unit area, which seems to be achieved only through increased thickness, with no associated changes in density. P. pinaster was the species with the most intense response to the harshening of winter conditions, undergoing a more marked thickening of its needles than the two Quercus species. Our findings thus suggest that lower winter temperatures involve an increase in the cost of leaf production of evergreen species, which must be taken into account in the estimation of the final cost and benefit balance of evergreens. Such cost increases would be more pronounced for those species that, like P. pinaster, show a stronger response to the winter cold.

Penetration of UV-A, UV-B and blue light through the leaf trichome layers of two xeromorphic plants, olive and oak, measured by optical fibre microprobes

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Karabourniotis, G.; Bornman, J.F.

1999-01-01

Quartz fibre-optic microprobes were used to monitor the light microenvironment beneath trichome layers of the xeromorphic leaves of two Mediterranean evergreen sclerophylls, Olea europaea and Quercus ilex. Young developing leaves of both plants were densely pubescent on both surfaces of the lamina, whereas the mature leaves were pubescent only on the abaxial side. Trichome layers of young as well as of mature leaves of both plants attenuated almost all incident ultraviolet (UV)-B (310 nm) and UV-A (360 nm) radiation and a considerable portion of blue light (430 nm). Abaxial trichome layers of young leaves were more effective in screening out the incident radiation compared to the adaxial ones of the same leaves and also compared to the abaxial layer of the mature leaves. The abaxial epidermis of dehaired mature leaves of O. europaea was ineffective in absorbing most of the incident UV-B and UV-A radiation. UV and visible spectra beneath trichome layers of O. europaea in mature leaves confirmed that the light microenvironment on the epidermis was deprived in the UV-B, UV-A and partly in the blue spectral regions. It is proposed that the occurrence of a dense trichome layer, especially in young leaves, may play a protective role against not only UV-B radiation damage, but also against high visible irradiance. This function is performed irrespective of the differing anatomy of individual hairs of both plants. The protection provided by the trichomes could afford advantages under stress conditions, especially during leaf development. (author)

Diversity of Phytophthora Species from Declining Mediterranean Maquis Vegetation, including Two New Species, Phytophthora crassamura and P. ornamentata sp. nov.

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Scanu, Bruno; Linaldeddu, Benedetto T.; Deidda, Antonio; Jung, Thomas

2015-01-01

The Mediterranean basin is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot accounting for more than 25,000 plant species that represent almost 10% of the world’s vascular flora. In particular, the maquis vegetation on Mediterranean islands and archipelagos constitutes an important resource of the Mediterranean plant diversity due to its high rate of endemism. Since 2009, a severe and widespread dieback and mortality of Quercus ilex trees and several other plant species of the Mediterranean maquis has been observed in the National Park of La Maddalena archipelago (northeast Sardinia, Italy). Infected plants showed severe decline symptoms and a significant reduction of natural regeneration. First studies revealed the involvement of the highly invasive wide-host range pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi and several fungal pathogens. Subsequent detailed research led to a better understanding of these epidemics showing that multiple Phytophthora spp. were involved, some of them unknown to science. In total, nine Phytophthora species were isolated from rhizosphere soil samples collected from around symptomatic trees and shrubs including Asparagus albus, Cistus sp., Juniperus phoenicea, J. oxycedrus, Pistacia lentiscus and Rhamnus alaternus. Based on morphological characters, growth-temperature relations and sequence analysis of the ITS and cox1 gene regions, the isolates were identified as Phytophthora asparagi, P. bilorbang, P. cinnamomi, P. cryptogea, P. gonapodyides, P. melonis, P. syringae and two new Clade 6 taxa which are here described as P. crassamura sp. nov. and P. ornamentata sp. nov. Pathogenicity tests supported their possible involvement in the severe decline that is currently threatening the Mediterranean maquis vegetation in the La Maddalena archipelago. PMID:26649428

Landscape Planning and Ecological Networks. Part A. A Rural System in Nuoro, Sardinia

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Andrea De Montis

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Urban-rural landscape planning research is nowadays focusing on strategies and tools that support practitioners in designing integrated spaces starting from the analysis of local areas, where human and natural pressures interfere. A prominent framework is provided by the ecological networks, whose design regards the combination of a set of green areas or patches (the nodes interconnected through environmental corridors (the edges. Ecological networks are useful for biodiversity protection and enhancement, as they are able to counteract fragmentation, and to create or strengthen relations and exchanges among otherwise isolated elements. Biodiversity evolution, indeed, depends on the quantity and quality of spatial cohesion of natural areas.  In this paper, we aim at designing an ecological network for the periurban area on the town of Nuoro in central Sardinia. The narrative unfolds in two parts. Part A is presented in this paper and includes its methodological premises, i.e. biodiversity conservation and ecological network analysis and design, and the introductory elements of a spatial analysis on a pilot ecological network of one hundred patches. We locate patches by focusing on the ecosystems supported by the target vegetal species holm oak (Quercus ilex and cultivated or wild olive (Olea europaea var. sativa, O. europaea var. sylverstis. These are very common plants species in the municipality and some animal species are active as seed dispersal. The reminder, i.e. Part B, of the essay is presented in an homonymous paper that focuses on the illustration of the network analysis conceived as a monitoring system and, in future perspective, as a planning support system.

A highly spatially resolved GIS-based model to assess the isoprenoid emissions from key Italian ecosystems

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Pacheco, Claudia Kemper; Fares, Silvano; Ciccioli, Paolo

2014-10-01

The amount of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOC) emitted from terrestrial vegetation is of great importance in atmospheric reactivity, particularly for ozone-forming reactions and as condensation nuclei in aerosol formation and growth. This work presents a detailed inventory of isoprenoid emissions from vegetation in Italy using an original approach which combines state of the art models to estimate the species-specific isoprenoid emissions and a Geographic Information System (GIS) where emissions are spatially represented. Isoprenoid species and basal emission factors were obtained by combining results from laboratory experiments with those published in literature. For the first time, our investigation was not only restricted to isoprene and total monoterpenes, but our goal was to provide maps of isoprene and individual monoterpenes at a high-spatial (∼1 km2) and temporal resolution (daily runs, monthly trends in emissions are discussed in the text). Another novelty in our research was the inclusion of the effects of phenology on plant emissions. Our results show that: a) isoprene, a-pinene, sabinene and b-pinene are the most important compounds emitted from vegetation in Italy; b) annual biogenic isoprene and monoterpene fluxes for the year 2006 were ∼31.30 Gg and ∼37.70 Gg, respectively; and c) Quercus pubescens + Quercus petrea + Quercus robur, Quercus ilex, Quercus suber and Fagus sylvatica are the principal isoprenoid emitting species in the country. The high spatial and temporal resolution, combined with the species-specific emission output, makes the model particularly suitable for assessing local budgets, and for modeling photochemical pollution in Italy.

Characterization of leaf-level particulate matter for an industrial city using electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis

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Sgrigna, G., E-mail: gregorio.sgrigna@ibaf.cnr.it [University of Molise (UniMol), Department of Biosciences and Territory, Contrada Fonte Lappone Pesche (Italy); Institute of Agro Environmental and Forest Biology, National Research Council (IBAF–CNR), Via Marconi, 2 Porano & Via Castellino 111, Napoli (Italy); Baldacchini, C., E-mail: chiara.baldacchini@ibaf.cnr.it [Institute of Agro Environmental and Forest Biology, National Research Council (IBAF–CNR), Via Marconi, 2 Porano & Via Castellino 111, Napoli (Italy); Esposito, R., E-mail: raffaela.esposito@ibaf.cnr.it [Institute of Agro Environmental and Forest Biology, National Research Council (IBAF–CNR), Via Marconi, 2 Porano & Via Castellino 111, Napoli (Italy); Calandrelli, R., E-mail: roberto.calandrelli@ibaf.cnr.it [Institute of Agro Environmental and Forest Biology, National Research Council (IBAF–CNR), Via Marconi, 2 Porano & Via Castellino 111, Napoli (Italy); Tiwary, A., E-mail: a.tiwary@soton.ac.uk [Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Calfapietra, C., E-mail: carlo.calfapietra@ibaf.cnr.it [Institute of Agro Environmental and Forest Biology, National Research Council (IBAF–CNR), Via Marconi, 2 Porano & Via Castellino 111, Napoli (Italy); Global Change Research Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v. v. i., Bělidla 986/4a, 603 00 Brno (Czech Republic)

2016-04-01

This study reports application of monitoring and characterization protocol for particulate matter (PM) deposited on tree leaves, using Quercus ilex as a case study species. The study area is located in the industrial city of Terni in central Italy, with high PM concentrations. Four trees were selected as representative of distinct pollution environments based on their proximity to a steel factory and a street. Wash off from leaves onto cellulose filters were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, inferring the associations between particle sizes, chemical composition, and sampling location. Modeling of particle size distributions showed a tri-modal fingerprint, with the three modes centered at 0.6 (factory related), 1.2 (urban background), and 2.6 μm (traffic related). Chemical detection identified 23 elements abundant in the PM samples. Principal component analysis recognized iron and copper as source-specific PM markers, attributed mainly to industrial and heavy traffic pollution respectively. Upscaling these results on leaf area basis provided a useful indicator for strategic evaluation of harmful PM pollutants using tree leaves. - Highlights: • Urban tree leaves were used for passive PM{sub 10} monitoring combining SEM and EDX analyses. • Particle mean diameter distributions were modeled by multimode lognormal functions. • Site-specific PM{sub 10} elemental composition was evaluated by principal component analysis. • PM profile (size and composition) was used to distinguish site-specific urban sources. • PM size and relative content of Cu and Fe emerged as possible pollutant source markers.

Smilax (Smilacaceae) from the Miocene of western Eurasia with Caribbean biogeographic affinities.

Science.gov (United States)

Denk, Thomas; Velitzelos, Dimitrios; Güner, H Tuncay; Ferrufino-Acosta, Lilian

2015-03-01

• Recent molecular studies provide a phylogenetic framework and some dated nodes for the monocot genus Smilax. The Caribbean Havanensis group of Smilax is part of a well-supported "New World clade" with a few disjunct taxa in the Old World. Although the fossil record of the genus is rich, it has been difficult to assign fossil taxa to extant groups based on their preserved morphological characters.• Leaf fossils from Europe and Asia Minor were studied comparatively and put into a phylogenetic and biogeographic context using a molecular phylogeny of the genus.• Fossils from the early Miocene of Anatolia represent a new species of Smilax with systematic affinities with the Havanensis group. The leaf type encountered in the fossil species is exclusively found in species of the Havanensis group among all modern Smilax. Scattered fossils of this type from the Miocene of Greece and Austria, previously referred to Quercus (Fagaceae), Ilex (Aquifoliaceae), and Mahonia (Berberidaceae) also belong to the new species.• The new Smilax provides first fossil evidence of the Havanensis group and proves that this group had a western Eurasian distribution during the Miocene. The age of the fossils is in good agreement with the (molecular-based) purported split between the Havanensis and Hispida groups within Smilax. The Miocene Smilax provides evidence that all four subclades within the "New World clade" had a disjunct intercontinental distribution during parts of the Neogene involving trans-Atlantic crossings (via floating islands or the North Atlantic land bridge) and the Beringia land bridge. © 2015 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Facilitating the afforestation of Mediterranean polluted soils by nurse shrubs.

Science.gov (United States)

Domínguez, María T; Pérez-Ramos, Ignacio M; Murillo, José M; Marañón, Teodoro

2015-09-15

The revegetation of polluted sites and abandoned agricultural soils is critical to reduce soil losses and to control the spread of soil pollution in the Mediterranean region, which is currently exposed to the greatest soil erosion risk in Europe. However, events of massive plant mortality usually occur during the first years after planting, mainly due to the adverse conditions of high irradiance and drought stress. Here, we evaluated the usefulness of considering the positive plant-plant interactions (facilitation effect) in the afforestation of polluted agricultural sites, using pre-existing shrubs as nurse plants. We used nurse shrubs as planting microsites for acorns of Quercus ilex (Holm oak) along a gradient of soil pollution in southwestern Spain, and monitored seedling growth, survival, and chemical composition during three consecutive years. Seedling survival greatly increased (from 20% to more than 50%) when acorns were sown under shrub, in comparison to the open, unprotected matrix. Facilitation of seedling growth by shrubs increased along the gradient of soil pollution, in agreement with the stress gradient hypothesis that predicts higher intensity of the facilitation effects with increasing abiotic stress. Although the accumulation of trace elements in seedling leaves was higher underneath shrub, the shading conditions provided by the shrub canopy allowed seedlings to cope with the toxicity provoked by the concurrence of low pH and high trace element concentrations in the most polluted sites. Our results show that the use of shrubs as nurse plants is a promising tool for the cost-effective afforestation of polluted lands under Mediterranean conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ANÁLISE DE METAIS EM AMOSTRAS COMERCIAIS DE ERVA-MATE DO SUL DO BRASIL

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Ana Paula SAIDELLES

2010-11-01

Full Text Available

A erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis, St. Hill. ingerida como infusão a quente, chamada de “chimarrão”, é uma cultura com grande valor comercial para os estados do sul do Brasil. Atualmente muitos estudos tem sido desenvolvidos buscando estabelecer os benefícios terapêuticos e efeitos colaterais à saúde humana da erva-mate, que podem estar relacionados à presença de metais. Neste trabalho foram determinadas as concentrações de metais essenciais e tóxicos na composição da erva-mate comercializada e consumida nos diferentes estados do sul do Brasil. Amostras provenientes do Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná e Santa Catarina foram analisadas para a determinação da concentração de Al, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, Zn por espectrometria de massa com plasma indutivamente acoplado (ICP-MS e espectrometria de emissão óptica com plasma indutivamente acoplado (ICP-OES. Observou-se que a concentração média de todos os metais analisados nas amostras estava dentro dos limites toleráveis. Entretanto, foram observadas concentrações minerais diferenciadas entre as regiões estudadas. Desta forma, a erva-mate pode ser recomendada na utilização diária, podendo suprir necessidades básicas de ingestão desses metais essenciais sem o risco de problemas causados por elementos tóxicos.

Miocene palynoflora from the KRAM-P 218 leaf assemblage from the Bełchatów Lignite Mine (Central Poland

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Worobiec Elżbieta

2016-12-01

Full Text Available During a palynological analysis of four samples from the Bełchatów KRAM-P 218 collection of plant macroremains 95 fossil species of sporomorphs were identified. Among the non-pollen palynomorphs was the fossil species Desmidiaceaesporites cosmarioformis, previously not reported from fossil floras of Poland, most probably related to the zygospores of desmids. The pollen analysis indicates the presence of a freshwater body (probably an oxbow lake and shows the dominant role of wetland, predominantly riparian vegetation, at the time of sedimentation. The riparian forests probably consisted of Carya, Pterocarya, Celtis, and Ulmus, accompanied by Alnus, Acer, Fraxinus, Juglans, Liquidambar, Vitis, Zelkova, and Salix. In mixed forests there probably were Fagus, Quercus, Carpinus, Eucommia, Corylus, Tilioideae, and conifers, as well as some thermophilous taxa (e.g. Castanea, Symplocos, Reevesia, Mastixiaceae, and plants producing pollen of the fossil species Tricolporopollenites pseudocingulum. Taxodium, Nyssa, and presumably Glyptostrobus and Alnus were components of swamp communities that might have overgrown the adjacent area with higher groundwater. Members of the families Ericaceae, Cyrillaceae, and Clethraceae, as well as Myrica and probably also Ilex, may have been components of swamp forests and bush swamps. Our analysis indicates that the climate was warm temperate and moderately wet. The palynoflora is most similar in composition to the spore-pollen spectra of the X climatic phase - the Nyssapollenites spore-pollen zone. Deposits bearing assemblages of the Nyssapollenites spore-pollen zone were deposited during the Sarmatian and early Pannonian. Our results are consistent with those from plant macroremains from the same collection.

Dynamics of organic matter in a Mediterranean mixed forest exposed to chronic gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tabone, E.; Poinsot-Balaguer, N.

1987-01-01

An area of mixed forest [white oak (Quercus pubescens W.) and evergreen oak (Quercus ilex L.)] in Cadarache (Southern France) has been irradiated for 14 years by a 137 Cs source. Radiation effects on soil organic matter were investigaed at five stations along the gradient towards the source and in a control area of non-irradiatd forest. The highest radiation levels (60-100 mGy x h -1 ) killed trees and shrubs so that there were no ongoing litter inputs to soils in the three nearest stations to the source. Inputs from annuals and radiation tolerant perennials were insignificant in these sites. At lower radiation levels (15 mGy x h -1 ) litter standing crops are increasing. The carbon and nitrogen balance between input and the decomposition of organic matter showed two main patterns. In the areas without litter input the total C and N standing crops were significantly lower than in areas receiving litter, though maintained at a higher level than expected because of the residual organic matter from dead plants. Water trickling down the slope was also a source of N inputs. Principal components analysis showed ordination of the sites according to levels of irradiation and descriminating between C and N concentrations in sites according to litter inputs. On a basis of soil water contents the stations are located on the first axis according to soil organic matter concentrations. Irradiation has a range of direct and indirect effects on soil organic matter but lack of litter input is a key factor. (author)

Yerba mate enhances probiotic bacteria growth in vitro but as a feed additive does not reduce Salmonella Enteritidis colonization in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez-Gil, Francisco; Diaz-Sanchez, Sandra; Pendleton, Sean; Andino, Ana; Zhang, Nan; Yard, Carrie; Crilly, Nate; Harte, Federico; Hanning, Irene

2014-02-01

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a tea known to have beneficial effects on human health and antimicrobial activity against some foodborne pathogens. Thus, the application of yerba mate as a feed additive for broiler chickens to reduce Salmonella colonization was evaluated. The first in vitro evaluation was conducted by suspending Salmonella Enteritidis and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in yerba mate extract. The in vivo evaluations were conducted using preventative and horizontal transmission experiments. In all experiments, day-of-hatch chicks were treated with one of the following 1) no treatment (control); 2) ground yerba mate in feed; 3) probiotic treatment (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Pediococcus; 9:1 administered once on day of hatch by gavage); or 4) both yerba mate and probiotic treatments. At d 3, all chicks were challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis (preventative experiment) or 5 of 20 chicks (horizontal transmission experiment). At d 10, all birds were euthanized, weighed, and cecal contents enumerated for Salmonella. For the in vitro evaluation, antimicrobial activity was observed against Salmonella and the same treatment enhanced growth of LAB. For in vivo evaluations, none of the yerba mate treatments significantly reduced Salmonella Enteritidis colonization, whereas the probiotic treatment significantly reduced Salmonella colonization in the horizontal transmission experiment. Yerba mate decreased chicken BW and decreased the performance of the probiotic treatment when used in combination. In conclusion, yerba mate had antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens and enhanced the growth of LAB in vitro, but in vivo yerba mate did not decrease Salmonella Enteritidis colonization.

A comparative transcriptomic approach to understanding the formation of cork.

Science.gov (United States)

Boher, Pau; Soler, Marçal; Sánchez, Anna; Hoede, Claire; Noirot, Céline; Paiva, Jorge Almiro Pinto; Serra, Olga; Figueras, Mercè

2018-01-01

The transcriptome comparison of two oak species reveals possible candidates accounting for the exceptionally thick and pure cork oak phellem, such as those involved in secondary metabolism and phellogen activity. Cork oak, Quercus suber, differs from other Mediterranean oaks such as holm oak (Quercus ilex) by the thickness and organization of the external bark. While holm oak outer bark contains sequential periderms interspersed with dead secondary phloem (rhytidome), the cork oak outer bark only contains thick layers of phellem (cork rings) that accumulate until reaching a thickness that allows industrial uses. Here we compare the cork oak outer bark transcriptome with that of holm oak. Both transcriptomes present similitudes in their complexity, but whereas cork oak external bark is enriched with upregulated genes related to suberin, which is the main polymer responsible for the protective function of periderm, the upregulated categories of holm oak are enriched in abiotic stress and chromatin assembly. Concomitantly with the upregulation of suberin-related genes, there is also induction of regulatory and meristematic genes, whose predicted activities agree with the increased number of phellem layers found in the cork oak sample. Further transcript profiling among different cork oak tissues and conditions suggests that cork and wood share many regulatory mechanisms, probably reflecting similar ontogeny. Moreover, the analysis of transcripts accumulation during the cork growth season showed that most regulatory genes are upregulated early in the season when the cork cambium becomes active. Altogether our work provides the first transcriptome comparison between cork oak and holm oak outer bark, which unveils new regulatory candidate genes of phellem development.

Uptake of small particles by tree canopies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belot, Y.; Camus, H.; Gauthier, D.; Caput, C.

1992-01-01

Most of the deposition data that are available to assess the radiological consequences of an accident have been acquired for low-growing vegetation and are inadapted to forest areas. Consequently, a programme was undertaken to study the deposition of particles on components of different trees and extrapolate the experimental data so obtained to large-scale canopies. The experiments were performed in a wind tunnel allowing canopy components to be exposed to a flow of suspended fluorescent particles of reasonably uniform size. Emphasis was put on particles in the 0.3-1.2 μm subrange, because most of the radioactive particles sampled at long distance from sources are comprised in this size interval. The uptake rates were determined for bare and leaf bearing twigs of several evergreen species (Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris and Quercus ilex), as a function of wind speed and particle size. The deposition rates obtained for the tree components were then used as input to a model that describes the uptake of particles by a large-scale canopy under specified conditions of weather and canopy structure. The model accounts for the diffusion of particles between different strata of the canopy, as well as deposition of particles on the canopy components. It calculates the rates of particle deposition to the horizontal surface of the canopy, and the repartition of the deposited particles within the canopy. Increases in wind speed cause increased deposition, but the effect is less important that it would have been for larger particles. The deposition is relatively insensitive to the size of particles within the subrange considered in this study. 13 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

Stomatal uptake and stomatal deposition of ozone in isoprene and monoterpene emitting plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Fares, S; Loreto, F; Kleist, E; Wildt, J

2008-01-01

Volatile isoprenoids were reported to protect plants against ozone. To understand whether this could be the result of a direct scavenging of ozone by these molecules, the stomatal and non-stomatal uptake of ozone was estimated in plants emitting isoprene or monoterpenes. Ozone uptake by holm oak (Quercus ilex, a monoterpene emitter) and black poplar (Populus nigra, an isoprene emitter) was studied in whole plant enclosures (continuously stirred tank reactors, CSTR). The ozone uptake by plants was estimated measuring ozone concentration at the inlet and outlet of the reactors, after correcting for the uptake of the enclosure materials. Destruction of ozone at the cuticle or at the plant stems was found to be negligible compared to the ozone uptake through the stomata. For both plant species, a relationship between stomatal conductance and ozone uptake was found. For the poplar, the measured ozone losses were explained by the uptake of ozone through the stomata only, and ozone destruction by gas phase reactions with isoprene was negligible. For the oak, gas phase reactions of ozone with the monoterpenes emitted by the plants contributed significantly to ozone destruction. This was confirmed by two different experiments showing a) that in cases of high stomatal conductance but under low CO(2) concentration, a reduction of monoterpene emission was still associated with reduced O(3) uptake; and b) that ozone losses due to the gas phase reactions only can be measured when using the exhaust from a plant chamber to determine the gas phase reactivity in an empty reaction chamber. Monoterpenes can therefore relevantly scavenge ozone at leaf level contributing to protection against ozone.

Protective effect of yerba mate intake on the cardiovascular system: a post hoc analysis study in postmenopausal women.

Science.gov (United States)

da Veiga, D T A; Bringhenti, R; Copes, R; Tatsch, E; Moresco, R N; Comim, F V; Premaor, M O

2018-01-01

The prevalence of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases is increased in postmenopausal women, which contributes to the burden of illnesses in this period of life. Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a native bush from Southern South America. Its leaves are rich in phenolic components, which may have antioxidant, vasodilating, hypocholesterolemic, and hypoglycemic proprieties. This post hoc analysis of the case-control study nested in the Obesity and Bone Fracture Cohort evaluated the consumption of yerba mate and the prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and coronary diseases in postmenopausal women. Ninety-five postmenopausal women were included in this analysis. A questionnaire was applied to evaluate the risk factors and diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases and consumption of yerba mate infusion. Student's t-test and chi-square test were used to assess significant differences between groups. The group that consumed more than 1 L/day of mate infusion had significantly fewer diagnoses of coronary disease, dyslipidemia, and hypertension (P<0.049, P<0.048, and P<0.016, respectively). Furthermore, the serum levels of glucose were lower in the group with a higher consumption of yerba mate infusion (P<0.013). The serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides were similar between the groups. This pragmatic study points out the benefits of yerba mate consumption for the cardiovascular and metabolic systems. The ingestion of more than 1 L/day of mate infusion was associated with fewer self-reported cardiovascular diseases and lower serum levels of glucose. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the association between yerba mate infusion and reduction of cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women.

Emission factors from residential combustion appliances burning Portuguese biomass fuels.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, A P; Alves, C A; Gonçalves, C; Tarelho, L; Pio, C; Schimdl, C; Bauer, H

2011-11-01

Smoke from residential wood burning has been identified as a major contributor to air pollution, motivating detailed emission measurements under controlled conditions. A series of experiments were performed to compare the emission levels from two types of wood-stoves to those of fireplaces. Eight types of biomass were burned in the laboratory: wood from seven species of trees grown in the Portuguese forest (Pinus pinaster, Eucalyptus globulus, Quercus suber, Acacia longifolia, Quercus faginea, Olea europaea and Quercus ilex rotundifolia) and briquettes produced from forest biomass waste. Average emission factors were in the ranges 27.5-99.2 g CO kg(-1), 552-1660 g CO(2) kg(-1), 0.66-1.34 g NO kg(-1), and 0.82-4.94 g hydrocarbons kg(-1) of biomass burned (dry basis). Average particle emission factors varied between 1.12 and 20.06 g kg(-1) biomass burned (dry basis), with higher burn rates producing significantly less particle mass per kg wood burned than the low burn rates. Particle mass emission factors from wood-stoves were lower than those from the fireplace. The average emission factors for organic and elemental carbon were in the intervals 0.24-10.1 and 0.18-0.68 g kg(-1) biomass burned (dry basis), respectively. The elemental carbon content of particles emitted from the energy-efficient "chimney type" logwood stove was substantially higher than in the conventional cast iron stove and fireplace, whereas the opposite was observed for the organic carbon fraction. Pinus pinaster, the only softwood species among all, was the biofuel with the lowest emissions of particles, CO, NO and hydrocarbons.

Western Palaearctic Ectoedemia (Zimmermannia Hering and Ectoedemia Busck s. str. (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae: five new species and new data on distribution, hostplants and recognition

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Erik van Nieukerken

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The nine western Palaearctic species of the subgenus Zimmermannia Hering, 1940 and 48 species in the subgenus Ectoedemia Busck, 1907 of the genus Ectoedemia are reviewed. One species in the subgenus Zimmermannia and four species in the subgenus Ectoedemia are described as new: Ectoedemia (Zimmermannia vivesi A. Laštůvka, Z. Laštůvka & Van Nieukerken sp. n. from southern Spain and Cyprus with unknown host plant, Ectoedemia (E. hendrikseni A. Laštůvka, Z. Laštůvka & Van Nieukerken sp. n. from southern France on Quercus suber, E. (E. heckfordi Van Nieukerken, A. Laštůvka & Z. Laštůvka sp. n. from southern England on Quercus petraea and Q. robur, E. (E. phaeolepis Van Nieukerken, A. Laštůvka & Z. Laštůvka sp. n. from Spain and Portugal probably on Quercus ilex and Q. rotundifolia and E. (E. coscoja Van Nieukerken, A. Laštůvka & Z. Laštůvka sp. n. from Spain on Quercus coccifera. The following species are redescribed: Ectoedemia (Zimmermannia hispanica Van Nieukerken, Ectoedemia (Zimmermannia reichli Z. & A. Laštůvka, 1998, Ectoedemia (E. algeriensis van Nieukerken, 1985, E. (E. pseudoilicis Z. & A. Laštůvka, 1998 and E. (E. alnifoliae van Nieukerken, 1985. Ectoedemia albiformae Puplesis & Diškus, 2003 is synonymised with E. spinosella (Joannis, 1908. Ectoedemia jacutica Puplesis, 1988, previously synonymised with E. agrimoniae (Frey, 1858, is here synonymised with E. spiraeae Gregor & Povolný, 1983. Updated keys to the subgenus Zimmermannia and the Quercus feeding Ectoedemia are provided.

Disparity in elevational shifts of European trees in response to recent climate warming.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabasa, Sonia G; Granda, Elena; Benavides, Raquel; Kunstler, Georges; Espelta, Josep M; Ogaya, Romá; Peñuelas, Josep; Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael; Gil, Wojciech; Grodzki, Wojciech; Ambrozy, Slawomir; Bergh, Johan; Hódar, José A; Zamora, Regino; Valladares, Fernando

2013-08-01

Predicting climate-driven changes in plant distribution is crucial for biodiversity conservation and management under recent climate change. Climate warming is expected to induce movement of species upslope and towards higher latitudes. However, the mechanisms and physiological processes behind the altitudinal and latitudinal distribution range of a tree species are complex and depend on each tree species features and vary over ontogenetic stages. We investigated the altitudinal distribution differences between juvenile and adult individuals of seven major European tree species along elevational transects covering a wide latitudinal range from southern Spain (37°N) to northern Sweden (67°N). By comparing juvenile and adult distributions (shifts on the optimum position and the range limits) we assessed the response of species to present climate conditions in relation to previous conditions that prevailed when adults were established. Mean temperature increased by 0.86 °C on average at our sites during the last decade compared with previous 30-year period. Only one of the species studied, Abies alba, matched the expected predictions under the observed warming, with a maximum abundance of juveniles at higher altitudes than adults. Three species, Fagus sylvatica, Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris, showed an opposite pattern while for other three species, such as Quercus ilex, Acer pseudoplatanus and Q. petraea, we were no able to detect changes in distribution. These findings are in contrast with theoretical predictions and show that tree responses to climate change are complex and are obscured not only by other environmental factors but also by internal processes related to ontogeny and demography. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Platanus pollen allergen, Pla a 1: quantification in the atmosphere and influence on a sensitizing population.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-González, D; González-Parrado, Z; Vega-Maray, A M; Valencia-Barrera, R M; Camazón-Izquierdo, B; De Nuntiis, P; Mandrioli, P

2010-11-01

The allergic response in susceptible patients does not always coincide with the presence and magnitude of airborne pollen counts. The prevalence of allergy to Platanus is currently moderate, although the percentage of monosensitized patients is low. This hinders accurate interpretation of the relationship between the amount of pollen inhaled and the patient's symptoms. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the atmospheric concentration pattern of Pla a 1 aeroallergen and the Platanus pollen. The pollen sampling was carried out using a Hirst-type volumetric trap (Burkard(©) ) for pollen grains and a Burkard Cyclone sampler (Burkard(©) ) for Pla a 1 allergen. Serum-specific IgE levels to Acer sp., Artemisia vulgaris, Betula alba, Chenopodium album, Cupressus arizonica, Cynodon dactylon, Fraxinus excelsior, Lolium perenne, Pinus sp., Plantago lanceolata, Platanus acerifolia, Populus sp., Quercus ilex and Taraxacum officinale allergens were determined using the EAST System (Hytec specific IgE EIA kit; Hycor Biomedical, Kassel, Germany). The aerobiological dynamics of Platanus pollen grains and Pla a 1 differed considerably, particularly during the Platanus pollination period. Of the 118 subjects tested, sera from 34 contained specific IgE to Platanus pollen and all of them had specific IgE to other pollen types. The presence of the aeroallergen Pla a 1 in the atmosphere appears to be independent of Platanus pollen counts over the same period, which may be contributing to allergic symptoms and sensitization. The number of polysensitized patients displaying allergy to Platanus suggested that allergic symptoms were caused by co-sensitization or cross-reactivity involving a number of allergenic particles. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Strong resilience of soil respiration components to drought-induced die-off resulting in forest secondary succession.

Science.gov (United States)

Barba, Josep; Curiel Yuste, Jorge; Poyatos, Rafael; Janssens, Ivan A; Lloret, Francisco

2016-09-01

How forests cope with drought-induced perturbations and how the dependence of soil respiration on environmental and biological drivers is affected in a warming and drying context are becoming key questions. The aims of this study were to determine whether drought-induced die-off and forest succession were reflected in soil respiration and its components and to determine the influence of climate on the soil respiration components. We used the mesh exclusion method to study seasonal variations in soil respiration (R S) and its components: heterotrophic (R H) and autotrophic (R A) [further split into fine root (R R) and mycorrhizal respiration (R M)] in a mixed Mediterranean forest where Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is undergoing a drought-induced die-off and is being replaced by holm oak (Quercus ilex L.). Drought-induced pine die-off was not reflected in R S nor in its components, which denotes a high functional resilience of the plant and soil system to pine die-off. However, the succession from Scots pine to holm oak resulted in a reduction of R H and thus in an important decrease of total respiration (R S was 36 % lower in holm oaks than in non-defoliated pines). Furthermore, R S and all its components were strongly regulated by soil water content-and-temperature interaction. Since Scots pine die-off and Quercus species colonization seems to be widely occurring at the driest limit of the Scots pine distribution, the functional resilience of the soil system over die-off and the decrease of R S from Scots pine to holm oak could have direct consequences for the C balance of these ecosystems.

A multidisciplinary overview of intoxicating snuff rituals in the western hemisphere.

Science.gov (United States)

de Smet, P A

1985-03-01

Part one of the paper discusses ethnobotanical, chemical and general pharmacological aspects of intoxicating snuff rituals in the western hemisphere. Four categories of ritual snuff ingredients arise from this multidisciplinary approach: It is well established that the plant contains one or more psychoactive principles and the Indian use of the plant as a ritual snuff ingredient is confirmed or quite probable: Anadenanthera, Erythroxylum, Nicotiana, Virola; It is well established that the plant contains one or more psychoactive principles, but the Indian use of the plant as a ritual snuff ingredient is not well recorded or even unlikely: Banisteriopsis, Cannabis, Datura, Ilex guayusa; The Indian use of the plant as a ritual snuff ingredient is confirmed or quite probable, but it is not well established that the plant contains one or more psychoactive principles: Justicia pectoralis, Pagamea macrophylla, Tanaecium nocturnum; The Indian use of the plant as a ritual snuff ingredient is not well recorded, and it is not well established that the plant contains one or more psychoactive principles: Acorus calamus, Capsicum, Macquira sclerophylla, Piper interitum. Part two of the paper discusses the nasal pharmacokinetics and efficacy of possible ritual snuff constituents. The literature yields convincing clinical evidence that atropine, cocaine, nicotine and scopolamine are effective following nasal application, but experimental confirmation of the efficacy of nasal tryptamine alkaloids is still awaited. In self-experiments, 6.4 mg/kg of caffeine produced substantial plasma levels via the nasal route, but 0.5 mg/kg of harmine did not produce measurable plasma levels, when taken as a nasal powder. Without additional experiments, it is difficult to give a definite explanation for this negative result.

Respuesta plástica a la luz y al agua en cuatro especies mediterráneas del género Quercus (Fagaceae Plastic response to light and water in four Mediterranean Quercus species (Fagaceae

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JOSÉ L QUERO

2008-09-01

Full Text Available La luz y el agua son dos de los principales factores que regulan el crecimiento y la supervivencia de las plantas leñosas mediterráneas. El objetivo de este estudio es conocer el nivel de respuesta plástica de plántulas de cuatro especies de Quercus a tratamientos de sombra y sequía. Además queremos evaluar qué variables son más plásticas a uno u otro factor, y probar la hipótesis de que los rasgos fisiológicos son más plásticos que los rasgos estructurales. Se cultivaron en condiciones controladas plántulas de Quercus ilex subsp. ballota, Q. súber, Q. pyrenaica y Q. canariensis en tres tratamientos de luz (100, 27 y 3 % de luz incidente y con agua abundante. A partir de mediados de primavera, a la mitad de las plántulas se les suprimió el agua, de forma que recibieron dos tratamientos de agua (riego versus no riego dentro de cada tratamiento de luz. Se analizaron distintos rasgos fisiológicos como la tasa de fotosíntesis y respiración, el punto de compensación y de saturación a la luz, la conductancia estomática, la eficiencia en el uso del agua y de nitrógeno y la eficiencia fotosintética a la luz. También se estudiaron distintos rasgos morfológicos o estructurales, como el área foliar, el área específica foliar, las concentraciones foliares de N y C, y un índice de clorofila. En general, la respuesta plástica de las variables estructurales al factor agua fue muy baja, mientras que la respuesta de las fisiológicas fue relativamente alta. Con la luz, no se detectaron diferencias significativas en la respuesta plástica entre las variables estructurales y fisiológicas. En estas especies de Quercus mediterráneos, la mayor respuesta plástica a la luz podría estar ligada con una estrategia de tolerancia a la sombra, mientras que la baja respuesta plástica al agua (i.e., canalización respondería a una estrategia de tolerancia a la sequía, indicando que la tolerancia a bajos niveles de recursos puede ser

Sensitivity analyses of woody species exposed to air pollution based on ecophysiological measurements.

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Wen, Dazhi; Kuang, Yuanwen; Zhou, Guoyi

2004-01-01

Air pollution has been of a major problem in the Pearl River Delta of south China, particularly during the last two decades. Emissions of air pollutants from industries have already led to damages in natural communities and environments in a wide range of the Delta area. Leaf parameters such as chlorophyll fluorescence, leaf area (LA), dry weight (DW) and leaf mass per area (LMA) had once been used as specific indexes of environmental stress. This study aims to determine in situ if the daily variation of chlorophyll fluorescence and other ecophysiological parameters in five seedlings of three woody species, Ilex rotunda, Ficus microcarpa and Machilus chinensis, could be used alone or in combination with other measurements for sensitivity indexes to make diagnoses under air pollution stress and, hence, to choose the correct tree species for urban afforestation in the Delta area. Five seedlings of each species were transplanted in pot containers after their acclimation under shadowing conditions. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were made in situ by a portable fluorometer (OS-30, Opti-sciences, U.S.A). Ten random samples of leaves were picked from each species for LA measurements by area-meter (CI-203, CID, Inc., U.S.A). DW was determined after the leaf samples were dried to a constant weight at 65 degrees C. LMA was calculated as the ratio of DW/LA. Leaf N content was analyzed according to the Kjeldhal method, and the extraction of pigments was carried out according Lin et al. The daily mean Fv/Fm (Fv is the variable fluorescence and Fm is the maximum fluorescence) analysis showed that Ilex rotunda and Ficus microcarpa were more highly resistant to pollution stress, followed by Machilus chinensis, implying that the efficiency of photosystem II in I. rotunda was less affected by air pollutants than the other two species. Little difference in daily change of Fv/Fm in I. rotunda between the polluted and the clean site was also observed. However, a relatively large

CRESCIMENTO INICIAL DE MUDAS DE ERVA-MATE (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil. EM TRÊS CLASSES DE SOLOS, NA REGIÃO CENTRAL DO RIO GRANDE DO SUL

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Roberto Luiz Salet

2003-09-01

Full Text Available O experimento foi instalado em três sítios, com condições climáticas semelhantes e com diferentes classes de solos. Foram usados diferentes tratamentos de adubação para o plantio das mudas de erva-mate, visando ao estudo de efeito destes sobre o seu crescimento inicial. Os sítios apresentam solos classificados como Plintossolo Argilúvico, Alissolo Cromico e Neossolo Litólico, sendo que os tratamentos foram: vermicomposto, tratamento sem fertilizante, ½ dose recomendada de N-P-K e a dose recomendada de N-P-K. O crescimento inicial foi avaliado medindo-se o incremento absoluto em altura, área foliar total e número de folhas da planta, em quatro períodos, durante o primeiro ano. Também, foi avaliado o percentual de plantas sobreviventes cinco meses após o plantio das mudas. A fertilização química reduziu o número de plantas sobreviventes, enquanto que, o uso de vermicomposto e o tratamento sem fertilizantes no plantio induziram maior sobrevivência e maior altura das plantas. Não houve diferença na área foliar e número de folhas para as formas de adubação no plantio. O maior incremento na área foliar total e no número de folhas foi observado no sítio com solo raso e com maior fertilidade natural, o Neossolo Litólico.

Influence of agronomic variables on the composition of mate tea leaves (Ilex paraguariensis) extracts obtained from CO2 extraction at 30 degrees C and 175 bar.

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Esmelindro, Angela Aquino; Girardi, Jonathan Dos Santos; Mossi, Altemir; Jacques, Rosângela Assis; Dariva, Cláudio

2004-04-07

The aim of this work is to assess the influence of light intensity (plants with direct sun exposure and in a controlled light intensity) and age of leaves (6-24 months) on the characteristics of the extracts of mate tea leaves obtained from carbon dioxide at high pressures. Samples of mate were collected in an experiment conducted under agronomic control at Industria e Comercio de Erva-Mate Barão LTDA, Brazil. The content of selected organic compounds of the extracts was evaluated by gas chromatography together with mass spectrometry. Quantitative analysis of caffeine, theobromine, phytol, vitamin E, squalene, and stigmasterol was performed, and the results showed that field variables exert a strong influence on the liquid yield and on the chemical distribution of the extracts.

Distribution of leaf characteristics in relation to orientation within the canopy of woody species

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Escudero, Alfonso; Fernández, José; Cordero, Angel; Mediavilla, Sonia

2013-04-01

Over the last few decades considerable effort has been devoted to research of leaf adaptations to environmental conditions. Many studies have reported strong differences in leaf mass per unit area (LMA) within a single tree depending on the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) incident on different locations in the crown. There are fewer studies, however, of the effects of differences in the timing of light incidence during the day on different crown orientations. Leaves from isolated trees of Quercus suber and Quercus ilex in a cold Mediterranean climate were sampled to analyze differences in LMA and other leaf traits among different crown orientations. Gas-exchange rates, leaf water potentials, leaf temperatures and PPFD incident on leaf surfaces in different crown orientations were also measured throughout one entire summer day for each species. Mean daily PPFD values were similar for the leaves from the eastern and western sides of the canopy. On the western side, PPFD reached maximum values during the afternoon. Maximum leaf temperatures were approximately 10-20% higher on the west side, whereas minimum leaf water potentials were between 10 and 24% higher on the east side. Maximum transpiration rates were approximately 22% greater on the west, because of the greater leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficits (LAVPD). Mean individual leaf area was around 10% larger on the east than on the west side of the trees. In contrast, there were no significant differences in LMA between east and west sides of the crown. Contrary to our expectations, more severe water stress on the west side did not result in increases in LMA, although it was associated with lower individual leaf area. We conclude that increases in LMA measured by other authors along gradients of water stress would be due to differences in light intensity between dry and humid sites.

Protein translation and cell death: the role of rare tRNAs in biofilm formation and in activating dormant phage killer genes.

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Rodolfo García-Contreras

2008-06-01

Full Text Available We discovered previously that the small Escherichia coli proteins Hha (hemolysin expression modulating protein and the adjacent, poorly-characterized YbaJ are important for biofilm formation; however, their roles have been nebulous. Biofilms are intricate communities in which cell signaling often converts single cells into primitive tissues. Here we show that Hha decreases biofilm formation dramatically by repressing the transcription of rare codon tRNAs which serves to inhibit fimbriae production and by repressing to some extent transcription of fimbrial genes fimA and ihfA. In vivo binding studies show Hha binds to the rare codon tRNAs argU, ileX, ileY, and proL and to two prophage clusters D1P12 and CP4-57. Real-time PCR corroborated that Hha represses argU and proL, and Hha type I fimbriae repression is abolished by the addition of extra copies of argU, ileY, and proL. The repression of transcription of rare codon tRNAs by Hha also leads to cell lysis and biofilm dispersal due to activation of prophage lytic genes rzpD, yfjZ, appY, and alpA and due to induction of ClpP/ClpX proteases which activate toxins by degrading antitoxins. YbaJ serves to mediate the toxicity of Hha. Hence, we have identified that a single protein (Hha can control biofilm formation by limiting fimbriae production as well as by controlling cell death. The mechanism used by Hha is the control of translation via the availability of rare codon tRNAs which reduces fimbriae production and activates prophage lytic genes. Therefore, Hha acts as a toxin in conjunction with co-transcribed YbaJ (TomB that attenuates Hha toxicity.

Sampling intraspecific variability in leaf functional traits: Practical suggestions to maximize collected information.

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Petruzzellis, Francesco; Palandrani, Chiara; Savi, Tadeja; Alberti, Roberto; Nardini, Andrea; Bacaro, Giovanni

2017-12-01

The choice of the best sampling strategy to capture mean values of functional traits for a species/population, while maintaining information about traits' variability and minimizing the sampling size and effort, is an open issue in functional trait ecology. Intraspecific variability (ITV) of functional traits strongly influences sampling size and effort. However, while adequate information is available about intraspecific variability between individuals (ITV BI ) and among populations (ITV POP ), relatively few studies have analyzed intraspecific variability within individuals (ITV WI ). Here, we provide an analysis of ITV WI of two foliar traits, namely specific leaf area (SLA) and osmotic potential (π), in a population of Quercus ilex L. We assessed the baseline ITV WI level of variation between the two traits and provided the minimum and optimal sampling size in order to take into account ITV WI , comparing sampling optimization outputs with those previously proposed in the literature. Different factors accounted for different amount of variance of the two traits. SLA variance was mostly spread within individuals (43.4% of the total variance), while π variance was mainly spread between individuals (43.2%). Strategies that did not account for all the canopy strata produced mean values not representative of the sampled population. The minimum size to adequately capture the studied functional traits corresponded to 5 leaves taken randomly from 5 individuals, while the most accurate and feasible sampling size was 4 leaves taken randomly from 10 individuals. We demonstrate that the spatial structure of the canopy could significantly affect traits variability. Moreover, different strategies for different traits could be implemented during sampling surveys. We partially confirm sampling sizes previously proposed in the recent literature and encourage future analysis involving different traits.

The combined effects of a long-term experimental drought and an extreme drought on the use of plant-water sources in a Mediterranean forest.

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Barbeta, Adrià; Mejía-Chang, Monica; Ogaya, Romà; Voltas, Jordi; Dawson, Todd E; Peñuelas, Josep

2015-03-01

Vegetation in water-limited ecosystems relies strongly on access to deep water reserves to withstand dry periods. Most of these ecosystems have shallow soils over deep groundwater reserves. Understanding the functioning and functional plasticity of species-specific root systems and the patterns of or differences in the use of water sources under more frequent or intense droughts is therefore necessary to properly predict the responses of seasonally dry ecosystems to future climate. We used stable isotopes to investigate the seasonal patterns of water uptake by a sclerophyll forest on sloped terrain with shallow soils. We assessed the effect of a long-term experimental drought (12 years) and the added impact of an extreme natural drought that produced widespread tree mortality and crown defoliation. The dominant species, Quercus ilex, Arbutus unedo and Phillyrea latifolia, all have dimorphic root systems enabling them to access different water sources in space and time. The plants extracted water mainly from the soil in the cold and wet seasons but increased their use of groundwater during the summer drought. Interestingly, the plants subjected to the long-term experimental drought shifted water uptake toward deeper (10-35 cm) soil layers during the wet season and reduced groundwater uptake in summer, indicating plasticity in the functional distribution of fine roots that dampened the effect of our experimental drought over the long term. An extreme drought in 2011, however, further reduced the contribution of deep soil layers and groundwater to transpiration, which resulted in greater crown defoliation in the drought-affected plants. This study suggests that extreme droughts aggravate moderate but persistent drier conditions (simulated by our manipulation) and may lead to the depletion of water from groundwater reservoirs and weathered bedrock, threatening the preservation of these Mediterranean ecosystems in their current structures and compositions. © 2014

CRESCIMENTO DE ESPÉCIES NATIVAS DE UMA FLORESTA ESTACIONAL DECIDUAL/OMBRÓFILA MISTA DO RIO GRANDE DO SUL

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Peter Spathelf

2001-05-01

Full Text Available Com uma abordagem retrospectiva, foi estudado o crescimento da caúna-da-serra (Ilex brevicuspis Reissek., cocão (Erythroxilum deciduum, tarumã-de-espinho (Cytharexylum montevidense Sprenger e capororoca (Rapanea ferruginea (Ruiz & Pavon Mez, nativas da Floresta Estacional Decidual/Floresta Ombrófila Mista de Santa Maria - RS. Foi feita a análise de tronco e a medição de anéis anuais de cada espécie estudada. Com esses dados foi avaliada a tendência de crescimento em volume comercial, o incremento do volume comercial em porcentagem e o fator de forma comercial em função do diâmetro à altura de 1,3 m (DAP. Para o ajuste dos dados obtidos, foram testados cinco modelos diferentes. Revelou-se que, com todas espécies, um polinômio de segundo grau mostrou o melhor ajuste no caso do volume comercial e do fator de forma comercial. O incremento em volume comercial anual percentual foi melhor ajustado por um modelo exponencial, também para cada espécie analisada. Observou-se uma acumulação significativamente diferente do volume sobre o diâmetro das espécies. O tarumã e o cocão mostram uma acumulação rápida em volume, enquanto que a caúna e a capororoca crescem menos rapidamente. Isso é correlacionado com os fatores de forma, nos troncos mais cilíndricos, no caso do tarumã e do cocão. O incremento em volume comercial anual percentual varia entre a faixa de mais de 100% no início do processo de crescimento e abaixo de 10% no final do crescimento estudado.

Regeneration complexities of Pinus gerardiana in dry temperate forests of Indian Himalaya.

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Kumar, Raj; Shamet, G S; Mehta, Harsh; Alam, N M; Kaushal, Rajesh; Chaturvedi, O P; Sharma, Navneet; Khaki, B A; Gupta, Dinesh

2016-04-01

Pinus gerardiana is considered an important species in dry temperate forests of North-Western Indian Himalaya because of its influence on ecological processes and economic dependence of local people in the region. But, large numbers of biotic and abiotic factors have affected P. gerardiana in these forests; hence, there is a crucial need to understand the regeneration dynamics of this tree species. The present investigation was conducted in P. gerardiana forests to understand vegetation pattern and regeneration processes on different sites in the region. Statistical analysis was performed to know variability in growing stock and regeneration on sample plots, while correlation coefficients and regression models were developed to find the relationship between regeneration and site factors. The vegetation study showed dominance of P. gerardiana, which is followed by Cedrus deodara, Pinus wallichiana and Quercus ilex in the region. The growing stock of P. gerardiana showed steep increasing and then steadily declining trend from lower to higher diameter class. The distribution of seedling, sapling, pole and trees was not uniform at different sites and less number of plots in each site were observed to have effective conditions for continuous regeneration, but mostly showed extremely limited regeneration. Regeneration success ranging from 8.44 to 15.93 % was recorded in different sites of the region, which suggests that in different sites regeneration success is influenced by collection of cone for extracting seed, grazing/browsing and physico-chemical properties of soil. Regeneration success showed significant correlation and relationship with most of abiotic and biotic factors. The regeneration success is lower than the requirement of sustainable forest, but varies widely among sites in dry temperate forests of Himalaya. More forest surveys are required to understand the conditions necessary for greater success of P. gerardiana in the region.